harleyscars Chapter 21 Custody
Chapter 21 Custody
"What supplementary agreement?" Huang Caiwen gestured to him with her eyes.
Lin Xiangsong finally understood the source of the unease that had been lurking within him ever since Liang Hui found him. His muscle memory was reminding him that even the naive and innocent could have their moments of shrewdness, and even someone as astute as him could make a mistake. Recalling that day, the problems that had plagued him for half his life were resolved: he could leave his gambling wife openly and honestly, freeing himself from the shackles of marriage; he gained the wealth to live a worry-free life; he was loved and recognized by his son; he was determined to settle down in his hometown and reunite with his parents; and he was happy to enter a peaceful old age ahead of schedule…
Most importantly, his wife knew nothing about any of this.
That very day, he signed that agreement, completely forgetting about it afterward. Was it to delay shattering her illusions? Or to avoid creating obstacles for the subsequent house sale? Or perhaps he didn't want to become gossip among his colleagues? Everything in the world is preordained.
Huang Caiwen was allowed to look at the agreement. From initial confusion to shock and then to understanding, she was speechless several times. For the first time, she felt a growing distance and a crisis of trust with Lin Xiangsong. "Did you sign this?" she asked.
Lin Xiangsong nodded: "But I really didn't look closely, and I don't remember it at all."
"Can you find witnesses, or other evidence to prove that this agreement was signed under duress or fraud?"
He thought about what happened that day and shook his head regretfully: "No."
Huang Caiwen deflated like a punctured balloon, but she still had to say the polite words: "Our client has doubts about the authenticity of the agreement."
Niu Jisheng: "In that case, please have both parties explain the situation regarding child custody."
"Of course, with me!" Lin Xiangsong and Liang Hui said in unison. Lin Xiangsong added, "I can take care of Lin Lin."
At this point, Liang Hui stopped talking about feelings and stood her ground: "Lin Xiangsong, what are you pretending to be a good person for! You tutor until 10 pm every night, and he waits for you hungry. Is that what you call taking care of him? You want your son to live with you? I'm the one who goes to all the parent-teacher conferences, and I'm the one who answers all the teachers' calls."
Lin Xiangsong remained calm: "You went to the mahjong parlor right after you finished the phone call, and it was already dawn when you came back. Lin Lin had a fever of 39 degrees Celsius, and I carried him to the hospital. Where were you then? Did you lose his entire semester's tuition at the gambling table?"
"Didn't I give you the money you deserved? How much is your salary? I have money; the demolition compensation was given to me by my parents. I can spend it however I want."
Huang Caiwen handed over her payslip: "Lin Xiangsong's monthly salary is 16,000, with the school covering all his housing provident fund and social security contributions, plus an education allowance for his children. Even if Liang Hui is rich, firstly, she doesn't have a stable income, and secondly, her bank transfer records for the past six months show that she has transferred more than 500,000 to other people's accounts for gambling."
Yu Xingge interrupted, "This has nothing to do with custody. Please stick to the facts."
"Why is it okay? What kind of impact will a gambling addict and unambitious mother have on a child's physical and mental development? I can teach Lin Lin math problems and analyze the reasons why he won first prize in an essay competition. And I ask you, Liang Hui, which of these do you even know? How dare you even fight for custody?"
"Ha." Lin Xiangsong said sarcastically.
Liang Hui's mouth gaped open, fire and water swirling in her heart, one moment cold, the next hot: "You still look down on me? Yes! You're arrogant! You're talented! You're highly educated! So what? Do you have money? I've clearly quit gambling! I've changed for the better! Can't you see my efforts?"
Lin Xiangsong placed a thick stack of gambling cessation pledges on the table, straightened up, stared into Liang Hui's eyes, and said softly, "Do you really believe a leopard can change its spots?"
Mediator Niu Jisheng coughed twice and banged his gavel: "Watch your words." He turned to Lin Xiangsong, "Your child clearly said he wants to be with you. What's the reason?" Lin Xiangsong clenched his fist again: "Last week, I saw my son's diary entry... 'Mom always yells at people on her phone, and I'm afraid she'll throw things. Dad doesn't yell at me when he's teaching me math problems.'" He gestured for Huang Caiwen to hand over the diary.
"Did you teach him to write that?" Liang Hui's mouth dropped open, and she shook her head repeatedly. "Lin Xiangsong, I never thought you were such a scoundrel. You disappeared with the child; if it weren't for the police records, I wouldn't even know where you were. You sold the house and took all the money, and I didn't even hold it against you. But you're even trying to take our son from me?" She lunged at Lin Xiangsong's seat, but Zhou Yuxuan stopped her. "Give me back my son!"
