DFLB – Chapter 2

With regard to Lu Xun’s pro bono case, Qian Wei roughly poked through it and found out it was a divorce case. Although it did not involve much property, the statements of the involved parties were confusing and mixed up with a lot of personal feelings. Lawyers needed to spend a lot of energy to sort out and extract the useful information from statements like this. Qian only glanced at her schedule before she decided to put the case aside and interview the parties involved directly after the new year.

“You’re still here?”

As soon as she got busy, Qian Wei completely forgot about things other than work, and it was not until Lu Xun came up to her at the end of the day that she realized that tonight was the appointed day for the class reunion.

Qian quickly gathered up her documents and said, “I’m coming! Lu Xun, wait for me! I need to hitch a ride!”

Lu Xun didn’t respond but he did slow down. Qian Wei managed to catch up and follow him into the elevator.

Lu Xun’s black Bentley was spacious and comfortable, and Qian only felt that it sure was good to have money. Although he had a grudge against her, Qian Wei had to admit that Lu Xun was really good at everything, and his ability to make money was as outstanding as his appearance. Rich, handsome, and talented. Held deep affections too, just judging by how he seemed to still pine for Mo Zixin after so many years.

“Did you read the case file I gave you last time?”

While Qian Wei was thinking hard about how to start a topic, Lu Xun unexpectedly opened his mouth first. His voice had a cool texture and a sense of detachment, people listening would have trouble understanding his mood from his tone.

Qian didn’t know why, but she instinctively felt that if she answered honestly that she didn’t read it, Lu Xun would be angry. So after brief consideration, she lied: “I read it!”

Lu Xun was silent for a moment, then finally said, “Is there anything you want to say to me after reading it?”

In order to please the boss, Qian Wei gritted her teeth and decided to sell her soul: “Although it is a pro bono case, I know that it must be the boss’s good intentions to give such a case to me. I believe that this case will certainly bring me a new perspective and allow me to practice, so that I can benefit a lot in my future work. I will certainly handle this case well and live up to the painstaking efforts of my boss!”

“You didn’t read it at all.” Unfortunately, Lu Xun instantly saw through and pierced Qian Wei’s lie. “After the reunion ends go back and work overtime and finish reading the materials.”

“…” Lu Xun, I must have a grudge against you from my last life!

By the time Qian Wei and Lu Xun arrived, the rest of their former classmates had already arrived and were chatting enthusiastically.

“It’s not easy to be a woman lawyer. Every time I go on a blind date, I have to assure my partner that if there is a divorce in the future, I won’t let them leave the house penniless.”

“It’s also very hard to be a judge. Whenever someone takes issue with my judgment there will be people who go to the courthouse with big banners protesting. There is also a lot of pressure and we can only draw a measly salary from the system.”

When the people spotted Lu Xun, who rarely visited, they hastened to welcome him in, just as they did back at school. No matter where Lu Xun appeared, he was the focus of the crowd.

“Here comes Lu Xun!”

“Why did you come alone again this time? The construction of your material civilization is good enough. When will you begin construction of your spiritual civilization and leave behind your singledom?”

“I did, recently.”

There was an uproar. Lu Xun was concise and to the point, but they all knew, when he said “recently” it meant it really was recent.

Qian Wei looked up at Lu Xun with some surprise. Did Lu Xun escape the list of single people recently? Since when did he have a potential date? Usually all he does is stay in the office to work overtime. So was it just him squeezing and kneading himself, like falling in love with a cloud cat?*

Unlike Lu Xun, Qian Wei was not the focus of attention. She found Liu Shiyun and sat down opposite her.

Liu Shiyun took a meaningful look at the besieged Lu Xun: “From the beginning, I wondered why Lu Xun would attend the class reunion this year.” She lowered her voice mysteriously. “You know what? Mo Zixin is also coming today. “

Qian Wei was surprised: “She returned to the country?”

“Why not? This time she is returning to China completely to develop herself.” Liu Shiyun smiled. “I told you, Lu Xun is a man with long feelings. Normally he has never attended these reunions but now for the sake of the woman he loves he’s making an exception. Didn’t I tell you? And just now Lu Xun said that he was planning to get out of singledom recently. “

Qian Wei understood what she meant but at the same time some doubts: “But Mo Zixin has a boyfriend. She went abroad to study after breaking up with Qian Chuan. I heard Qian Chuan say that she later had an American boyfriend and was about to get married.”

“Hah. You can pry into Lu Xun’s corner but forbid him to pry into other people’s corners?”

“Do you think that if I help Lu Xun pry into the corner this time, will Lu Xun forgive me and let bygones be bygones from now on?”

