After Lin Wanyi’s victory in the public interest legal aid case was like a bombshell that exploded in the legal community, Jiang Tingyan was acutely aware that his wife, who had always been passionate about justice, might soon be caught up in the turbulent tide of work. As expected, when the phone rings in the office stopped ringing, clients from all walks of life came in one after another as if they had made an appointment. The complexity of the cases was like a Russian nesting doll, one layer inside another, making it increasingly dazzling.

That day, Jiang Tingyan dragged his body, which had been drained of the last bit of energy by work, into the house. Just after he inserted the key into the keyhole and had not had time to turn it, a sigh with a hint of boredom from the study, like an invisible thread, suddenly pulled his heart up. He gently pushed open the door, and the scene he saw made his heart tighten: the table was full of foreign-language materials scattered in all directions, some half hanging on the edge of the table, as if they would fall in the next second, and the densely packed text on the paper was a difficult problem without a close look. Lin Wanyi raised her head when she heard the voice, and under her originally furrowed brows, her eyes seemed to be burning with two small flames, excited and hot. She reached out and grabbed Jiang Tingyan’s arm, speaking as fast as a machine gun, crackling about a cross-border commercial dispute case, those obscure professional terms popped out of her mouth, effortlessly, full of eagerness to try. Jiang Tingyan was stunned for a moment, then the corners of his mouth rose in a helpless and doting smile, his eyes seemed to be filled with a pool of warm springs. He reached out and gently pinched her nose, jokingly: “Okay, little girl, if you want to accept it, just accept it. Even if it is a problem that threatens to collapse, I will definitely do my best to help you.” In fact, he had expected this in his heart. His wife’s courageous spirit is the most attractive thing. Even if it is a little tiring, it is a sweet burden. It is right to accompany her and move forward.

The days of preparation began in a rush, and the study was transformed into their own secret base. The warm yellow light was like a fine yarn, gently pouring down, adding a warm filter to the space full of information and files. Jiang Tingyan and Lin Wanyi sat close to each other’s shoulders, and each piece of information seemed to carry an unknown fate, and was passed back and forth between the two of them carefully and impatiently. Whenever Jiang Tingyan opened the documents filled with complex international regulations and began to explain, Lin Wanyi would always unconsciously lean towards him, and her soft hair gently brushed across his neck, bringing a tingling electric current, which instantly made him distracted and his heart skipped a few beats. Jiang Tingyan quietly swallowed his saliva, trying to calm his somewhat flustered mind, and pretended to be calm on his face. Lin Wanyi flashed her big, bright eyes, and asked in a soft and coquettish tone: “Hubby, I’m still confused about this. Can you explain it to me again? Once you explain it, I will definitely understand it clearly.” Jiang Tingyan coughed lightly to cover up the waves in his heart, slowed down his speech, and explained the clauses and past cases in detail. After finishing, Lin Wanyi generously gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek, and smiled with curved eyebrows and said: “It’s great to have you. As long as you are by my side, I feel that any problem can be solved easily.” Jiang Tingyan could no longer hide the smile on the corner of his mouth, and happiness overflowed. He took the opportunity to hug her in his arms, patted her shoulders, and was secretly proud in his heart: “Of course, I am your strong supporter, so you can rest assured.”

