Human fate has always been a strange thing—full of uncertainty. Sometimes all it takes is one person, or even a single sentence, to send the course of a life down an entirely different path.
Once the case had been settled, Zhou Yan returned home. He probably assumed there would be no reason for them to meet again, so he never left Lou Mingxu any contact information.
Before he left, however, Zhou Yan handed Lou Mingxu a kraft-paper envelope.
There was a fountain pen and a handwritten letter in exquisite calligraphy inside.
Zhou Yan, by then twenty-four, had written to Lou Mingxu, who was at the time eighteen,
✎﹏﹏﹏﹏
Life is actually very long. The joys and sorrows, the sweet and the bitter, that you'll experience will almost certainly be far more than you can imagine right now.
Someday, when you look back from the future, you'll realize that what happened today was nothing more than a drop in the ocean. It won't seem important at all.
If you have some free time, try learning a little about the law. Then you'll know how to protect yourself while also protecting the people you want to protect.
And one more thing—stop saying that you're bad at exams or that you're not smart enough. I think you're pretty smart, actually. Really. The first time I saw you, I could tell there was something sharp in your eyes.
I'll tell you a secret. When I was in middle school, I once scored even lower than you did in English. I got barely thirty-something points, haha. I managed to get every single reading-comprehension question wrong. Pretty impressive, right?
But my teacher never gave up on me, and I wasn't willing to give up on myself either. Later, I signed up for tutoring and slowly brought my grades up, little by little.
If you had asked that kid who scored thirty-something on an English test whether he'd ever imagined becoming a lawyer, do you think he'd have believed it?
Life really does have so many possibilities. Don't be so quick to give up on yourself.
I admire your courage and your sense of responsibility. And I hope that as you grow up, your will remains like a diamond—strong enough to withstand anything.
I'm giving you this pen.
Happy birthday!
P.S.
Come to think of it, it seems a little lonely for you to be the only one working hard. So how about this?
You work hard and get into the university you want.
I'll work hard too—I'll keep learning and handling cases, and I'll do my best to become a criminal defense lawyer as respected as my mentor. I'll fight for the rights of more clients like you and do my part to uphold justice.
Maybe we'll meet again someday.
If fate brings us together again.
✎﹏﹏﹏﹏
By the time Lou Mingxu finished reading, his eyes were burning again.
A smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
He was deeply moved—and utterly surprised.
Zhou Yan had actually remembered his birthday.
Lou Mingxu's eighteenth birthday had been only a few days before the fight.
Neither of his parents had remembered.
After the divorce, his father had thrown himself completely into his new family and had barely spared him a thought. His mother, meanwhile, was passionate about traveling and dating. The men she dated seemed to get younger with every relationship, as though she were silently competing with her ex-husband to see who could live the more carefree, happier life.
It had been years since anyone had set aside time specifically to celebrate Lou Mingxu's birthday.
Eventually, he'd simply gotten used to it.
The only reason Zhou Yan had known was because, while confirming Lou Mingxu's personal information that day, he'd looked surprised and said,
“Your birthday's April nineteenth? What a coincidence. Mine's September fourteenth.”
Lou Mingxu had only responded absently,
“I forgot. I haven't celebrated it in a long time.”
Now, at twenty-four, Lou Mingxu was rereading that faded letter.
Aside from feeling grateful that he'd made the right choice all those years ago, he felt a faint melancholy.
Time really was like flowing water.
It passed quickly and indifferently, slipping through your fingers no matter how tightly you tried to hold on.
Over the years, Lou Mingxu had spent almost all his energy fighting his way through school.
And he often thought about Zhou Yan.
He had taken the gaokao twice.
The first time, he'd ranked second from the bottom in his class.
The second time, he performed far beyond expectations and was admitted to A University's School of Law.
Then he spent another two years preparing intensively before finally passing the national judicial examination.
The moment he received the offer from the law firm, he thought of Zhou Yan again.
He remembered that night on the swing bench, when Zhou Yan had smiled at him and said that everything would eventually pass.
