Chapter 19: Devil Qian Heng’s Death Blind Date

The seats at the matchmaking event were arranged in an S-shape. The female lawyers remained seated while the male lawyers moved in a clockwise direction every three minutes. Since Cheng Yao was sitting diagonally opposite Qian Heng in a counterclockwise position, he moved one seat further away from her after the first round.

At this new distance, Cheng Yao could no longer hear Qian Heng’s conversation. All she could see was his extraordinarily handsome yet icy-cold face. Paired with his suit, he and his conversation partner looked less like they were on a three-minute matchmaking session and more like they were undergoing a deathly serious interview…

Unknowingly, Cheng Yao had already spoken with several male lawyers.

Although this was a matchmaking event, everyone was in the same industry and approached it with the mindset of networking rather than seriously looking for a partner. Since Cheng Yao wasn’t interested in finding someone, she was quite relaxed. She ended up chatting with a few male lawyers from different legal fields, broadening her knowledge, and even exchanged WeChat contacts with them.

“Lawyer Qian Heng, I’ve heard so much about you.”

The moment Cheng Yao heard the name Qian Heng, she instinctively looked up, only to realize that, due to the S-shaped seating arrangement, he was once again seated not far from her.

This time, the woman across from Qian Heng was of an entirely different style—delicate and demure, exuding a soft, obedient, and well-behaved aura. Cheng Yao glanced at her. Although petite in frame, she had a good figure and was dressed in a refined, artistic style. Her questions were quite romantic as well—

“If you were in a relationship, where would you take your girlfriend on a date?”

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“Mbl sqqknl.”

Ubldt Zys czkdjle kd pwarakpl. Fbl dlhla lmrlnvle Ckyd Tldt vs byhl y vbkdt qsa sqqknl asxydnl. Tso vbakzzkdt!

Gp lmrlnvle, vbl qlxyzl zyoula ynaspp qasx bkx czwpble. “Mbld… obyv oswze usw es vstlvbla kd vbl sqqknl?”

“Esaj shlavkxl.”

“……”

“Elzz, nsdpkelakdt bso cwpu zyoulap yal, obyv es usw vbkdj oswze cl yd kelyz qaliwldnu qsa xllvkdt wr obkzl eyvkdt?”

“Xdnl lhlau pkm xsdvbp.”

“……”

Qian Heng thought for a moment and added, “If we’re free, we can send emails.”

“……”

Before the three minutes were up, the female lawyer across from him had already stood up and left…

……..

However, Qian Heng’s face, which seemed to attract admirers like bees to honey, remained highly deceptive and misleading. In the next round, yet another female lawyer sat across from him, her expression filled with shy anticipation.

“Hello, Lawyer Qian. I’ve been quite curious to learn more about what kind of person you are…” This time, the female lawyer was quite beautiful as well, boasting a pair of long legs. After a brief introduction, she naturally transitioned to discussing values in relationships. “I just wanted to ask—do you consider yourself someone who takes the initiative in relationships?”

“No.”

“Then what if you meet someone you’re really attracted to? What would you do?”

“Nothing.”

“Huh?”

Qian Heng replied matter-of-factly, “I’d just wait for her to chase after me.”

“……”

The female lawyer, still hopeful, tried to salvage the situation. “Some people are outstanding but may have personality flaws. If you met a woman who could accept all of your flaws, would you cherish her even more?”

“No.”

“Why???”

“Because I have no flaws.”

“……”

Cheng Yao glanced at the time—one minute and thirty-four seconds. Another female lawyer had gotten up and left…

She continued watching as the women came and went from Qian Heng’s table. Each one arrived with hopeful shyness and left looking like they had been poisoned…

Finally, the matchmaking event reached its final round. According to the seating order, Qian Heng ended up sitting across from Cheng Yao.

“……”

Cheng Yao looked at her strikingly handsome boss, and her boss glanced back at her.

“Boss…”

Before she could even finish speaking, Qian Heng once again mercilessly cut her off. “Don’t get any ideas just because we’re at this matchmaking event, Cheng Yao. Control yourself. I’m a firm believer in non-marriage. Don’t entertain any wishful thinking.”

If self-delusion were a crime, Cheng Yao was convinced that Qian Heng would be sentenced to death without question!

Unfortunately, she could only voice these thoughts in her heart. In front of Qian Heng, she remained respectful and asked, “Is that why you answered those female lawyers in such a way? Because you don’t believe in marriage?”

