Bending down to enter the chess game

Chapter 35 Top Leader

"He's a local." Xiang Yanru looked at Pan Xi to confirm, "I remember his wife is from the old town? Anyway, her family has been here for generations. I went to his wedding with Manager Ren, you guys don't know what it was like... Wow, it really makes you realize the importance of being born into the right family."

"Absolutely." Pan Xi said sourly, "I'm not even envious that she's Lawyer Gu's wife, I'm just envious that she has a good father. I heard that her father is this in there." She held up three fingers.

"Third in command? That's nothing special." Chen Zhao had never been involved with his teacher's father-in-law's family before, and upon hearing this, he moved his stool forward.

"You call the third-in-command 'ordinary'?" Pan Xi looked incredulous. "You should get in there first before you talk."

"And she's an only child," Bai Xuanjiao added lazily, lying back in her chair.

"Tch." Chen Zhao turned his head, took a serving of the newly arrived plum cheese from the table. Red plums were embedded in the creamy white cheese, and condensation droplets hung from the outside of the glass. He scooped up a spoonful. "Wow, this dessert is really good. Xingge, can I have another one?"

"Of course, no problem, I'll order now." Yu Xingge scanned the code to add food to her order.

The group chatted about law firm gossip for a while, the atmosphere becoming increasingly relaxed. A few drops of oil glistened at the bottom of the sauerkraut hot pot. Jiang Jiao used her phone to calculate the per-person cost of the meal, marveling at the exorbitant profits of the restaurant business. Li Ruonan told her not to waste her time, as she didn't know the prices of the ingredients or labor. Jiang Jiao retorted, "Why not just check them one by one?" "You must have a lot of free time," the others laughed, watching the two bicker.

The temperature was just right, and the atmosphere was just right.

Just then, the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open, and a blast of cold air rushed in. Wei Jin, the head of the marriage and family affairs team, carrying a briefcase, walked in, his leather shoes clicking on the floor. Under the fluorescent light, his gold-rimmed glasses gleamed coldly. He pushed his glasses up slightly: "Everyone's here."

"Attorney Wei, what brings you here?" Ren Jiaying stood up to greet him, and everyone in the private room stood up as well.

"Please sit down, everyone." Wei Jin stood by the table, her black hair neatly combed back, the wrinkles around her eyes revealing her actual age of nearly fifty. "It's quite a coincidence that I'm discussing business with a client at this restaurant. I heard that the lawyer representing the winner of a high-profile divorce case is hosting a banquet here. I've come uninvited. I hope Attorney Yu won't mind."

A deep male voice echoed in the private room, making the hairs on Yu Xingge's back stand on end, and the aroma of the hot pot seemed even stronger. "Hello, Attorney Wei," she said, moving her chair back to make room for Manager Ren on his left. As the sizzling sound reached her ears, her tense nerves seemed to ease a little. "Looks like I made a good choice of restaurant, Attorney Wei, please have a seat."

Wei Jin sat down, and a waiter promptly brought over hot towels. He wiped his hands and lightly tapped the rotary dial: "This is the first time I've seen such a complete administrative team. Xiao Yu, you have quite the appeal; you've got the entire administrative department running around like headless chickens. Our team is exactly what we need. Would you like to join us?"

"Everyone, don't be shy, please sit down." He casually picked up the last piece of sweet and sour pork from the table and swallowed it in one gulp.

Yu Xingge ladled out a bowl of millet porridge and pushed it towards him: "Attorney Wei flatters me. I can't even remember how many days the cooling-off period for divorce is."

Jin Yajie suddenly interjected, "Attorney Wei is amazing! Last time..."

"The domestic service department offers 30% higher annual salaries than other teams, plus various hidden benefits. For example..." Wei Jin raised his hand to interrupt, reciting a list of several wealthy clients, "Xiao Yu is young and full of life, isn't she thinking about marriage? These people may not be in the top ten in Dongjiang City, but they are still among the top."

