Bowing to Arranged Marriage [Rebirth] - Chapter 4

The lawyer Zhang Yi introduced was her high school classmate Luo Xiaoli, who ran her own law firm and was quite renowned in Su Zhou; most importantly, she was reliable.

Zhang Yi and Luo Xiaoli had been exceptionally close since high school, staying in touch through college. Later, when Luo Xiaoli opened her firm, Zhang Yi leveraged her family connections and network to give her a helping hand, deepening their bond even further.

Now, upon receiving Zheng Xiyun’s call, Luo Xiaoli responded warmly, “Take a taxi over. I’ve sent the address to your phone. A-Yi didn’t explain things very clearly, so we’ll talk in person when you arrive.”

After agreeing, Zheng Xiyun grabbed her handbag and headed out. As she opened the door, she paused for a moment, inexplicably glancing down both sides of the hallway. When she realized she was unconsciously checking to see if Mu Qing might appear, she tightened her grip on the doorknob and took a deep breath.

Being this wary of a stranger was something Zheng Xiyun had never done before. Yet she kept instinctively searching for Mu Qing’s presence, hoping to avoid her before being spotted. Fortunately, luck was on her side today. Mu Qing didn’t appear in front of her.

Luo Xiaoli’s firm wasn’t located in Su Zhou’s CBD business district but in an area clustered with law offices. The sign bearing the name “Luo Xiaoli Law Firm” was simple and clear, perfectly matching the professional image of a lawyer.

Zheng Xiyun entered the firm, where the receptionist greeted her with a warm smile. “Hello, do you have an appointment with one of our lawyers?”

Zheng Xiyun replied, “Attorney Luo Xiaoli. I’m Zheng Xiyun.”

The receptionist checked the computer records and smiled. “Miss Zheng, please go upstairs. Attorney Luo’s office is at the end of the second floor.”

Zheng Xiyun nodded and ascended the stairs.

The law firm had only two floors; the second floor was for the lawyers, while the first housed other departments. Since it was just two stories, there was no elevator, only an internal staircase connecting the levels.

Zheng Xiyun wore a three-quarter-sleeve V-neck sweater and black wide-leg pants she had bought that morning, giving her an intellectual and professional look. Carrying her handbag, she walked down the hallway to the office at the end. After knocking, she heard Luo Xiaoli’s voice say, “Come in.”

Pushing the door open, she saw a sharp, capable woman in a white blazer. Luo Xiaoli stood up and gestured to the chair opposite her desk. “Please, have a seat.” She then called her assistant to bring in coffee.

After some small talk, Luo Xiaoli got straight to the point. “Zhang Yi mentioned you want to create false documentation to ensure your assets won’t be inherited by your father or stepmother?”

“Correct.” A mocking smile tugged at Zheng Xiyun’s lips. “If I die, according to the national Inheritance Law, my father would inherit my estate, right?”

Luo Xiaoli nodded. “Yes. The first order of succession is spouse, children, and parents. You currently don’t have a spouse or children, correct?”

Zheng Xiyun shook her head. “No, just a boyfriend.”

“That doesn’t count.” Luo Xiaoli continued, “Without a spouse or children, your parents would become your heirs including a stepmother with whom you have a nurturing relationship. There’s also another scenario: if both your parents are deceased, your siblings would inherit, which includes your half-sister.”

Luo Xiaoli’s words turned Zheng Xiyun’s gaze icy. She let out a cold laugh. “So, the people eyeing my assets aren’t just my father?”

Luo Xiaoli gave a slight nod. She wasn’t surprised by Zheng Xiyun’s family issues. She had seen far too many similar cases where families fought tooth and nail over inheritance, sometimes even to the point of bloodshed. Noticing Zheng Xiyun lost in thought with a slight frown, she didn’t disturb her. She would offer the best advice, but first, she needed to confirm Zheng Xiyun’s own wishes.

Zheng Xiyun’s eyes seemed unfocused as she stared at the table, but in reality, she was deep in thought. Before this, even before her rebirth she had never considered that her inheritance could become such a contentious issue. It was only after dying once and being reborn that she even thought about it. And now, she realized that the mother-daughter pair actually had the legal right to claim her assets.

How laughable. The very people who had torn her family apart had the right to inherit her wealth. The irony was almost unbearable.

So, the proof couldn’t be fake. It had to be undeniable, something that would make it crystal clear to them. They would never get what they wanted. No matter what.

Zheng Xiyun looked up at Luo Xiaoli again, her gaze now steady and icy. With resolve, she said, “What if I donate my entire estate to charity?”

“Of course, you can,” Luo Xiaoli replied with a smile. “Your assets are your private property, so you have every right to decide their fate. If you choose to donate them to charity, I can help you select one or two organizations. Then, as your legal representative and executor, I’ll assist you in signing a legacy agreement with them. Once the contract takes effect, we’ll proceed with notarization.”

A faint smile tugged at Zheng Xiyun’s lips. “Then I’ll leave it to you.”

