Li Xiuheng timed his return to Sanhe Villa perfectly. Upon entering, he found the living room empty, so he intentionally raised his voice and called out, "I'm back!"
A moment later, Li Qinglan and Xia Yinuo emerged from the room one after the other. The atmosphere between them was unusual.
Li Xiuheng had a general idea of what had happened, but he feigned ignorance. He pretended not to notice the tear stains on the faces of both mother and daughter. Shaking the plastic bag in his hand, he said with a smile, "I passed a fruit stand just now. The grapes looked pretty good for the season. Want a taste?"
Xia Yinuo stepped forward to take the bag and headed toward the kitchen.
Li Qinglan spoke tonelessly. "You two eat. I’m going to take a shower."
Hearing this, Xia Yinuo froze and turned around, still clutching the bag of grapes. Her voice was slightly raspy. "I should probably head back too."
"I'll drive you!" Li Xiuheng quickly shot Xia Yinuo a look before turning to Li Qinglan. "Mom, I'm taking Xiaobao home. You should get some rest."
Li Qinglan nodded and turned back into her room.
Only after the door clicked shut did Xia Yinuo give Li Xiuheng a helpless smile. Li Xiuheng said nothing; he simply stepped forward, patted his sister gently on the back, and let out a faint, almost imperceptible sigh.
Xia Yinuo insisted she could go back on her own, and Li Xiuheng just smiled, not pushing the matter. After taking a moment to steady her emotions, Xia Yinuo went downstairs to her car.
When she had finished work earlier, she had been in such a hurry to get home that she hadn't parked in the underground garage. Instead, she had left her car in a temporary spot by the complex's green belt. As she stepped out of the building and rounded the shrubbery, she was surprised to see Liang Juejun standing by the car.
Liang Juejun stood tall, her shirt sleeves casually rolled up to reveal her slender, pale arms. Under the glow of the streetlights, she stood with her head down, reading a newspaper with an air of graceful composure.
What a look!
Shaking off her momentary surprise, Xia Yinuo hurried over to her.
Sensing her view being blocked, Liang Juejun looked up. Seeing who it was, she offered a gentle smile.
It was such a simple, shallow smile, yet it miraculously smoothed away the slight furrow in her lover's brow, dissolving the worries and sorrows in her heart.
The night was deep, the streetlights cast a dim yellow glow, the moonlight was soft, and the breeze was pleasant. Xia Yinuo returned the smile brightly. "Why are you here?"
Liang Juejun folded the newspaper and checked her watch. "I was a little worried about you, so I asked Xiuheng for the address and came to pick you up."
Xia Yinuo couldn't help but feel a pang of affection. "Have you had dinner? Why didn't you wait in the car? The light is bad here; reading the paper will strain your eyes."
"I've eaten." Liang Juejun’s playful smile clearly said: *Xia Xiaobao, you really are a nag.*
Realizing this, Xia Yinuo felt a bit embarrassed. Her gaze drifted elsewhere as she raised a hand to touch her eyebrow.
Seeing this, Liang Juejun’s lips curved upward. "Let's get in the car first."
Xia Yinuo nodded and obediently sat in the passenger seat. Just as she reached for the seatbelt, Liang Juejun leaned over and buckled it for her. "If you're tired, sleep for a bit," she said softly. "I'll wake you when we arrive." With that, she fastened her own belt, started the car, and turned up the air conditioning in one fluid motion.
The car slowly pulled out of Sanhe Villa. Xia Yinuo leaned back against the seat, staring fixedly at Liang Juejun, her mind wandering.
Sensing the prolonged gaze from beside her, Liang Juejun turned her head at the next red light and asked with a smile, "What is it?"
"Nothing," Xia Yinuo said immediately. "I'm going to sleep for a while."
Reflecting on the earlier confrontation—especially the words she had blurted out at the end—Xia Yinuo turned it over in her mind. Although Li Qinglan's attitude hadn't been good, Xia Yinuo hadn't intended to bring up the divorce between her mother and Xia Yan. But spoken words are like spilled water; she couldn't help but feel a sense of regret. Liang Juejun’s reaction, however, was as if she had expected the outcome all along. She asked nothing, and this silent understanding made Xia Yinuo feel incredibly comfortable.
Thus, Xia Yinuo, who had originally intended only to rest her eyes, actually fell asleep. She didn't wake until Liang Juejun parked the car and called her name.
The word "dejected" had never been in Xia Yinuo's dictionary. After allowing herself a brief moment of gloom, she regained her usual clarity and smile as soon as they got home. She gave Liang Juejun a detailed account of what had happened. Finally, Xia Yinuo concluded: "Well, this is it. If there are difficulties, we overcome them; if there aren't any, we'll just have to make some and overcome those too!"
