My Boss Recap, Plot, Synopsis

My Boss Synopsis

Carrying the innocent dreams of becoming a lawyer, Cheng Yao was admitted to a top-tier law firm. She decided to move to a location closer to the company for a more convenient work life. Unexpectedly, her landlord rented the same room to another tenant, leading to a dispute between Cheng Yao and the other tenant. To her surprise, that person turned out to be her law firm's boss, Qian Heng.

On the first day, Qian Heng assigned Cheng Yao to his team and initiated a grueling training program, with the goal of eventually driving her out since she had entered the firm through connections. Cheng Yao, unaware of the true intentions, believed herself to be lucky and worked even harder. She excelled in a series of challenging exercises, which earned her the respect of Qian Heng.

As they spent their days working and living together, their relationship evolved from adversaries to caring for each other. Over time, sparks of love ignited between them. After weathering numerous trials and tribulations, Cheng Yao grew into a capable lawyer and embarked on a happy marriage with Qian Heng.

My Boss Recap

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The beautiful lawyer Cheng Yao was forced to have dinner with a client, using the opportunity to discuss contract details. Unexpectedly, the client turned out to be a pervert who insisted she drink with him, intending to get her drunk and take advantage of her. In order to secure the contract, Cheng Yao had to carefully handle the situation with her best friend. At that moment, two people sat at the next table.

Their conversation sounded just like a rich woman looking for an affair, and she even offered a staggering hourly rate of twenty thousand yuan. Cheng Yao and her friend were quite tempted, but the handsome man remained unmoved, saying he only did professional work and refused to do anything else. After saying that, he turned and left. Cheng Yao was moved by this man’s so-called "integrity.

" When the lecherous client reached out to grope her, Cheng Yao stood up and pushed him away, then spat the wine she had been holding in her mouth all over him. The contract deal was ruined, and Cheng Yao left the table with the intention of quitting. With so many good law firms out there, there was no need for her to stay at a place where she had to compromise her dignity.

After leaving the venue, Cheng Yao and her best friend comforted each other, thinking at least they were stronger than that man earlier. But before the words were finished, the man got into a Bentley and drove away, leaving the two women standing in the wind. They truly didn’t have the same capabilities he did. Cheng Yao found a new job and was about to join the prestigious Junheng Law Firm.

To make commuting easier, she rented an apartment near the firm. Unexpectedly, she ran into the man she had thought was a “gigolo. ” What’s more, they encountered a situation where the same apartment had been rented out to both of them. Unable to resolve the dispute, they had to call the landlord. The landlord kept apologizing—he was in the middle of a divorce with his wife.

He had rented the place to Cheng Yao, while his wife had rented it to the man. Neither side was willing to give up the lease. The landlord then suggested they share the apartment, and even mentioned that he would soon file for divorce, which could be Cheng Yao’s first big case and bring her her first bucket of gold.

Cheng Yao was persuaded, and when the man heard she worked at Junheng, he voluntarily offered to pay her two months’ rent in exchange for just staying there for three days. Cheng Yao thought she had landed a great deal and agreed. Although it was only for three days, Cheng Yao felt disdain for the man's profession, so she laid down three house rules—most importantly, that he was not allowed to bring women home.

The man was confused until Cheng Yao repeatedly emphasized her point, and he finally realized she had mistaken him for someone in an indecent profession. He was so angry he almost broke his nose. Cheng Yao secretly listened to his voice messages and realized he was actually quite professional. In fact, he sounded somewhat like a lawyer, using many legal terms and arguments. This made Cheng Yao very curious.

What she didn’t know was that this man was none other than Qian Heng, one of the partners at the law firm where she was about to start work. The next day, Cheng Yao arrived at Junheng early, hoping to make a good first impression. Someone briefed her on the firm’s background, including its five partners—though Qian Heng’s photo was not on the wall. Cheng Yao was appointed by Qian Heng to be his assistant.

Everyone expressed concern for her, but Cheng Yao didn’t understand why and thought it was a great opportunity to learn. That was, until she saw Qian Heng walk in—it turned out to be the very man she was sharing an apartment with. Cheng Yao repeatedly apologized to Qian Heng, but he didn’t press the issue. He only emphasized that Cheng Yao should manage her emotions well and not develop inappropriate feelings for him.

The reason he had dismissed his previous thirteen assistants was exactly because of this. Cheng Yao went home and told her best friend about it, who sighed that this felt just like a plot from an idol drama. Cheng Yao then found out her best friend was pregnant—with twins no less. She was happy for her but also worried because the wedding had yet to happen.

Cheng Yao heard some noise from Qian Heng’s room and couldn’t fall asleep, so she went in to check. She discovered that it was a phonograph playing. After turning it off, she accidentally knocked over and broke a root carving. Terrified, she hurried to fix it. Just then, Qian Heng came back. She rushed out and made up an excuse about cleaning, but Qian Heng still found out.

That carving was his treasured item, and he was so angry that he kicked her out of the house. Cheng Yao had nowhere to go, and hotel prices were too high. In desperation, she remembered the company’s break room was fully equipped. Since it was part of the employee benefits, she decided to make use of it herself.

Cheng Yao went to the company’s storage room, thinking no one would come there. She tidied up a simple sleeping area for herself but was shocked to discover that someone had actually sent Qian Heng an urn—clearly, he was deeply hated. Although the place was a bit spooky, she mustered the courage to sleep there to save money. Meanwhile, Qian Heng was tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

His insomnia had worsened recently, and nothing he tried seemed to help, so he had no choice but to go to the firm and work overtime. Cheng Yao was startled awake by a nightmare. When she came out to use the restroom, she saw Qian Heng arriving to work overtime. She quickly lay on the floor to hide—she couldn’t let him find her, or she’d be scolded again.

Once Qian Heng turned toward his office, she quietly returned to the storage room to sleep. Troubled by his insomnia, Qian Heng visited a doctor that Wu Jun had arranged. Wu Jun had praised the doctor to the skies, but Qian Heng found the treatment unimpressive, with no noticeable improvement. At work, Cheng Yao had dark circles under her eyes due to poor sleep.

Tan Ying asked with concern about her condition, while Yu Fei and Bao Rui came over to join the fun, betting on how long Cheng Yao could survive Qian Heng’s torment. Hearing this made Cheng Yao start to strategize in her mind. Wanting to leave a good impression, she went to the restroom to cover her dark circles with some foundation.

When she came out, she ran into Qian Heng, who mistakenly thought she had spent all her time on makeup. The meeting was about to begin, and Qian Heng, with a stern face, told Cheng Yao that arriving later than the boss counts as being late. She was so frightened that she dashed toward the conference room. The topic of the meeting was the post-divorce property division in a case.

Qian Heng had Cheng Yao and Bao Rui compete for the case. In the end, Cheng Yao still couldn’t avoid being scolded. Back in the office, everyone comforted her, and Cheng Yao remained optimistic, with no thought of giving up. In the group chat, Yu Fei and Tan Ying discussed how Cheng Yao was different—any other assistant would have been fired long ago under such circumstances. That night, Qian Heng came to work overtime again.

Cheng Yao, awakened by the noise, thought she had overslept, but when she checked the time, it was only five in the morning. She came out to see who was making noise and ran into Qian Heng. Thinking quickly, she claimed she was also there to work overtime—just a "slow bird starting early"—and even mentioned that Qian Heng had dark circles under his eyes.

Qian Heng didn’t respond on the surface but went back to his office and put on sunglasses to cover them. Wu Jun arrived at the firm. His personality was completely different from Qian Heng’s. In fact, his reason for hiring Cheng Yao had an ulterior motive—his true target was Cheng Yao’s sister, Cheng Xi—but Cheng Yao had no idea, and only Qian Heng understood his little scheme.

After work, Cheng Yao waited for Qian Heng to leave because only then could she go back and sleep peacefully. But Qian Heng unexpectedly returned and caught her. Cheng Yao begged him to let her continue sleeping at the company until she found a place to live. Qian Heng didn’t scold her further. Early the next morning, Cheng Yao woke up and made herself a little food.

Seeing that Qian Heng was still working overtime, she kindly prepared a cup of coffee for him. However, she was reprimanded—Qian Heng told her that her goal was to become a lawyer, not a tea-serving assistant. Cheng Yao pleaded to be allowed to work on a case, saying she didn’t need a cut of the fees, she just wanted experience. To her surprise, Qian Heng agreed immediately.

Cheng Yao thought he had softened, but it turned out Bao Rui had injured his foot, and Qian Heng needed someone to replace him in gathering materials. It was pouring rain outside, and Cheng Yao braved the storm to collect information. When she returned, there was a power outage, so she couldn’t shower at the office. She asked Qian Heng to drop her off at a hotel near her rental, but he coldly refused.

However, in the end, Qian Heng relented and brought her to his home to use the bathroom. To show her gratitude, Cheng Yao made a late-night snack in the kitchen, making quite a racket. Unexpectedly, in the midst of her singing and the clatter of pots and pans, Qian Heng had one of his best sleeps in a long time.

Early the next morning, Qian Heng woke from his sleep—it had been a long time since he’d slept so soundly. He found it hard to believe and suspected that his ability to fall asleep might have something to do with Cheng Yao. When he came to the living room, he found Cheng Yao sleeping soundly on the sofa. Qian Heng called her awake, startling her so much that she rolled off the couch and fell to the floor.

She quickly apologized to Qian Heng, explaining that she had planned to leave after cooking but had accidentally fallen asleep on the sofa. Qian Heng didn’t blame her—after all, he himself had slept well, which was a rare occurrence. After arriving at the firm, Cheng Yao began digging into the Xu Jun divorce property division case.

She was a die-hard fan of Bai Xingmeng, and only now did she realize that Xu Jun had once been rumored to be involved with Bai Xingmeng. However, the timeline of their rumored relationship didn’t match, and Cheng Yao was convinced that Bai Xingmeng had been deceived. Bao Rui advised her to switch her allegiance to Qian Heng instead and even added her to the "Glory and Wealth Group Chat. "That night, Qian Heng was once again plagued by insomnia.

He couldn’t understand why he had been able to sleep the night before but not now under the same conditions. He tried to recreate the noise Cheng Yao made while cooking late at night—he even hired a housekeeper and asked her to make more noise while cooking. The housekeeper quit on the spot, accusing him of disturbing the peace in the middle of the night and telling him to get help if he had issues.

Left with no other option, Qian Heng took some sleeping pills, but they didn’t work. He recalled what Cheng Yao had said about her strong adaptability and ability to sleep anywhere, so he got up and headed to the office to work overtime. On the way, he saw a pharmacy clerk sleeping on the counter and mistook her for Cheng Yao. After waking her up, he realized he had the wrong person.

When he reached the firm's front desk, he mistook the receptionist for Cheng Yao too. When he finally did see the real Cheng Yao, he couldn’t believe it and pinched her mouth to confirm, leaving her completely confused. Trying to please Qian Heng, Cheng Yao offered to share her self-heating hot pot with him but was immediately kicked out. She continued humming as she cooked, and Qian Heng, sitting nearby, started dozing off.

The next morning, colleagues gathered outside Qian Heng’s office and found him sleeping soundly on the sofa. Tan Ying insisted on taking a photo to commemorate the rare scene. Later, Wu Jun arrived and announced that there would be a party tonight to welcome the new employees. He went into Qian Heng’s office, and Qian Heng, already suspicious, knew he had ulterior motives.

As expected, Wu Jun sought out Cheng Yao and asked her to invite her sister Cheng Xi to the party—that was his real goal. During lunch, Qian Heng went looking for Cheng Yao and found out she had gone downstairs for noodles. Cheng Yao was happily sharing her delicious noodles with her best friend Tingting when a former high school classmate recognized her. Upon learning that she was a lawyer, the classmate asked her about financial fraud issues.

Since Cheng Yao specialized in family law, she offered to introduce another lawyer, but her classmate misunderstood her. Just then, Qian Heng arrived and quickly defused the awkward situation with a few words. With a stern face, Qian Heng told her the drain at home was clogged and asked her to fix it—he even told her to move back in.

Cheng Yao found his sudden change in attitude hard to adapt to, and her best friend warned her to be wary of her possibly deranged boss. At the party that night, Wu Jun realized that Cheng Xi hadn’t shown up, so he used the excuse of creating a family contact group to get her WeChat ID. Bao Rui had invited two elite lawyers from another firm, but unexpectedly, one of them started trying to poach Cheng Yao.

When Qian Heng arrived, he immediately shut them down with a few sharp remarks, leaving them speechless. He then suggested playing a game, saying that Truth or Dare was outdated, and proposed a new game: reciting legal statutes. Anyone who couldn’t recite a statute would be fined fifty yuan, and the money would be forfeited. One by one, everyone lost. Qian Heng, true to his elite status, recited the statutes with ease. Cheng Yao got drunk, and Qian Heng offered to drive her home. On the way, she ended up vomiting in the car.

The drunken Cheng Yao was helped into the front passenger seat by Qian Heng. He intended to ask her a few questions, but as soon as Cheng Yao opened her mouth, she spewed alcohol all over. Qian Heng was furious and pulled her out of the car. Yet after abandoning the drunken Cheng Yao, he couldn’t bear it. Just then, a delivery courier nearby was picking up a package and had left a large cardboard box.

Qian Heng placed Cheng Yao into the box and asked if she needed his help. Her mind fogged by alcohol, Cheng Yao kept nodding and shaking her head alternately, unable to give a clear answer. Out of professional habit, Qian Heng took a video of the scene on his phone. And so, with Qian Heng driving ahead to lead the way, Cheng Yao was delivered home in a delivery tricycle while sitting inside the box.

Cheng Yao had no strength left. Qian Heng helped pull her out of the box, and due to inertia, she fell right into his face. At such close range, she had to admit—Qian Heng was indeed a very handsome man. His features were well-defined, his nose straight and tall, even his eyelashes had a slight curl. Cheng Yao examined him closely and questioned if he had undergone cosmetic surgery. After that, she passed out on the sofa.

Seeing that she was in no condition to think clearly, Qian Heng decided not to pursue the matter. The next morning, Cheng Yao groggily woke up on the sofa and found Qian Heng sitting upright beside her. Remembering her reckless behavior from the night before, she was overwhelmed with regret. Qian Heng handed her a list, asking her to pay for the help she received the night before.

Cheng Yao glanced at the list and realized that just getting alcohol on his clothes was already beyond her means—after all, Qian Heng wore branded clothing, and she was just an intern with no money. She pleaded to pay in installments. Qian Heng said there was no room for negotiation but offered another way: move back into the rented apartment and become his personal assistant—essentially a plan to solve his insomnia.

Cheng Yao had no other choice but to reluctantly agree. Having seen the threatening letters and items Qian Heng received in the office storeroom, Cheng Yao bought many self-defense tools just in case. That evening, when Qian Heng was about to rest, he signaled for Cheng Yao to prepare a late-night snack. In truth, he just wanted to fall asleep to the sound of her bustling in the kitchen.

But Cheng Yao, feeling grateful for the free accommodation, decided to show appreciation by ordering delivery from a five-star hotel and carefully plating the dishes for a sense of ritual. Not hearing any cooking sounds, Qian Heng couldn’t fall asleep. He came out of the bedroom and saw Cheng Yao plating food, displeased, and demanded she start over. Cheng Yao thought he disliked takeout for being unhealthy and had no choice but to start cooking from scratch.

After a round of busy work, she called Qian Heng to eat, but got no response. She figured he had fallen asleep and didn’t knock again. Unwilling to waste the large spread of food, she ate it all herself. The next day at work, Wu Jun discussed with Qian Heng that until he succeeded in pursuing Cheng Xi, they must maintain a good relationship with Cheng Yao.

He then went to Cheng Yao’s desk and advised her to do a good job as Qian Heng’s assistant. Since Qian Heng wasn’t great at interacting with people, Cheng Yao should complement that. He also told her she could get reimbursed for some daily expenses, which made Cheng Yao very happy. As she was leaving the office, Cheng Yao saw two men tugging at Qian Heng in front of the office building.

Thinking they were attackers, she took out her pepper spray and sprayed them in a flurry. Qian Heng rushed to stop her and explained that the two men were his mother’s bodyguards. The whole situation was both ridiculous and exasperating. Back home, Qian Heng’s mother was lying in bed pretending to be ill. In fact, she just wanted her son to spend more time at home. Qian Heng saw right through her act and exposed her directly.

His mother admitted that she was genuinely worried about his health—his poor sleep and irregular routine had created a vicious cycle. Qian Heng promised her he would adjust his lifestyle within a few months. Wu Jun finally got a chance to meet with Cheng Xi. He vividly remembered their high school days—once while running with Cheng Xi on the school track, he collapsed from exhaustion and it was Cheng Xi who carried him to the infirmary.

Cheng Xi had arranged their meeting at a vegetable market. Wu Jun arrived early, and when Cheng Xi finally appeared, his eyes lit up—she was still as beautiful as ever. To thank Wu Jun for helping get Cheng Yao into the firm, Cheng Xi invited him to dinner. After a few drinks, Wu Jun became emotional and lost control of his body. Once again, it was Cheng Xi who helped him out of the restaurant.

The next morning, Wu Jun woke up in a hotel, with a faint fragrance on the pillow beside him and 500 yuan on the nightstand. It was likely left by Cheng Xi. He had no recollection of what had happened the night before.

