“Tell me already! Or should I come over right now? Ugh, I have a case to deal with in a bit. Qiqi, dear Qiqi, don''t keep me in suspense,” Bai Yu pleaded, clasping her hands together.


    Seeing Bai Yu so agitated, practically ready to jump through the screen and shake her shoulders, Lu Qiqi couldn''t help but laugh, her worries momentarily forgotten.


    “On our wedding day, I saw him and Shen Manli together, and it clearly wasn''t their first time. I can''t tolerate betrayal.”


    Lu Qiqi briefly recounted the incident of catching Si Qinyu and Shen Manli together on their wedding day. However, she concealed the fact that she, too, had lost her innocence in a twist of fate. Thinking of this, she gave a self-deprecating smile. It seemed that no matter what, she and Si Qinyu were destined for divorce.


    "He, Si Qinyu, actually dared to cheat? On their wedding night? What a scumbag! I''m going to kill him!" Bai Yu couldn''t believe her ears. She slammed her hand on the table in anger. Ouch, it hurt. This wasn''t a dream.


    "Don''t get too worked up. You know I can''t tolerate betrayal, so divorce is inevitable. Help me maximize my interests." Lu Qiqi had already passed the peak of her anger. She interrupted Bai Yu, urging her to calm down.


    Seeing Lu Qiqi''s expressionless face, as if she had already accepted the reality, Bai Yu felt a surge of heartache in addition to her anger.


    She knew how deep the feelings between Lu Qiqi and Si Qinyu were. Although Lu Qiqi didn''t express her love as directly and passionately as Si Qinyu, she loved him with all her heart.


    She had once looked forward to the wedding, to marriage, so much. Now, her heart must be aching terribly. Bai Yu felt a stinging sensation in her nose, and tears almost welled up, but she quickly suppressed them.


    To avoid making Lu Qiqi recall more painful memories, Bai Yu adopted a professional tone and analyzed the situation seriously: "Qiqi, from a personal standpoint, I support you leaving this unhappy marriage. But from a lawyer''s perspective, I advise against divorce."


    Divorcing now might feel good emotionally, but the economic ties between the Lu and Si families are too complex. It''s very likely that your assets will shrink during the lengthy divorce proceedings.


    "Many wealthy couples are married for the sake of their companies, maintaining a facade of harmony in public while leading separate lives in private. If you''ve already given up on him, I don''t think you need to insist on a divorce. Whether it''s for revenge or for love, you can find a few good-looking younger guys to date and have some fun."


    In a marriage so entangled with interests, pursuing true love is like a dream. Since her best friend''s dream was shattered, she had to protect her best interests.


    Knowing that Bai Yu was looking out for her, Lu Qiqi felt a wave of gratitude but smiled bitterly. "Xiaoyu, if it were just emotional betrayal, I wouldn''t be so resolute. We could have talked it out and parted amicably..."If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Even though some time had passed, Lu Qiqi still felt a dull ache in her heart when she recalled the conversation she had overheard that day. Her face turned pale, and she couldn''t help but grip the edge of the table, her knuckles turning white.


    Seeing this, Bai Yu, on the other end of the video call, felt even more heartbroken. She grabbed her phone, ready to leave the law firm to go to Lu Qiqi. But at the door, her assistant nodded slightly and pointed to the conference room, indicating that a client had arrived and the meeting was about to start.


    No matter how important the client was, they couldn''t compare to her best friend at this moment. Bai Yu frowned and said in a low voice, "Tell them I suddenly fell ill. Postpone the meeting."


    "But..." The assistant hesitated, standing still.


    "There are no buts. Listen to me, go now." Bai Yu snapped, her voice laced with fury. The assistant bit her lip, ready to comply, when Lu Qiqi''s voice came through the phone.


    "Xiao Yu, don''t come over yet. I''m really fine. Go to your meeting. Your work can''t afford any problems, you know that. You''re the only one I trust. I''ll need you to step up for me later."


    Hearing that Bai Yu was about to ditch a major client for her sake, Lu Qiqi was both touched and anxious. She quickly interjected, "And I''m actually about to head out. I''m busy here too. Let''s just talk for a few more minutes and then hang up."


    "Really?" Bai Yu was skeptical. She leaned closer to the screen, scrutinizing Lu Qiqi. Only after confirming that she did seem to be in a decent state did she return to her office, signaling to her assistant that the meeting wouldn''t need to be delayed.


    The assistant breathed a sigh of relief, as if granted amnesty.


    Back in the room, since Bai Yu had a meeting to attend, the two women kept their conversation brief. Bai Yu helped her outline a plan.


    "First, you need to take stock of your pre-marital assets. From today onwards, they must not be mixed with the Si family''s. Second, for the assets that have already been mixed, you need to find ways to legally transfer them out gradually. I can give you a few suggestions..."


    "Oh, right. Although legally, Si Qinyu''s infidelity during the marriage won''t make him lose everything in the divorce, you can use legal means to gather more evidence. This will help you secure more benefits, especially since the Si family prides themselves on their reputation. At crucial moments, like when the company goes public, it might prove surprisingly effective."


    Speaking of reputation, Bai Yu felt a surge of irony and disgust.


    Her words flowed rapidly, clear and concise, like a barrage of bullets. She was like a warrior, ready to fight tooth and nail to defend her friend.


    "Okay, I understand." Lu Qiqi carefully committed each point to memory. Her heart, which had been cold for so long, began to feel a faint warmth. No matter what, she had such a good friend who stood by her side, unconditionally supporting and helping her.


    After hanging up, Lu Qiqi washed her face. The cold water jolted her awake. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she forced a smile.


    "Don''t cry, Lu Qiqi. Keep smiling. Smile as you watch the Si family crumble. Smile until the very end!"


    Sitting at her vanity, Lu Qiqi meticulously drew her eyebrows. Her features were beautiful and delicate, her eyes curved in an innocent, pure expression. This was the mask she would wear.


    Suddenly, her phone vibrated.


    She glanced at the caller ID, and seeing it was Fang Lehong, she casually put the call on speakerphone. Her face showed no respect, yet her voice was incredibly gentle, "Hey, Mom, what''s up?"


    "Qiqi, I ran into Mrs. Chu after my beauty treatment. It seems she sprained her ankle. I saw her heading to the hospital just now. Why don''t you go over and check on her? And maybe ask that friend of yours for help again."


    Fang Lehong''s loving and kind voice came through the phone, but it carried an imperceptible air of command, as if Lu Qiqi were her subordinate, to be dispatched at will.


    Lu Qiqi had mentioned knowing a doctor at this hospital, and since Fang Lehong couldn''t be bothered to go herself, she called Lu Qiqi specifically, asking her to maintain the relationship between the Si and Chu families, hoping to curry more favor with the Chu family for the Si family.