Chapter 22 Nie Qingqing made her decision: she would start working at a law firm...

Although Nie Qingqing got this secure job through connections with Director Song's family, she wasn't very proactive and just coasted along. However, she always managed to get good results in any mediation cases assigned to her, making her a worry-free person.

Qian Yurong is a senior employee, Xiao Qiuxia is now a cleaner, and Qiuxia's sister-in-law is pregnant. How can you send a pregnant woman out to mediate the most difficult cases? She's angry and can't afford to compensate for the damage. There are also a few people who aren't as capable as Nie Qingqing. Yu Wenhui has been using Nie Qingqing for the most difficult things for a while now.

Yu Wenhui said, "Xiao Nie, you're tired today. There's nothing I can do. There's a lot to do today, and you're so capable, so I have to work you out."

Listen to this! Is this even human language? Qian Yurong had been drifting through life, ignoring everything that could be ignored, and keeping her resentment buried in her heart for years, just enduring it all.

I got good news today, I found a better place to go, and decided to quit. I blurted it out in one breath, interrupting Yu Wenhui.

“You’re the director, you’re the most capable, you should be more overworked. Do this work yourself before you leave work, why make Qingqing handle it one by one? Her salary isn’t any higher than anyone else’s, why should she do more work?”

Yes, I heard that the garment factories in the south pay by piecework, the more you work, the more you earn, so they're definitely motivated. In this kind of egalitarian system, everyone gets the same salary, and they only use one person. Nie Qingqing wouldn't stand for it. She couldn't let Qian Yurong, who stood up for her, feel disheartened, so she firmly stood by her side.

"I'm not going, Director Yu. Is it fair that you want me to do all the hard work by myself?"

Yu Wenhui didn't want to work overtime, and said angrily to Qian Yurong, "What's wrong with you today? Why are you so upset with me? You've been slacking off for years, have I ever said anything to you?"

Qian Yurong: "How dare you talk to me like that? You engaged in unfair competition and stole the director's position. I'm quitting now, and I just want to talk to you. Which of your statements has wronged you?"

I see. I've made up my mind not to do it anymore. I don't care where she has a good place to go for now. I need to find out Nie Qingqing's attitude first.

“Since you don’t want to do it, I don’t need to say anything to you.” Yu Wenhui asked Nie Qingqing, “Little Nie, just one question: are you going to mediate now or not?”

...

Nie Qingqing is no pushover. She is usually easygoing and doesn't care about things that others might find unfair, but she still gets her due rewards.

She's paid the same salary, but they treat her like two or three people. What advantage does she have that she can gain?

When she gets impulsive, she's much fiercer than Qian Yurong: "Director Yu, why are you expecting me to do all the work? Either give me your entire salary, or I'll go."

If Yu Wenhui couldn't handle Qian Yurong, surely she could handle Nie Qingqing? She immediately resorted to threats: "If you don't do it, you'll be on standby at home."

When she has a way out, why would Nie Qingqing be afraid of threats?

"I'll be put on standby then, I'll go home and be put on standby right now!"

Yu Wenhui was just trying to scare her; she needed people to do the work, and it was a real headache. She then added a harsh threat: "If you dare to go back and wait for your post now, you won't be in this position when you come back."

Nie Qingqing is on leave; will she ever come back?

"I quit this lousy job. Whoever wants to do this job can do it. I've worked hard all day and I have a clear conscience."

Yu Wenhui was utterly humiliated and slammed her hand on the table: "I'm going to report this to higher-ups! Xiao Qiuxia, you be my witness! How did Nie Qingqing neglect her work?"

Xiao Qiuxia threw down the rag: "Director Yu, I'm quitting too. You can complain, but I'll tell you the truth: you assigned Qingqing an excessive amount of work. Nobody would do that."

...

Qian Yurong, Xiao Qiuxia, and Nie Qingqing all fought back fiercely today and went to a noodle shop to celebrate.

Nie Qingqing was finally able to ask Qian Yurong, "Sister Yurong, are you really quitting? That's such a pity."