Niu Jisheng stood up: "Mediation is suspended! Sigh, what can I say? All that talk wasted. You really won't listen to a single good word."
"Is it possible for both sides to sit down and continue mediation?"
"No!" the two exclaimed in unison once again.
"Alright, let's wait for the formal trial to begin."
He walked over to Lin Xiangsong and sighed, "We're husband and wife, is it really necessary to act like enemies?"
As it turns out, it was necessary.
Husbands and wives are like birds in the same forest; once they enter the courtroom, they fly away separately.
The famous quotes from the marriage and family law team are absolutely true.
Several people left the court one after another. Liang Hui sobbed all the way, with Lin Xiangsong walking in front, offering no words of comfort. Watching his figure grow smaller and smaller in the distance, Liang Hui's heartache overwhelmed her: "Attorney Yu, can't we really remarry?" Yu Xingge sighed helplessly. What a love-struck fool! Even after all this, she still wanted to remarry. She looked at Zhou Yuxuan pleadingly. Attorney Zhou picked up a cigarette and unconsciously took three steps back to create distance, mouthing: "Avoid suspicion."
"Why are you avoiding suspicion? You're not even married." Yu Xingge was both amused and exasperated, and could only try to comfort her: "Look on the bright side, you can get your money back for the house, isn't that great?"
"I don't want money, I just want Lin Xiangsong! I want him to remarry me!"
She almost blurted out, "Don't give me the money then!" She handed her a tissue and patiently persuaded, "With money, will you lack men? Trust me, Sister Liang, once you win the case and the execution money arrives, go to a bar and have your pick. I guarantee there will be plenty of men younger, more handsome, and more considerate than Lin Xiangsong. With your abundant funds, I guarantee you could have a different man every day from now until you're seventy!"
"Of course," the lawyer's meticulousness prompted her to add, "if he stops gambling."
A muffled chuckle sounded from the man. She turned around and saw Ji Zhijie standing casually behind her with his arms crossed. "Mr. Ji! What are you doing here?" Yu Xingge asked in surprise, noticing that Ji Zhijie was wearing a prosecutor's uniform. "Are you a prosecutor?"
After adding each other on WeChat, Yu Xingge kept the matter in mind, but she was too busy with other things. She only occasionally saw him sharing updates about his life on WeChat Moments. She knew nothing about his work. "As you can see," Ji Zhijie's charming eyes smiled, "we're here for court."
Yu Xingge pointed to the West Suburb Court: "Are you from this side?"
"No, there's a case here. What a coincidence, I've finished here, and yours has finished too?"
Yu Xingge turned to look at Liang Hui, who was talking to Zhou Yuxuan: "It's over."
"That's perfect," he said, walking up to her. "Let's go. I'll treat you to dinner. I was so disappointed when I turned you down last time, please give me a chance to make it up to you."
Yu Xingge couldn't help but chuckle: "I haven't thanked you for what happened that time. I should be the one treating you." She went over to hand over the documents to Zhou Yuxuan, asking him to take the files back, and then said goodbye to Liang Hui.
After watching the two walk away, I hadn't stood there for long when a silver sports car slowly pulled up in front of me.
Dusk settled over the streets and alleys of the power plant's eastern suburbs, sending up plumes of white smoke. The aroma of Sichuan-style noodle shops, mingling with the enticing scent of barbecue from street corners, filled the air. Countless men in work clothes rode past on electric bikes, their helmets, stained with indelible concrete, gleaming in their baskets. Under the sky, sculpted by gray high-voltage power lines, streetlights and neon signs flickered, and the faded red lanterns of "Old Zhang's Casserole Restaurant" shimmered beautifully in the twilight.
"Don't let the old storefront fool you, this casserole place is authentic, they've been doing it for twenty years, I hear." Passing two clumps of dripping green ivy, Ji Zhijie lifted the blue-printed cloth curtain. Twenty wooden square tables were scattered in the blue-brick courtyard, each stained with years of grease. Waiters in navy aprons moved among them carrying sizzling casseroles. Under the night sky, the flowing water surrounding the courtyard provided a refreshing coolness.
The two stepped across the threshold. "How is it? Looks more authentic than the Japanese restaurant downstairs, right?" They had chosen a spot under the grape trellis and were about to sit down when Yu Xingge suddenly tensed up. Ji Zhijie followed her gaze and saw a beautiful couple entering through the bamboo curtain diagonally opposite. The woman, dressed in a cheongsam, possessed a classical and graceful air, and was holding Gu Lezhi's arm. Her eyes were smiling, and her pearl earrings shone brightly in the twilight. Gu Lezhi, however, was dressed casually, his demeanor completely different from his suit and tie.
He also saw the two of them: "Zhijie?"