Wu Jun excitedly told Qian Heng about his recent experience. Although he was happy to have met Cheng Xi, he mostly felt upset because he couldn’t remember what had happened the previous night. He hated his poor tolerance for alcohol—blacking out at such a blissful moment. Too embarrassed to call Cheng Xi and ask, Wu Jun confided in Qian Heng, who teased him and threatened to expose the story on social media. Wu Jun naturally refused.

The two playfully scuffled in the office, all of which was seen by Cheng Yao. Cheng Yao began to suspect that Qian Heng might have some peculiar preferences. She asked Tan Ying, who sat nearby. Tan Ying explained that it was nothing unusual—they were close and often bickered like that. Wu Jun also suggested a remedy for Qian Heng’s insomnia: sit on the toilet for forty minutes before bed.

Back at the apartment, Qian Heng tried Wu Jun’s method and sat in the bathroom for a long time, but still felt no sign of sleepiness once he returned to his bedroom. Meanwhile, Cheng Yao secretly timed him from the living room, assuming Qian Heng was suffering from work-related stress and constipation. She kindly reminded him that eating more fruit could help relieve it. Qian Heng was confused and warned her not to meddle in his business.

Soon after, Cheng Yao stuck little notes on the toilet with tips for improving bowel movement. Qian Heng was both amused and exasperated. All these signs made Cheng Yao even more convinced that Qian Heng had some secret. One night, when Qian Heng went out jogging, Cheng Yao followed him to uncover the truth. But Qian Heng quickly noticed and left her behind. She sat on the roadside, panting. On his way back, Qian Heng confronted her about stalking him.

Cheng Yao explained that she simply wanted to understand him better. Seeing how energetic she was, Qian Heng decided to let her join in on a current stalking case to prevent her from doing anything even more ridiculous. The next day, Qian Heng took Cheng Yao to meet Bai Xingmeng, a celebrity filing for divorce, who happened to be one of Cheng Yao’s favorite stars. After a brief conversation, Cheng Yao escorted Bai Xingmeng out of the office.

Her every gesture left a good impression on the actress. That evening, back at the apartment, Cheng Yao began preparing a late-night snack for Qian Heng early on. Seeing her busy, Qian Heng told her to start half an hour later and to use the same ingredients and hum the same tune as a few nights ago. After giving these instructions, he quickly returned to his room to handle some work.

Half an hour later, he shut down his computer and lay in bed. In the living room, Cheng Yao began humming a little tune, and Qian Heng soon drifted off to sleep. In the middle of the night, Qian Heng woke up. Although disappointed that he hadn’t slept straight through till morning, he was still satisfied. Feeling a bit hungry, he went to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and ate the late-night snack Cheng Yao had made.

After finishing, he was about to return to his room when he saw Cheng Yao asleep at her computer. He woke her up. Disturbed in her sleep, Cheng Yao was a bit displeased. Qian Heng offered to let her ask some case-related questions as a token of appreciation, which immediately sparked her interest. With Qian Heng’s guidance, Cheng Yao came up with a new approach to the case and retrieved transaction records of the involved company from the Market Regulation Bureau.

When they met Bai Xingmeng again, Qian Heng suggested delaying the divorce filing by six months. If the other party’s company successfully went public, they could negotiate for greater financial compensation. However, Bai Xingmeng declined his suggestion and insisted on proceeding immediately. Qian Heng respected her decision and asked Cheng Yao to continue working with her directly. Bai Xingmeng had a very good impression of Cheng Yao and shared how she fell in love and got married.

At first, she was swept away by happiness, only to realize after marriage that her husband was merely exploiting her resources. These were things she had no one to confide in, so talking to Cheng Yao brought her some relief. Wu Jun found a puppy to keep Cheng Xi company. While the two were happily chatting, Qian Heng called Wu Jun, urging him to rush back to the office.

When they met, Qian Heng couldn’t wait to share the news that he had slept soundly through the night. Wu Jun was both amused and exasperated but genuinely happy for his friend.

Cheng Yao suddenly thought of her older sister Cheng Xi, who was also divorced, and invited her to visit an amusement park together. Perhaps she wanted to better understand the emotional journey of marriage victims to help Bai Xingmeng win her case. That day, they got off work early, and Qian Heng asked Cheng Yao to return to the apartment to prepare dinner. Cheng Yao reminded him that their co-renting agreement only required her to make late-night snacks.

Qian Heng argued that one dinner could offset a whole day’s compensation, so Cheng Yao reluctantly agreed. At the dinner table, Cheng Yao shared many of her thoughts on the case. Qian Heng advised her not to get too close to the client and not to judge things emotionally. To become a good lawyer, she needed to rely on evidence. He also asked Cheng Yao to accompany him to a networking event for young lawyers.

Although Cheng Yao had planned to go to the amusement park with Cheng Xi, she agreed to Qian Heng’s request to fulfill her compensation obligations as soon as possible. To prevent unfamiliar women from approaching him, Qian Heng deliberately brought Cheng Yao to the event. The gathering had two segments—the first was face-to-face communication between young men and women. Many peers whispered when they saw Qian Heng with a woman, asking about their relationship.

During the face-to-face session, Qian Heng responded coldly to questions from several women. Perhaps this was why he remained single—he never wanted to spend any time on women and would even sharply reject those who showed interest in him. At the amusement park, Cheng Xi waited for Cheng Yao for a long time. When she learned that Cheng Yao had to work overtime, she prepared to head home.

Suddenly, she found Wu Jun standing behind her and questioned whether Cheng Yao’s overtime had been arranged on purpose by him. Wu Jun naturally denied it, simply enjoying the moment. The second segment of the networking event was free-pair rowing. Cheng Yao hoped to interact more with promising young lawyers from other firms, but Qian Heng used the year-end bonus as leverage to demand she team up with him.

As they sat in the boat, Qian Heng didn’t move, leaving Cheng Yao to row alone. To finish in the top three and win a 200-yuan prize, Cheng Yao rowed hard. She accidentally dropped the oar into the water, and as the two tried to retrieve it, they both ended up falling in. After coming ashore, Qian Heng was shivering from the cold.

Cheng Yao brought him hot water to warm up, but Qian Heng scolded her not to act kind on purpose and not to expect him to soften and forgive her debt. Then, the two headed to the hotel to change out of their wet clothes. Wu Jun and Cheng Xi went through a haunted house together. Although he had intended to be her protector, he ended up terrified and stunned. After exiting, he stood frozen for a long time.

Once he came to his senses, he explained what had happened at the hotel a few days ago and promised to take responsibility. Before Cheng Xi could reply, Qian Heng called and asked Wu Jun to fetch a set of clothes from his apartment and deliver them to a specific hotel, along with a set of women’s clothes.

When Wu Jun delivered the clothes and saw Qian Heng and Cheng Yao wrapped in towels, he was shocked and questioned what had happened. Qian Heng warned him not to overthink it, stating that Cheng Yao was not his type. Cheng Yao quickly denied any such implication as well. Back at the apartment, while Qian Heng was working late, someone knocked at the door. From the voice, he recognized it as Dong Min, who had been pursuing him.

He hurried back to his room and texted Dong Min, telling her not to disturb his cohabiting girlfriend, hoping she would give up. Curious about Qian Heng’s admirer, Cheng Yao took it upon herself to open the door. Dong Min issued a challenge to Cheng Yao, declaring that Qian Heng would be hers eventually. After Dong Min left, Qian Heng clarified the situation to Cheng Yao. Dong Min was the daughter of a major client.

Although he had already rejected her romantically, she still wouldn’t give up. Cheng Yao also grew suspicious—why would someone like Qian Heng, who had a vacant villa, insist on sharing an apartment with her? What was his true motive? The next day, Cheng Yao found archives from the past three months at the law firm and discovered Qian Heng had been in contact with a psychologist.

She guessed that Qian Heng suffered from frequent insomnia and suddenly realized that his nightly requests for her to prepare snacks and hum tunes were actually a form of hypnosis. Realizing this, Cheng Yao finally felt like she had some control over him, and the thought gave her a sense of satisfaction.

Xu Jun applied for a pre-trial settlement, but Bai Xingmeng refused to meet him and could only reach out to the representing lawyer, Qian Heng. Xu Jun’s lawyer, Gu Beiqing, was acquainted with Cheng Yao. When Gu Beiqing presented Xu Jun’s compensation offer, Qian Heng rejected it outright. He knew very well that Xu Jun’s company was on the verge of going public, and if successful, its value would instantly double.

The compensation offered was merely a drop in the bucket. This urgency to settle was exactly why Xu Jun was in such a rush, but such tactics held no weight for Qian Heng. Since the agreement wasn't reached, Gu Beiqing was about to leave the meeting room when he casually suggested to Cheng Yao that they should have a meal sometime. Cheng Yao began analyzing Bai Xingmeng’s intentions from her own perspective.

Qian Heng reminded her that a lawyer must adhere to the facts and not rely on subjective assumptions, and she should never bring personal relationships with opposing counsel into her work. Cheng Yao explained that Gu Beiqing was a senior from school who once mentored her during the bar exam, then went abroad after graduation, and that they had only just reconnected. There was absolutely no private relationship that would interfere with her work.

A friend of Cheng Xi had been in a car accident, and she had to rush to another city to visit, so she entrusted her dog, Weizhentian, to Cheng Yao. Cheng Yao was reluctant, but seeing how panicked Cheng Xi was, she had no choice but to agree. When Qian Heng came home and heard the dog barking, he immediately demanded Cheng Yao get rid of it. He had never liked keeping pets.

Cheng Yao pleaded repeatedly and listed many benefits of raising a dog, but Qian Heng remained unmoved and coldly stated that either the dog or Cheng Yao could stay—not both. That night, Cheng Yao was full of resentment and started preparing the late-night snack very late. Qian Heng couldn’t fall asleep without hearing her familiar humming and finally gave in, agreeing to let the dog stay temporarily as long as it didn’t enter the living room.

The next day at work, Qian Heng had to go on a business trip and asked Cheng Yao to receive Bai Xingmeng. As soon as Bai Xingmeng saw Cheng Yao, she burst into tears, recounting her plight. Xu Jun had used various tactics to threaten her into accepting a divorce settlement. Left with no choice, Bai Xingmeng begged Cheng Yao to speak on her behalf. Cheng Yao knew this was against procedure and said she needed Qian Heng’s approval.

Bai Xingmeng was sincere and persistent, and Cheng Yao reluctantly agreed. Soon after, Xu Jun spoke with Cheng Yao again and asked for a face-to-face talk with Bai Xingmeng. Cheng Yao directly refused. The next day, news broke that Xu Jun had jumped to his death, leaving behind a suicide note stating that his company was about to go public, but his ex-wife had spread damaging rumors about him.

His repeated attempts at reconciliation had been rejected, ruining his reputation and dashing hopes for the IPO. Years of hard work were now in vain, and he could no longer bear the pressure, so he chose to end his life. Bai Xingmeng hired a new lawyer, Deng Ming, and quickly held a press conference announcing that she had entrusted the entire divorce case to Junheng Law Firm, and that all communications with Xu Jun had been through their lawyers.

As for Xu Jun’s repeated reconciliation attempts, she claimed that the Junheng lawyers had failed to deliver the messages, and she had never been informed. Cheng Yao finally realized she had been duped by Bai Xingmeng. Cheng Yao blocked Bai Xingmeng at the press conference entrance, questioning why she falsely accused Junheng. Bai Xingmeng said nothing and left Deng Ming to deal with her. Deng Ming, who was Cheng Xi’s ex-husband, recognized Cheng Yao and advised her to accept reality.

Cheng Yao was at a loss for words when Qian Heng suddenly appeared, stood in front of her, and warned Deng Ming to stop playing tricks. Cheng Yao admitted her mistake to Qian Heng and expressed her willingness to take full responsibility. Qian Heng guided Cheng Yao to recognize the issues in the case and finally told her that his previous warnings about keeping distance from clients were meant to protect her.

Being a lawyer requires basic professional ethics—enthusiasm alone isn’t enough. Only by understanding the boundaries of the law can one go far in this profession. To thank Qian Heng for covering for her and handling the aftermath, Cheng Yao prepared a large seafood feast. Qian Heng, however, asked her to write a self-reflection analyzing the errors in her work this time.

Xu Jun’s older brother posted a video online accusing Cheng Yao of deliberately concealing Xu Jun’s requests for reconciliation, which drove him to despair and ultimately to take his own life. Public opinion quickly escalated, and Cheng Yao was labeled as an unscrupulous lawyer profiting from someone’s misfortune. Qian Heng brought Cheng Yao to meet with Gu Beiqing, hoping that Gu Beiqing could provide a subjective analysis of the case without relying on evidence.

Gu Beiqing explained that Xu Jun had been suffering from depression for a long time. In their marriage, both Xu Jun and Bai Xingmeng had their own agendas. Although Xu Jun tried to leverage Bai Xingmeng’s fame to grow his company, Bai Xingmeng proved more cunning at critical moments. After meeting a new lover during the marriage, she set up a series of traps that left Xu Jun with no way out.

The new lover’s company eventually gained the upper hand. Gu Beiqing offered to release partial evidence, if necessary, to prove that Xu Jun’s death had nothing to do with Cheng Yao and to help her fend off online attacks. Qian Heng immediately rejected the offer, saying the matter was within his ability to handle and did not require help from outsiders. When Gu Beiqing raised his glass for a toast, Qian Heng directly asked him to leave.

Cheng Yao once again thanked Qian Heng for helping her see the truth and alleviating her guilt. Cheng Yao received many threatening items and was worried about dragging Cheng Xi into the matter. She called to check on her, though she couldn’t say much directly. In the age of the internet, nothing stays hidden. Cheng Xi pretended not to know anything to keep her sister from worrying.

Deng Ming’s mother was about to have surgery, and because the elderly woman had always been fond of Cheng Xi, Deng Ming hadn’t told her about their divorce. He asked Cheng Xi to visit his mother before the operation. Cheng Xi agreed but warned Deng Ming that personal matters and justice were separate—she would settle the score with him for framing Cheng Yao in due time. As for holding Bai Xingmeng accountable, Wu Jun and Qian Heng shared the same determination.

Each drafted an appeal, both resolved to restore Junheng Law Firm’s reputation. Qian Heng instructed Wu Jun to first release a statement declaring that the Bai Xingmeng case was solely handled by Qian Heng, and then proceed with the next steps. Wu Jun delivered the lawyer’s letter to Deng Ming in person, and the two exchanged a few barbed words before Deng Ming had no choice but to accept the lawsuit.

Qian Heng postponed a meeting with an important client, worried about Cheng Yao’s emotional state. When he returned to the apartment, Cheng Yao was clearly in low spirits and hadn’t prepared dinner, assuming Qian Heng had gone to meet the client. Qian Heng took her to the supermarket and bought lots of snacks, encouraging her to pick whatever she liked.

Back at the apartment, he said he wouldn’t eat snacks at night, and if they were left until the next day, they’d expire and be thrown out anyway. Cheng Yao, of course, couldn’t bear to waste them and ended up eating them herself. In truth, Qian Heng had deliberately created this opportunity to help Cheng Yao vent.

As she sat there hugging the snacks, eating and crying, Qian Heng, unsure of what to say to comfort her, silently handed her his handkerchief to wipe her tears. Back in her room, Cheng Yao sobbed loudly. Hearing her cries, Qian Heng felt a pang of sympathy but didn’t know how to show it. He returned to his bedroom and promptly began arranging a strategy to counter the online exposure by Bai Xingmeng’s fans.

After the situation was brought under control, Bao Rui and Yu Fei gossiped about how surprisingly concerned Qian Heng was for Cheng Yao—even working overtime overnight to change public opinion. Cheng Yao didn’t dare check Weibo, knowing she’d only see insults about herself. Bao Rui encouraged her to go online, and Cheng Yao discovered that many people had issued apologies to her. After Yu Fei explained, Cheng Yao realized it was Qian Heng who had helped her.

Still wanting to comfort Cheng Yao, Qian Heng awkwardly searched online for stress-relief methods and found one—paper shredding. But Cheng Yao felt that doing such a meaningless task was a waste of time. Just then, the cleaning lady passed by and offered to help shred the paper, and Cheng Yao agreed.

Wu Jun invited Cheng Xi to dinner and brought up the idea of filing a lawsuit over Deng Ming’s false accusations against her. Cheng Xi pointed out that Deng Ming might turn around and bite back—he had always been cunning. Wu Jun said that with Qian Heng as his legal backing, there was no case he couldn’t win.

But Cheng Xi explained that she didn’t want to waste even a shred of energy on someone like Deng Ming—it simply wasn’t worth it. Wu Jun was secretly pleased. Even if he couldn’t help Cheng Xi as a hero saving a damsel, at least he now knew she utterly despised Deng Ming, which gave him more confidence to pursue her. Qian Heng searched online for ways to relieve stress, and one of them was doing housework.

So he deliberately messed up the apartment for two days in a row and blamed it on the dog. He thought that if Cheng Yao got busy, she might temporarily forget her troubles. But Cheng Yao could tell the mess was man-made and sarcastically blamed the dog for being inconsiderate—she already worked hard during the day and now had to clean up at night too.

Qian Heng searched the internet again and saw several comments from netizens asking why a male boss would care so much about a female subordinate—apart from love, there was no other explanation. Qian Heng’s heart skipped a beat. Could he really have developed special feelings for Cheng Yao? He couldn’t quite explain it himself. That night, Qian Heng took Cheng Yao out for a night run.