Xiao Qiuxia said, "What's a pity? Her husband was promoted and transferred to another place. She is a family member and has a unit to take her in. It's much better than her current job."

"I see," Nie Qingqing said, genuinely happy for Qian Yurong. "Then congratulations."

Qian Yurong said triumphantly, "My husband's workplace has arranged a job for me in the logistics department. I can finally leave this place. Although I'm already over thirty, it's not too late to start working hard again."

Nie Qingqing encouraged him, "Your husband has been promoted, of course he'll go with him. It's not good for the couple to be separated for too long. Once you're settled, you must write to us."

Qian Yurong grasped Nie Qingqing's and Xiao Qiuxia's hands, one in each hand: "Of course, we're such good friends, we won't lose touch."

...

Qian Yurong had her husband promoted and transferred, giving her a new employer and the confidence to resist. She could argue, but her current employer wouldn't refuse to process the transfer. However, Xiao Qiuxia was just a temporary worker, and if she argued, she would lose her job.

Nie Qingqing guessed, "Sister Xiao, you seem so confident because your daughter-in-law's business is doing better and better, right?"

Xiao Qiuxia said proudly, "Yes, my daughter-in-law has added a few more snacks, and the business at the stall is getting better and better. She's so busy that she says hiring people would cost her wages, so she'd rather hire family members. She asked me to help her, saying the wages are higher than here, and the money is her own. I'll definitely go and help her. I'm so happy that I can leave with a sense of satisfaction."

Nie Qingqing laughed and said, "I was so impulsive today because I thought you all had an attitude of not wanting to work and would definitely leave. It would be quite boring for me to stay and work under such a leader. I didn't want to work either, so I decided to be tough. It seems I guessed right."

Qian Yurong felt quite relieved to finally vent what she had kept bottled up for years, but after calming down, she felt a little sorry for Nie Qingqing.

"Actually, my original intention was to ask you to cancel your overtime work today, but I didn't expect you to quit too. There are countless jobs out there, so please try to think positively. Wait for Song Zhao to call back, and you two can talk it over properly."

Xiao Qiuxia quickly said, "I think you shouldn't tell Song Zhao yet. He's in the middle of a technical exchange and rushed back in a hurry, which would waste this opportunity. Let's wait for him to come back and talk in person."

Nie Qingqing: "That's what I think too. I can't let him worry. His affairs are much more important than this worthless job of mine. I can tell what's important."

...

Nie Qingqing was rushing back to answer Song Zhao's call when a gust of wind woke her up.

She's really impulsive. To get a divorce, she first tied up Tangyuan's dad, beat him up, and then left. And with this job, she impulsively argued with him and then quit.

At the entrance of Huazhi Alley, she waited at the convenience store for a few minutes. Song Zhao called at the agreed time, but there was a lot of static on the other end.

Nie Qingqing hurriedly asked, "It sounds like I'm urging you. Why don't you go ahead and do your own thing?"

Song Zhao refused: "No, they're discussing technical issues. A few of the young people are getting quite heated. Let them finish arguing first before I go over. Nothing new happened here today, just a visit and a meeting. I met some senior colleagues who asked about my family. They heard that you're very kind to Xiao Yuan's mother and praised you as an extremely intelligent woman, saying I'm very lucky."

He sounded very smug, so Nie Qingqing had to say something about herself, otherwise he would feel disappointed.

A grown man goes out and doesn't even get a moment of peace, but has to listen to her gossip and trivial matters.

Nie Qingqing said, "It's so lively here today. I have some good news for you. Qian Yurong's husband has been transferred to a higher position, and she can go with him. They even arranged for her to work in the logistics department of the same unit. She's so happy. And Xiao Qiuxia, her daughter-in-law's business is getting better and better. She has decided to stop cleaning at her unit and go help her daughter-in-law set up a stall to earn money. I'm really happy for them."

Song Zhao wouldn't usually be this happy about other people's affairs; instead, he felt sorry for Nie Qingqing.

