The Divorce Lawyer Is Very Hard To Flirt With - Chapter 86

Chapter 86: Do You Need Me to Come Down and Carry You into the Car?

Ying Zhi’an had accumulated too much work during her one week of training. After comforting Zhang Zhang, she planned to return to the firm to work overtime.

Zhang’s mother saw her out the door.

“Auntie, please stop,” Ying Zhi’an very clearly addressed Zhang’s mother’s real intention: “Just say what you want to say. Is there something you need my help with?”

Zhang’s mother hesitated for a moment. “I want to take Zhang Zhang back to our hometown. What do you think?”

“I think Zhang Zhang probably doesn’t want to go back just like that. She’s not one to admit defeat. Sending her home would only make her feel like a failure who had to retreat to her hometown. Besides, once she recovers, she can completely go back to being a teacher, or even work in educational training, right? Auntie, you shouldn’t be too pessimistic about her career.”

“Work is a minor matter. Her dad and I can support her.” Zhang’s mother’s mindset had changed due to recent events. Her sudden guilt might have stemmed from neglecting her daughter for too long. “It’s just… she’s my only child, and with everything that’s happened, I’m worried.”

Ying Zhi’an sensed Zhang’s mother’s guilt, but she still calmly pointed out, “Auntie, you’re overcompensating. What we should learn most now is to respect Zhang Zhang. I know your intention in talking to me today, but I won’t try to persuade Zhang Zhang. I hope she can live according to her own will in the future.”

Zhang’s mother was stunned for a moment. After a long pause, she sighed. “You’re right, you’re right…”

As Ying Zhi’an drove close to the law firm, she was still thinking about the final look in Zhang’s mother’s eyes—the self-reproach and guilt of a mother, yet her inability to change things. The child had grown up, and the missed time was gone.

If Zhang’s mother had recognized her daughter’s needs when Zhang Zhang needed her affirmation most, would Zhang Zhang not have made some poor choices out of greed for the perceived beauty of marriage?

This kind of attribution was nonsense!

Would Zhang Zhang’s parents’ guilt be lessened by thinking this way? Probably not. Parents are all like this; if their children suffer misfortune, they might only feel worse and look back to trace their own mistakes.

Just like Zhang’s father quietly confided to Ying Zhi’an, “If only I hadn’t allowed them to get married back then…”

But Ying Zhi’an’s thoughts took another turn.

It wasn’t always the case. At least Song Xidan’s original family was also quite terrible.

Thinking of this, Ying Zhi’an’s mind drifted to Song Xidan. Coincidentally, as the car rounded a corner, she saw Song Xidan’s figure huddled under the advertisement board of a bus stop.

The stainless-steel seat of the bus stop was covered with a thin layer of dust. A few pieces of waste paper swirled on the ground. Song Xidan stood in that limited pool of light, the wind lifting her hair and revealing her young, clear face. She held a book, seizing the break to memorize.

No one dislikes hardworking young people.

Because youth is fleeting, their efforts are all the more encouraging.

The celebrity poster on the advertisement board was already curling at the edges, revealing yellowed traces of old advertisements underneath.

Song Xidan’s lips moved softly, her fingers sliding across the pages, oblivious to the wind messing up her hair.

Ying Zhi’an slowed the car and saw that she was still holding the Criminal Law textbook. The edges of the pages were already frayed from being turned, gently fluttering in the wind.

She slowly pulled the car to a stop by the bus stop and rolled down the window.

“Song Xidan,” she called out, her voice unconsciously higher in pitch. Seeing Song Xidan instantly made her feel relaxed and cheerful.

Song Xidan’s eyes widened when she saw Ying Zhi’an in the car. She instinctively hid the book behind her back. “Sister Zhi’an? It’s been a long time since work ended. Why are you back?”

“I originally planned to work overtime, but now I want to…” Ying Zhi’an pointed to the passenger seat. “Take you home! Get in the car. I’ll drive you.”

“No… no need,” Song Xidan quickly waved her hands, her eyes slightly evasive. “The bus is coming soon. I don’t want to trouble you.”

Her voice was somewhat faint in the wind, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the strap of her backpack. But Ying Zhi’an just found her cute because Song Xidan’s eyes were bright, like the full moon tonight.

Ying Zhi’an unfastened her seatbelt, making as if to get out of the car. “Go home early, and you can sit down to memorize. Or… do you need me to come down and carry you into the car?”

“No need! I’ll get in myself!” Song Xidan was startled by her words. Seeing the seriousness in Ying Zhi’an’s eyes, her cheeks began to flush again. She didn’t hesitate anymore, pulled open the car door, and got in. A faint smell of printing ink wafted into the car with her movement.

She shrank into the passenger seat, pursing her lips, suddenly unsure what to say, even though not long ago, Song Xidan had quietly confessed her feelings in this very car.

“Thank you, Sister Zhi’an.” Song Xidan felt bitter inside, her hands placed neatly on her knees, not daring to look at Ying Zhi’an.

Ying Zhi’an started the car. The corner of her eye caught Song Xidan secretly sighing in relief, and she couldn’t help but smile slightly.

