The Divorce Lawyer Is Very Hard To Flirt With - Chapter 84

Chapter 84: It Was My Transgression

What is science?

Ying Zhi’an had previously read a book that detailed the modern Chinese concept of “science” and its origin. To truly understand “science,” one must enter the Western context, as “science” is originally from the West, a borrowed term.

The concept of “science” widely accepted by the Chinese, who emphasize pragmatism, is the technology derived during the era of national salvation. Therefore, throughout history, learning science in modern times—the Western learning eastward—is also the history of Western “science” evolving from “technique” to “principle,” from “utility” to “substance.” Practicality is an eternal topic that cannot be bypassed.

Now, the Love Cheat Device repeatedly emphasized “science” to Ying Zhi’an, aggravating her rebellious feelings. As a faithful adherent of reality and pragmatism, the Love Cheat Device seemed utterly pedantic to her, especially since she had already clearly determined her feelings.

She was consistently the type of person who, once she grasped a snake by its vital spot, would ensure its demise. Thus, she emphasized again: “Do you believe that with a single phone call, I can start a relationship? Then you and I will be done, and you won’t need to emphasize your ‘science’ anymore.”

The Love Cheat Device quickly replied: —All for the user’s service.

If the system had a human form, this sentence would have been even more fawning on top of its previous “groveling.”

The pragmatic Ying Zhi’an stressed once more: “Every time you seem harmless, you have something big concealed behind your back! I know your strategy. It was highly likely to succeed, but you failed this time entirely because Song Moqiu wasn’t susceptible to your methods. You were exposed by her, and your ‘science’ is now completely impossible. While you were on standby, Song Moqiu and I had already clarified things. There is no longer any possibility between us.”

—Is the user so certain?

Ying Zhi’an raised an eyebrow. “You’ll know when you see Song Moqiu.”

Song Moqiu’s distance was extremely obvious, not just to Ying Zhi’an, but also to others, and the Love Cheat Device would have no choice but to notice.

First was the lunch issue. There was a class that morning covering a topic Ying Zhi’an found interesting, so she listened attentively all morning.

Just before the class ended, the class monitor introduced a feature activity for the upcoming night study session—a group discussion and analysis of several difficult cases, with each group only needing to submit one case analysis report.

The professor giving the lecture spoke eloquently, causing the class to run over. By the time the monitor finished, everyone was ravenously hungry. So, after class, a group of people “whooshed” to their feet and headed for the cafeteria.

Song Moqiu, who had consistently chosen to go against the flow and seek out Ying Zhi’an, did not come to find her for lunch this time. Instead, she gracefully followed the crowd toward the cafeteria with her bag.

Ying Zhi’an tidied up her things and followed suit, keeping a close but not too close distance.

After getting her meal, she scanned the crowd for Song Moqiu, only to find the usually aloof and quiet judge sitting at a four-person small table surrounded by people from other courts. When those people talked about something, Song Moqiu paused her eating and offered a smile.

Ying Zhi’an found a nearby empty seat. At the table diagonally in front of her was another lawyer. Seeing Ying Zhi’an sitting alone, he immediately carried his tray over, greeting her enthusiastically: “Hi! I always saw you and Judge Song entering and leaving together, so I didn’t want to disturb you. I finally have a moment to chat with you. Let me introduce myself first. I’m Chen Hao—Hao with the sun on top and the sky on the bottom. I’m from the same law firm as Jiang Chao. He mentioned organizing a meal together, but it never happened. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

The mention of Jiang Chao immediately made Ying Zhi’an feel annoyed, but she couldn’t avoid the customary polite exchanges. “Hello, it’s not too late to meet now. As for Jiang Chao, I wouldn’t call him a friend.”

“Ah?! Is that so? Not even friends? But Lawyer Jiang has always said he was very close to you, and many clients even sought him out because of that alleged connection, hoping he could bridge the gap.” Chen Hao said. “It seems Lawyer Jiang was using the fox’s prestige.”

This was the first time Ying Zhi’an had heard of this, and the logic didn’t track. “We’re from different law firms. Why wouldn’t a client come directly to me?”

“I only heard that a client went to your firm several times to find you, but you were either on a business trip or in court. Later, they heard that Jiang Chao had a good relationship with you, so they sought him out. Jiang Chao said he could handle the case, but he would consult with you on the defense strategy.”

Ying Zhi’an sneered. “He has plenty of cases; there’s no need for that, is there?”