Liu Shiyun blinked: “Of course. For a man, when his love and career are both happy, where will he find time to torture you. The Lu Xun you see now is the result of having no sex life for a long time leading to his current abnormal condition. If you don’t believe me, just listen to my analysis…”

But Liu Shiyun stopped abruptly in the middle of her analysis. She looked at the door and stood up excitedly.

“Mo Zixin is here!”

Qian only looked back over her shoulder and saw Mo Zixin. She was standing at the door, returning the warm greetings of the other former students. Mo Zixin was very beautiful, not only a high achiever, but also proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. She was the campus Goddess who had been abroad for a long time now, and now she seemed even more exquisite in terms of clothing and aura.

The goddess didn’t chat with her old classmates for very long. She walked through the crowd and over to Qian Wei.

“Qian Wei, long time no see.”

Qian stood up self consciously and said, “Sister-in-law! Long time no see!” Then she became embarrassed. “I’m sorry, it was just habit …don’t mind me! ” She looked left and right and found that Lu Xun was still sitting on one side and making no movement. He just looked over quietly.

This guy obviously came to attend the reunion for Mo Zixin. But now Mo Zixin arrived and at the critical moment Lu Xun was playing shy teenager?

“I heard that you were coming back to China for development. What about your boyfriend? Did he come to China for development together with you?” Qian Wei could only talk on her own.

Mo Zixin tugged on her hair, glanced at Lu Xun intentionally and smiled: “I am single now.”

There was a chance, big brother! Qian Wei winked desperately at Lu Xun but Lu Xun just looked at her expressionlessly.

Qian Wei hated that iron would not become steel, it seemed this Lu Xun was so nervous that he didn’t know what to do. Forget it! It was time for her to atone for her sins!

However, Mo Zixin quickly changed the subject: “I’ve been thinking to be a lawyer after I returned home. Qian Wei, could you share your experience. To be a good lawyer, do I need to prepare any books or other things in advance?”

Hey, even if you try to change the subject, it won’t stop me!

Qian Wei smiled: “The experience shared by a low achiever like me is certainly not as useful as that shared by a high achiever. Lu Xun is now my boss, he is already a partner, and his experience must be more useful. Lu Xun, how do you feel about being a lawyer? What do think needs to be prepared?”

She was so kind to help build the bridge but Lu Xun did not step on at all.

“It’s good to be a lawyer but a lot of people feel cold on their heads after losing hair.” His voice was insipid and unenthusiastic. He glanced at Mo Zixin and said, “You don’t seem to have too much hair. Prepare some hair restoration shampoo.**”

Lu Xun, you really deserve to be single for so long!

In the party after that, Qian Wei tried her best to create opportunities for Lu Xun and Mo Zixin, but in front of Lu Xun, who was unable to even recognize subtle amorous feelings, everything was in vain.

Before long, Lu Xun took a call from a client and picked up his coat and was about to leave.

“Let’s go.”

Qian Wei was chatting enthusiastically with several former classmates and was dumbfounded at Lu Xun, who was standing in front of her: “Lu Xun, you can leave, why are you reporting to me? You’re my boss. I’m not your boss!”

“So you know I’m your boss?” Lu Xun glanced at Qian Wei. “I’m taking you out.”

“Why? I have nothing else to do. I want to stay and talk for a while.”

“If you go now, I can drop you off on the way.”

“Thank you! But no, I’ll just take a taxi later. And what do you mean ‘on the way’? Aren’t our houses in two different directions?”

“I’ll go back to the law firm and take you back with me.”

Qian Wei was at a loss: “Why am I going back to the law firm?”

“Have you forgotten?” Lu Xun smiled and said, “Overtime.”

“…”

Along the way, neither Lu Xun nor Qian Wei spoke, until they were almost at their destination. Qian Wei finally couldn’t help speaking, “Lu Xun, when will I not have to work so much overtime?”

Lu Xun was silent for a moment. Just when Qian Wei thought he was not going to answer, he said, “When I have a girlfriend.”

“Tell me the truth, do you still resent me for keeping you from falling in love back in college and wasting the best part of your youth?”

“Hm.”

This was clearly revenge.

“Is it possible for us to…” Qian Wei worded her statement carefully, “…mend our relationship? And then get rich together?”

“How are you going to make it up to me?” Lu Xun’s face was still calm but there was a little subtle bit of emotion at the end of his voice, but Qian had no time to recognize what it was before the emotion dissipated like a wisp of smoke.

With regard to Lu Xun’s question, Qian Wei only felt speechless. She thought, this was really baffling. She really could not make up for Lu Xun’s lost youth. How could she make up for ‘youth’ something that couldn’t be seen or touched. And how to make up for the pain that he had been feeling for so many years? Even if Mo Zixin was single now, given Lu Xun’s blank experience for so many years, he may not have the skills to pick up girls. He may not be able to move the beautiful woman’s heart and be able relive his old dream before finally getting married.

