CH 52.1

After matcha ice cream, Ning Wan had calmed down a lot. Once she recovered her calm, however, waves of embarrassment swept through her one after the other. After having called herself a senior lawyer, she had cried in front of Fu Zheng, an intern. How shameful! Her face was burning. Thankfully, she had a thick skin. Since Fu Zheng didn't bring it back up, she deluded herself into believing that nothing had happened.

Hearteningly, Shu Ning kept her promise and swiftly withdrew her complaint. Furthermore, it seemed as though she really was serious about divorce this time. Without demur, she packed up herself and her daughter and moved to a hotel, at the same time sending out her resume and searching for interviews. Only a few days later, a few companies had already reached out and expressed interest. Meanwhile in a double stroke of luck, they managed to successfully recover the data off the old phone Yu Feiyuan had smashed and export Yu Shiyin's video. It captured Yu Feiyuan's abuse extremely clearly, and his face and voice were unmistakable. From Shu Ning's pleas for mercy, it could be inferred that this wasn't the first time he had resorted to domestic violence, making it a major breakthrough in terms of evidence.

"In the light of this evidence, supplemented by Shiyin's testimony, so long as Shu Ning gets a stable job to prove that she has the ability to raise her child alone, there's a high chance we'll be able to win full custody and divorce the first time around."

Ning Wan was elated to have gotten such a result after all her running around. After  making sure that she and Shu Ning were on the same page, she introduced her to Zhao Xuan at Fu Zheng's suggestion. Although Shu Ning was hesitant, she still made an appointment with Zhao Xuan to for counseling, and was prescribed medication for mild depression. After a few courses of treatment, her whole person seemed to be in a much better state.

With Ning Wan and Fu Zheng's encouragement, she once again began to go out and socialize. Through Yao H in between as an intermediary, she managed to apologize to Professor Gu, and bring him up to date about her experiences in the last few years and the divorce and custody battle currently ongoing.

Professor Gu was a man who cherished talent. Shu Ning was in the end still one of his most beloved disciples, and he became extremely distressed upon hearing her recent experiences. Seeing that she had finally woken up and was now willing to return to her studies and career, he was overjoyed on her behalf. Just a little later the two had not only put the past behind them, but Professor Gu had even helped Shu Ning with her search, and brought her along to several academic conferences to help her rebuild her social circle. He even urged her to cast off Yu Feiyuan entirely and to pay attention to the high-quality single men around her while developing her career. In short, he was more anxious was Shu Ning than Shu Ning herself, leaving Shu Ning not knowing whether to cry or laugh, yet at the same time feeling touched and grateful.

On the other side, with Fu Zheng's encouragement, Ning Wan finally got up the courage to have a frank talk with her mother.

This time, she didn't neither blamed nor complained but instead was calm and gentle. Fu Zheng's words had both given her great comfort and also inspiration. She was finally willing to take that step toward change, to believe that both she and her mother would one day have a better future.

Family should support and protect each other. Since her mother was stuck in the quagmire, it was up to her to give her a hand.

Perhaps sincerity worked miracles in many things. Her mother, who in the past had always refused to listen no matter what she said, struggled for the first time before her open and candid attitude, and became teary-eyed before Ning Wan's understanding and comfort.

All changes take time. Ning Wan didn't push her mother. She respected her decision and instead slowly persuaded her to move to Rong City. First, separate from her father, and there would always be time to slowly change the future.

In summary, both Shu Ning and her mother were gradually getting on the right track. Ning Wan was both moved and relieved.

"Senior Sister, since the case is going well and your complaint has been withdrawn, what about I take you out tonight to celebrate?"

Ning Wan was also in the mood for celebration. "No need for you to treat me, I'm the lucky one so it should be my treat."

Chen Shuo didn't argue with her on the matter. "Alright," he said almost immediately. "So what should we have? How about Korean barbecue? I've recently heard good things about this new store... "

When Ning Wan had gotten a complaint, Chen Shuo had been so anxious that he couldn't sleep and developed canker sores in his mouth. Unexpectedly, everything had turned out so well; perhaps the party had finally come to see Ning Wan's seriousness and heart, and everything had gone well in the end. Previously when she had been overwhelmed by the matter, Chen Shuo had been helpless, so now that everything had been settled he naturally wanted to spend some time alone with her.

When Ning Wan heard the word "barbecue", her eyes lit up. But before Chen Shuo could rejoice, he saw her turn to Fu Zheng and say, "Fu Zheng, want to eat some barbecue?"

Chen Shuo's happy mood was dashed in an instant.

"I'm not picky."

"Great!" Ning Wan immediately pulled out her phone and sent a text. A moment later, the celebration dinner was decided. "I just called Lili and invited her to dinner as well. Before when that complaint was lodged, everyone was worried about me. Let's consider this a show of my feelings in return, haha!"

When he heard that Shao Lili was coming too, the Chen Shuo's heart untwisted a little. He peeked at Fu Zheng. Ning Wan was just organizing a dinner party, and Fu Zheng was just another face there. It was nothing. There was no need for him to care too much about it.

Regrettably, Chen Shuo's high spirits were destined to be let down. That afternoon he received an email from his boss, asking him to attend a video conference with a client in the United States that evening to talk about a case. In the end community work was just his temporary job; his team's work still had to be done. Unable to get out of it, Chen Shuo could only regretfully decline Ning Wan's dinner. Fortunately, Fu Zheng's luck is not much better than his. He seemed to have something to do as well, and would not be able to attend.

"That's okay, you all go and get your work done. Tonight will be girl's night for Lili and I, and we'll go out to eat next time!"

Chen Shuo and Fu Zheng were worthy of being called friends, Ning Wan saw clearly. When Chen Shuo had thought that he was the only one who wouldn't be able to attend, he had looked so sad and melancholic. Once he heard that Fu Zheng couldn't go either and that they would reschedule the dinner, he immediately brightened up.

Perhaps it was easier to be close to friends of the same sex. She and Shao Lili appreciated each other too, but she hadn't expected Chen Shuo and Fu Zheng to hit it off like that!

Although Chen Shuo and Fu Zheng couldn't attend, Ning Wan remained in a very good mood. Shao Lili was even happier than her. They hadn't seen each other in a long time, and as soon as they met, they began gossiping, talking about absolutely nothing for half an hour while eating barbecue until Shao Lili's phone rang--

"Cai Zhen, what's up? Huh? Tonight? I can't tonight, I'm already having dinner with my friend. Can we do tomorrow night? Going back to your hometown tomorrow night? Why the rush?"

……

Shao Lili hung up the phone, somewhat embarrassed. "That was one of our interns. She's a good kid and we get along very well. She told me that when she becomes full-time we would celebrate together. She'll be graduating soon and I hear that the firm is going to offer her a job, but all of a sudden she's saying that she's going to go back to her hometown to work after her internship is over, and that she's going to leave tomorrow and wants to have a farewell dinner with me tonight..."

"Then just have her join us. She is still a student, and the firm's intern salary is peanuts.  This meal is on me."

Since Ning Wan had offered, Shao Lili didn't oppose it. "Alright then, I'll ask her to come over. Help me persuade her. She's from a 985 law school1 while her hometown is a fourth-tier city. She's motivated and ambitious, so why do you think she's going back to her hometown as soon as she graduates?"