10
After ending the video call, Ruan Yu closed her laptop, feeling as exhausted as if she'd just run an 800-meter race.
At the end of the call, Xu Huaisong had asked her to conduct preliminary comparisons between both works based on the directions discussed earlier, incorporating the existing anti-color palette, and compile them into a document. When asked how long she needed, she estimated three days.
This estimate was already an adrenaline-fueled pace that would require her to work at high intensity with her stiff "old cervical spine" the entire time. Ruan Yu had mentally prepared herself for this, but Xu Huaisong seemed busy and said he wouldn't be able to follow up on her case until a week later.
So she relaxed her self-imposed standards and even accepted Shen Mingying's invitation to go out after completing the work on the seventh day.
Shen Mingying had dragged her out shopping to lift her spirits, deliberately avoiding any mention of unpleasant matters along the way. Instead, she asked if Ruan Yu had slipped up in front of Xu Huaisong.
Ruan Yu wore an expression of utter despair that said "this world isn't worth it": "No, but we have another video call tomorrow..."
Shen Mingying burst into peals of laughter.
After shopping all day with their arms laden with bags large and small, they came to their final battlefield—a perfume counter—as evening approached and they prepared to head home.
Still full of energy, Shen Mingying eagerly went in, randomly pointing out two bottles for Ruan Yu to try before going to pick her own.
A sales assistant approached, reciting the product introduction while spraying perfume onto a test strip, waving it a couple of times before holding it up to Ruan Yu's nose.
The fruity-floral fragrance, with its top notes of citrus and lime, was refreshing like the taste of midsummer in memory—clear and bright, yet faintly carrying a hint of inevitable bitterness.
The initial impression was pleasant enough, but Ruan Yu paused the moment she lowered her head.
Not because of the scent, but because she felt a chill down her spine, as if someone was watching her from behind.
Misinterpreting her hesitation as dislike for the fragrance, the sales assistant promptly picked up another bottle.
Ruan Yu took the opportunity to glance back but noticed nothing amiss. Looking over at Shen Mingying in the distance, she saw her happily testing perfumes.
Suppressing her unease, Ruan Yu tried several more bottles, but the eerie discomfort only grew stronger.
She waved off the sales assistant to indicate she didn't need anything for now and was about to head toward Shen Mingying when suddenly, she heard a surprised female voice behind her: "Senior Ruan, it really is you!"
Turning around, Ruan Yu saw a petite, pale-skinned girl waving at her while holding an LV "lunch box" bag.
She looked somewhat familiar, but not enough to recognize immediately. Ruan Yu hesitated, "Sorry, you are...?"
The girl seemed momentarily deflated but quickly perked up and stepped forward: "I'm Cen Sisi, senior. Don't you remember me?"
Cen Sisi? Ruan Yu's mind raced, taking a moment to piece together the faint memory.
Oh, she seemed to be a junior from three years below her in the same department. They'd first met at a student union event where Ruan Yu, as a senior, attended the freshman orientation and chatted more with those from her department. But afterward, aside from exchanging greetings when they bumped into each other on campus, they hadn't had any particular interactions.
Cen Sisi smiled, revealing a pair of canine teeth: "It's been so long! I was sneaking glances at you for a while, afraid I might have the wrong person!" After a pause, she added, "I didn't expect you to stay in Hangzhou after graduation too."
Just then, Shen Mingying came over after picking her perfume. Having attended a different university in the same city during college, she didn't know Cen Sisi. Ruan Yu introduced them to each other.
The three of them ended up blocking part of the walkway, with passersby squeezing past sideways. Ruan Yu quickly moved aside to make way.Cen Sisi seemed to realize this wasn’t the place for a conversation either. “Senior Ruan, what a coincidence running into you here. Shall we go upstairs and sit for a while?”
Ruan Yu glanced at Shen Mingying. Earlier, they had planned to pick out perfumes and head back. Shen Mingying had already contacted her boyfriend to pick them up, and he was probably arriving soon.
“Then you two catch up, I’ll head out first?” Shen Mingying made a quick decision. “I’ll take these bags back to your apartment for you—it’s on my way anyway.”
Since her boyfriend was driving, Ruan Yu didn’t stand on ceremony and turned to follow Cen Sisi upstairs to a dessert shop.
