You’d Better Break the Engagement Soon - Chapter 4

Shi Zhi ultimately decided to seek legal counsel.

Just as Fu Yumeng had said, he didn’t necessarily have to go as far as a lawsuit, but there was certainly nothing wrong with understanding his situation in advance. He could let go of everything else, but he had to get back the things his parents had left him.

Shi Zhi clutched the business card Fu Yumeng had given him, standing by the green hedge of the industrial park. He looked at the law firm across the way named Zheng Jue, hesitating.

He looked down at the card. There was no photo, only a name, a phone number, and the office address.

Fu Yuchu.

The name alone sounded like someone who belonged in a law firm—stern and meticulous. Shi Zhi was a bit afraid of communicating with such a person; if he had his way, he’d prefer not to communicate with anyone at all.

But the recommendation had come strongly from Fu Yumeng.

Fu Yumeng had a cousin who had been struggling with a divorce for years. Negotiations with her ex-husband had gone nowhere, and her first lawsuit had been dismissed by a judge on the grounds that “mutual affection had not completely broken down.” It wasn’t until a second lawsuit last year that she successfully divorced her cheating ex, who eventually left the marriage with nothing.

Attorney Fu had been the one in charge of that case.

When Fu Yumeng introduced him, she said: “I haven’t met this Attorney Fu in person, but even someone as picky as my cousin has praised him more than once. He must have real skill. According to my cousin, not only is he professional and reliable, but he’s also remarkably warm-hearted. He usually has too many cases and doesn’t take outside clients, but after hearing about my cousin’s ordeal, he took it without a second thought.”

“My cousin thought the best-case scenario would be getting 70% of the assets, but she never expected to make that scumbag leave with nothing. That was all thanks to Attorney Fu. And he didn’t charge a high fee, either—he even politely declined my cousin’s private gifts. He’s a person of high integrity,” Fu Yumeng added. “A-Zhi, don’t feel too pressured. It might not even come to a lawsuit; it’s just a consultation. Although Attorney Fu doesn’t say much, he is exceptionally patient and professional. Just tell him your situation and let him analyze it for you.”

Fu Yumeng also mentioned that confidentiality was a professional standard for lawyers, so Shi Zhi shouldn’t be afraid to talk or hide anything. If Shi Zhi hadn’t repeatedly insisted he could handle it, Fu Yumeng would have likely accompanied him to the office.

His friend’s encouragement gave Shi Zhi immense courage. He took a deep breath and was about to head toward the firm when he saw a figure flash by the entrance in his peripheral vision.

Shi Zhi froze in place—

Did he… just… possibly… see the man he had slept with?!!

Shi Zhi rubbed his eyes and looked closer, but saw nothing. There was no one else nearby, and the entire park was silent. No pedestrians, no sound of cars.

Could he have seen wrong? Was he hallucinating from staying up late to finish his drafts? Was it just a hyper-reactive hallucination born of nervous tension?

Although he didn’t see the person he was dreading, the courage Shi Zhi had just managed to muster was instantly flattened. He stood by the roadside, trying to rebuild his mental resolve.

“What are you looking at? Get back to work.”

Xiang Jing and Fu Yuchu had just returned from court to find several young men and women from the firm huddled by the window, whispering.

“Looking at a handsome guy,” Xiao Lin said with a grin. “That guy outside has been standing there for half an hour. We’re all guessing what he’s doing.”

“Oh? Let me see.” Xiang Jing grew interested. He turned and called out to Fu Yuchu, “Yuchu, come over. Let’s see if he’s ‘prettier than Lord Xu’.”

Fu Yuchu muttered a grumpy “Boring” and headed straight to his office without looking back.

Xiang Jing: “…” Why give me that sour face? I didn’t do anything to him.

The others laughed behind him. Seeing this, Xiao Lin asked curiously, “Boss, what’s up with Attorney Fu? Why is his face so dark? Was the case unsuccessful?”

Xiang Jing gave Xiao Lin a look that said How is that possible?, thinking that Fu Yuchu had indeed been acting like he’d swallowed gunpowder the last few days. He had always been aloof, but he hadn’t usually been this indiscriminately grumpy.

He curled his lip and said casually, “Who knows. Maybe his wife ran off with someone.”