"You're only talking about things that make other people happy. Don't you think about yourself? Now that they're gone, you won't have any good friends at work. You must be feeling really sad and lost right now, right?"

Nie Qingqing smiled: "You understand me so well. I'm a little sad, but they have better places to go, so I should definitely be happy for them."

Song Zhao said, "Qingqing, you are so kind. At this time, I should be by your side to help you distract yourself from your disappointment and anxiety."

Afraid that he would really come back, Nie Qingqing quickly said, "I'm not anxious, really, I just miss you."

Song Zhao was overjoyed: "Qingqing, do you really miss me? Let me see if there's any way to go back early."

See, just a few words have already made him want to come back. If it were about being laid off, he wouldn't be interested in holding a meeting at all.

Nie Qingqing was glad she hadn't said anything, and told him, "Don't be so useless. Go do your thing. I'm going to my mom's for dinner. I miss the kids too."

...

Nie Qingqing mentioned the matter of being laid off to her family during dinner. Tang Guizhi told her to go home and apologize to Director Yu, and then go back to work the next day.

Nie Qingqing verbally agreed, just so she could go home and get some peace and quiet. Apologize? She wasn't even going to do it anymore, so why should she admit to something that wasn't her fault?

She woke up briefly in the morning and wandered around the house. She didn't see Director Yu looking for her, so it seemed she was also determined to prove him right. Well then, she could go back to sleep without worry.

I got up at noon to make something to eat, then went back to sleep. I couldn't fall asleep in the afternoon, so I leaned against the headboard and read a book until there was a knock on the door.

"Qingqing, why are you home? I called your workplace and found out you didn't go to work. Why didn't you come to see me? What's wrong?"

Nie Qingqing quickly opened the door and let her in, smiling as she said, "It's nothing, I just had a fight with your sister-in-law and am on leave in a huff."

He Shumei scolded, "It's just being put on standby, what's the big deal? You're stuck at home all day. Compared to my sister-in-law's situation, this is nothing."

Yu Wenhui? It's only been a day, what kind of trouble has she caused this time?

Nie Qingqing's curiosity was piqued, and she quickly asked, "What happened to your sister-in-law again?"

He Shumei was furious and pounded the table several times to vent her anger. Nie Qingqing quickly grabbed a towel to cushion her hand before she pounded it again.

“My sister-in-law acted recklessly. She accepted gifts from people and promised to get their son a job as an intern in the electrical appliance factory workshop. The young man was qualified based on his own qualifications, but his family wanted to get him on the safe side by giving her gifts so that she could put in a good word for him with Yu Zhengmin and pull some strings. As a result, she was reported by the person who was not selected, and Yu Zhengmin was interviewed by the Discipline Inspection Commission. That's when he found out about it!”

How could we have such a dragging relative?

Nie Qingqing worried, "Won't that implicate Director Yu? He's the pillar of your family; he can't lose his job."

He Shumei calmed herself down and sighed, "Yu Zhengmin really didn't know. Once the investigation is clear, he shouldn't be affected. There's a reason why he's been the deputy factory director all these years. The family of that young man who was accepted but then rejected is making a fuss. Guess what Zhigao and his wife are planning to do to clean up the mess?"

Nie Qingqing thought for a moment: "What can be done to calm this down? Unless we compensate them with a job."

He Shumei clapped her hands: "Qingqing, you're so smart! That young couple is trying to make my sister-in-law give up her job! What can my sister-in-law do without her job? Of course she'll be anxious. They actually made her go to the Special Economic Zone to find my brother, and I scolded her for that!"

...

This is truly a vicious scheme that kills two birds with one stone! Yu Wenhui loses her job and can no longer act like a mother-in-law. Then she goes south to do laundry and cleaning for her husband, and the young couple can occupy their parents' three-bedroom apartment and live a quiet life together. The plan is too clever for their liking.

Nie Qingqing was worried for He Shumei: "Your sister-in-law won't agree, will she? It's easy for her to leave, but it will be difficult for her to stay again once your brother comes back."

