Zhao Tianyi had just arrived at the law firm's entrance when Big Head Brother and his two lackeys—Jie and Kai—stormed over with aggressive strides.
They had all been bailed out.
"That's him! This lawyer is definitely in cahoots with that fake sister-in-law!"
"Damn it, you think you can set me up just because you're a lawyer? You got a death wish or what?"
Big Head Brother had now learned the truth—his two underlings had been framed, leading to their sudden courtroom retraction.
Originally, they thought sending Chu Yang to prison was a done deal, but the case ended in an acquittal.
So, did they get beaten up for nothing?
Zhao Tianyi remained unruffled. "Let me correct you—I'm not just any lawyer. I'm a big lawyer."
"Big my ass!"
"I don’t care what kind of lawyer you are! Today, you’ll learn what happens when you mess with me!"
Before the words fully left his mouth, four or five thugs emerged from the side, instantly surrounding Zhao Tianyi.
Instead of panicking, Zhao Tianyi leisurely pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, lit one, took a deep drag, and exhaled a slow stream of smoke.
"You wanna hit me? Do you even know the consequences of assaulting a big lawyer?"
"Consequences? The only consequence is you regretting ever crossing me!" Big Head Brother roared. "Beat him down!"
But before they could act, a flurry of footsteps echoed from the stairwell.
A group of men in black swarmed out, immediately encircling Big Head Brother and his gang.
These men were students arriving for class—members of the Ten Thousand Dragons Society.
Seeing the situation, Big Head Brother and his lackeys quickly raised their hands in surrender.
"Misunderstanding! This is all a misunderstanding!"
Zhao Tianyi stepped forward and patted Big Head Brother’s cheek. "You think I’m some small fry? I’ve got my own crew. You wanna rough me up? More like digging your own grave!"
With that, he turned and waved at the men in black. "I didn’t see a thing!"
The moment he spoke, the men in black lunged forward, pinning Big Head Brother and his gang to the ground and delivering a thorough beating.
Perhaps their screams were too loud, because Zhao Tianyi strolled to the doorway with a cup of tea, took a sip, and called out, "Keep it clean, boys. Anyone who doesn’t follow protocol gets a copy of the Criminal Law to transcribe!"
At that, the men in black adjusted their strikes—precise, painful, but leaving no lasting damage.
Once Big Head Brother and his crew were thoroughly subdued, Zhao Tianyi loomed over them.
"Next time, remember—I’m a big lawyer. Got it?"
"Got it! Got it!" Big Head Brother and his lackeys nodded frantically.
Satisfied, Zhao Tianyi turned and waved at the men in black. "Class is in session!"
The men promptly formed ranks and followed him into the law firm.
.................
July 18, Overcast
Yu Xin received word—her college admission letter had arrived.
Excited, she dragged Liu Yutong along to pick it up at their school.
Most first-round undergraduate admission letters arrived around mid-July.
But when they got there, things took an unexpected turn.
Only Yu Xin’s letter had arrived; Liu Yutong’s was nowhere to be found.
After repeated checks, the school confirmed they hadn’t received hers.
"Yutong, maybe the mail’s delayed?" Yu Xin suggested, though even she doubted it.
Bright Pearl City wasn’t far from Wushui County—delays shouldn’t take this long.
Liu Yutong didn’t dwell on it. "Let’s go back."
She planned to call the admissions office of the finance university to clarify.
Speculation was pointless—only facts would reveal the issue.
"Okay," Yu Xin agreed, and they left.
Back at the hotel, Liu Yutong immediately dialed the admissions office.
The answer stunned her—she had never applied to that university.
"How? We filled out the forms together! Unless someone tampered with your application…" Yu Xin trailed off, eyes widening in shock.
"Who’d dare?"
Liu Yutong’s lips curled into a cold smile. "Who else?"
She grabbed her phone and called Zhao Tianyi.
Her USB drive still held video evidence of Zhao Zhu’s extortion attempts.
Earlier, Zhao Zhu had faced five years for attempted murder. Submitting this evidence would’ve lengthened her sentence.
But Liu Yutong kept her word—once she agreed to drop the charges, she held back the evidence. Zhao Zhu was punished anyway.
Now, though? Tampering with her college application? Whether Zhao Zhu ordered it or not, she’d pay the price.
No more mercy.
This time, Liu Yutong would ensure Zhao Zhu’s sentence stretched longer—and her family’s fortune crumbled.
As she hung up, a knock came. A subordinate reported several influential visitors had arrived with gifts.
After a pause, Liu Yutong said, "Book a private dining room. Have them wait there."
"Yes, Miss." The subordinate hurried off.
Yu Xin bit her lip. "Yutong, what about your admission letter?"
"Contact the school that accepted me. See if they can withdraw my file. Then check if the finance university has openings. There’s still time for late admissions."
Her scores far exceeded the cutoff—this year’s first-round threshold was around 540, and she’d blown past it.
With slots available, late admission should be manageable.
"On it!" Yu Xin grabbed her phone.
Liu Yutong changed clothes and headed downstairs with Yuncheng.
The private room buzzed with seven or eight local power players—businessmen with underworld ties.
Among them was Master Jin, who’d been biding his time.
Before Liu Yutong arrived, the group chatted.
"Master Jin, what’d you bring as a gift?" A middle-aged man in gold-rimmed glasses asked, tone probing.
Master Jin smiled faintly and waved his hand, his tone vague: "I just prepared a little something—it’s the thought that counts."
"What gifts did you all bring?"
"Just small tokens, as long as the sincerity is there."
"Exactly, just small gifts."
"........."
Everyone chimed in, yet no one revealed specifics, each eager to make an impression in front of Liu Yutong.
However, judging by the packaging of their gifts, most were clearly expensive jewelry and designer handbags—evidently, no expense had been spared.
Only Master Jin seemed to have arrived empty-handed, which was why someone had curiously asked about it.
When no further details were forthcoming, they shifted the topic to Niu Ben.
"Has anyone heard where Niu Ben’s been lately?"
"No idea. His nightclub got shut down, right? Probably pulling strings to reopen—every day it’s closed means lost revenue."
"Honestly, I never expected Niu Ben to end up like this."
"Neither did I."
"Truly, the new generation replaces the old."
"........."
Mentioning Niu Ben made them all sigh with wistful longing.
After all, Niu Ben had once been a prominent figure in Wushui County. No one could have predicted he’d be cornered by a young girl, to the point of disappearing for days.
Just as their conversation wound down, the private room’s door was pushed open by two men in black.
Instantly, all eyes were drawn to the figure at the entrance.
A striking young woman stepped in, dressed in an elegant black halter-neck dress, her presence commanding attention.
It was Liu Yutong.
