Chapter 59: “I remember every word you said.”

Just after finalizing Qian Heng’s gift, Cheng Yao received a call from Li Mengting on her way to the pantry.

“Yao Yao, I’ve been thinking about it all night.” Li Mengting’s voice on the phone had lost its previous panic and pain; it had become calm and steady. “I don’t want to stay trapped in this marriage anymore. I’ve made up my mind—I’m going to get a divorce. Right away.”

Cheng Yao let out a sigh of relief. Li Mengting had finally seen things clearly. It wasn’t worth wasting time on the wrong person—cutting losses in time was the most correct and bravest decision.

Li Mengting paused, then said firmly, “I want to protect my own rights and interests. I want to fight for as much of the joint property as possible. Yao Yao, I want to hire you as my lawyer.”

“But my experience is still quite limited. I’m afraid I won’t be able to…”

Li Mengting was very insistent: “I don’t trust anyone else. I only trust you. If it’s not you, I won’t hire any other lawyer.”

After hanging up with Li Mengting, Cheng Yao felt a surge of excitement mixed with some hesitation. She was genuinely happy for Li Mengting’s bravery and decisiveness, and grateful for her trust, but at the same time, she was deeply unsure whether she could handle this case properly.

Although she had absorbed knowledge and gained experience under Qian Heng’s guidance all along, in the end, the cases she had fully followed were only the two involving Bai Xingmeng and Dong Shan. Cheng Yao knew her own capabilities—she was far from ready to handle a case independently on her own.

Since Li Mengting trusted her, she absolutely could not let her down.

However, Bao Rui had recently been swamped with three international marriage cases. Because much of the asset evidence needed to be gathered overseas, he was so busy he wished he had three heads and six arms—there was no way he could take on the extra pressure of another case. Tan Ying, like her, had relatively little work experience and was still at the stage where she needed guidance from other lawyers. The rest of their colleagues… most of them already had their own case assignments. Moreover, since they weren’t on the same team, asking someone else to mentor her on Li Mengting’s case wouldn’t be proper or justified.

After thinking it over, Cheng Yao gritted her teeth and decided that her only option was to seek help from Qian Heng.

****

Cheng Yao psyched herself up, knocked on the door, and entered Qian Heng’s office.

“Boss, I want to take on a case.”

Qian Heng had been reviewing case files at his desk. Hearing Cheng Yao’s voice, he glanced up at her and, without asking about the details, said directly, “What’s the value of the claim?”

“I don’t know yet. I haven’t sorted out the property list with the client.”

“Is it at least fifty million?”

“Definitely not.”

“Then we can’t take it.”

Perhaps because the expression on Cheng Yao’s face—”I really want to handle this case”—was too obvious, Qian Heng coughed lightly and halved his standard: “Twenty-five million.”

He looked at her, pressed his lips together, and added, “That’s really the lowest I can go.”

Although Li Mengting and Zhang Hao came from fairly well-off families, neither was from extreme wealth. The disputed amount was probably, at most, a few million.

“It’s Li Mengting’s case! My friend! Boss, I really want to represent her. Could you… could you just give me some guidance and oversee the big picture? I’ll handle all the actual work myself.” Cheng Yao promised, “I absolutely won’t take up much of your time!”

Qian Heng didn’t say anything. He set down the file in his hand and slightly shifted in his boss chair.

With his handsome face remaining expressionless, he said, “Cheng Yao, what do you think a successful lawyer should strive for?”

Cheng Yao tried to steer the conversation: “Working for love? For the greater good of humanity, for public welfare, for building socialism, for perfecting the country’s legal system…”

“Cheng Yao, what’s my surname?”

What kind of topic jump was this? Cheng Yao was baffled and answered instinctively, “Qian!”

Qian Heng gave a faint smile: “Exactly. So I only generate power for money, not for love.”

“…”

“The minimum claim value for cases I take is fifty million. Anything below that—sorry, I don’t do charity, and I don’t care about public welfare.” Qian Heng lightly tapped the desk with his fingers. “Cheng Yao, do you know why lawyers who generate power for money are the ones who succeed?”

