Ning Wan and Cai Zhen passed their final interviews together smoothly. Since Zhengyuan Law had made public the rules for the written test and interview, as well as the test papers and the score sheets of all finalists, no one made any objections to the results. As easily as that, Ning Wan became an official member of Fu Zheng's team.

Although Fu Zheng was quite clingy when together in private, once she moved to the workplace Ning Wan could only describe the man as 'hypocritical'. He was obviously the same man who had pressed her down last night and kissed her until she couldn't breathe, yet as soon as he entered the firm clad in an trim suit, Fu Zheng switched to a completely cold, ascetic style. All his sentences were as short as possible, his words concise and decisive, his case handling extremely efficient, negotiations forceful and radical, and his methods sophisticated and skillful.

Ning Wan herself had a passion for commercial cases, and as soon as she joined the team, Fu Zheng selected different practice cases for his three team members, considering it a get-to-know-each-other team exercise. Ning Wan felt like there wasn't enough time in the day. She seemed to be learning something from Fu Zheng every minute. To avoid suspicion and to allow her to better integrate into Zhengyuan Law, not only did Fu Zheng not "favor" her at work, but was actually even more strict. Ning Wan was actually very much in favor of this. She even thought Fu Zheng looked very handsome seriously pointing out the flaws in her thinking on a case and was quite elated to be dating her boss.

The two of them never worried about not having time to go on dates due to working overtime, because for Ning Wan, working overtime with Fu Zheng was simply another form of "dating", and a good date at that, one she could never get tired of. Although the two of them would occasionally disagree and debate over cases, in her view this sort of collision of thoughts was no less than a kiss and a hug - smart was the new sexy. Ning Wan felt like when their thoughts collided it was as if it were a fusion of souls, presenting her with more mysterious chemical reactions that not only allowed her to learn and grow, but also became enlightened under Fu Zheng's guidance. She felt that like he was incredibly charming and sexy while at work.

Frankly speaking, to her way of thinking neither she nor Fu Zheng's previous judgments had been accurate. Even if Fu Zheng had never 'gone incognito', even if he had only ever known Ning Wan as a senior partner, although she might have never have had the courage, she would probably still have coveted a man like him. No one could not love Fu Zheng in his working state - mature, powerful, perfect and sharp.

Like an apex predator, always alluring and exciting, making you want to own them.

If he was always like this, Ning Wan thought frankly, I might even still have been bold enough to make a move on him after a long time.

She had just gotten him into bed a little earlier. In the end the result was the same.

Thanks to Ning Wan's hard work and Fu Zheng's unreserved willingness to teach, she had been making very obvious progress. In the past, she had still been ignorant of some business negotiations, needing Fu Zheng to lead the way, but now Fu Zheng had begun to slowly let go. Although he was still present, he would often defer the opportunity for negotiation to Ning Wan. And because he was in the room to accompany her, Ning Wan always felt like there was someone to have her back, and could be braver.

It was probably true that great teachers made great disciples. Fu Zheng’s had a strong negotiation style, and Ning Wan took after him, carrying her weight in negotiations and never letting go of any word that was to the benefit of her clients. Suddenly, in the Rong City Commercial Law Circle, rumours of a pair of male and female fiends began running rampant.

Of course, Fu Zheng was against this title. When he first heard it, he frowned and protested, "That sounds terrible, what do they mean, 'double fiends'? That just sounds like we're unsociable, when we're obviously a loving couple. We should be called 'legal partners'."

There was no one in the office at this time, so Fu Zheng had loosened up a little. The more he thought about it, the more he let his thoughts run wild. "When we get married in the future, we could set up our own shop and kick out anyone we don't like. That's just saving them the trouble of being a third wheel. Gao Yuan? We can keep Gao Yuan. After all, according to Chinese law, we need at least three practicing lawyers who have at least three years of experience before we can open a law firm, so he can stay…”

Ning Wan wanted to remind Fu Zheng that he might be thinking too much. If she and Fu Zheng really went out to open a law firm, Gao Yuan might not be willing to come along...

Although Fu Zheng has clarified his relationship with Gao Yuan to her, Ning Wan was still a little embarrassed every time she ran into him. Her negative impression of Gao Yuan as a 'pervert' was so ingrained that she hadn't been able to shake it until now. If she wasn't careful, she would always be a little on her guard around him...

Gao Yuan was probably also aware of this, because whenever he saw her, he paid special attention to his behavior, conspicuously showing off his unsullied character and honest personality. Because he was so obvious about it, the two of them could only communicate in an extremely deliberate manner...

In the end, both Ning Wan and Gao Yuan felt that it was far too exhausting to be in the same room with each other. Therefore, if they could, they did their best to send emails, text messages, or phone calls instead, doing their best to never see each other…

Thankfully, they understand each other quite well, so this period of time had been quite harmonious.