He Shumei: "How could we let her get away with it? My parents called my sister-in-law over and scolded her, saying that it was acceptable to compensate her for her job, that was a matter of responsibility, but she was not allowed to hold my brother back. My parents would provide her with living expenses until my brother could send them back. This would shut down all of Qi Yujiao's excuses."

The solution works, but it's too unfair; Yu Wenhui has always been a burden to the whole family.

Nie Qingqing kindly reminded him, "Zhigao is now biased towards his wife, so I'm afraid Xiao Qi will cause trouble again. You have to be careful."

He Shumei: "Our family is local, and we have many relatives. If each of them says something, it's enough to make her suffer. The downstairs apartment was allocated to my eldest brother. If she dares to have any objections, she can just get out and move out."

Nie Qingqing: "Yes, I forgot that the house belongs to your older brother, so she can't take it away from you."

He Shumei noticed that she was not concentrating today, so she asked, "You seem distracted. Is it because of work? It's not a big deal. Why don't you just stay at home like me, taking care of the kids and doing housework? Wouldn't that be nice?"

When Nie Qingqing remarried, she thought this way, but she doesn't think this way anymore.

He Shumei hasn't realized this yet. She's happy to stay at home, is pregnant, and hasn't thought about work.

Nie Qingqing said, "It's nothing serious here. I was just worried that Song Zhao would hear about me outside and rush back, which would affect his career. That's why I didn't tell you. It's fine as long as you're alright. I'm going to my mom's house for dinner."

...

Tang Guizhi brought over freshly cooked rice cakes. Knowing that she hadn't gone to work today, she was lucky to avoid the troublemakers; it was a blessing in disguise.

"Your sister-in-law was worried you were in a bad mood, so she specially made your favorite rice cake. If you don't take it, the children won't eat it. Hurry up."

Nie Qingqing held a piece in her hand absentmindedly, not bringing the rice cake to her mouth.

Tang Guizhi distributed the rice cakes to the children. When she turned back, she was still in a daze, so she advised, "Director Yu has given the job to someone else now. If you go back to work, there will be no conflict. What are you hesitating for?"

Nie Qingqing: "There is a shortage of young talent in the department right now. Several people have left at once. If I go there, I will be busy from morning to night. Just thinking about being driven crazy by those unresolved family conflicts every day makes me not want to go."

Tang Guizhi was startled by her words: "That was a secure job arranged for you through Song Zhao's connections. How can you not take it? When you were newly divorced, if you had a job like this, you would have been thanking your lucky stars. Why are you taking it now?"

Nie Qingqing: "Now that life is better, I can't have a better choice. I'm sure I can find a better job than I have now!"

"Then why don't you dare tell Song Zhao?"

"Mom, am I not going to explain? By the time Song Zhao comes back, I might have already found a new job. If you find me annoying, I'm going back."

Song Xiaoyin quickly grabbed her and pulled her to Tang Guizhi's side: "Grandma Guizhi, Dad would never get angry over something like this. I also believe that Aunt Qingqing will find a job she likes. We won't be eating at home today. I'll use my New Year's money to treat you to a meal at a restaurant."

Look, Nie Qingqing's efforts are starting to pay off. Xiaoyin is so kind; she knows how to care for her.

Without a job, Nie Qingqing became frugal: "I'm on standby now, so I need to be careful with my money. I won't go to restaurants anymore."

Sister-in-law Zheng Fanghui was generous today: "Qingqing, don't spoil the children's fun. Mom gives me fifteen yuan a month. I've saved up for half a year and have some money in hand. I'll contribute too."

Tangyuan: "I also have lucky money, Mom. I want to eat out, today."

Xiao Yuan: "Aunt Qingqing, I'll give you all my money."

Tang Guizhi sighed inwardly. It wasn't like she couldn't survive without this job, so she decided to let it go.

"Look, everyone spoils you. Let's splurge a little today. When your brother comes back, we'll go to a restaurant for dinner."

...

