Chapter 31 - 2#

It was a small child.

That delicate, pretty little face tilted slightly upward, every step deliberate in its elegance, always maintaining that lofty, aloof demeanor.

I found it oddly endearing. The child took a few steps forward, then suddenly turned back, calling out coldly to the empty air behind him—

Why are you so slow?

But there was no one behind him.

Yet judging by the child’s expression, it seemed as if someone really had followed, for that adorable face bloomed with a satisfied smile.

I remembered.

He was… Wang Zheng as a child.

Wang Zheng walked a few more steps, his form gradually growing, slowly taking on the shape of a teenager.

That cold, striking face had lost some of its childhood tenderness, but the pride and unruliness in his eyes had only increased. He took a few steps, then suddenly twisted his head back, staring silently at something behind him, though what he was looking at was unclear.

After a long pause, Wang Zheng gave a cold snort, a single indifferent sentence escaping his lips.

—Can you stop following me all the time? Don’t you find it annoying?

The teenage Wang Zheng forcefully turned his head and walked forward a few more steps, but paused midway. After a long while, he turned back to look again.

—You’re so obedient, stopping just because I said so. Who are you trying to impress with that act? Hurry up and come here.

He stood with his hands behind his back, as if truly waiting for the “person” behind him to approach. Only then did he turn back around, his face expressionless, though his steps had slowed considerably.

Yet Wang Zheng’s pace grew slower and slower. When he finally came to a halt, the figure before me had already taken on its adult form.

By now, Wang Zheng had completely shed the greenness of his youth. His brows and eyes were filled with a biting coldness, and a faintly mocking smile seemed perpetually etched on his face.

He stood before me, his deep, unfathomable dark eyes fixed intently on me.

His hands clutched tightly at the hem of his clothes. He tilted his head slightly, lowered his gaze, then suddenly lifted his head to look at me.

—I won’t let you have it easy.

—Absolutely not.

He said through gritted teeth.

His figure gradually grew hazy, slowly fading away before my eyes.

No matter how I waved my hands, I couldn’t grasp him.

I stared blankly at the empty space in front of me.

—Qi Ri.

A voice called out from behind.

I breathed shallowly, slowly turning around.

It was—

Wang Zheng looked utterly disheveled, his chin covered in stubble. That once handsome face had grown gaunt and hollow. When his bloodshot eyes met mine, they slowly widened.

He suddenly trembled, stepping forward on unsteady legs.

—Qi Ri.

He called out.

—Qi Ri.

He walked toward me, trembling and slow. Every step seemed to drain the last of his strength.

Finally, stumbling and staggering, he reached me. Both hands gripped my arms.

—Qi Ri, Qi Ri, Qi Ri…

He knelt before me, his voice hoarse as he called my name.

This was a scene I could never have imagined.

He looked up at me.

All the words he wanted to say coalesced into tears, pouring from his eyes and falling into my palm.

They were so real, so scalding hot.

I wasn’t sure if it was because I hadn’t slept well for several days.

At first, I was just sitting on the edge of the bed. How I fell asleep, I wasn’t quite sure myself.

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Wang Zheng’s handsome yet delicate face. Those dark eyes blinked slowly at me.

I sat up with a start.

“Uh, Wang… Wang Zheng…”

I… How had I fallen asleep on his lap?

Wang Zheng remained in his original sitting position.

Still shaken, I glanced at him, then swept my gaze around the room.

Right. This was my home.

I turned back to look at him. Wang Zheng slowly got up from the bed, but swayed a little unsteadily—probably from his leg falling asleep. My face flushed slightly. “You, you… sorry, um, I… how did I…”

Wang Zheng tilted his head to look at me.

A long silence stretched between us. I was growing uncomfortable under his stare, just about to speak, when he said, “Thank you.”

“Huh?” I blinked, startled. As those eyes met mine, I forced a smile. “Uh, haha, well… that… are you feeling better?”

Wang Zheng nodded, his gaze wandering.

I was curious what he was looking for, when he glanced down at his pajamas, then turned his eyes back to me.

At that moment, it hit me like a thunderbolt. I hurriedly waved my hands. “You, your clothes were all soaked through last night, and you had a fever… so I…”

Wang Zheng hummed in acknowledgment, the corners of his mouth curling up ever so slightly.

I swallowed nervously.

“Um… are you hungry?”

My breakfast was always milk and white bread, but serving that to a guest would be too casual—especially when this guest had an exceptionally picky palate.

Wang Zheng’s previous set of clothes had already been tossed into the washing machine, so I had no choice but to let him wear a shirt I’d accidentally bought too large during a shopping trip. Even so, it was still a bit tight on Wang Zheng.

