Chapter 415: Chapter 415: She’s Still Not Worth It
Lan Yan was waiting for the elevator when the doors opened, and Xiao Si walked out directly.
As soon as Xiao Si stepped out of the elevator, he reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“Don’t go up. Ms. Liang has my old man there with her. Perfect timing—we’ll go have lunch together,” he said.
“…”
Xiao Si held onto her and started heading out.
He suddenly asked, “Do you think we have a telepathic connection? I was just missing you, and here you are.”
Lan Yan: “…Whatever you say.”
Xiao Si glanced down at her curiously, “Why aren’t you snapping at me today? Are you upset?”
Lan Yan rolled her eyes, “What’s wrong with you? If I don’t snap at you, you feel weird, don’t you?”
He chuckled, “Kind of, yeah. It’s unsettling.”
Without hesitation, he quickly bent down and gave her delicate, fair cheek a kiss.
Lan Yan was startled by his sudden action.
She raised her hand and pushed his face away.
“Can you be serious? There are so many people here!”
“I’m kissing my fiancée. It’s not illegal. People or no people, it doesn’t matter.”
“You might not care about your dignity, but I do.”
After that, she pushed him away and sped up her pace, walking ahead.
But after just a couple of steps, she ran straight into Jiang Huai.
It was unclear how long Jiang Huai had been standing there.
Previously, Lan Yan wouldn’t have cared.
But now, for some reason, she felt a little awkward.
“Head nurse,” Lan Yan greeted her.
Jiang Huai smiled at her, “Dr. Lan, long time no see.”
Then, she glanced at Xiao Si walking behind Lan Yan, keeping her smile intact.
“Congratulations to you two.”
Lan Yan smiled back, unsure of how best to respond.
After all, Jiang Huai had once been a girl Xiao Si chased after, which made things somewhat uncomfortable.
When Xiao Si came over, he instantly placed his arm around Lan Yan’s shoulders again.
Lan Yan nudged him with her elbow, signaling him to behave.
But disregarding her, he tightened his hold instead.
Lan Yan: “…”
He looked directly and very naturally at Jiang Huai and asked, “Head nurse, handing off the night shift?”
To outsiders, such small interactions between them appeared affectionate and sweet.
Jiang Huai replied, “Yes, that’s right.”
Xiao Si nodded, “Alright, then we won’t hold you up from your work.”
He tilted his head toward Lan Yan and said, “Xiao Yanyan, I’m starving. Let’s go get something to eat.”
“Head nurse, we’re off now. Bye-bye.”
With that, Xiao Si left, holding Lan Yan tightly.
Once in the car, Lan Yan fell silent.
Xiao Si looked back at her and asked, “You’re not jealous, are you?”
Finding her thoughts disrupted, Lan Yan snapped back to reality.
“I’m not. I don’t get jealous,” she said.
Xiao Si leaned closer to her and smirked, “Really?”
Lan Yan turned her head to look at him, placed her palm against his forehead, and gently pushed him backward. “Really. Hurry up and drive—you said you were hungry.”
Lan Yan wasn’t interested in discussing the matter further.
She genuinely wasn’t jealous. She was simply lost in thought.
“Come on, if you don’t want to eat, I’m getting out of the car,” she said, urging him again and making a move to leave.
Xiao Si immediately grabbed her hand. “We’re eating, eating!”
…
Early the next morning.
Dong Jian assigned his lawyer to the police station to see if Dong Xiaoxiao could be bailed out again.
But shortly after arriving, the lawyer found out the opposing counsel was Wan Muqi. Dejected, he left immediately.
Upon leaving the station, the lawyer called Dong Jian.
“President Dong, things don’t look good for Miss Dong this time.”
Dong Jian frowned upon hearing this and asked in a grave tone, “What happened?”
The lawyer took a moment to compose himself and replied, “The opposing party hired Wan Muqi, also known as the King of Litigation. Cases he handles only result in victories, never losses. The fact that they hired him indicates there’s no room for negotiation in this matter. Miss Dong is bound to face trial and an inevitable conviction.”
Dong Jian paused for a moment before asking, “Can you try negotiating with the opposing counsel? Use whatever means necessary if the situation warrants it.”
Mr. Zhang hesitated briefly before agreeing, “Alright, I’ll give it a shot.”
At the Law Building.
Today, Wan Muqi happened to be at the firm.
“Knock knock!”
An assistant knocked and entered, addressing the man seated behind the desk, “Mr. Wan, someone at reception downstairs wants to see you.”
Without lifting his head, the man asked, “Who?”
The assistant replied, “They said they’re here regarding the Dong Family case.”
