Thest twenty-five minutes of their meeting felt like as long as an age, yet as short as a twinkling for Chen Zhang.


    When the recording was being yed, his eyes didnt even blink. It was as if he had turned into stone, maintaining the same posture throughout. His bloodshot eyes were clouded with a shimmering watery sheen for a while, which gradually faded away due to how wide he was opening his eyes.


    It alternated back and forth like this many times, yet not a drop escaped from his eyes.


    The recording ended with the nurses sporadic discontentment andint about him, as well as his mothers repetitive exnation,Its not that hes noting, hes just too busy. Helle when hes done


    To Chen Zhang, this exnation was more heart-wrenching than anything else. Yan Suizhi saw his eyelids twitch slightly, the watery sheen contained in his eyes shing


    Oy, times up! The warden opened the door right on the dot, reminding the two of them that the visitation time was over with a little urgency in his voice.


    While the warden was talking, Yan Suizhi no longer looked at Chen Zhang; Chen Zhang quickly wiped his face with his sleeve and silently looked up again, his teeth clenched together.


    The wardens gaze was bewildered and curious. However, Chen Zhang didnt give any space for response, standing up obediently and stiffly with his head down, ready to follow the warden out of the visiting room.


    Yan Suizhi made good on his word, not asking him a single question. He simply kept the recording pen with a mild expression, dropping a familiar sentence to Chen Zhang. I will still be here for tomorrows meeting.


    This time, Chen Zhang stayed silent for a long time before he finally gave a low reply. Yeah.


    Then he turned his head and followed the warden out.


    Chen Zhangs rare cooperative response was promising. But perhaps Yan Suizhi was affected by the contents of the recording earlier; his expression was still very mild when he came out of the detention centre.


    He usually wore a smile on his face, even when he was menacing people and being sarcastic to them. But once he kept aside his smile, his whole body would emanate a cold detachment. It always made people worry if he was unhappy, yet also dare not to ask, and they would only watch him from afar.


    It was with this cold expression that he walked to the intersection, not even looking around before dropping his gaze to the screen of his smart device to book a taxi.


    The booking was just about to be sent when his smart device suddenly vibrated.


    A new message had slid in right then.


    Yan Suizhi minimised the taxi booking interface for now, clicking in to take a look.


    From:Pettymint Essence


    Message: [Lift your head.]


    Yan Suizhi, ???


    Lf ecmbcrmlberis iloafv tlr tfjv


    Ca atf bqfc-jlg rfjalcu bo atf mjof jmgbrr, j mfgajlc ijksfg atja kjr reqqbrfvis bc j yerlcfrr aglq kjr cbk rfjafv lc j gjaajc mtjlg, atf ujhf tf vlgfmafv bnfg jr oglulv jr fnfg, ectegglfvis ajxlcu j rlq bo tlr mbooff.


    Tjc Velhtl yijcxfv obg j yfja, atfc rwlifv.


    However, with the barest movement of his eye, he realised that Lawyer Gu wasnt sitting there alone. There were two others seated at the same table as him, and it was even two acquaintances.


    It was those two from Honeb Media. The so-called reporters, Hersey and Bens.


    The young reporter named Hersey left an okay impression on Yan Suizhi. At this time, as if he had done something humiliating and underhanded, he only nced here once, then silently lowered his head, covering his forehead. As for the one called Bens, he was awkwardly smiling at him.


    It just so happened that he was sitting next to Gu Yan. The contrast between his bastardy bean-round face, next to Gu Yans cold face, was what people would term as a human tragedy.


    Professor Yan mercilessly and unkindly said in his heart, How much must he hate himself to pick such a seat


    Last night Fizz told me that you are on a business trip. Yan Suizhi crossed the road and walked over to the table at the cafe, looking down his nose at Gu Yan. A business trip out to a cafe?


    Im really here on business. Theres a case I previously took thats being tied up in Zone 2. I have to go over and walk through the procedure, sign some papers. Gu Yan raised his eyes. However, Fizz has beenining about you to me every day. At least for appearances sake, I feel there is a need for me toe and fulfill my disciplinary obligations as a teacher first.


    Trantion: although I dont want to discipline you at all, to keep up appearances, I still have to condescend to put on a show along with you.


    Yan Suizhi was caught betweenughter and tears. What blind usations have Ms Fizz been making behind my back? Let me hear it.


    Not submitting work logs, not filling out reimbursement forms, not following the rules.


    Yan Suizhi,


    He could wager that thest one had been arbitrarily added by a certain someone. The tone was wholly different.


    Hersey, whose head was originally hung down, involuntarily raised his head, silently watching these two go back and forth, a faint trace of envy leaking into his eyes.


    He felt that this could be the ideal mentoring rtionship that he had envisioned um, it seemed a tad different still, but at least it was much better than what it was between him and Bens.


    It could be that the presence of his gaze was too strong, Yan Suizhi glimpsed it out of the corner of his eyes, also clearly making out the little bit of envy in his gaze.


