DF Chapter 1

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In the K City, April brought frequent drizzle. It was the afternoon class break, and students dashed across the campus, holding their books and backpacks over their heads to shield them from the rain.
Zhen Yi stepped into a puddle as she hurried to take shelter under the big tree at the alley entrance, raising her head to see tender green buds sprouting from the branches and the vast northern sky above.
At the end of the alley stood an old small building from the late Qing era and early Republic era, with white cherry blossoms blooming in the courtyard, and petals scattered all around. It was serene and elegant, like a hidden paradise, contrasting with the surrounding with the academic buildings.
A spring breeze brushed through the treetops, causing raindrops to fall from the leaves. One icy drop slipped down her neck, making Zhen Yi shiver. She dashed through the rain and sprinted into the small building at the alley’s end.
The wooden door creaked as she entered. Inside, most of the furniture was old wood, giving the place a warm and cozy feel.
The old-fashioned radio was playing the news: “A week after the victim Tang’s suicide in the Lin Ziyi rape case, the Lanting District People’s Court has ruled there is insufficient evidence and have dismissed the rape charges against Lin Ziyi and the other three accused. Yesterday, the victim’s family announced they would accept the court’s decision. This case, which has dragged on for three months now…”
Zhen Yi took off her jacket, shaking off the petals and raindrops, and noticed that the window was open, letting rainwater in, so she quickly grabbed the hook pulled the wooden window to shut, and locked the latch.
The house was in the name of her grandfather, who had once been a philosophy professor at K University. He had spent his life immersed in research and had never cared much for mundane things like appearances. Forget about closing windows; he even needed reminders to have his three meals a day. Nowadays, people describe him as an intelligent but scatterbrained old man.
Zhen Yi had been so busy these past four months that she hadn’t had time to visit her grandfather. Her cousin, who had married into a wealthy family years ago, had hired a nanny, Sister Zhang, to take care of him. But today, Sister Zhang had taken the day off, so Zhen Yi had come to check on him.
The clock on the wall showed 2:30 PM, meaning her grandfather’s afternoon nap should be over. Just as she was about to head upstairs, she noticed a delicate paper box on the mahogany chair—it was from the United States. She remembered then that her sister, who worked on Wall Street, had sent her a gift to celebrate the conclusion of her first major case. It was indeed a big case, one that many lawyers might not encounter even once in their careers.
Zhen Yi opened the paper box. Inside there was a backless, diamond-studded short dress, with layers of white tulle overlaid by a window lattice design. It was quite stunning. Her thoughtful sister had even gifted her a matching handbag and high heels.
The phone in the living room rang, and she picked it up, cradling it between her ear and shoulder. “Hello?”
The person on the other end seemed surprised, pausing before speaking slowly, “Is this the Zhen residence?”, The man’s voice was low and gentle, and Zhen Yi instinctively felt as though a string in her heart had been plucked. Zhen residence? The name sounded refined and old-fashioned, but her grandfather had come from a family of scholars, with students from all over the world. So, calling it the Zhen residence wasn’t pretentious at all.
As she wondered about it, the man on the other end didn’t seem in a rush. He waited calmly and patiently, without any trace of anxiety.
In the silence, all she could hear was the sound of raindrops hitting the banana leaves outside the wooden window.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Zhen Yi quickly put down the dress and took the phone properly in her hand. “Yes, this is the Zhen residence. Who are you looking for?”
“I have made an appointment to visit Professor Zhen at three o’clock. Is the professor available at home?”
“He’s here.”
“Thank you,” he replied gracefully and hung up the phone.
Her grandfather came downstairs, dressed in a wrinkled cotton robe, his white hair messy like a disheveled scholar from the late Qing Dynasty. Zhen Yi told him that someone was coming to visit him, and after some effort, she managed to comb his messy hair, but she couldn’t convince him to change his clothes. In the end, she settled for ironing the robe he was wearing.
Outside, the rain continued to fall softly, and the low hum of the radio filled the room: “…In the courtroom, prosecutor Yin Duo and the victim’s lawyer Zhen Yi skillfully dismantled the defendants’ arguments during a surprise cross-examination, leaving them defenseless. Legal experts believe Lin Ziyi and the other three defendants will face a minimum sentence of ten years. However, during the second trial, the defense presented strong evidence that the victim Tang was a sex worker, and Tang, unable to bear the title of sex worker, later jumped to her death…”
Click! Zhen Yi expressionlessly turned off the radio.