The Wang family were all built like tree trunks. Even Ren Sanshao, who had to get IV drips every two or three days and couldn’t stand even a whiff of cold air, was frail but not weak—taller than Wang Zheng by half a head. Clearly, the genes were strong.

I wasn’t jealous. Really.

I boiled some congee, added a bit of pork floss. Worried it might be too plain, I went back and fried an egg.

Wang Zheng didn’t say anything. He ate quietly and obediently. Seeing the clean, empty bowls and plates gave me the impression that His Highness Wang was satisfied.

After breakfast, I cleared the tableware. Wang Zheng sat on the living room sofa—he had to wait for his clothes to dry before he could leave anyway.

The worst part was that today was a day off. I had no choice but to brew some tea and hand it to Wang Zheng. He took it with both hands. I touched my nose, pretending to be busy. “Sorry for the poor hospitality. Make yourself at home. I still have some things to do.”

Actually, I had nothing to do. The reports and materials on Desmond King were already sorted, and I had no other cases on hand for now. But being around Wang Zheng was mentally draining.

Just as I took a few steps, I heard his voice from behind: “Qi Ri.”

I was scratching my head. That call made me jolt. I turned around and went, “Ah?”

Wang Zheng pursed his lips, as if deliberating for a long time. Finally, he blurted out, “You…”

“Qi Ri, have you been doing well?”

“Uh, ah… oh,” I said, pausing briefly—perhaps because it had been so long since I’d heard that voice so clearly. “Pretty good, I guess. I’m still an intern lawyer. I get along well with my boss and colleagues. It’s busy, and I do a lot of miscellaneous stuff. The pay isn’t great, but…”

It was the path I had chosen myself. No matter how hard it got, I never felt like it was something I couldn’t overcome.

I added instinctively, “What about you?”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them.

I saw those dark eyes dim slightly. Wang Zheng shifted deeper into the sofa and fell silent.

I let out a dry laugh, walked over to the sofa, and sat down, pretending to be casual. “A-actually, you’re doing pretty well too, right? Brother Bai told me you did really well in the UK. Going back to Singapore, you can help Uncle Wang with his business…”

Wang Zheng smiled at that, a hint of self-mockery in it.

My tongue tied up, and I couldn’t manage a single coherent sentence. I glanced at the empty cup in front of him, picked it up, and said, fleeing-like, “I-I’ll pour you another—”

“I…” Wang Zheng suddenly cut me off. His figure looked a little frail, pale from his illness. “I’m fine.”

I froze.

Wang Zheng clasped his hands together, head bowed low, his voice barely a whisper. “I’ve been… doing well too.”

“Oh.” I forced a smile. “R-Really? That’s… that’s great…”

Wang Zheng suddenly stood up, swaying slightly. I held myself back from going to his side. I watched him steady himself, about to say something, when his phone vibrated again.

Since he’d turned it on this morning, it had vibrated dozens of times, but he hadn’t answered a single call.

Wang Zheng looked at me. After a long moment, he said, “I’m leaving.”

I walked him to the entrance. Seeing that his steps were still unsteady, I couldn’t help but say, “Want me to call a cab for you, or have someone pick you up?”

Wang Zheng shook his head silently, gently rubbing the shirt he was wearing. He raised his head to look at me.

After a brief hesitation, his voice lifted slightly. “Can I… come again?”

“I’ll come to pick up my clothes!” he added quickly, as if trying to mask something.

I was a little taken aback, but snapped out of it the next moment. “Uh, sure, sure. If you have time, feel free to drop by. There’s hardly anyone here anyway… haha.”

Wang Zheng lifted his eyelids to look at me. Then, he nodded heavily.

At that moment, I suddenly realized exactly what kind of dangerous thing I’d just said.

As it turned out, our speculations were partly correct.

Reid Manor’s mental condition was indeed a major issue. Facing Catherine’s sharp questions in court, he looked even more haggard and pale than Desmond King, who was still behind bars.

The jury’s sentiment was clear—they wanted a physician’s evaluation to confirm that Reid Manor was indeed mentally sound. But the result was entirely unexpected. Right before the first verdict was about to be announced after the recess, Reid Manor refused to testify in court. Word had it that he was wailing uncontrollably in the break room. If he insisted on not testifying—worse, if his mental instability was proven—then Desmond King’s chances of full acquittal were nearly one hundred percent.

This was my first formal court appearance as Catherine’s main assistant on this case. When the session ended and we walked out of the courtroom, several people approached Catherine at the front, congratulating her and offering lavish praise.