Those unpleasant memories had long since been smoothed away by time.
And that apology he'd once hated so much had, just as Zhou Yan predicted, become completely insignificant.
There was nothing in the world more important than himself.
He wished he could share this good news with Zhou Yan.
Once he'd passed the judicial examination, he could apply for a law-firm internship.
Lou Mingxu had sent his résumé to only one firm:
Lanjin.
It wasn't because Lanjin was particularly famous.
It was simply because he'd found out in advance that Zhou Yan worked there.
There was probably no easier profession in the world to investigate than a practicing lawyer's.
All Lou Mingxu had needed to do was search Zhou Yan's name on the China Judgments Online database, and his cases, the law firm he worked for, and all the relevant information were laid out in black and white.
What Lou Mingxu couldn't understand was why Zhou Yan had left the famous major firm he'd once worked for and moved to such an obscure little practice.
And it wasn't just his workplace that had changed.
After transferring to the new firm, Zhou Yan had stopped doing criminal defense altogether. Instead, he specialized in minor civil cases—petty disputes and everyday legal problems that barely seemed worth mentioning.
Criminal law and civil law were two completely different fields. Both required years of experience and accumulated expertise.
Transitioning to a different specialty mid-career is akin to requesting a swimmer, who has spent years perfecting freestyle, to abruptly begin competing in breaststroke.
Everything had to start from scratch.
Very few lawyers would willingly do that.
Which was precisely why Lou Mingxu found it suspicious.
Had something unpleasant happened at work?
Had Zhou Yan decided that criminal defense no longer had a good reputation?
Lou Mingxu went through every case Zhou Yan had handled over the years that he could find.
He couldn't figure out the answer.
But that was all right.
The answer would be revealed soon enough.
Once he saw Zhou Yan again, he would properly thank him for all those years of patience.
His decision to study law hadn't been entirely because of Zhou Yan, but there was no denying that Zhou Yan had influenced him enormously.
On Monday, Lou Mingxu woke before dawn.
He had only just arrived in Nancheng and hadn't had time to rent an apartment yet, so he'd checked into a hotel near the law firm.
He hadn't brought much with him—just a few changes of clothes and some toiletries.
The cleaning lady had taken his shirts to be ironed yesterday, and they looked much better now.
Standing in front of the full-length mirror, Lou Mingxu changed into his clothes and held up several ties in different colors. He took a picture and sent it to Xu Wang.
⌊ Which one looks better? ⌋
Xu Wang was the boy Xia Haitao had bullied all those years ago.
Originally, Lou Mingxu hadn't been particularly fond of him. After all, he'd only gotten involved because he'd been trying to save Xu Wang, and Xu Wang had backed down at the exact moment Lou Mingxu needed him most.
But after the matter was settled and Lou Mingxu returned to school, Xu Wang began trying to make amends.
He wrote letters explaining and apologizing.
He brought Lou Mingxu food.
He practically wagged his tail like a puppy trying desperately to win his master's favor.
Eventually, Lou Mingxu softened and was willing to look him in the eye again.
Though he still couldn't resist making sarcastic remarks whenever they talked.
“You really don't need to keep bringing me stuff. I'm not in prison.”
Xu Wang had hurriedly protested,
“I won't let you go to prison! Actually, when Lawyer Zhou came to see me that day, I promised him something…”
“If Xia Haitao's family refused to forgive you and insisted on pressing charges, I would definitely stand up and testify against Xia Haitao.”
“You don't believe me? You can ask the lawyer.”
So Zhou Yan had kept a backup plan after all.
That way, Xu Wang's family wouldn't have to openly cross the Xia family, while Lou Mingxu's situation could still be resolved.
The knot in Lou Mingxu's chest loosened.
He felt a little better.
“Forget about what happened before. If Xia Haitao ever corners you again, call me. I know how to fight back without crossing the line into excessive self-defense now.”
“Huh?”
Xu Wang looked both stunned and flattered.
