Recently, the young lawyers in the law firm who are in charge of commercial mergers and acquisitions have become increasingly busy, as if they were wound up tops. As soon as Jiang Tingyan stepped into the law firm building, the quiet atmosphere enveloped him like an invisible net. He walked along the corridor towards the conference room. Before he reached the door, the sound of heated discussions inside was like a surging tide, breaking through the crack of the door and rushing through the silent corridor. At this time, the gloomy sky outside the window was like a heavy lead plate, pressing heavily over the city, making the corridor, which was already poorly lit, even darker. Several ceiling lights swayed, making a crackling sound of electricity, as if they were also disturbed by the overflowing tense atmosphere and could go out at any time. Jiang Tingyan subconsciously slowed down his pace and looked through the crack in the door. He saw that the whiteboard in the conference room was covered with densely packed sticky notes, colorful pieces of paper overlapping and scattered, and various flow charts and mind maps crisscrossed, like a nautical chart swept by a storm. It seemed chaotic and disorderly, but in fact it contained key clues to survival.

Jiang Tingyan gently pushed open the door, and the burning heat in the room, along with the rustling of papers and anxious whispers, rushed towards him all at once. The leader, Xiao Li, was holding a surprisingly thick stack of information and standing in front of the window. Outside the window, the drizzle was falling endlessly. The raindrops hit the glass and soaked his face. His brows were wrinkled into deep ravines, and his speech was as fast as heavy rain knocking on the window, crackling without stopping: “The other party is hiding things in the area of ​​asset valuation, and their methods are too cunning! The rain outside is making people feel confused. The data we investigated never match up. The negotiations are about to get stuck and are completely deadlocked. How can we move forward? It feels like being in a fog. Groping, totally lost.” Xiao Wang next to him pushed his glasses hard, and a layer of mist instantly appeared on the lenses. He was so anxious that he scratched his head with both hands, and the hair on his forehead was scratched into a mess like withered weeds: “Yes, if we continue to waste time like this without any clue, the initiative we have finally seized will be gone, and all the efforts of everyone day and night in the early stage will be wasted! If the rain doesn’t stop, everyone will get moldy in this boredom.” Everyone sat together, talking to each other, and every face was full of anxiety and fatigue. Seeing Jiang Tingyan coming in, he just raised his eyes and greeted him hurriedly, and then immediately plunged into the vortex of sorrow. Jiang Tingyan stood aside, watching with great heartache, and after a moment of silence, he spoke carefully: “How about giving Wanyi a call? She has rich experience in handling cases like this. Maybe she can see the crux of the problem at a glance and help us get through this dead end.” Everyone woke up as if from a dream, like a drowning man grabbing a life-saving straw, and quickly dialed Lin Wanyi’s number.

At that time, Lin Wanyi was leisurely choosing extracurricular readings with her child in a warm bookstore. The store was filled with the unique aroma of paper and ink. The warm yellow light shone softly on the rows of bookshelves through the carved lampshades, giving each book a warm halo. But the phone rang suddenly, breaking this comfortable and leisurely feeling. Lin Wanyi listened to the anxious and flustered narration on the other side, and her eyes instantly became as sharp as an eagle. Without hesitation, she reached out and gently stroked the child’s head, and gently and firmly comforted her: “Baby, Mom has something urgent to do in the law firm, and Dad will come to accompany you right away. Look how comfortable this warm light is. Let’s pick a few books we like first, okay? When Mom is done, I will read them carefully with you.” The child nodded sensibly, and Lin Wanyi hurriedly handed the child to the clerk, turned around and walked quickly towards the law firm, and her high heels stepped on the ground, making a series of rapid sounds.

Jiang Tingyan hung up the phone and rushed to the bookstore anxiously. As soon as he entered the store, the warm light and the fragrance of books hit him in the face, which made his originally flustered heart calm down a little. He saw the child staring at the door eagerly at a glance, and hurriedly stepped forward, bent down and picked up the child steadily: “Let’s go, let’s go home first and prepare a surprise for mom. When she comes back after work, she will be very happy in this warm home.” The little guy kept mumbling all the way: “Mom was called away for work again, it’s always like this.” The little mouth pouted so high that a small oil bottle could be hung on it. Jiang Tingyan smiled and rubbed his head, and said softly: “Mom is great. She can help brothers and sisters solve big problems. Let’s do our part at home, make the house warm, and give Mom a super heartwarming surprise.”