Ning Wan had become more ambitious ever since she joined Fu Zheng's team. Work was the least deceptive of endeavors, for it truly did reward effort. Her hard work had not been in vain. In just a few months, she had gone from needing Fu Zheng's support to being able to conduct business negotiations alone so long as he was present. After watching her performance, Fu Zheng had begun to hand over controllable, vetted cases to Ning Wan, allowing her to handle the early stages alone. This was better for her growth, because only by dealing with things herself instead of being spoon-fed would she quickly grow. Ning Wan did not disappoint him, performing beautifully in nearly every case he handed over to her, no matter how big or small. Her two years of training in the community had not been for nothing - she was better able to withstand setbacks than the average young lawyer, and her thinking was much more flexible.

However, success did not come without a cost. Thanks to spending almost all her free time learning and progressing, Ning Wan ended up declining each and every invitation to go out. Forget switching her dates with Fu Zheng to working overtime together in the office, she even turned down Shao Lili's post-promotion and post-raise invitations. Other random social obligations need not be mentioned; some Ning Wan even refused so decisively that she forgot who had sent them...

But just because Ning Wan didn't care didn't mean that no one else did--

"You said Ning Wan refused?"

"Yes, Shi Wu. I didn't even mention you, I just said there were a few of us getting together. Ning Wan refused without a second thought, she said she was busy..."

After having been embarrassed by Ning Wan at the last birthday party, Shi Wu had been quiet for a while. But with her personality, it didn't take long for her put aside the pain of heartbreak and find another rich man. Thanks to her connections at work, she had been favoured and promoted, so she had soon regained her confidence. Her inner jealousy toward Ning Wan was mixed with a strong desire for revenge after her last humiliation, and she thought constantly about another party in which she could take back her win.

Naturally Ning Wan would never come if she was the one inviting, but Shi Wu had not expected her to refuse even an invitation in someone else's name.

According to Shi Wu's logic, if Ning Wan really was living well nowadays, she would definitely have been willing to participate in such gatherings. After all, Shi Wu believed in 'wealth and honour that does not return to one's hometown is like traveling at night in embroidered brocade'¹When rich, one should return with honour to one's hometown. Who would know of your great deeds if you don't tell them?, and her narrow-mindedness made her feel like the world she saw was the world every one experienced. Since she thought so, of course everyone did as well, and the same was true for Ning Wan.

"I'm sure of it. She must have been dumped by the man she brought to the last birthday party! How can a man who could afford to drive a Pagani be serious about her?"

For no reason, Shi Wu was in a good mood and didn't even attempt to disguise her glee. "Of course a man like that with both looks and money would just be playing around with her. I mean, like, Ning Wan's below par at academics, family and work. The only thing she's got going for her is her face. Rich men are very practical nowadays. Someone like Ning Wan is fine for sleeping with, but love and marriage? Impossible! In the end, they'll seek out someone of similar background! At my birthday party, I'm guessing that that man hadn't gotten his hands on her yet, so he stood up for Ning Wan, said some nice things, and brought out a luxury car to make her look good. Trust me, Ning Wan definitely slept with him that night."

The more Shi Wu spoke, the more she gloated. "But I get men. They always want what they can't have. Before you put out, he'll do anything for you, pick all the stars from the sky for you. But once he's got the milk and the cow isn't new anymore, a throwaway plaything like Ning Wan at that, how could he not have gotten bored?"

"Ten to one, he dumped her not long after that. Wealthy men find poor, backward girls like Ning Wan just terrifying. They're always worried that once they date her for a bit, a woman like that will start thinking that she might really get to marry him. And if she resorts to tricks like getting pregnant or something, it'll be extra troublesome. Breaking up as soon as possible means she'll never get any unrealistic fantasies!”

The person talking to her on the phone at the moment was one of Shi Wu's 'girlfriends'. She had received Shi Wu's help when finding a job, so all her replies were unfettered compliments. "You must be right! She was dumped for sure, otherwise she would surely have trotted him out and shown him off!"

…

Shi Wu chatted with her 'caring' sister for awhile before hanging up the phone, still unsatisfied.

After all, she and Ning Wan are different. People from different classes lived different lives determined at birth. So what if Ning Wan was good-looking? So what if she had humiliated her in public last time? Memories were short. It didn't matter what you did or didn't have when only those standing in the upper-middle class had the right to stand tall and speak. What was the use of short-lived pride like Ning Wan's? Could it be eaten?

Now they two of them were still young, so there might not be much visible difference in appearance or temperament, but in ten or twenty years, she would be a well-maintained lady, while Ning Wan would probably be a stout, unkempt middle-aged woman. After all, she had a poor job and a poor family, so if things went normally, she would also marry poorly. Then she would have a child and live a mediocre life. How could Ning Wan ever compare to her, who had a bright future, no lack of money or time, and a life that was carefree and unrestrained...?

Shi Wu gained great mental comfort from such speculation. Her new boyfriend, who was mid-level in the financial circle, was on the right track. He had sent her roses today again, along with a card. On WeChat, he had just asked her if she wanted any shoes, bags or cosmetics from New York, where he was soon to be going on a business trip.

Shi Wu put her phone down. Clearly, she had a meeting to attend soon, but the happiness on her face couldn't be suppressed.