“Ah—”

Xiao Lin was about to ask if Attorney Fu wasn’t single, but Xiang Jing had already changed the subject. “So, you’ve been watching for half an hour—have you figured anything out?”

The others immediately began to gossip:

“We guess he’s waiting for someone.” “Maybe he’s a young actor for a short drama, playing the role of a ‘corporate slave’ waiting for a bus after work. There might be a hidden camera somewhere.” “…”

“Do any of you have professional instincts? He’s clearly here for a legal consultation. Don’t tell people you’re from Zheng Jue when you go out; it’s embarrassing.” Xiang Jing couldn’t stand their nonsense and interrupted.

Xiao Lin: “Attorney Xiang, what do you mean? How do you know he’s here for a consultation?”

“It’s obvious.” Xiang Jing coughed, deliberately putting on an air of an experienced elder. “You said he’s been standing there for half an hour, but there are chairs right over there. If he were waiting for someone, why wouldn’t he sit down?”

Xiao Ma: “Standing to look cool?”

Xiang Jing rolled his eyes and continued his analysis. “Furthermore, look at what he’s holding in his hand. We’re too far to see exactly what it is, but every time he looks at it, he looks up at our office. Oh, he just did it again. That means he’s hesitating. I bet he hasn’t decided whether or not to hire a lawyer.”

“Amazing! The boss is the boss for a reason. No wonder you’re the owner and I’m just a corporate slave working for you,” Xiao Lin flattered him with a grin.

“Bullshit!” Xiang Jing laughed and cursed. Seeing the target of their discussion finally moving, he tapped Xiao Lin’s shoulder to end the lunch break. “Enough joking. He’s coming over. Take him to the reception room; I’ll head over in a bit.”

Shi Zhi sat restlessly in the firm’s large, bright reception room.

Mainly, he felt that the people in this office were too… enthusiastic? From the moment he walked in, countless subtle gazes had been cast upon him. He couldn’t quite handle the atmosphere.

Fortunately, the receptionist had placed him in this enclosed meeting room. Though it was large and empty, the frosted glass blocked the view, preventing people from seeing in or out, which gave him a bit more security.

“Mr. Shi, please wait a moment. Attorney Xiang will be here soon,” Xiao Lin said politely, handing Shi Zhi a cup of coffee.

Shi Zhi: “Attorney Xiang?”

“Yes, the owner of our firm,” Xiao Lin said with a smile. “Did you have a specific attorney in mind, Mr. Shi? Did you make an appointment with him?”

“Uh, I…”

Just as Shi Zhi was about to speak, the door was pushed open.

“Sorry, I just had to take a call.” Xiang Jing entered and extended his hand toward Shi Zhi. “Hello, Mr. Shi. I am Xiang Jing, an attorney at Zheng Jue.”

Shi Zhi hurriedly stood up and shook hands. “Hello, Attorney Xiang.”

“Please, let’s sit and talk.” Once Xiao Lin left, they were the only two in the room. Xiang Jing invited Shi Zhi to sit and got straight to the point. “What kind of legal issues would you like to consult on today, Mr. Shi?”

Shi Zhi hesitated.

The person he wanted to find was Attorney Fu, but the man before him was the owner of the firm. If he proposed a change now, would it make the owner lose face?

Shi Zhi rarely interacted with people and didn’t understand social etiquette well, but he often heard Xu Yining talk about company matters. Through osmosis, he had learned that most bosses have a sense of superiority, and some leaders cannot tolerate subordinates who are better than themselves.

If he requested a change now, would this boss give Attorney Fu “small shoes” to wear in private?

Xiang Jing watched the shifting expressions on Shi Zhi’s face. Seeing him remain silent, he probed carefully, “Mr. Shi… do you have some concerns?”

Hearing the question, Shi Zhi thought: Boss or not, I’ll just go with him. I don’t need Attorney Fu specifically; they’re all lawyers.

So he said softly, “I want to consult on matters regarding inheritance and property.”

Hearing it was a property dispute—his area of expertise—Xiang Jing asked Shi Zhi to describe the specific situation and his goals.