As soon as they entered the house, the father and son rushed into the kitchen. The kitchen lights were bright, illuminating every corner. The night outside the window was getting darker, and the lights of thousands of houses in the distance were dotted, like bright gems scattered on the black sky. The child stood on a small stool, and his little hand tried to reach into the big bowl to stir the batter. The flour splashed all over his face, just like a little cat, and excitedly shouted: “Dad, this cake must be super delicious! I want to put more sugar, Mom likes sweet the most!” Jiang Tingyan watched from the side and couldn’t help laughing. He reached out to help him straighten the small stool, and carefully handed over the spoon, muttering: “Slow down, don’t fall, we have to prepare this sweetness for Mom carefully.” As he said, he was busy fiddling with the oven, preheating and adjusting the temperature. The warm light of the oven reflected their expectant faces, as if all the love for Lin Wanyi was integrated into this sweetness.

Here, Lin Wanyi stepped into the conference room in a hurry. The white light above her head made her dizzy, and the tense atmosphere in the room was so thick that she could almost squeeze water out of it. Seeing the anxious and tired faces of the young people, she couldn’t bear it. She took two steps forward and patted Xiao Li on the shoulder, and said calmly and forcefully: “Don’t panic, this situation is very common in mergers and acquisitions. When I first entered the industry, I was also confused by such problems. The rain outside hasn’t stopped yet. No matter how difficult the matter is, let’s sort it out together and we will definitely find a clue.” As she said, she reached out to take the stack of information. Her eyes became sharp in an instant, like a falcon locking onto its prey. She quickly scanned the lines of data. In just a moment, she pointed out the key in a few words: “You see, the data here is too biased. From a logical point of view, it is not easy to find a clue. “It doesn’t make sense logically. The other party must have tampered with the intangible assets. We need to dig deeper into the patents, brand value and other easily overlooked areas. If we change our thinking and investigate again, maybe we will see the light at the end of the tunnel. When the rain stops, maybe the clouds will clear and the moon will appear!” Everyone was stunned at first, and then they suddenly realized it. The spark of hope instantly ignited in their eyes. Xiao Li stood up excitedly, and the chair made a harsh sound on the ground: “Lawyer Lin, thanks to you! We will re-investigate and will definitely solve this problem.” At that moment, everyone seemed to be injected with a shot of adrenaline, and they re-entered the research with full enthusiasm.

By the time Lin Wanyi had finished her work, the night had become as thick as ink, covering the entire sky heavily, without a single ray of light. She dragged her exhausted body to open the door, and the warm yellow light and the rich fragrance of cake in the house instantly intertwined and hit her face, like a pair of gentle hands, gently soothing her body and mind. Before she could react, the child flew over like a small cannonball, holding a crooked, imperfect-looking cake, proudly tilting his head and saying: “Mom, we made it! Dad and I were busy for a long time!” Lin Wanyi’s eyes instantly turned red, she hugged the child, her voice choked with a little sob: “Baby, thank you so much. This warm light and cake have driven away all my fatigue in an instant.” She looked at Jiang Tingyan again, her eyes full of emotion and sweetness, as if all the tiredness at this moment turned into warmth in her heart.

After a few days of peace and stability, the law firm received an invitation for a public interest legal aid project, which was specifically designed to speak out and defend the rights of vulnerable groups in difficult situations. When Lin Wanyi saw the news, her eyes instantly lit up like the first ray of light penetrating the heavy clouds at dawn. She signed up without hesitation and enthusiastically mobilized everyone in the law firm group to participate: “Friends, look at the dazzling bright sunshine outside, it’s like God has specially given us this opportunity to light up. This can really help those who are really in need. Let’s do it together! Don’t miss such a good opportunity and let justice illuminate those dark corners.” Jiang Tingyan looked at her excited and determined appearance, feeling both proud and worried. On the day of departure, the morning light filled the yard, and the breeze gently brushed the hem of her clothes, as if gently urging her, and as if reluctant to keep her. Jiang Tingyan got up early, took out Lin Wanyi’s backpack, stuffed a bunch of common medicines and band-aids into it, and carefully folded several thick and warm clothes, muttering as he stuffed them in: “The conditions in remote villages are difficult. Although the sun is shining now, the temperature difference between morning and evening in the mountains is large. You must take it easy this time and don’t get exhausted again. The body is the capital of the revolution, so you must take good care of yourself.” Lin Wanyi smiled and nodded, tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek: “Don’t worry, I have you and the children as my backing, I know what to do and know the limits. I must go all out for this charity aid, and this is what I have always wanted to do.”

