Chapter 90: I Firmly Believe in My Choice

Wen Wan Ning gripped her phone nervously, waiting for Shen Jia Yan’s reply.

Her fingertips unconsciously rubbed the edge of the screen, her heart feeling lightly squeezed by something—sour and swollen.

Suddenly, the phone vibrated in her hand.

She immediately picked it up, her fingertips trembling slightly as she unlocked it.

As expected, the long-awaited “happy puppy” emoji didn’t arrive.

No problem, she comforted herself. There’s plenty of time ahead.

As long as you’re still here, I’m willing to wait.

※

The next morning, Shen Jia Yan arrived at the law firm right on time.

She touched the earring in her pocket and walked slowly through the entrance.

The receptionist spotted her and immediately greeted her with a perfectly measured smile. “Hello, are you here to see Lawyer Wen?”

Without waiting for Shen Jia Yan’s response, she briskly moved to her side, her voice laced with barely concealed excitement. “I’ll take you there.”

Shen Jia Yan nodded without speaking.

Wen Wan Ning had instructed her that Shen Jia Yan would come by in the morning and to bring her straight to her office.

And who was Shen Jia Yan? No need to explain.

The drummer of the top band Chuze, a talented songwriter, the eye of the storm on stage—who didn’t know her?

Female drummers were rare to begin with, and Shen Jia Yan was the kind who could silence an entire audience the moment she appeared. Chuze’s explosive rise was directly tied to her, making her the most spotlighted member of the band.

Ever since Wen Wan Ning had filled her in, she’d been looking forward to Shen Jia Yan’s visit. Who wouldn’t want to admire such a cool and beautiful young lady up close?

The hallway was quiet, sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the light gray floor. The receptionist stole glances at the woman beside her.

Shen Jia Yan wore a simple white shirt, khaki wide-leg pants, white sneakers, and a beige baseball cap.

She walked with straight shoulders, as if ready to take the stage at any moment.

But her eyes weren’t as sharp as they were on stage. Instead… they were a bit distant, a bit tense, like she was suppressing something.

“We’re here.” She stopped and pointed to the dark wooden door in front of them. “Lawyer Wen’s office.”

She reached out to knock, but Shen Jia Yan stopped her. “I’ll do it myself.”

“Okay.” The receptionist smiled. “I’ll head back then. Call me if you need anything.”

“Thanks.” Shen Jia Yan replied softly, her gaze already fixed firmly on the door.

She took a deep breath, raised her hand, and knocked lightly three times.

“Please come in.”

The familiar voice came from inside, soft and gentle.

She pushed the door open gently and entered.

Sunlight poured in from the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the entire space in warm amber tones. Wen Wan Ning sat behind her desk, wearing a shirt in a similar color scheme, sleeves rolled up to her forearms, revealing a section of fair wrist. She wore glasses and was focused on sorting documents. Hearing the sound, she slowly looked up.

Their eyes met.

This was the first time Shen Jia Yan had seen Wen Wan Ning wearing glasses.

The gold-rimmed frames made her look even more aloof and restrained, like a meticulously bound legal tome—every word precise, every sentence unyielding. But the gaze behind those lenses was like amber melted by sunlight, deep and warm, piercing straight into her heart.

Austere.

The word popped into Shen Jia Yan’s mind unbidden.

Not cold, not distant, but a gentleness surging beneath extreme restraint, on the verge of breaking through.

Shen Jia Yan stood in the doorway, suddenly feeling her throat go dry.

“You’re here.” Wen Wan Ning spoke, her voice calm.

She removed her glasses and set them gently on the desk, then stood and walked to the sofa. “Have a seat.”

Shen Jia Yan sat on the sofa as instructed.

Once seated, she asked directly, “Why does it have to be me handling the liaison?” No small talk, no beating around the bush.

Wen Wan Ning sat on the single sofa diagonally across from her, thought for a moment, and replied with a faint smile, “Because I’m more familiar with you.”

Shen Jia Yan stared at her, her brow twitching slightly. The answer was too pat, too polite—like a clause polished over and over in a contract, perfect to the point of seeming perfunctory.

Shen Jia Yan didn’t call her out on it. Instead, she leaned forward slightly, her gaze locking straight into Wen Wan Ning’s eyes. “Familiar? We haven’t been in touch for five years, and our occasional meetings are almost always work-related. ‘Familiar’ is a bit of a luxury word here.”

Wen Wan Ning didn’t dodge, nor did she respond. She simply looked at her quietly, sunlight falling on her shoulders and outlining a soft silhouette. After a long moment, she spoke, her voice a touch lower. “Not familiar enough. So, I want to get to know you again.”

Shen Jia Yan froze.

The words landed too lightly, yet too heavily.

Light as a feather falling, heavy as a tide washing over her heart.

She suddenly felt a bit tired, unwilling to probe the meaning behind Wen Wan Ning’s words. Was it professional responsibility? Compensation for the past? Or was it another instance of hiding behind a dignified phrase like “get to know you again”?

She raised her hand, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the sofa armrest, like tuning drumbeats, trying to regain her rhythm.