Truthfully, she didn’t think they had much “catching up” to do, but unable to refuse the enthusiasm, she treated Cen Sisi to a few desserts while they chatted about recent life.
Considering they weren’t particularly close, Ruan Yu kept her answers brief. When asked about her profession, she vaguely replied, “I’m sort of self-employed.”
Cen Sisi gasped. “Wait, are you a writer?”
The assumption wasn’t entirely off-base since they had both majored in Chinese literature.
“Not really, just an ordinary writer.” Not wanting to be probed further about her pen name, Ruan Yu quickly took control of the conversation. “What about you? What job did you find after graduation?”
Cen Sisi bit her straw, looking slightly embarrassed. “Me? I’m working at my family’s company.”
Ruan Yu was about to say “That’s nice too” when her phone rang.
It was Liu Mao calling.
Worried it might be urgent, she stood up. “Sorry, I need to take this.”
Cen Sisi’s gaze flickered over the words “Lawyer Liu” on her screen before nodding. “No need to apologize, go ahead.”
Ruan Yu stepped outside to answer the call. “Just got news from the court—the case has progressed to adding defendants.”
Liu Mao worked efficiently. Six days ago, he had submitted the complaint to the court and applied for an investigation order. The initial defendant was Weibo, but after the court accepted the case, they demanded the platform provide information about the infringing party. The operator couldn’t bear responsibility on their behalf and would inevitably cooperate with the investigation.
Now, he likely had the identity details of the writer “Su Cheng.”
“That’s good progress. Thanks for your hard work,” Ruan Yu said.
“No need for thanks—I’m not calling to boast. I wanted to ask you something personal. Not sure if it’s a coincidence, but you might know the defendant.”
Ruan Yu paused. “Know them?”
“Yeah. I recall Uncle Ruan mentioning you graduated from Hangzhou University, right? The defendant was in the same department, three years below you. Her name is Cen Sisi—ring any bells?”
Ruan Yu: “...”
This twist was utterly unexpected.
Instinctively, she turned her head toward the dessert shop’s floor-to-ceiling window. Cen Sisi was still sipping her drink, watching her. When their eyes met, she even flashed a bright smile.
Lips red, teeth white, almond-shaped eyes glistening.
Ruan Yu returned the smile before turning away to answer Liu Mao’s “What’s wrong?” with, “...I’m having dessert with her right now.”
Now it was Liu Mao’s turn to choke.
After steadying herself, Ruan Yu recounted the situation and asked, “Are you suggesting that from the online slander to today’s ‘coincidental’ meeting, this might not be accidental?”
Before Liu Mao could answer, a chill ran down her spine, raising goosebumps.
“That possibility can’t be ruled out.”
“But I don’t remember any conflicts with her during college...”
“Well, optimistically, maybe it is just a coincidence. But even if it’s not, don’t panic. First, tell me—does she know who you’re talking to?”Ruan Yu thought back for a moment. "She probably saw the note I saved for you—it says 'Lawyer Liu.'"
"Then have an open and honest talk with her."
Ruan Yu frowned. She hadn't even recovered from the shock yet, and now she had to charge straight into battle?
"If she's unaware of your pen name, given your existing relationship, I'd recommend private mediation to secure a settlement that maximizes your interests. That would be better than going to court. Litigation is too time-consuming, and when it comes to defending one's reputation, acting sooner rather than later is especially crucial compared to other legal disputes."
"But if she had malicious intent from the start, then the words 'Lawyer Liu' alone would be enough for her to guess what you're preparing. Besides, she should be receiving court notifications in the next couple of days anyway. Sooner or later, you'll have to lay all your cards on the table. At this point, there's no longer any risk of tipping her off..."
Liu Mao explained everything carefully. After hanging up, Ruan Yu steeled herself and pushed open the door to return to the battlefield.
Lately, life had been getting more and more surreal.
As she walked, she tried to recall all the past friction between her and "Su Cheng," attempting to connect those conflicts with this junior from her department. Before she could sort it all out, Cen Sisi turned around, her gaze fixed on Ruan Yu's face, and asked, "What's wrong, senior? You look terrible."