Cheng Yao couldn’t keep up and stopped, gasping for breath, in front of a shopping mall. The fountain began to spray, and the two of them paused to watch. Taking advantage of the moment, Cheng Yao expressed her gratitude to Qian Heng—for calming the online storm, for helping her relieve stress, for being thoughtful in every way.

Qian Heng didn’t know how to respond and ended up saying that he was merely trying to prevent his employee’s issues from affecting work efficiency. Cheng Xi went to the hospital to visit Deng Ming’s mother. Deng Ming repeatedly tried to initiate physical contact, which Cheng Xi found disgusting and kept rejecting. Seeing Deng Ming’s fake expression, Cheng Xi made sarcastic remarks. As she was leaving the hospital, Deng Ming asked for a reconciliation.

Cheng Xi advised him to stop putting on a show. When she got home, Wu Jun called to say he had resolved the issue of Cheng Yao being attacked online. In truth, he was taking credit for what Qian Heng had done, but since their relationship wasn’t that particular about such things, Cheng Xi was very grateful and said she would treat Wu Jun to dinner in a few days.

Deng Ming ordered his assistant to follow and secretly photograph Cheng Xi, obtaining pictures of her shopping with Wu Jun. Furious, he began scheming again. Wu Jun went to discuss it with Qian Heng and proposed a plan to bring Cheng Xi into Junheng Law Firm. Since Cheng Xi was currently doing legal aid work, they could create a new service area related to it. Qian Heng warned him not to mix emotions with work, or it would affect efficiency.

But Wu Jun didn’t listen at all. At the firm, Cheng Yao wasn’t tracking any cases and had a lot of free time. A colleague asked her to help with some legal aid work, which she was happy to do to stay busy. But Wu Jun snatched the aid project proposal right out of her hands and declared that he would handle all legal aid work from now on.

Dong Min invited Qian Heng to dinner, using the opportunity to inquire about recent communications between her father and Qian Heng. She also asked Qian Heng to consider her feelings. Qian Heng told Dong Min that while she was still young, she should focus on self-improvement rather than always thinking about romance. Qian Heng handed over Dong Min’s father Dong Shan’s divorce case to Cheng Yao. Cheng Yao arranged a meeting with Dong Shan to understand the situation.

Dong Shan had been diagnosed with a stomach ulcer that might develop into stomach cancer. Before the board of directors found out, he planned to divorce his wife so that even if he was later pushed out, his wife could remain on the board. Although Cheng Yao was moved by Dong Shan’s view of life, she also felt something was off.

A stomach ulcer wasn’t a serious illness, so his eagerness to divorce didn’t seem as simple as he made it out to be. But she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was wrong and could only ponder it silently in her heart.

Cheng Yao looked into Dong Tian’s personal information and found that most of his villas were located downtown, except for one in the suburbs. She went to the suburban villa alone and happened to run into Dong Tian, who had just returned, accompanied by a young pregnant woman. Dong Tian no longer tried to hide the truth—the mistress was due to give birth in a month, and it was a boy.

He wanted to divorce Jiang Wenxiu before the baby was born so that the mistress and the child would have proper status. Cheng Yao reported all her findings to Qian Heng. Qian Heng was not surprised, saying it was all within his expectations. A businessman like Dong Shan, in such a hurry to divorce, couldn’t possibly be acting purely out of love for his wife.

Recently, there had been several groping incidents in the apartment that Cheng Yao and Qian Heng shared. The property management issued flyers to notify residents. When Qian Heng got home and found that Cheng Yao hadn’t returned from walking the dog, and it was already nighttime, he became increasingly worried because of the recent incidents. He enlisted the help of property staff to search the streets for her and even promised triple pay to whoever found her first.

Just as they stepped outside the apartment, Cheng Yao returned with the dog. The dog had eaten feces and suddenly pounced on Qian Heng, licking his face a few times. Cheng Yao hurriedly picked up the dog, and Qian Heng caught a whiff of feces. Back in the apartment, Cheng Yao took out her facial cleanser and helped Qian Heng wash his face where the dog had licked.

She repeatedly apologized, asking him not to take it to heart—it was unintentional. Seeing how sincere she was, Qian Heng couldn’t bring himself to say more. Wu Jun vacated an office and showed it to Cheng Xi. Cheng Xi gave a rough description of how she would arrange the space. Wu Jun immediately agreed.

A moment later, Cheng Xi told him she was just joking—she was a public interest lawyer, and most of her clients were in the suburbs or shantytowns. It was impossible for her to meet them in an office. Still, she appreciated Wu Jun’s thoughtful gesture. Seeing his attempt to please her fail, Wu Jun took a step back and asked to serve as Cheng Xi’s assistant. If she needed to handle external affairs, he insisted on being involved.

Seeing that Cheng Xi now had a suitor, Deng Ming grew resentful and managed to find out where she lived. Cheng Xi was chatting with a client when she saw Deng Ming and stepped outside to speak with him. Deng Ming, pretending concern, asked about her recent life under the pretext of forgetting his safe’s password. Cheng Xi didn’t fall for the act and pretended to accidentally step on Deng Ming’s foot with the heel of her shoe.

Deng Ming still tried to pester her, but the client called Cheng Xi from the door, giving her a way out. Cheng Yao began working overtime on Dong Shan’s divorce case, only to be informed by Qian Heng that Dong Shan had died unexpectedly and the case was now terminated. Dong Shan had been her first client, and Qian Heng wanted to attend the memorial service to pay his respects, so Cheng Yao went with him.

After the service, Jiang Wenxiu asked to speak with Qian Heng and Cheng Yao. She said she knew about Dong Shan filing for divorce, though the company’s board did not. Since what was done was done, she asked them not to disclose the divorce proceedings so she could retain her rightful benefits at the company. This fell within the normal scope of confidentiality, and of course Qian Heng agreed.

On the way back to the firm, Cheng Yao was still wondering why Dong Shan’s memorial was held in such a rush. Qian Heng analyzed that Jiang Wenxiu was acting out of self-interest. She knew about Dong Shan’s mistress, and if the other woman discovered his death and conducted a paternity test using his body, the illegitimate child would also be entitled to inheritance.

By cremating the body in a hurry, the mistress would have no way to act and couldn’t claim the inheritance. After handling Dong Shan’s affairs, Dong Min asked to meet Cheng Yao and expressed her envy that Cheng Yao could stay by Qian Heng’s side. Cheng Yao didn’t know how to respond and offered a few words of comfort.

Cheng Yao treated Qian Heng to a meal, and Qian Heng chose an upscale restaurant. The meal cost 2,000 yuan, which made Cheng Yao feel quite distressed. That night, after returning to the apartment, Qian Heng transferred the money to Cheng Yao, explaining that he never let women pay for him. Cheng Yao tried to decline out of politeness, but Qian Heng was firm, so she accepted the transfer.

Cheng Yao went shopping at the supermarket, where there was a promotion—buy one get one free on ice cream. She bought two and intentionally offered one to Qian Heng as a thank-you. Qian Heng usually didn’t eat ice cream, but seeing Cheng Yao’s kind gesture, he took a few bites and found it surprisingly tasty. He suggested that Cheng Yao buy more to stock in the freezer and said he would cover all the cost.

While walking her dog, Cheng Yao ran into a man whose dog got tangled up with hers. The man immediately came over and, claiming that his dog had been harassed, demanded 20,000 yuan in compensation. Cheng Yao had reason on her side but couldn’t argue her way out. Suddenly, Qian Heng stepped in front of her and directly transferred 3,000 yuan to the man.

As the man happily turned to leave, Qian Heng used various legal clauses to pressure him into returning the money. Cheng Yao chatted with her best friend Li Mengting and shared everything that had happened between her and Qian Heng. Li Mengting analyzed that Qian Heng must like Cheng Yao—why else would he keep stepping in to save her? Cheng Yao felt her face flush and couldn’t express her emotions.

She recalled a few days earlier when she and Qian Heng were dining together and discovered they both liked the same game soundtrack on vinyl. Qian Heng generously offered to give her a copy. Cheng Yao said she didn’t have a record player, so there was no point. But Qian Heng believed that as long as she liked it, the gift had meaning even if she couldn’t use it.

When shopping at the supermarket, Qian Heng picked out snacks he liked but didn’t eat them after returning to the apartment—instead, he gave them all to her. What did all this mean? Lying in bed tossing and turning, Cheng Yao couldn’t figure out what Qian Heng was thinking. For now, she told herself not to overthink it. She carefully prepared the rooftop, set up a foot bath and fruit for Qian Heng, and brought up some light-hearted topics.

In that relaxing setting, Qian Heng dozed off in his chair. Watching him sleep so peacefully, Cheng Yao felt a sense of accomplishment. Dong Shan’s mistress, Chen Qingmei, came to Junheng Law Firm looking for Qian Heng. She wanted to sue Jiang Wenxiu for secretly cremating Dong Shan’s body and to fight for inheritance rights for her soon-to-be-born son—a claim worth 200 million yuan.

Qian Heng agreed to take the case, but Cheng Yao considered Chen Qingmei a morally tainted third party and constantly rebutted with her own personal views. Qian Heng interrupted Cheng Yao and assigned Bao Rui to handle the case, with Cheng Yao as assistant. Back at the office, Qian Heng was furious at Cheng Yao for her lack of professionalism. Cheng Yao openly declared she was giving up involvement in Chen Qingmei’s case.

Qian Heng was disappointed and accidentally blurted out that he never should have agreed to let her join the firm in the first place. It struck Cheng Yao like a bolt from the blue—only then did she realize that she hadn’t entered Junheng Law Firm based on her true capabilities. Immediately after, Qian Heng threw a file of an important client on the desk. It was originally Cheng Yao’s responsibility to organize it.

Seeing Cheng Yao’s low spirits and Qian Heng still angry, Yu Fei stepped in and took the blame for her. That night, Cheng Yao didn’t return to the apartment, and she didn’t show up at work the next day either. When Wu Jun found out, he told Cheng Xi, who then found Cheng Yao and comforted her. She told her not to let her personal matters affect her career.

The more things didn’t go her way, the more she should push herself. She reminded Cheng Yao to cherish her opportunity at Junheng and work on improving herself. After calming down, Cheng Yao returned to work and admitted to acting on emotion. Wu Jun was very happy and went straight to tell Cheng Xi. Qian Heng agreed to let Cheng Yao resume work on Chen Qingmei’s case.

Given Chen Qingmei’s claims, Qian Heng proposed conducting a paternity test using Dong Shan’s father’s DNA. Bao Rui believed that the credibility of a paternity test alone was insufficient and that it should be supported with more evidence to confirm the identity of Chen Qingmei’s child.

Cheng Yao suggested using the process of elimination: if the child could be proven to have a biological connection to Dong Shan’s father, and Dong Shan had no brothers, then it would indirectly confirm the child’s identity. In addition, Chen Qingmei’s prenatal check-up records and surveillance footage from the suburban villa could also serve as evidence. This analysis satisfied Qian Heng, who immediately stated that the next steps would follow Cheng Yao’s approach.

Standing to the side, Bao Rui nervously asked if that was a compliment for Cheng Yao. Wanting to focus entirely on work and stop overthinking, Cheng Yao decided to temporarily move out of the apartment and put all her energy into the case. When Cheng Yao returned to the apartment to pack her clothes, Qian Heng left her a note, telling her not to stay in a hotel just to keep up appearances if she didn’t have money.

He had already moved back to the villa, so she could stay in the apartment and concentrate more on the case. Meanwhile, Qian Heng didn’t leave until he saw the lights go out in Cheng Yao’s apartment from his car, ensuring she had gone to bed. Deng Ming got drunk and showed up at Cheng Xi’s place, speaking from the heart.

He said he wasn’t happy in his current marriage and that what he missed most were the days he spent with Cheng Xi. He warned her not to get too close to Wu Jun, claiming Wu Jun had dated many women and that Cheng Xi would eventually be abandoned. As he spoke, he tried to hug her, but Cheng Xi forcefully pushed him away, splashed him with water, and threw him out.

After Deng Ming left, Cheng Xi recalled her school days with Wu Jun and realized he wasn’t as bad as Deng Ming described. At the very least, they had shared a precious friendship during their student years. Cheng Yao and Bao Rui took the opportunity to go to the nursing home when Dong Min and her mother were not around, and applied to perform a paternity test beside the old Mr. Dong’s hospital bed. As soon as Mr.

Dong heard he might have a grandson, he signed the consent form without hesitation. A caregiver standing nearby mocked Cheng Yao for disregarding morality just for money. Cheng Yao looked confused, and as soon as she walked out of the room, she saw that Chen Qingmei had been waiting for a long time. Chen Qingmei was impatient and eager to proceed with the paternity test, even demanding a blood draw despite the risk of miscarriage.

Accompanying Chen Qingmei was a man neither of them recognized—it seemed Chen Qingmei had found a new boyfriend quickly. Her relationship with Dong Shan was purely motivated by a desire for his wealth. Bao Rui also despised Chen Qingmei deep down but, due to professional responsibility, refrained from expressing personal opinions. Deng Ming ordered flowers online and had them delivered to Cheng Xi’s door.

Upon learning that the flowers were from Deng Ming, Cheng Xi threw the bouquet straight into the trash. Wu Jun asked Cheng Xi out, but she told him not to contact her again. She feared Deng Ming’s strong jealousy and manipulative ways could pose a threat to Wu Jun. Wu Jun insisted that he wouldn’t back down because of Deng Ming, but Cheng Xi still asked him to stay away.

Coincidentally, Qian Heng invited Wu Jun for a foot bath and wellness session. Wu Jun poured out his troubles, while Qian Heng couldn’t help but think of the foot soak set Cheng Yao had prepared for him a few days earlier. Now that the mood had changed, a feeling of loss crept in. After work, Cheng Yao returned to the apartment and, out of habit, prepared a late-night snack, though no one was there to share it.

She suddenly found herself missing the days of living with Qian Heng. The court soon held a hearing and delivered a verdict. With ample evidence, Chen Qingmei won the case. Dong Min was furious and accused Cheng Yao of being money-minded, saying she had foolishly considered Cheng Yao a friend. She then turned her anger on Mr. Dong, who became even more enraged and raised his cane to hit her. Cheng Yao quickly stepped in to stop him.

Jiang Wenxiu pulled Dong Min out of the courtroom. Qian Heng noticed that Cheng Yao’s arm had been scratched by the cane and approached to check if she was hurt. Cheng Yao said nothing and left the courthouse alone.

When Qian Heng saw that Cheng Yao's arm had been scratched, he took out a bandage he carried with him and helped her put it on. He even gave a strained explanation, saying that if an employee gets injured during work, the boss bears undeniable responsibility. The next day at work, because they had won the case, Bao Rui excitedly suggested treating Cheng Yao to a big meal.

Cheng Yao declined, saying there was no joy in someone like Chen Qingmei winning the case. Qian Heng called Cheng Yao into his office and explained why he took on Chen Qingmei’s case. He said judging a person’s character requires a comprehensive perspective—even the worst people have a kind side, and sometimes they act out of desperation. Besides, the law grants freedom to everyone, and when someone truly commits a wrongdoing, the law won’t go easy on them.

The conversation was eye-opening for Cheng Yao. She realized she had been too emotional and not professional enough. Thinking it over, she felt it was worthwhile to be Qian Heng’s assistant attorney. As she walked out of the office, Cheng Yao’s mood had completely changed. She returned to her desk and rewrote her career goals. Strangely, her thoughts drifted to Qian Heng again. She didn’t dare dwell on it and quickly tried to busy herself.

Unable to sleep in the villa at night, Qian Heng called Wu Jun to vent but got yelled at. He then went to the apartment where Cheng Yao was watching a drama. Qian Heng claimed he came to look for a pen but actually wanted to move back in. Unexpectedly, Cheng Yao didn’t try to persuade him to stay. After watching him search for a while, she helped him call a cab and sent him home.

The next day, Qian Heng, who had been suffering from insomnia for several days, showed up at work with dark circles under his eyes and wore sunglasses to cover them. Cheng Yao gave a summary of the Chen Qingmei case, and Qian Heng didn’t express any opinion. Bao Rui commented that Cheng Yao had already surpassed the previous thirteen assistants.

As the meeting ended and everyone was about to leave the room, Cheng Yao suddenly looked back and noticed Qian Heng’s dark circles. She wanted to suggest that he move back into the apartment, but Bao Rui suddenly came in with documents, so Cheng Yao deliberately changed the subject. Cheng Yao treated the other three members of the "Glory and Riches" group to Pizza Hut.

During the meal, Bao Rui received a call—Chen Qingmei had gone into premature labor, and due to prolonged oxygen deprivation during birth, the baby was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. If the baby were to die unexpectedly, Chen Qingmei would inherit the estate. To prevent her from harming the child, the old Mr. Dong had arranged for someone to keep constant watch. Mr.

Dong also met with Cheng Yao, demanding that the paternity test be withdrawn, as Chen Qingmei’s son now had a physiological defect. Jiang Wenxiu and Dong Min were also very angry and no longer cared for him. They were even planning to emigrate. Cheng Yao received a call from her mother—her parents would be visiting in a few days and planned to stay for a while.

