The Divorce Lawyer Is Very Hard To Flirt With - Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Formidable Romantic Rival

Song Moqiu had heard this question from many people; it was like an invisible label closely affixed to the periphery of her life. When older individuals posed this question, it was always with a veteran’s sincere advice, their words filled with nostalgia for youth and concern for the future: “You’re not young anymore; you should find someone to marry. Otherwise, you’ll be an older mother later.” In their eyes, marriage seemed to be a necessary stop in life’s journey, and Song Moqiu appeared to be lingering outside the station, hesitant to get on board.

Younger individuals often asked with an innocent curiosity, their question usually followed by an unintentional compliment: “You’re so pretty; surely many people pursue you. You must just not have met the one you like yet.” To them, beauty was a passport to love, and Song Moqiu seemed only to be waiting for the right ticket.

Peers generally avoided asking this question because most of them were already somewhat familiar with Song Moqiu’s personality. She was a solitary figure, aloof and indifferent, always maintaining a proper distance from those she didn’t know well. If she didn’t want to give face, she truly wouldn’t, so her peers, unless in an intimate relationship, didn’t dare ask casually.

Since Song Moqiu started working in enforcement, her life had become even busier and more fulfilling. Cases were numerous, she was constantly on the move, holidays were often spent on duty, and her overtime hours exceeded her normal working hours. This lifestyle made her even more solitary and reduced opportunities for casual conversation, meaning fewer people dared to inquire easily about her private life.

Therefore, when Song Xidan suddenly posed the question, Song Moqiu was genuinely startled. She frowned slightly, and after half a second, she asked back with an almost cold tone: “What does that have to do with you?”

Her voice was calm and firm, yet carried an unmissable sense of pressure.

Song Moqiu was not an easy person to deal with; her personality was straightforward and sharp, and she never compromised easily. Even just uttering that sentence plainly could make the air feel solidified.

But she was facing Song Xidan, who was also not one to retreat easily. Although Song Xidan noticed Song Moqiu’s rejection, she persisted in asking: “It’s very important to me to know if Judge Song is single.”

“Why is it important?” Song Moqiu pressed further.

Song Xidan thought for a moment. After weighing her options, she decided not to reveal too much information, so she chose to remain silent. In her heart, she couldn’t help but grumble: Why did Sister Zhi’an say she and Judge Song were the same type of people? They’re completely different! Sister Zhi’an is both gentle and intellectual.

Song Xidan kept quiet, and Song Moqiu also remained silent. Just like that, the two fell into an extremely awkward silence. A subtle tension permeated the air, as if a silent standoff could erupt at any moment.

The moment the elevator doors slowly opened, Ying Zhi’an coincidentally walked out of a conference room on the other side of the corridor, her steps carrying a trace of relief from social engagement. Her figure looked particularly graceful in the bright hallway.

“Sister Zhi’an!” As soon as Song Xidan saw Ying Zhi’an, even after the frustration of the previous night, a brilliant smile bloomed uncontrollably on her face. The smile was like the gentle sunshine of spring, warm and bright. “Are you finished with your meeting?” Her voice was clear and pleasant, full of vitality, seemingly able to dispel all fatigue.

Ying Zhi’an hadn’t slept well the night before. She had dark circles under her eyes and looked exhausted. This wasn’t just because she was unaccustomed to the extra presence in the room—although Song Moqiu was quiet as if she didn’t exist, neither snoring nor grinding her teeth, like an exquisite, lifeless statue lying peacefully. Still, Ying Zhi’an felt a certain discomfort in this stillness. Perhaps the height and softness of the pillow didn’t suit her, triggering her trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places. In any case, she tossed and turned all night, unable to fall asleep.

So much so that when Song Moqiu got up for a glass of water in the middle of the night and noticed Ying Zhi’an’s situation, she asked with concern, “Did I wake you up?”

Outside the window, a full moon hung high, the moonlight bright and pure, as if draping a silver veil over the earth. The fifteenth of the month always carried the feeling of a perfect, romantic night, but a subtle distance was maintained between Ying Zhi’an and Song Moqiu, devoid of any ambiguous atmosphere. Ying Zhi’an politely replied, “No, I have trouble sleeping in new beds; I’m a bit sleepless. Go back to sleep; you have to wake up early tomorrow.”

Song Moqiu glanced at the phone on the bedside table; it was nearly three in the morning. “I brought melatonin. Do you want to try it?” Her tone held a hint of expectation.

“I don’t have the habit of taking that.” Ying Zhi’an replied briefly, then gently turned over, facing away from Song Moqiu.

Song Moqiu stared blankly at Ying Zhi’an’s back, her heart filled with mixed emotions. After a long while, she slowly returned to her own bed, lying on her side as well, but this time, she deliberately turned her face to the wall, no longer looking toward Ying Zhi’an.