It seemed this conversation was at a dead end, so Qian Wei finally decided to shut up. In this way, Lu Xun really brought Qian back to the law firm. Of course, while Lu Xun was ruthless to Qian Wei he was also ruthless to himself. While Qian worked overtime he also went into the office and began to deal with his own work.

Qian Wei glanced at the electronic clock and then looked at the lights of Lu Xun’s office angrily. She thought in a rage, “If I have to work overtime, I’ll work overtime, but I would rather work against you, so I won’t be looking at these case materials from the pro bono case. I’ll study my medical dispute case instead!”

Qian Wei was thus watched by Lu Xun and forced to work overtime. Fortunately, it had already reached the end of the year. Lu Xun had to leave early the next day on a business trip for a bankruptcy reorganization case. Qian Wei was busy dealing with all the work before the new year, but somehow, recently, she felt her luck was terrible. She lost several cases and she when she stepped outside she actually stepped in dog shit. Then, half an hour ago, she learned from the gossip king Liu Shiyun that Mo Zixin, who was still single a few days ago, had quickly found a new boyfriend and gotten married in just a few days! Qian Wei could hardly imagine what Lu Xun’s face would look like after hearing the news, and even more could not imagine how Lu Xun would deal with all the new and old grudges between them after coming back from his business trip. Her future was simply shadowed with gloom.

That day, after meeting a client in the suburbs, she was waiting for the bus to go back to the law firm, when she turned to see the words “Anlan Mountain Villa” opposite her. Qian Wei thought of the temple that the intern had mentioned. She looked at the time and having nothing to do she decided to go to the temple for good luck.

It was a small temple but probably because of the rumors there were so many people that there was a long line waiting to kneel.

Although Qian Wei did not really believe in this kind of ceremony, she lined up and then knelt down and made a wish in her heart.

“God, let me get rich!”

“No, let bygones be bygones first. Please let Lu Xun shake hands and make peace with me.”

“Oh, no, let Lu Xun and Mo Zixin get back together first! Please let Mo Zixin get divorced and then get together with Lu Xun!”

Qian Wei kept muttering for a long time. People were greedy after all, and the wishes came out after another. She knelt on the ground for a long time, until the auntie who stood in line behind her could not stand it anymore.

“Girl, hurry up! Although this temple is very lucky, you can only make one wish. “

“Then let me go back to the year when I was 19 and hadn’t offended Lu Xun. This is my only wish! ” Qian Wei put her hands together very piously.

At that time, Qian Wei did not think that the wish she made casually would come true.

She did return to the age of 19, but the method was not pleasant at all.

Just after Qian Wei walked out of the temple, her mobile phone received a text message. She looked down and saw it came from her boss, Lu Xun. She dared not snub him and quickly pulled out her cell phone to take a look while walking forward. As a result, she didn’t notice what was in front of her and stepped into thin air. Before Qian Wei could react, she fell into a deep hole dug by a road construction team.

Before she completely lost consciousness, only three thoughts flashed through her mind.

First, don’t walk while looking at your phone! You’re really going to die!

Second, which fucking construction team did this! Does the construction team not know to place warning signs? According to the Tort liability Law, construction workers will bear tort liability if they dig holes in public places or roads to repair or install underground facilities, and do not set up obvious signs and take safety measures to avoid damage to others. Can’t we all have the culture to talk about law and morality together?!

Third, can we talk about rebirth? I really don’t want to die!

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*so I had some trouble looking this up and I’m still not 100% sure this is right since it seems a little… direct. But ‘云养猫’ means ‘cloud cat’ and it refers to a phenomenon in China where people want to raise pets but can’t (cos of family or money or w/e) so they have a bunch of cat videos or picture or whatever. Like a digital pet. So I’m 99% sure given the context that Qian Wei is saying Lu Xun must have a digital girlfriend cos there’s no way he has time for a real one lol

**ok so clearly he’s being dismissive here ‘people get cold heads, bring shampoo’ is the gist but I’m not sure exactly about the shampoo cause the line is ‘准备点柳屋生发液吧’ which the MTLs tell me means ‘prepare some [noun] shampoo’ but the noun is a mystery to me and I’ve never heard of shampoo that makes a person’s head more warm so either this is referring to some specific brand with that property or its more net slang that I’m not getting… probably. EDITED: I found out in a later chapter that this was explicitly talking about baldness so I reworked the lines a bit to reflect that.

TL Note: So ‘singledom’ comes up a few times in this chapter in the context of ‘脱单’ which is Chinese net slang for getting out of singledom. It’s hard to perfectly translate. The text of the raws of this project uses a lot more slang and technical terms than my other project so sorry in advance for any inaccuracies.