After the family had a meal together, Nie Qingqing felt much better. Apart from being a little worried about Song Zhao's attitude, she wasn't afraid of anything else.

Song Zhao's income is more than enough to support her family, so financially it's not a big problem. She's just afraid that Song Zhao will say she's impulsive and lacks self-control.

Let's not think about that now. Tonight's meal won't be cheap. But since things have come to this, let's eat and drink as we please.

There was a little incident during the meal. One of the guests insisted that the waiter have a drink with him, and he made a lot of noise right behind their table.

Nie Qingqing watched as the chubby man's hand was about to touch the waitress's leg under her skirt. This was a private restaurant, and the waitress was probably afraid of losing her job, so she kept refraining.

Unable to bear it any longer, Nie Qingqing got up and walked over, pulling the waiter aside to avoid the man's hand, and said with delight, "Cousin, you work here, why didn't you say so? Brother, my cousin can't drink alcohol, let my brother have a drink with you."

Nie Weibin was a burly man. The moment he stood there, the guests at that table immediately calmed down, and the dispute was resolved just like that.

The waiter was very grateful and brought a cold dish as a thank you.

Everyone sighed, "Running a private business is not easy. If this were a state-owned restaurant, with a dozen or so people in the kitchen and among the waiters, they would have been beaten out by these guys long ago."

But private restaurants are different. The girl works there and must desperately need her wages to support her family, so we have no choice but to put up with it.

...

For the next two days, Nie Qingqing did not return to her workplace, nor was she notified to go back to work. It was likely that the new director was deliberately ignoring this disobedient employee with connections.

Nie Qingqing was stubborn. Since no one was calling her, she really wasn't going back. She should hurry up and go out to find a job. For the past two days, she had been going to the job placement agency to look at job postings.

Employment agencies don't offer many stable, secure jobs. Most of the jobs they register for are temporary or hourly, and the wages are very low.

It wasn't that Nie Qingqing disliked the job; given her family's current situation, there was really no need to find such work. Even if she found temporary work, Song Zhao would probably disagree when he returned, and she herself wouldn't want it either.

As she was filtering through the information, a woman in a skirt suit noticed that she was looking for a job and approached her to ask, "Hello, comrade, are you looking for a job?"

Nie Qingqing was quite wary and told her, "I'm a local."

The woman laughed: "You think I'm a con artist? My name is He Shunyi, I'm a lawyer, I run a law firm with my partner, and I'm looking for a receptionist."

She came from the special economic zone to open a branch and found that the recruitment mentality in the two places was really different. In the special economic zone, it was easy to find a receptionist position, but here, local girls were quite disgusted with receptionist positions in small private companies.

In their eyes, a high-paying job of 100 yuan is far less respectable than a secure job. They would rather be a sales clerk in a department store, standing for eight hours a day, than be a receptionist who can sit down. They also said that if they became receptionists, their in-laws would look down on them. Several of them said the same thing.

“Your image fits our requirements perfectly, and you’re a local. Also, I saw you helping that waitress at the restaurant yesterday. You lied and said she was your cousin. You were righteous but not reckless. At first, I thought you were going to drink on her behalf, but I didn’t expect you to have your brother do it. He’s brave, resourceful, and adaptable. He’ll definitely be able to handle this job.”

Nie Qingqing was embarrassed by the praise and waved her hand modestly: "It's not that good. It's just some life experience. You should ask the receptionist, but I'm already married and have three children."

He Shunyi laughed: "My firm is a law firm, not a matchmaking agency. As long as the conditions are met, it doesn't matter if you're married or not. Want to give it a try?"

Nie Qingqing still hesitated. After all, it was a small private unit, and nothing beat a secure job.

But she didn't want to refuse, so she said, "Thank you, I'll think about it."

He Shunyi gave her a business card: "The address is on it. You can come over if you want to give it a try. Although we are a private law firm and not a secure job, the salary is high. The receptionist gets 100 yuan a month after probation."

Nie Qingqing was stunned: "So tall?"