She muttered to herself that it was a good thing Qian Heng had moved out. If her parents saw the two of them living together, who knows what they’d think. Qian Heng asked Bao Rui to book two plane tickets to another city for the next day. To get to the airport early, he decided to stay at the apartment that night.

Cheng Yao cooked dinner, and during the meal, she played a horror movie to scare Qian Heng, hoping he’d be frightened enough to return to the villa. But Qian Heng showed no reaction at all to the scary scenes—on the contrary, it was Cheng Yao who ended up terrified. That night, as they were getting ready for bed, a cool breeze blew through the window and the curtains swayed gently.

Suddenly, the power went out and the room was plunged into darkness. Thinking of the horror movie they had just watched, Cheng Yao didn’t dare stay in her room alone. She ran to Qian Heng’s room and, after some pleading, stayed there. Neither of them could fall asleep, so they started chatting about Qian Heng’s early career. Qian Heng said his parents had not supported him in the beginning and that he had built his career from scratch.

He also encountered a mentor who deliberately created obstacles for him—it had taken a lot for him to get where he was. After chatting for a while, they both got hungry and got up for a late-night snack. Cheng Yao talked about her own early days as a lawyer, when her mentor often made her accompany him to drinking events. Qian Heng was furious when he heard this. He asked for the person’s name and then pointed out a future direction for Cheng Yao’s career.

Cheng Yao and Qian Heng chatted late into the night. When drowsiness hit, Cheng Yao fell asleep first and unconsciously climbed onto Qian Heng’s bed. She tossed and turned, draped one leg over Qian Heng, and then started hogging the blanket, pushing him to the edge of the bed. In the morning, she ended up pushing him off the bed entirely. They both woke up, feeling annoyed but amused. When meeting a new client, Mr.

Tang, he was immediately taken by Cheng Yao’s fresh and attractive appearance. During the handshake, he tightly held onto Cheng Yao’s hands and wouldn’t let go. Qian Heng quickly stepped in to defuse the situation. Mr. Tang gave a brief overview of the reasons for hiring Junheng Law Firm, mainly involving family trusts and company equity. At the entrance of the meeting room, a female secretary delivered some documents. Mr.

Tang casually reached out his hand toward the secretary’s face and suggested she try on a lipstick he was gifting. The flustered secretary agreed and quickly left. Cheng Yao developed a dislike for Mr. Tang. Mr. Tang introduced the company’s senior executives, after which Qian Heng communicated with them about cooperation matters. Mr. Tang, idle and unengaged, sat to the side secretly taking pictures of Cheng Yao with his phone.

Cheng Yao was focused on analyzing the case and didn’t notice. As noon approached, her stomach growled with hunger. Sitting beside her, Qian Heng heard it and, using the excuse of passing documents, sent Cheng Yao out of the meeting room with his briefcase to get something to eat. Back at the hotel, Cheng Yao messaged Qian Heng to ask for some information. Since Qian Heng was showering, he didn’t see the message.

Cheng Yao thought he had fainted from hunger and sent porridge to his room. Wearing only a towel, Qian Heng was preparing to work overtime. After tasting the millet porridge, he commented that it wasn’t as good as Cheng Yao’s cooking. Cheng Yao immediately went to make porridge herself. Watching her busy figure, Qian Heng leaned back in his chair and fell asleep—it felt just like the days they shared an apartment.

The next day, Tang Bing specially invited Qian Heng and Cheng Yao to a meal at a five-star hotel. He had prepared good wine. Qian Heng directly stated that he did not drink during work hours, but Tang Bing kept urging him to drink. Cheng Yao knew Qian Heng had stomach issues and couldn’t handle alcohol, so she considered drinking on his behalf.

She suddenly remembered how she had quit her previous job because she hated social engagements—this situation felt all too familiar. But Tang Bing was a client worth hundreds of millions, so she couldn’t act on impulse. Just as she picked up the wine glass, Qian Heng suddenly stopped her and told Tang Bing that he did not allow his employees to drink during work.

Tang Bing kept trying to persuade them, but Qian Heng firmly stated that his principles were non-negotiable. The atmosphere turned extremely awkward, and Tang Bing had no choice but to drop it. After the meal, Qian Heng told Cheng Yao not to bring her old work habits to Junheng. Winning cases depends on professionalism.

Back in the room, while Cheng Yao was video chatting with Li Mengting, Tang Bing’s assistant messaged her, asking her to come to the meeting room to help organize and supplement some materials. Cheng Yao thought about checking with Qian Heng, but didn’t want to bother him over something minor, so she went alone. Tang Bing had been waiting in the meeting room for a while.

When Cheng Yao arrived, he sent his assistant away under the pretense of fetching a document. Then he asked Cheng Yao to help fix the router. As she crawled under the table to adjust the wires, Tang Bing began to make inappropriate physical advances, with suggestive words and actions. Thinking quickly, Cheng Yao took out her phone and recorded Tang Bing’s perverted behavior, then took the opportunity to flee the meeting room.

Cheng Yao was about to upload the video online when Qian Heng suddenly knocked on the door to print some documents. Upon seeing the video, Qian Heng furiously stormed into the meeting room and gave Tang Bing a beating. When Tang Bing threatened to call the police, Qian Heng laid out the consequences, forcing Tang Bing to sign a termination of the engagement agreement.

Afterwards, Qian Heng dragged Cheng Yao out of the hotel and scolded her for meeting Tang Bing alone without his permission. Though it was a reprimand, Cheng Yao felt deeply warmed by his concern.

As she was about to leave Qian Heng’s room, Cheng Yao couldn’t help but ask why he was so nice to someone like her, a mere tool. Only then did Qian Heng realize that Cheng Yao saw herself as just a life assistant who could cook and help people fall asleep. Just as he was about to explain, he responded instead, saying it was because Cheng Yao was a very important employee to him.

He hesitated for a long moment before saying the latter half—as if asking himself, was she really just an important employee? Qian Heng didn’t even know what he was saying anymore; he only felt his heart racing. He turned around and called Wu Jun, repeating Cheng Yao’s question to him. Wu Jun suggested that the only way to handle a question like that was to answer it with sincerity.

After hanging up, he saw Cheng Xi had just stepped out and went up to her. Cheng Xi said she was going to meet a client. Wu Jun offered to drive her, but Cheng Xi declined and told him not to contact her again. Wu Jun was utterly dejected—he was so good at giving others advice, but when it came to himself, he was at a complete loss. Qian Heng treated Cheng Yao to some high-end desserts.

In return, Cheng Yao asked Qian Heng to teach her a few self-defense techniques. As a family lawyer, she was aware there was always the risk of retaliation, and she wanted to protect herself. Qian Heng told her that having his protection was enough. Since their assignment had ended early, they had two free days. Qian Heng said changing their flight tickets would be a hassle—why not just spend the time sightseeing?

Consider it a perk for Cheng Yao as an employee benefit. While scrolling through her phone, Cheng Yao suddenly realized that the video she recorded of Tang Bing was gone. Qian Heng calmly admitted he had deleted it because he didn’t want her to carry unpleasant memories.

Cheng Yao worried that Tang Bing might turn the tables, but Qian Heng firmly assured her that not only would he not allow Tang Bing the chance to do so, he would also make him bear the consequences. Cheng Yao was secretly delighted and allowed herself a day to indulge—as if she were on a date with her dream man. After that, she would return to her work mode and not overthink it. She suggested going to the amusement park.

At the park, Cheng Yao found a booth where she could trade a good shot for a stuffed toy, but she kept missing. Qian Heng came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her, and they shot together, quickly hitting many balloons. At that moment, Cheng Yao was nestled in Qian Heng’s embrace, her heart fluttering wildly. Next, they rode the roller coaster together. Before boarding, Cheng Yao secretly made a wish—to always stay by Qian Heng’s side like this.

Qian Heng asked her where she would most like to go if she had the chance to travel. Cheng Yao replied, a place close to nature. Qian Heng said he had actually been to such a place and suggested they could go together on a team-building trip someday. Cheng Yao began to daydream—maybe a romantic fling wasn’t out of the question. Just then, Qian Heng interrupted her and asked her to write a self-reflection.

Cheng Yao scolded him for being too controlling, and Qian Heng suddenly exploded: “Because I care about you. ” Cheng Yao felt the air freeze. She excused herself to go to the restroom, her heart pounding and cheeks flushed again. While waiting outside, a student approached Qian Heng, hoping to buy the plushie to gift his girlfriend.

Qian Heng couldn’t bear to part with it and launched into a whole speech, but in the end, he gave the couple a buffet voucher for the Intercontinental Hotel and kept the plushie Cheng Yao liked. That night, Qian Heng still insisted that Cheng Yao write her reflection. Cheng Yao fell asleep at her computer before she could finish. Seeing her sleeping so soundly, Qian Heng thought back to the day’s moments, a smile appearing on his face.

He fell asleep in the chair beside her. The next morning, they packed their things and rushed to catch their flight. Qian Heng suddenly received a message: Junheng had won the case for Bai Xingmeng. Back at the office, Wu Jun anxiously questioned Qian Heng about why he had dropped Tang Bing’s case. Tang Bing had now filed a complaint against Junheng with the bar association.

Hoping to make up for the trouble, Cheng Yao offered to treat Qian Heng to a meal. But just then, Li Mengting messaged her to have dinner together, so she postponed her plan with Qian Heng.

Deng Ming approached Cheng Xi again under the guise of catching up, claiming it was out of concern, but in truth, he simply didn’t want Cheng Xi to have contact with other men. He continued to spout insincere, flowery words and used PUA tactics to undermine Cheng Xi’s self-worth. Cheng Xi, long fed up with this, saw through his manipulative behavior. She began recording their conversation and even prepared to call the police.

Deng Ming, afraid of further trouble, left in frustration. To thank Qian Heng for helping Cheng Yao out of a difficult situation, Cheng Xi treated him to a meal. For her family, this kind of help was invaluable. Cheng Xi told Qian Heng that she specialized in family trust law and would fully support him if he ever needed assistance in that field.

Learning that Qian Heng had trouble sleeping, Cheng Xi also gave him an aromatherapy product to help with insomnia. Outside the restaurant, Wu Jun waited for Qian Heng and saw him holding a gift, insisting on finding out the story. Qian Heng explained the situation during his out-of-town trip. Wu Jun, who had originally wanted to take down Tang Bing, agreed not to pursue the matter further for the sake of Cheng Yao’s reputation.

In the end, Wu Jun traded a month’s bonus for the aromatherapy gift Cheng Xi had given Qian Heng. Cheng Yao’s work gradually got back on track, and Qian Heng had also been in a particularly good mood lately, even starting to plan a second team-building event. Bao Rui, overestimating his importance, took this as a sign of Qian Heng’s special favor toward him.

When Bao Rui mentioned the team-building location, Cheng Yao suddenly recalled that Qian Heng had mentioned the same place at the amusement park. It seemed Qian Heng took his promise to her very seriously, which made her secretly happy. Bao Rui received a new lawsuit with a claim of two million yuan—something unusual for Junheng’s usual approach. While the Ronghua Fugui group was still discussing this, Bao Rui revealed the name of the opposing counsel: Yao Feng.

Qian Heng had previously pretended to casually ask Cheng Yao about the name of her mentor lawyer, suggesting he had intentionally arranged for Bao Rui to be the lead counsel and Cheng Yao the assistant attorney. Qian Heng had reviewed Yao Feng’s professional record—he lacked competence but was good at building connections. For someone of Bao Rui’s level, dealing with Yao Feng would be no problem.

On the day of the trial, Yao Feng made a point to greet Cheng Yao beforehand and warned her that he wouldn’t go easy in court. In the end, Bao Rui easily won the case, and Yao Feng left the courtroom looking dejected. After leaving the court, Cheng Yao messaged Qian Heng to thank him. Qian Heng reminded her that she had promised to treat him to a seafood feast.

As they were discussing what kinds of seafood to buy, Qian Heng suddenly called and told Cheng Yao to hurry back to the apartment. It turned out that Cheng Yao’s mother had shown up unannounced and, upon seeing a strange man, began questioning him. When Cheng Yao returned home, she explained that Qian Heng was her boss. Her mother didn’t believe it, thinking no boss would live in such a place. She immediately assumed they were dating.

Seeing no way to explain it clearly, Cheng Yao went along with it and claimed Qian Heng was her boyfriend and worked as a regular assembly line worker. Only after this explanation did her mother agree to go rest at a relative’s house. As she left, she reminded her daughter that someone working on an assembly line wasn’t a good match for their family.

Cheng Yao verbally agreed, but in her heart, she thought—she was the one who wasn’t good enough for Qian Heng. Li Mengting came to chat with Cheng Yao, and in the process, Cheng Yao completely forgot about the dinner she had promised Qian Heng. When she got home, Qian Heng suggested taking her to the spa city for a massage to help with her headache.

Just as they were getting ready to leave, they ran into Cheng Yao’s parents—who were also there for a massage. Cheng Yao quickly explained that it was Qian Heng’s first day working at the spa and rushed to pay the bill with her parents. Qian Heng returned to the apartment on his own. As he was leaving, his mother happened to see him and overheard the manager say that Qian Heng had brought a woman with him. Curious about her son’s girlfriend, Qian Heng’s mother took a taxi and followed him, intending to find out the truth.

Qian Heng was about to help Cheng Yao cook and quietly entered the kitchen. Cheng Yao didn’t notice him and accidentally spilled oil on his white shirt when she turned around. The stain couldn’t be wiped off with paper, so Cheng Yao told Qian Heng to take it off so she could wash it right away. Just as she was helping Qian Heng remove his shirt, Qian Heng’s mother suddenly burst in.

Seeing their close interaction, she questioned how the two had met. Before they could explain, she began speculating on her own—was Cheng Yao a wealthy heiress with a matching background, or a self-made female CEO? Cheng Yao replied that she was merely Qian Heng’s assistant attorney. Qian Heng’s mother said that this was also within her range of suspicions. Before leaving, she handed Cheng Yao a restaurant business card and demanded to meet with her alone the next day.

Cheng Yao arrived at the restaurant at the appointed time. To test the purpose behind Cheng Yao and Qian Heng’s co-renting arrangement, Qian Heng’s mother pulled out a bank card and told Cheng Yao to take the money and immediately leave her son. Cheng Yao didn’t respond, since their relationship wasn’t what she imagined in the first place. Qian Heng’s mother increased the offer twice, raising it to ten million yuan.

Cheng Yao had no choice but to once again explain the true nature of their relationship. After returning home, Qian Heng’s mother faked illness to call him back. While they were talking, Cheng Yao arrived at his house—it turned out Qian Heng’s mother had invited her earlier. She held both their hands and told them to be happy and loving. Seeing his mother try to play matchmaker, Qian Heng turned and walked away.

Cheng Yao was left behind, and Qian Heng’s mother tearfully pleaded with her to persuade him to go on a blind date. That evening, Cheng Yao placed the restaurant coupon given by Qian Heng’s mother on the table. Her parents happened to visit the apartment, saw the coupon, and assumed their daughter had thoughtfully prepared it for them. They took the coupon and left.

The next day, Qian Heng thought Cheng Yao was treating him to dinner, but instead, a stranger showed up, claiming she was there for a blind date. Qian Heng immediately realized it was a setup by his mother. While he was talking with the woman, Cheng Yao’s parents entered the restaurant and saw Qian Heng sitting with another woman. They furiously scolded him and splashed wine on him before the girl left in anger.

After a phone call with her parents, Cheng Yao realized she had once again ruined something good for Qian Heng and quickly apologized. The wealthy heiress also cried to Qian Heng’s mother, saying Qian Heng had no real intention of dating. Qian Heng’s mother began to suspect that her thirty-year-old son, who had never been in a relationship, might have a special orientation, and once again turned to Cheng Yao for help in testing him.

She prepared a tonic soup made with cordyceps and lamb to boost his health. Cheng Yao had no idea beforehand—when she saw the ingredients, both of them blushed. Just as things became awkward, Li Mengting called Cheng Yao, asking to meet. Cheng Yao rushed to leave, and since it was difficult to get a taxi at night, Qian Heng offered to drive her. When they arrived at the bridge, they found Li Mengting drunk and about to jump into the river.

Cheng Yao rushed to stop her and listened as she explained the situation. Li Mengting and Zhang Hao were already legally married. After becoming pregnant, she had quit her job to focus on her pregnancy at home while Zhang Hao worked alone and frequently worked overtime. She hadn’t thought much of it until she accidentally discovered that Zhang Hao was cheating, often meeting with another woman from his company.

Zhang Hao admitted that he no longer loved Li Mengting and even suggested aborting the child. Cheng Yao brought Li Mengting home to confront Zhang Hao. Qian Heng said it wasn’t convenient for a pregnant woman to take a taxi, so he drove them back. When Li Mengting opened the door, she found the other woman already in her home, acting intimately with Zhang Hao. Furious, Li Mengting scolded the woman for having no shame.

The woman fought back, saying that Li Mengting didn’t care about Zhang Hao at all. She revealed that Zhang Hao was under a lot of pressure and had been diagnosed with severe depression. She also accused Li Mengting of secretly filming them and violating her privacy. Seeing that Li Mengting was at a disadvantage, Cheng Yao took her outside to figure out the next step.

Li Mengting had a complete falling-out with Zhang Hao and had nowhere to go, so she asked Cheng Yao to take her in temporarily. Cheng Yao readily agreed, but Qian Heng said the company had employee benefits, and she could stay at a hotel using Cheng Yao’s benefits. Although Cheng Yao had never heard of such a policy, since Qian Heng said so, she hurriedly went with him to take Li Mengting to the hotel.

