Chapter 28

Chen Huanong's illness came on suddenly and died quickly. After two days of intravenous drip, he was full of energy again. When Chi Buyu saw Chen Huanong in the office early in the morning, he thought he was blind. "Didn't you say you had to stay in the hospital for two days? You sneaked out? Did Sister Momo know?"

"I know, it was she who handled the discharge procedures! How could I not know!" Chen Huanong recalled Mo Yiyan's expression when he handled the discharge procedures for her. She really felt that women in their old age should never stay up late. She had stayed up all night and her face was almost as dark as Bao Zheng's (Chi Buyu: That's because I was angry with you!).

"Why are you being discharged so early? Wouldn't it be better to just lie down and rest for a few more days?"

"No, she still has to help me with the court session this afternoon. How many days has she had a break? People should have a sense of shame." While they were talking, Qin Huai appeared out of nowhere and interrupted their conversation.

"Shame doesn't seem like something you should talk about when you bring four apples to visit a patient and end up eating three yourself!" Chen Huanong clicked on Shen Song's court schedule. The Qin Huai column did indeed indicate a repeated court session. "Which one are you opening?"

"You should open the Xingyan one, it's easier. I'll give you the information."

Seeing the two of them getting down to business so quickly, Chi Buyu became unhappy and squeezed in between them. "Everything is based on first come, first served. Brother, please don't cut in line. Chen Huanong has to go with me to meet Henghe's CEO this afternoon. He specifically asked for Chen Huanong to talk."

"Just say I'm on a business trip. Do I really need to go out on business at my age? Can you please be considerate of an old man? Skin care products are really expensive!"

If this had been said a few years ago, Chi Buyu might have felt a bit of sympathy. After being deceived by Chen Huanong for four years, if he believed Chen Huanong's words again, he would be the second senior brother. "You, Yinming, Mo Yiyan, and Zhang Xiang opened a beauty salon, and you have to go there at least twice a week. Sister Momo said that you insisted on buying that expensive Korean machine. You are so shameless to say that for your own selfish desires!"

Exposed on the spot, Chen Huanong showed no shame at all and simply kept denying his guilt. "I'm alone and can't split myself into two. You and Qin Huai have a fight, and whoever wins will be my boss."

"Childish!" As soon as Chen Huanong said this, Qin Huai and Chi Buyu uttered the word in unison, their tacit understanding truly unwavering. In the end, Chi Buyu changed the appointment time, allowing Chen Huanong to free up time to attend the court hearing on Qin Huai's behalf.

When Zhang Xingyan saw Chen Huanong in court, he thought he had walked into the wrong courtroom. He stepped back to check the house number and took out the subpoena to read it again. It was correct! So why was Chen Huanong here at the court hearing?

Witch Chen: I heard from Qin Huai that you missed me very much, so I came to open the court on his behalf. Are you happy? Are you surprised? Are you thrilled?

Zhang Xingyan took a screenshot of WeChat and sent it to Tang Chengting, asking him, "Am I considered an innocent bystander who was implicated?"

Tang Chengting: Not really, you always ask for trouble.

Zhang Xingyan: "I'm asking this question, but do you know anything about Chen Huanong? You betrayed your teammates like this. I misjudged you."

Chen Huanong represented the defendant, and she had already shredded Qin Huai's defense before the trial began. After Zhang Xingyan spoke eloquently, Chen Huanong didn't rush to refute him. She addressed the court, "We cannot respond to this complaint because we don't understand the plaintiff's claim based on official duties or apparent agency. The basis for the claim is unclear, and the legal basis is unclear. If the trial continues, then we will forgo our defense."

The trial ended with Zhang Xingyan's plaintiff changing his lawsuit request and postponing the trial. Zhang Xingyan walked side by side with her, his tone rather resentful, "Chen Huanong, let's reconcile! I was wrong. I shouldn't have done that, especially not represented Old Tang in his divorce case. I shouldn't have given you the bad advice to send you the divorce agreement. I'll refund Old Tang's agency fee, okay? Considering we've known each other for so many years, can you please stop tormenting me?"

"I'm short of your agency fee?" Chen Huanong didn't even glance at him and walked straight ahead. "Besides, Tang Chengting and I are already divorced. We just need to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to handle the paperwork. Why would you give me his money? But don't forget to transfer every penny of the money for the foreign liquor to me."

"Turn around, turn around, turn around now. As long as you don't confront me again, everything will be fine."

