A wise person does not fall in love.

Chapter 6

In the past, the litigation team often relied on the non-litigation team to handle major commercial cases, doing whatever they were assigned. However, things have gradually changed in recent years.

Initially, the firm was known outside as the "Twin Heroes of Zhicheng," referring to Tang Jiaheng and Zhu Fengran. Later, it was referred to as the "Three Heroes of Zhicheng," with the third being Wang Qian. Now, Tang Jiaheng has left with his criminal defense team to establish his own practice, and the firm has returned to a two-pronged leadership structure. Qi Song knows that Wang Qian is active in the management committee, looking to change the allocation of fees and bonuses among teams, and may have other plans that haven't been fully disclosed yet, but that day will come eventually.

After discussing the main business, Qi Song stood up to leave.

Wang Qian called him back, took an envelope out of a drawer, and tossed it onto the table, saying, "Take this for me."

Qi Song pulled it out and saw that it was an invitation to the annual Financial Law and Business Forum, organized by the city's Bar Association.

He wasn’t fond of such events and hesitated to respond.

Wang Qian knew he was contemplating how to avoid it and said, "Some things need to be done even if they seem superficial. The firm doesn’t do legal aid tasks, and you don’t participate in Bar Association activities..."

"I’ll definitely make time," Qi Song quickly changed his response.

Wang Qian looked at him, shaking his head with a smile, "Qi Song, you..."

The next day, a young woman from the administrative department came with a photographer to take pictures of Qi Song for a roll-up banner and commemorative items for the forum.

After taking pictures in the office, they went to the front desk.

There, Qi Song saw Jiang Yuan, who was striking a pose under the Zhicheng logo. Although Jiang Yuan seemed to be showing signs of "happy fat," his suit made of fine British wool, with a slightly larger lapel, gave him a polished and sophisticated look, embodying an elite image from the inside out.

Jiang Yuan noticed him too, exchanged a knowing smile, aware that they were both representatives for their respective bosses.

At lunch that day, they went out to eat together, also inviting Yang Jiali. It was a chance to move past the previous issues and continue cooperation between litigation and non-litigation teams.

However, Yang Jiali brought up the "Qing Shui Ruo Luo" case again at the table, telling Qi Song that he had reviewed the case, examined communication with the client, evidence collection methods, and even studied the opposing lawyer.

He had originally thought that there were surely some outstanding individuals in the university, but not many. Professors with some reputation could make some extra money by providing consulting opinions to law firms. A small lecturer specializing in family law might only work in women's federations, handle some legal aid cases, mediate family disputes, and criticize bad men, just mixing into foreign business cases as cannon fodder.

The recent mediation confrontation surprised him. Coincidentally, he had assigned an intern to another case who used a thermos cup labeled "A City Political Law University" for drinking. He asked if they had a teacher named Guan Lan.

The intern, a post-00s student, confirmed and showed him a Bilibili account, "Legendary Teacher Guan," which contained student-edited online course videos.

"Legendary?" Yang Jiali initially found it amusing but became engrossed as he watched. He was amazed at how university law lecturers had evolved to this extent, not only teaching theoretical concepts but also detailing practical skills. Even someone with three years of litigation experience like him took extensive notes.

Qi Song knew this was a continuation of their previous conversation but didn’t comment. Yang Jiali found the video, and Jiang Yuan peered over to look at it. Qi Song only heard that familiar voice—clear, concise, without speech quirks but occasionally slightly husky due to frequent talking.

The content ranged from case summaries, thought maps, and case reasoning processes to small details like habits in case handling.

For instance, writing a list of items in a phone memo, such as original evidence, copies of evidence, authorization documents, printed defense opinions, printed evidence opinions, and sticking reminders to the calendar to check before each court session.

Or keeping written records of oral communications, whether face-to-face or on the phone, by sending an email with a copy to relevant persons—this not only protects oneself but also keeps a record of work.

There were even details like using paper clips instead of a stapler for court submissions.

She ended with self-deprecating advice: "Before sending out any document or email, make sure to proofread it. Students who tend to lose focus while reading can try using AI to read it aloud."

Qi Song smiled, sipping his tea.

After lunch, the three returned to their respective offices.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Yuan called Qi Song again and said, "I just realized it was her."

"What?" Qi Song asked.

"She’s the plaintiff's lawyer in the 'Qing Shui Ruo Luo' case."

