0030 Chocolate Bubbles
After that time in the car, when Zhai confessed his feelings to her, Qu Zhong and he returned to their initial relationship.
However, every time she does it, this person becomes incredibly talkative. She asks her if she's tired from work, if she's eating properly, and what she likes and dislikes.
Furthermore, he never again agreed to that ridiculous possession and usage fee with her.
It seems like we signed an agreement where the rights and obligations are unequal.
Throughout her years of practice, whether it's a client engagement, a specialized case, or a routine case, in every legal contract Qu Zhong has signed, the client has always been the first party, and her name has always appeared in the second party's column.
But at this stage, in front of Zhai Shi, she became the superior client. The client who, even when bossy, could be completely accommodated.
It seems a bit bad...
"So you agreed to his proposal?" Feng Jing asked her after she mentioned it in the group chat.
Qu Zhong typed furiously: "No. Should I accept every confession from anyone? If it's one-sided, I have to take responsibility for it."
She said something offensive.
But she really couldn't just agree to be with Zhai so hastily. She wasn't sure if he was just driven by lust and confessed his feelings to her on impulse. She hadn't thought about being serious with him before.
Besides, dating isn't like casual sex; it's not just about physical intimacy, it's also about emotional connection. It requires communication, tolerance, and consideration for each other's feelings. Disagreements can easily lead to arguments. Someone with her personality has certainly threatened to break up quite a few times.
Qu Zhong finally understood why people of a certain age like to go on blind dates.
Because it's simple.
If you've hit it off and it's about time, you can get married right away and skip the dating phase.
This is the most complex and troublesome stage.
Having experienced several unsuccessful campus romances, Qu Zhong felt she needed to seriously consider whether and how to start another relationship. Fortunately, Zhai Shi did not demand an immediate or time-bound answer from her.
Lin Qianqian clicked her tongue twice: "You're really something, raising fish, right, Mr. Qu?"
Qu Zhong teased her as always: "Yeah, wife, how about joining Qu Par's fishpond too? @Lin Qianqian"
Feng Jing: "6 Ah, eating from the pot while eyeing the bowl, Qu Par is quite the lucky one."
Lin Qianqian had long suspected that Qu Zhong harbored feelings of love for her, but she had been struggling to find evidence. Now, she had caught him red-handed.
Lin Qianqian resolutely declared, "I want to leave the group, don't stop me."
After a burst of laughter, Qu Zhong stopped talking about the topic and instead asked if their law firms had heating. The temperature had been dropping lately, but her office building, a Grade A building, still hadn't started heating. It felt like she wasn't working in an office, but rather in the crisper drawer of a refrigerator.
Hearing Feng Jing and Lin Qianqian reply that their offices were warm and cozy like saunas, Qu Zhong was filled with envy. Just as she was about to ask Li Li if she could contact the property management, Li Li came to her first.
They also brought some big news: "Congratulations, Attorney Qu, you've been selected as one of Shanghai's Top Ten Defense Lawyers of the Year."
Her words struck like a thunderclap, resonating in the ears of everyone in the institute.
This naturally includes those who are insincere.
She paused for a moment, as if her phone had lost its touch, and after confirming that it couldn't be April Fool's Day, a huge wave of joy surged up over her, almost knocking her over: "Really? I never thought I'd be selected when I applied."
This statement might sound like something out of Versailles to others, but Qu Zhong certainly didn't mean it that way. Being named one of the top ten defense lawyers is the highest honor, something countless criminal defense lawyers strive for. She simply followed the advice of the racing legend, sent her resume, and applied to give it a try.
It was really just a try, a gamble, a chance to win. Shortly after sending her resume to the Bar Association's official email address, Qu Zhong forgot about it, never imagining she would win big.
“Of course, the list is out.” Li Li excitedly handed her phone to Qu Zhong, showing her a new post from the Bar Association’s official WeChat account. “It says here that you handled one guilty plea and one not guilty plea this year. These two cases are enough for you to be evaluated for two years.”
Qu Zhong quickly opened her phone and found the WeChat official account.
When I clicked in, wow, all the names on this list were those of renowned senior lawyers from top-tier law firms, and mixed in among them was Qu Zhong, who had only been practicing for two years.
Like a coffee bean wandering into a vast tea garden, she seemed completely out of place.
This unbelievable list felt like a weightless space, giving Qu Zhong a strong sense of dizziness. This feeling intensified as she received a barrage of "Congratulations, Attorney Qu" from her colleagues, until her smile became stiff.
