Grassroots lawyers also have their day

"Ah! Private?"

Pan Jinlian looked around. The room was only about ten square meters, so there was no privacy to talk about. "Auntie, we provide professional legal services and will keep our clients' information confidential. Just tell us what you need."

The old lady glanced at the large, shabby table next to Wang Chuan, some distance away, and said, "How about we go over there to talk?"

Wang Chuan understood what the old lady meant: she didn't want others (herself) to hear, right? That's easy to handle.

"I'm going out for a bit, you guys chat!" Wang Chuan tactfully got up and left.

Pan Jinlian looked at the old lady with some dissatisfaction: "Can you tell me now?"

"Yes, that's how it is. I met an old man while square dancing. He's single, and I don't have a partner either. We both love dancing, so we became dance partners. We go to the park to dance almost every night." The old lady said, taking a thermos from her backpack, pouring herself a cup, and taking a sip to moisten her throat.

It's understandable that retired seniors might want to do some square dancing if they have nothing else to do. Pan Jinlian didn't know what the old lady was trying to ask after saying so much, so she quietly waited for her to finish drinking the water before continuing.

"After I got to know this old guy, over time, he developed feelings for me, and we gradually fell in love. Sigh! When people get old, they want a companion to accompany them on their remaining journey. But this old guy told me that he didn't want to get married because marriage would involve things like inheritance, which is too troublesome."

When I heard that, I realized he wanted to live together like young people these days! Anyway, it's just two people sharing a life, so living together is fine. I'm already this old, so I don't mind. It's good that we can be happy together. So, every now and then he would come over and stay for a couple of days.

It started off well, but lately I've noticed he's been avoiding me and always flirting with a middle-aged woman while dancing together. And I feel like their relationship is quite ambiguous.

"Then one time I cornered him, and he actually said we weren't a good match and wanted to break up! He deceived my feelings and my body, I'm going to sue him! That old liar, that old rogue!" the old lady said indignantly.

"Ma'am, you two aren't legally married, so at most you're living together. Current national law doesn't restrict cohabitation between men and women. You say he deceived you emotionally and physically, but since it was consensual, it's hard to prove! What evidence do you have to prove he lied to you?"

Pan Jinlian was thinking of finding a reason to get rid of the old lady as soon as possible. There was no reason to sue an elderly man and woman living together, since it didn't involve property.

"I have evidence! I have physical evidence." The old lady solemnly took out a plastic bag from her bag, then opened the plastic bag and took out a pink towel from inside.

"What is this... a towel?" Pan Jinlian subconsciously reached out and took it.

"Every time he comes to my house, we do it once. After we're done, he wipes himself down there with this towel. There's still some of his residue on it. I've kept it all!" the old lady said unhurriedly.

"Well……"

Pan Jinlian was a little embarrassed, then suddenly realized that she was still holding the evidence the old lady had mentioned—a towel. As if her hand had been burned by the towel, she cried out and quickly threw the evidence back to the old lady.

Pan Jinlian's mind went blank. She looked at her hands, and something in her stomach was rising in waves.

Wang Chuan took a walk outside. The weather in April was no longer as cold as in early spring. He looked at the blue sky (blue skies occasionally appear in Beijing in spring because of the wind, very strong winds), and at the budding flowers by the roadside. Everything was so beautiful.

Half an hour later, when Wang Chuan returned to the legal services office, Pan Jinlian was washing her hands; in fact, she had been washing them for almost ten minutes. There was also a bottle of medical alcohol gel on her desk.

"Has the client left?" Wang Chuan asked, seeing that there was no one else in the room.

"Yeah, I'm leaving. It was disgusting!" Pan Jinlian said, washing her hands as she recounted the old lady's story, her tone full of dissatisfaction.

Wang Chuan didn't dare to laugh either, and could only offer kind words of advice.

On Thursday morning, Wang Chuan and Pan Jinlian continued their shift at the legal services office. At noon, Pan Jinlian took out four large boxes of vegetables from her backpack.

"Sister Zhang, let's eat together. I brought too much food." After saying that, Pan Jinlian looked at Wang Chuan: "Senior Brother, could you buy two boxes of rice? I forgot to pack any today. I have the vegetables; I can just microwave them later, so you don't need to buy any."

Seeing that Zhang the Conman had already agreed to Pan Jinlian's proposal, Wang Chuan felt it wouldn't be right to refuse again, so he nodded and went to the small restaurant.

They told me to buy two boxes of rice, but did I really just want to buy two boxes of rice to go with the side dishes? Wang Chuan felt that wasn't quite right; I should at least add two side dishes as a token gesture! So, in addition to the rice, Wang Chuan bought two cold dishes. Cold dishes are good, and cheap!

Pan Jinlian only ate half a box of rice, and gave the other half to Wang Chuan. The four boxes of dishes she brought were all hearty dishes: stewed pig's trotters, braised beef, braised fish, and braised mutton.

Zhang the Conman was eating with great relish, while Pan the Beautiful kept urging Wang Chuan to eat, practically practically stuffing food onto his rice with a glass container. Wang Chuan was incredibly embarrassed during the meal!

While eating, Zhang the Great Conman chuckled as he looked at the two young people in front of him. Youth is truly wonderful!

While Zhang Da Huyou was washing the dishes, Pan Jinlian whispered, "Senior Brother, may I take two people with me?"

"Um?"

Wang Chuan looked at Pan Jinlian, about to speak, but was stopped by her words: "Senior Brother, do you think the food these past two days has been alright?"

You've eaten and drunk your fill, so I figured you wouldn't want to offend me, and I'm sure that's what you're thinking too! Right, Senior Brother?

Wang Chuan glanced at Pan Jinlian's grinning face, gritted his teeth, and said, "Fine! Go ahead. But I won't cover the expenses."

Sigh! With Pan Jinlian's mouth, never mind... sooner or later everyone will find out his secret. Wang Chuan shook his head, feeling overwhelmed.

Sure enough, after get off work in the afternoon, when Wang Chuan and Pan Jinlian arrived at the subway station, Zheng Penzi and Wei Meinu were waiting for them at the station entrance. Hao Renyuan, the "tool man," didn't come along because he had to tutor children to earn money for meals.

Emerging from the subway station and walking along the bar street in Houhai, Wang Chuan became the most handsome guy on the street, surrounded by three beautiful women.

The three beauties beside him each had their own unique charm. Zheng Penzi was a typical Northeastern beauty, tall and slender with a forthright personality; Pan Jinlian was a Beijing girl, proud, generous, dignified, and funny. Wei Ping had the characteristics of a woman from Jiangnan, gentle, modest, and prudent, with a warm and gentle demeanor, and a full figure with small bones.

If it weren't for Lao Niu's advanced age and his constant absence from the law firm, Wang Chuan would have suspected that he had a bad habit of specifically hiring beautiful women.

Upon entering the bar, Wang Chuan greeted the waiters repeatedly. The three beautiful women exchanged glances: "Hmm, Senior Brother must be a regular here. He's quite the hidden talent!"