“Let’s talk upstairs.”
Before knowing what was going on, Wen Dongrong didn’t want to discuss anything in front of Old Li.
If it was something bad, wouldn’t Old Li gloat?
Old Li shamelessly tried to tag along, but Lawyer Du politely refused him.
Du thanked Old Li for his enthusiasm but said, as it involved the client’s privacy, it was better to speak with Wen Dongrong alone.
Old Li chuckled, “Of course, of course, I was just concerned. Comrade Dongrong, what irreconcilable conflict could there be between father and daughter? Talk it out nicely, don’t yell or threaten the kid.”
His words were sharp. No wonder, among all the colleagues, Wen Dongrong only bragged to Old Li. Everything has a cause and effect.
Wen Dongrong led Du upstairs, had tea prepared for him, and closed the office door, shutting out any chance for Old Li to eavesdrop.
Du’s business card bore an impressive title, making Wen Dongrong a bit uneasy.
What kind of trouble had Wen Ying gotten into to attract such a prominent lawyer?
Wen Dongrong hadn’t noticed anything unusual about Wen Ying recently. She’d been diligently studying all summer.
Now that he thought about it, since last year’s high school entrance exam, Wen Ying had been constantly busy. A whole summer of quiet studying was the biggest anomaly.
Women’s intuition was terrifying.
Chen Ru had always felt something was off with Wen Ying.
Wen Dongrong’s mind was in turmoil, but he kept a calm facade, serving tea to Du and sipping his own slowly.
In the steamy mist, Wen Dongrong and Du tested each other’s patience.
In a government office, things could be hectic or idle, so Wen Dongrong had plenty of patience.
Du, however, was different. A lawyer’s time was money, calculated by the second. He had to speak first.
“Mr. Wen, you have an excellent daughter.”
No kidding, she inherited my genes.
This Lawyer Du was here to stir trouble.
Wen Dongrong thought to himself but smiled, “Excellent is a stretch. She’s decent compared to her peers, but there’s still room for improvement.”
Du nodded, then shifted gears, “May I ask, Mr. Wen, has your family been facing financial difficulties recently? I heard you bought two properties in Rongcheng last year. With you and your wife’s income, that must have been quite a burden.”
This topic energized Wen Dongrong.
Wasn’t it those two Rongcheng properties that led to Shu Guobing’s whistleblowing?
The investigation team had turned Wen Dongrong’s life upside down.
They found nothing, or he’d be meeting Du in jail.
Du wasn’t with the investigators, so Wen Dongrong didn’t bother being polite, “Lawyer Du, if you know it’s intrusive, don’t ask. Whether my family has money is none of your business. You’re overstepping.”
Du smiled, unfazed, finding Wen Dongrong’s touchy nature promising.
“My apologies, Mr. Wen. It was indeed intrusive. My profession makes me dig into root causes. I came from Rongcheng today regarding the widely discussed ‘reputation case.’ I believe your daughter, Wen Ying, didn’t mean to deceive you. I envy you for having such a sensible and talented daughter, earning money to support the family at such a young age. But she’s still young, lacking experience, and the more she tries to help with financial troubles, the easier it is for her to be misled.”
Reputation case?
What reputation case?
The question barely formed before Wen Dongrong’s mind supplied the answer: Du was talking about the reputation case between Teen Idol’s author, “Upstream Fish,” and Ai Ge magazine.
Rongcheng’s newspapers and TV had covered it, making it a hot topic. Wen Dongrong had even bought a copy of Teen Idol.
But what did this have to do with Du visiting him?
Wait, Du said he was here because of Wen Ying.
Connecting Wen Ying to the “reputation case,” the answer was clear.
Wen Ying won first prize in the New Concept Essay contest.
She wrote scripts for a film company.
She was always submitting manuscripts.
She never mentioned her pen name at home.
She suddenly increased his pocket money.
The timing matched August 1, when Teen Idol launched nationwide.
That day, seeing the book hyped in papers, he bought a copy at a newsstand, liked it, and suggested Wen Ying read it.
Then his pocket money increased.
So that’s it.
Wen Ying was “Upstream Fish.” She published Teen Idol, causing a sensation, and was suing Ai Ge magazine over reputation.
This summer wasn’t as calm for Wen Ying as he and Chen Ru thought.
Wen Dongrong’s mind churned like a stormy sea, nearly drowning the poor, frail Old Wen. His little boat, patched together with Wen Ying’s 1,000 yuan pocket money, was fragile.
The waves were huge, the money small, and he was in danger.
Two little figures fought in his mind: one joyfully running to open the office door, letting Old Li and the whole workplace hear; the other trembling, picturing a middle-aged man kicked out by his wife, wandering homeless.
Du, observing Wen Dongrong’s expression, knew he’d hit the mark, “It seems you really didn’t know. Don’t blame Wen Ying. Kids at this age do rebellious things to prove they’re grown—”
“Lawyer Du.”
Wen Dongrong cut him off, frowning, “Do I need an outsider to tell me about my daughter? Say what you want directly, no games.”
Du was here to cause trouble.
Wen Dongrong felt no gratitude for learning Wen Ying’s secret.
If he didn’t know, he could live happily.
If Du told him the “truth” and he relayed it to Chen Ru, claiming he just found out, would she believe him?
Ignorance is bliss. Du ruined Old Wen’s happiness, so why would he get a warm reception?
Teetering on the edge of rage, Wen Dongrong wanted to punch Du. Du sensed the anger but didn’t realize he was the cause.
Wen Dongrong didn’t want to hear more, but Du pressed on. A lawyer’s tactics resembled a fortune-teller’s: startle the listener to control the conversation. Du stood, adjusted his suit, and extended a hand.
“Mr. Wen, allow me to reintroduce myself. I’m the lawyer hired by Ai Ge magazine and Editor Han Qin. I’m here to discuss settling and withdrawing the lawsuit involving your daughter and the magazine.”