He Shunyi explained, “The high salary is related to our business. Our clients have better conditions, so we charge higher fees, and naturally, the salary is also higher. It’s already difficult to find suitable people, and if the salary is lower, it will be even more difficult to find them. Isn’t it because of the high salary that you are interested?”

Nie Qingqing realized she had been seen through, and this time she sincerely said, "I will think about it carefully."

...

After thinking about it all night, Nie Qingqing decided to start as a receptionist at a law firm. She'd give it a try, no matter what. The probationary period pay was sixty yuan a month, which was more than her salary at the Women's Federation. It was just a job serving tea and water, but she found it easy and much easier than mediating at the Women's Federation.

Without consulting Song Zhao, she sold her secure job at the Women's Federation for 500 yuan and gave it to someone else.

After working for a few days, Tang Guizhi was very dissatisfied with her job description and regretted it: "What kind of job is a receptionist? It doesn't sound like a good job. It's a job that only lasts a short time. When you get older, they won't want you anymore."

Nie Qingqing said, "Mom, let's just do this for now. We can look for something better while we're still employed. At least the salary is high and it's easy. Who's going to pay you a hundred if you stay home doing laundry and cooking? There are a lot of people coming and going from the law firm every day for consultations. I'm busy serving tea and water. The day goes by in a flash, and I'm not tired at all. I think it's pretty good."

Tang Guizhi said, "I asked you to discuss this with Song Zhao. You said you didn't want to distract him, and that when he came back, you would exchange your secure job for an insecure receptionist position. How are you going to explain that?"

Nie Qingqing laughed: "I don't need to explain to him. Yun Li has never worked for him in the past ten years. I changed jobs and continued to earn money, and even doubled my earnings. Does he dare to say anything to me?"

Sister-in-law Zheng Fanghui said, "Making money gives us confidence. Qingqing got a double salary this time, and she even gave me a 10 yuan raise. I'm so happy. She helps pick up and drop off the kids, so she has more time to work. She even spent extra money to get Xiaoyin a new art teacher. The whole family is happy. Mom, don't say anything more."

Tang Guizhi: "I'm just afraid Song Zhao won't agree. What man would be happy to hear his wife working as a receptionist, serving tea and water to other men?"

Nie Qingqing: "Not all the people who come to the law firm are men. Many women come to consult, fighting for property, interests, and children. They are very insightful. I listened to them and didn't feel frustrated at all. The people there are so insightful. It's completely different from the troublesome cases I mediated at the Women's Federation. It's very enlightening."

She likes things that pay well, but the job is unstable.

Tang Guizhi didn't know what to say: "Alright then, when Song Zhao comes back, you should talk to him properly and tell him not to be half-hearted anymore. If you're going to do something, do it properly."

Nie Qingqing was very happy: "Although I lost a job because of my impulsiveness, I found another one on my own. I bet Song Zhao will praise me."

...

Song Zhao is coming back. He called to say that if he's not late, he'll arrive at 6 p.m. Nie Qingqing will pick him up. Song Zhao's voice sounded happy when he heard that.

Nie Qingqing was also happy. She had changed a lot in the past few days. Everyone she knew praised her for becoming more beautiful. Song Zhao was the one who knew how to praise her the most, so he was definitely happy.

It's about changing jobs. I don't know what he said. Although I'm a little worried, I'm generally happy and haven't brought my worries to work.

She treated all clients equally. A man carrying a snakeskin bag, dressed like any random stranger on the street, pushed open the door and came in.

People come to the law firm to consult about business. What they wear and how much revenue they can bring to the firm are not her concerns as the receptionist. She should just do her job.

Nie Qingqing quickly stepped forward, held the door open, and invited the man in, speaking warmly and politely: "Brother, are you just browsing and asking some questions, or do you have an appointment?"

The man, without looking at her, smiled and said, "I need to see Attorney He to ask some legal questions."

That was the arrangement, but unfortunately, Attorney He was discussing business with someone and hadn't finished yet.

