Chapter 6

Before Chen Zhuo could respond, Lin Wu had already turned and entered the elevator hall without looking back.

Watching her retreating figure, Chen Zhuo tugged the corner of his mouth into a mocking smile and pressed the accelerator to leave.

Exiting the parking lot, he made a U-turn at the intersection ahead and then turned into an upscale residential complex diagonally opposite.

Before Lin Wu had even mentioned the address, Chen Zhuo hadn’t realized they lived so close to each other.

“…”

After arriving home and freshening up, Lin Wu temporarily shed the exhaustion that weighed her down.

Her phone screen lit up and dimmed several times. She picked it up and glanced at the messages from He Jiayun: “Has the workaholic clocked out yet?”

He Jiayun: “Need the boss to order you some late-night snacks?”

A few minutes later, another message came: “The security guard said the lights on the twenty-sixth floor are all off. Are you home?”

He Jiayun: “If you don’t reply in ten minutes, I’m calling the police.”

Lin Wu smiled softly and quickly replied, “Just taking a shower.”

He Jiayun: “...I guessed as much.”

Lin Wu responded with a gentle smile: “Why aren’t you sleeping yet?”

He Jiayun: “It’s still early. Are you tired?”

Lin Wu: “...No.”

She glanced at the clock. It was just before midnight, still too early for her usual sleepiness.

Thinking this over, Lin Wu shuffled into the study in her slippers, deciding to work a bit if she couldn’t sleep.

He Jiayun: “I thought so. What time are you planning to sleep?”

Lin Wu considered: “Try to be asleep by two.”

He Jiayun: “What are you doing now? Still poring over evidence?”

Lin Wu: “Can’t sleep anyway.”

He Jiayun: “I give up. Can’t you watch a movie or something to fall asleep? You get more excited the more you look at the files.”

He knew Lin Wu well.

Lin Wu: “The sooner I finish reviewing the evidence, the sooner I can move on to the next phase.”

He Jiayun: “...Alright, I can’t hold back a hard-working lawyer. Just take it easy. When it’s time, take your meds and go to bed.”

Lin Wu: “Got it.”

Ending the conversation, Lin Wu pulled out the evidence files.

The study’s lighting was specially arranged—bright yet soft, creating a perfect atmosphere.

Lin Wu loved reviewing documents in such an environment.

Silence reigned; even the wind was muffled beyond the window.

She focused intently, leaning over the desk for quite a while. When her eyes grew tired, she glanced at her phone—it was already past two in the morning.

Thinking about the workday ahead, Lin Wu closed the files and left the study.

After taking her medicine, she lay down in her room but still felt no sleepiness. Unbidden, a cold and profound face appeared in her mind.

Reflecting on their conversation in the car, Lin Wu felt a faint twinge of regret—had she agreed too hastily? Yet she had to admit she wasn’t ready to end this “Friday night rendezvous” with Chen Zhuo.

Over the past six months together, Lin Wu’s mental health had improved.

Her sleep on other nights remained poor, but at least once a week she enjoyed a full, deeply relaxing rest.

She dared not imagine losing even that one night of reprieve, fearing a return to the lifeless days before.

Lost in thought, she eventually drifted off.

She woke just after six.

Some time during the night, rain had begun falling outside. Raindrops tapped softly against the windowsill, a muted, soothing sound.

Lin Wu closed her eyes and tugged the covers up.

She tried to catch a few more moments of sleep. On rainy days, she could sleep fairly well. Listening to the rain, she soon slipped back into slumber.

Her next awakening was by the alarm.

After opening her eyes and resting for about half a minute, she decisively threw off the covers, got up, washed, put on makeup, and headed out.

Driving to the company parking lot, Lin Wu grabbed her bag and made her way toward the elevator hall, casually casting a glance to the opposite side.

As expected, Chen Zhuo’s car was still parked in the same spot as last night.

“...”

Early as always, Lin Wu thought.

—

There were no meetings scheduled with clients that morning, and the rain outside was heavy.

Lin Wu kept busy in the office all morning. Near lunchtime, Zhao Yuxin knocked on her door and asked, “Lin, want to order takeout today?”

Lin Wu suddenly realized how time had flown. Glancing out the window, she hesitated briefly. “No, I’ll go downstairs to eat.”

Zhao Yuxin’s eyes lit up. “Down to the restaurant? Want to join us?”

Lin Wu raised an eyebrow with a smile. “A new restaurant downstairs?”

Zhao Yuxin nodded. “A Yunnan cuisine place just opened today, with a 30% discount for the first three days.”