“Did Lawyer Zhou secretly teach you? Can you teach me too?”
Lou Mingxu looked him up and down.
“With those skinny little arms and legs of yours? Even if I taught you, it wouldn't do any good.”
With a heart full of gratitude, Xu Wang began running errands for Lou Mingxu and taking the blame whenever necessary.
Their lives gradually became intertwined.
Xu Wang was an excellent student. He helped Lou Mingxu with his homework and even designed study plans for him.
Lou Mingxu's eventual admission to university owed no small amount to Xu Wang.
And with Lou Mingxu around, nobody at school dared bully Xu Wang again.
Xu Wang's personality also became much more cheerful.
He was now a graduate student.
Lou Mingxu wasn't sure whether he'd stayed up all night or had just woken up, but he replied almost instantly.
⌊ The narrow one. It looks younger and more youthful. The two wider ones make you look like a real-estate salesman. ⌋
Before Lou Mingxu could respond, another message came through.
⌊ Aren't you going to do something about your hair? ⌋
Lou Mingxu stared at his reflection.
His hair was styled in a curly wolf cut.
He'd grown it out while working part-time as a model. The stylist on his team had decided that his facial features were too sharp and severe, so softer lines were needed to make him look less intimidating.
They'd forbidden him from changing the hairstyle on his own.
He'd had the same look for nearly three years.
He was used to it by now.
And he didn't see anything wrong with it.
He wasn't a government employee, after all.
⌊ It gives me personality. Better than having no hair at all. ⌋
⌊ Then remember to smile when you meet clients. When you don't smile, you look like you're connected to both sides of the law. ⌋
Lanjin Law Firm occupied the thirtieth floor of the Guomao Building.
The office was bright and spacious, with different departments divided according to the practice area. It looked as though it had been renovated fairly recently, because everything in the workspace was brand-new.
The firm's director was only in her thirties.
Her surname was Pei.
She had exquisite, striking features that gave her an intimidating beauty at first glance, as though she were difficult to approach.
In reality, the opposite was true.
She was straightforward and didn't put on the slightest airs of authority.
After introducing Lou Mingxu to everyone at the firm, she pointed to an empty desk.
“You can sit here. It doesn't get much afternoon sun. From now on, you can learn from Lawyer Tang. He's just one person short on his team.”
Lou Mingxu's heart tightened.
That quickly?
They were already assigning him a supervising lawyer?
He hadn't even seen Zhou Yan yet.
The legal profession placed enormous importance on experience. Passing the judicial examination didn't mean a new lawyer could immediately handle cases independently.
They still had to spend at least a year, sometimes longer, interning under a supervising lawyer. Only after passing the bar association's assessment could they obtain a lawyer's practicing certificate.
Choosing a mentor was as important as a graduate student choosing an academic advisor.
Naturally, Lou Mingxu wanted to learn from someone he already knew.
But from the moment he'd walked through the door until now, he hadn't seen Zhou Yan anywhere.
Maybe he was out working.
Before he became too familiar with everyone, Lou Mingxu worked up the courage to ask,
“Excuse me, is there a lawyer here named Zhou Yan?”
Lawyer Pei nodded.
“Mm. You know him?”
Lou Mingxu's eyes lit up.
“Where's his desk? I haven't seen him.”
Lawyers spent so much time reading people that Lawyer Pei must have noticed something.
She got straight to the point.
“You want to be his assistant?”
“Can I?”
“You can, but he doesn't work here.”
“What?!”
It felt as though someone had struck Lou Mingxu over the head.
For a moment, his mind went completely blank.
How could this be?
Lanjin had branch offices in several cities, but the court documents clearly stated that Zhou Yan worked for Lanjin Law Firm in Nancheng.
Could it really be that, just before Lou Mingxu arrived, Zhou Yan had transferred to another branch again?
Was the man a cockroach or something?
Why did he move around so much?
Although Lou Mingxu had always told himself that his decision to join Lanjin hadn't been entirely because of Zhou Yan, now that he couldn't find him, the disappointment on his face was impossible to hide.
