A wise person does not fall in love.

Chapter 3

Every time he encountered such situations, Qi Song was particularly aware that he was a lawyer. Fairness did not exist; there were only rules, rules that could be exploited.

He didn't say anything further, dismissed Yang Jiali, and went through the materials again, finally returning to the copy of the complaint.

At the end, the signature of the complainant was two neat and elegant characters: Guan Lan. It made one think of those well-behaved, smart students in every class.

He found himself somewhat curious. How would this part-time female lawyer, who was registered at a small firm and specialized in family cases, handle this?

The next day, Qi Song and Yang Jiali went to the Southwest District Court together. During the recurring pandemic, security was tight in all public security and judicial offices. Lawyers didn't need to go through security checks but still had to show their health codes and verify their documents. Court officers in full protective suits communicated via walkie-talkies: "Two for Mediation Room 5, two for Mediation Room 5." It gave one a strange association, as if they were at a bathhouse. By the time they sat in the mediation room, it was almost the appointed time. The plaintiff's lawyer arrived a bit late, hurriedly entering and explaining, "Got delayed by something earlier, sorry to keep you waiting." The assistant to the judge nearby smiled and said, "Teacher Guan just ran over from the Civil First Division, right?" The person called "Teacher Guan" also smiled, slightly out of breath, leaning across the table to shake hands with them one by one. Qi Song couldn't guess her age. It was partly because of the rules here; masks had to be worn at all times, revealing only half her face. It was also because of her subtle sense of difference—she didn't appear to be wearing makeup, her hair simply tied in a ponytail, arms carrying many things, including a laptop bag, a file folder, and a lawyer's robe, making her look thin and even a bit disheveled. But when she extended her hand to him, her palm slightly upward, it was an inviting gesture, firm and confident, like a seasoned professional. The door closed, business cards were exchanged, and the meeting began. Neither party was present; in the mediation room, apart from the judge, the judge's assistant, and the clerk from the Commercial Division, it was just lawyer against lawyer. Qi Song liked such settings. He always felt that lawsuits should be rational, with costs and desired outcomes, expected returns, success probabilities, all based on objective judgments. Both parties would weigh their options, knowing when to push forward and when to cut losses, everything calculable and controllable. The presiding judge was a middle-aged man with thinning hair, quite humorous. He said, "This case of yours isn't simple. If it goes to trial, I bet the defendant will first raise an objection to jurisdiction, then the plaintiff will counter with the applicable law for foreign civil relations, followed by a request for re-evaluation of assets. After the first trial, there would be an appeal, and maybe even a retrial. The whole process wouldn't be short. But don't think I'm suggesting mediation just to avoid trouble. I haven't reported an excellent trial this year. Both sides here are competent, and I think a trial would be great. It's a new type of case, and the courtroom battle would be impressive. I could even write a few articles for the Journal of Law." Qi Song was amused, suddenly feeling a bit sorry for Yang Jiali, whose initial ideas weren't entirely wrong...

In less than fifteen minutes, Liao Zhijie called, simply saying, "Agreed to settle for 21 million." Qi Song didn't care whether he had thought it through himself or was pressured by Jiang Yuan's side. He just sent Yang Jiali back to the mediation room to accept Guan Lan's offer and requested the clerk to immediately draft the mediation agreement for both lawyers to sign, resolving the matter cleanly and completely.

Leaving the court, it was past six in the evening. Summer in Jiangnan meant late sunsets, still bright with no sign of dusk, but the evening rush had started, with crowded streets.

Qi Song and Yang Jiali had arrived separately in the afternoon, both parking at an empty lot near a market, not by coincidence. The Southwest District Court had been built over twenty years ago, designed to mimic foreign architecture, resembling the US Capitol, commonly known as the "Little White House." It still looked grand but severely lacked parking spaces, surrounded by small roads, so lawyers often parked at the market, a practice noted in local lawyer guides.

As they crossed the street to get their cars, Qi Song saw Guan Lan ahead, also heading toward the market, hands full. Midway, her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she paused, hesitating for a second, before realizing she had no free hand and continued walking. Reaching a green Skoda, she opened the door, tossed in her laptop and handbag, and then took out her phone.

Qi Song's car was on the other side, two rows away. As he walked, he kept glancing over there, unsure why.

Yang Jiali misinterpreted his silence, trying to make conversation, "Qi Lawyer, you got a new car?"

Qi Song snapped back, joking, "Thanks to you, the next one might be a Wuling Hongguang."

A casual remark, but Yang Jiali took it to heart, immediately apologizing, "I was too optimistic when discussing the case with the client and didn't investigate the key evidence thoroughly. You've reminded me of these issues; it's my negligence."

Seeing him like this, Qi Song comforted, "Don't overthink it. We had a bad hand this time, and the opponent was a seasoned pro. Losing to her isn't disgraceful."

Yang Jiali felt ashamed, probably recalling his previous evaluation of Guan Lan—a woman, a lecturer at a law school, a part-time lawyer at a small firm. Qi Song didn't handle this well, noticing his reaction and trying to console further, "You came from non-litigation work, right..."