After a long ordeal, it was already late at night. Cheng Yao helped Li Mengting settle in and also bought a bowl of porridge for Qian Heng, repeatedly reminding him to finish it. Qian Heng didn’t want to drink it at first, so Cheng Yao suggested downloading a livestreaming app so she could supervise him drinking even from upstairs.

Qian Heng agreed, and as Cheng Yao was about to go upstairs, she said they could set a password for the livestream, but Qian Heng didn’t seem familiar with livestreaming. Li Mengting felt helpless. Cheng Yao asked about her secretly filming Liang Qiongqiong. Li Mengting admitted she was in the wrong. If she had gathered evidence herself, it would be legal and reasonable, but hiring someone else to do it would constitute an invasion of privacy.

Being pregnant, she naturally didn’t have the energy to do all that. After her outburst, Zhang Hao and Liang Qiongqiong had become more restrained, and she couldn’t find any more evidence. While drinking porridge in the car, Qian Heng started a livestream but forgot to set a password. The public livestream received many gifts. Qian Heng thought it was a glitch. Bao Rui, Yu Fei, and Tan Ying, who were working overtime at the company, watched the entire stream.

The three started speculating why Qian Heng was using Cheng Yao’s account. Yu Fei guessed the two might be dating, which immediately drew suspicion from Bao Rui and Tan Ying. After settling Li Mengting, Cheng Yao returned to the car and saw Qian Heng asleep on the steering wheel. Only then did she remember his livestream earlier. When Qian Heng woke up, he took out bread he had prepared in advance to stave off Cheng Yao’s hunger.

Deng Ming was preparing for the annual Golden Scales of Justice Award and asked his assistant to bring a gift he had prepared for Lawyer Lü, one of the award’s judges and an influential figure. The assistant carelessly brought the wrong gift. While apologizing, Lawyer Lü called to tell Deng Ming it would be hard to win the award this year because he had made comments that demeaned women. Only then did Deng Ming realize Cheng Xi had recorded him.

Furious, he confronted Cheng Xi and demanded she delete the recording. Cheng Xi refused, so Deng Ming started threatening her through Cheng Yao, knowing that they worked in the same field and it would be easy for him to sabotage her. Cheng Xi wavered slightly, but a client arrived just in time, so Deng Ming left her place. Realizing Deng Ming wouldn’t let her go easily, Cheng Xi decided to move out.

Li Mengting prepared to file for divorce and asked Cheng Yao to be her representing lawyer, believing only her best friend could be truly trusted. Cheng Yao sought Qian Heng’s permission. Normally, Junheng would not accept cases with claims under ten million, but since Cheng Yao asked, Qian Heng made an exception. Qian Heng’s mother came to the law firm again to ask Cheng Yao to persuade Qian Heng to go on a blind date.

Cheng Yao said Qian Heng was excellent and surely many girls would like him. However, his mother thought he had too many flaws—otherwise, why hadn’t he dated at all at age thirty? Not knowing how to respond, Cheng Yao followed her lead and listed some of Qian Heng’s flaws: bad temper, lack of empathy, and so on—just as Qian Heng happened to overhear.

Qian Heng was furious and told Cheng Yao to focus on work and stop meddling in his personal affairs. Cheng Yao felt wronged and didn’t know how to explain. She thought maybe she had overstepped, and perhaps the thirteen assistants before her had all been dismissed for similar reasons. Maybe it was better to just concentrate on work and not lose her job.

Qian Heng decided to move out of the apartment, and when he told Cheng Yao, she put on a blank face, but inside, she was deeply disappointed and didn’t know how to face the situation.

To avoid an awkward encounter, Cheng Yao deliberately worked overtime at the office until late at night, planning to return home only after Qian Heng had moved out. Qian Heng had wanted to say goodbye to Cheng Yao in person, but after waiting a long time without seeing her return, and with the movers urging him repeatedly, he packed his things and moved out of the apartment.

When Cheng Yao came home late and saw Qian Heng’s room empty, she suddenly felt a sense of loss. Out of habit, she opened the fridge to make a late-night snack, but then remembered Qian Heng had already moved out—who would she go through all that trouble for now? She might as well just eat something simple herself. After making instant noodles, she ate while watching a drama.

Back at the villa, Qian Heng found himself a bit unaccustomed to the silence without Cheng Yao’s constant chatter. Fortunately, he had brought Lemon-kun back with him. Sitting on the sofa, he smiled foolishly at Lemon-kun. A moment later, he felt that Lemon-kun’s gaze was strange, as if it could see through his thoughts.

He flipped it aside and, without realizing it, turned on the TV and started watching dramas—something that had become a habit when he and Cheng Yao were housemates. The next day at work, Cheng Yao took the initiative to greet Qian Heng with a smile, but Qian Heng became awkward and didn’t know how to respond. At lunch, Yu Fei brought food and shared it with Tan Ying since the portions were large.

Cheng Yao had also brought her own lunch. Bao Rui couldn’t find anyone to eat out with and looked around aimlessly. When Cheng Yao opened her lunchbox, the food looked and smelled amazing, and everyone stared at it enviously. Qian Heng also smelled the familiar aroma and unconsciously walked over to Cheng Yao’s desk. Qian Heng asked Cheng Yao to go out and pick up a document.

Cheng Yao wanted to bring her lunchbox and eat on the way, but Qian Heng said the task was urgent and she had to leave immediately. He added that she could eat outside after picking up the document, and the company would reimburse the meal. Cheng Yao had no choice but to give her lunch to Bao Rui. Bao Rui was overjoyed and was about to dig in when Qian Heng’s food delivery arrived at the office.

He placed his own takeaway on Bao Rui’s desk and casually took Cheng Yao’s lunch instead. After eating the meal Cheng Yao had personally made, Qian Heng felt very satisfied. He called Wu Jun to ask about several cases he had previously declined. Wu Jun thought Qian Heng had been acting strange lately and came to the office, but Qian Heng didn’t explain anything. Wu Jun suddenly asked whether Cheng Yao was having an office romance recently.

He had shared a gift ad link on his social media on behalf of a friend, and Cheng Yao had asked him to order one. So Wu Jun speculated she must be in love and demanded Qian Heng reveal who the romantic interest was so he could vet the person for Cheng Xi and make a good impression in front of her. Qian Heng said he didn’t know.

Over the weekend, Qian Heng was working overtime at the villa when Cheng Yao suddenly knocked on the door. When Qian Heng opened it, he saw that Cheng Yao was dressed up stylishly and assumed she had feelings for him. He was about to invite her in when a group of people appeared behind her, unfurling a banner that said, “Happy Birthday, Qian Heng. ” Only then did he remember it was his birthday.

Wu Jun had planned the whole event in advance to surprise him. He also had an ulterior motive—to use Qian Heng’s birthday as an opportunity to meet with Cheng Xi. Lunch was a barbecue held in the yard. The sun was scorching, and everyone was drenched in sweat. Seeing that Cheng Yao was wearing black, which absorbed more heat, Qian Heng asked her to go inside and revise an important document.

Although Cheng Yao was reluctant, she followed Qian Heng into the house and immediately felt cooler, which made her secretly happy. The pizza they had ordered in advance was delivered to the villa, and Qian Heng picked one slice of each flavor and brought them to Cheng Yao’s room. She was very grateful. Qian Heng sat by her side and kept her company while she worked overtime.

Cheng Yao said she could handle it alone, but Qian Heng explained that he had a lot of confidential documents and was worried about leaks.

Halfway through Qian Heng’s birthday party, Wu Jun suggested playing hide-and-seek. Qian Heng hid on the rooftop, and after everyone searched every corner of the villa and still couldn't find him, Cheng Yao suddenly remembered that Qian Heng had once mentioned he liked being on the rooftop back when they were at the apartment. She went up and found him there. The game ended, and it was time for cake and drinks.

Cheng Yao drank too much and ran up the steps to give a speech in front of everyone. She first thanked Bao Rui and Tan Ying for always guiding her in handling cases, then thanked Yu Fei for taking the blame and shielding her, and finally thanked Qian Heng for his strict management, which helped her grow rapidly. She then raised her glass to clink with Qian Heng’s, but used too much force and spilled wine on him.

Everyone was nervous for Cheng Yao, knowing Qian Heng's temper would usually flare, but surprisingly, he didn’t get angry. Cheng Yao gave him a birthday gift—a bottle of red wine with a note: “I love you, and I want to have your children. ” After everyone left the villa, Qian Heng asked Wu Jun to stay and warned him not to get too close to the female employees, so as to avoid gossip.

He was referring to Cheng Yao, but Wu Jun couldn’t understand and thought Qian Heng was being overly self-conscious. Yu Fei walked Tan Ying home. Tan Ying had always known about Yu Fei’s feelings for her. After confessing to each other, the two walked home hand in hand under the beautiful night sky. Meanwhile, Qian Heng lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. He thought about Cheng Yao’s note.

Since she had already made her feelings clear, why was she now pretending nothing had happened, still chatting and drinking with Wu Jun as if it were all normal? The next morning, Qian Heng woke up late and originally didn’t plan to go to the office. But thinking of Cheng Yao’s note, he decided to go and check things out. Cheng Yao also arrived late and ran into Qian Heng and Wu Jun as soon as she walked in.

Earlier, Qian Heng had arranged a lecture for single employees about views on office romance. Cheng Yao hurried to attend it. Although it was originally her suggestion, Qian Heng followed into the meeting room and overturned the idea. Cheng Yao kept her head down and scribbled randomly in her notebook. Qian Heng took over the lecturer’s topic, leading the discussion in favor of office relationships.

He said dating among colleagues could optimize work hours and increase efficiency due to mutual understanding. Seeing that the lecturer had prepared a long argument against his point, Qian Heng signaled to end the session early. Back in the office, Qian Heng anxiously searched online: “How to respond after a female colleague confesses, then suddenly becomes distant? ” One suggestion was not to take the initiative, to keep her guessing.

Suddenly Cheng Yao came in and invited Qian Heng to dinner. He thought she was finally going to confess and looked for a nice restaurant. But Cheng Yao, confused, asked, “Why do we need a special atmosphere to discuss a case? ” Qian Heng then realized she was inviting him out to talk about Li Mengting’s divorce case. To avoid harassment from Deng Ming, Cheng Xi moved to a new place. Cheng Yao visited her and asked why she moved.

Cheng Xi, knowing she couldn't hide it from her sister, explained and reminded Cheng Yao not to tell Wu Jun, as it would be better for both of them. Back at the office, Wu Jun immediately asked where Cheng Xi had gone. Cheng Yao didn’t reveal the exact location. Wu Jun thought Cheng Xi had moved on purpose to avoid him and felt very down. Though Cheng Yao felt bad, she restrained herself from saying too much.

Cheng Yao was focused on Li Mengting’s divorce case, which became tricky. Li Mengting suddenly discovered that her marriage certificate might be fake. Zhang Hao had said he’d used a connection to get it, and she hadn’t been involved. Also, to afford the down payment, Zhang Hao had made Li Mengting sign a one-million yuan IOU on his behalf. Now that Zhang Hao had turned against her, the creditors started pressing Li Mengting for repayment.

Cheng Yao stayed up all night researching the case but found no breakthroughs. She arrived at work the next morning with dark circles under her eyes. Qian Heng asked her what was wrong, and after she shared her concerns, he suggested first checking whose account the loan was transferred to. This gave Cheng Yao a new lead, and she rushed to inform Li Mengting.

Since they had each paid half the down payment and Li Mengting had signed the IOU, it showed her share was larger. If the creditors sued and she lost, it would still prove she borrowed the money herself, which could allow the house to be transferred under her name. As she was expecting twins, she needed a home anyway.

Grateful for Cheng Yao’s help, Li Mengting realized that only the law could truly protect her and asked Cheng Yao to help her look into bar exam materials so she could study while jobless during pregnancy and empower herself. Qian Heng couldn’t figure out Cheng Yao’s attitude, so he went to Wu Jun’s place to drink and vent. After explaining the situation, Wu Jun advised that as a man, he should make the first move.

Though Qian Heng insisted he was asking on behalf of a friend, Wu Jun clearly knew Qian Heng was just being stubborn and had fallen into an office romance. He asked Bao Rui and Yu Fei if they knew anything, but neither noticed any special connection between Qian Heng and any female colleague. Later, seeing Cheng Yao printing documents, Wu Jun remembered that Cheng Yao might have mixed up the birthday gift.

A rich woman’s confession gift box had gone missing. Cheng Yao said she probably didn’t mix it up, because Qian Heng didn’t show any abnormal reaction after receiving the gift. Thinking about Wu Jun’s suggestion, Qian Heng called Cheng Yao into his office and said he accepted her gift and feelings, and agreed to her request.

Cheng Yao was delighted and asked how much of a raise she would get—it turned out the note she meant to give said she hoped for a salary increase. Leaving the office, she suddenly recalled Wu Jun mentioning the gift mix-up and began to suspect she may have sent the wrong gift. Coincidentally, the next day Bao Rui was going to the villa to deliver some documents to Qian Heng, and Cheng Yao volunteered to go instead.

The gift was still on the desk. When Cheng Yao saw the note, she was extremely embarrassed. Suddenly, Qian Heng’s parents showed up unannounced and walked into the study, where they saw the gift box Cheng Yao had tried to hide. Knowing she couldn’t explain away the series of coincidences, Cheng Yao hid in the bathroom. Qian Heng directly admitted to being in a relationship with her.

His mother was overjoyed and insisted on putting her bracelet on Cheng Yao’s wrist. Wu Jun waited on a street where Cheng Xi often passed by. He suddenly saw her, and soon after, a car followed her. Suspecting it was Deng Ming, he called Cheng Yao to find out Cheng Xi’s address and hurried over. Deng Ming arrived at Cheng Xi’s apartment before Wu Jun. As Deng Ming tried to assault her, Wu Jun gave him a beating.

Deng Ming threatened to call the police, trying to flip the situation. But when he made the call, Cheng Xi took out the surveillance footage from home. Deng Ming, scared off, ran away in disgrace. Qian Heng and Cheng Yao arrived to check on Cheng Xi. Cheng Yao insisted on reporting Deng Ming to the police to bring him to justice.

Wu Jun said the most satisfying revenge would be to take the case away from him, and Qian Heng suggested doing it in his own name. After handling the matter, Qian Heng took Cheng Yao home and even peeled crayfish for her. Back at her apartment, Cheng Yao told herself not to overthink things—that Qian Heng’s actions were just a boss caring for an employee. She removed the bracelet from her wrist and planned to return it.

On the way to the office, she explained the misunderstanding to Qian Heng, who was a little disappointed and didn’t know how to respond.

Qian Heng gave Wu Jun a wheelchair. Just as it arrived, someone knocked on the door—it was a surprise to see Cheng Xi. Because Wu Jun got injured protecting her, Cheng Xi felt she had to visit him. Wu Jun, unable to hide his emotions, confessed again. Ever since she carried him to the infirmary during their school days, he believed they were meant to be.

Though they’d lived different lives, Cheng Xi’s divorce meant they were still connected by fate. But Cheng Xi still refused, saying she didn’t plan to start a new relationship yet, and it would be unfair for Wu Jun to give so much while she couldn’t reciprocate. Wu Jun didn’t mind, saying it was enough that she didn’t dislike him.

During work, Cheng Yao got a call from her mother, saying her friend’s son, Xue Ming, was in town on a business trip and wanted to meet Cheng Yao. The two had been childhood friends but lost contact after starting college and working. Cheng Yao said she was too busy to meet right now and would do it later. Her mother agreed verbally, but both spoke loudly enough for Tan Ying to hear about the setup.

While Cheng Yao was out picking up documents, Xue Ming had flowers delivered to her office. Tan Ying signed for them and mentioned to others that Cheng Yao might be going on a blind date with her childhood friend. Qian Heng, seeing the flowers on her desk, was clearly unsettled. When Cheng Yao got home from work, Xue Ming was already waiting outside her apartment. Her mother had given him her work and home address.

Cheng Yao prepared a nice dinner to welcome him. Xue Ming wasted no time and explained his intention—his current business trip might become a formal transfer, meaning he’d be working in the same city as Cheng Yao. Knowing each other well and both single, he believed they should date seriously. Cheng Yao said she had no plans to marry within the next two years and wanted to focus on her career.

But Xue Ming continued enthusiastically, deep in his own plans. Suddenly, Qian Heng came out of the bedroom. Cheng Yao was shocked—she hadn’t realized he was even there. When Xue Ming asked who he was, Cheng Yao explained he was a former roommate. Xue Ming, assuming the role of half-host, began chatting with Qian Heng as if he and Cheng Yao were destined to be together. Qian Heng became jealous and targeted Xue Ming in every comment.

Cheng Yao felt awkward. During a trip to the bathroom, Xue Ming asked Qian Heng if he also liked Cheng Yao; otherwise, why would he keep antagonizing him? Qian Heng didn’t answer directly and didn’t show him any courtesy. Xue Ming had no choice but to leave early. A few days later, Xue Ming invited Cheng Yao to dinner. Unexpectedly, Qian Heng showed up again and kept attacking Xue Ming.