“No trouble at all,” Luo Xiaoli said. “After you return to Beijing, send me all the documentation for your assets. I’ll appraise them and draft the most suitable legacy agreement.”

By the time Zheng Xiyun stepped out of the law firm, her mood had lifted considerably. Under the bright sky, she strode confidently down the street before stopping at a café. Sipping her coffee, she called Zhang Yi.

“Hey, sweetheart, how’d it goes? Everything settled?” Zhang Yi’s voice came through the phone.

“Smoothly,” Zheng Xiyun replied, her tone light. “Once I’m back in Beijing, I’ll send all my asset details to Lawyer Luo. She’ll help me draft the legacy donation agreement.”

“Wait a minute!” Zhang Yi sounded bewildered. “What do you mean? Are you seriously planning to donate your entire estate?”

Gazing at the sunlight streaming through the window, Zheng Xiyun said, “Yes. I’ve decided to donate everything to charity.”

“Oh my god!” Zhang Yi exclaimed dramatically. “Who brainwashed you? Do you even know how much wealth you’re sitting on?”

“I have a rough idea.”

“And do you understand the implications of donating all that? Since when did you become so charitable? Plus, once this news gets out, every media outlet will be all over you. Do you really want that kind of attention?”

Zheng Xiyun smirked. “That’s exactly the point. I want everyone to know that if I die, the Zheng family won’t get a single penny. As for donating to charity, consider it good karma. Don’t you always say, ‘What goes around comes around’? This is my way of tipping the scales in my favor.”

With that, Zheng Xiyun lowered her enchanting eyes, gazing at the coffee cup with countless emotions swirling in her heart. No one understood better than her what it meant to have worldly possessions. Money was undoubtedly important, but once she died, it would all be left behind. None of it could be taken with her. Instead, it would fall into the hands of others. So why not donate it to charity? This would be her way of repaying the heavens and the world for granting her a second life.

Zhang Yi, however, couldn’t comprehend her reasoning. “Xiyun, what’s gotten into you? I feel like you’ve been acting a bit strange lately! That’s the inheritance your mother and grandparents left for you.”

“Which is exactly why I can’t let it end up in their pockets,” Zheng Xiyun stirred her coffee and said to Zhang Yi, “You mentioned the media would find out. Honestly, I hope they make a huge fuss about it so they have no other way to reclaim those assets. That’s the only way to achieve my goal. Right now, several profitable projects in the company were pushed forward by me. If they can’t covet my inheritance, they’ll have to value my life more, since I’m their money-making tool.”

“Or they might just kill you in a fit of rage!” Zhang Yi teased.

Zheng Xiyun replied, “They’d have to be willing to sacrifice those projects first.”

“Alright,” Zhang Yi sighed helplessly. “Since you’ve made up your mind, I’ll support you. Leave the media part to me.”

Zheng Xiyun gladly entrusted the task to her. She always had full confidence in Zhang Yi’s capabilities.

In her previous life, Zhang Yi had helped her countless times, even going so far as to use her own resources to fill Zheng Xiyun’s gaps. Zheng Xiyun had never forgotten these acts of kindness and was deeply grateful. Now that she had been reborn though only for a year. For investors like them, a year of foresight was more than enough.

So in this life, she would repay Zhang Yi for that year.

Zheng Xiyun’s good mood lasted until she returned home. The moment she stepped inside and saw Zhang Meiyan leaning against her father, whispering to him, she said nothing and turned to head upstairs.

Unfortunately, before she could reach the staircase, her father, Zheng Jiangling, called out from behind her, “Xiyun, come here. I need to talk to you.”

Zheng Xiyun turned around, her expression blank. “Say whatever you need to say right here.”

Zheng Jiangling was about to lose his temper when Zhang Meiyan gently squeezed his hand. Suppressing his anger, he said, “Are you still dating Kang Minghong?”

Zheng Xiyun nodded. “Yes.”

Zheng Jiangling frowned. “Xiyun, have you forgotten what I told you before? Break up with Kang Minghong immediately. Do you realize how much the Mu family despises this behavior of yours? Not long after they first proposed the marriage alliance, you announced you had a boyfriend. Xiyun, you know full well the Mu family’s standing and methods in the business world. Why would you do something like this? I heard the eldest son of the Mu family was furious when he found out. He wanted to snatch a few of your projects, but the eldest daughter talked him out of it.”

Zheng Xiyun understood her father’s implication perfectly. He was warning her that if she didn’t agree to the Mu family’s marriage proposal, both her personal life and her career would suffer greatly.

So, could my death have been orchestrated by the Mu family?

She couldn’t be certain, but she wasn’t willing to dismiss the possibility. Either way, the Mu family was indeed a suspect.

Yet she betrayed no hint of belief on her face, responding with the same sarcasm as before. “Whatever tricks they have, I’ll face them head-on.”

Before Zheng Jiangling could speak, Zhang Meiyan interjected, “Xi Yun, how can you say that? You know very well how dangerous the business world is. Not every tactic is something you can handle. You should think it over carefully. Can you really bear the consequences?”

Zheng Xiyun replied indifferently, “Whatever.”