Liang Juejun didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She could only say, "The situation isn't exactly optimistic, but at least it's not the worst. Don't get angry with yourself. When the time is right, we can talk to her together."
She hadn't expected that Xia Xiaobao’s way of "making difficulties" would be to get herself sick first.
In the middle of the night, Xia Yinuo’s nose was stuffed and she felt miserable. She tried to sneak into the kitchen barefoot in the dark to get a glass of water, but she still woke the person beside her.
When the bedside lamp was turned on, Xia Yinuo’s face was flushed and her eyes were watery. Liang Juejun reached out to feel her forehead; she was running a fever. She quickly found a thermometer: 37.8 degrees Celsius. Xia Yinuo insisted it was just a small cold and that a glass of hot water and a night's sleep would fix it—no need for a hospital. Liang Juejun was frustrated, annoyed, and worried all at once, but she couldn't win against Xia Xiaobao. She could only make her take some medicine and tuck her safely into bed. As the medicine kicked in, Xia Yinuo drifted into a heavy sleep. Liang Juejun, however, did not sleep well, waking up several times throughout the night.
The next day, Xia Yinuo’s temperature finally dropped. Feeling slightly relieved, Liang Juejun got up to start some congee in the kitchen, then called Ke Dinghao to ask him to help request a leave of absence for Xia Yinuo. Once everything was settled, she returned to the room and used a warm towel to carefully wipe the thin layer of sweat from Xia Yinuo’s back.
Xia Yinuo’s head felt heavy, and she submissively allowed herself to be tended to. Liang Juejun smiled, leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead, and whispered in her ear, "Be good and sleep a little longer. I have to go to the lab, but I'll be back soon. It'll be time for your medicine when I return."
Xia Yinuo gave a muddled hum of agreement.
Just then, Xia Yinuo’s phone vibrated. The caller ID showed Lawyer Song Nian. Liang Juejun pressed the answer button and quietly stepped out of the room.
Before Liang Juejun could speak, the person on the other end asked nonsensically, "In my governance of the state, I have devoted my whole heart! Tell me, how should you thank me?"
Liang Juejun blinked, clearly not understanding the meaning of the classical quote. She could only say, "I'm sorry, I'm not her."
Hearing the voice, Song Nian immediately realized who it was. Her tone shifted instantly. "Oh... it's you!"
Liang Juejun understood and replied gracefully, "It's me. She has a bit of a cold and is sleeping. Has there been progress, Lawyer Song?"
Song Nian laughed. "Actually, I just wanted to ask: how do you two plan to deal with that guy named Jiang?"
Liang Juejun raised an eyebrow. "Deal with him? We just want to put this matter to rest."
Song Nian understood. "Alright, I get it. I'm quite busy today and can't get away, but I heard Lawyer Li Mu is Boss Xia’s cousin. She seems to be heading out on business this afternoon, so I’ll ask her to drop the documents off to you on her way."
Liang Juejun: "Thank you, Lawyer Song."
Song Nian’s voice carried a hint of teasing. "You're welcome. Remember to give my regards to the ailing Boss Xia."
Liang Juejun smiled and softly agreed.
Fortunately, there were no meetings or classes that day. After making some arrangements at the lab, Liang Juejun hurried home.
At two in the afternoon, Li Mu rang the doorbell of the Liang residence.
As soon as Liang Juejun opened the door, Li Mu gave a warm "Sister Juejun" and burst into the house like a whirlwind. She looked around while changing her shoes. "Where’s Xia Xiaobao? Didn't you say she had a cold and didn't go to work?"
Liang Juejun made a shushing gesture. "She's sleeping in the room."
Li Mu stuck out her tongue and lowered her voice. "Didn't you say on the phone it wasn't serious? What is she up to? How is she now?"
Liang Juejun: "She probably caught a chill. She started running a fever last night. The fever is gone today and she’s taken her medicine, but she’s drowsy and doesn't want to get up. Her throat is also sore."
Li Mu couldn't help but nag. "Is this girl made of paper? Truly, a doctor cannot heal themselves. She always has to trouble you to take care of her..."
Liang Juejun smiled. "How can you blame her? She’s been tired at the company lately, and she has things on her mind."
Li Mu looked like she was frustrated by her cousin's lack of resolve. "I know it hasn't been easy for her. But she’s also quite stupid. She should have just gotten sick first and then gone to my aunt to come out—that would have been a perfect 'self-injury ruse'!"
Liang Juejun chided gently, "You're full of wicked ideas."
"Hey, not even half as many as Xia Xiaobao!" Li Mu glanced at the clock on the wall. "Look at the time. It's not good to sleep too long. Go wake her up! Lawyer Song has good news!"
Liang Juejun: "Alright, I'll go wake her. Help yourself to food and drinks in the kitchen."