Li Li was like she was having a year-end clearance sale, showering Qu Zhong with good news as if it were free: "By the way, the judicial office will be sending flowers over later."
Because Guanzheng Law Firm handles legal aid cases, it regularly arranges for lawyers to be on duty at the local judicial office, providing free legal consultation services to residents. Therefore, the judicial office is considered a client; whenever the law firm has a happy occasion, the judicial office sends flowers to offer their congratulations.
The last time I sent flowers was when the car enthusiast was awarded the "Shanghai May Day Labor Medal".
All of this happened so suddenly that Qu Zhong hadn't prepared any acceptance speech beforehand and could only keep saying "Thank you so much."
There are too many people to thank, so she can only summarize them all with the single word "thank you." She thanks the Bar Association for selecting her, the driving expert who gave her advice, Li Li for informing her of the news immediately, and the flowers from the judicial office along the way.
Unable to concentrate on work, Qu Zhong repeatedly opened and read that WeChat official account post, then secretly shared it on her Moments, receiving many likes and comments.
Lin Qianqian, who weighed heavily on the group chat, changed her usual behavior again, spamming the chat like an online army, shouting "Husband, please take care of me!" She couldn't reply at all; she was busier than when she was in court.
Not long after, Li Li received a message from the front desk on the first floor and went downstairs to bring back a large bouquet of flowers. When she handed it to Qu Zhong, she exclaimed repeatedly, feeling very proud: "These flowers are so beautiful! I've never received such beautiful flowers before."
Qu Zhong took it back and examined it carefully.
It was really beautiful. It was a variety she didn't know the name of, but every flower in the bouquet was exquisite. Some were already fully bloomed and extremely beautiful, while others were still buds and needed careful care.
What's most special about this bouquet is its color. It's not a flamboyant, vibrant red, but rather a subtle, restrained wine red. The saturation isn't high, but it's pleasing to the eye.
Qu Zhong loved it so much that she found the best angle to take a picture. No filter was needed; the flower itself was beautiful enough.
She posted it on her WeChat Moments with the caption: "Thank you for the organization's trust!"
Not long after, as Qu Zhong was gently smelling the flowers, Li Li suddenly ran over again, carrying another bouquet. She was clearly surprised: "Attorney Qu, this looks like the one from the judicial office..."
The chaotic yet festive color scheme, with a large sunflower in the center, is undoubtedly typical of the style of the judicial office.
Qu Zhong looked up, bewildered: "Huh? Then..."
Who gave her this?
Qu Zhong opened the post she had just made on WeChat Moments, and amidst a sea of copied and pasted congratulations, she found a comment—
Do you like it?
The person who posted this comment is: Zhai Shi.
Oh my god, what's going on?
Having finally managed to fool Li Li away, Qu Zhong immediately went to the chat interface to confront her: "What are you up to?"
The reply came instantly: "What's wrong? Can't you deliver it?"
Qu Zhong was speechless at his matter-of-fact question. "Yes, why can't I give it? Whether it's to congratulate her or because I like her, I can give it."
She made a mistake, thinking it was sent by the judicial office, and even posted about it on her WeChat Moments.
What a blunder! How embarrassing.
She didn't speak, so Zhai continued, "So, do you like it or not?"
Qu Zhong ran her fingertips over the soft petals beside her, touched the tip of her nose, and replied with a pout, "It's just so-so..."
"Oh, then I'll send something else next time." Zhai believed him without giving up, and even relentlessly worked on his next attempt, as audacious as a repeat offender.
Qu Zhong's face flushed slightly, and she ignored him.
She stared at the bouquet for a while, and then, as if possessed, opened a web page image search tool and used the picture she had just taken to find the flower's variety and name.
The variety is a multi-headed rose, and its name is Chocolate Bubble.
What a lovely name! The word "chocolate" perfectly describes the color of the flower.
Qu Zhong continued flipping through the pages, and when her eyes fell upon the language of flowers, her hand suddenly stopped, her face flushed, and these words were clearly written there:
"A rich and elegant love"
Next, let's look at the recipient:
The person you like, your lover, your sweetheart.
Three types of people, corresponding to three types of relationships, progressing step by step.
And the bouquet in her hand, representing every person and every relationship, was given to her by the recipient to refer to her.
Qu Zhong grabbed a piece of paper from the side, folded it in half, and quickly fanned her face with it a few times, muttering, "Did they suddenly turn on the heating? Why is it so hot..."
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