“Why?”

Qian Heng smiled as if it were obvious: “Because the ones who generate power for love have all starved to death.”

“…”

“Of course, fifty million is my standard. If you insist on taking it yourself, I won’t stop you.” Qian Heng looked at her. “From a professional standpoint, you’re a fully licensed lawyer. You can handle cases independently without my approval—but you’ll also bear all the consequences yourself.”

Before entering Qian Heng’s office, Cheng Yao hadn’t actually anticipated this outcome. She had somehow assumed, almost naturally, that he would help.

Now, facing his refusal, she finally calmed down.

Qian Heng wasn’t wrong. As a partner at Jun Heng, he had to shoulder the responsibility of generating revenue for the entire firm—lawyers’ bonuses, base salaries, administrative and financial expenses, and so on. It was normal for him to be selective about the cases he took.

But Cheng Yao realized she needed to snap out of her subconscious assumptions. She had actually thought that, based on whatever limited interactions she’d had with Qian Heng, she could influence his decisions? That was way too overconfident.

Qian Heng was the boss; she was just an employee.

Though this realization felt a bit harsh and left Cheng Yao with a sour, disappointed feeling, perhaps that was simply the truth.

“Alright, I’ll take this case on my own. Thank you, boss.”

After saying that, Cheng Yao prepared to turn and leave the room, but unexpectedly, Qian Heng called her back.

“The perspective I just gave is from my position as the boss.” Qian Heng turned his head to look out the window. “From a personal standpoint, I don’t recommend you take Li Mengting’s case.”

Cheng Yao was stunned: “Why?”

Qian Heng turned back, pressed his lips together, and looked at her.

Though Qian Heng didn’t say anything explicit, Cheng Yao, gazing at his expression, already had a rough guess. She probed, “Do you think I won’t handle Li Mengting’s matter professionally? That because she’s my friend, my emotions will sway me?”

“Cheng Yao, if you can’t maintain complete emotional neutrality, you might get trapped in a case, unable to calmly sort through all the details. Have you considered what happens if, because of you, the lawsuit is lost or the outcome isn’t ideal—would your friendship with her still survive?” Qian Heng’s voice was calm and steady, yet also unusually gentle.

For some reason, the Qian Heng advising her from a personal angle seemed a bit more handsome than the one speaking as her boss. It was only a difference of a few dozen seconds, but Cheng Yao felt that the Qian Heng in front of her now was somehow a little more attractive than before.

She took a deep breath: “I know. As legal professionals, when facing someone in a marital dispute like this, the first thing we should do is help the client calm down. If they choose to continue the marriage, they need to stay vigilant and start systematically protecting their assets, watching the other party’s financial moves. If they choose divorce, they need to carefully inventory the property to prevent transfers and fight for the maximum rights possible. I’ll do it properly.”

“Cheng Yao, I’ve already guided you through two cases.” Qian Heng’s voice was cool but clear. “I told you very early on: keep distance from the client, don’t bring your own emotions into the case. You clearly know this in your heart—why have you forgotten it all now? Last night, when you were comforting her…”

“That’s not how it was. I remember every single word you’ve said.”

Qian Heng paused.

Cheng Yao lifted her head, her gaze intense: “I remember.”

For some reason, Qian Heng suddenly found himself unable to meet her eyes directly. He averted his gaze: “Then last night, you should have helped her calm down right away instead of going along with her emotions.”

“Boss, I’m a female lawyer. As a woman, it’s easier for me to be empathetic—sometimes that’s a weakness, but I’ve also been thinking about whether I can turn that weakness into a strength.” Cheng Yao spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly. “Everyone has different styles of handling cases. I can’t completely copy yours; I’m searching for my own path.”