In the endless darkness, Song Moqiu gazed at the cold wall. A sudden, inexplicable sense of loss surged within her, as if the relationship between her and Ying Zhi’an had quietly taken another step back during this sleepless night.

And when Ying Zhi’an closed her eyes, all she could think of was Song Xidan’s look from the night before.

She might have trouble sleeping in new beds, but the other reason for her wakefulness was Song Xidan.

That look was incredibly moving.

The words that came to Ying Zhi’an’s mind were: firm, stubborn, and completely unreserved.

Ying Zhi’an knew very well that this was very likely the look of someone in love. It was a profound and fervent emotional expression that transcended words and struck straight to the soul. Such a look held infinite power and tenderness, seeming capable of piercing the boundaries of time and space, condensing all emotion into a single moment.

Ying Zhi’an was not without admirers. Many men had pursued her, speaking many sweet words during their declarations, but the look in their eyes was often filled with possessiveness, or if there was affection, it wasn’t deep.

The women was Hu Fei.

Although she was drunk that night, she still remembered Hu Fei’s gaze. Hu Fei’s eyes held deep affection, like a deep, bottomless lake, bearing too much unspoken love. This gaze was also moving because how could an adult possess so much love, and yet that love was genuinely present.

Ying Zhi’an needed immense rationality to reject such deep affection, as who wouldn’t want to receive it?

And rejecting Hu Fei didn’t leave Ying Zhi’an with guilt or hesitation. If anything, there was only a slight sense of regret—a shame for letting down such deep affection and a regret that she didn’t love her back.

But Song Xidan’s gaze was different from the men’s, and different from Hu Fei’s.

Ying Zhi’an felt that when she looked into those eyes, she felt an unignorable firmness. It was a dedication and belief in love, as if saying: “No matter how bumpy the road ahead, whether you love me or not, until the end of time, even if the world collapses in the next second, I will love you unswervingly, forever unchanged.”

This firmness stemmed from Song Xidan’s deepest conviction, a form of unconditional trust and commitment, seemingly representing an indomitable perseverance.

It was undisguised, without hidden agendas, completely open and sincere.

This was Song Xidan’s stubbornness, so stubborn that Ying Zhi’an dared not directly face it, choosing instead to laugh it off at that moment, saying things whose logic she herself couldn’t quite grasp, just to dismiss this obstinacy.

She herself could barely recall what she had said in response.

Ying Zhi’an had met too many people and deeply understood not a few loves and marriages, so she certainly knew what Song Xidan was implying. Song Xidan’s choice not to express it too directly was a relief to Ying Zhi’an.

In her heart, Ying Zhi’an asked herself: Song Xidan is different from Hu Fei. If Song Xidan bluntly clarified things, would I truly have the mental strength to refuse her?

The terrifying thing was that she couldn’t predict her own answer. It felt like a truly unpredictable matter, just like Song Xidan herself, completely unpredictable.

Unpredictable, and thus inherently destructive.

She neither wanted to frustrate her nor could she face accepting her directly—it was a dilemma.

Tormented by these thoughts, Ying Zhi’an lost sleep and had to rely on coffee to get through the morning class.

Seeing Song Xidan again, who had returned to her bright, sunny self, Ying Zhi’an felt a bizarre sense of relief. At least maintaining the status quo was good; there was no need to face the unpredictable!

So, Ying Zhi’an smiled with relief. “I’m done. Qingcheng said he needed me to sign the documents. I’ll sign them for you now, and then you should head back.”

Song Xidan looked eagerly at Ying Zhi’an. “Can I have lunch with you? I checked a really good restaurant nearby when I came over, and I’ve already made a reservation.”

Ying Zhi’an immediately replied, “We have a short meeting scheduled for the training class at noon, so I can’t go out to eat. I’m going to the cafeteria and then heading straight there. Are these the materials?”

There was absolutely no training scheduled during lunchtime. Ying Zhi’an was lying. Song Moqiu’s eyes flashed, but she remained quietly on the side, saying nothing.

“Oh, okay…” Song Xidan pursed her lips and handed the manila envelope to Ying Zhi’an. “Director Luo said this is in triplicate and needs all three copies signed by you.”

Ying Zhi’an hadn’t brought a pen. “I’ll go back to the conference room to sign them for you. Wait for me.”

Song Moqiu stood silently on the side, her gaze following Ying Zhi’an’s hurried departing back, as if a fire were truly chasing her, or some urgent matter was calling her.

Song Moqiu’s thoughts were always more acute and delicate than most, arguably more so than Ying Zhi’an’s. Just from the brief encounter of the three of them, she sensed something was amiss. So, she refocused her scrutinizing gaze on Song Xidan, just as Song Xidan was sneaking a look at her. Their eyes met in mid-air.

