Mysterious

"I am sorry, I really do not have time to register our marriage tomorrow," Jin Pingchuan said regretfully, looking at his phone's schedule.

The rejection was implied, but clear. When Su Jian started to respond, Jin Pingchuan asked, "How about this afternoon? I'll go back to get my documents now. I'll meet you at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau at 2:30."

Su Jian was at a loss for words.

Su Jian's phone rang shortly after she left the cafe. The phone call came from her cousin and fellow student, Han Rui.

"Tell me about the gentleman that the tsundere old lady introduced you to." Grandma Wang was the tsundere elderly lady of whom Han Rui spoke. The elderly Grandma Wang spent her days in a nursing home, where she was often alone. She was childless and distant, and she avoided social interaction. Her typical pastimes include reading and listening to the radio. Also, she avoided the other residents of the nursing home.

Su Jian got to know Grandma Wang over the course of several volunteer visits to the nursing home. Grandmother Wang got along well with her after all these years.

Su Jian replied, "He's fine."

"Do you think you stand a chance? How is it going?" Han Rui was overjoyed. "Do you have a photo? Send it over and let me check him out for you!"

Su Jian sighed wearily. "No, I don't."

Han Rui sighed as well. "Okay, fine, whatever. We'll ask him out for dinner next time. Didn't you say that we should get married as soon as possible if there's a suitable partner? I will help you do some investigating to find out if he is a good match for you."

Su Jian wanted to say that she would be getting married to that person in a few hours. However, Han Rui's mouth was like a machine gun. There was no way for her to speak up.

Han Rui went on. "You don't know how worried I was. I was just afraid that you wouldn't be able to forget that person. You might just end up fooling around and marrying yourself off without knowing anything. I know you want your mother to leave without regrets, but you can't put yourself through hell because of this. Marriage is not a game for kids. You have been through a lot in the past. If you force yourself to marry a man you do not like, you will suffer for the rest of your life... No, it hurts my heart to even think about it. You have to treat yourself better, okay?"

A taxi drove past. Startled, Su Jian jumped to the side. She was a little distracted. It had been a long time. However, the wounds in her heart were still fresh. She silently stayed on the call.

Jin Pingchuan sat in the cafe and watched Su Jian get on the bus and leave. After her slim figure was out of sight, he made a call.

Half an hour later, an Audi stopped at the spot where Su Jian had waited for the bus. When the window of the driver's seat opened, a man in sunglasses could be seen.

The man lifted his sunglasses and took a look at Jin Pingchuan. "No way. You are the heir to a great family and an even greater lawyer. What are you doing in this godforsaken place? Didn't you just get a new car?"

Jin Pingchuan opened the door of the passenger seat. The man stepped on the throttle. "I was dealing with a case, but my great-aunt happens to be close by, so I paid her a visit. She had a bad fall some time ago."

"She fell? How is she? Is she alright now?"

"She's recuperating in the hospital," Jin Pingchuan said. "Oh right, you know this place pretty well. Get me a decent place to stay here."

"What?" The man was puzzled. "Don't you have a villa in the suburbs?"

"Why do you have so many questions? Just look for it. I don't need anything fancy. If the rental is in the 2,000-dollar range, it'd be perfect."

"Would that even be livable?" The man tilted his head and sized up Jin Pingchuan. "You're being so mysterious. What are you playing at?"

Jin Pingchuan smiled wordlessly.

The man stopped asking questions. Instead, he asked, "Shall we go to De Shun Xuan for a meal later? The Zheng family needs your help with a case, but they can't reach you. That brat comes over to bother me every day. Help a brother out and get him off my back, would you?"

"I'm not taking any dirty money."

"Why do you always have a problem with money?" The man was puzzled. "If you win this case, the fees alone will be enough for two Audi A8s."

"Do I look like I'm short of money?"

The man was speechless. "Yes, yes, yes. Who are you? You're the great Lawyer Jin. If a person like you is penniless, there won't be any rich people in this world! But what I am trying to say is that you can hand this case over to Changhe if you do not feel like handling it. Just because the Zhengs are friendly with your grandfather doesn't mean you should ignore them. I know I sound like I'm nagging when I talk like this. But just tell me, what's the point of being so bitter toward that old man? Are you really giving up the bulk of your family's wealth?

"Jiang Xu, what is with all the nonsense you have been spouting today? Just shut up and drive me back to Sea City Base. I have to go back and get something. I need to get back here quickly in the afternoon to take care of a few things."