Just then, the bus Song Xidan was waiting for slowly approached, but both acted as if they didn’t see it.

Song Xidan watched the streetscape flash by outside the window, her heart pounding like a little rabbit. She secretly glanced at Ying Zhi’an’s focused profile while driving. The light and shadow of the streetlights flickered across her face, still captivatingly beautiful.

Ying Zhi’an’s lips remained curved upwards. “Am I very good-looking? You’re looking at me so intently.”

Song Xidan immediately averted her gaze, giving a very uncertain “Mhm.”

Ying Zhi’an’s upward curve of the lips suddenly paused. She was briefly surprised by Song Xidan’s reply. If this had been before, Song Xidan would definitely have complimented her fiercely, directly and enthusiastically.

What’s wrong?

Something was off. Ying Zhi’an combined this with the subtle oddity she noticed during the day, keenly sensing the awkward distance between them.

The car fell silent for a moment.

The scent in Ying Zhi’an’s car was a kind of cool, woody note, blending with the smell of the seat leather itself. It was very pleasant.

It reminded Song Xidan of her past times galloping across the grasslands, making her feel nostalgic and secure.

Ying Zhi’an was not someone who would let a problem slide once she noticed it. So, while she initially just wanted to quickly drop Song Xidan off at home, she changed her mind. “Have you eaten?”

Song Xidan instinctively shook her head, then quickly nodded: “I’ve eaten.” In fact, she hadn’t. She had used “having an appointment” to refuse dinner with Zhu Yun and Ying Zhi’an, and had only planned to go home and cook instant noodles after staying in the office until now.

Ying Zhi’an let out a light laugh, a sound that gently tickled Song Xidan’s heart. “You’re lying. Did your friend bail on your dinner? It just so happens I haven’t eaten either. Come eat something with me.”

This was not a question, but a gentle announcement.

Ying Zhi’an put on the turn signal, and the car smoothly drove in a different direction.

Song Xidan both wanted to stay with Ying Zhi’an longer and feared losing her composure if she stayed too long. She was also guilty about the imaginary friend and dinner appointment she had fabricated. Her fingers tightened around her backpack strap, her voice as thin as a mosquito’s buzz: “Sister Zhi’an, you don’t need to trouble yourself. I can just eat something simple when I get back.”

“It’s no trouble,” Ying Zhi’an’s profile looked exceptionally gentle in the flowing light and shadow, yet carried an undeniable resolve. “I know a good Japanese restaurant. It’s quiet and suitable for chatting. Besides, didn’t you want to ask me about the bar exam material? Let’s talk while we eat.”

Since she had put it that way, Song Xidan swallowed another refusal and replied softly, “Okay, thank you, Sister Zhi’an.”

The city was very prosperous, with towering buildings and sparkling neon lights.

The Japanese restaurant was hidden on the top floor of a high-end office building. The elevator required a card swipe to reach.

The server in a kimono at the entrance politely greeted Ying Zhi’an: “Good evening.”

The environment was so elegant it was breathtaking. Outside the private room window was the dazzling city night view. Traffic flowed like golden rivers, and the city’s landmark buildings stood quietly outside the window.

The exquisite tableware was like an embellishment for this high-end restaurant. And indeed! The prices on the menu made Song Xidan’s heart pound nervously.

Ying Zhi’an looked down at the menu and asked Song Xidan very gently, “Do you have any dietary restrictions?”

Song Xidan hurriedly shook her head: “None, anything is fine.”

She didn’t know what those unfamiliar dish names actually were; each one looked like some obscure conceptual meal.

While waiting for the dishes, Ying Zhi’an didn’t rush to ask Song Xidan about the change in her attitude. Instead, she genuinely started talking about the bar exam. Song Xidan could only open the wrong answer book she carried and ask questions about the knowledge points in the problems.

Ying Zhi’an answered quickly and professionally regarding civil law, her explanation clear and structured.

But when it came to criminal, administrative, or commercial law, Ying Zhi’an struggled a bit.

“Let me check the legal articles first. Wait a moment,” Ying Zhi’an naturally pulled out her phone and began asking the AI for legal articles.

Song Xidan was surprised. “You don’t memorize them?”

“With AI and smartphones these days, you can look it up right away. Who memorizes legal articles anymore?”

“But…” But you recited them so eloquently that night, speaking like a university professor, Song Xidan thought, feeling a little strange but deciding not to probe further.

Just then, Ying Zhi’an finished checking the articles and began explaining the question. Song Xidan tried hard to concentrate, listen, and remember. This was her valuable learning opportunity. Yet, her attention was constantly and involuntarily drawn to Ying Zhi’an: the slender fingers pointing at the wrong answer book, her lips, subtly opening and closing while she spoke, coated with matte lipstick, and the silk blouse she wore, which looked of excellent quality and was impeccably tailored.

Song Xidan looked down at the frayed edges of her jeans and the plain canvas shoes she wore for easily navigating the bus.

A sense of inferiority, stemming from two different worlds, wrapped around her like a vine, tightening around her heart.

