[008: Signing the Agreement]
Zhuang Yiyi nodded slightly, then turned to the others in the laboratory. “Would you like some coffee?”
Half an hour later, the coffee arrived. Yao Mu accompanied Zhuang Yiyi outside the laboratory to fetch it.
The leaves rustled softly. Under the dim streetlight, Yao Mu spoke. “Yiyi, today… I told Chen Ding that you’re married.”
Zhuang Yiyi turned to look at him.
They both stopped in their tracks.
Yao Mu lowered his head. “I’m sorry.”
“Senior, you…”
Yao Mu knew exactly what Zhuang Yiyi was about to say: “How could you have told Chen Ding about this? You promised me you wouldn’t.”
Yao Mu didn’t know how the words had slipped out. Perhaps he’d been provoked by that identical crystal ball, or perhaps Chen Ding and Yiyi’s affair had made him angry… but a promise made to someone must be kept.
He hadn’t kept his word.
Zhuang Yiyi had informed both Teacher Jiao and Yao Mu at the time, asking them both to keep it confidential. Firstly, she felt she ought to tell them; secondly, she trusted that neither of them would spread the news. She was quite surprised that Yao Mu had gone and told Chen Ding.
Suddenly, Chen Ding’s beaming smile flashed before her eyes. She knew why he was so happy, but was it really necessary to be that happy?
Zhuang Yiyi said to Yao Mu, “Senior, please don’t mention this to anyone else in future.”
Chen Ding had gone on a business trip to Shanghai.
The case he’d taken on this time was a labour dispute involving a colleague of his mother’s from her days as a model. Chen Ding called her Aunt Leng.
After his mother retired, she found a job as a tutor at an arts exam preparation centre, whilst Aunt Leng opened a beauty salon.
This case involved a labour dispute at the beauty salon.
Not long after Chen Ding arrived at the salon, the opposing counsel arrived.
Upon meeting, they realised they were university classmates.
After exchanging a few pleasantries and asking about each other’s circumstances, they turned to the matter at hand.
As they were acquaintances—the opposing counsel was actually the employee’s cousin—the two parties quickly reached an agreement on the compensation.
Having settled the matter, Chen Ding went to Aunt Leng’s office to report back to her.
Aunt Leng was discussing follow-up cosmetic procedures with a client when she heard a knock at the door and asked the visitor to come in.
Upon seeing who it was, Wang Yimei stood up involuntarily. Chen Ding was slightly taken aback by her reaction.
“Aunt Leng, since you’re with a client, I’ll come back later.”
“It’s fine. We’ve finished here anyway. Yimei, I’ve got a few things to do, so I won’t see you out.”
“That’s all right.” Wang Yimei glanced at Chen Ding, her heart still in turmoil. Before leaving, she turned back to look at him once more.
Aunt Leng had long since noticed Wang Yimei’s unusual behaviour. She asked with a smile, “Do you know Yimei?”
“We were university classmates.”
“I suspect it’s more than just that. The way she looks at you is just like a lover’s gaze. Did you two date, or was she secretly in love with you?”
“It’s all in the past.” Chen Ding steered the conversation back to the main topic. “I’ve come to speak with you about Xiaoya’s case.”
Wang Yimei returned to her car, yet Chen Ding’s figure kept appearing before her eyes. To prevent herself from dwelling on the past, she had deliberately blocked Chen Ding on social media. Several years had passed, and she had gradually found peace. But today’s chance encounter left her unsettled for a long time.
She steered her car out of the car park, but as she passed the beauty salon, she saw Chen Ding emerging from the salon with a man, chatting as they walked.
A Bentley was parked outside the beauty salon.
The car enthusiast remarked admiringly, “That’s a fine car!” Just then, an elegant woman stepped out of the vehicle, causing him to immediately turn his gaze to Chen Ding by his side.
Wang Yimei also spotted Chen Ding standing on the steps, looking at her calmly. It felt like a lifetime had passed; a pang of bitterness welled up in her heart. Yet she still smiled as she walked towards the pair, as if they were old friends reunited after a long time apart, and greeted them, “It’s been ages. I realised earlier that I hadn’t had a proper chance to say hello, so I made a point of coming over.”
She was looking at Chen Ding, and her colleague was looking at Chen Ding too.
“Long time no see.”
His composure sent a pang of melancholy through Wang Yimei’s heart. It seemed Chen Ding had truly forgotten everything that had happened in the past.
Wang Yimei greeted her former classmate. The classmate was very warm and, before leaving, suggested they go out for a meal together sometime. Wang Yimei smiled but did not reply.