“Well, for a lawyer, the more cases, the better, I guess.” Chen Hao was extremely observant and very chatty. Noticing Ying Zhi’an’s reluctance to delve deeper into the matter, he immediately changed the topic. “Did you and Judge Song know each other before?”

However, Ying Zhi’an wasn’t keen on discussing this topic either. The meal was awkward and lacking conversation. Ying Zhi’an only managed to offer “mhmms” and “ahhs” in response. When she looked up, Song Moqiu had already left.

Chen Hao was still talking: “I wonder if the case we’ll discuss tonight will be difficult. But this is quite interesting. The judge’s perspective is very different from ours as lawyers—one is a neutral arbiter, the other is brainstorming attacks and defenses. I wonder what kind of discussion will come out of it.”

“Different angles, all seeking knowledge,” Ying Zhi’an picked up her tray. “I’m done eating, Lawyer Chen. Enjoy your meal.”

“I’m done too. Let’s head back together.”

By the time Ying Zhi’an returned to the room, Song Moqiu was already covered and taking an afternoon nap.

The blackout curtains in the room were tightly drawn, making the entire room quiet and peaceful.

Ying Zhi’an scratched her head. She had no choice but to tiptoe out with her laptop charger to work in the academy’s study lounge.

As the door closed behind her, Song Moqiu, who had been completely still, gently turned over, letting out a faint, almost inaudible sigh.

Song Moqiu had been consistently avoiding contact and communication with Ying Zhi’an.

It wasn’t until the group discussion that evening that the two finally faced each other across a table.

Outside the conference room’s floor-to-ceiling window, tree leaves rustled, casting dappled shadows that writhed like a monster dancing in the wind.

Song Moqiu finished reading the case file. When she looked up, her gaze met the side profile of Ying Zhi’an, who was looking down diagonally across from her. Ying Zhi’an had clipped her black hair behind her ear, just as she had done when they first met. Only now, engrossed in the materials, she appeared more professional, without the air of carelessness and arrogance from their first encounter.

At their first meeting, the cold indifference that suggested “everyone dies eventually” had already revealed the cynicism in this person’s core. Yet, she possessed a pure heart, with a clear adherence to good and evil. Such a person makes it hard to look away.

But… what did it matter now?

Seeing her now also brought back the image of her apprentice—silly and clumsy, yet possessing the youthful courage and occasional stubbornness.

Song Moqiu lowered her head, refocusing on the case file.

The team leader quickly made an arrangement. “We have three cases. Let’s hear everyone’s thoughts. Let’s start with this criminal case with an attached civil claim. Moqiu, I think you should lead the discussion first, since you’ve worked in both the Criminal Tribunal and the Enforcement Bureau.”

“Okay.” Song Moqiu did not decline. With substance to draw upon, she was neither nervous nor afraid of making mistakes.

The air conditioning in the conference room hummed. When it was Ying Zhi’an’s turn, the key points had already been summarized, and supplements had been made. She tucked her loose hair behind her ear and could only offer supplementary details: “Regarding this specific criminal case with an attached civil claim, my colleagues have analyzed it very thoroughly. For cases involving juvenile offenders, those of us working in the field have a vague concept: while severe violent crimes are increasing, convictions and sentencing in judicial practice are predominantly light. In this reality, where non-custodial sentences are more frequently applied, specialized education is extremely ineffective. I previously had a divorce case involving the custody of a juvenile offender. I visited the local specialized education school to meet the minor and learned that the number of people receiving specialized corrective education is far lower than the number of juvenile offenders during the same period. Juvenile misconduct escalates step by step, and no snowflake is innocent. So, returning to this case itself, if we only consider the defendant’s status as a minor, shouldn’t we also focus on the victim’s status as a minor? In the real difficulty of inadequate subsequent education, should the victim’s family be granted more compensation during sentencing?”

The tip of Song Moqiu’s fountain pen lingered too long on the case file, leaving an ink blot where the basic facts were summarized. In her case handling, she considered the elements of the crime most, followed by the social harm, with a series of causal relationships queuing up behind. The thinking of lawyers and judges was indeed different.

She had similar thoughts, but she would no longer share them with Ying Zhi’an. She had made up her mind to stop opening her heart.

Humans develop dependence on repeatedly appearing safety signals.

Just like liking something can be addictive.

The discussion went late that night. As soon as they returned to the room, Song Moqiu went to wash up without a word. Ying Zhi’an called out, “Moqiu…”

“Goodnight.” Song Moqiu said this and turned off the light.