"Don't worry, you won't have the chance to confront me in the future."

"What do you mean? Are you going to keep your mouth shut? Are you planning to change your career? It's good for a girl to be so aggressive. It's not good to quarrel with people all day long."

Chen Huanong stopped, looked at him with a smile, and gave him two words: Dream on! Under Zhang Xingyan's relentless questioning, Chen Huanong had to simply explain the whole situation. "The firm plans to send me to Kenya to handle legal issues related to factories there. If I can successfully obtain a foreign license to practice law, we may open a branch there."

"By the way, please ask Tang Chengting to make some time to complete the formalities before I leave!"

Zhang Xingyan felt that all the trouble he'd gone through today was worth it. He hadn't even heard a whisper from Mo Yiyan about such a major event. Oh my god, this is such a rare sight! Chen Huanong had truly abandoned Tang Chengting, and left no room for negotiation. Wait, why was he feeling a little excited and expectant?

Zhang Xingyan was so curious about Tang Chengting's reaction that he drove directly to Tang Chengting's office building. Tang Chengting, who had been in a meeting all day, frowned when he saw Zhang Xingyan in his office. He had been in conflict with the Zhang brothers and sisters recently, and he didn't really want to see Zhang Xingyan.

"You came here without even saying hello. What happened that's so bizarre to you?"

"It's not something outrageous. I just came here to tell you that I saw Chen Huanong at the court this afternoon. She asked you to make time to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to complete the divorce procedures."

Tang Chengting's fingers on the computer keyboard paused for a moment, just a few seconds. Others wouldn't notice anything, but Zhang Xingyan had known him for so many years, so he naturally understood what these few seconds meant.

"I've got your message. When are you free? I want to make an appointment with Qin Huai."

Tang Chengting glanced at the memo, his expression normal, and said in a casual tone, "Next Friday morning, I've been quite busy lately. Did you come here specifically to inform me of this? You can leave now."

Zhang Xingyan said "oh" and prepared to get up and walk out. When he reached the door, he suddenly seemed to think of something and retreated to Tang Chengting's desk. "Chen Huanong has been assigned to Kenya permanently. I'll leave after I finish the formalities with you."

"From what Chen Huanong said, he's not planning on coming back within five years. This time he's truly let it go, right? It took him twelve years to let go of someone. I admire Chen Huanong for being a real man."

Zhang Xingyan has known Tang Chengting for more than ten years, and has never seen Tang Chengting lose control of his emotions when it comes to women. He is always indifferent. It doesn't matter if they are together or not. He falls in love, but he never has expectations, so naturally he won't invest too much energy. At the beginning of every relationship, he uses the excuse of being slow to warm up, but when every relationship ends, he withdraws quickly. Zhang Xingyan teased him that he was a scumbag, but he never denied it. When trying to be with Chen Huanong, he listed a bunch of his problems, thinking that Chen Huanong might back off.

That year, Chen Huanong, still a charming and bright-hearted woman, sat cross-legged across from him and spoke to him in the tone of a playboy, "Look, you're a scumbag, and I'm a scumbag. Being a couple is a benefit to society. No need to look down on anyone. Although you don't meet the standards of a pretty boy, we've been brothers for many years! I'll reluctantly accept you!"

Tang Chengting has been thinking about things that happened between him and Chen Huanong a long time ago. They clearly got along very well in the beginning, and Chen Huanong would often act coquettishly towards him. He said he disliked it, but in his heart he really enjoyed it. How did he lose his sun?

Zhang Xingyan quietly watched as cracks appeared on Tang Chengting's expressionless face. It was truly eye-opening and his emotions were very complicated. "Chengting, it's actually not that difficult to admit that you love someone."

"She's the one you chose to spend the rest of your life with! No matter what your reasons were, out of so many people, you only chose her!"

"You always say you don't have the ability to love because you've never felt it. You grew up alone at an age when you should have been enjoying your parents' love, so you can't understand that kind of emotion. But over the years, Chen Huanong has given you all the favors she's received. Don't you still feel it?"

"Are you really going to send Chen Huanong away? Won't you regret it?"

Chen Huanong had asked him this question a long time ago. He was in a very bad mood at that time and broke up with him in a fit of emotion. Chen Huanong was silent for a while, and asked in a choked voice, Tang Chengting, have you thought it through? Do you really want me to get married? There is no one else in this world except me who can understand you and tolerate you unconditionally. If I get married and have my own family and children, I will no longer be able to devote a single thought to you. Can you live well without me? Without me, will you really not regret it?

