Six o’clock in the evening, at the restaurant of Yujing Zundi.
Three people sat around a square table, with two outstanding men facing each other and Xie Wantang sandwiched between them.
For Qin Muyang, this was his first time meeting his brother-in-law, Lu Yanshen.
However, at first glance, upon seeing Lu Yanshen’s face, a storm of emotions surged within him.
Outwardly, he maintained his composure and calm, ensuring that neither Lu Yanshen nor Xie Wantang could detect his inner turmoil.
“This is Lawyer Qin, and this is my husband, Lu Yanshen,” Xie Wantang introduced the two men with utmost seriousness.
“Lawyer Qin.”
“Mr. Lu.”
The two greeted each other, shook hands briefly, and then separated, each taking their seat.
“I’ve long heard of Lawyer Qin’s reputation. As far as I know, it seems you’ve never taken on a divorce case in your career,” Lu Yanshen initiated the conversation.
“That’s correct. For me, divorce cases hold no challenge, so I’ve never taken one on,” Qin Muyang admitted, his gaze intense as it met Lu Yanshen’s deep eyes, neither of them yielding an inch.
“Lawyer Qin, are you implying that our divorce makes you feel challenged?” Lu Yanshen chuckled in response.
“Initially, I didn’t think so, but now that I’ve seen Mr. Lu, I do feel it’s quite challenging,” Qin Muyang replied with a faint smile.
Xie Wantang: “…”
Xie Wantang was bewildered. She might not know Lu Yanshen very well, but she knew her older brother inside out. Why did she feel there was something odd about what her brother just said?
“I’m curious, Lawyer Qin. Why do you feel challenged after seeing me? Could you elaborate?”
Qin Muyang snapped his fingers. “No rush, Mr. Lu. It’s rare for us to have the chance to gather at the same dining table. Let’s eat first and chat while we dine.”
“Very well. Since Lawyer Qin has come all the way from Haishi, my wife and I will treat you,” Lu Yanshen said with impeccable courtesy, showcasing his gentlemanly demeanor to the fullest.
“Alright, then I’ll graciously accept,” Qin Muyang did not decline.
Xie Wantang wanted to glare at her brother. Why did she feel that her brother wasn’t here to stand up for her by inviting Lu Yanshen to dinner?
Could it be that they’ve already developed a mutual admiration after just one meeting?
Please don’t tell her that after this meal, her brother would advise her not to divorce Lu Yanshen.
At this moment, Xie Wantang had no idea that her thoughts were about to come true.
The waiter entered, and the two outstanding gentlemen politely deferred to each other. Qin Muyang had a compelling reason: “Mr. Lu, why don’t you order for Mrs. Lu? If everything you order is what Mrs. Lu loves to eat, then this divorce case would truly be quite interesting.”
“Is that so? What if none of what I order is what my wife likes to eat?” Lu Yanshen asked with a smile.
“If Mr. Lu doesn’t even know a single thing Mrs. Lu enjoys eating, then Mrs. Lu wanting to divorce you is entirely justified. In that case, this divorce case wouldn’t even need a judge’s ruling—we could settle it through mediation outside the court.”
“…”
It must be said that Qin Muyang was quite eloquent.
And what he said made perfect sense.
However, at this moment, Lu Yanshen was unaware that Qin Muyang’s words were spoken from the perspective of a brother-in-law testing him, not from the standpoint of Lawyer Qin.
Lu Yanshen no longer declined. He closed the menu and recited a few dish names.
“Longjing shrimp, clear-braised lion’s head, spicy diced chicken, Liangxi crispy eel, fish-flavored shredded pork, add a spicy hot pot, and then a yam and pork rib soup for us, thank you.”
“You’re welcome, President Lu,” the waiter responded.
Lu Yanshen pushed the menu in front of Qin Muyang, “My wife and I will have these. Lawyer Qin, please order a few dishes you like.”
“Alright.”
Hearing the names of the dishes Lu Yanshen had ordered, Xie Wantang immediately fell silent.
She wasn’t actually picky and could eat anything, but she still had her favorites.
Although Lu Yanshen hadn’t listed all her favorites, these dishes were within her preferred range.
They could be considered among her most-loved dishes.
Qin Muyang casually ordered two vegetarian dishes: a three-way tofu dish and a stir-fried green vegetable.
When returning the menu to the waiter, he secretly caught Xie Wantang’s eye while Lu Yanshen wasn’t paying attention.
However, Xie Wantang was too flustered by Lu Yanshen to notice Qin Muyang’s meaningful glance.
During the meal, the two men chatted more and more congenially, while Xie Wantang remained lost in her own thoughts, completely detached from their conversation.
At one point, Lu Yanshen took two phone calls, stepping out each time for about five minutes.
When Lu Yanshen left the private room for the second time, Qin Muyang said to Xie Wantang, “Tangbao, you can’t get divorced for now.”
“Why? Big Brother—”
“I’ll explain later.”
“…”
After that, Lu Yanshen returned, and Xie Wantang never got the explanation from her brother before the meal ended.
Finally, Lu Yanshen paid the bill, and the couple rode back to the Lu residence in the car driven by Pei Xiao. Not only did Qin Muyang not stop them, he even said to Lu Yanshen, “President Lu and Mrs. Lu truly share a deep affection.”
Lu Yanshen smiled.
Xie Wantang wore a sullen expression, utterly baffled as to how her brother could say such a thing.
Didn’t he know she and Lu Yanshen were definitely getting divorced?
Throughout the journey, Xie Wantang’s mood remained low.
In contrast, Lu Yanshen was in high spirits.
“Mrs. Lu, Lawyer Qin was the one you hired. For him to say that just now—doesn’t it count as switching sides at the last minute? I suspect he might not take on your divorce case after all.”
Xie Wantang had been looking down, but upon hearing Lu Yanshen’s infuriating words, she raised her head and glared at him angrily: “…”
As angry as she was, she had to admit Lu Yanshen’s summary was spot-on.
Her brother’s actions were indeed a last-minute betrayal.
Hmph, later she would definitely demand a perfect explanation from him, or else she’d tell their parents.
“President Lu, don’t be so blindly confident. Besides, even if Lawyer Qin doesn’t take the case, there are plenty of other lawyers who will, right?”
“But Lawyer Qin is the best. Mrs. Lu went all the way back to Haishi to hire him precisely because of his reputation, didn’t you?”
“You’re overthinking it.”
Xie Wantang couldn’t be bothered to explain.
Her brother had volunteered to handle her case; she hadn’t asked him to.
Besides, she always felt that her divorce from Lu Yanshen didn’t require her brother’s exceptional skills in the first place.
She just hadn’t expected that even her brother’s sharp blade could sometimes go dull.
After that, the two didn’t speak again until they reached the Lu residence.
Pei Xiao parked the car at the entrance of the main house. Xie Wantang climbed the steps, unlocked the door with her fingerprint, and went inside to change her shoes.
Lu Yanshen followed shortly after. Mother Li approached to ask if they needed a late-night snack. Xie Wantang did not reply, but Lu Yanshen spoke up and told them to go rest.
Xie Wantang changed her shoes and went straight upstairs.
Before she reached the second floor, Lu Yanshen caught up to her. “Does Mrs. Lu still not plan to return to the master bedroom tonight?”