"You know her?"

"Well, sort of. She’s from Shandong University, a year below me. When she first entered Peking University, I even went to pick her up."

"She’s from Peking University?" Qi Song was a bit surprised.

Jiang Yuan’s educational background was impressive, often mentioning "Shandong University," "Peking University," and "Harvard Law School."

When they were both in the non-litigation rotation, there were many people like him around. It was during the peak years of IPO fundraising, and the non-litigation team was packed with a group of highly competitive graduates from elite law schools. Senior partners handled social connections and client acquisition, while the junior staff produced work in bulk, turning it into a labor-intensive industry.

These individuals made Jiang Yuan realize that with his qualifications and background, continuing in non-litigation would likely lead nowhere. In terms of academic credentials, he could never compete, and being competitive only made him cannon fodder. Fortunately, he later met Wang Qian and quickly changed his track.

According to Qi Song’s observations, it was abnormal if someone didn’t mention their alma mater within ten minutes of meeting.

But Guan Lan was different.

"Yes," Jiang Yuan said on the phone, "She was quite famous at Peking University, a campus beauty. Later, she somehow shifted to studying law for her master's and PhD."

Qi Song usually didn’t care for gossip but commented, "Peking University is one of the top law schools. Why does it seem like she played a good hand poorly?"

Jiang Yuan then explained, "She was quite prominent at Peking University, followed a 'red third' entrepreneur, married right after graduation, and had a child. But later, it turned out the 'red third' had no real power, their business failed, and they divorced. Now, she looks quite worn out with age." There was a hint of sympathy in his tone.

The story of the law school beauty, entrepreneurship, a flash marriage, and later each going their separate ways reminded Qi Song of Elle Woods from "Legally Blonde," though he felt Guan Lan didn’t quite fit that comedic image.

In his memory, she was the one wearing a mask, unmade-up, with genuine eyebrows and eyes—a real person. Or later, sitting quietly in the car, eyes closed, breathing slowly, eyebrows relaxing before starting the engine.

At that time, through the windshield, the reflection made her less visible, but now, the image became clearer in retrospect.

Chapter 5: The College Lecturer's Laid-back Evidence

The day before the Financial Law and Business Forum began, Guan Lan received the meeting schedule. She had just finished a court session, and her phone was vibrating non-stop with incoming messages and emails. The letter was from Dean He Xianfeng, informing her that her lecture was scheduled for the third slot on the first evening, followed by a dinner and cocktail reception. The theme of this forum was the new landscape and perspectives on family offices—essentially dealing with issues related to marriage, divorce, trusts, and inheritance for the wealthy. Her lecture topic was "The Division of Responsibilities Between Corporate Counsel and Family Lawyers," with her name listed as Ms. Guan Lan from A City Political Law University. The organizers apparently felt her "lecturer" title wasn’t impressive enough, so they used the ambiguous term "Ms."

She called back to confirm the time, saying, "The lecture is fine, but I might skip the reception."

Dean He Xianfeng replied with a smile, "Do you have something else that evening? Children, or a case outside?"

His question made it difficult for Guan Lan to respond. There were already some voices in the university mentioning that she often had personal issues—whether it was her elder’s illness, her child’s school problems, or frequent absences from meetings due to her** work. Legal academics doing** work as lawyers was always permitted, but in reality, it was mostly professors and associate professors who did so.

Dean He Xianfeng, who had always been supportive of her and had never put her in a difficult position, even suggested, "Is it because of the last incident?"

Guan Lan smiled softly, not needing to elaborate. On the other end of the phone, Dean He Xianfeng paused and said, "I understand you think these are just superficial matters, but in this profession, you can’t just stay in the ivory tower. You need to learn how to handle these public matters. Otherwise, with so many young teachers, why should anyone pay more attention to you or give you an opportunity?"

Guan Lan remained silent, thinking to herself, "Isn’t it because of my abilities?" Dean He Xianfeng seemed to sense her thoughts and continued gently, "You are one of my protégés. I’m well aware of your educational background and abilities, and you are among the best in the department. Given the current situation, you don’t need to rush; I’m anxious for you. This seminar aligns perfectly with your research direction. Take this opportunity to perform well, and finding a law firm to collaborate with will be effortless, much better than taking on small cases one by one. And, with the new academic year approaching, you’ll need to prepare for the promotion review…"