    Yan Suizhi,


    He felt that this young man could be misunderstanding something.


    Anyway


    And the two of you are here for? Yan Suizhi turned towards Hersey and Bens. His gaze swept over the professional camera Bens was tightly clutching in his hands and the basic version that Hersey awkwardly fiddled with. Hm?


    Whats with thathm


    Bens wiped his face like he had a toothache, grunting out, I deeply apologise, we only came here to take a few pictures of you as a memento.


    Yan Suizhi nced at Herseys expression, catching on. Dont use the word us. I think that on this asion, theres no need for you to y coy.


    Bens toothache worsened. He wiped his face, silently ring at Yan Suizhi for a long time, then caved, saying, I only wanted to take a few photos at first, but I didnt take into ount your willingness and some actualws


    Yan Suizhi smiled.


    This self-professed reporter had failed to make a deal and got flung aside when he tried to tail a car. Stifled with anger and shame, he probably wanted to make some trouble but ended up being hindered by Gu Yan midway, who gave him a good chat about legality.


    Wasnt there a saying in the alliance, that no one should mess with reputablewyers? Because if you did, thewyers would have ten thousand reasonable and legal ways to hang you dry.


    This was likely the quality education that Gu Yan had indoctrinated into Bens. He immediately shrivelled up, letting the matter rest.


    After apologising, he felt that the attitude he showed was passable. So he turned his head and tentatively asked Gu Yan, The photo backups


    Gu Yan coldly replied, I have no interest in the contents of your thousands of photos. But I need to keep a backup.


    Because the judge might be interested one day


    Bens supplemented the second half of the sentence for him, scaring himself to death. He silently shut his mouth and no longer mentioned the backups again.


    He didnt manage to vent his anger in the slightest, even leaving behind evidence that could be used against him. His day couldnt have gone worse. So when Gu Yan and Yan Suizhi said that they didnt intend to keep them further, Bens dragged Hersey away without a single look back.


    How was the client that made you so nervous you wanted to puke?


    Speak properly, said Yan Suizhi, peeved. He hasnt loosened his tongue yet, but this might not be so tomorrow.


    Featherlight, he breezed over it, which always made the listener feel a million times more at ease.


    Ill be heading back to the hotel now to take another look at the oral confessions. Yan Suizhi asked him, How about you?


    Making a trip down to Zone 2.


    Oh, youre really on a business trip?


    Gu Yan,


    Professor Yan looked at his expressionless face, receiving great pleasure from teasing this student. His eyes crinkled as he said, Alright, jokes aside; how long are you going to Zone 2? Will youe back to Zone 3?


    Gu Yan looked at him for a moment. Then, he lowered his gaze and turned the cup in his hand, taking a small sip of coffee. Well see.


    As my teacher in name, dont you intend to watch your interns court trial? Yan Suizhi felt that Student Gus acting, unlike his, wasnt up to par.


    It was just a flippant question; he was already looking down and booking a taxi on his smart device.


    Soon, the taxi automatically stopped by the side of the road. The two of them got in the car, and soon the question of spending money like a torrent and terrifying asset bnce arose from the car model that was booked, such that Yan Suizhi forgot Gu Yan hadnt yet answered the question of whether he would watch the trial.


    Yan Suizhi got the smart-driving car to bring Gu Yan to the port first.


    Zone 2 and Zone 3 werent connected continents. Driving there wasnt as quick as going by water. The passenger sea shuttle could reach the shore in five hours.


    Before getting out of the car, Gu Yan seemed to remember something, telling Yan Suizhi to turn on the inter-device connection.


    What are these two files that youre transferring over? Yan Suizhi was puzzled. Why are they so big?


    The photo backups from the cameras of the reporters, Gu Yan said. After all, you were the one they were targeting. Its more appropriate to give you the right to decide how to handle them. If you dont have any thoughts about it for the time being, just leave them be for now.


    Yan Suizhi readily epted. While waiting for the files to finish transferring, he inadvertently thought back to the state of affairs between Hersey and Bens. He casually brought it up, That mentor and apprentice well, mentor and apprentice in a sense. Their ideologies are too different, its quite amusing to watch. They probably havent known each other for long.


    In a few years, they could end up goingpletely separate ways, never speaking with each other to their deathbeds.


    When he said this, Gu Yan didnt respond.


    The two smart devices dinged a short whileter; the file transfer wasplete.


    When Gu Yan closed the screen, he suddenly spoke. There was once a period of time that I felt our ideologies shed as well.


    Yan Suizhi was briefly startled. As if remembering something, he uttered a soft ah a few secondster. He smiled, and he asked, What about now? Do they still sh?


    Gu Yan sat quietly in the seat next to him. A momentter, he gripped the door handle and got out. Pressing his hand against the roof of the car, he bent over slightly to look inside, saying evenly, We can talk about it another time. I wont bring my luggage with me, help me book a room. Ill go over tomorrow night.