Cheng Yao once again apologized for the gift mix-up and asked Qian Heng to stop teasing her. Qian Heng replied that if she wanted to make it up to him, she would have to provide three days of free service. From his attitude, Cheng Yao began to wonder: could he really have feelings for her? Flustered, Qian Heng assigned Cheng Yao a lot of work to keep her from meeting Xue Ming.

For two days, she cleaned the villa; the third day, she had to play basketball in exchange for a gift. Cheng Yao had no free time. Eventually, she couldn’t take it anymore and said she came to Junheng to become an excellent lawyer—Qian Heng had no right to interfere in everything. If this continued, she would just quit. As she turned to leave, Qian Heng pulled her back and confessed his feelings.

After Qian Heng confessed, Cheng Yao didn’t respond. Although she was very excited inside, she tried her best to hide it. The next day, Cheng Yao occasionally glanced at Qian Heng’s workstation, but Qian Heng didn’t come to work all day. Bao Rui thought Cheng Yao had taken two days off out of guilt and informed her that Qian Heng had also been absent for two days.

Of course, Cheng Yao knew where Qian Heng had been during those two days. That evening after work, Cheng Yao worked overtime until late. Qian Heng suddenly walked into the office, asking how she felt about his confession. Before Cheng Yao could speak, Qian Heng had already started reciting his cheesy lines, clearly memorized from the internet. It was the first time Cheng Yao saw a cute side of Qian Heng.

A few minutes later, Bao Rui returned to the office to get some documents. Not wanting to be discovered, Cheng Yao quickly hid under her desk. Seeing Qian Heng at the office, Bao Rui wanted to discuss a case, but Qian Heng said they’d talk the next day. Bao Rui was surprised—someone as work-obsessed as Qian Heng never postponed cases—but he didn’t ask further, just took the files and left.

Qian Heng pulled Cheng Yao out from under the desk, and due to the momentum, they nearly hugged. Taking advantage of the moment, Qian Heng leaned in slightly. Cheng Yao also cautiously moved closer, but suddenly stopped and ran out of the office, feeling like it had all been a dream. The next morning, Cheng Yao woke up thinking about what happened the night before and didn’t know how to face Qian Heng.

At the office, everyone was talking about Bai Xingmeng. She had previously cheated and caused Xu Jun’s death, helped Charlie’s company go public successfully, and thought she could finally marry into wealth. However, Charlie was planning to get engaged to the daughter of a media tycoon. To break them up, Bai Xingmeng immediately announced her pregnancy. Junheng also took the opportunity to release the truth about Xu Jun’s suicide case.

Moreover, the media tycoon used his connections to blacklist Bai Xingmeng, leaving her with nothing. Cheng Yao felt that justice had finally prevailed and thanked Qian Heng. It was her first case after joining Junheng, and not being wrongly accused was very meaningful to her. Qian Heng replied seriously that people who hurt her deserved such an outcome.

That night, after escorting Cheng Yao back to her apartment, Qian Heng offered to do housework as an apology for previously occupying her time cleaning the villa, which had made her cry. Cheng Yao didn’t really mind, but seeing Qian Heng’s sincerity, she agreed. Qian Heng started by cleaning the living room. While wiping the table with large movements, he accidentally broke a ceramic cup. Cheng Yao quickly cleaned it up and told him to tidy the kitchen.

While washing dishes, Qian Heng broke two more plates. Cheng Yao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry—what was meant to be helpful ended up adding more work for her. The next day at work, Qian Heng called Cheng Yao to the archive room and asked what she had decided. Cheng Yao said she couldn’t accept the change in relationship status just yet. Qian Heng replied that he was patient—he wouldn’t pressure or give up on someone he liked.

Moved by his sincerity, Cheng Yao tiptoed and gently kissed the corner of Qian Heng’s mouth to express her feelings. Driving Cheng Yao to and from work had become a habit. That day, Qian Heng saw Cheng Yao’s post on Weibo and bought three flavors of spicy hot pot for her to try. He used three electric cookers at once, causing a power overload. Cheng Yao told Qian Heng to go home first while she fixed the circuit. A warm feeling wrapped around her tightly.

On the weekend, the two went on a date. They tried holding hands and kissing. While eating pizza, they fed each other. Qian Heng was reluctant to part when dropping Cheng Yao off at her apartment and tried everything to keep her in the car a little longer. After listening to a song, Cheng Yao got out of the car. Qian Heng followed and accidentally shut the car door on his hand.

Although the pain was intense, he acted nonchalant and waved goodnight to Cheng Yao. That night, they chatted on WeChat. Qian Heng didn’t know how to start the conversation and ended up asking about edits to a lawsuit filing. Cheng Yao couldn’t help but laugh. The next day, she eagerly told Cheng Xi about her relationship with Qian Heng.

Cheng Xi was happy for her sister, but Cheng Yao had some concerns—she was just an ordinary employee and might not be a good match for Qian Heng. Cheng Xi didn’t think that way. In her eyes, both Cheng Yao and Qian Heng were outstanding and ambitious young people. Besides, they were both single, and being in a relationship was something worth celebrating. You can’t avoid buying flowers forever just because you’re afraid they might wilt.

With her sister’s support, Cheng Yao decided to cherish the present and enjoy every moment of her first love. Qian Heng and Cheng Yao were already very comfortable with each other. He always tried to spend more time at her apartment. With his injured right hand wrapped in thick gauze, Qian Heng couldn’t use chopsticks and had to be fed by Cheng Yao. After dinner, Qian Heng deliberately claimed he couldn’t drive, so Cheng Yao let him stay the night.

Since he was a cleanliness freak and couldn’t sleep without showering, Cheng Yao gave him a plastic bag to wrap his hand. She then realized his injury wasn’t that serious—he was just using it as an excuse to get close to her. The next day at work, Qian Heng deliberately tried to join the "Riches and Glory" chat group.

That morning, the four members were gossiping when Qian Heng suddenly showed up, trying to join the conversation but couldn’t fit in. Except for Cheng Yao, the other three were extremely awkward and soon dispersed. At lunch, the four ate takeout in the break room. Qian Heng walked in again. Bao Rui politely invited him to join, and unexpectedly, Qian Heng agreed.

The three felt restrained and uncomfortable the whole meal, unsure why Qian Heng was acting like a different person. After work, Qian Heng and Cheng Yao waited for the elevator together. Yu Fei and Tan Ying were also leaving and quickly distanced themselves upon seeing Qian Heng, afraid he’d discover their office romance. However, Yu Fei was still holding Tan Ying’s bag and didn’t have time to return it.

At the moment, Qian Heng was too focused on hiding his own relationship to notice anything else. The four of them rode the elevator in silence, each standing in a corner, each with their own thoughts. Wu Jun deliberately ran into Cheng Xi on her way home from work. He said he was afraid Cheng Xi didn’t like him and didn’t dare suggest meeting. Cheng Xi said Deng Ming wouldn’t harass her anymore.

If he was still worried, he could download an app to track her location—but only for emergencies. Deng Ming accused Wu Jun of stealing his clients through underhanded means. Wu Jun told Deng Ming that clients only cared about winning, and nothing else mattered. Cheng Yao wanted to become independent as soon as possible, so Qian Heng assigned her a legal aid case. Although it brought no income, it was a great challenge. Qian Heng said he would give her opportunities, but he would always silently watch over her.

To relieve the pressure of possibly being exposed for his office romance, Qian Heng lit incense and played music to relax. Bao Rui and Yu Fei felt Qian Heng was acting strangely but didn’t say anything seeing him meditating. Lin Fengjuan confided in Cheng Yao about her experience: she had been married to A Min for years, had a good relationship but no children. At a class reunion, Lin Fengjuan got drunk.

Her high school crush, Lu Jian, took her to a hotel and forced himself on her. A month later, Lin Fengjuan discovered she was pregnant but didn’t dare tell A Min. Eventually, the truth came out. After the child was born, A Min found out the child wasn’t his and left home. Soon after, Lin Fengjuan received divorce papers. After the divorce, she raised the child alone.

To make matters worse, the child was diagnosed with a congenital disease that required expensive treatment. Lin Fengjuan sought out Lu Jian, but he was preparing for marriage and completely denied having anything to do with her. Qian Heng brought home a book on family law case templates for Cheng Yao to use as a reference. Unexpectedly, he also brought back a book on workplace romances.

When Cheng Yao returned home and flipped through the books, she discovered the secret on Qian Heng’s bookshelf and quietly hid the book. After finishing a family gathering and returning home, Qian Heng searched everywhere for the book, suspecting that Cheng Yao had moved it. Qian Heng took on a new case requiring collaboration in another city. Before leaving, he found out his co-counsel was Liang Yiran.

According to Bao Rui, Liang Yiran was the “female version of Qian Heng” and a leader in the industry. She had once pursued Qian Heng. When the two were discussing the case, Bao Rui snapped a photo and sent it to the "Riches and Glory" group chat. Qian Heng felt a little guilty, afraid Cheng Yao would see it and overthink. Wu Jun tried to meet Cheng Xi but couldn’t reach her by phone.

He checked her location and found her in a remote suburb. Fearing Deng Ming might be involved again, he took a driver and rushed over. When they arrived at the location, they heard Cheng Xi screaming. Without thinking, Wu Jun barged into a house. Cheng Xi wasn’t kidnapped but was trying to avoid a mouse. Wu Jun had wanted to play the hero but ended up hiding behind Cheng Xi the whole time. Cheng Xi couldn’t help laughing.

She always knew Wu Jun was timid, but he had gone into a suburban house at night alone for her, which showed how much he cared. On the way back, Cheng Xi accepted Wu Jun’s pursuit. The next day, she drove to pick him up for a thank-you meal. Wu Jun was overjoyed and immediately ran to Qian Heng’s office to show off. The trial for Lin Fengjuan’s case began. Lu Jian hired Deng Ming as his defense lawyer.

Deng Ming completely dismissed Cheng Yao, thinking victory was certain. After the trial began, Lu Jian submitted proof that he had azoospermia and couldn’t possibly have fathered a child. Cheng Yao was caught off guard, not expecting Deng Ming to be so cunning, and was momentarily speechless. Enraged, Lin Fengjuan tore up Lu Jian’s forged medical report and was accused of destroying evidence, leaving her in a disadvantageous position.

Cheng Yao felt disappointed—she had underestimated Deng Ming, or rather, underestimated how despicable he could be. She suffered due to the fake evidence but decided to use it as a breakthrough. She researched the condition of anorchia online and called a doctor for further inquiry. During the call, Qian Heng turned on the apartment surveillance camera and overheard the conversation.

He mistakenly thought Cheng Yao was seeking medical help on his behalf and quickly reassured her that he had no reproductive issues. Worried she’d misunderstand the photo, he took the initiative to explain that the woman in the picture was the co-counsel for a case and that he only found out about it before departure. If Cheng Yao didn’t like him partnering with other women, he’d refuse such cases in the future.

Seeing Qian Heng’s serious expression, Cheng Yao found him adorable—she hadn’t even thought that far. Qian Heng added that because he cared too much about her, he didn’t want anything to come between them.

Qian Heng asked about Lin Fengjuan’s case. If it proved too difficult, they could wait until he returned to think of a solution. Cheng Yao believed they couldn’t keep relying on others and decided to start by inquiring at the hospital. The next day at the company, Cheng Yao asked Yu Fei to pretend to be a DINK (dual income, no kids) couple with her and go investigate the hospital issuing false documents.

Tan Ying agreed—anything that could help Cheng Yao was worth a try. Yu Fei searched online and discovered that Lu Jian was one of the stakeholders in the hospital issuing false diagnosis letters, so this route was completely blocked. Lu Jian heard that Cheng Yao was still gathering evidence. Since he knew Cheng Yao worked for Qian Heng, he asked Deng Ming for the next steps.

Deng Ming suggested the company create online public opinion, condemning Lin Fengjuan as an immoral third party to pressure her into dropping the complaint and settling things quietly. After the online uproar intensified, Lin Fengjuan called Cheng Yao and asked her to withdraw the lawsuit, resigning herself to bad luck. Cheng Yao asked Yu Fei to help draft a lawyer’s letter, and Tan Ying helped record the process before Cheng Yao rushed to Lin Fengjuan’s residence.

Deng Ming called Cheng Xi, but Wu Jun, who was helping fix the electrical wiring, told her not to answer. Deng Ming then messaged, asking Cheng Xi to protect her sister. Knowing Deng Ming’s methods, Cheng Xi rushed to Lin Fengjuan’s place with Wu Jun. Lin Fengjuan had bruises around her eyes after being beaten by a group claiming to be friends of A Min. Cheng Yao knew Deng Ming was behind this.

A group of ignorant villagers cursed outside Lin Fengjuan’s house. When Cheng Yao stepped outside, she was doused with dirty water. Cheng Xi arrived with the police and dispersed the crowd. Cheng Yao then arranged for Lin Fengjuan to stay in a hotel. Qian Heng, Bao Rui, and Liang Yiran held their first case analysis meeting. Since Liang Yiran’s style was similar to Qian Heng’s—decisive and highly professional—the meeting ended early. Liang Yiran suggested they have dinner to celebrate.

Bao Rui agreed immediately. Qian Heng saw the news about Deng Ming fabricating evidence and, filled with anxiety, left the meeting room early to call Yu Fei for updates. Cheng Yao went to the archive room to check the threatening letters Qian Heng had previously received and realized he had gone through similar experiences. Since he withstood it, she wouldn’t give up either.

Qian Heng returned to Lincheng early and directly went to President Zhang of the bar association to report Deng Ming’s fabrication of evidence. Knowing Qian Heng’s integrity, President Zhang was momentarily speechless and called Wu Jun. Wu Jun rushed to the association and suggested an investigation. A colleague proposed an exchange: Junheng would fund a new program. President Zhang, seeing Wu Jun's flexibility and hearing his pitch, agreed. Qian Heng picked Cheng Yao up after work, surprising her.

As they were about to get in the car, Bao Rui passed by and asked to ride with Qian Heng. Qian Heng wanted to invite Cheng Yao to dinner, but Bao Rui, oblivious to their chemistry, insisted on tagging along. While eating hotpot, Bao Rui planned to show Cheng Yao the case analysis footage with Liang Yiran. Upon opening his suitcase, he realized his wallet was missing.

He remembered possibly taking it out at the airport but wasn’t worried since there were security cameras. This reminded Cheng Yao that the court also had surveillance, which could be a breakthrough. She left the meal early to go home and prepare materials.

Qian Heng caught an early flight the next day to return to the joint investigation site and suggested shortening the original four-day meeting to two days, extending daily hours to twelve, so he could return to Lincheng in time for Lin Fengjuan’s trial. Liang Yiran noticed he was preoccupied but didn’t ask further.

Cheng Yao was about to represent Lin Fengjuan in her divorce trial. Before it began, she quietly followed Deng Ming out as he went to the restroom. Changing her attitude, she apologized for previously offending him and affectionately called him "brother-in-law. " Deng Ming found it odd and assumed she was scared of losing badly and trying to curry favor. Though he didn’t genuinely respond, he didn’t refuse either.

Cheng Yao gave him two drinks for after court to quench his thirst. After court began, both legal teams argued fiercely. Lu Jian couldn’t understand a word and found it a waste of time, nearly falling asleep. Eventually, the judge ruled against Lin Fengjuan. Deng Ming and Lu Jian were smug as they exited the courtroom, opening the drinks to celebrate. After a few sips, Lu Jian suggested treating Deng Ming to a feast.

They threw the drinks into a trash can and just turned around when several lab coat-wearing personnel picked up the bottles from the trash. Lu Jian hurried over to stop them but was too late. Deng Ming realized he had been tricked. At some point, Cheng Xi and Wu Jun had appeared. Seeing Cheng Yao’s satisfaction and Deng Ming’s embarrassment, they were both pleased.

On the way home, Wu Jun asked Cheng Xi why she, a lawyer, hadn’t publicly exposed Deng Ming’s framing of her. Cheng Xi said she detested him and only wanted to distance herself. Even now, with the ability to fight back, she had no desire to get entangled again. Qian Heng returned to Lincheng early to surprise Cheng Yao.

Expecting her to have lost to Deng Ming, he prepared many comforting words and even made up absurd soap opera stories to cheer her up. But once Cheng Yao described what happened, he realized he had worried too much. Cheng Yao made a request: if she won the case, Qian Heng had to agree to do something for her. She suggested wearing couple necklaces, singing love songs, or telling stories.

Qian Heng felt those weren’t his style and finally agreed to cook for her. After work, back at the apartment, Qian Heng rewarded himself too. Since their relationship began, they hadn’t kissed properly—every time, they were interrupted by Bao Rui or other incidents. Now, with no external disturbances, Cheng Yao felt like the happiest woman in the world. After dinner, she suddenly had severe stomach pain. Qian Heng rushed her to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis.

Qian Heng urged the doctor to take good care of her. Once the doctor left, he told Cheng Yao that his father was one of the hospital’s shareholders, so she could tell the doctor directly if she needed anything. A few minutes later, Qian’s mother arrived to visit Cheng Yao and scolded Qian Heng for not taking good care of her. Cheng Yao quickly explained it wasn’t his fault, but Qian’s mother ignored her and doted on her lovingly.

After returning home from treatment, Qian Heng began learning to cook for Cheng Yao. He made red date millet porridge and fed it to her himself. Cheng Yao realized that being in a relationship where the man was strong and the woman weaker could be this enjoyable. Just as she was drinking the porridge, Qian’s mother came again, bringing lots of carefully prepared medicinal food. Though Cheng Yao couldn’t eat more, she was deeply grateful for the kindness.