“Give me the contract.” She shifted the topic abruptly.

Wen Wan Ning let out an almost imperceptible sigh, then stood lightly and pulled a contract from a folder, handing it over.

Shen Jia Yan took it, her fingertips brushing Wen Wan Ning’s knuckle accidentally. The touch was like a spark—subtle but clear.

She lowered her head and flipped through the pages, scanning the clauses.

Scope of services, term, fee structure…

When she reached the fee structure, Shen Jia Yan frowned and asked, “Based on my understanding of your industry rates, Lawyer Wen, this price seems a bit too low.”

She knew Wen Wan Ning’s cases were never cheap. Her expertise, resources, judgment—every bit was worth its weight in gold. Yet the number on this contract was less than half the market rate.

She looked up, her gaze sharp. “Is this a friends-and-family discount?”

Wen Wan Ning sat across from her, fingertips resting lightly on her knee, expression calm as still water. “Not a friends-and-family discount. It’s a reasonable price I’ve chosen after market research.”

“Reasonable?” Shen Jia Yan let out a light laugh. “Lawyer Wen, don’t package your concession as ‘reasonable.'”

“It’s not a concession.” She finally spoke, her voice soft but every word clear. “It’s an investment.”

“I’m investing in Chuze’s future.” Wen Wan Ning looked up, her gaze steady as the deep sea, as if stating the most rational business decision.

What she didn’t say aloud was, I’m also investing in a chance to have you back in my life.

She was using a reason Shen Jia Yan could accept, approaching her cautiously.

She knew this girl, whom she’d pushed away and who’d grown up alone, had learned to use indifference as armor and distance as a safe zone.

So she couldn’t say “because I want to make it up to you,” or “because I can’t bear to let you go,” much less “because I’ve never stopped liking you.”

She could only say “investment.”

A dignified, rational word befitting Lawyer Wen Wan Ning.

Shen Jia Yan stared at her, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the edge of the contract. “Investment?” Her voice softened slightly. “Do you know what investments fear most, Lawyer Wen?”

Wen Wan Ning paused slightly. “What?”

“Overvaluation.” Shen Jia Yan lowered her eyes, a faint smile curving her lips. “If the project fails, the investor loses everything.”

The air stilled for a moment.

Then, Wen Wan Ning smiled too.

Not a professional smile, but one that bloomed genuinely from her heart. “I seem to have more confidence in you all than you do yourselves. I firmly believe in my choice.”

Shen Jia Yan’s heart jolted.

That smile was too real, too warm, shattering her final defenses in an instant.

She composed herself, flipped to the last page of the contract, paused with the pen for a second, then signed her name.

“Shen Jia Yan”—three steady, firm strokes.

She handed the signed contract back to Wen Wan Ning.

As their fingertips brushed again during the exchange, neither pulled away this time.

Wen Wan Ning took the contract, her gaze lingering on the signature, silent for a long time.

Sunlight fell quietly on the paper, “Shen Jia Yan” as neat and elegant as ever.

At that moment, Shen Jia Yan said softly, “Thank you.”

Thank you for trusting Chuze… and for trusting me.

The corners of Wen Wan Ning’s mouth curved up again, and she nodded.

Seeing her put the contract away, Shen Jia Yan stood. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll head out.”

Wen Wan Ning glanced at her watch. “It’s almost noon. Wait while I finish up my work, and we’ll grab lunch together.”

“No thanks, I have an event to attend soon.”

Wen Wan Ning leaned half against the desk, smiling. “I asked Chu Nian. She said you have no other schedule today.”

Shen Jia Yan grumbled inwardly: That Chu Nian, when did she sneakily add Wen Wan Ning’s contact and sell me out? I’ll deal with her later.

“Um…” She scrambled for a suitable excuse. “Maybe I got it wrong.”

Wen Wan Ning gave a meaningful “oh.” “Then, may I have the honor of treating the big star to lunch?”

Shen Jia Yan couldn’t refuse anymore, especially since she couldn’t think of any other excuse.

“Fine, sure.”

Wen Wan Ning walked to the beverage cabinet, took out a perfectly chilled can of cola, pulled the tab, and poured it into a glass. Bubbles fizzed softly, like a hidden thrill. She brought it to the sofa and placed it gently in front of Shen Jia Yan. “Have something to drink.”

Shen Jia Yan looked down at the cola bubbling with fine fizz and couldn’t help but smile. “This counts as ‘something to drink’?”

“But you like this.”

Shen Jia Yan’s fingertips traced the cool glass, her voice softening. “Thank you.”

“I think,” Wen Wan Ning looked at her warmly, “we were classmates before, and now we’re business partners. We don’t need to be so polite.”

Shen Jia Yan met her gaze.

Those eyes held no lawyerly detachment, no past evasiveness—just open gentleness.

She finally relented. “Alright.”

Wen Wan Ning returned to her office chair satisfied. “Sit tight. I’ll wrap up my work as quickly as possible.”

“Okay.”

Shen Jia Yan reached into her pocket for her phone and touched something small, cool, and hard.

The earring—she’d almost forgotten about it.