“Okay,” Lin Wu agreed without much hesitation. “How many of you?”

Zhao Yuxin: “Us plus two assistant lawyers from Lawyer Yu’s team—four or five in total.”

Lin Wu nodded. “Alright, tell them I’ll treat lunch.”

Zhao Yuxin promptly went off to spread the good news.

At Xianghe Law Firm, time management wasn’t overly strict. To avoid the lunch rush, colleagues usually went down ten to twenty minutes early.

At 11:40, Zhao Yuxin came for Lin Wu.

Lin Wu closed her files, stood, and joined them downstairs.

The CBD Financial Center’s lower floors, from basement to sixth floor, housed commercial areas with many food, beauty, and clothing shops. The sixth floor even had a cost-effective cafeteria.

The newly opened Yunnan restaurant was on the fourth floor. Lin Wu and her colleagues headed there and sat around a large round table.

“Let’s order,” Lin Wu said softly, taking the menu from the waiter. “Don’t be polite—order whatever you want.”

Zhao Yuxin, who knew Lin Wu best, smiled with crescent eyes. “Yeah, Lin hates politeness. Let’s order plenty and eat her out of house and home.”

Lin Wu propped her chin on her hand. “That might be tough.”

The others chuckled.

While they were ordering, a colleague sitting diagonally across from Lin Wu took a phone call, then looked at her.

Curious, Lin Wu waited for the call to end before asking, “What’s up?”

“Lawyer Yu is back,” said the assistant of Lawyer Yu Xinzhi. “He asked me to pack a lunch for him.”

Lin Wu understood and quietly said, “Ask if he wants to join us.”

The colleague hesitated, then agreed to ask.

After receiving a positive reply, Lin Wu had the waiter bring an extra set of chopsticks and bowls.

In a few minutes, Yu Xinzhi arrived.

“Lawyer Yu,” several colleagues stood to greet him. Lin Wu’s assistant even offered him the seat beside her.

Yu Xinzhi sat down, smiled faintly. “Thanks. Lin, treating us today?”

Lin Wu nodded and joked, “Giving you a chance to overcharge me—see if there’s anything else you want.”

She handed him the menu.

Yu Xinzhi waved it off. “If we need more later, we’ll add it. Looks like you ordered plenty already.”

That was true.

Since he declined, Lin Wu didn’t press.

Shortly, dishes arrived one after another, and laughter filled the table. The atmosphere was relaxed.

The lawyers at Xianghe were all relatively young, so the lines between lawyers, assistants, and other colleagues were blurred. Outside work, Lin Wu and her team mingled freely with receptionists and finance staff.

—

Passing by the restaurant, Chen Zhuo and his colleagues caught sight of a rare radiant smile inside the delicately decorated dining room.

Lin Wu’s demeanor was typically cool, but her features were striking. When she smiled, she shone brilliantly.

Chen Zhuo’s steps faltered slightly. His assistant, Wang Liqun, noticed his gaze and asked uncertainly, “President Chen, this is a new restaurant. Shall we try it for lunch?”

Chen Zhuo glanced at him coldly and replied, “Check if there’s a table available.”

They entered together.

The private rooms were full, but Chen Zhuo didn’t mind sitting in the main hall.

“President Chen, where would you like to sit?” Wang asked quietly.

Chen Zhuo scanned the room and chose a decent spot.

Once seated, he lifted his eyelids slightly and looked toward the opposite end where Lin Wu sat upright. Even smiling, she maintained a poised posture without leaning sideways.

But the man next to her was different.

When a colleague opposite Lin Wu pulled out their phone to take a photo, the man noticeably leaned a bit closer to Lin Wu.

Chen Zhuo watched this, narrowing his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Noticing his displeasure, a vice president next to Chen Zhuo asked perplexed, “President Chen, what’s wrong?”

This vice president had been stationed at the branch and was unfamiliar with Chen Zhuo, recently transferred from headquarters.

He had heard Chen Zhuo was a notorious workaholic, strict both internally and externally, and despised office politics. Under Chen Zhuo’s leadership, shady business tactics were impossible.

Chen Zhuo was an inscrutable leader—hard to read his temper or preferences.

Thus, when he heard they were dining at an ordinary restaurant, the vice president was puzzled but dared not comment further.

“…”

“Nothing,” Chen Zhuo withdrew his gaze, voice slightly cold. “Order.”

Wang, who had accompanied Chen Zhuo from headquarters, observed Chen Zhuo’s stern expression and glanced again at the person sitting diagonally opposite. He formed an estimate in his mind.

