When Ye Muqing received the contract terminating her employment, she had already been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Knowing that she did not have long to live, she had ignored the contract after receiving it.
But now she was alive and kicking, so of course she had to get back the money that belonged to her.
To be fair, although Lu Huaining seemed a little strange, his professional abilities were genuinely excellent.
After Ye Muqing explained the entire sequence of events to him, Lu Huaining quickly offered his advice and thumped his chest, guaranteeing that there would absolutely be no problem if she left it to him.
“Their unilateral issuance of a contract terminating your employment is illegal in itself. They have no leg to stand on, either morally or legally.”
Lu Huaining was extremely confident. “This may be the simplest labor arbitration case I’ve handled since becoming a lawyer.”
Ye Muqing smiled. “Then I’ll leave it to you.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely take care of it for you.”
Ye Muqing subconsciously rubbed her fingers together. “By the way, there’s something else I’d like to ask.”
“Go ahead.”
“How long is the limitation period for the crime of abandonment?”
The other three people present all froze. Tao Qian reacted the fastest. Remembering what had happened at the Orphanage the day before, she could not help reaching out to take Ye Muqing’s hand.
Yu Songjin’s gaze also fell on Ye Muqing. Seeing how calm her expression was, he slowly tightened his grip around the teacup in his hand.
After a brief moment of thought, Lu Huaining said, “The limitation period for the crime of abandonment is usually five years. In especially egregious cases, it can be extended to ten years.”
After hearing that, a trace of regret flashed through Ye Muqing’s eyes.
When Liu Yang abandoned her, she had still been too young to remember much. According to what the Old Dean had told her, she had been three years old when she was found at the entrance to the Orphanage.
Twenty-one years had passed—far beyond the limitation period.
Lu Huaining watched her expression and cautiously said, “You can tell me the details. Even though the limitation period has passed, it’s not necessarily impossible to bring a lawsuit.”
Ye Muqing lowered her eyes, organized her thoughts briefly, and softly recounted what had happened to her.
When he heard that her biological mother had abandoned her at the entrance to the Orphanage when she was only three, Yu Songjin’s heart gave an involuntary jolt.
Lu Huaining’s expression gradually grew solemn. Only after Ye Muqing finished recounting everything did he take a deep breath and say gravely, “You can file a lawsuit if you have evidence.”
“What evidence would be needed?”
Before Lu Huaining could answer, his assistant knocked on the door to inform him that the client he had arranged to meet had arrived. Ye Muqing composed herself and rose with the interruption.
“Let’s leave it at this for today. I’ll organize the evidence for the labor arbitration when I get back and send it to you. We can discuss the rest when we have time.”
“All right.”
After bidding farewell to Lu Huaining and Yu Songjin, Ye Muqing narrowed her eyes at the snowflakes drifting down outside as she stepped out of the office building.
It was snowing.
Tao Qian looked at the gloomy sky and could not help turning her head toward the person beside her.
Ye Muqing had both hands tucked into the pockets of her outdoor jacket, and her expression had not changed much.
“Qingqing, you…”
Noticing her hesitation, Ye Muqing smiled and shook her head. “Don’t worry. I’m not that fragile.”
“She’ll definitely pay the price for what she did.”
Ye Muqing nodded. “I’m looking forward to that day. Come on. I heard the dessert shop that just opened in the western part of the city is pretty good. Let’s go take a look.”
Faced with how smoothly Ye Muqing had changed the subject, Tao Qian could not help smiling as well. “Okay.”
However, when the two of them got out of the taxi, they discovered that the snow had already grown heavy, and everyone on the street was hurrying along.
Ye Muqing and Tao Qian had originally planned to eat at the shop while enjoying the snowy scenery, but after exchanging a glance, they decisively decided to get the food packed to go.
Ye Muqing also bought a great deal to take back for the children at the Orphanage. The moment the children saw that there was cake to eat, they excitedly crowded around her, each of them sweetly calling her Sister Xiaoye.
The Old Dean stood behind them and shook her head helplessly.
Ye Muqing turned back and smiled. She knew the Old Dean was afraid that, now that Ye Muqing had money, she would spend it recklessly and be left dumbfounded once it was gone. But didn’t she still have a system?
Now that she had this ability, she naturally could not let the children continue living through the same hardship they had endured when they were young.
After returning home from the Orphanage, Ye Muqing shed her coat and comfortably curled up on the sofa, wrapped once more in the warmth of the heating.
The furniture and appliances she had ordered online had still not arrived, and Ye Muqing could not help staring blankly at the spotless white walls.
But she quickly came back to herself, got up, and took out the discarded secondhand computer. She needed to copy the data inside it.
Ye Muqing’s hands never stopped moving as she called out to the system.
“How are things going with the holographic technology?”
【They are currently conducting a feasibility verification. According to the system’s analysis, they are expected to need two weeks to complete it.】
“Then, is there nothing else to do on your interstellar side?” Ye Muqing asked casually.
The system fell silent for a moment before bringing up a semitransparent light screen for her to see.
Ye Muqing raised her head in confusion. When she saw that the section labeled “Current Mission Completed” was still dark, she could not help freezing.
“What’s going on? Didn’t the exchange succeed? Why hasn’t the mission been completed?”
【Host, please pay attention to the words in the lower-right corner.】
Ye Muqing set down the computer she had taken apart halfway and leaned closer to the light screen. The moment she saw that line of tiny text clearly, she was rendered speechless and even laughed from sheer exasperation.
“Fine, fine, fine. So you’re playing this game with me, huh? Completion progress: 27/50. Why don’t you just write, ‘All interpretive authority belongs to us’?”
【If the host requires it, that can also be arranged.】
Ye Muqing nearly choked. “That’s really not necessary!”
She patted her chest and took a few breaths to calm herself before lowering her head and continuing to work.
After copying all the data from the old computer onto the new one, Ye Muqing bundled up all the evidence related to the labor arbitration and sent it to Lu Huaining.
He replied with an okay reaction image and then went offline.
Ye Muqing raised a hand to rub her brow and let out a long breath.
Done. Once the snow stopped, she would have to check some other supermarkets and gather the rest of the vegetables.
Wait.
Ye Muqing lowered her hand. She had obtained the holographic technology when the mission progress was only halfway complete, so what would she receive when the mission was finished?
【Brain AI technology, host.】
Ye Muqing could not help lightly patting her cheek. “Is it the kind of Brain AI I’m thinking of?”
After receiving an affirmative reply from the system, Ye Muqing was filled with excitement. She had had enough of all the useless AIs available now.
Her gaze returned to the semitransparent light screen, her eyes shining brightly.
One holographic technology and one Brain AI technology—the scientific research capabilities of China were about to undergo a qualitative leap.
Amazing!
Unexpectedly, the snow continued for a full two days, and Ye Muqing stayed curled up at home for two days without going out.
She stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the vast white expanse outside and the snowflakes still swirling through the air, her brows drawing together slightly.
This snow was too heavy.
The sudden ringing of the telephone broke the silence. Ye Muqing reached out and answered it.
Tao Qian’s voice seemed to come through some kind of barrier, and her tone was somewhat hurried.
“The Orphanage’s house collapsed under the weight of the snow.”
Ye Muqing abruptly raised her head. “What?!”