I Want Them Both!

Seeing her expression, Xu De asked, puzzled:

"Is that so strange?"

"How is it not strange?!" Lin Yue was stunned.

She could barely keep it together.

After years of studying law, this was the first time in her life she had heard someone put "stealing" and "legal" together.

Seriously, how had he managed to fit those two words into the same sentence?!

"Lawyer Lin, I'm a student of law, and you think I'd break it..."

Xu De looked displeased. He stared at her as if calling her conscience into question.

"That's blatant prejudice!"

Lin Yue paused. Feeling a little guilty, she instinctively said, "Sorry..."

But the next second, she caught herself. Her eye twitched.

"Wait, no. I was right! You're planning to steal a child!"

Xu De said:

"Who told you stealing a child was necessarily illegal?!"

He corrected her once more, then paused and looked past her.

Two thin figures had appeared around the corner of the lobby and were coming down the corridor toward them. His words sped up.

"Whatever else you think of me, I would never do anything illegal."

"I guarantee that everything I do will be lawful and aboveboard!"

"Of course, I'll need you to cooperate as the attorney handling the case, and I'll need someone capable to help as well. If all goes well... we can close the case before the New Year!"

Lin Yue heard him.

She was about to say something, but the two figures had already reached them and stopped.

"Ms. Wang. Ms. Xu."

Xu De stood and greeted Wang Mei and Xu Hong as they returned from completing the paperwork, a polite smile on his face.

"Did the police give you any unexpected answers?"

When they had come to the police station from the courthouse,

Xu De had sent them ahead to deal with the custody matter. They should have finished speaking with the police by now.

Wang Mei's face was still haggard, the bones stark beneath her skin. She fell silent for a moment, then shook her head.

"No."

Only now did she realize that even though custody had been decided, it did not mean she could see her child again right away.

"Lawyer Xu... I just want to spend some time with my child before my father goes to trial."

Wang Mei's voice was bitter and helpless.

She knew that the day Wang Qiang went to trial would be the day her child left her for good.

All Wang Mei wanted was a little time with her child before that separation... even a week, or just one day!

But after asking the police, she found even that wish seemed out of reach.

The police would enforce the ruling only after Li Youcai had failed to comply for a considerable time.

Until then,

if Li Youcai and Liu Cui refused to hand over the child, there was nothing she could do.

Powerless.

It was as though every bone had been pulled from her body, leaving her limp as mud, without a shred of spirit.

"Spend some time?"

Xu De folded his arms and rubbed his chin, considering it.

"Actually, I don't think you need to give up your child because of Mr. Wang."

Wang Mei's nose stung. She said bitterly:

"Lawyer Xu, he's my father... He ended up at the police station because of me. I can't abandon him..."

Xu De blinked, then understood.

She probably thought he was urging her to give up on Wang Qiang.

He explained:

"Ms. Wang, what I mean is, your child and Mr. Wang..."

"We can save them both!"

Both... both of them?

Wang Mei froze. She raised her gaunt face, a glimmer of hope showing through its rough wrinkles.

Xu Hong looked much the same. Like two people in despair who had caught sight of the one firefly still glowing in the dark, they held their breath and asked in trembling voices:

"Really?"

Having to choose between her father and her child was a judgment of herself that anyone would struggle to face.

Wang Mei was nearly out of her mind. Even if Xu De was lying, she wanted to believe him!

Xu De nodded.

"I have a preliminary solution."

"Please go home and get some rest today. When I get back to the firm, I'll work late to draw up a detailed plan and give it to Lawyer Lin in a few days."

Of course,

calling it a plan was generous. It was really just to dispel Lin Yue's suspicion that his approach was illegal.

Words alone proved nothing. No one would risk their own future on a stranger's moral character. One wrong bet could destroy an entire career!

Especially someone like Lin Yue, who had a bright future ahead of her.

Xu De understood that.

"All right... all right!"

Wang Mei gripped his hand tightly with her dry, worn hands, afraid to let go.

Xu De looked up and met her eyes, brimming with things she could not put into words.

"I... I believe you..."

Xu De nodded and held her hand. With his other hand, he patted the back of hers, then quietly let go.

He borrowed paper and a pen from a police officer, wrote down his phone number, and handed it to them.

"Here's my contact information. If you have any questions later, you can reach me anytime."

"It's getting late... I should head back."

"And please don't worry about the Wang Qiang Case. I'll do everything I can to get you a result you're happy with!"

With that,

Xu De said goodbye to them and slowly left the police station.

They watched the way he had gone until he disappeared from sight.

Only then did Wang Mei come back to herself.

She felt dazed.

For the past two weeks, she had suffered day and night. Again and again, she would come out of a daze to find tears streaming down her face.

Even Lin Yue could only lay out the harsh reality, cutting a fresh wound in her heart!

Every waking moment was agony for her.

And now Xu De had suddenly told her...

There was no need to worry!

Those words were like the only straw within reach of a drowning person. Fragile as it was, she clung to it with all her strength, unable to let go!

"Lawyer Lin... Lawyer Xu, he..."

It felt like a dream to Wang Mei, too good to be real. She wanted to ask something but did not know what.

Beside her, Lin Yue heard her.

Her expression turned strange. She clearly had no idea what to make of him.

Honestly, she had never met anyone who talked so casually about threats and stealing children, much less claimed he could "steal legally" and "threaten within the rules"!

And yet... he sounded so confident. Could it really be legal and aboveboard?

The more Lin Yue thought about it, the more curious she became. She was itching for him to hand over that "implementation plan."

In the end, she kept her feelings in check and reassured Wang Mei softly:

"Don't worry. He probably isn't lying. After all, he calls himself..."

"A paragon of virtue in the legal profession."

At four thirty that afternoon,

a taxi stopped outside Jinmao Law Firm in Greenwood City.

Bang!

The car door opened.

Xu De got out, pushed through the front door, and strode into the firm.

As soon as he entered,

he ran into Sun Hao, the team leader, dressed up and looking smug.

Sun Hao had been looking around the lobby for something.

Hearing the door open, he turned and spotted Xu De coming in. His eyes lit up, and he put on a warm smile.

"Xu De."

"A few longtime clients are coming to our team for advice. Come in early tomorrow so you can—"

At that,

Xu De glanced at Sun Hao as he walked.

His expression did not change. He did not wait for Sun Hao to finish, nor did he break stride.

He walked straight past, leaving just two curt words behind.

"Too busy."

In an instant,

Sun Hao found himself staring at empty space.

The smile froze on his face.