It felt like spending hours carefully finishing an exam, only to hand it in and discover that you'd written the entire essay on the wrong topic.
“Then which branch is he at?”
As he asked, Lou Mingxu was already wondering what he should do next.
Leaving immediately after arriving would obviously look terrible.
But he hadn't signed his contract yet.
If he wanted to leave, now was the time.
While he was weighing his options, Lawyer Pei gave him the answer.
“He's still in Nancheng. He's working at one of our service offices in Litangkou.”
She paused.
“It's a little far from here. About forty or fifty minutes by car, assuming there isn't any traffic.”
Many law firms established additional service offices to make legal services more convenient for businesses and individuals.
Put bluntly, it also meant they could pick up more clients.
Some were even set up directly near courthouses.
“If you want to go, I can give you a ride,” Lawyer Pei said. “But I'll warn you first—the place is just a tiny office. You can't compare the environment there to this one.”
“There aren't many people either. If you go, you'll only be able to work as Zhou Yan's legal assistant. There won't be any other options.”
Lou Mingxu didn't think too much about it.
He simply wanted to see Zhou Yan.
He wanted to know what he'd become after all these years.
“That's fine. I'm pretty adaptable.”
Lawyer Pei smiled.
“Then go give it a try. If you really can't adjust, you can always apply to transfer back here.”
That afternoon, once Lawyer Pei had finished her work, she took Lou Mingxu downstairs.
The car traveled along winding elevated roads and expressways. Gradually, the view opened up.
The forest of high-rises disappeared, replaced by manufacturing parks and logistics warehouses lining both sides of the road.
After passing several more traffic lights, they came upon a huge stone monument.
Three characters were carved into it:
里堂口 — Litangkou.
Litangkou was the name of a scenic area in a small town.
Lou Mingxu had actually visited with his family one summer during his school vacation.
The town had a distinctly traditional Jiangnan character. Winding lanes were paved with blue-gray stone, lined on either side by old residential buildings with white walls and gray-tiled roofs.
A river flowed through the town, with boatmen waiting along the banks for passengers.
There were plenty of handicraft shops and local snacks along the streets.
Unfortunately, as the number of tourists increased, the scenic area had inevitably become commercialized.
Walking around now felt less like visiting an ancient town and more like wandering through a wholesale market for cheap tourist trinkets.
There wasn't much to see.
The law firm's service office was, unsurprisingly, directly across from the courthouse.
Lou Mingxu got out of the car and took a quick look around.
There were two law firms nearby, both with the words LEGAL CONSULTATION plastered across their glass doors in huge, bold black lettering.
Tacky.
Lanjin's storefront was narrow and shabby.
A huge empty cat cage stood against one wall.
A collection of potted plants crowded the steps. The cactus plants were each ugly in their own unique way, while the other succulents looked as though someone had sucked all the life out of them, leaving them shriveled and wrinkled.
The whole place radiated an air of poverty and decay.
If Lou Mingxu hadn't already known it was a law firm, he would've assumed it was a blind-massage shop that had gone out of business.
The only thing it had going for it was the location.
The grassroots-level court and local police station were directly across the street.
Otherwise, it probably wouldn't have gotten much business.
Lawyer Pei still had work to do, so she told Lou Mingxu to go inside and wait.
“If Zhou Yan isn't there, just give him a call.”
Lou Mingxu walked over.
The U-shaped lock hanging from the door handle wasn't actually locked.
It seemed to serve more as decoration—and as a test of human morality.
“Anyone here?”
Lou Mingxu's head entered the room before the rest of him did.
Inside was a tiny office roughly the size of his family's kitchen.
Two walnut-colored desks had been placed one behind the other. Lou Mingxu couldn't tell how many owners they'd had before, but they matched the storefront perfectly.
The office was going for a distinctly vintage aesthetic.
The desk nearest the entrance was piled high with case files. A printer and microwave sat beside them.