Not long after, Lin Wanyi started her non-stop business trip mode. The time difference made every video call full of drama and uncertainty. Once, in the middle of the night, Jiang Tingyan was immersed in a sweet dream, and his phone suddenly vibrated violently like a thunder. He reached out to the bedside table with sleepy eyes and finally got through. Lin Wanyi on the screen had a tired face, dark circles under her eyes as heavy as a panda, and her hair was messy and drooping, with a few strands of hair still stuck to her sweaty forehead. Jiang Tingyan’s eyes widened instantly, and he felt so distressed as if his heart was stabbed hard. His brows were tightly wrinkled into the shape of the Chinese character “川”. His voice softened instantly, with cautious concern: “Why are you so tired? Have you encountered something particularly difficult? Tell me.” Lin Wanyi’s eyes were red, and she muttered with a bit of grievance in her nasal voice: “In today’s negotiation, the other party pressed forward step by step, and the viewpoints put forward were more tricky than the last. My brain is almost not enough.” Jiang Tingyan said nothing, turned over and got out of bed swiftly, walked to the desk in slippers, took out the information book that he had carefully prepared a few days in advance, and showed it to the camera page by page: “I expected it a long time ago. I’ve looked through a lot of similar cases in the past few days. You can see if there is anything you can use. Don’t worry.” As he showed, he kept a close eye on Lin Wanyi’s expression, his eyes full of worry and anxiety, and secretly swore in his heart that even if he risked his life, he would help her get through this difficult time. As she was talking, the child rubbed his eyes and walked into the room in a daze. When he saw his mother on the screen, he immediately perked up, ran to the bed with his short legs, held up his newly drawn painting, and shouted in a baby voice: “Mom! Look at what I drew. We are going to the park to play. There are flowers and ducklings. Come back soon.” Lin Wanyi looked at the child’s adorable appearance and burst into laughter: “My dear, Mom will run home when she’s done with her work, and we will be the first to go to the park.” Jiang Tingyan also echoed: “Yes, we’ll all wait for you. When you come back, the whole family will go out and have a good time.” At this moment, Jiang Tingyan looked at the two smiling faces, one big and one small, full of expectation on the screen. His heart felt warm, and all the fatigue of the day seemed to be dispelled. He felt that it was worth it for this picture.

Finally, the day of the trial arrived. Jiang Tingyan took a leave early, dressed neatly, and dressed the children in high spirits. The father and son went to the court with nervousness and expectation. The atmosphere in the court was so solemn that it seemed to condense into substance, weighing heavily on everyone’s heart, making it difficult to breathe. As soon as the opposing team of lawyers came on stage, they threw out a series of obscure local laws, as if they were going to build an indestructible barrier to trap Lin Wanyi in it. Lin Wanyi’s face became more and more solemn, her brows were tightly furrowed, and deep wrinkles squeezed out between her eyebrows. The pen in her hand quickly recorded the key points on the paper. The rustling sound of the pen tip rubbing against the paper was particularly clear in the silent court. Jiang Tingyan sat in the audience, anxious, his hands unconsciously clenched, his knuckles turned white, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He quietly took out his mobile phone, his fingers trembling slightly because of nervousness, and quickly typed a text message to encourage him: “Wife, don’t panic, you are invincible, my children and I are here to cheer you up! Believe in yourself, you can do it!” After sending the text message, he looked at Lin Wanyi eagerly, his eyes full of anxiety and expectation, hoping that she would feel better. Lin Wanyi took the time to glance at the screen of her mobile phone and gave him a firm and warm smile, as if she had instantly gained strength. Just when the situation was as critical as a thousand-point crisis, Lin Wanyi seemed to be completely ignited by the fighting spirit in her heart. She stood up suddenly, with an upright and confident posture, like a fearless female general on the battlefield. When she spoke, her words were as sharp as a sword out of its sheath, shining with cold light, and accurately stabbed at the opponent’s arguments one by one, breaking the opponent’s carefully constructed defense line point by point. Jiang Tingyan’s face turned red with excitement, his eyes were slightly moist, and he suddenly picked up the child. The father and son cheered at the top of their lungs: “Mom is so great!” The voice was particularly loud in the serious courtroom. Jiang Tingyan’s chest was filled with pride, and he was extremely proud to have such a great wife.

The celebration banquet after the victory was very lively. The banquet hall was decorated with lights and people from all walks of life gathered together. Jiang Tingyan, dressed in a well-tailored suit and with an upright posture, entered the venue with the radiant and radiant Lin Wanyi. The bright lights sprinkled from the top of their heads, as if covering them with a layer of dreamy veil. Thunderous applause and congratulations rang out all around them, and everyone’s eyes were focused on this perfect couple. Jiang Tingyan straightened his back, with a perfect smile on his face, but his eyes were full of sweetness and pride that could not be hidden. From time to time, he turned his head to look at his wife beside him, and the love in his eyes was about to overflow. The child was like a cheerful little bird, moving flexibly in the crowd, showing off to everyone he met: “My mother is a hero! My mother beat the big bad guy!” The childish and proud voice drew kind smiles from the surrounding guests. Lin Wanyi walked onto the stage, stood in front of the microphone, looked at the familiar and friendly faces below the stage, her voice trembling slightly: “These days have been like a long and arduous battle. If it weren’t for Tingyan’s silent support behind me, helping me with advice and taking care of the rear, and without my children giving me constant warmth and care, I really don’t know how I would have gotten through it. This victory does not belong to me alone, it belongs to our whole loving family.” Jiang Tingyan looked up at his radiant wife on the stage, his heart full of sweetness and pride, his eyes slightly moist. Every bit of these days flashed through his mind like a movie, and he felt that his wife was more and more amazing, and he was also impressed by the powerful force of a family’s unity. After she stepped down, Jiang Tingyan walked up to her quickly and whispered in her ear, “From now on, no matter how difficult the case is, our family will always move forward hand in hand, through thick and thin, sweet and happy. Nothing can stop us.” Lin Wanyi nodded with a red face. The children clapped their hands and laughed, “Mom and Dad are showing off their love again!” These playful words made everyone around them laugh, and the warm love and joy spread in the air.