Ren Jiaying frowned: "Aren't they all married? The only one who isn't officially married is rumored to be secretly married? He's much older than Xingge, it's not appropriate."

"Xiao Yu isn't really suitable since she's never been married," Wei Jin frowned.

ha?

That's not a very pleasant thing to say.

Bai Xuanjiao covered her mouth: "You already have a child, right? Does that mean you have to be a mother first after you get married? Xingge, why don't you stop thinking about anything else and sign up for a motherhood training course first?" Li Ruonan almost burst out laughing beside her. She bumped Bai Xuanjiao's arm hard and gave her a look to restrain herself.

Yu Xingge refilled Bai Xuanjiao's water bottle first, and she said earnestly, "Thank you for your kindness, Attorney Wei. To be honest, if you know anyone around my age, you could recommend someone. Money isn't important, the key is good looks. Older men are out of the question, I don't like older men."

"Really?" Wei Jin's brows instantly relaxed. "That's great! You should definitely join our team." He put down his chopsticks. "Putting everything else aside, a third of the firm's young and handsome lawyers are on our team. Manager Ren knows these personnel files better than anyone, right?"

"Really? I need to go back and check." Ren Jiaying gently patted Yu Xingge's back. "I see this shaved ice is almost melted. Chen Zhao just praised it as delicious. You should try it."

Yu Xingge obediently lowered her head. Chen Zhao looked left and right: "Xingge, I have to go now. I have plans to see a movie with Bai Qi."

"So affectionate," Ren Jiaying teased. Chen Zhao chuckled and walked over to Yu Xingge, whispering, "Xingge, could you pack up my dessert for me? I'll take it to Baiqi to try."

"Of course, no problem. I'll order you another one."

"Oh dear, it's already this late." Xiang Yanru also stood up, pointing to the fitness tracker on her wrist. "Time flies, it's already ten o'clock. I still have to go back and take my grandson for a walk. Xiao Ge, I'm off too."

Yu Xingge quickly put down her chopsticks: "Sister Xiang, I've called a car, it's waiting outside. I'll take you two out."

"I'm leaving too." Jiang Jiao stood up as well.

"Do you need a driver to take you?" Wei Jin asked, sitting down. "My driver is always outside." Xiang Yanru waved her hands repeatedly. "No need, no need, let them rest." Wei Jin didn't care. "Look, those people are just sitting around doing nothing anyway."

The two were adamant. "Alright, since you insist," he said with a smile.

Yu Xingge led the three of them out the door. A gust of wind swirled past, raising goosebumps on their calves. "It really is getting cold," Xiang Yanru remarked. "Xiaoge, don't see us off anymore, go back quickly."

"It's alright." She called over the tram parked by the roadside, helped Xiang Yanru and Jiang Jiao onto it, and just as it was about to start moving, Jiang Jiao stopped her: "Xingge, thank you for your hospitality tonight. For the past three years, the complaint rate of the family law department has consistently accounted for 60% of the firm's cases. You've just arrived."

"I understand what you mean." A wave of tenderness washed over Yu Xingge, and she reached out to tuck a stray strand of Jiang Jiao's hair, which had been blown by the wind, behind her ear. "I will consider it carefully."

She only turned around after their car was out of sight, only to find Li Ruonan and Bai Xuanjiao standing outside.

"What's going on with you two?"

Li Ruonan skillfully pulled out a thin cigarette and lit it: "Just came out for some fresh air. Damn it, I hate this shameless guy the most." Bai Xuanjiao winked at the two of them: "Wei Lu's shirt has foundation on it, did you see?"

"Who has time to look at him?" Li Ruonan moved a few steps away from the two of them. "I'm afraid I have to leave too. Sorry, Xingge." She grabbed her ear with her other hand. "I really don't want to eat at the same table with him. Wei Jin, you know, if you say he's stupid, you're blind. But if you say he's smart, he's like someone who can't understand human speech. Of all the partners, I hate dealing with him the most."