Disorder in marriage

In the evening, Xia Linglong asked Ling Xiao again, "Senior, aren't you really going to go see Xiao Zhi?"

Ling Xiao was typing away on his laptop, not even looking up, when he said, "I'm not going."

"Okay then, I'll go home now. You should get some rest."

"Um."

After she left, Ling Xiao slowly raised his head. It was the cusp of night and day, and the office was dark. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on his soft shirt.

The swaying curtains blocked the sunlight, casting flickering light and shadow on his face.

He picked up his phone. "Hey? It's me, Ling Xiao. I need to see you."

After agreeing on a meeting place with the other party, Ling Xiao picked up his briefcase and left the office.

He arrived at a small bar tucked away in an alley. The signboard at the entrance was old and dilapidated, with several characters no longer lit.

He pushed open the door and walked in. Everyone inside looked at him, perhaps because they rarely saw such a distinguished character in such a place.

Where is your boss?

The bartender at the front desk, with dyed blond hair, pointed to a scarred man smoking next to him and said, "This is our boss."

"I'm talking about the boss behind your boss."

Scarface spat, holding the bottle in his hand, narrowed his eyes, and stood up. "Come with me."

Ling Xiao followed him inside, and at the end was a wall, which was actually a hidden door. The view behind the door was similar to that of a hotel corridor.

Usually, these kinds of low-class places are where this kind of business is done. Ling Xiao had seen it many times before, so he followed Scarface to the innermost room without changing his expression.

"Brother Long."

The room was only lit with ambient lighting. A bare-backed man was lying on the massage bed. When Ling Xiao entered, the masseuse was applying essential oil to him.

"You all go out first."

Brother Long pointed to a stool next to him, "Attorney Ling, sit down."

Ling Xiao took out two tissues and placed them underneath before sitting down.

"When did you come out?"

"last month."

Ling Xiao asked, "I heard your family bought you two patented inventions?"

Brother Long let out a sigh and sat cross-legged on the massage bed.

"I was so bored inside, I wanted to get out a long time ago. I have to thank Attorney Ling, if it weren't for your secret help, I wouldn't have been able to get out so quickly."

He rubbed his hands together, raising an eyebrow playfully. "By the way, how are things between you and Attorney Yan afterwards? Did it cause any trouble because of me?"

Ling Xiao ignored the sarcasm in his words. "I'm here to ask you for a favor."

"Attorney Ling, even though you've helped my father launder so many of his businesses, I'll do everything I can to help you."

Ling Xiao asked, "Did you contact Yan Zhi after you were released from prison?"

Brother Long said, "No, absolutely not!"

"Really? I heard that Yan Zhi was almost knocked off a boat in Shenzhen. That has nothing to do with you?"

Brother Long smiled slyly, "You're a lawyer, we need to talk about evidence, right?"

"I'm not here to pursue this matter with you today," Ling Xiao said. "I know you're holding Yan Zhi responsible for your arrest, but even if you take revenge on her, it won't do you any good. You can't afford to offend the people behind her."

Brother Long cupped the flame of a lighter in his palm, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. "Who?"

"Gu Yunmo".

Brother Long is no longer the frivolous guy he used to be; is he now "family-oriented?"

Ling Xiao asked, "Are you scared?"

Brother Long kicked over the empty stool next to Ling Xiao, yelling, "To hell with it! Who have I ever been afraid of? It's just Gu Yunmo, right? I'll kill him in a heartbeat!"

Ling Xiao curled his lips coldly; having achieved his goal, he lingered no longer.

"Attorney Ling, I'll help you deal with Gu Yunmo, could you do me a favor in return?"

Ling Xiao stopped in his tracks, surprised that Brother Long's intelligence had improved over the years and that he had even learned to bargain.

He turned around and asked, "What kind of help?"

Brother Long licked his lips. "I want to sleep with Yan Zhi."

He had this thought the first time he saw Yan Zhi. Yan Zhi was more beautiful than any other beauty he had ever seen. Her face shape was not the sharp, oval type, but rather the cat-like face that was very popular now.

When she's not talking, she seems like a soft and cute girl, but once she starts talking about legal provisions, her eyes become sharp and serious.

He hated Yan Zhi; what could be a better way to retaliate against a woman than by ruining her chastity?

Upon hearing this, Ling Xiao clenched his fists.

"You don't want to?" Brother Long said, "Then I'll tell Yan Zhi that you got the letter of understanding for me back then! You also pleaded with the judge! You've been helping my dad whitewash our family's organized crime business since you were in college. I know everything you've done all these years."

Ling Xiao gritted his teeth, his chest heaving violently. "Yan Zhi is Gu Yunmo's wife! And she even had a child with him!"

What's more, she was the girl he had liked for many years.

"A married woman? That's even more exciting, isn't it?"

Ling Xiao, unable to bear it any longer, threw down his briefcase and raised his fist at him, but the curtain behind Brother Long was pulled open, revealing that there was someone else in the room.

These people all had fierce and menacing faces. Ling Xiao thought of what his father had done and could only lower his fists with humiliation and fear.

"Don't worry, I'll give her to you after I've had my fill. You like her, right? Good things should be shared, Attorney Ling, do I need to teach you that?"

He patted Ling Xiao on the shoulder, but Ling Xiao disgustedly shook him off. "Just pretend I was never here! I don't need you to deal with Gu Yunmo for me!"

"That won't work."

Brother Long pointed to the surveillance camera in the corner, "Thank you for teaching me that work requires documentation. I didn't waste my years in prison."

Ling Xiao's face turned pale, and his limbs suddenly went limp.

He's usually such a careful and cautious person, but this time he was careless.

"Attorney Ling, take care."

......

Xia Linglong came to visit Yan Zhi, but unexpectedly Gu Yunmo was also there.

When she used to come to Yan Zhi's house, she would wander around aimlessly, either looking at the furniture or what plants were growing in her yard. If Gu Yunmo was present, she would be very reserved, afraid of doing something that would make Yan Zhi feel awkward.

However, Gu Yunmo seemed to notice that she was not comfortable, so he suggested that they go outside for a walk and would be back in about an hour.

Xia Linglong couldn't help but sigh to Yan Zhi, "Was Gu Gou ever this understanding before?"

Yan Zhi smiled and said, "He's a really nice person. If Yan Fei hadn't interfered, our lives would actually be quite peaceful."

Xia Linglong picked up a grape and ate it as if she were at home, even though Gu Yunmo had washed the grape.

"So what are you planning to do now? Not get a divorce?"

Yan Zhi thought for a moment, "He didn't make any major mistakes, so let's just make do like this."

Xia Linglong clicked her tongue three times. "Yan Zhi, you've changed! What did you say back in school? You wouldn't accept a marriage of convenience! You'd rather wallow in pain than be a fool who just muddles through!"

Yan Zhi couldn't even empathize with her past self at this moment.

She looked at her wedding photo with Gu Yunmo on the bedside table, and could no longer smile.

"Linglong, you'll understand later that marriage is just like that. No matter who you're with, the end result is the same."