Cheng Yao speculated that perhaps this was his way of making them give up early. After all, most women who attended matchmaking events hoped to find a warm and stable family life. Since Qian Heng didn’t want to waste their time but also didn’t want to outright reject them, he might have chosen to sacrifice his own image and use such extreme answers to turn them away.

“No,” Qian Heng replied righteously. “Aside from the virgin part, I was just telling the truth.”

Alright then, Cheng Yao thought. If being a chauvinist and being completely self-absorbed were both punishable offenses, then with Qian Heng’s combined crimes, even being executed two hundred times wouldn’t be enough.

She was absolutely certain—Qian Heng was never going to find a partner in this lifetime.

……

“You got any other questions?” Qian Heng snorted. “If you have any personal questions you want to ask, now’s your chance. I won’t hold it against you.”

Cheng Yao waved her hands frantically. “Nope, I don’t have anything to ask.”

“Oh? Well, I do have a few questions for you.” Qian Heng glanced at her. “How many male lawyers did you add just now?”

“Huh?”

“You must’ve added at least six or seven.” His voice was steady and indifferent. “There was the mature and steady type, the sunny and athletic type, the cheerful and innocent type, the refined and elegant type, and even the smiling-tiger type. Cheng Yao, do you enjoy collecting stamps?”

Throughout the speed dating session, Cheng Yao had been eavesdropping on Qian Heng’s disastrous interactions. She had no idea that, at the same time, he had been unconsciously watching her out of the corner of his eye.

Qian Heng had observed her chatting and smiling with every male lawyer. She was beautiful, young, and lively—almost every man had shown enthusiasm toward her.

He also saw her constantly scanning QR codes and adding them to her contacts. For some inexplicable reason, it irked him.

Wu Jun had been right—beauty was a disaster waiting to happen. How could a woman this attractive possibly make a good lawyer? Qian Heng decided he needed to get rid of this nepotism hire from Junheng Law Firm as soon as possible.

He could have handled it discreetly, but somehow, he ended up asking her such a sharp-edged question.

The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. This wasn’t like him. But apologizing?

That word didn’t exist in Qian Heng’s dictionary.

He simply pressed his lips together and waited for Cheng Yao to blush and look hurt.

Instead, she beamed with excitement. “Boss, you counted wrong! I actually added eight! Because eight is my lucky number! Also, how did you know I love collecting stamps? I really do! I started collecting in first grade—I have so many rare and expensive stamps! I don’t usually tell people about it!”

“……”

….

After lunch, it was time for the highlight of the networking event—outdoor activities.

The bar association had rented a bus and transported a group of lawyers to a 5A-rated scenic park in the suburbs.

The suburban air was fresh, the sky was noticeably bluer than in the city, and with today’s perfect weather—warm breeze and clear skies—even Cheng Yao felt the trip was worthwhile. However, her esteemed boss still had the same unapproachable scowl on his face.

“This afternoon’s activity is a two-person rowing competition. The lake here is quite vast. Everyone will start from the dock, and the first team to reach the opposite shore where our staff is waiting will be the winner,” the cheerful organizer, an older lady from the bar association, announced enthusiastically. “We won’t assign teams for you—after spending the morning getting to know each other, you can pair up on your own. Ideally, it should be one male and one female for better efficiency, but if you really hit it off with someone of the same gender, that’s fine too!”

She smiled at the crowd. “Although this is mainly for fun, we’ve secured some funding for prizes. The first team to reach the other side will receive 1,000 yuan, the second place gets 500, and the third place gets 200. Good luck, everyone!”

The moment she said it was free pairing, everyone subtly but swiftly moved into action.

Some lawyers who had clicked during the three-minute speed dating session naturally teamed up in mixed-gender pairs, while others who had bonded over lunch formed same-gender teams. But there were also exceptions—

Like Cheng Yao.

At this moment, five male lawyers were standing around her, eyes blazing with enthusiasm, all eager to team up with her.

And then there was another exception—

Qian Heng.

Despite his stunning looks, perfect physique, rare thick black hair for a lawyer, exceptional legal expertise, and massive wealth, his suffocating personality had successfully driven away all admirers. As a result, he was the only male lawyer standing completely alone, without a single person willing to team up with him.

…..

Qian Heng, who had no one around him, glanced at Cheng Yao, who was surrounded by five people.

“Cheng Yao.”

Her boss finally spoke.

Cheng Yao immediately had a bad feeling…

Qian Heng gave a calm, indifferent smile. “Come here.”

“Huh?”

“Team up with me.”

No way! Cheng Yao screamed internally. Teaming up with him and rowing across the lake for so long—wouldn’t that be like experiencing the ultimate form of self-inflicted torture?

