The Divorce Lawyer Is Very Hard To Flirt With - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Used to It

On the other side, Ying Zhi’an woke up to a WeChat message from Song Xidan: Sister Zhi’an, I’m already at the entrance! It’s still early, so take your time~

“This young one is quite thoughtful,” Ying Zhi’an raised an eyebrow. She remembered telling Song Xidan the previous night to go straight to work and not pick her up, but this caring gesture made Ying Zhi’an, as the recipient, feel a slight touch of warmth.

The old saying held true: throw a peach and get a plum in return. Since her little apprentice was so thoughtful, Ying Zhi’an couldn’t treat her unfairly.

While getting ready, Ying Zhi’an reviewed her current cases, looking for a simple one to let Song Xidan practice on.

Then, the Dating Cheat Device popped up again: Friendly reminder! Feature not yet available: Matchmaker’s Red Thread (Deactivated) (Activation Progress 77.5%)

The Dating Cheat Device didn’t inform her of the activation conditions for the feature; instead, it arrogantly instructed Ying Zhi’an to figure it out herself.

Ying Zhi’an never felt anxious about things she couldn’t tackle, usually opting for a “cold approach.”

So, she had always given the Dating Cheat Device the cold shoulder.

She hadn’t expected the so-called Matchmaker’s Red Thread feature’s activation progress bar to suddenly jump to 77.5%.

I haven’t done anything.

Ying Zhi’an sighed in exasperation.

Ying Zhi’an had a court hearing today. She swiftly applied her light makeup, and while drawing her eyebrows, she got distracted thinking that this case was unlikely to receive a verdict in court today, and the tail of her eyebrow line extended a bit too long.

Since she wasn’t a perfectionist, and it didn’t look bad, she left it.

When she finished tidying up and stepped out of the apartment complex, she saw her car. It was clear that Song Xidan not only knew how to ride horses but was also quite good at parallel parking.

However, as soon as Ying Zhi’an got into the car, before she could even say hello, her eyes immediately caught the score above Song Xidan’s head—55!

What the heck!

Ying Zhi’an sucked in a cold breath. This young person! This good sister! How did you get to 55?

What did I do right? Tell me! I’ll change it!

Wait, seventy-seven point five percent…

Ying Zhi’an squinted, mentally calculating.

Song Xidan didn’t notice Ying Zhi’an’s abnormality. She looked at Ying Zhi’an, whose slender eyebrows gave the lawyer a cold and glamorous beauty. Sister Zhi’an looks so good today, she thought, and smiled shyly, handing over a lunch box.

“Sister Zhi’an, you probably haven’t had breakfast. I made this myself, would you like to try it?”

“Thank you.” Ying Zhi’an took the lunch box and had already finished the 77.5% calculation: 155 divided by 200 was exactly 0.775.

She looked at the number above Song Xidan’s head, 55. Coincidentally, adding Hu Fei’s 100 made it exactly 155…

Ying Zhi’an’s emotions were complex. She glanced at the number above Song Xidan’s head again.

For a moment, a dark thought crossed her mind: she wanted to tease Song Xidan into accelerating the progress bar, just to see what kind of even more bizarre new function this high-plane, high-tech, high-fantasy Dating Cheat Device possessed.

Matchmaker’s Red Thread sounded intriguing.

But soon, that dark thought was manually shredded.

Just like her rejection of Hu Fei last night, love absolutely could not be treated as a game.

Life should have some noble elements. Even if they are placed on a high pedestal, it’s precisely because they are invaluable.

Ying Zhi’an’s change of mind happened in an instant. She immediately restrained her smile when facing Song Xidan, putting on the facade of an unfeeling, robotic person, attempting to stop the rapidly increasing number.

Song Xidan had not yet perceived Ying Zhi’an’s shift. She happily drove toward the law firm, trying to be ingratiating. “Sister Zhi’an, would you like some coffee? Should we stop by…”

“No need.” Ying Zhi’an coldly interrupted, her face expressionless. “Don’t talk.”

To her surprise, Song Xidan was very compliant. “I’ll drive more steadily. Sister Zhi’an, you can catch up on some sleep.”

Ying Zhi’an instantly understood Song Xidan’s implication. “I slept very well last night. I was not affected.”

“Mhm, I understand. You’re used to it.”

Ying Zhi’an, a single person since birth, didn’t actually have that many romantic prospects. Her face, combined with her figure and her profession, was enough to make many people keep a respectful distance.

Song Xidan’s comment, however, sounded grating to Ying Zhi’an. Perhaps it was because she was used to the people she interacted with always having an underlying meaning to their words, leading her to feel that Song Xidan’s words were also backhanded. She turned to look at the young woman, only to see complete sincerity on her face, seemingly without any other hidden meaning, instead agreeing with Ying Zhi’an’s established persona as a popular person.

More direct than her expression was the index above her head, which had increased a little more.

Great. No hidden meaning indeed.

But… how! How did it increase again?

What kind of persona do kids these days actually like!

Ying Zhi’an let out an inaudible sigh, truly baffled by the thoughts of young people. She decided to try and make Song Xidan retreat by making it difficult for her. “Yes, I am skilled at rejecting people, and I also can’t accept your view on love.”

To her surprise, the young woman’s eyes lit up. “Sister Zhi’an, you still remember what I said last night!”

Is that the point?

