52_Nothing to Worry About

The next day, Li Yao and Head Attorney Wang were having lunch together in a restaurant he picked. They both agreed for a more quiet table to have their discussion. Thus, they sat in a far corner of the restaurant, where not many people saw their interaction.

With both of them with business attire, it looked as if they were having a lunch meeting rather than a date. It put Li Yao at ease but not so for the head attorney.

"So.. regarding the matter.." she began the conversation when their meal was yet to arrive.

"I looked over everything in details and found that all of your parents' beach houses and vacation houses are in joint-ownership. Both of them had their name signed that way." he started.

"So it makes things easy for us.." Li Yao nodded in understanding.

"Yes. Because after your father's passing, his siblings took away the properties but they weren't supposed to go in their hands since your mother should become the sole owner of those properties." Head Attorney Wang explained. Then their meal arrived.

"I don't know why my mother just gave away our houses like that. She didn't even put up a fight." Li Yao sighed as she felt dejected.

"You do know that your mother was threatened, right? So that answers your question. When someone was faced with threatening letters, they opted for the safest way to get out of trouble." the man said with a gentle voice, trying to make Li Yao better.

"I'm aware of that, Head Attorney Wang." she smiled towards him as she felt gratitude washing over her. He was so kind to her and she felt indebted.

"But this is where the tricky part is- your father's siblings covered everything up very early in the days. And it has been so long. Your mother has given up those properties under her name and they now no longer belong to your mother." he continued.

"I know." Li Yao nodded slowly.

"But we can turn the tables if we find evidence-"

"Where my mother was threatened to give up her properties." Li Yao finished his words and gained an approving nod.

"That's right. Your mother's diary won't hold much weight when there's no actual piece of evidence where she was threatened. We must find it first.. and I have a guess that she received the threats via phone or text messages. Maybe emails." Head Attorney Wang told Li Yao to which she widened her eyes.

She actually had her mother's phone in her possesion right now! Li Yao kept it in a box in the apartment.

"I will give you the phone by tomorrow." she said to him after confirming her own memory.

"I'd appreciate that." he smiled.

"And now for your parents' savings. They were in possession of quite a huge amount of money. And luckily, before your mother passed away, she wrote a will to hand every little penny to you. But you have to be 25 before you're eligible for it."

Li Yao was 23 this year, how could she wait for two more years? She bet all the money would be dried up before she could get her hands on it.

"The problem arose because when your mother died, you were still underage. That's why your father's siblings took the opportunity to take your custody." Li Yao heard him explained and she nodded again. She looked troubled but later composed herself.

"Don't worry, miss Li. Because every will has its executioner. But.."

"This one betrayed my mother. Isn't that right?" she guessed it and he smiled approvingly.

'Thought so.' Li Yao clenched her hands under the table. She didn't know why there were people out there who weren't honest in their job.

"We can press charges against him and acquire your will back." Head Attorney Wang said.

"I agree." she said.

Their talk ended after more than an hour with some more matters to discuss. It took longer than Li Yao expected but this was Head Attorney Wang she was talking to. Of course he would be talking business very long. He was experienced in this sort of tricky case. She was glad that she went to him for help.

Li Yao apologized for taking his time and making him work for her. But the man didn't mind it. He told her he was happy to hear her problems and help her with them.

"I'm glad I was born a lawyer. I can legally help you deal with those scheming relatives of yours." he joked and it earned him a laughter from Li Yao. He liked seeing her laugh with him and this was the first time, so he felt happy deep inside his heart.

They were now on their way back to the firm. Head Attorney Wang was the one to drive.

Li Yao's mood changed for the better after she discussed things with Head Attorney Wang. Now she knew all the procedure and course of actions he would take to represent her. She didn't have much worry because she trusted him.

Just when she thought that everything was running smoothly, the man driving beside her received a call and what he heard wasn't quite a good news.

"Alright, I'll head there immediately. Thank you." he cut the call.

"I'm sorry miss Li but can I drive straight to the hospital?" he turned to face her.

"What happened?" Li Yao asked, concerned.

"My sister got into an accident but my parents aren't in the city, so.." his words trailed off. He looked worried and Li Yao immediately agreed.

*

Head Attorney Wang didn't want to send her off somewhere on the roadside. So he said he would take her with him and also take responsibility for her absence in the office.

When they arrived in the hospital, Head Attorney Wang quickly asked the reception where his sister was admitted. He walked to the third floor of the hospital with Li Yao following suit.

When he went inside the room, Li Yao excused herself to wait outside. She took her phone out and called for her boyfriend. Mu Lihai didn't answer as he was in another call. Li Yao looked at the time and it was a quarter past two in the afternoon. He might be busy at this time of the day, she thought.

Just when she thought that, she saw Xu Cheng walking in her direction. Now she remembered! This was one of Xu Cheng's family's hospitals. He was walking while having a phone call and she wondered if it was Mu Lihai. They had met two times- one when Xu Cheng saw her in the underground parking lot of Mu Enterprise and second when Mu Lihai brought her to meet his friends.

When he noticed Li Yao, Xu Cheng approached her and asked her what she was doing here. He looked fairly surprised but he returned to his usual self rather quickly.

"I was with my superior. But he got an emergency and here I am." she answered as short as possible. Not wanting to reveal her work-related meeting they had earlier.

"You heard that, Lihai? She was with her superior." Xu Cheng said suddenly with his hand still holding the phone. Li Yao didn't realize that he had turned the phone to a speaker mode.

"Is she hurt?" Li Yao heard Mu Lihai's voice from over the phone. She was shocked. He really was on the phone with Xu Cheng!

"Doesn't look like it." Xu Cheng answered after he inspected Li Yao from head to toe. Making her feel strange due to him being a doctor.

"Hm.. when I see her again this time.. your girlfriend's quite a beauty. Why didn't I realize this sooner?" Xu Cheng said while contemplating something in his head.

Li Yao felt like she was played or teased to some extent but she didn't know what to say.

"Don't touch her. No, don't even look at her." they both heard the intimidating sound from the other line and were surprised to see this side of Mu Lihai.

He was always a cool-headed guy after six years of studying like a maniac. Now Xu Cheng wasn't sure anymore. He remembered the last time Mu Lihai used this tone when talking was when they argued over something small before their graduation party in highschool.

So his best friend was coming back to his past self?

Xu Cheng scrutinized Li Yao again and he had a smile over his lips. This woman in front of him was the reason. He had nothing to worry about now. Mu Lihai would be fine.

"I called you just now but you were in another call. I didn't expect it would be Xu Cheng." stepping out from her reverie, Li Yao leaned closer towards Xu Cheng who was holding the phone in his hand.

"Is that so? I didn't notice it, sorry." Mu Lihai spoke to her and she told him it was okay.

"Hey Cheng, give the phone to my dear. I want to talk to her alone." Mu Lihai's unexpected words threw Li Yao off the railing.

Why was he calling her with the endearment?! They agreed to call each other such names only when they were alone!

"Stop feeding me dog food, you couple." Xu Cheng sighed as he handed the phone to Li Yao which she accepted almost immediately. She wanted to give Mu Lihai a piece of her mind!