The rain had stopped, so she reopened the wooden windows, propping them open one by one with wooden frames. After tidying the house, making sure that everything was clean and bright. She started brewing tea for her grandfather’s guest, and she finally headed upstairs, clutching the dress.
The dress fit perfectly, and wearing it made her feel light and graceful. In a good mood, she took off the short dress, but suddenly, she heard her grandfather shouting, “Flood!”Zhen Yi grabbed a shirt and rushed downstairs, only to find her grandfather had spilled hot water all over the table. Steam billowed up from the surface. Without hesitation, she grabbed the coat hanging on the nearby rack and used it to block the flow of water, preventing it from reaching her grandfather’s feet.
“Don’t worry, old man, it’s all good now!” she teased him playfully. But then she heard someone quietly closing the door behind her. The sound was so light and careful as if the person didn’t want to draw the attention of the people in the house, but the old wooden door still made a creaking sound.
Having rushed down from upstairs, Zhen Yi’s outfit was a bit messy, but not enough to be inappropriate. The way the door had been closed made the situation even more awkward.
Feeling uncomfortable, she quickly went back upstairs. Not long after, her grandfather called from downstairs, “Yi’er, the guest is leaving.”
Zhen Yi stubbornly refused to go see him off. With a pout, she raised her voice reluctantly, “Goodbye!” The guest didn’t respond.
Once he was gone, she came downstairs to find the floor already wiped clean. Surprised, she thought to herself—her grandfather didn’t even know where the mop was. It must have been the guest who had cleaned up for him, worried that the old man might slip and fall. The table had also been wiped down, and there was an overcoat in the trash bin.
Suddenly, a thought struck Zhen Yi. Had she used the guest’s coat to mop up the water? She retrieved it, only to find it was a custom-made Zegna coat.
Zhen Yi let out a cry of despair and, clutching the coat, rushed out the door like a whirlwind.
At the entrance of the alley, a black Porsche was parked, with someone holding a black umbrella for the man about to get into the car. He was impeccably dressed in a suit, bending slightly to enter the vehicle.
“Wait a moment!” Zhen Yi ran over, splashing through the puddles, mud, and water flying everywhere.
The man straightened up and slightly tilted his head but didn’t turn around.
Whether it was the car or the man, passing students couldn’t help but glance in their direction.
Standing behind him, Zhen Yi realized just how tall he was. His back faced her, and his perfectly tailored suit showed not a single crease. The person holding the umbrella glanced at her, his expression cold and distant.
Raindrops fell from the leaves overhead, hitting the umbrella with a soft patter. Standing just outside its protection, Zhen Yi shrank her neck and, in a calm, composed voice, said, “I accidentally used your coat to block the water. How about I wash it and return it to you later?”
“No need for that,” he replied mildly, bending over to get into the car. But before he did, he paused slightly and said, “Professor Zhen’s guidance is far more valuable than a coat.”
Guidance? From her grandfather? In his current state?
Zhen Yi was puzzled, but she was the type to go with the flow. Since he said it didn’t matter, she decided not to dwell on it. As she turned to leave, however, her eyes caught a glimpse of his handsome, refined profile.
It was as if a cherry blossom petal had blown into the air, floating gently around him. She stood there, momentarily dazed by the sight.
“Yan Ge?” she asked, uncertain about the man’s identity. Stepping closer with his coat in her arms, she smiled brightly, “Long time no see.”
“Sorry, but I don’t remember you,” he said, before turning and getting into the car.
She knew he had a poor memory of people and she didn’t mind that. She was happy to see him again after all these years. “You forgot? I’m Zhen…”
Before she could finish, the man holding the umbrella closed the car door. All Zhen Yi caught was a glimpse of his sharp jawline—very pale.
Watching the car drive away, Zhen Yi shrugged indifferently. It had been eight years since they last met. Given his detached personality, it was only natural for him to have forgotten her. Back in high school, she would’ve shamelessly teased him, saying something like, “Hey, remember me? I’m the girl who had a crush on you!” just to see his ears turn red in embarrassment. But she wasn’t as bold as she used to be. He, on the other hand, was still as indifferent to her as ever, not even bothering with a simple greeting.
Returning to the house, Zhen Yi found her grandfather sitting at the table, happily eating a walnut brownie. She snatched the plate away, glaring at him. “You stubborn old man, how many times do I have to tell you not to eat sweets at your age?”
Her grandfather held onto his fork and gave her a pitiful look, “It’s sugar-free.”