Wan Muqi’s tone hardened, “Not seeing them!”
The assistant responded, “Alright, I’ll inform the reception desk then.”
As she was about to step out of the office, the man’s voice stopped her from behind, “Wait.”
She turned back, “Mr. Wan, is there something else?”
“Never mind. Let them come up,” he said.
“Okay, understood.”
Ten minutes later.
The assistant brought Zhang Wei to Wan Muqi’s office.
She opened the door, saying, “Mr. Zhang, please go in. Mr. Wan is waiting inside.”
“Thank you.”
To be honest, Zhang Wei was quite nervous.
The person inside was no ordinary man.
He’d probably never have the opportunity to go head-to-head in court with someone like him. Even if given the chance, he wouldn’t want it.
Just stepping into the room, he felt a palpable sense of overwhelming pressure.
Still, he braced himself and walked in.
The man sat at his desk, thumbing through some case files.
“Mr. Wan, hello,” Zhang Wei greeted as he walked up, “I’m Zhang Wei.”
Wan Muqi raised his head slowly in response to the voice and met his gaze.
Smiling faintly, he gestured toward a chair with his chin and said, “Mr. Zhang, please have a seat.”
Zhang Wei sat carefully, uncertain of how to begin.
Even though Wan Muqi hadn’t uttered much, his presence exuded intimidating authority.
After some inner deliberation, Zhang Wei finally spoke, “Mr. Wan, I’ve been instructed by President Dong to discuss Miss Dong’s case with you.”
Wan Muqi raised a brow, lazily leaning back, his hands folded atop his knees, his gaze indifferent yet piercing.
Unhurriedly, he asked, “How does President Dong intend to discuss this with me?”
Zhang Wei conveyed Dong Jian’s proposition to him: “Mr. Wan, President Dong’s suggestion is for you to drop the case. He’s willing to triple your fees—just withdraw, that’s all.”
Wan Muqi chuckled softly, “So, your President Dong wants to bribe me?”
Then he countered with another question, “Do I look like someone who needs this kind of money?”
Zhang Wei froze, unsure of how to respond.
Of course, he knew Wan Muqi didn’t need this kind of money. This was Wan Muqi, after all. How could he possibly need a mere tripled fee?
This man didn’t just own his own law firm and team of top-notch attorneys—he was also the exclusive legal consultant for the Jiang Group. The annual fees the Jiang Group paid him alone were enough to keep every employee in his building well-fed for years.
Not to mention, he likely made other investments nobody was privy to.
In short, the man before him didn’t lack money.
But then again, who would dislike having more money?
“Mr. Wan, if you have demands, feel free to voice them. President Dong mentioned that as long as it’s within his means, he’ll meet your terms,” Zhang Wei said.
“My, your President Dong is quite generous. Seems he holds his daughter in high regard,” Wan Muqi remarked, his lips curling into a subtle grin.
Zhang Wei felt uneasy, fearing Wan Muqi would make an outrageous ask. But what had been said couldn’t be unsaid.
Feigning politeness, he replied, “After all, Miss Dong is President Dong’s only daughter. It’s natural for him to care.”
The man smirked faintly, his reactions unreadable.
“Tell President Dong that I’m not interested in anything he has,” he said dismissively.
Zhang Wei: “…”
“Mr. Wan, may I ask why?”
Without hesitation, Wan Muqi offered an explanation, “Before coming to see me, you should’ve researched the connection between me and my client.”
Zhang Wei froze in his seat, bewildered by the implication.
What did that mean?
Troubled by the unresolved question, he left the Law Building.
He mulled over it endlessly but couldn’t figure it out.
Ultimately, he pulled out his phone and called Dong Jian.
Dong Jian answered quickly, bluntly asking, “What’s the verdict? Did he agree?”
Zhang Wei hesitated before speaking, “President Dong, may I ask something?”
“Speak!”
“Is Miss Lan Yan acquainted with Mr. Wan?”
Dong Jian fell silent upon hearing the question.
After a brief pause, Zhang Wei added, “From Mr. Wan’s remarks, it seems he knows Miss Lan.”
Dong Jian paused before replying coldly, “Look into it.”
Sighing internally, Zhang Wei complied.
Dodging orders wasn’t an option with this job—he had no choice but to follow through.
“Understood.”
Zhang Wei was efficient and had pieced together the information by the afternoon.
When Dong Jian received the news, his expression turned grim, and an oppressive aura radiated from him.
It had never crossed his mind that Lan Yan had such a strong backing—not just the Xiao Family but now also the Wan Family.
Standing before him, Zhang Wei felt droplets of sweat forming on his forehead.