How could he not regret it? The moment the divorce agreement was handed over, the moment Chen Huanong was cold because she wasn't wearing enough clothes and he scolded her, the moment he heard about Chen Huanong's accident, the moment he stabbed Chen Huanong, the moment Chen Huanong argued in court, the moment Chen Huanong proposed separation, the moment Chen Huanong was slandered by rumors, the moment Chen Huanong left the country. He regretted hurting Chen Huanong, regretted why he couldn't be more gentle with Chen Huanong, regretted not caring about Chen Huanong's vulnerability, regretted not paying attention to Chen Huanong's grievances, and regretted that he realized too late the meaning of Chen Huanong to his life.

Ever since returning from Kenya, Zhao Liangqi has launched a fierce offensive. Even though Chen Huanong never answers his calls or replies to his messages, he has no intention of giving up. He greets her regularly every morning, noon, and evening. Whenever Chen Huanong is in the office, a bouquet of flowers and a luxury meal will be delivered to the office. Chen Huanong has only been back for half a month, and every office has a bouquet of flowers. As for the luxury meal, naturally, it all went into the stomachs of interns and assistants. The assistant, who had gained five pounds in half a month, hugged Chen Huanong's arm and howled, "Lawyer Chen, are you planning to fatten me up and sell me? Can you get President Zhao to stop sending me food?"

Chen Huanong looked at his assistant's increasingly round face and suppressed a smile. "Where can I sell you? You don't even have an inspection mark. Who would dare to buy you?"

"I don't care. I really can't keep eating like this. If more food is sent to me, I'll let the intern eat it all by herself. Anyway, the little girl has a good metabolism and won't gain weight no matter how much she eats. Look, she's still as thin as a monkey."

The intern who was pulled over for comparison shook his head repeatedly, "No, I gained weight too, but it's all on my stomach and legs. I covered it with clothes, and I can't eat anymore."

Chen Huanong sighed softly, feeling extremely helpless. She asked her assistant to arrange a meeting with Zhao Liangqi. The troubles that needed to be dealt with still needed to be dealt with. It was not a good idea to always turn a blind eye to them. Chen Huanong chose the coffee shop where she and Mo Yiyan had invested in a partnership. She arrived five minutes early and chose a booth by the window. Just as she ordered two cups of coffee, Zhao Liangqi came upstairs.

"What do you want to eat? I went to great lengths to hire a private chef, and his cooking skills are quite good."

"The guest follows the host's wishes. It's your host's turn to recommend. I'm not picky."

Chen Huanong stopped pretending to be polite and called the waiter to order three dishes and a soup. "Wait a moment, and make me a bowl of pumpkin and purple rice porridge. It will be served in forty minutes."

Except when discussing business in Kenya, Chen Huanong rarely sat and chatted with Zhao Liangqi in such a calm manner. She did not mention Zhao Liangqi's previous deeds. Instead, like old friends reuniting after a long separation, she introduced the characteristics of each dish to him, occasionally making a few harmless jokes, and was polite and tactful.

"Huahua, is it true that we can't go back?"

Chen Huanong picked up a tissue and pursed his lips, a smile still on his face. "Which time does Mr. Zhao want to go back to? Why does Mr. Zhao think I want to go back to seven years ago? Mr. Zhao is thinking about the Chen Huanong of seven years ago, but I am the Chen Huanong of today. Time cannot flow back, and I never miss the past."

"Let's not talk about the past, let's talk about the future. You have already signed the divorce, and I have enough time and patience for you to come back to me."

"What you're brooding over isn't me, but the frustration of not being able to get what you want. Zhao Liangqi, you're selfish and possessive, never loving. You went to great lengths to force Tang Chengting away from me, without even considering my feelings. What gives you the right to assume he can't be relied upon?"

"You know?"

"Yes, I know all the reasons why Tang Chengting wants a divorce. Thank you, Mr. Zhao, for allowing us to break through the last barrier. Also, when we meet again in the future, please call me Chen Lu, just like everyone else."

Before Zhao Liangqi understood what Chen Huanong meant by this, he saw Tang Chengting hurried upstairs. Chen Huanong probably guessed that someone had arrived, and slowly turned her head to look behind her. The smile that had not yet appeared in her eyes was like a pool of spring water that had melted, rippling layers of water.