Zhou Yi felt as if struck by lightning.

How could she forget that voice?

Impossible!

It had given her hope in times of despair, then pushed her off a cliff after gaining her trust – truthfully, when she returned to catch them in the act, her feelings for Yuan Han weren’t as deep anymore. If the betrayal anger was 100%, Yuan Han only accounted for 40%, while the remaining 60% belonged to Ye Xiaoqiong.

Joan, Ye Xiaoqiong.

This was Ye Xiaoqiong’s voice. She hadn’t been mistaken at the airport a few days ago – Ye Xiaoqiong was indeed in Beijing!

Zhou Yi’s entire body stiffened. For some inexplicable reason, she felt somewhat afraid to face Ye Xiaoqiong.

Until Tong Lili nudged her:

“You know her? She called you Lawyer Zhou?”

Zhou Yi slowly turned around.

So what if it was Ye Xiaoqiong? She wasn’t afraid!

If she had ever wronged Ye Xiaoqiong before, that debt had been repaid. Since Ye Xiaoqiong dared to appear before her, she couldn’t show weakness.

Turning around, it was indeed Ye Xiaoqiong.

She looked even more refined now.

While Zhou Yi had just started on the career woman path, Ye Xiaoqiong had mastered it. She wore a designer suit, shoulder-length hair smooth and glossy, walking in thin high heels that revealed slender, fair calves.

She wore minimal jewelry, with just a ladies’ watch peeking out at her wrist – its understated luxury indicated an expensive piece.

Seeing Zhou Yi turn, Ye Xiaoqiong displayed a perfectly measured warm smile:

“I’m Joan. We met at A&G law firm. Do you remember, Lawyer Zhou?”

Ye Xiaoqiong extended her hand, and Zhou Yi, refusing to back down, shook it while thinking how Ye Xiaoqiong was still such a good liar – they had never met at A&G, and Zhou Yi had only just gotten into law school, hardly qualifying as “Lawyer Zhou.”

“Joan, how could I forget you!”

Not knowing Ye Xiaoqiong’s intentions, Zhou Yi responded with equally fake politeness.

Tong Lili’s group was already somewhat dumbfounded.

The most sophisticated flexing isn’t self-promotion, but praise from others – this kind of silent flexing is the deadliest, leaving observers completely defenseless!

If Zhou Yi had boasted about how well she was doing in America, Tong Lili’s group would certainly have thought she was bragging.

But when an accomplished woman suddenly appeared, greeted Zhou Yi politely, and called her “Lawyer Zhou,” this flexing reached a whole new level!

Had Zhou Yi hired someone to act?

Tong Lili harbored this suspicion.

But Ye Xiaoqiong was already introducing Zhou Yi to her companion.

“This is Lawyer Zhou from A&G law firm in New York. When I was in America, I sought Lawyer Zhou’s help, and she provided very professional assistance! Lawyer Zhou, this is Mr. Pam, Vice President of Coca-Cola China.”

Everyone knew Coca-Cola, but none recognized the Vice President of Coca-Cola China.

There was no way to verify if Ye Xiaoqiong was lying.

Even Zhou Yi couldn’t tell.

After leaving Pengcheng, Ye Xiaoqiong disappeared without a trace. No one knew how she had developed over these two or three years – how had she come to associate with Coca-Cola’s vice president?

Zhou Yi remained wary of Ye Xiaoqiong.

But Mr. Pam was very courteous, “A&G law firm? Oh, they’re quite famous in New York too. Pleased to meet you, Miss Zhou.”

After exchanging pleasantries, Ye Xiaoqiong bid farewell:

“Lawyer Zhou seems to have friends here, so I won’t intrude further. Perhaps we’ll meet again in New York… You are returning to New York, right? Working at A&G must be a wonderful experience. Of course, if Lawyer Zhou chooses to return to China, we’ll certainly have opportunities to collaborate again.”

Zhou Yi could barely maintain her fake smile.

She could only shake hands goodbye with Ye Xiaoqiong and Mr. Pam, pretending to be the influential “Lawyer Zhou” from A&G.

The restaurant staff eagerly opened the doors for Ye Xiaoqiong and Pam, while Zhou Yi watched with Tong Lili’s group as they got into a black luxury car.

A faint fragrance lingered in the air – Ye Xiaoqiong’s perfume.

Tong Lili came to her senses, examining Zhou Yi repeatedly:

“…You became a lawyer in America? What’s this A&G law firm? Sounds impressive!”

Zhou Yi felt conflicted.

How did Ye Xiaoqiong know she worked at A&G?

And why call her Lawyer Zhou?

The scene just now seemed like a deliberate attempt to boost her status.

Having been burned by Ye Xiaoqiong before, Zhou Yi dared not trust her easily.

Perhaps Ye Xiaoqiong intentionally elevated her status, waiting for Zhou Yi to vainly accept the “Lawyer Zhou” title before jumping out to expose her.

Yes, that must be it!

Zhou Yi chose to tell the truth, “I’m not a lawyer yet, I’ve just gotten into law school.”

Now Tong Lili’s group didn’t believe her.

“So others were just making things up? Zhou Yi, you’re being overly modest now, that’s no fun! We’re not outsiders!”

“I just do odd jobs at A&G.”

Zhou Yi explained, but Tong Lili’s group took it as modesty, leaving Zhou Yi helpless.

Just earlier they had been “planning her future,” and now they were all subdued.

Someone suddenly asked Zhou Yi:

“I heard lawyers make a lot of money in America, is that true?”

“Junior lawyers earn less, but if you can become a junior partner, the earnings are quite good.”

Junior lawyers made tens of thousands of dollars annually.

After gradually building a client base, annual income easily exceeded a hundred thousand dollars.

For senior lawyers, the sky was the limit – earning millions of dollars annually was normal. Americans couldn’t live without doctors, lawyers, and accountants; the elite in these three professions typically drove luxury cars and lived in mansions.

Zhou Yi was just an assistant, but after two years at A&G, she understood these things well.

For instance, Wen Manni had already approached a million dollars in income just halfway through this year, thanks to several major cases – these examples happened right around Zhou Yi. She didn’t aspire to be a lawyer like Wen Manni but felt she could manage to support her daughter and parents.

What seemed normal to Zhou Yi was extraordinary to Tong Lili.

In 1990, wages in China had increased – monthly salaries of a few dozen yuan were rare, with most workers earning one or two hundred, better jobs paying several hundred… but people earning millions of dollars annually were beyond reach even for Tong Lili’s husband’s promising career.

They had been “planning her future” – on what grounds?

Zhou Yi was now earning dollars in America!

Earlier, Zhou Yi had felt out of place with Tong Lili’s group; now they felt out of place with her.

They had wanted to hear about Zhou Yi’s struggles, to mock her failures, not witness her success.

The meal ended hastily.

Walking out of the restaurant, Zhou Yi thought that Tong Lili probably wouldn’t invite her again anytime soon, which was good… but what was Ye Xiaoqiong’s intention?

– Who needed Ye Xiaoqiong to come to their defense anyway?

– Hah, did she think Zhou Yi was so forgiving, that she’d forgotten what happened in Pengcheng?