Chapter 173

Chapter 173 But I Just Want to Work with Lawyer Ruan, Is That Not Allowed? It wasn't until Chu Tang returned to her room that she saw the WeChat message Lu Shuci had sent half an hour earlier. [Home yet, Lawyer Ruan?] Chu Tang: [Mm, I'm back. Did you have something you wanted to talk to me about?] Lu Shuci: [Is it convenient to take a call?] Chu Tang: [Sure.] The next second, Lu Shuci's voice call came through. "What's the matter, Lawyer Lu?" Chu Tang asked. "I'm really sorry, Lawyer Ruan. I didn't know my aunt had invited so many people today," Lu Shuci said with an apologetic tone. "She only told me that you found little Tiantian in the park and that she wanted to treat you to a meal to thank you. She also said that since we're partners and know each other well, she was afraid you'd feel awkward if I wasn't there, so she asked me to come along. She didn't tell me she'd also invited my grandparents. I'm truly sorry." Chu Tang laughed softly. "I thought it was something serious. This? It's fine. I'm not socially anxious." Lu Shuci said somewhat sheepishly, "I was worried it might have scared you off. My aunt is too enthusiastic. My parents have been abroad all these years, and my aunt has been worrying about my marriage prospects on their behalf. She used to keep setting me up on blind dates before. Last time she saw you, she misunderstood our relationship. I explained it to her, but she doesn't seem to have taken it to heart..." Chu Tang's expression froze for a moment. She hadn't expected Lin Man to have such intentions. After digesting the meaning behind Lu Shuci's words, Chu Tang hesitated before asking, "So your aunt is trying to set us up?" There was a brief silence on the other end of the line. The sound of the man's breathing was clearly audible. After a few seconds, Lu Shuci let out an ambiguous "Mm." Chu Tang found it somewhat absurd. She laughed. "Your aunt might be disappointed, then. I don't have any intention of dating right now. The law firm just opened, and there's a lot to handle. All I want right now is to focus on my career." Hearing this reply, disappointment flickered in Lu Shuci's eyes, and he let out a silent sigh. Everything he'd just said was actually a test of Chu Tang's feelings. Although her answer was within his expectations, he still couldn't help but feel disappointed. After all these days of getting along, he'd confirmed one thing. Chu Tang had completely forgotten about him. Back when his confession was rejected in university, he'd gone a long time without any contact with women his age. A few years later, on the night of the graduation dinner, a classmate who had been pursuing him all along confessed to him again. The girl was drunk and crying her heart out. She had started pursuing him since military training in freshman year—four years of chasing. That night, looking at the girl whose eyes were red from crying, he thought it was time to move on, so he agreed to give it a try with her. If a first love meant the first person you ever liked, then Ruan Chutang was undoubtedly his first love. But if a first love meant the first person you ever dated, then that girl was his first love. He had tried so hard to learn to like someone else. After three months of dating, he found he still couldn't do it. When he broke up with her, he offered her a lot of compensation, but she refused everything. "Lu Shuci, you have no heart." Those were his ex-girlfriend's final words to him. At the time, he'd remained silent and said nothing. The girl left. She didn't take the two hundred thousand in breakup compensation, nor did she take the designer bags he'd bought. "Lawyer Lu, we're colleagues, and we're friends." Chu Tang paused, then continued, "But we won't be lovers." "Is there not even a sliver of a chance?" Lu Shuci lowered his voice, asking with difficulty. Chu Tang almost thought she was hearing things. Why would Lu Shuci say something like that? In their day-to-day interactions, she'd never sensed any special feelings from him toward her. Maybe he was being pressured about marriage and wanted to find someone to settle down with, and she just happened to appear in his line of sight at that moment—that was probably why he'd asked such a question. Chu Tang told herself this. Faced with Lu Shuci's question, she didn't know what to say. After thinking it over, she only managed two words: "I'm sorry." Lu Shuci's heart sank to rock bottom. "It's fine. Just think of it as drunken rambling." Lu Shuci's voice was slightly hoarse. "Get some rest. Good night, Lawyer Ruan." "Good night." Chu Tang hung up. Lu Shuci stared at the ended voice call, his gaze lowered. A dull ache pulsed through his chest. Rejected again. How could he have no heart? It was just that his heart could only hold one person. And that person would never see him. ...... The next day, after breakfast, Chu Tang went upstairs to Ruan Jiaojiao's room to draw with her. She took out the pink hair clip she'd bought for Ruan Jiaojiao. "Jiaojiao, this is a little gift from your sister. Do you like it?" The hair clip was the same style as the pair she'd given Gu Tian. When she'd bought them, she'd just known her little sister would love this kind of shiny pink hair clip. Sure enough, when Ruan Jiaojiao saw the clip, her eyes sparkled like stars, full of delight. "Wow, it's so pretty! Thank you, sister." "Come here, let your sister put it on for you." Chu Tang clipped it into her sister's hair. "So pretty." Yang Xuelian said that Ruan Jiaojiao's mental state had improved considerably, the most obvious change being that she no longer talked in her sleep or woke up crying in fright. The guilt in Chu Tang's heart lessened a little. Lunch was eaten at the Ruan family's home, where Yang Xuelian personally cooked a large table of dishes that Ruan Jiaojiao and Ruan Chutang loved. Chu Tang spent the entire Sunday at the Ruan family's home keeping her sister company. That night, Chu Tang slept over at the Ruan family's home. Early the next morning, she got up again and drove back to the law firm. Upon seeing Lu Shuci, Chu Tang greeted him openly and naturally: "Good morning, Lawyer Lu." Lu Shuci replied with a smile: "Good morning." The atmosphere between the two was the same as usual, as if what had happened that night had never occurred. Chu Tang walked to her office and quickly immersed herself in work. Just as she finished writing a statement of claim, the receptionist came to knock on her door. "Lawyer Ruan, there's a client looking for you." Chu Tang was puzzled—she hadn't scheduled any client appointments today. She got up and headed to the meeting room. Pushing open the door, she saw that familiar face. Chu Tang's brows furrowed slightly. "Something the matter, President Jiang?" Jiang Shixu was dressed in a blue-gray suit. The man's features were sharp and cold, his face expressionless as he sat on the sofa, exuding an innate air of noble elegance. Upon seeing Ruan Chutang, the man's stern gaze instantly softened. He moved his lips and greeted Ruan Chutang: "Good morning, Lawyer Ruan." Chu Tang's brows knitted together. Jiang Shixu stared straight at Ruan Chutang, the corners of his eyes slightly raised. "I've come to commission your firm to handle a few cases." Ruan Chutang: "..." "If I remember correctly, your company has a professional team of elite lawyers, doesn't it?" Chu Tang's tone was unfriendly. "Of course." Jiang Shixu curled his lips. "But I just want to work with Lawyer Ruan. Is that not allowed?"