“In many family dispute cases, especially with female clients, emotions run very high. Advising them with excessive cold rationality can actually make them more guarded. Instead, guiding them gently with empathy can help them recognize reality faster and build trust.” Cheng Yao smiled, her eyes bright and confident. “When I was advising Li Mengting, my mind was perfectly calm, and I knew exactly how to handle it. My approach is just different from yours.”

“I can win this case.”

When Cheng Yao said those words, her face was slightly tilted up, her dark and beautiful eyes wide open, staring intently at Qian Heng without any distraction. Her cheeks were flushed from the emotions surging within her, making her snow-white face appear even more radiant and striking. The strong sense of control over her future and that unstoppable confidence on her face momentarily dazzled Qian Heng—he actually found it a bit blinding.

More clearly than ever before, Qian Heng realized that Cheng Yao was no longer the timid rookie who used to shrink in fear of making mistakes in front of him. She wouldn’t cry and look at him with those wet, puppy-like eyes anymore, waiting for him to clean up her messes. Nor would she panic and helplessly seek him out every time she erred.

Unknowingly, she had been working hard, learning, growing. She was slowly but surely becoming independent and strong.

Given time, she would completely break out of the cocoon that once bound her. She would spread her wings and soar high—no longer needing him.

This realization left Qian Heng with a subtle feeling. Cheng Yao was someone he had personally mentored; her success would undoubtedly be an affirmation of himself. Yet at the same time, Qian Heng felt some hidden, indescribable emotion he couldn’t quite pinpoint.

The Cheng Yao who relied on him for everything and stared at him with those puppy eyes was certainly impossible to refuse. But the Cheng Yao who now looked him straight in the eye with confidence was even harder to look away from.

Suddenly, Qian Heng felt a little unwilling to let others see this version of Cheng Yao.

She was a bit too dazzling.

“Handle this case well.” Just before Cheng Yao left, Qian Heng inexplicably spoke up again. “If there’s anything you don’t know, you can ask me.”

Cheng Yao paused, then broke into a wide grin, revealing a row of snow-white, beautiful, and perfectly aligned teeth. Her eyes seemed to sparkle with light, making Qian Heng feel a little dizzy.

“I’m afraid you’ll mess it up and ruin my reputation.”

Cheng Yao nodded vigorously: “Thank you, boss!”

Qian Heng kept a straight face: “Don’t thank me randomly. I’m not doing this to help you—I’m worried you’ll drag down my name. Don’t overthink it.”

Yet Cheng Yao still smiled. She stared at him for a few seconds with an expression that said “I’ve already seen through everything,” until Qian Heng’s stern facade was almost cracking. Only then did she thank him once more and bounce away like a little rabbit.

****

With Qian Heng’s approval, Cheng Yao acted with great efficiency and almost immediately signed the representation agreement with Li Mengting.

Li Mengting didn’t want to see Zhang Hao again, so everything was left to Cheng Yao to handle the negotiations.

If the divorce went through litigation, it would not only be time-consuming but also drain energy and money. Since Zhang Hao wanted to divorce and remarry, and Li Mengting was unwilling to settle, the best outcome would be if the two could reach an agreement.

Unfortunately, Zhang Hao responded indifferently to Cheng Yao’s several attempts to communicate. Clearly, he already had a new lover and should be the one in a hurry, yet he was unusually calm and composed, as if he wasn’t anxious to marry his female colleague at all. Cheng Yao couldn’t figure out what his considerations were.

Cheng Yao called him several times. At first, Zhang Hao would pick up and brush her off with a few words, but after a while, he apparently blocked her number directly. Every time she dialed, all she got was an endless busy tone.

“What do we do now?” Li Mengting’s eyes reddened with anger at Zhang Hao’s reaction. “This scumbag—he cheated on me, and now that I’m graciously letting him go so he can be with that bitch, he’s actually playing hard to get? He should be the one desperate! Because according to the law, during a wife’s pregnancy and lactation period, the husband cannot initiate divorce. If I deliberately refuse to divorce and drag it out, that adulterous couple won’t be able to be together legitimately for at least a year and a half!”

