Volume One, Chapter 13: Meeting the Lawyer and Drafting the Agreement

Upon hearing this, Shen Shuhe’s attention drifted away from the conversation.

She had to admit, although Qi Zijin looked young, his thoughts and knowledge were far beyond his youthful appearance.

In fact, he was precise and professional.

During their chat, Shen Shuhe learned that Qi Zijin was only young in appearance; in reality, he had graduated many years ago.

He was almost twenty-nine, even a year older than both her and Wen Yu.

"Alright, thank you, Lawyer Qi," she said.

Qi Zijin nodded and smiled, "You’re welcome."

With that, he gave a subtle glance to the waiter.

By the time he finished tidying his things, the dishes were just served.

Shen Shuhe couldn’t help but admire his attentiveness and thoughtfulness.

Yet soon, she sensed something was off.

Nearly half the dishes on the table were Wen Yu’s favorites.

Thinking this, Shen Shuhe slowed her eating.

Looking up, she caught Qi Zijin refilling Wen Yu’s glass, gently advising, "Even if you like it, try to drink less. Getting up early for work tomorrow will be hard otherwise."

Wen Yu didn’t look at him, casually replying while eating the fish, "Thanks for your concern, Lawyer Qi, but I can hold my liquor. A couple of sips won’t hurt."

Qi Zijin said no more, quietly moving the bottle further away.

Wen Yu’s expression was speechless.

Meanwhile, Shen Shuhe, who hadn’t yet looked away, found herself locking eyes with Qi Zijin.

An inexplicable awkwardness hung in the air.

Shen Shuhe wanted to pretend she saw nothing and lowered her head to eat.

Unexpectedly, Qi Zijin was straightforward, "Miss Shen, would you like a refill?"

Shen Shuhe: "No, thank you."

"You're welcome."

Then he picked up his chopsticks.

Shen Shuhe glanced at him, nudging Wen Yu casually with her elbow.

Wen Yu, busy picking fish bones, looked puzzled.

Everyone around seemed strangely odd.

After the meal, the group gathered at the restaurant entrance to part ways.

Qi Zijin remained courteous, bidding farewell to both before driving off.

In the car with the two girls, Shen Shuhe couldn’t resist asking, "Are you hiding something from me?"

Wen Yu, eyes on the road, replied, "What am I hiding from you?"

"You and Lawyer Qi."

"What’s wrong with me and him?" Wen Yu hit the brakes.

Shen Shuhe was surprised.

He didn’t deny it—could it be she was mistaken?

"The atmosphere between you two is a bit strange. I thought you were in some kind of ambiguous phase."

Wen Yu glanced sideways at her, "What’s strange? It’s just a perfectly normal ‘not-so-close friends’ relationship."

"Shen Xiaohe, have you been a little sensitive after being hurt by that scumbag Pei Jingmo?"

Shen Shuhe was speechless.

"Come on, don’t be thinking nonsense all the time. I’m fully committed to making you an international supermodel! You have to work hard and stop overthinking!"

"Especially about men! The entertainment industry cracks down hard on improper relationships between the sexes!"

Shen Shuhe: "..."

If one didn’t know better, they might think Wen Yu was a high school dean.

Well, judging by her attitude, no matter what Qi Zijin meant, Wen Yu clearly wasn’t interested.

After that, Shen Shuhe stopped paying attention to the matter.

Yet she never expected that not long after, Wen Yu would give her a huge surprise.

...

The next morning, Shen Shuhe woke to a message from Qi Zijin.

She couldn’t help but admire his efficiency.

Because the divorce matter had progressed, she hummed happily as she got dressed.

Her good mood lasted through breakfast.

Wen Yu yawned as she came out, wondering if Shen Shuhe had lost her mind.

Only after hearing about the divorce did she breathe a sigh of relief.

After eating, the two shared a big hug at the door before heading off to their respective battles.

An hour later, beneath the Pei Corporation building—

This place was familiar to Shen Shuhe, as it was where she had started working right after graduation.

Yet stepping into the Pei building again marked both an end and a new beginning.

That morning, Shen Shuhe led the Huabo team to a lengthy meeting with the Pei department managers.

The managers welcomed their arrival and expressed eagerness for future cooperation.

Shen Shuhe smiled without much comment, and Huabo formally expressed their honor on behalf of the Jiugang department.

After the meeting, Shen Shuhe wasted no time and took her resignation letter to the HR department.

The HR manager stood up in surprise upon seeing her. "Secretary Shen, you’re back."

They had known each other during her years at the company.

Shen Shuhe did not accept the title. "Manager Wang, I’m no longer President Pei’s secretary."

Wang Manager chuckled awkwardly and asked, "What brings you here today?"

"I’m here to resign," Shen Shuhe said, handing over the letter with both hands. "Since the department merged into Pei Corporation, I’m here to trouble you with this."

Wang was even more shocked.

Shen Shuhe had joined Pei straight out of school, rising from President Pei’s secretary to department head, with a promising future ahead.

Why suddenly resign?

Wang, fulfilling his duty, tried to persuade her. "Why don’t you reconsider? You’ve been with Pei so long, and your future development prospects..."

"No, I’ve made up my mind," Shen Shuhe interrupted with a smile. "Please help me with the procedure."

Seeing her resolute attitude, Wang had no choice but to drop his unspoken words.

"Alright, I’ll help you with the process."

"Thank you."

With one matter resolved, Shen Shuhe left the office feeling much lighter.

It seemed she could soon report to Wen Yu.

After removing her badge, she walked to the elevator, watching the numbers flash upward, a faint smile curving her lips.

The elevator doors opened.

Several figures stepped out.

One happened to meet Shen Shuhe’s gaze.

Liang Song instinctively greeted her, "Hello."

His colleagues nearby were surprised to hear him use a respectful address toward a regular employee.

He was President Pei’s special assistant—why address an ordinary staff member so formally?

But no one dared to ask.

After the group dispersed at the elevator, Shen Shuhe replied, "Hello, long time no see."

"Have you just returned?" Liang Song asked.

He had known about the department merger for several days, even President Pei was aware.

Only Miss Song and he knew about Shen Shuhe’s relationship with Pei.

After all, when Shen Shuhe joined the company, he had been assisting President Pei for a long time.

Later, when she married Pei, he had even been in and out of the West Coast residence helping deliver things.

Liang Song’s impression of Shen Shuhe was complicated.

From his interactions, she was professional, rational, and calm, with a good personality; they had worked well together.

But no one knew exactly what happened after Miss Song’s misfortune, when Shen Shuhe and President Pei got together and married.

Afterward, President Pei grew increasingly resentful of her.

Liang Song was one of the rare bystanders witnessing their relationship’s decline.

He thought if Shen Shuhe were still President Pei’s secretary, everyone might be happier and more comfortable.

Not like the current awkward situation.

"Yes, I just got back," Shen Shuhe replied.

Liang Song nodded, intending to greet and leave, but realized this was the HR department.

So he asked casually, "What’s your business here? Need any help?"

Shen Shuhe shook her head with a smile, then quietly dropped a bombshell that shocked Liang Song.

"I’m here to resign."