The other desk was clearly in use. Its computer tower was humming softly.
Lou Mingxu pulled one of Zhou Yan's business cards from the desk, smiled, and slipped it into his pocket.
There was also a fabric curtain separating the office from another room.
Lou Mingxu didn't lift it.
He simply stood outside and waited for Zhou Yan to return.
The walls were covered with all kinds of things.
Aside from a price list and several simple diagrams explaining legal procedures, there was even a set of rules and regulations from an interior-design company.
It was obviously something the previous tenant had left behind.
Lou Mingxu guessed that the desks and chairs inside had probably been inherited from previous tenants too.
“Hello. Is there something I can help you with?”
A mature voice entered with the sound of the door opening.
It should have sounded like a polite question.
Instead, the speaker dragged out every word with such exhaustion that it sounded almost robotic.
Not like someone welcoming a client.
More like someone desperate to clock out.
It had been too many years.
Lou Mingxu couldn't even recognize Zhou Yan's voice anymore.
He had to turn around to make sure.
Zhou Yan had become noticeably thinner compared with years ago, and his entire demeanor had changed.
His hair was completely unstyled. The sides were clipped short, while his short, wispy bangs parted slightly in the middle and fell lightly across his forehead.
The soft fullness around his cheeks was gone, replaced by a sharply defined jawline.
A pair of rimless glasses rested on the bridge of his nose.
His clothes were equally casual.
A white T-shirt beneath a grayish-white cardigan that had already begun to pill.
The cardigan was oversized, its sleeves swallowing his hands.
He looked lazy and relaxed.
In short, he didn't have the same energy or warmth he once had.
But the moment Lou Mingxu saw him, he couldn't suppress his smile.
It spread all the way to the corners of his eyes.
Zhou Yan, however, didn't recognize him at all.
He simply stepped to the side, passed Lou Mingxu without a second glance, and walked straight to his desk.
He set down the lunch he'd brought back in a plastic container.
“Have a seat for a minute. I'll get you some water.”
Lou Mingxu pulled out a chair and sat down.
He didn't take his eyes off Zhou Yan.
He watched as Zhou Yan lifted the fabric curtain and disappeared into the room behind it.
A moment later, he returned with a disposable cup of water.
Zhou Yan gave him a polite smile and sat back down at his desk.
“Did something happen to you, or are you here to ask for advice on behalf of a friend?”
“I'm not here for a consultation.”
Lou Mingxu paused.
“I'm a new lawyer at Lanjin. My surname is Lou.”
“Oh.”
Zhou Yan looked at him carefully for a moment, then nodded.
“Lawyer Pei told me about you.”
Lou Mingxu stared at him with bright, clear eyes, trying desperately to awaken some forgotten memory.
He didn't believe Zhou Yan had truly forgotten him.
When they'd parted all those years ago, Zhou Yan had told him that Lou Mingxu was the first case he'd taken on after obtaining his practicing certificate.
People remembered their first case, didn't they?
Especially someone like Lou Mingxu, whose weight hadn't changed much over the years.
Whenever relatives he hadn't seen in ages caught sight of him, they always said the same thing:
You look exactly the same as you did when you were in school.
Lou Mingxu leaned forward slightly.
He gave Zhou Yan a friendly look, one that practically screamed Don't you remember me?
It was completely useless.
Zhou Yan only stared blankly at him.
Then he touched his own face.
“What? Is there something on me?”
All the things Lou Mingxu had been preparing to say suddenly vanished.
He deflated like a punctured balloon and slumped back into his chair.
“Nothing.”
He looked away.
“I just think you look kind of familiar.”
On his first day at Lanjin, Lou Mingxu was extremely unhappy.
The first reason, naturally, was that Zhou Yan had forgotten him.
Which made Lou Mingxu's decision to volunteer for this miserable little office look spectacularly stupid.
The second was that there wasn't even a decent unoccupied desk in the entire office.
Zhou Yan had coldly told him to squeeze into the space beside the ancient microwave.
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