Cheng Yao gently patted Li Mengting’s back to soothe her: “Don’t worry. Then we’ll go through litigation.”

Li Mengting bit her lip and nodded: “By the way, yesterday I sorted out part of our joint property. Also, take a look at this.”

After speaking, Li Mengting handed Cheng Yao a document: “After we got married, I figured I’d become a full-time housewife, and I felt a bit uneasy about it. So, half-jokingly, I coaxed Zhang Hao into signing this ‘marital fidelity agreement.’ He hesitated at first, but two days after I mentioned it, he agreed to sign.”

Cheng Yao quickly scanned it and nearly jumped for joy: “As expected from a law school graduate—you didn’t study law for nothing! Knowledge really does change destiny; there’s truth to that saying!”

Li Mengting lowered her eyes: “At the time, I did have some little schemes in mind, but it was mostly playful and casual. I never imagined this ‘fidelity agreement’ would actually come in handy one day—and so soon.”

In front of Cheng Yao and Li Mengting was a simple “marital fidelity agreement.” In it, Li Mengting and Zhang Hao agreed that if either party cheated during the marriage, the cheating party would, upon divorce, allocate their entire share of the property (specifically the house) to the other party, forfeiting their own portion.

Below the agreement were the signatures of both Li Mengting and Zhang Hao, along with the date.

Though simple, one should not underestimate this fidelity agreement.

After all, Li Mengting was a law school graduate herself. The agreement included all necessary elements, and its contents were entirely legal. While marital fidelity agreements are controversial in judicial practice and some are deemed invalid, those that specifically stipulate property division upon divorce are fully recognized by law! They can serve as a reference for court decisions on property division in divorce cases!

“In other words, as long as we secure evidence of Zhang Hao’s affair and extramarital relationship, during the divorce property division, the court will consider the terms of the fidelity agreement and award the marital home to you! That would essentially mean Zhang Hao leaves with nothing!”

Li Mengting nodded: “It’s just a shame that earlier, in my anger, I hired someone to follow and secretly photograph that adulterous couple—the evidence was obtained illegally and can’t be used. Now we’ve alerted them, so gathering evidence again will be difficult. Especially after I sent those photos to the entire company’s email list last time, Zhang Hao probably feared it would damage his reputation at work and affect his future prospects. I’ve heard he’s been frantically clarifying it was a misunderstanding, and recently the two of them have been much more discreet.”

Cheng Yao smiled: “Don’t worry anymore—leave it to me.” She glanced at Li Mengting. “You have more important things to think about.”

Li Mengting instinctively looked down at her belly, her face showing hesitation and conflict. The marriage to Zhang Hao was definitely over—so what about these twins? Should she keep them?

At her current stage of pregnancy, abortion was still an option. If she delayed further, not only would induced labor be far more harmful to a woman than abortion, but once the pregnancy advanced too far, unless there were severe fetal abnormalities, most hospitals would refuse to perform it.

From the children’s perspective, if they were born, they were destined to grow up without proper fatherly love and would have to depend solely on Li Mengting. From Li Mengting’s perspective, she was still young—if she had no children, her options for starting a new relationship or marriage in the future would be much broader. With children, being less desirable in the remarriage market would be the least of it; the real issue was how to support the twins and herself. Li Mengting had almost no substantial work experience. After giving birth and a short recovery, she would be disconnected from society for another year. Then she would have to immediately find a job—one with good income but that also allowed her to care for the children…

Only at this moment did Li Mengting truly and deeply regret her choices.

She had been wrong from the very beginning. Born in hardship, she died in comfort—she had indulged in the ease of that time without realizing life wasn’t a smooth, obstacle-free path. Now, faced with thorns, she was unarmed, passive, and struggling.

If back then she had persevered like Cheng Yao, even though the legal profession was tough, wouldn’t she have avoided ending up in this situation altogether?

Cheng Yao had already left. Li Mengting touched her belly, frowning, lost in an intense internal struggle.