Ruan Yu forced a smile. Sitting down, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and cut straight to the point: "Junior, do you have a pen name on Jinjiang called Su Cheng?"
Cen Sisi's eyes widened in shock. "Senior, are you some kind of goddess?"
Ruan Yu cleared her throat. "I'm not a goddess. I'm Wen Xiang."
Cen Sisi's chin hit the edge of her glass with a clink. Grimacing, she rubbed the spot, tears welling up from the pain. It took her a while to recover before she managed to say, "Senior, you're not joking with me, are you?"
Ruan Yu stayed silent, swiping open her phone and pulling up the Jinjiang page to show her.
Cen Sisi was dumbfounded. "The world is too small!" Then, as if suddenly remembering the online storm, she added, "Then, senior, about what happened on Weibo before... I—I need a moment to process..."
She began fanning herself vigorously, her face flushing red. After a long pause, she straightened up with a serious expression. "Senior, this is a huge misunderstanding. If I'd known Wen Xiang was you, I would never have posted that long Weibo thread..."
Following Liu Mao's advice, Ruan Yu took control of the conversation, maintaining the upper hand. "Why not?"
"How could you ever do something like plagiarism?" Cen Sisi looked even more indignant than Ruan Yu's own fans, though her energy quickly deflated. "Senior... did you sue me?"
As Liu Mao had instructed, Ruan Yu didn't evade the question and nodded.
Cen Sisi pouted. "Yeah, I was the one who wronged you..."
"I don’t want to escalate this either. If you think it's a misunderstanding, we can consider settling out of court." Ruan Yu managed a somewhat warm smile.
"Really, senior?" Cen Sisi exhaled in relief. "That’s great. If my dad found out about this, he’d scold me to death. If you’re willing to forgive me, I’ll definitely issue a public apology to you and do my best to mitigate the damage to your reputation. I’ll never do anything this stupid again... If you want me to make it up to you in any way, I’d even—"
"It’s not that serious," Ruan Yu interrupted her grand promises with a laugh. "But I’m not familiar with settlement procedures, so I’ll need my lawyer to discuss it with you. Tomorrow’s Monday—are you free?"
Cen Sisi hesitated. "I have back-to-back meetings at the company all day. I might not be able to get away. How about the day after?"
"Sure."
"What about the court...?""I can contact them to delay the proceedings, don't worry."
Cen Sisi twisted her fingers nervously and nodded, keeping her head lowered, too afraid to meet her gaze.
Seeing how awkward the situation had become, Ruan Yu exchanged WeChat and phone numbers with her before making an excuse to go home.
Back at her apartment, she called Liu Mao and recounted the entire conversation in detail.
In their previous call, Liu Mao had advised her to speak less and observe more. After listening, he asked, "In your opinion, was the defendant lying?"
Ruan Yu didn’t want to think she was lying. If that were the case, looking back over the past few years would be truly unsettling.
But she admitted, "It's hard to say... Her reactions gave me the impression she was overacting."
"I understand," Liu Mao reassured her. "It's fine, you did well. Leave the rest to me... and Lawyer Xu."
At the mention of Xu Huaisong’s name, Ruan Yu remembered the upcoming "battle" the next morning and asked, "Given the change in circumstances, should we still proceed with Lawyer Xu’s work?"
Liu Mao paused briefly. "I’ll explain the situation to him. For now, let’s stick to the original plan."
"Alright."
Ruan Yu sighed, hung up the phone, and felt utterly exhausted. After a shower, she went to bed early, only to wake up promptly at eight the next morning, dreading the impending control of Xu Huaisong.
Still preoccupied with Cen Sisi’s matter, she answered the video call in low spirits and absentmindedly greeted the screen, "Good morning, Lawyer Xu."
Xu Huaisong was in the same study as before. He glanced indifferently out the window. "It’s not early anymore."
She immediately realized her blunder and forced an awkward laugh.
Xu Huaisong studied her briefly before picking up the documents beside him, his tone neutral. "I’ve reviewed the file."
The file was what Ruan Yu had sent him before leaving the previous day. She asked, "Did you find any issues?"
Just as Xu Huaisong was about to respond, he noticed a WeChat notification flash on his screen. Seeing it was from Xu Huaishi again, he initially ignored it, but his eyes caught the first part of her message: "Bro, that Su Cheng actually..."