As Li Mu headed for the kitchen, Liang Juejun turned and softly opened the bedroom door.
The curtains were drawn, leaving the room in dimness. Liang Juejun walked to the bedside, leaned over, brushed the hair from Xia Yinuo’s forehead to check her temperature, and called softly, "Xiaobao."
No response.
Liang Juejun sat on the edge of the bed and leaned close to Xia Yinuo’s ear. "Xiaobao, it's time to get up."
Xia Xiaobao rolled over, threw an arm across Liang Juejun’s waist, and buried her head in Liang Juejun’s lap. She mumbled hoarsely, "Mm... let me hold you for a bit."
Liang Juejun didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She patted Xia Xiaobao’s back. "Alright."
Xia Xiaobao tilted her head and nuzzled against her righteously, finding a comfortable position and refusing to budge from Liang Juejun’s embrace.
After seven or eight minutes passed with no movement from either of them, Li Mu walked to the open doorway holding a glass of juice. Seeing this scene, she shot Liang Juejun a mischievous, knowing grin and tiptoed away.
Liang Juejun found it funny. She looked down and kissed the top of Xia Xiaobao’s head. "Alright, Mumu is waiting for us outside. She says Lawyer Song has news."
"Hmm? Lawyer Song?" Xia Yinuo looked up, her hands still unwilling to let go. She blinked her eyes, her voice thick with congestion. "Okay then, let's get up!"
When the two emerged from the room, Xia Yinuo rubbed her arms and legs and stretched. She looked to be in decent spirits.
While Liang Juejun went to the kitchen, Li Mu immediately leaned in with a smirk. "I was standing at the door just now. I saw everything!"
Xia Yinuo swatted Li Mu’s head, though the curve of her lips radiated joy. "Mind your manners!"
Li Mu giggled and didn't dodge. "Aiyaya, I really can't look! Considering you're a frail patient, I won't hold it against you."
Liang Juejun approached and handed Xia Yinuo a glass of warm water, which she drank in one gulp.
Li Mu adopted a serious expression and pulled a manila envelope from her bag. "Here. This is what Lawyer Song found on Jiang Yang."
It was a thick stack of documents. Among them were Jiang Yang’s bank transfer records and asset certifications from recent years, as well as a list of organizations and individuals who had accepted bribes from him—including several leading officials from well-known hospitals in C City. Most shockingly, within the past year, Jiang Yang had actually collaborated with his company's financial staff to embezzle public funds for stock trading and falsify accounts. The evidence was ironclad.
After flipping through the materials, the three looked at each other in silence for a long time.
Liang Juejun asked, "How did Lawyer Song find all this?"
Li Mu shook her head. "I don't know, but Lawyer Song’s strange talents are truly boundless."
Liang Juejun: "No wonder she asked me that on the phone. Mumu, is this enough to send Jiang Yang to prison?"
Li Mu nodded.
Xia Yinuo sighed. "We really just wanted to settle this quietly. I didn't expect him to have done so much."
Li Mu: "So how do you plan to handle it?"
Xia Yinuo: "Since we have the leverage and the ten-day deadline is almost up, I'll ask Jiang Yang out for a talk."
Liang Juejun reminded her timely, "Your cold isn't better yet."
Xia Yinuo smiled. "It's fine. I'll go tomorrow. I was already mostly better, and now I'm completely cured."
Li Mu huffed. "Look at you, acting tough! You should still let Lawyer Song go with you. In case Jiang Yang gets desperate and tries something against you."
Xia Yinuo: "It's not as dramatic as you make it sound."
Li Mu: "How is it not?! Do you know how many bizarre cases I hear about at the firm every day? One minute someone is fine, the next they're being silenced. Ugh, bah bah bah! Disregard that! Just a slip of the tongue!"
Xia Yinuo pressed a hand to her forehead. "The chances of that are too small. Besides, we're old classmates..."
Mentioning that only made Li Mu angrier. "Old classmates?! An old classmate who set you up!"
Liang Juejun patted Li Mu’s shoulder. "Alright, Mumu. I'll go with Xiaobao."
"Don't!" Xia Yinuo said quickly. She didn't want Liang Juejun to meet Jiang Yang. "You've already missed work today. Go to work tomorrow with peace of mind. I'll just trouble Lawyer Song to make the trip."
The meeting place Song Nian chose was a teahouse with an antique atmosphere. Xia Yinuo arrived ten minutes early, but to her surprise, Jiang Yang was already sitting there when she entered.
It was early morning, so there weren't many people in the teahouse. A woman sitting a few tables away was none other than the great Lawyer Song. At the moment, Lawyer Song was crossing her legs, leisurely sipping tea. Seeing Xia Yinuo enter, she gave her a slight smirk.
Jiang Yang rose to greet her, and Xia Yinuo sat down opposite him without a word.