She glanced at Qian Heng. “Boss, it’s rare for lawyers from different firms to have a chance to interact. We shouldn’t be too closed off. We should mix things up and communicate more with our peers, especially—”

“Cheng Yao, I’m ordering you to team up with me—using your year-end bonus as leverage.”

“… “

….

Humans die for wealth, birds perish for food—the power of the year-end bonus was simply too great.

And so, in the end, Cheng Yao boarded the same boat as Qian Heng, wearing an expression of heroic sacrifice.

The boats here weren’t motorized; the passengers had to row them manually.

Qian Heng sat at the bow, basking in the sunlight. The breeze made his hair seem to shimmer, and from head to toe, every pore of his body seemed to exude the scent of money. His excessively striking face, paired with the picturesque scenery around him, created an almost dreamlike illusion.

Unfortunately, Cheng Yao had no time to appreciate it.

Marx was right—when capital arrives in this world, every pore drips with blood and filth.

Damn capitalism! Their prosperity was built on the exploitation of the proletariat!

Cheng Yao rowed with all her might while secretly glaring at Qian Heng, who was leisurely enjoying the view on the other side of the boat.

Even though she coveted the thousand-yuan first-place prize, with a freeloader like Qian Heng idly sitting there, no matter how hard she rowed, she couldn’t compete with the lawyer pairs in other boats working together.

Watching boat after boat pass them by, Cheng Yao couldn’t hold back anymore. “Boss, you sit in the office all day—why not take this rare chance to stretch your muscles a bit? Rowing is great for fitness!”

Qian Heng glanced at her, showing zero intention of lifting even a single finger. “Weren’t you quite enjoying this networking event?”

Cheng Yao looked confused. What does that have to do with rowing?

Qian Heng smirked, deliberately provoking her. “As long as you’re happy participating, you should match that enthusiasm by rowing even harder. You need to show your spirit through action.”

“…”

Cheng Yao felt that if someone invented a spray that could instantly mute people, they would definitely win the Nobel Peace Prize.

But for the sake of the prize money, she wasn’t someone who gave up easily. “Boss, don’t you hate losing? If you don’t start rowing with me, not only will we lose, but we’ll come in dead last. Every other boat is ahead of us!”

“I don’t hate losing.” Qian Heng wasn’t fazed at all. Instead, he smiled faintly into the wind, looking somewhat wistful. “I actually want to know what losing a case feels like. But I can’t seem to lose.”

“…”

“If I can experience the feeling of losing today, that wouldn’t be so bad either.”

Cheng Yao stared at Qian Heng, who sat calmly at the bow, looking as carefree as a drifting cloud, and felt a surge of frustration rising in her chest.

She looked around—every other boat had overtaken them. At this moment, there was no one nearby, no witnesses. Her mind couldn’t help but calculate the feasibility of pushing Qian Heng into the lake.

But for some reason, Cheng Yao seemed to have luck on her side.

The boats that were ahead of them suddenly ran into various issues and stopped.

One boat lost a paddle because the pair on board were messing around. Two others accidentally collided and got stuck together. Another boat had gone off course…

Counting the remaining competitors, Cheng Yao only needed to overtake two more boats to make it into the top three and qualify for the prize money!

Even though 200 yuan wasn’t much, even a little meat was still meat! And if she pushed harder, she might even make a comeback and claim first place!

Motivated, Cheng Yao picked up the pace, rowing with all her strength while chanting to herself:

“Catch up to the UK! Surpass America! Cheng Yao, you can do it!”

And somehow, her battle cry actually worked—she overtook another boat! She was now in second place, and the gap to first wasn’t too big!

But in her excitement, disaster struck.

She must have exerted too much force because, as she rowed, a sudden cramp seized her hand. Her grip slipped, and her paddle fell into the lake.

Without thinking, Cheng Yao instinctively reached down to grab it, but the motion threw off her balance—sending her plunging straight into the water.

In that split second, Cheng Yao had no time to think. Her reflex was to grab onto something—anything—to stop herself from sinking.

Her hand found something warm.

And just like that, she dragged her boss down into the water with her.

Author’s Note:
Today’s mini-theater features a witty snippet from a talented reader, Lemon:

Qian Par: “Someone like you leaving our law firm… that’s called getting picked up as a rebound.”

After saying that, he turned to leave.

Cheng Yao: “?”

Qian Par: “Why are you still standing there? Grab your household registration book and head to the Civil Affairs Bureau—I’m picking you up as my rebound!”

—