“President Dong, the Wan and Xiao Families are lifelong allies. So Wan Muqi and Xiao Si are naturally acquainted. Meanwhile, Miss Lan Yan is now Xiao Si’s fiancée, which means…” His words faltered, but he forced himself to continue, “Naturally, Mr. Wan is backing Miss Lan, without a doubt.”
“Which makes Miss Lan the key to unlocking this situation,” he concluded.
Dong Jian acknowledged this insight with a dark expression—it wasn’t lost on him that Lan Yan was indeed the pivot point here. Unfortunately, Lan Yan herself wasn’t an easy obstacle to negotiate with either.
She was demanding a 5% stake in the Dong Group, which was an exorbitant ask.
“Perhaps it’s worth considering just handing the shares over to Miss Lan,” Zhang Wei offered carefully.
The writing was practically on the wall for this case’s outcome.
Dong Jian pondered for a few seconds, his tone firm: “She’s not worth exchanging 5% equity for—at least not yet.”
Zhang Wei didn’t dare to speak further.
It seemed Miss Dong was less significant than the company shares.
Zhang Wei, however, breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
At least now, even if Dong Jian’s eldest daughter wasn’t rescued, the boss wouldn’t hold it against him.
“Should I continue negotiating on Miss Dong’s behalf?” he cautiously asked.
This entire day felt like walking on knives.
Dong Jian thought for a moment before replying darkly, “Leave it aside for now. I’ll reassess the situation.”
“Understood.”
——
Elsewhere.
“Wait, how much did you say the legal fee was?”
Lan Yan stared at Assistant Wu in disbelief.
The woman, one of Wan Muqi’s assistants, smiled, “Miss Lan, our boss said this is the friends-and-family rate—you’re just required to pay $200. Here’s the payment QR code. Just scan and pay.”
She added as an afterthought, “Miss Lan, please don’t overpay. Otherwise, I’ll get docked a bonus.”
Lan Yan had just exited the research institute and happened across the firm. Thinking it convenient, she dropped by to settle the legal fees.
To her surprise, it turned out like this—a mere $200, practically like not charging at all.
This friends-and-family rate was almost absurdly generous…
Still, Lan Yan couldn’t think of much else to say and simply paid the fee before leaving.
This was likely the lowest legal fee Wan Muqi had ever received in his career.
Lan Yan had barely left the building when the assistant messaged Wan Muqi about the payment.
Wan Muqi happened to be meeting Xiao Si at the Gold-plated Club at the time to discuss some matters.
Handing his phone to Xiao Si, he remarked, “See? I treat your fiancée well—just charged her $200 for legal fees.”
Xiao Si glanced at the phone but then promptly pushed it aside.
He scoffed lightly, “If you’d done it for free, I might’ve been impressed.”
“…”
Wan Muqi retorted, “I would’ve loved to waive the fees, but she insisted I charge. Said if I didn’t, she’d find someone else. Your fiancée is too much of a stickler for fairness.”
Xiao Si immediately rebutted, “Don’t insult her. My Xiao Yanyan is adorably principled. She’s nothing like a certain someone who loves to take advantage.”
Wan Muqi clicked his tongue, “Who are you implying here?”
Xiao Si replied indifferently, “I didn’t name names. If you feel targeted, that’s on you.”
“…”
Sitting opposite them, Gu Beiyan interjected, “Enough. If you two want to flirt, spare me from watching. My eyes can’t take it.”
Xiao Si narrowed his gaze, “Which part of that resembles flirting? I have no interest in this guy. Don’t ship me with him.”
Wan Muqi raised a brow, observing him, “Are you on edge today or what?”
Knowing Xiao Si too well, something about his demeanor seemed off—a subtle tension or underlying annoyance.
“It doesn’t seem like you had a fight with Lan Yan. So what’s the matter? Or did Aunt Yun encounter some trouble?” Wan Muqi mused out loud, “Then again, you wouldn’t be here if that were the case.”
Truth be told, Xiao Si’s mood was pretty grim today.
While it involved Lan Yan, it also didn’t entirely revolve around her.
Wan Muqi pressed, “Spill it. We’re all here—maybe we can help smooth things out.”
“…”
After leaving the firm, Lan Yan headed straight to the hospital to visit Mrs. Xiao.
But as she approached the hospital room, she heard the sound of laughter inside.
One voice belonged to Mrs. Xiao, while the other felt vaguely familiar.
When she opened the door, both individuals turned to look at her.
Mrs. Xiao beamed upon seeing her, “Yanyan, you’re here.”
Lan Yan exchanged gazes with Jiang Huai.
Ah, so it was Jiang Huai.
“Head nurse.”