Li Quan felt as if an invisible hand were gripping his throat, making it difficult to breathe. Cold sweat seeped from his forehead, trickling down his bloated cheeks until it gathered into beads at his chin, finally dripping onto his polished leather shoes and blooming into small, dark spots. He stared fixedly at the calm, unflappable face of Lawyer Cheng on his phone screen, feeling as though he were looking at a venomous snake ready to strike him down at any moment.
"Ha! Lawyer Cheng, do you really think you can scare me with this?" Li Quan tried his best to maintain his composure, though his voice trembled slightly. "And even if I let them go, how can you guarantee you'll delete the recording? I’ve seen plenty of shysters like you!"
His blunt, hostile words did not stir the slightest reaction in Lawyer Cheng. A mocking curve simply tugged at the corner of Cheng’s mouth.
"Mr. Li, whether I am a shyster or not is not for you to decide. But as a lawyer, I stand by every word I speak." He paused, his tone growing colder. "Besides, do you really have any other options right now?"
The words struck Li Quan like a thunderclap. His face turned even paler. He looked around at his bodyguards, who usually bowed and scraped to him; they were all keeping their heads down now, acting as if none of this concerned them. After all, they were only making a few tens of thousands a month—hardly worth risking their lives over. This realization made it clear to Li Quan that the tide had turned against him.
"Fine, Lawyer Cheng. You win," Li Quan spat out through gritted teeth. "I’ll let them go. But you’d better remember your promise, or else—"
"Or else what?" Lawyer Cheng raised an eyebrow, showing no sign of backing down. "Mr. Li, I think you should understand that some things, once done, are done. You can't just wish them away with an 'or else'."
The rest of Li Quan’s words were choked back by this retort. He opened his mouth, but eventually, he just waved his hand listlessly, signaling the bodyguards to let them go. Without anyone holding them back, Zhang Qiang took his daughter’s hand and walked past him without a moment’s hesitation.
"Li Quan."
Just as Zhang Qiang reached the door, he stopped and looked back, his tone terrifyingly calm. "Remember this: I will make you pay a hundredfold for every tear my wife and daughter have shed. No matter what it takes, I will do it."
With that, he turned and left, leaving no room for anyone to respond.
Li Quan sat slumped in his executive chair, shivering. As he watched the backs of the father and daughter disappearing, an inexplicable chill welled up from the bottom of his heart. He collapsed onto the sofa, looking as if he had aged ten years in an instant.
Outside the Li Corporation Building, Zhang Qiang finally let out a long breath, the suffocating pressure in his chest finally dissipating. He crouched down, looked into his daughter’s still-terrified eyes, and gently patted her head. "It’s okay now, sweetheart. We’re going home."
The little girl clung tightly to his neck, her small frame still trembling. Zhang Qiang pulled out his phone and looked at the visibly exhausted Lawyer Cheng on the screen, his tone filled with gratitude. "Lawyer Cheng, thanks to you today, otherwise..."
"Alright, alright, enough with the dramatics." Seeing Zhang Qiang’s state, Lawyer Cheng smiled and cut him off. "The fact that you got out today is mainly because you had the quick reflexes to call me. If it had been anyone else with a brain of stone, they’d probably still be kneeling in front of that fat pig Li Quan, begging for mercy."
Zhang Qiang let out a bitter laugh; Lawyer Cheng’s style of speaking had never changed. Yet, it was precisely this candor and confidence that provided him with a profound sense of security.
"Seriously, Lawyer Cheng, thank you so much," Zhang Qiang reiterated. "I won't forget this debt of gratitude."
"Enough, Zhang Qiang. Since I took your case, this is just part of the job," Lawyer Cheng said with a faint smile. Then, as if remembering something, he spoke again. "However, I do have some good news for you."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Qiang perked up, his eyes brightening. "What good news?"
"Su Mu and I have carefully analyzed the situation. I estimate that the Administration won't be able to withstand the pressure for more than three days before they restart your wife’s case." Lawyer Cheng’s tone was relaxed but certain.
Hearing confirmation of what he had hoped for, Zhang Qiang gripped his phone so hard his knuckles turned white. He was too moved to speak.
"Really? That’s great! My wife’s injustice can finally be cleared!"
"Yes, and that animal Li Wei won’t be getting away either." Lawyer Cheng paused, his tone turning ice-cold. "I will make him pay the price. Don't you worry."
After hanging up, Lawyer Cheng didn't delete the recording that could ruin Li Quan’s reputation immediately. Instead, he made a casual phone call to the Administration, his voice as light as if he were discussing daily chores.
"Hello, Captain Zhang? About that police report earlier... I’d had too much to drink and caused a bit of a misunderstanding. Sorry for the trouble."
After finishing, he even yawned, acting as if he were still hungover. Captain Zhang didn't say anything harsh in return, merely offering a brief, perfunctory scolding. After all, following the conclusion of the previous case, Lawyer Cheng had become a prominent figure in City A. It was certainly in their best interest to stay on good terms. Cheng didn't argue, simply responding with a smile.
Once finished, Lawyer Cheng lay back in his chair, his fingertips tapping a rhythmic beat on the desk. He knew the Li family was not a group to be trifled with. Today’s events were, at best, a minor annoyance for them; bringing them down would take much more. That recording, while capable of nauseating Li Quan, didn't carry enough weight to serve as definitive evidence on its own. Given the Li family’s wealth, they could easily brush it off as a "joke" or "drunken ramblings."
But to Lawyer Cheng, this wasn't much of a problem. He simply gave a cold laugh. "You want to play these games with me? I'll play along for as long as you like."
Thinking this, he pulled out his phone and sent another message to Zhang Qiang: "Go home first, don't say a word to anyone, and wait for my word."
On the other side of town, Li Quan was livid, his face turning an ashen blue. He hadn't expected Cheng and Su Mu to be so difficult, pushing him into such a corner. He ordered his public relations team to continue suppressing negative news online while contacting his lawyers to discuss a counter-strategy.
As for the root cause of it all, Li Wei, he was currently lost in a drunken stupor, completely oblivious to the massive storm brewing online. He was even doubling down, posting provocative comments on social media: "Poor losers deserve to be stepped on!" and "Justice? How much is justice even worth?"