During dinner that evening, the classmate brought up Wang Yimei’s current situation. Apart from those who’d had family connections from the start, Wang Yimei was now the most successful among them; rumour had it she was about to be promoted to full partnership. Perhaps it was the alcohol, or perhaps the frustration at the gulf between them, but the classmate let slip a bitter remark: “If a woman can make up her mind, she can do far better than any man.”
Chen Ding sipped his drink in silence, offering no reply.
The classmate was already tipsy and didn’t need him to pick up the thread; he carried on on his own, remarking that in recent years, Wang Yimei had been climbing the ladder step by step thanks to her law firm partnership. That move had certainly paid off…
“Enough.” Chen Ding snatched the bottle from his hand, setting it down on the table with a sharp clink. “You’ve had a bit too much to drink.”
This action sobered his classmate up somewhat, and he explained awkwardly, “I suppose I have had a bit too much to drink.”
“Let’s call it a night.”
The following morning, they were due to sign the settlement agreement and the non-disclosure agreement, but his classmate’s cousin suddenly changed her mind. She still insisted that the manager and team leader of the beauty salon apologise to her; otherwise, she would categorically refuse to sign the settlement agreement!
Confused by this sudden change of heart after everything had been agreed, my classmate initially asked her politely, but soon grew impatient. Just as he was about to lose his temper, Chen Ding reached out to stop him, gesturing for him to speak to his cousin instead.
His cousin had been glaring angrily, but under Chen Ding’s gentle, smiling gaze, her expression gradually softened into one of shyness. Clenching her fists, she shouted, “ “Why are you looking at me!”
“Your cousin mentioned you to me. He said you’re a strong-willed, independent young woman. You didn’t like school, so you dropped out decisively and went out to work on your own. You didn’t rely on your family; you found a job yourself, didn’t need your parents to support you, and even sent them money sometimes. You’re a person of strong convictions and a kind heart.”
Her sceptical gaze shifted between the two of them. “You… are you trying to flatter me?”
“You can ask your cousin.”
The cousin looked at her cousin, who reluctantly gave a nod. Having been praised by her family, the 18-year-old cousin couldn’t help but let the corners of her mouth turn up, though she forced herself to look indifferent, hands tucked into her trouser pockets. “I suppose I’m not too bad.”
His eyes narrowed slightly; he clearly didn’t approve of her carefree demeanour.
“You were able to drop out of school on a whim when your parents objected. Why have you changed your mind today about something you agreed to yesterday?”
The cousin frowned, as if weighing whether to speak or not. Just as she was wrestling with the decision, Wang Yimei knocked and entered; behind her, a girl was pretending to pass by, watching the spectacle.
Upon seeing Wang Yimei, the cousin’s expression suddenly changed. She shouted, “I said I won’t agree, and I won’t!”
Wang Yimei winced at the volume of her voice, rubbing her ears as she looked down at her gently. “Xiaoya.”
The cousin’s voice dropped instantly, as if she trusted Wang Yimei implicitly. “Sister Yimei.”
“I’ve heard about Xiaoya’s situation. Shall I have a word with her about this?” Wang Yimei looked at Chen Ding.
Chen Ding and his classmate stepped out of the meeting room.
Less than half an hour later, Wang Yimei opened the door again. My cousin was sitting in her chair; upon seeing her enter, she rolled her eyes. “Bring the agreement over.”
After signing the agreement, the classmate invited Wang Yimei out for a meal to thank her for her help.
Wang Yimei smiled and said, “Sure.”
The two then turned their attention back to Chen Ding, who said, “I’ve got a high-speed train at 5 pm this afternoon, so I won’t be joining you.”
The words were directed at Wang Yimei.
This was the second time Chen Ding had looked at Wang Yimei since they’d met again.
As their eyes met, Wang Yimei felt a mix of emotions: a sense of poignancy, regret, melancholy, and an uncontrollable flutter in her heart.
“Why are you in such a hurry to go back? You’ve only just managed to come back for a few days; why not stay a bit longer? Most of our group are staying here, and they’d all quite like to have a chat with you.”
“No, I’ve made plans. Next time you come to Hangzhou, I’ll treat you to a meal.”
By the time Chen Ding arrived home, it was already 8 o’clock in the evening—well past the time Zhuang Yiyi usually finished work and came home.
He rang Zhuang Yiyi, but she hung up. Not long after, he received a message from her on WeChat: she was in the lab.
He knew Zhuang Yiyi had been spending all her time in the lab recently, so he asked when she would be finishing.
Once he had a definite time, he arranged to meet her.