On the grasslands, she never cared about these things, only feeling the vastness of the world and the smallness of humanity. But returning to modern society, various man-made values were constantly crowding her mind. Moreover, love naturally makes people humble. So, she realized once again that entering Ying Zhi’an’s world was a splendor she could only glimpse the corner of, even by straining on tiptoes with all her might.

At that moment, the server presented the appetizer: a clear and glittering sashimi platter. The fish had delicate marbling, arranged like a work of art on a bed of ice, accompanied by fresh wasabi and tender green shiso leaves.

The presentation was like artwork.

“Try this fatty Bluefin tuna,” Ying Zhi’an naturally used serving chopsticks to place a slice of pink, delicate, and evenly marbled fish onto Song Xidan’s plate. “This restaurant advertises that their tuna is flown in daily directly from Japan; it only arrived this morning. I don’t know if it’s true, but the server just said we were lucky because this is ‘Ipponzuri’ quality.”

Song Xidan ate cautiously, each bite like a precise operation, terrified of making an improper sound.

Hearing the unfamiliar term, “Ipponzuri?” Song Xidan instinctively repeated.

Ying Zhi’an smiled faintly, patiently explaining, her tone as natural as when she mentored at the firm, without any pretense. “It’s simple, actually. ‘Ipponzuri’ means ‘pole and line fishing,’ caught one by one. Compared to large-scale net fishing, it causes less damage to the fish, keeping the texture and freshness better. The fishing method is more particular, but honestly, I can’t taste the difference, though some people say it’s quite noticeable.”

Song Xidan looked at the slice of fish on her plate, which probably cost several days of her salary, and momentarily didn’t know how to proceed.

Ying Zhi’an had already elegantly dipped a piece into the seasoning, brought it to her mouth, and nodded slightly. “It’s quite delicious. Eat more.”

Next, a grilled dish arrived: salt-grilled snapper, its skin golden-brown and slightly charred, exuding an enticing aroma.

“This is sea bream,” Ying Zhi’an seemed to notice Song Xidan’s bewilderment and continued her gentle introduction. “It’s quite plump this season. They lightly grill it with sea salt to maximize the fish’s natural sweetness. I think it tastes better than grouper; it has a sweetness similar to crab meat. Give it a try.”

She spoke in a casual tone, as if discussing the weather, but this knowledge of ingredient origins, fishing methods, and seasonality felt like another language to Song Xidan. She could only clumsily mimic Ying Zhi’an, tasting cautiously. While her taste buds registered the exquisite flavor, the admiration and inferiority in her heart shared the same root.

“Sister Zhi’an!” Song Xidan praised her sincerely. “You are truly so talented!”

Ying Zhi’an was not typically verbose, but even the most reserved person will unconsciously “show off” in front of someone they like. With Song Xidan’s compliment, Ying Zhi’an belatedly realized she had been rambling. She quickly took a sip of tea and said casually: “I picked up a few things when I attended some formal business dinners when I was studying abroad. Later, when I was tired from work, I felt like I should eat something good to reward myself.” She paused. “It’s nothing, really, just making a fuss over details. I see you’ve been working hard recently, so this dinner is my treat as a reward. I’ll take you out for something even better once you officially start practicing law.”

Ying Zhi’an’s underlying intention for the last sentence was to find a reason to pay the bill, but it also carried encouragement and even a subtle attempt to please and make the other person relax.

However, to Song Xidan’s ears, it only further highlighted the vast difference in their life trajectories. “Studying abroad,” “business dinners,” “officially practicing law in the future”—these terms painted a picture of Ying Zhi’an’s smooth, elite, and broad life, while her own “future” was still full of uncertainty and required desperate struggle.

Not to mention the word “reward”, which pricked her like a fine needle.

Sure enough, in Sister Zhi’an’s eyes, I’m just a junior who needs encouragement and an occasional “reward.”

Her previous reckless expressions of affection, hoping to win favor with those cheap soups and efforts, now seemed particularly ridiculous and humble in the face of the enormous class disparity and the other party’s natural “superior” demeanor.

Ying Zhi’an’s beauty was a radiance that could only emanate from being tempered and possessing sufficient confidence and capital.

What did she have to match Ying Zhi’an? Even this dinner, which she might never enter to consume on her own, was the other party’s “charity.”

Sister Zhi’an is still too decent and gentle with me, Song Xidan silently sighed in her heart.

The internal bitterness and inferiority were almost overflowing. She quietly put the piece of sea bream into her mouth. The exquisite flavor seemed mixed with a hint of astringency. Song Xidan suddenly lowered her head, pretending to be choked by the wasabi, her eyes reddening. She quickly grabbed the water cup to cover up: “Excuse me…”

Ying Zhi’an handed her a tissue, her tone concerned: “Eat slowly.”

Song Xidan took the tissue. For her, this delicious dinner had turned into a sweet yet painful ordeal.

She only wanted it to end quickly, to prevent any further loss of composure.

But Ying Zhi’an did not want to let her off the hook so easily; after all, she still needed to resolve the inexplicable barrier between them.

Ying Zhi’an took a sip of water and slowly asked, “Xidan, why did you start avoiding me as soon as I returned to the firm?”