The vice president nervously didn’t know what to make of it.

Chen Zhuo handed the ordering to his assistant and looked down at his phone. He opened a WeChat chat several times but never sent a message.

At the same time, Lin Wu inadvertently caught sight of Chen Zhuo.

At first, she thought her eyes were deceiving her.

When she looked again, she saw the familiar, reserved expression with lowered lashes and tight lips. She realized—it was really Chen Zhuo.

Thinking it over, since they worked in the same office building and with limited dining options, it was normal to run into each other.

Yet Lin Wu hadn’t expected Chen Zhuo, someone who disliked ordinary hotels and preferred renting entire suites in upscale serviced apartments by the year, to eat such down-to-earth food.

That was so unlike him.

Lost in thought, Lin Wu forgot to avert her gaze.

Only when Chen Zhuo lifted his eyes to meet hers did she react, deliberately looking away to appear composed.

Sensing her evasion, Chen Zhuo silently curled the corner of his mouth.

When the meal was nearly finished, Lin Wu got up to use the restroom and settle the bill.

Coming out from the inner room, she walked directly to the sink, avoiding any glance at the person beside her.

The water flowed quietly.

After washing and drying her hands, she headed toward the exit.

Only then did the person beside her break the silence: “Lin.”

Lin Wu turned and indirectly reminded him, “President Chen, is there a case to discuss?”

If not, there was no need for conversation—they were strangers.

Chen Zhuo was silent for a moment.

He caught the implication in her words and felt a mix of helplessness and amusement.

No wonder she was the cold, unapproachable beauty of the industry.

“President Chen?” Seeing his faint smile, Lin Wu felt a bit awkward. “If there’s nothing, I’ll go.”

Chen Zhuo spoke just then, “There is.”

Lin Wu tilted her head, puzzled.

Chen Zhuo: “There is indeed a collaboration to discuss with you. When are you available?”

Lin Wu was taken aback but then recalled a prior conversation among colleagues about the investment banking firm Chen Zhuo had recently taken over. Apparently, there had been a major internal problem, though she didn’t know the details—her workload was heavy.

She had only overheard bits in the break room.

Now hearing Chen Zhuo mention it, she realized: “Your current company?”

Chen Zhuo nodded.

Lin Wu was surprised. “What about the company’s legal department?”

Chen Zhuo smiled faintly and said bluntly, “They’re not capable enough.”

Hearing this, Lin Wu instinctively wanted to ask if he’d approached her because he thought she was competent.

But that question sounded like she was belittling herself. Since Chen Zhuo came to her, he must have done his research and understood her cases. He wasn’t here because of their discreet past entanglement.

Having known each other for so long, though not deeply familiar with each other’s work, Lin Wu sensed Chen Zhuo was not impulsive.

He was decisive and methodical.

Thinking this over, Lin Wu said, “I’ve been very busy lately.”

Chen Zhuo raised an eyebrow.

She looked at him and said, “If you genuinely want to cooperate, you can contact my assistant to schedule a meeting.”

Leaving those words, Lin Wu didn’t linger in the restroom and walked away.

Back at the law firm, she noticed the unusually quiet chat icon—the one only active on Fridays—and searched online for information about the investment bank upstairs.

There was little public information on the issues; Lin Wu’s understanding was limited.

She had expected, after that conversation, Chen Zhuo would contact her assistant to arrange a meeting that afternoon.

But by the end of the workday, no appointment message had come.

For a moment, Lin Wu wasn’t sure if Chen Zhuo was teasing her or simply hadn’t gotten around to it yet.

Realizing she was thinking about him too much, Lin Wu quickly pushed the name from her mind. Unimportant people and matters weren’t worth her time.

After finishing work at ten that night and arriving home, Lin Wu felt a restless agitation inside, though she couldn’t pinpoint the source.

That unsettled feeling lingered until the next morning.

Shortly after arriving at the office, Li Xiang summoned her to a brief meeting.

She agreed, gathered her things, and headed to the conference room.

As she sat down, barely exchanging a few words with the lawyer beside her, Li Xiang entered with others.

“Let me introduce everyone: this is Chen Zhuo, Managing Director of Fengxing Investment Bank…”

Hearing the familiar name, Lin Wu instinctively looked up—

Their eyes met.

Li Xiang introduced the lawyers present.

When he introduced Lin Wu, Chen Zhuo extended his hand, handsome and composed, his voice low and steady.

“Lin, I’ve heard much about you.”