Shi Zhi pursed his lips and pondered for a moment before speaking quietly. “It’s about the inheritance my parents left me. There is a sum of cash, some calligraphy and paintings, and a small villa they designed together.”

At this point, Shi Zhi paused, a trace of undeniable loneliness on his face. Xiang Jing said nothing, waiting patiently for him to continue.

“The art is in a trust; the will states I can only receive and manage it when I turn 25. The cash and the villa were once in my possession.”

Xiang Jing keenly caught the keyword: “Once?”

Shi Zhi kept his head down, his voice very light. “Last year, when I… when I got engaged to my boyfriend, the villa was transferred to his name. As for the cash… my boyfriend’s mother said the company was having cash flow problems, so she borrowed a portion from me.”

Xiang Jing took a silent breath. “And what is your goal now?”

“We are breaking off the engagement. I want the villa back.”

“Are you afraid your fiancé won’t agree?”

Shi Zhi gave a soft “Mmh.” “My fiancé might not be a problem, but his mother’s side is more troublesome. I want to consult on how to handle a situation like this.”

Xiang Jing didn’t answer immediately, instead asking another question. “What about the cash? The specific amount? Is there a promissory note or proof that this money was a loan?”

“Ten million,” Shi Zhi said calmly. “No note, nothing. The money was transferred directly from my account.”

“And the cash portion—what are your plans for it?”

Shi Zhi thought for a moment and said, “If the company is truly in difficulty, returning half is fine. It doesn’t have to be all at once; it can be in installments.”

Xiang Jing took another breath, cursing internally. Tossing away five million just like that? Either the guy was too rich, or he had a screw loose, or he was suffering from a terminal case of “love-brain.”

Based on past experience, “love-brain” was the most likely. However, the fact that he was now thinking of recovering his assets meant he was still salvageable.

Xiang Jing surreptitiously glanced at the man sitting across from him. Very fair skin, very long eyelashes—just as the staff had said, a very handsome guy. Even someone like this has a ‘love-brain’? Apparently, beauty doesn’t protect you from it.

Thinking of this, he asked Shi Zhi, “The villa you mentioned—why would you transfer it to your fiancé’s name? Was it an asset swap?”

Why transfer it to Xu Yining? Fu Yumeng had asked the same thing not long ago.

Why? Shi Zhi thought.

Perhaps it was because on the day Xu Yining proposed, the expression on his face when he said, “Baby, I want to build a home with you—a home that belongs only to us,” was so sincere. So sincere that later, when he added, “But I always feel like you’ll leave me. To give me a sense of security, baby, you should put your most precious thing with me,” Shi Zhi had agreed.

It didn’t matter whose name the villa was in; they were going to get married anyway. At that time, Shi Zhi was truly prepared to spend the rest of his life with Xu Yining.

“No, it wasn’t an asset swap.” Shi Zhi shook his head. “I just transferred the villa to his name. No agreements or explanations were signed.”

Xiang Jing sighed. In this situation, if the other party played foul, the chance of getting it back was very low.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what is the reason for calling off the engagement?” Xiang Jing probed. “Incompatibility? Or… if the other party is at fault and you have sufficient evidence to prove it, it would give you a bit more leverage.”

Shi Zhi’s fingers twisted under the table. He bit his lip and said, “He cheated. His… his lover sent me photos. We met a few days ago.” He paused for a few seconds before adding, “They’ve probably been together for many years. They knew each other before he was with me.”

Great. A property dispute has turned into an emotional dispute.

In this kind of situation, Fu Yuchu was needed. It was his favorite kind of case.

Xiang Jing tapped his fingers on the table. “Alright, I understand your situation. How about this, I’ll have our Attorney Fu talk with you. He’s the best at these types of cases.”

For some reason, hearing the name “Attorney Fu,” Shi Zhi felt a strange sense of relief. Perhaps it was because Fu Yumeng had made the man sound so legendary, and he trusted Fu Yumeng implicitly.

“Then I’ll have to trouble you,” Shi Zhi said with sincere gratitude.

Xiang Jing waved his hand and sent a message for Fu Yuchu to come over.

The Zheng Jue office wasn’t large; a moment later, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in—”

The reception room door was pushed open.

Shi Zhi watched the man who slowly walked in—

And froze in his chair.