Ying Zhi’an paused, then got up to wash up in the dark.

In the restroom, with only the mirror light on, Ying Zhi’an brushed her teeth while questioning the Love Cheat Device in her mind.

—You must feel it, right? We are living, breathing people, not chess pieces in your hand. The situation won’t develop just because you want it to. We are beyond your control.

—The system is always in service to the user, with user experience as the primary standard.

Ying Zhi’an curled her lips into a cold smile and ignored the Love Cheat Device.

Many things were pointless, and arguing further was equally meaningless.

Soon, the training came to its final day.

After the last class ended, everyone gathered at the entrance for a group photo.

“The middle of the third row needs better lighting!” the photographer waved under the sycamore tree.

Song Moqiu was ushered into the front row, revered by the crowd, while Ying Zhi’an habitually stood in the corner.

The morning sunlight passed through the photographer’s SLR camera. In the viewfinder, Song Moqiu’s rigid shoulder line was softening. Just before the final photo, Song Moqiu suppressed the urge to turn around and search for Ying Zhi’an. She kept her neck stiff, forcing herself not to focus on that unimportant person.

When they returned to the room to pack, Song Moqiu initially did not want to speak to Ying Zhi’an again.

But Ying Zhi’an stood firmly in the doorway, her gaze sincere, her voice gentle. “Moqiu, give me a chance to say a few words.”

Song Moqiu’s tough heart suddenly softened. She felt a slight tremor in her voice, yet her expression remained cool and calm. “What does Lawyer Ying want to discuss?”

Ying Zhi’an was utterly candid, which made her seem as willful as a child. “I’ve never been in a relationship and didn’t know what liking someone felt like. So, in the beginning, I might have done some things incorrectly, which could easily lead to misunderstandings. I want to apologize for that. I know perhaps we can’t even be friends, but thank you very much, Judge Song, for your guidance and care during these days.”

Ying Zhi’an’s words were not overtly explicit, but Song Moqiu understood the implication clearly. It was more convincing than any trial transcript she had ever organized.

“My appearance even made me half your teacher; it’s quite laughable,” Song Moqiu finally said after a long silence. She suddenly remembered that mock trial activity from her university days, the witness she had refuted during the mock cross-examination—what article of the Civil Procedure Law was it again? When a party refuses to admit facts favorable to the opposing party…

It was truly meaningless. Love and affection are never an inevitable outcome derivable from sufficient conditions.

“Yes, so thank you very much, because there are some things you didn’t have to say,” Ying Zhi’an felt a huge psychological burden lift after apologizing. “As you said, a good relationship should facilitate growth.”

Song Moqiu sighed. “Then let me teach you one more lesson. Lawyer Ying should know about the imprinting effect, right? If you truly want a long-lasting relationship, admiration can never be the foundation. Don’t let her mistake the admiration for your professionalism for love, lest you become immersed in love and drift apart due to her own growth.”

“I know. I’ve seen this kind of thing too often. She needs more stable emotional support. If you truly want to protect a fledgling, you should teach her how to fight the airflow.”

Ying Zhi’an’s conviction reminded Song Moqiu of her own internship in the general affairs department in her twenties, spending her time being soaked in a heavy rain. When facing conflicts of public opinion, when the shredded judgment documents from the parties cut her fingers, no one ever asked if she was in pain.

Fortunately, she was accustomed to facing difficulties alone, just like the surgical sutures that had long merged with her tissue.

“You don’t need to apologize. It was my transgression.” Song Moqiu said this and said no more. Before pushing the door open to leave, she didn’t even say goodbye to Ying Zhi’an.

As she got into the car, on her way back to the unit, she hesitated repeatedly and then deleted Ying Zhi’an’s contact again.

She was always decisive and harsh on herself. Rational people were better at enduring things in silence.

In the rearview mirror of the taxi, the drainage pipe of the Judges Academy was still dripping with last night’s rain. The fleeting shadows of the trees resembled the wind on the rooftop that night. Song Moqiu touched the fine, raised numbering on the back of the judge’s emblem in her pocket, suddenly recalling that she hadn’t had time to stamp the adjoining seal on the final case report from the previous week.

And those moments that once made her heart race felt like a dream!

Just let it be a dream, Song Moqiu sighed deeply.

Ying Zhi’an also finished packing, ready to return to the law firm and see her little “fledgling.”