With Qian Heng’s attentive care, Cheng Yao quickly recovered. Back at the company, she received the good news of Lin Fengjuan’s victory. At the general meeting, Qian Heng praised her and gave her new cases to handle. With this experience, he entrusted her with a high-value family trust case. Bao Rui also noticed her rapid progress, but Qian Heng’s admiration seemed to go beyond a boss’s appreciation for his employee.

Junheng’s second team-building trip was about to start. Cheng Yao and Qian Heng shopped together for supplies, enjoying their time alone. Worried Cheng Yao might get tired walking, Qian Heng carried her on his shoulders and picked all her favorite snacks, filling a shopping cart. Cheng Yao fantasized about sweet moments of traveling together and, unconsciously, picked up a box of condoms. Back at the apartment, Qian Heng told her to rest while he packed.

Seeing the condoms among the items, he blushed. Cheng Yao, in her room, took out a set of sexy lingerie, hesitating whether to bring it. Just then, Qian Heng walked in. Startled, she hid the lingerie behind her back. Qian Heng insisted on seeing what it was and, pulling her hand away, immediately understood her little secret. The next day, the group excitedly arrived at the fresh-air team-building destination. Someone asked why Wu Jun wasn’t there.

Qian Heng explained that Wu Jun would come later with a VIP. The bus stopped at the visitor center, still some distance from the site. Sister Zhu announced that, for exercise, everyone must walk to the destination. The first team to arrive would get a luxury hot spring suite, and the last would sleep in a tent. The “Glory and Wealth” team moved out together. Qian Heng joined in. Not long after, Tan Ying twisted her ankle.

To not hold others back, she suggested they go ahead. Cheng Yao saw through her act, but Bao Rui and Qian Heng were clueless. The three continued forward. Bao Rui began chanting slogans, while Qian Heng secretly pulled Cheng Yao aside, leaving Bao Rui happily marching alone. Qian Heng and Cheng Yao came across a lavender field and stopped to enjoy the view. They lost track of time. Near evening, they hurried to the destination, but rain began to fall.

To keep Cheng Yao’s shoes dry, Qian Heng carried her and ran. When they arrived, they were declared last. Bao Rui won first place and, according to the rules, could stay in the luxury suite. Since it had an extra room, he wanted to invite someone and build goodwill, but no one accepted. Embarrassed, he looked pitifully at Cheng Yao, who, feeling sorry, agreed. After settling in, they went shopping at the scenic site.

The “Glory and Wealth” team visited the night market. Qian Heng followed Cheng Yao, and others joined too. Cheng Yao and Tan Ying led the group. Whenever they stopped for food, Qian Heng picked up on Cheng Yao’s signals and generously treated everyone several times. Wu Jun finally arrived with Cheng Xi. Seeing their expressions, the others guessed their relationship.

Wu Jun publicly invited Cheng Xi to join Junheng, but she declined, saying she wanted to focus on her current public interest cases. After the outing, the team dispersed to rest. Cheng Yao and Qian Heng took a few extra loops to meet privately. She thanked him for understanding her so well—they didn’t want to be apart. Bao Rui suggested they drink to celebrate his first-place win.

The four of them sat around a table and unknowingly drank a lot of liquor. Cheng Yao, drunk, went alone to the restroom but ended up back at the lavender field where she had been with Qian Heng earlier. Qian Heng, nearby, called Bao Rui to ask about Cheng Yao. Bao Rui then realized she had been gone for over half an hour. They all split up to search. Qian Heng found her first.

She collapsed into his arms, unable to stand. Bao Rui and Yu Fei arrived shortly after and saw the two holding each other. Embarrassed, they didn’t ask questions. Qian Heng admitted they were in a relationship but asked them not to tell anyone yet. After taking Cheng Yao back to her room, Qian Heng returned to his tent. Later that night, a still-drunk Cheng Yao stumbled in and ended up sleeping in the tent all night.

Back at the office, Bao Rui and Yu Fei couldn’t hold back their curiosity any longer and asked Cheng Yao to meet them in the break room, inquiring when she and Qian Heng had officially started dating. Just as Cheng Yao was about to explain, Qian Heng suddenly appeared behind them, accusing Bao Rui of being too nosy. Embarrassed, no one dared to ask further. Qian Heng then offered to buy everyone lunch as hush money.

During lunch, Bao Rui sat on the outermost seat while Yu Fei kept serving dishes to Tan Ying. Bao Rui couldn’t help but call out Yu Fei, asking why he kept giving food to Tan Ying despite knowing about Qian Heng and Cheng Yao’s relationship. Qian Heng cheerfully responded that it was because Yu Fei and Tan Ying were also in a relationship. Cheng Yao hurriedly explained that she had never revealed anything.

Qian Heng elaborated further—months ago, while waiting for the elevator, he saw Yu Fei and Tan Ying leaving work together, which sparked his suspicion. Then, during the company trip, Tan Ying pretended to twist her ankle and fall behind, confirming his hunch. Bao Rui looked dejected, realizing he had been the slowest to catch on. Qian Heng then told Cheng Yao that his father had asked him to come home for dinner that evening to host an old classmate.

Meanwhile, Cheng Yao also received a call from her father, asking her to wear her most expensive outfit for dinner to save face. Since Cheng Xi couldn’t make it, he insisted that Cheng Yao must attend. When Cheng Yao arrived at the restaurant, she saw Qian Heng exiting the restroom. After a brief chat, they realized they were attending the same dinner.

Upon entering the private room together, they discovered that their fathers were old classmates with a strong bond since their school days and a fondness for rivalry. Qian Heng’s father praised his son for founding a top-tier law firm and being talented and capable at a young age. Not to be outdone, Cheng Yao’s father boasted that both his daughters were lawyers, with the younger one working at a prestigious law firm.

After some clarification, they all realized both children worked at Junheng and were currently dating. Cheng Yao’s parents had met Qian Heng before and assumed he was an idle young man living off his partner. Now that they knew his true identity, Cheng Yao’s mother couldn’t help but look at him with admiration. Qian Heng’s mother put a jade bracelet on Cheng Yao’s wrist, and this time Cheng Yao was too embarrassed to take it off.

In return, Cheng Yao’s mother gave a gold bracelet to Qian Heng. Thus, both sides had formally met each other’s parents. Qian Heng then took Cheng Yao to his secret base—a CD experience store. The limited-edition CD he had previously given her was bought there. Together, they listened to classical music and thoroughly enjoyed the moment. That evening, Wu Jun called Qian Heng and said that Cheng Xi’s parents wanted to meet him, asking Qian Heng for advice.

He then rushed over to Qian Heng’s apartment, the place where they had once started their business together. Wu Jun nervously talked about how excited and anxious he felt. Suddenly, he saw Cheng Yao walk into the living room in her pajamas to get water. With just one glance from Qian Heng, Wu Jun immediately understood—they had been dating all along and had kept it from him.

Wu Jun confided in Cheng Xi, lamenting how Qian Heng had always been one step ahead of him since their school days—first to succeed as a renowned lawyer, while he remained an unnoticed back-end operator. Even meeting the in-laws, he was a few days behind. Liang Yiran officially joined Junheng as a partner. With her beautiful appearance and top-tier professional skills, she instantly gained a lot of admiration. Cheng Yao looked up to her immensely.

Liang Yiran took out a small sculpture from her alma mater’s demolition. Qian Heng remarked that the sculpture was of his grandmother, which was the only reason he occasionally looked at it—nothing sentimental. A photo of Qian Heng and Liang Yiran was published in the Lawyers Weekly. Fearing Cheng Yao would be jealous, Qian Heng confiscated the issue. However, Cheng Yao told him she wasn’t someone obsessed with romance and wouldn’t be hung up over Liang Yiran’s joining. Instead, she was more motivated to improve herself and match Liang Yiran’s capabilities.

Wu Jun arranged a welcome dinner for Liang Yiran and initially invited Qian Heng, who declined with an excuse. Liang Yiran dressed up carefully but was surprised to see only Wu Jun at the table. Wu Jun explained that although Qian Heng didn’t come, he had specifically asked him to express his good wishes. Liang Yiran was disappointed. Wu Jun, knowing her thoughts, advised her against going after someone like Qian Heng, saying it would only lead to heartbreak.

Liang Yiran replied that she understood the high standards expected of a partner at Junheng and would focus on improving her skills. On her way home alone, Liang Yiran muttered to herself, wondering how to get closer to Qian Heng. The next day at work, she discussed a case with Qian Heng, who nonchalantly said he trusted her judgment. Liang Yiran asked Cheng Yao to help print some documents but accidentally saw Cheng Yao’s WeChat messages.

In them, Bao Rui mentioned how Qian Heng always glanced at Cheng Yao lovingly when passing by their desks. Liang Yiran was visibly annoyed but didn’t say anything. Later, while browsing Qian Heng’s Moments, Liang Yiran discovered his secret relationship with Cheng Yao. She casually shared the information with a gossip-loving employee. Within a day, everyone at the firm knew, and rumors started spreading that Cheng Yao had advanced in her career due to her looks.

When Cheng Yao went to the pantry to get water, she overheard a heated discussion. Liang Yiran pretended to scold the gossipers and even extended an olive branch to Cheng Yao, inviting her to join her new team—conveniently also to avoid suspicion. Confused by how fast things had escalated, Cheng Yao vented to Cheng Xi. Cheng Xi shared her past experience of being labeled “the boss’s wife,” which seemed like a compliment but actually dismissed her own capabilities.

She urged Cheng Yao not to give up and to persevere. Despite her internal struggle, Cheng Yao decided to drop the trust case she had taken over. While Qian Heng and Bao Rui were on a business trip, Bao Rui heard the gossip from the "Ronghua Fugui" group chat. Worried that Cheng Yao might not be able to handle it, Qian Heng immediately booked a return flight and publicly confirmed their relationship at Junheng.

He stated that if anyone suspected he had given Cheng Yao special treatment, they were free to report him. Cheng Yao, now resolute, decided to join Liang Yiran’s team. Liang Yiran, who witnessed their public display of affection, angrily returned to her office. Tan Ying noticed her expression and warned Cheng Yao to stay alert. Liang Yiran introduced the other two team members to Cheng Yao but didn’t assign her any tasks.

When Cheng Yao asked for work, she was given errands like evidence collection, document retrieval, and coffee runs—none requiring any legal expertise. Though reluctant, Cheng Yao said nothing, having just joined the team. It had been 100 days since Cheng Yao and Qian Heng started dating. Cheng Yao wanted to buy him a necklace as a gift. Liang Yiran told her that Qian Heng only liked luxury goods and then assigned her an English contract to translate.

Cheng Yao spent the entire day researching and using translation tools, only to be told by Liang Yiran that a Chinese version existed but she had been too busy to mention it. Her entire day was wasted. That evening, Cheng Yao wanted to get off work early to celebrate. Unbeknownst to her, Qian Heng had booked a flight for that evening. When Liang Yiran saw his itinerary, she deliberately gave Cheng Yao extra work—organizing contracts and sourcing new clients. By the time she finished, it was already late at night.

Back at the office, Bao Rui and Yu Fei couldn’t hold back their curiosity any longer and asked Cheng Yao to meet them in the break room, inquiring when she and Qian Heng had officially started dating. Just as Cheng Yao was about to explain, Qian Heng suddenly appeared behind them, accusing Bao Rui of being too nosy. Embarrassed, no one dared to ask further. Qian Heng then offered to buy everyone lunch as hush money.

During lunch, Bao Rui sat on the outermost seat while Yu Fei kept serving dishes to Tan Ying. Bao Rui couldn’t help but call out Yu Fei, asking why he kept giving food to Tan Ying despite knowing about Qian Heng and Cheng Yao’s relationship. Qian Heng cheerfully responded that it was because Yu Fei and Tan Ying were also in a relationship. Cheng Yao hurriedly explained that she had never revealed anything.

Qian Heng elaborated further—months ago, while waiting for the elevator, he saw Yu Fei and Tan Ying leaving work together, which sparked his suspicion. Then, during the company trip, Tan Ying pretended to twist her ankle and fall behind, confirming his hunch. Bao Rui looked dejected, realizing he had been the slowest to catch on. Qian Heng then told Cheng Yao that his father had asked him to come home for dinner that evening to host an old classmate.

Meanwhile, Cheng Yao also received a call from her father, asking her to wear her most expensive outfit for dinner to save face. Since Cheng Xi couldn’t make it, he insisted that Cheng Yao must attend. When Cheng Yao arrived at the restaurant, she saw Qian Heng exiting the restroom. After a brief chat, they realized they were attending the same dinner.

Upon entering the private room together, they discovered that their fathers were old classmates with a strong bond since their school days and a fondness for rivalry. Qian Heng’s father praised his son for founding a top-tier law firm and being talented and capable at a young age. Not to be outdone, Cheng Yao’s father boasted that both his daughters were lawyers, with the younger one working at a prestigious law firm.

After some clarification, they all realized both children worked at Junheng and were currently dating. Cheng Yao’s parents had met Qian Heng before and assumed he was an idle young man living off his partner. Now that they knew his true identity, Cheng Yao’s mother couldn’t help but look at him with admiration. Qian Heng’s mother put a jade bracelet on Cheng Yao’s wrist, and this time Cheng Yao was too embarrassed to take it off.

In return, Cheng Yao’s mother gave a gold bracelet to Qian Heng. Thus, both sides had formally met each other’s parents. Qian Heng then took Cheng Yao to his secret base—a CD experience store. The limited-edition CD he had previously given her was bought there. Together, they listened to classical music and thoroughly enjoyed the moment. That evening, Wu Jun called Qian Heng and said that Cheng Xi’s parents wanted to meet him, asking Qian Heng for advice.

He then rushed over to Qian Heng’s apartment, the place where they had once started their business together. Wu Jun nervously talked about how excited and anxious he felt. Suddenly, he saw Cheng Yao walk into the living room in her pajamas to get water. With just one glance from Qian Heng, Wu Jun immediately understood—they had been dating all along and had kept it from him.

Wu Jun confided in Cheng Xi, lamenting how Qian Heng had always been one step ahead of him since their school days—first to succeed as a renowned lawyer, while he remained an unnoticed back-end operator. Even meeting the in-laws, he was a few days behind. Liang Yiran officially joined Junheng as a partner. With her beautiful appearance and top-tier professional skills, she instantly gained a lot of admiration. Cheng Yao looked up to her immensely.

Liang Yiran took out a small sculpture from her alma mater’s demolition. Qian Heng remarked that the sculpture was of his grandmother, which was the only reason he occasionally looked at it—nothing sentimental. A photo of Qian Heng and Liang Yiran was published in the Lawyers Weekly. Fearing Cheng Yao would be jealous, Qian Heng confiscated the issue. However, Cheng Yao told him she wasn’t someone obsessed with romance and wouldn’t be hung up over Liang Yiran’s joining.

Instead, she was more motivated to improve herself and match Liang Yiran’s capabilities. \-------------------------30----------------------Wu Jun arranged a welcome dinner for Liang Yiran and initially invited Qian Heng, who declined with an excuse. Liang Yiran dressed up carefully but was surprised to see only Wu Jun at the table. Wu Jun explained that although Qian Heng didn’t come, he had specifically asked him to express his good wishes. Liang Yiran was disappointed.

Wu Jun, knowing her thoughts, advised her against going after someone like Qian Heng, saying it would only lead to heartbreak. Liang Yiran replied that she understood the high standards expected of a partner at Junheng and would focus on improving her skills. On her way home alone, Liang Yiran muttered to herself, wondering how to get closer to Qian Heng. The next day at work, she discussed a case with Qian Heng, who nonchalantly said he trusted her judgment.

Liang Yiran asked Cheng Yao to help print some documents but accidentally saw Cheng Yao’s WeChat messages. In them, Bao Rui mentioned how Qian Heng always glanced at Cheng Yao lovingly when passing by their desks. Liang Yiran was visibly annoyed but didn’t say anything. Later, while browsing Qian Heng’s Moments, Liang Yiran discovered his secret relationship with Cheng Yao. She casually shared the information with a gossip-loving employee.

Within a day, everyone at the firm knew, and rumors started spreading that Cheng Yao had advanced in her career due to her looks. When Cheng Yao went to the pantry to get water, she overheard a heated discussion. Liang Yiran pretended to scold the gossipers and even extended an olive branch to Cheng Yao, inviting her to join her new team—conveniently also to avoid suspicion. Confused by how fast things had escalated, Cheng Yao vented to Cheng Xi.

Cheng Xi shared her past experience of being labeled “the boss’s wife,” which seemed like a compliment but actually dismissed her own capabilities. She urged Cheng Yao not to give up and to persevere. Despite her internal struggle, Cheng Yao decided to drop the trust case she had taken over. While Qian Heng and Bao Rui were on a business trip, Bao Rui heard the gossip from the "Ronghua Fugui" group chat.

Worried that Cheng Yao might not be able to handle it, Qian Heng immediately booked a return flight and publicly confirmed their relationship at Junheng. He stated that if anyone suspected he had given Cheng Yao special treatment, they were free to report him. Cheng Yao, now resolute, decided to join Liang Yiran’s team. Liang Yiran, who witnessed their public display of affection, angrily returned to her office. Tan Ying noticed her expression and warned Cheng Yao to stay alert.