However, this was different from the previous silence. Song Moqiu’s thoughts were stirring, her emotional state slightly fluctuating, unlike her usual unflappable composure. After a moment of contemplation, she finally spoke to probe: “You asked if I was single. My answer is I am single. Do you have anything else you want to ask me?”

Although Song Xidan didn’t understand why Song Moqiu suddenly chose to answer, a strange tension tightened in her heart upon hearing the answer, as if an invisible sense of crisis was quietly approaching from all directions. “I… I don’t have anything else to ask…”

“You can ask; I will answer.” Song Moqiu’s tone held a degree of sincerity and cooperation. Clearly, she also had something she wanted to clarify.

“You…” Song Xidan opened her mouth, but didn’t know how to continue.

“Hmm?”

Song Xidan had always considered herself quite bold, but she inexplicably faltered now. Finally, she gathered her courage and asked: “Judge Song is so beautiful, is it because you adhere to celibacy that you haven’t met the right person?”

Song Moqiu, however, looked elsewhere, seemingly pondering and hesitating over how to answer.

Ultimately, despite being a more rational, older woman, this time she couldn’t control her emotional fluctuations and chose to clarify the conversation further. “I am not a celibate. Are you… viewing me as a competitor?” Her tone was slightly probing.

Song Xidan’s eyes instantly widened, her face filled with incredulity. “How did you know!” She almost blurted it out.

“As expected…” Song Moqiu sighed softly, her gaze once again turning toward Ying Zhi’an, who was slowly walking back from the corridor after signing the documents. “I’m not the only one who has noticed her.”

“Judge Song!” Song Xidan didn’t understand and was even more confused. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is, I don’t like competition. What belongs to me will naturally belong to me, and what doesn’t belong to me will ultimately be futile, no matter how hard I stretch on my tiptoes to grab it. Especially regarding love, it simply cannot be won through competition.” Song Moqiu’s tone carried a mix of philosophy and resignation.

Song Xidan felt that she had understood everything. She desperately wanted to call Zhu Yun immediately to share this confirmed result—Judge Song was her competitor! A formidable romantic rival!

After saying this, Song Moqiu slowly sighed. She recalled the deliberate attention and focus Ying Zhi’an had just shown towards Song Xidan and felt that perhaps the spark of interest she had finally found was nothing more than a one-sided fantasy.

Ying Zhi’an is always composed and proper. The person who can make her act so deliberately that she loses her composure might have already appeared… Song Moqiu silently repeated this phrase in her mind.

Therefore, when Song Moqiu looked at Song Xidan again, although her surface remained as dignified and elegant as a pure, noble jade Buddha, her heart was already howling with cold wind and turbulent waves.

She wanted to avoid and flee this competition that she might be destined to lose.

Song Xidan, meanwhile, felt Song Moqiu’s gaze was especially intense and aggressive, clearly showing a certainty of victory! She rubbed her cold arm, feeling her own mood rapidly dropping to the freezing point…

Ying Zhi’an, having finished signing, was completely unaware of the complex emotional turmoil of the other two. She returned the manila envelope to Song Xidan and added a special instruction: “Be careful on your way back. I won’t walk you out.”

Song Xidan bit her lower lip and nodded dejectedly. As soon as the elevator door closed, her shoulders slumped.

How could she compete with Judge Song?

Heaven, earth, and human factors—she had none of them. Sister Zhi’an liked having meals with Judge Song, and even didn’t have time for her…

She had nothing, and she was nothing…

When Zhu Yun saw Song Xidan, she was looking out the window with a serious expression.

Zhu Yun sensed her state was off and immediately encouraged her: “Can you be more ambitious! Where are you inferior to her? You definitely have your advantages! Pull yourself together! Even the moss flower is as small as a grain of rice, but it also learns to bloom like a peony!”

“My advantage?”

“Yes! Although I haven’t thought of it yet, you definitely have one! Let me think a bit more.”

Since learning about Judge Song, Zhu Yun had specifically searched for Song Moqiu’s name on the court’s official public account. She saw articles about her being an outstanding employee every year, and a very old public education video. She was indeed beautiful! But she wouldn’t lose the fight even if she had to be crafty. Zhu Yun racked her brains.

Song Xidan, however, snapped out of it and said very calmly, “I know now.”

“What?” Zhu Yun was baffled.

“Girlish charm!”

“Huh? What?”

Song Xidan suddenly downed the cup of hot water on the table, as if it were a shot of strong liquor. “Yes, the place where I can surpass Judge Song: girlish charm!”

Zhu Yun was practically stamping her feet in anxiety. “Don’t be like this! You look like you’ve made some wicked decision! It makes me nervous!”

“It’s not wicked,” Song Xidan placed the empty teacup on the table with a crisp clinking sound, like the sound of her resolve. “It’s just that I need to seriously learn how to flirt. But my learning ability isn’t bad. I can definitely do it.”

“Huh?” Zhu Yun’s eyes widened. “Flirt?”