Since it seemed important, he had no choice but to tell Ruan Yu, "Wait a moment," and opened the message.
Ruan Yu listened idly to the intermittent chimes of incoming messages on his end until, fifteen minutes later, she realized her own phone was buzzing in sync with his.
Opening WeChat, she saw Liu Mao had added both of them to a group chat.
He was posting images—three consecutive screenshots of private messages on Weibo, followed by a note: "Take a look at this, both of you."
Ruan Yu enlarged the images and nearly laughed in frustration.
The screenshots were from "Poetess," showing a Weibo account claiming to be "Su Cheng" privately messaging her, suggesting she sue "Wen Xiang" for copyright infringement and listing numerous benefits of doing so.
"Poetess" hinted she didn’t believe this was the real "Su Cheng." To convince her, "Su Cheng" then sent a message from her verified account as proof.
Ruan Yu was so furious she momentarily forgot her ladylike demeanor and pointed at the screen. "What a green tea b*tch!"
Xu Huaisong visibly froze.
Realizing her outburst, she awkwardly smoothed her bangs. "Sorry, I got carried away."
But Xu Huaisong only blinked twice and asked, "Green tea is...?"
He probably wasn’t familiar with domestic internet slang. Ruan Yu cleared her throat and said with feigned seriousness, "Oh, just the drink. My friend sent me an online shopping link for tea, haha..."
Xu Huaisong opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again before opening Baidu.Ruan Yu continued to open the next two screenshots.
The chat logs showed a deeper exchange between "Su Cheng's" alternate account and "The Poet." In the end, the latter said she would contact a lawyer and sincerely consider the suggestion.
But since these chat logs had ended up in Liu Mao's hands, Ruan Yu figured "The Poet" must be her ally, and that line about "sincerely considering" was likely just a bluff.
She asked Xu Huaisong, "Did Lawyer Liu teach her to say that?"
Xu Huaisong wanted to say "yes," but couldn't, so he nodded instead. "Probably."
As the entrusted agent, it wasn’t strange for Liu Mao to have dealings with "The Poet," a key figure in the case. Ruan Yu didn’t dwell on it and asked, "So what do we do next?"
"Ask Liu Mao," he replied, already busy typing without even glancing at her.
Ruan Yu didn’t mind much and turned to ask Liu Mao in the group chat.
After a full two minutes, he finally replied: If you're angry, just block Cen Sisi on WeChat.
"..." Wouldn’t that kind of childish tantrum just be pointless?
She was about to tactfully suggest that this might be too impulsive when Xu Huaisong sent a message in the group: Are you in elementary school?
Zhi Kun Liu Mao: ... Then what do you suggest?
Xu Huaisong: Go assist the client with preserving online evidence.
Zhi Kun Liu Mao: ... Got it. And then?
Xu Huaisong: You’re done.
Ruan Yu once again got the feeling that Xu Huaisong and Liu Mao really didn’t get along.
To ease the tense atmosphere in the group, she typed: Thanks, Lawyer Liu!
Liu Mao didn’t even reply with a "you're welcome" before going silent.
Meanwhile, Xu Huaisong tapped the table to regain her attention. "Do you have the defendant’s phone number?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"Can you record a call for evidence?"
Ruan Yu froze for a second before quickly grasping his meaning.
If she immediately cut ties with Cen Sisi as Liu Mao suggested, it would be foolish. Instead, she should pretend to know nothing and fish for information. That way, aside from "The Poet’s" chat logs, she’d have another piece of supporting evidence for the trial.
Realizing this, Ruan Yu couldn’t help but admire Xu Huaisong’s brilliance. He was clearly much more reliable than Liu Mao. Sitting up straighter, she said, "Not really. Can you teach me?"
"Mm."
On the other side, Liu Mao leaned back in his swivel chair, sighing as he reread his private chat with Xu Huaisong from a few minutes ago.
Xu Huaisong: Later, she’ll ask you what to do next. Tell her to block the defendant to vent.
Zhi Kun Liu Mao: Why? Show some professionalism as a lawyer, will you? This is the time to fish for evidence.
Xu Huaisong: I know. Just answer as I said.
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