Liang Yiran introduced the other two team members to Cheng Yao but didn’t assign her any tasks. When Cheng Yao asked for work, she was given errands like evidence collection, document retrieval, and coffee runs—none requiring any legal expertise. Though reluctant, Cheng Yao said nothing, having just joined the team. It had been 100 days since Cheng Yao and Qian Heng started dating. Cheng Yao wanted to buy him a necklace as a gift.

Liang Yiran told her that Qian Heng only liked luxury goods and then assigned her an English contract to translate. Cheng Yao spent the entire day researching and using translation tools, only to be told by Liang Yiran that a Chinese version existed but she had been too busy to mention it. Her entire day was wasted. That evening, Cheng Yao wanted to get off work early to celebrate. Unbeknownst to her, Qian Heng had booked a flight for that evening.

When Liang Yiran saw his itinerary, she deliberately gave Cheng Yao extra work—organizing contracts and sourcing new clients. By the time she finished, it was already late at night. \---------------31------------------Back at the apartment, Cheng Yao didn’t see Qian Heng’s suitcase and assumed he had left for the business trip. Her celebration plan ruined, she sat on the couch, feeling down. Suddenly, Qian Heng appeared with a small cake. Cheng Yao was shocked and overjoyed.

Qian Heng explained he had changed his flight just to keep their promise. Deeply moved, Cheng Yao embraced and kissed him, and the night turned romantic. The next morning, Qian Heng got up early for his flight. When Cheng Yao woke up and reached out for him, she found a large body pillow with Qian Heng’s photo on it.

He had left a note asking her to take care of herself and saying that their night together was his 100-day anniversary gift to her. Even at the airport, just before boarding, Qian Heng messaged Tan Ying, asking her to look after Cheng Yao. Tan Ying agreed, saying since Yu Fei was under Qian Heng’s command, she would do her utmost to protect Cheng Yao. Liang Yiran’s assistant took on a divorce case involving an elderly couple.

Liang Yiran told her to avoid such cases in the future—they involved small claims and too much hassle. Suddenly thinking of Cheng Yao, she assigned the case to her. Cheng Yao accepted and quickly went to the client's home to collect evidence. The client lived in an old house and wanted every item bought by her family during marriage—down to a two-yuan feather duster—accounted for in compensation. Cheng Yao made no complaints and carefully recorded everything.

The client then insisted on having a meal together, made Cheng Yao pay, claimed the firm would reimburse it, ordered several dishes, and even packed two desserts to go. Cheng Yao could only shake her head helplessly. Back at the firm, Cheng Yao worked overtime to organize the asset list, which was detailed and complete. Liang Yiran asked her assistant to find flaws, but the assistant found none. Cheng Yao was the last to leave the office that night.

After she left, Liang Yiran returned and secretly took an important IOU from Cheng Yao’s desk drawer, planning to cause trouble. The next day, just before the court session, Cheng Yao discovered the IOU was missing. She searched all her documents in a panic. Tan Ying suggested checking the surveillance footage, but with no time before the hearing, Cheng Yao had to rush to court. The client, Ms.

Wu, was furious and demanded Cheng Yao write a note promising to pay 100,000 yuan in damages if they lost the case. Cheng Yao signed it. Li Chengxuan of Jincheng Law Firm had just wrapped up a case with Gu Beiqing. Seeing that Cheng Yao was about to start her hearing, he decided to observe. When Ms. Wu’s husband heard about the missing IOU, he flatly denied borrowing money before marriage.

Calm and composed, Cheng Yao presented the transfer records and a copy of the IOU, winning the case. Her performance impressed Li Chengxuan, who offered his business card and invited her to join his firm. Back at the office, while chatting with Tan Ying, Cheng Yao suddenly heard Ms. Wu shouting at the door. She rushed over, only to have Ms. Wu throw a raw egg at her, accusing her of losing the IOU and demanding exemption from legal fees.

Cheng Yao responded that there had been no actual loss, so the fees couldn’t be waived. Liang Yiran stepped in, offering to cover the cost herself, which indirectly admitted Cheng Yao’s fault. Tan Ying called Wu Jun, who quickly came to the office. After hearing the full story, he demanded that Liang Yiran give a public explanation at the next team meeting.

He reminded her that as a partner at Junheng, there had never been a precedent of waiving legal fees arbitrarily and advised her to focus on work instead of letting personal emotions interfere. \------------------32-----------------------Cheng Yao proactively approached Wu Jun to apologize for the incident with Ms. Wu and offered her resignation. Wu Jun urged her to reconsider, saying the matter hadn’t harmed the firm and that he had a few solutions.

First, he could approve her paid leave and let her return once things settled. Second, he could investigate the matter thoroughly and clear her name. Lastly, if she insisted on leaving, he would write her a recommendation letter. Cheng Yao sincerely thanked Wu Jun but said her decision wasn’t solely due to the incident. As a lawyer, constantly being seen as “Qian Heng’s girlfriend” wasn’t what she aspired to. Seeing she was determined, Wu Jun said no more.

The next day, Tan Ying was upset about Cheng Yao’s resignation and angrily slammed the letter on Wu Jun’s desk. Wu Jun replied that respecting Cheng Yao’s decision was the best solution. Cheng Yao also prepared to leave the “Ronghua Fugui” group. Since company policy forbade former employees from staying in work groups, Tan Ying said they could start a new one for work purposes, but the four members of Ronghua Fugui would always stick together.

Cheng Yao didn’t tell Qian Heng about her resignation. After finishing business, Qian Heng, Bao Rui, and Yu Fei waited at the airport. Yu Fei suggested buying lipstick for Tan Ying, and Bao Rui followed suit. Qian Heng, thinking Cheng Yao wasn’t materialistic, didn’t buy anything at first. But seeing the others return with bags of gifts, he panicked and went on a shopping spree, buying every lipstick color because he didn’t know which one she liked.

Back at the office, Qian Heng noticed Cheng Yao’s desk was empty and felt something was off. Liang Yiran asked about the limited-edition lipstick she had requested, but Qian Heng had completely forgotten. He summoned Tan Ying to his office. Tan Ying, reluctant to explain directly, pretended to be on a call with a client and subtly revealed that Cheng Yao had resigned. Cheng Yao, still hesitant, prepared her resume to look for new jobs.

Back at the apartment, Qian Heng had dinner ready. Cheng Yao finally shared her decision and explained that she found it strange how all evidence had been together, yet only the IOU disappeared. No one would believe it wasn’t intentional. Qian Heng firmly stated that he absolutely believed her. That night, Qian Heng couldn’t sleep. He pulled up the office surveillance footage, determined to clear Cheng Yao’s name. He then arranged to meet Wu Jun at the boxing gym. Seeing the furious Qian Heng, Wu Jun quickly explained how everything had unfolded. . .

Cheng Yao took the initiative to approach Wu Jun to apologize for the incident involving Ms. Wu and decided to resign. Wu Jun advised Cheng Yao to reconsider. This farce hadn't caused any damage to Junheng, and he had a way to achieve a win-win. First, he could approve paid leave for Cheng Yao, allowing her to return to work once things calmed down. If she wasn’t satisfied, they could also investigate thoroughly to give her an explanation.

Lastly, if she insisted on resigning, he would write her a recommendation letter. Cheng Yao sincerely thanked Wu Jun for his kindness. Her resignation wasn't entirely due to the incident with Ms. Wu. For a lawyer, constantly being labeled as Qian Heng’s girlfriend wasn't what she aspired to. Seeing that Cheng Yao had made up her mind, Wu Jun said no more.

The next day, Tan Ying was upset about Cheng Yao’s resignation and angrily slammed her own resignation letter onto Wu Jun’s desk. Wu Jun said respecting Cheng Yao’s decision was the best solution. Cheng Yao was about to leave the "Glory and Wealth" group chat, as company policy stated that departing employees couldn't remain in work-related groups. Tan Ying said they could create a new group for work, but the four members of "Glory and Wealth" would never disband.

Cheng Yao kept her resignation plans from Qian Heng. After Qian Heng, Bao Rui, and Yu Fei finished work, they waited for their flight. Yu Fei suggested buying lipstick for Tan Ying, and Bao Rui followed suit. Qian Heng calmly sat on the couch, thinking Cheng Yao wasn’t a materialistic woman, so there was no need to buy anything.

However, when Yu Fei and Bao Rui returned to their room with bags of purchases, Qian Heng couldn’t sit still any longer. He rushed to the shopping area and bought lipstick in every shade since he didn’t know which one Cheng Yao liked. Back at the office, Qian Heng noticed Cheng Yao’s empty desk and sensed something was off. Liang Yiran asked about the limited-edition lipstick she had asked him to buy, which he had completely forgotten.

He called Tan Ying into his office to inquire, but she avoided giving a direct answer and pretended to be on a client call, during which she revealed Cheng Yao had resigned. Cheng Yao, though reluctant to leave, finished writing her resume and was ready to look for a new job. Back at the apartment, Qian Heng had prepared dinner. Cheng Yao finally told him about her decision to resign.

She expressed confusion over the missing IOU, especially since all the other evidence was together. It made it sound like she was making excuses, which no one would believe. Qian Heng firmly said he absolutely believed her. That night, Qian Heng couldn’t sleep. He checked the company surveillance footage, determined to clear Cheng Yao’s name, and arranged to meet Wu Jun at the boxing gym. Seeing Qian Heng’s anger, Wu Jun quickly explained the incident.

Qian Heng still felt Wu Jun had handled the matter poorly and hadn't investigated thoroughly, insisting on a match with Wu Jun. The next day at work, Qian Heng stormed into Liang Yiran’s office, demanding she redo her onboarding process and recite the lawyer’s manual. Liang Yiran thought he was making a big deal out of nothing, saying they’d known each other for years and didn’t need to put on a show.

Qian Heng cut to the chase and directly asked whether she had stolen Cheng Yao’s evidence. Liang Yiran denied it and pretended to take the blame for Cheng Yao. When Qian Heng showed the surveillance footage, Liang Yiran had no choice but to admit it. Qian Heng demanded that Liang Yiran publicly apologize at the company meeting. She refused, saying that admitting fault would ruin her reputation. Qian Heng said he might report her to the police.

Enraged, Liang Yiran asked what she lacked compared to Cheng Yao. She said if he reported her, her career would be over. Wu Jun arrived just in time to mediate, and Qian Heng ultimately didn’t report her.

Qian Heng blamed Cheng Yao’s resignation on Wu Jun’s careless recruitment. Wu Jun planned to meet with Liang Yiran. The incident had already happened, and with Qian Heng now hating Liang Yiran, Wu Jun had to find a solution. He took out a photo of the three of them from school, recalling the past. Many girls had pursued Qian Heng, but only Liang Yiran could discuss case details with him.

They had worked hard together, and all these memories made Liang Yiran feel even more at a loss. Wu Jun told Liang Yiran that a good relationship could help people grow, but a bad one would only hold them back. Liang Yiran also realized that her persistence was meaningless and would only lead to more hurt. Tan Ying informed Cheng Yao of the company’s decision. Liang Yiran's reputation in the industry had already taken a hit.

Liang Yiran called Cheng Yao to meet and admitted she finally saw the gap between them. Cheng Yao’s positivity made her decide to study abroad and temporarily leave the legal profession. Cheng Yao replied that she had noticed the hostility from the start but didn’t want to cause gossip or embarrass a partner, so she had endured the pressure and joined Liang Yiran’s team. Liang Yiran finally apologized, and Cheng Yao smiled calmly, saying everything was in the past.

Previously, when Cheng Yao mentioned resigning, Qian Heng had carelessly said she’d have nowhere to go after leaving Junheng, which hurt her feelings. As an apology, he clumsily made a wooden plaque for her and accidentally injured his hand. Seeing Qian Heng’s sincere attitude, Cheng Yao was no longer angry and shared that she had passed the interview at Jincheng Law Firm. The next day, Cheng Yao reported to Jincheng. Gu Beiqing prepared a bouquet of baby’s breath for her.

Li Chengxuan posted a photo of the three of them on his Moments. During lunch, some new colleagues asked about Qian Heng’s nickname in the industry as the “poison tumor. ” As Cheng Yao was about to explain, Qian Heng suddenly appeared behind her, surprising everyone. Li Chengxuan had meant well and was trying to pair Gu Beiqing and Cheng Yao. When Qian Heng announced that he was Cheng Yao’s boyfriend, Li Chengxuan quickly stopped.

Back at the apartment, Qian Heng was clearly jealous and asked about Cheng Yao’s partnership with Gu Beiqing. Cheng Yao said they had formed a team and started handling high-end cases. Seeing Qian Heng’s annoyed expression, Cheng Yao deliberately teased him. Gu Beiqing was scared of Qian Heng. When he handled the Xu Jun case, he had been on track to become a partner but failed due to someone from Qian Heng’s firm.

Since then, he’d had a psychological shadow about Qian Heng and just hoped to avoid him in the future. Cheng Yao told Gu Beiqing that with effort, it wasn’t impossible for the two of them to surpass Qian Heng. Cheng Yao and Gu Beiqing progressed rapidly, quickly becoming pillars of the firm and breaking revenue records within a month. Li Chengxuan decided to host a celebratory lunch and use the opportunity to promote them as a pair.

Tan Ying secretly informed Qian Heng. Li Chengxuan arranged for them to shoot the next issue’s Lawyer Weekly cover, but Cheng Yao believed handling real cases was more important. She also said hyping a “CP” might cause Qian Heng to overthink. So Li Chengxuan changed his mind. Qian Heng, eavesdropping next door, was very satisfied with Cheng Yao’s decision and had Bao Rui buy milk tea for all colleagues—on his tab.

Qian Heng’s mother came to Jincheng to see Cheng Yao and urged Qian Heng to come home for dinner and hurry up with marriage plans. Cheng Yao was awarded “Outstanding Individual” at Jincheng, marking a new milestone in her career.

Qian Heng finally agreed to persuade Huang Ran and Chen Linli to reconcile before the court ruling. Since Chen Linli was still hospitalized, Qian Heng brought Huang Ran to the hospital. With Cheng Yao's persuasion, Huang Ran decided to drop the appeal and reconcile with Chen Linli as before. She also praised Cheng Yao as the most compassionate lawyer she had ever met.

Qian Heng told Cheng Yao that if he had met her earlier, he might have had more respect and expectations for marriage. The Chen Linli case had taught him an important lesson. All the family cases he had handled before ended in ugliness and conflict, but this time, Cheng Yao made him reflect. He decided to start viewing Cheng Yao as a rival and looked forward to competing with her in court soon.

Qian Heng planned to drive Cheng Yao home but found his car had been towed, so they had to walk. Passing by the plaza, they sat by the fountain to rest. Qian Heng apologized to Cheng Yao for making decisions on his own earlier. He also admitted that it was her appearance that made him see the beauty of marriage. He expressed his wish to marry her one day.

Cheng Yao accepted his apology, saying it was her own inferiority complex that led her to overinterpret Qian Heng’s kindness. As for the marriage proposal, she didn’t respond directly. Instead, she teased him by quoting his previous view that marriage only protects property, not love. Wu Jun told Qian Heng that the reconciliation between Chen Linli and Huang Ran had great significance for Junheng’s competition for the Jintianping Award.

Naturally, Qian Heng was the biggest contributor, so he planned to treat everyone to a seafood feast. Bao Rui and Yu Fei eagerly joined. Qian Heng texted Cheng Yao to invite her to dinner, but she said she was dining at a Sichuan restaurant with Gu Beiqing that night to discuss a case.

Not wanting them to spend time alone together again, Qian Heng told the Junheng team that their success in handling Chen Linli’s case was closely tied to their collaboration with Jincheng, and suggested a joint celebration banquet. When it was time to order, Li Chengxuan suggested letting Gu Beiqing do it, but Qian Heng, out of jealousy, insisted he knew Sichuan cuisine and ordered many dishes himself, all marked extra spicy.

As soon as the dishes arrived, he could only take one bite before giving up. Wu Jun and Li Chengxuan went to a private room to discuss business, and Yu Fei and Tan Ying also found an excuse to leave the restaurant early. When Qian Heng returned to his apartment, he found that Weizhen Tian had knocked over the trash and eaten chocolate. He quickly took the dog to the pet hospital for a stomach pump.

Hearing from the housekeeper, Qian's mother thought Qian Heng had been bitten by a dog and rushed to the hospital. When she arrived, Qian Heng was holding Weizhen Tian and listening to the doctor’s instructions. The loving look in his eyes reminded her of how Qian’s father used to look at their son. Qian Heng directly asked Cheng Yao to help take care of Weizhen Tian.

Seeing the scratch on his hand, Cheng Yao hurried to get a first aid kit and disinfected the wound. Fortunately, the dog had been vaccinated. After treating the wound, Qian Heng didn’t plan to go home and rest. He collapsed onto the sofa and dozed off. Cheng Yao touched his forehead and found he had a fever, so she let him rest at the apartment. After a nap, his fever subsided a bit. Cheng Yao made him some porridge.

Watching her busy figure in the kitchen, Qian Heng longed even more for marriage and brought up the topic again. The next day at work, Qian Heng bought a lot of milk tea and treated every employee at Jincheng. Cheng Yao advised him not to be too high-profile, but he didn’t listen at all, completely immersed in happiness.

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