Volume One, Chapter 10: An Old Acquaintance Revealed

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In the café, Xiang Zheng and Wang Wandi sat on one side, facing the distinguished lawyer Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu was in his thirties, dressed in a professional suit that exuded an air of elite sophistication. He stirred his espresso with a coffee spoon.

“Lawyer Xiao, if there are no further questions, shall we sign the contract today?” Wang Wandi spoke first.

Xiao Yu rolled his eyes slightly, a hint of indifference and detachment flickering in his gaze. “Of course there are.”

Those three words put pressure on Wang Wandi. She was still young and inexperienced. Exchanging a glance with Xiang Zheng, she stammered, “There’s no problem that can’t be solved. Is it about qualifications?”

Xiang Zheng sighed silently.

Xiao Yu was a partner at a law firm, which meant he could buy property under the company's name, bypassing any qualification restrictions. Besides, for the wealthy, there were always ways to circumvent policy. Qualifications were hardly an obstacle.

Wang Wandi was still too naive.

“How about letting this beauty beside you guess what my problem is?”

Wang Wandi quickly lowered her head upon meeting Xiao Yu’s gaze.

She was confused. She had met this client many times and did not understand why the client was so certain that Xiang Zheng knew the issue.

Xiang Zheng sipped her coffee and said, “I read something today: The law can protect a marriage, but it cannot bind the heart. I wonder if that has anything to do with your problem, Lawyer Xiao?”

Xiang Zheng also knew that Xiao Yu was skilled in divorce litigation. His clients, aided by his sharp tongue, always managed to leave the marriage with everything, while the other party walked away empty-handed.

Xiao Yu’s eyes lit up, and he snapped his fingers.

“Clever beauty. Miss Wang, I have some things I can’t say out loud. I would like to speak with this understanding real estate consultant, please.”

He omitted three words.

“You leave.”

Wang Wandi read his meaning, glanced at Xiang Zheng, and reluctantly left.

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“Are you resigned?”

“Are you divorced?”

Xiang Zheng and Xiao Yu asked at the same time, their voices in unison.

“I am your client, you answer me first.”

Xiao Yu’s words oddly reminded Xiang Zheng of the occasional CEO novels she read: “I don’t want what you think, I want what I think.”

Xiang Zheng looked out the window, smiling at the memory.

“What is there to be resentful about? The boss gave my client to her and gave me a premium list. The calls I made reached my boyfriend’s… oh no, now my husband’s phone. So although I lost a lot, I don’t hate her at all.”

Life was like that sometimes: losing in one place, gaining in another.

Xiao Yu laughed with irritation and pointed at his chest teasingly.

“I’m such a difficult person, yet you keep trying without fear of rejection, never turning back until you hit a wall, treating me like a friend. I win cases but get scolded online; you comfort me. I was moved by your professionalism and decided to buy a wedding home through you.”

Memories flashed vividly.

Xiang Zheng was touched as well. “Don’t say that; I’m just trying to close the deal.”

“But in the end, you let someone else pick the fruit. Ah, Beauty Xiang, have you ever thought about how I feel? You don’t seem like someone who’s blinded by love! Do you know how unprofessional she is? Three years have passed with no improvement.”

What had been moving moments turned into complaints in an instant.

Xiang Zheng understood.

Xiao Yu was defending her.

A lawyer with a conscience—ruthless in court but without reproach toward her as a real estate consultant.

“Thank you for your recognition, Lawyer Xiao. But now I’m more interested in why you want to buy a house again after purchasing a wedding home three years ago. Let me guess: you left the wedding home to your wife? That’s not like your usual style as a divorce lawyer.”

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Xiao Yu fell silent.

He stared at the edge of his coffee cup for a long time.

“She was my first love, from school uniform to wedding dress. But as your social circle says, love makes people forget time, and time makes people forget love. That’s how we got here.”

Unable to give her love anymore, he gave her a roof to shelter and rest under when hurt.

Xiang Zheng’s focus was not on whether his wife was his first love, but that he actually looked at her social circle posts.

“So, was it you who told Wandi to bring me here today?”

“I just reminded her to bring a professional. I had a feeling she’d bring you. Xiang Zheng, I want you to earn this commission!”

When Xiao Yu called her by name, it was as if a halo shone above his head.

That feeling was very pleasant and warm.

Xiang Zheng raised her coffee cup and clinked it against his. “Whether or not I get the commission, I appreciate your kindness. I’m just about to buy a house too; paying a larger down payment will ease the mortgage pressure.”

“You’ve earned quite a bit these years, haven’t you? Still not enough to pay in full?” Xiao Yu teased mercilessly. “Even if your own isn’t enough, your boyfriend’s should be. You know, you picked a man with less financial clout than you. Marriage isn’t charity; it’s about improving quality of life.”

Xiang Zheng shrugged, believing matters of the heart were like drinking water—comfort came from personal fit. Shoes on one’s feet must feel right.

“I earn a lot, but I also spend a lot. I’m not as strong as you, emotionally strong. I rely on my brand. As for my man, he’s given me all the best.”

Seeing her so confident, Xiao Yu’s envy turned to a lighter mood, and he changed the subject.

“Just buying me coffee without sincerity.”

Xiang Zheng straightened her chest and vowed, “When I have clients needing divorce lawyers, you’ll be my first recommendation.”