Ye Xiaoqiong was so convincing that even Zhou Yi, as a lawyer, found such a prenuptial agreement perfectly reasonable.
When Ye Xiaoqiong was signing the prenuptial agreement with her fiancé, Zhou Yi, as Ye Xiaoqiong’s lawyer, had to meet with the groom’s lawyer. The male party’s lawyer strongly objected to the fidelity clause in the prenup, thinking Zhou Yi was an inexperienced young lawyer who knew nothing. They weren’t intimidated by A&G’s reputation and wanted to teach Zhou Yi a lesson… Unfortunately for them, their client wasn’t cooperating – the fiancé had no objections to the prenup, so what could his lawyer say?
The groom’s lawyer had no choice with such a client.
“Joan requested the prenup, and I respect her opinion. I think the agreement is reasonable, and I hope our marriage won’t have any fidelity issues!”
Wealthy people aren’t foolish – they’re wary of women who pursue them for money, and many couples split up when signing prenups.
But for a charismatic and wealthy woman like Ye Xiaoqiong… Honestly, her fiancé was just grateful she was willing to enter marriage. He hadn’t even considered a prenup – he knew Ye Xiaoqiong was capable and career-oriented, not after his money.
Signing this prenup was truly just about giving Ye Xiaoqiong security.
Only unfaithful men would fear the “fidelity clause” – Ye Xiaoqiong’s fiancé wasn’t afraid.
They came together through mutual admiration and love. If the marriage became unsustainable in the future, they could negotiate a divorce rather than resort to infidelity.
Wealthy people hesitate to divorce because they fear asset division – with a prenup, that concern disappears.
The man and woman signed happily, making the prenup signing feel as sweet as marriage registration.
Zhou Yi gained a new perspective, and the groom’s lawyer avoided making enemies, readily congratulating both parties.
As Ye Xiaoqiong left the law firm, she shook hands with Zhou Yi:
“Zhou Yi, I’ve treated the past as a nightmare. When I woke up, I became a new person with a new life. I hope you’re the same… By the way, your professional skills are just so-so. Remember to improve yourself – you won’t find familiar clients like me every day!”
“…Thank you.”
Whether the words were pleasant didn’t matter – at least they were honest.
Although Ye Xiaoqiong had deceived her before, Zhou Yi felt more heartbreak and sadness, more self-contempt than hatred.
She once truly had a friend called Joan, but later this friend abandoned her.
It didn’t matter – people were always moving forward, losing some friends and gaining new ones.
Besides, life has so many possibilities. As you walk along, you might unexpectedly reunite with someone you lost at some crossroads.
Ye Xiaoqiong complained about her poor professional skills.
Well, she was just a new lawyer.
After Ye Xiaoqiong left, Zhou Yi smiled alone in her office.
A few years ago, she couldn’t have imagined becoming a lawyer in America. The path forward was taken one step at a time.
“Zhou Yi, keep going!”
After this self-encouragement, Zhou Yi was revitalized.
Lawyers rely on reputation and accumulated successful cases. Although Zhou Yi’s handling of Ye Xiaoqiong’s prenup was relatively straightforward, it helped her career progress smoothly.
More clients meant more income – a positive cycle.
In her first year, Zhou Yi struggled in the lower tier of lawyers, earning just tens of thousands of dollars annually.
The second year was better, with income reaching over a hundred thousand dollars.
The third year suddenly exploded – she earned over $400,000 after taxes, not only clearing her law school loans but having enough left to buy property in New York… Zhou Yi gained some fame, especially in divorce cases.
She stayed in America until 1997, returning to China with her savings after Hong Kong’s return.
That year, Zhou Ke had finished elementary school.
The mother and daughter weren’t extremely close, but neither were they distant. After Zhou Yi’s income increased, she could not only frequently fly back home to visit but also bring Zhou Ke to America during winter and summer breaks. Zhou Yi fulfilled Old Master Zhou’s expectations – giving children the best education wasn’t about spending money on elite schools, but about being a successful role model as a mother!
Though Zhou Wenband couldn’t travel abroad, Jiang Hong could often visit America.
Jiang Hong herself said she never expected Zhou Yi to become so successful. She and Zhou Wenband hadn’t had many expectations for Zhou Yi before – they thought a girl should just marry well. But Zhou Yi had turned her shame into motivation, spending 11 years in America, completing her education, building a career, buying property in New York, and even allowing Jiang Hong to enjoy annual overseas trips… In 1997, when Zhou Yi returned to China, she even convinced Qi Wei to come back.
The two wanted to make their mark in China, using their savings to open a law firm in Shanghai.
By then, Zhou Wenband had retired. His final working years didn’t bring any promotions – there was certainly regret, but seeing Zhou Yi achieve independence filled any disappointment.
Zhou Yi hadn’t remarried during her time in America. After opening the law firm in Shanghai, she had no shortage of suitors. Her life as a single woman was brilliant. When occasionally returning to Beijing, she found her old friends had all entered the ranks of “middle-aged women” – even those living well couldn’t compare to Zhou Yi’s vitality.
She no longer needed anyone to maintain her image. Like Ye Xiaoqiong whom she had met by chance at the restaurant years ago, one look would tell you she was doing very well!
Moreover, since Zhou Yi had returned to China, news of her recent situation naturally circulated in her former social circle… Why say “former”? Because over such a long time span, some people’s lives would take unexpected turns, like Tong Lili, who no longer belonged to this circle.
“Zhou Yi, did you know? Lili’s husband got into trouble last year… Lili was also taken in for investigation. She was released later, but her husband was completely ruined. She’s not doing well now.”
Zhou Yi truly hadn’t known about this.
When she had just been admitted to law school, Tong Lili had been a central figure in their circle.
She hadn’t expected that by the time she returned, Tong Lili would be in decline.
Thinking carefully, the decline made sense – relying on others wasn’t as good as relying on oneself. Before marriage, Tong Lili had relied on her family, but the Tong family had no notable younger generation to depend on now. After marriage, she relied on her husband – when he was successful, she flourished; when he was arrested for wrongdoing, her comfortable life naturally couldn’t continue.
Zhou Yi didn’t mock Tong Lili; she just found it rather poignant.
They had once been good friends, going to and from school together in their youth.
The person wanted to gossip with Zhou Yi, but Zhou Yi showed no interest. Finding it boring, they exchanged pleasantries and parted ways.
Afterward, Zhou Yi made detailed inquiries about Tong Lili’s situation and arranged for some money to be sent to her.
“To help with your urgent needs. You can repay when your finances improve.”
Would Tong Lili repay?
Zhou Yi didn’t know.
It didn’t matter whether she did or not – what mattered was doing right by one’s conscience.
After their law firm established itself in Shanghai, Zhou Yi sought Qi Wei’s agreement to create a free legal aid department. Every lawyer in the firm had to rotate through this department annually, completing a certain number of legal aid cases. They helped vulnerable women trapped in difficult situations who couldn’t escape on their own.
They helped them fight against domestic violence, recover economic losses from fraud, and escape the harm of scoundrels…
Zhou Yi empathized deeply with these matters. Many people had helped her become who she was today, and within her capabilities, she wanted to help others too.