Xia Yinuo: "Sorry, the traffic was a bit heavy."
Jiang Yang gave a greasy smile. "The timing is perfect! So... have you thought it over?"
Xia Yinuo sat down and answered calmly, "Yes."
Jiang Yang habitually reached for his cigarette pack but immediately pulled his hand back. He chuckled. "I knew it! A rich second-generation like you wouldn't mind these little social games, especially when doctors and pharmaceutical reps make such good partners."
Xia Yinuo frowned slightly. "It's true that a small number of people exploit loopholes in the medical system, taking commissions for drug procurement or kickbacks for equipment. But not every doctor or rep has that 'opportunity' or 'inclination.' Also, I am not a 'rich second-generation.' Please don't go labeling people."
Jiang Yang gave a cynical laugh. "Fine, not a rich second-generation. A 'good seed' from a middle-class intellectual family—is that better? As for labels? It's a pity you think that way, because the rest of the world doesn't." With a cold snort, Jiang Yang mocked himself. "Others only look down on 'phoenix men' like me who have no background or connections. People like me are destined to hit walls everywhere, to endure ridicule and mockery. That is the way of the world!"
Xia Yinuo’s tone remained flat. "The world doesn't have that much 'chicken soup for the soul,' nor does it have that much cynicism. Sometimes, it's better to turn the finger pointing at the world back toward yourself and count your own weaknesses and strengths. We are all just ordinary people living ordinary lives. Even if we can't stand in the highest, brightest place, we should still strive to live as the person we once longed to be."
Jiang Yang took a sip of tea and laughed in spite of himself. "Haha, Xia Yinuo, I can't win an argument against you! After all these years, you haven't changed a bit!"
Xia Yinuo also smiled and said softly, "Actually, everyone has changed more or less. You remember Chen Chuxiao, right? The leader of our dorm. Her baby was just born a few days ago. In the blink of an eye, it's been five years since we graduated."
Jiang Yang gave a couple of dry laughs, the lines around his mouth deepening. "Alright, let's skip the small talk and get down to business."
"Fine," Xia Yinuo said, taking the manila envelope from her bag and placing it on the table. "Take a look at these first."
Jiang Yang shrugged indifferently, set down his teacup, and opened the envelope.
Unsurprisingly, after seeing the documents, Jiang Yang’s face went through several shades of red and green. After a long while, his face turned ashen, and he squeezed out a sentence in a trembling voice: "What do you want?"
Xia Yinuo spoke slowly. "I came here today to show you these, but I don't intend to make things difficult for you. I can guarantee that these materials won't be given to anyone else."
Hearing this, Jiang Yang’s expression softened slightly, though he still nervously licked his lips.
Xia Yinuo continued, "You hired someone to follow and photograph me because you wanted that contract with the affiliated hospital. I'm willing to believe you didn't truly want to humiliate me. After today's meeting, I think you know how those photos should be handled."
Jiang Yang nodded sheepishly, gritting his teeth in silence.
"Additionally, though I know I'm in no position to judge others, I want to remind you that it's best not to touch illegal or criminal acts. You surely understand the principle that 'he who commits many injustices will surely bring about his own ruin.' Before things are completely exposed, stop while you can and make whatever amends are possible. That's all I have to say."
Having finished, Xia Yinuo pulled two bills from her wallet, placed them on the table, and rose to leave.
"Wait!" Jiang Yang hurriedly reached out to stop her, but immediately retracted his hands and rubbed them together instinctively. He gave a cramped smile. "That... I... thank you!"
"Rather than 'thank you,' I think what you should say is 'I'm sorry.'"
Xia Yinuo’s smile was pleasant and humble, almost exactly as she had looked during their university days. For a moment, Jiang Yang was dazed.
"Right! You're right, I should apologize!" Jiang Yang gave a bitter, forced smile. "Xia Yinuo, I'm sorry. It's strange to say, but sometimes in front of someone like you, I feel like I truly have no dignity."
Xia Yinuo’s gaze was clear and warm. "Dignity is something you give to yourself."
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 凤凰男 | Phoenix man | A term for a man from a poor rural background who has "risen from the ashes" through education and career but often struggles with insecurity or conflicting values. |
| 苦肉计 | Self-injury ruse | One of the Thirty-Six Stratagems; hurting oneself to gain the enemy's trust or sympathy. |
| 医者不自医 | A doctor cannot heal themselves | Proverb meaning people often cannot solve their own problems despite being experts at solving them for others. |
| 多行不义必自毙 | He who commits many injustices will surely bring about his own ruin | A traditional Chinese idiom about karma and the consequences of wrongdoing. |
| 寡人之于国也，尽心焉耳矣 | In my governance of the state, I have devoted my whole heart | A quote from the Mencius (King Hui of Liang I). |