Jiang Tingyan drove Lin Wanyi to the gathering point, watching her and her colleagues get on the car with large and small bags on their backs. The car slowly drove away, raising a cloud of dust that fluttered in the sun. The sun became a little dazzling, and he squinted his eyes, feeling empty in his heart, as if he had lost something extremely important and felt lost. When he was at home, he would video call Lin Wanyi every day. In the picture, Lin Wanyi was in the countryside, with rugged and winding mountain roads, like a sleeping giant python entrenched in the mountains. Surrounded by rolling green hills, the mountains were shrouded in clouds and mist, like a fairyland, but the road under her feet was full of mud, and every step was difficult. Her shoes were covered in mud and heavy, and it took a lot of effort to take every step. Her back was soaked with sweat, and her hair was a little messy and stuck to her forehead. A few strands of hair were soaked in sweat, and she looked embarrassed but also moving. Her eyes were still bright and firm, shining. Once, she squatted in front of an elderly widow, in front of a simple mud house, with a few chickens clucking beside her, adding a bit of fireworks to the quiet atmosphere. She held the old man’s rough and cracked hands tightly, her eyes full of heartache and determination, and her voice was sonorous and powerful: “Uncle, don’t be sad, we all understand the grievances you have suffered. With the sun shining, justice will surely come, and we will definitely help you! Relax your mind.” The old man’s lips trembled, tears rolled in his eyes, and his voice was crying: “My daughter, thank you, I don’t know how to live…” Lin Wanyi gently patted the old man’s hand: “We are here, don’t worry.” Jiang Tingyan looked at this scene, both distressed and proud of her, and did not forget to turn the camera to the child. The little guy waved his hands in the living room filled with sunshine, shouting loudly: “Come on, Mom!” The crisp child’s voice made Lin Wanyi laugh, and the picture was full of warmth.

The young lawyers in the law firm followed Lin Wanyi and admired her from the bottom of their hearts. During the day, they followed her to visit every household. The mountain road was steep and difficult to walk on. The wind in the mountains was howling, like an angry beast roaring, blowing people tottering and unstable. Xiao Wang was not careful, his feet slipped, and he lost weight in an instant. He fell forward and almost rolled down the mountain. In a panic, he quickly reached out and grabbed a handful of weeds to stabilize his body, and he broke out in a cold sweat. Lin Wanyi grabbed him quickly and said anxiously: “Be careful! The wind is so strong, you must be careful when walking.” Xiao Wang was still frightened and patted his chest: “Lawyer Lin, this road is too difficult to walk. It feels like every step is a risk.” Lin Wanyi smiled and looked determined: “There are many difficulties, but we can’t retreat. No matter how strong the wind is, it can’t blow away our determination. For those who are waiting for us, we just have to grit our teeth and get through it.” Everyone continued to grit their teeth and move forward, recording information, collecting evidence, and not missing any details. At night, they gathered in the simple residence to sort out the materials. The dim light bulbs swayed and flashed from time to time, as if they would die at any time. Xiao Li asked: “Lawyer Lin, this case is very different from a commercial case. How can we find a breakthrough point?” Lin Wanyi patiently explained: “The key is empathy. Think from the perspective of the victim, just like this dark light, although it is weak, it can also illuminate the truth. As long as we feel their suffering with our hearts, we can find a breakthrough point.” Everyone nodded thoughtfully.

After returning to the city, the trial was prepared intensively. Jiang Tingyan watched Lin Wanyi go out early and come back late, busy all the time. She went out when the moonlight outside the window was cold, and returned when the dawn was just breaking. Jiang Tingyan took the initiative to take care of all the affairs at home, and from time to time he would order some nutritious takeout for her and the team, with a note attached: “Come on everyone! The dawn is just ahead.” On the day of the trial, the court building was solemn and dignified, and the sunlight shone on the marble steps, reflecting a dazzling light. He took a special leave and sat in the gallery with his children. Lin Wanyi, dressed in a formal suit and with an upright posture, stood in the center of the court. The sunlight shone through the high windows, giving her a sacred golden edge. She spoke righteously and her sharp words were like a sword drawn from its sheath, gleaming with cold light, and each sentence accurately pierced through the other party’s disguise: “Defendant, your so-called evidence is full of loopholes and is intended to confuse the public. Under the bright sun, your tricks cannot be hidden. This is a blasphemy against the justice of the law! Don’t try to be clever in front of the law.” The other lawyer tried to refute, blushing and stumbling to defend himself, but was retorted by Lin Wanyi with reason and evidence, leaving him speechless. As the judge dropped the hammer and a fair verdict was handed down, the victim’s tearful thanks rang out, and Jiang Tingyan saw the light flashing in Lin Wanyi’s eyes, which was a pure enthusiasm for the law. At this moment, he knew that the love of her family had become the most solid force behind her, pushing her to move forward steadily on the road to her dream, and the puzzle of their lives and careers became more complete and gorgeous, with a future full of brilliance and steady happiness. In the future, he also secretly made up his mind to protect this beauty more carefully and accompany her to the next love, no matter what the wind and rain, he would never leave her. (End of this chapter)