“Thank you, everyone, but…”

Catherine turned back and pulled me to her side. Smiling graciously, she addressed the crowd. “All of this is actually thanks to my excellent assistant, Ren. He has insight superior to most people’s. He will undoubtedly be an outstanding lawyer one day.” Catherine was known for being warm yet strict as a mentor. She rarely praised the interns under her tutelage in front of others.

“Oh, so this is the one,” the people around murmured. Though I’d long been accustomed to receiving attention in my previous life, I still felt my face flush a little. I gave an embarrassed smile, then turned my head to see Du Yijie not far away, the corners of his mouth slightly lifted. Du Yijie wore sunglasses and was dressed in a rare dark suit, exuding a quiet luxury. He walked toward us slowly, first glancing at me, then turning to Catherine, speaking with sincerity. “This time, Desmond escaping conviction owes a great deal to Ms. Li’s help.”

Du Yijie bowed slightly. “It was a splendid victory.”

Catherine replied, “Thank you, Mr. Ren, for giving us the opportunity to serve you. I hope we can continue to cooperate in the future.”

Du Yijie’s smile widened. He nodded and said, “Certainly.”

At that moment, a few people with grim expressions turned the corner. Among them was the prosecutor responsible for this case, Roosevelt.

Before the court session this morning, Roosevelt had walked past us with a smile, brimming with confidence. He even gave me a few extra glances, a hint of disbelief in his eyes. But now, seeing me and Catherine, his expression turned even more sour. Still, he forced a smile, glanced sideways at Du Yijie, and placed his hands in front of him. “Ms. Li has amazed me once again with your performance today. I can’t believe something that seemed so certain could be twisted into this state.”

Catherine remained unruffled. “That’s the truth of the matter, Officer. Everything proves that my client was deliberately framed and falsely accused. We were merely fighting for a fair trial for him.”

“Oh—well, of course. For a drug dealer—or should I say, a social parasite—the fairest trial would be to lock them up and keep them from causing more trouble. Isn’t that right, Mr. Du?”

Roosevelt was a veteran prosecutor. Even standing before Du Yijie, he showed no fear, his words dripping with provocation. It was no wonder he was so upset. He had gone through great lengths to catch this minor leader—though not high-ranking—if Desmond King could be convicted, it would send a shockwave through other organizations.

“Of course not,” Du Yijie said with a smile.

Roosevelt shook his head with a chuckle. His gaze eventually landed on me. Those sharp, murky eyes narrowed slightly. “So this is the one Ms. Li has been praising, isn’t it? I hear the biggest credit for this case goes to this young lawyer. I thought you looked familiar from the start. Now I’m sure I’ve seen you before.”

He said, “You and that young man under Prosecutor Kim are good brothers. I remember you.”

Roosevelt shook his head regretfully. He walked toward me. He was shorter than me and a bit overweight. Leaning in, he said, “I am very disappointed in you, young man.”

I stiffened slightly.

“Officer.” Du Yijie stepped forward, putting some distance between Roosevelt and me. “You’ve been troubling yourself over these matters.” Du Yijie reached out a hand. Roosevelt instantly stepped back in alarm. Du Yijie laughed. “Officer, no need to be so nervous. Your tie is crooked. I only wanted to fix it for you.”

“A thug doesn’t need to do me any favors.”

Du Yijie went, “Oh,” and smiled. “Then I suppose Lawyer Ren’s personal affairs are none of your concern either, Officer.” He stepped closer. The height difference was evident. Roosevelt’s face flushed red with fury.

Du Yijie leaned in and whispered something in Roosevelt’s ear. I watched the prosecutor’s face go from red to white. Finally, he stomped his foot in anger and spat out furiously, “One of these days, I’ll lock every last one of you yellow monkeys in a cage.” As he stormed past me, he shot me a vicious glare.

Catherine patted my shoulder reassuringly. “Roosevelt Taylor is an ugly, immature man with a narrow mind. He was counting on this case to boost his campaign for the legislative elections. You completely ruined his plans. Don’t let it bother you.”

I nodded, glancing at Catherine, and pursed my lips into a smile.

“Since things have come to a close, would I have the honor of inviting both esteemed lawyers to join me for a meal?”

We ate the meal somewhat dazedly. Catherine left first in her car. I was a little distracted until Du Yijie leaned over to fasten my seatbelt, saying, “It’s okay.”

Du Yijie seemed focused on driving. “It’s okay, Xiao Qi. You don’t have to feel so uneasy.” His tone was very gentle, as if coaxing a child.

“Listen to me. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

I looked at him, somewhat lost.

Du Yijie glanced at me sideways while keeping his eyes on the road. “Do you have anything else on tonight?”

I shook my head instinctively. Du Yijie turned the steering wheel with one hand, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.