You Have the Right to Keep a Secret Love

Extra 1 : 【Late Spring】Qi Xi's Mom

Xi Wen never imagined that divorce would happen to her. Over the past few months, she felt like she was living through a long nightmare. In an instant, everything that belonged to her collapsed, and she gazed at the ruins before her, unsure if her past self had ever truly lived.

The incident occurred in winter, and it seemed as though her life had suddenly plunged into a perpetual winter, filled with desolation and emptiness.

Fortunately, she had Qi Xi by her side, along with Qi Xi's colleagues and boss. With their support, Xi Wen was able to navigate through the quick divorce and asset preservation and start afresh.

Upon the recommendation of Gu Xuehan, she began an internship at a startup law firm.

Xi Wen had once excelled academically, but she had been out of the workplace for too long. Despite being older than the other interns who had just graduated, she had not accumulated enough relevant experience.

Regret was futile; one can only move forward without looking back.

Fortunately, the founder of this new law firm was Zhao Lin, Xi Wen's former senior from university. He had previously worked in the court, where his ex-wife was also a colleague. Zhao Lin had been a prominent figure back then due to his handsome appearance, gentle and just demeanor, and high popularity. Many people pursued him, but he had never dated anyone. It was later rumored that his ex-wife, who was also his colleague at the court, had relentlessly pursued him, and eventually, they fell in love after spending time together. However...

"However, Zhao Lin had heavy responsibilities at the grassroots level of the court, and he was deeply dedicated to his work, leaving little time for romance or indulgence. He never engaged in any shady dealings for extra income, leading a modest life. His ex-wife initially pursued him because of his good looks, envisioning a romantic and blissful marriage like those in TV dramas. She had materialistic desires. However, after marrying Zhao Lin, reality didn't meet her expectations at all. They decided not to have children, but a few years later, his ex-wife lost interest and quickly started an affair with one of the wealthy young graduates who had recently joined the court. When Zhao Lin found out, he calmly went through with the divorce."

"Probably because he was quite hurt, and staying at the court would easily stir up emotions, so despite having a promising future at the court, he resigned. He insisted on leaving to start his own law practice. He used to work in the juvenile court, so now he wants to utilize his previous work experience and specialize in representing juvenile cases."

Gu Xuehan explained while also feeling a bit nostalgic, "Actually, the court tried to retain him. They practically promised him that he wouldn't leave, and he would be the next deputy chief judge. He was very determined." Gu Xuehan glanced at Xi Wen and added, "So, Xi Wen, when the time comes, be mindful not to ask about his wife or anything. He's actually just gone through a divorce."

Gu Xuehan provided Xi Wen with a lot of practical advice, but there was something Xi Wen felt a bit embarrassed to mention—she knew Zhao Lin, or more accurately, she knew of Zhao Lin.

Before she started dating Qi Rui, Xi Wen, like any other female student at the law school, had once harbored a crush on Zhao Lin. It's a bit complicated to explain. Initially, Zhao Lin was also in the debate team, and Xi Wen's initial motivation for joining the debate team was somewhat related to Zhao Lin. However, by the time she joined, Zhao Lin was already busy with his internship, so their interactions were limited. He occasionally came to the debate team to give guidance, but it was never one-on-one. After all, Zhao Lin was popular, and there were always many people around him.

There's something Xi Wen has never told anyone, not even her daughter Qi Xi—Xi Wen didn't start off with Qi Rui. In fact, quite the opposite, she didn't have any feelings for Qi Rui at first. She even asked him to help deliver a love letter to Zhao Lin...