Nie Qingqing quickly offered him a seat to prevent the atmosphere from getting cold: "You have a good eye. Our Lawyer He is very capable. He is currently receiving guests. Please have a seat and I will pour you a cup of tea."

The man nodded, sat down on the sofa, and placed the snakeskin bag at his feet.

Nie Qingqing brewed the tea and handed it over. There are rules for brewing and serving tea. He Lu had given her some pointers, saying that her hand should not be placed on the rim of the cup and that the tea should not be poured too full. She remembered it after being told only once.

"Please have some tea first. After you finish this cup, I'll go check on Attorney He and see how things are going."

The man was initially very anxious, but Nie Qingqing's soothing and measured approach calmed him down. He was thirsty, so he took a sip. The tea was indeed very fragrant, and he asked, "Is this Longjing tea?"

Nie Qingqing's eyes were full of smiles. She was actually a very talkative person, and she could keep the conversation flowing even when she took the initiative herself, let alone when others asked questions.

"Yes, I bought some from my previous workplace. I knew a tea merchant there, and he recommended it to me. It was much cheaper than buying directly from outside, and I could also guarantee that it was genuine."

The man praised, "You're so young, yet you're so mature in your dealings with others."

Nie Qingqing smiled: "I already have three children. Lawyer He said this is a law firm, not a matchmaking agency, and they don't consider whether you're married or not, which is why I have this opportunity. The salary here is high, so I have to do my job well. I'll go and check on Lawyer He's situation for you."

...

What good luck! Attorney He finished his part, and Nie Qingqing waited at the door of the meeting room, ready to tell Attorney He.

Lawyer He's apprentice, Lawyer Xiao Zhu, brought in a richly dressed woman from outside, and they went straight into the reception room.

Nie Qingqing waited a few seconds, and Zhu Shizhen, who followed her out, muttered, "Lawyer Zhu, this isn't right. That gentleman arrived first and had an appointment with Lawyer He. How could you cut in line?"

Zhu Shizhen said with dissatisfaction: "What economic benefits can such a country bumpkin bring to the law firm? What's the point of brewing Longjing tea? Just serve him casually. Mrs. Liu is an overseas Chinese. Her divorce case involves the house, savings, business, and child custody. The agency fee is beyond your imagination! Quickly pour some tea."

People had already cut in line to get into the meeting room, and Nie Qingqing had no choice. This was definitely not Attorney He's idea; it was Attorney Zhu, as his apprentice, who had acted on his own initiative.

She first calmed the man carrying the snakeskin bag, and then spoke gently and patiently: "Mrs. Liu, who just came in, came to consult about divorce. She's afraid of losing custody of her child and is in a hurry to get advice. Could you wait a little longer and let Attorney He answer her questions first?"

It shouldn't have been allowed, but Nie Qingqing's actions were comforting.

The man smiled: "Of course, thank you, but you have to answer one question for me."

Nie Qingqing quickly said, "I should be thanking you. Otherwise, I would be in a dilemma and really wouldn't know what to do. If you have any questions, please ask."

The man said, "Judging from that lawyer's expression, she didn't say anything nice, but you didn't mention a word about it or try to shift the blame onto her. Judging from her attitude, she probably doesn't treat you very well usually. Why didn't you take the opportunity to shift the blame?"

That's all you're asking. That's easy to answer.

Nie Qingqing smiled: "Attorney He taught me that if there are internal conflicts in the law firm, we should resolve them behind closed doors and present a unified whole to the outside world. In particular, we should not let our clients know about our internal conflicts, as that would lower the firm's credibility. What she said makes a lot of sense, so of course I will abide by it."

Attorney Zhu came out and glanced this way. Nie Qingqing quickly stood up and said softly, "Please wait a moment. I'll pour myself a cup of tea and then I'll talk to you."

She brought the tea over, only to be glared at fiercely by Attorney Zhu: "Don't waste your time on that farmer."

Nie Qingqing: "Understood."

Knowing it was true, she didn't do as she was told. Nie Qingqing turned around and smiled again.