Shouldn’t the point be that I don’t approve of you, and we are not the same kind of people?!

Seeing Song Xidan’s lips involuntarily curling up slightly, Ying Zhi’an’s head hurt even more. She closed her eyes, thinking that out of sight meant out of mind.

But Song Xidan was her apprentice. Once they got out of the car, they would be in the same office. Moreover, she still had the divorce case of Ms. Xiao, the “big sister-in-law” introduced by Zhu Yun. It was simply impossible not to communicate or interact.

Especially when Song Xidan nimbly bought coffee for Ying Zhi’an, her eyes shining like stars, focused on Ying Zhi’an. “Sister Zhi’an, how should we handle the Fang family?”

From such a beautiful face, the word “handle” (nòng) came out with a hint of gangster-like swagger.

Ying Zhi’an offered guidance: “This couple is already at loggerheads. Ms. Fang hiring a lawyer is like adding fuel to the fire. We actually don’t need to do much; a major conflict will inevitably erupt between them. All we need to do is accelerate the process of this conflict. Do you know what stings a man the most?”

“What?”

“Contempt.”

“Contempt?”

“Or rather, the absolute contempt of the dominant party in an already unequal relationship.” Ying Zhi’an changed the subject. “Ms. Fang’s legal fees haven’t been paid yet. Call her.”

Song Xidan was momentarily stunned, then a flash of insight struck her. “Should we make the Fang family use money to pressure the husband? The Fang family is so stingy; even if they agree, they’ll surely renege. If the husband were a good person, he wouldn’t sell his daughter for money. Given your reputation, Sister Zhi’an, he will definitely resort to shady tactics to hit back at the Fang family. If he’s not a good person and chooses to take the money, he will definitely leak more information to raise the price and pressure the Fang family. Either way, it leads to the same outcome.”

Ying Zhi’an continued, “I’ll make a preliminary judgment: the husband genuinely wants custody of his daughter. When you speak to Ms. Fang, suggest she quietly bring the child over first.”

Hearing Ying Zhi’an’s suggestion, Song Xidan grew anxious. “What if Ms. Fang really has ulterior motives for the child!”

Song Xidan was genuinely worried.

But Ying Zhi’an, after years as a lawyer, no longer possessed such overflowing sympathy. In her view, regardless of whether both spouses were unkind, one person would inevitably gain custody of the child. As long as they didn’t go too far, the child would naturally grow up dependent on one side.

Debating and worrying about such inevitable things was pointless. If the situation really progressed to the point of being “too much,” it would likely fall under the criminal category. Furthermore, as an outsider, worrying about whether a parent would harm their own child was a logically unsound and overly sanctimonious concern.

However, Ying Zhi’an couldn’t be bothered to explain all that. She simply replied, “You have the husband’s phone number, don’t you? Can’t you immediately inform him on behalf of Ms. Fang?”

“Inform him?”

“Inform him to rush over from out of town to talk in person and perhaps see his daughter.”

“I understand, Sister Zhi’an. I’ll call Ms. Fang right away.”

The husband needed to come over to cause some “waves,” as causing social death naturally required affecting the Fang family’s social connections in their permanent residence. Ying Zhi’an pushed her true intention back into her heart. She looked at the spirited Song Xidan, who was as pure as a white lotus. Such a young person didn’t need to know all the details.

The Fang family, in Ying Zhi’an’s eyes, was not a big deal. After completely handing the matter over to Song Xidan, she left for the court hearing.

In this case, she was the defense attorney. When she met her client at the courthouse entrance, the man had a pile of cigarette butts at his feet, indicating his nervousness.

“Mr. Guan, I’ll confirm with you again. Are we petitioning the court to deny the divorce?”

“Yes, thank you, Lawyer Ying.”

“However, the opposing party has applied for a discovery order. In court, they will likely use the three million yuan transaction records you gave to that lady to counterattack. I have also explained the plaintiff’s amended claims to you: they are asking not only for custody of the child but also for all the real estate under your name.”

In Ying Zhi’an’s view, Mr. Guan’s wife was extremely determined to divorce, and Mr. Guan’s passive avoidance of the lawsuit, even subconsciously refusing when Ying Zhi’an suggested applying for a discovery order herself, was highly irrational behavior.

“We fell in love at first sight, dated for three years, and then cautiously entered into marriage. We’ve been together for ten years now. I hired you to prevent the divorce.” Mr. Guan had a proper face and a tall build. His executive profession added to his middle-aged charm. When such a person spoke such a firm vow in a soft tone with a frown, he looked very devoted.

But Ying Zhi’an had already carefully studied the opposing party’s complaint and evidence, and patiently confirmed the bank records they obtained through the discovery order. What right did a man who gave two hundred thousand yuan a month to his mistress as pocket money have to speak of love?

Ying Zhi’an had no interest in playing along with his act. Due to her role as his representative, she didn’t expose his performative personality. She merely emphasized again, “According to your wishes, I have applied to the court for a closed-door hearing. Only the judge, the plaintiff, and we will be present during the hearing. Mr. Guan, based on my years of experience, the only way to save this marriage is through honesty. You can use this opportunity to say something genuinely heartfelt.”

Mr. Guan did not look at Ying Zhi’an, only at the cigarette in his hand.

Ying Zhi’an knew he hadn’t listened, so she said nothing more, took out her lawyer’s license, and headed toward security.