After the celebration banquet, life seemed to have temporarily returned to peace, but Jiang Tingyan knew in his heart that Lin Wanyi’s heart for justice would not stop. Sure enough, not long after, new challenges came to the door again. This time, an environmental protection charity organization found Lin Wanyi, hoping that she could speak out for a polluted wetland and fight against the powerful polluting companies behind it. Lin Wanyi looked at the shocking photos of wetland pollution, her eyes instantly ignited with fighting spirit, and her hands clenched unconsciously. Jiang Tingyan looked at her eager look, and was stunned at first, then the corners of his mouth rose, and he smiled and put his arm around her shoulders, his eyes full of support and encouragement: “It’s time to start a new journey again. My children and I are on standby at any time to be your strongest support group.” He knew in his heart that following such a passionate wife, life would inevitably be tossing, but as long as he could be with her and watch her fight for what she loved, he would be happy.

The hustle and bustle of the celebration banquet gradually faded, and life seemed to have temporarily calmed down, but Jiang Tingyan knew that Lin Wanyi’s fiery heart for justice would never be willing to rest. Sure enough, not long after, an environmental protection charity organization came to the door and hoped to ask Lin Wanyi to speak up for the severely polluted wetlands and fight against the intricate and powerful polluting companies behind them. Lin Wanyi stared at the photos of the tragic wetlands, and the anger and fighting spirit in her eyes were instantly ignited, and her clenched fists revealed her determination. Jiang Tingyan looked at her like this, and was startled at first, then the corners of his mouth rose, and he put his arm around her shoulders with indulgence and support, and whispered: “A new journey is about to begin. The children and I are always ready to be your strongest backing.”

During the preparation stage, field visits and research are a key step. Jiang Tingyan accompanied Lin Wanyi into the area around the wetland. When they first arrived here, the pungent smell hit them in the face, mixed with the pungent smell of decay and chemical agents, which made people cough. The road under their feet was muddy and slippery. Every step they took was like fighting a sticky swamp monster. Their shoes were instantly wrapped in thick mud and heavy.

The surroundings were in a state of decay, with withered reeds leaning here and there, sewage accumulated in low-lying areas into puddles that emitted a foul odor, and occasionally a few dead water birds could be seen, with feathers scattered in the mud, making people nervous. Lin Wanyi frowned, and while struggling forward, she carefully recorded the details of the pollution in various places, muttering to herself, and squatting down from time to time to collect samples with evidence collection tools. Jiang Tingyan followed closely behind, helping to hold the spare equipment, and keeping an eye on the surrounding environment, fearing that Lin Wanyi would make another mistake.

When they reached a hidden sewage outlet, Lin Wanyi leaned forward to get a closer look in order to obtain more accurate data. She was so focused that she didn’t notice a hidden protruding stone under her feet. Her right ankle twisted suddenly and she lost her balance instantly. With a painful groan, she fell forward. Jiang Tingyan’s heart seemed to be tightly grasped, his brain buzzed, and his face turned pale as paper in an instant. He rushed forward and stretched out his hand to hold Lin Wanyi’s arm steadily when she was about to fall. However, inertia still caused her sprained right foot to hit the ground heavily, and the pain made beads of sweat appear on her forehead instantly.

“Wan Yi, how are you?!” Jiang Tingyan’s voice changed, with uncontrollable panic, he quickly squatted down and carefully supported her right ankle. (End of this chapter)