Gia Moc Vi never expected that the consultant today would recognize her.
When the two crossed paths, the man exclaimed in surprise, "Oh? Miss Moc Vi? So you're also a lawyer?"
Gia Moc Vi observed the man, who looked to be around forty, then politely replied, "And you are?"
He scratched his head and laughed. "You don't remember me? I'm Lam Pham, the owner of the Michelin restaurant! Back then, a customer claimed they found a fly in their dish, and you helped testify that they tampered with the food."
Naturally, Gia Moc Vi didn't remember.
The man added, "After that, you often came to our restaurant to pack food, saying it was for your boyfriend, and you even asked us to decorate it nicely."
"..." Gia Moc Vi froze.
What?!
All the meals she brought to Ve Dinh Tieu…
Were actually "assisted" by a Michelin restaurant?!
No wonder Ve Dinh Tieu said her previous cooking standards were so high…
Gia Moc Vi had found the truth.
Dam Uyen Chi beside her was laughing so hard her shoulders shook. "I didn't expect that, Moc Vi. You sure know how to 'woo' men."
Gia Moc Vi felt like someone had slapped her, her face burning hot.
Surely Ve Dinh Tieu must have already guessed that her previous "cooking skills" had been "diluted," which was why he told her that once her memory returned, she didn't need to "act" anymore.
Help.
So embarrassing.
Being exposed like this in public was truly… humiliating.
Gia Moc Vi collapsed mentally for a moment, then silently sat next to Khuong Tich Yen, burying her head in her notebook, pretending to study.
Today's consultation client was Lam Pham, the owner of a 3-star Michelin restaurant. His wife was suing for divorce on suspicion of infidelity, demanding a large compensation.
Khuong Tich Yen asked a few simple questions: "Is this a second marriage for both of you?"
Lam Pham nodded. "Yes, she has a son from her previous marriage. He's 28 this year."
Gia Moc Vi evaluated the client. Earlier he'd said he was 41. His wife's son was 28. That meant…
"My wife is nine years older than me," Lam Pham said.
A man younger than his wife, huh.
Gia Moc Vi had no particular opinion about marriages where the husband seemed to be in the "weaker" position.
"You think I'm weak because I'm younger than my wife, don't you? I get it. Ever since marrying Duc Linh, a lot of people talk about me like that."
"I know I don't deserve someone as outstanding as Duc Linh, so these past years I've worked hard managing the restaurant she gave me."
"The woman in the photos is just a waitress at my restaurant. We only have a normal work relationship. I don't even know how these photos were taken, but we are absolutely not in the kind of intimate relationship those pictures show."
Lam Pham's voice grew increasingly helpless, as though he had explained this countless times to his wife already.
Several photos were laid out on the table.
All of them were intimate photos of a man and a woman.
And the man sitting before Khuong Tich Yen was the male lead of these photos.
The woman was very pretty and looked young. Some photos even showed the two leaning close, almost kissing.
Khuong Tich Yen frowned slightly. "But based on the photos the private investigator your wife hired captured, you did behave too intimately with another woman."
"You insist the photos are all about angles, but whether she believes you or not depends entirely on your wife's decision."
Lam Pham persisted, "I understand. That's why I want to prove my innocence and save this marriage."
Gia Moc Vi understood very clearly.
One side wanted to divorce, and the other didn't.
But Khuong Tich Yen didn't answer immediately. She merely frowned slightly.
"So it still won't work?" Lam Pham lowered his head sadly.
"I heard Lawyer Khuong has a very high win rate and never loses, so I've always hoped to book an appointment with you."
"I really don't want to divorce Duc Linh. I don't care if people call me a freeloader or look down on me for being weaker than my wife. I love her, and I've never even thought about betraying her."
He spoke like he was making a vow, hoping others would see how desperately he wanted to keep his marriage.
To be honest
There was a reason Khuong Tich Yen disliked divorce cases: she hated watching couples who once loved each other end up in court as enemies.
Every time she saw such situations, she was reminded of her marriage with Dang Chi Xuyen…
Besides, she had a legal seminar coming up, and its timing conflicted with Lam Pham's case. She could only gently say, "I'm sorry."
Lam Pham's eyes turned red as he forced a smile. "Well… I understand. Then I'll take my leave…"
Just as he was about to stand up, the young woman beside her picked up the photos and examined them carefully.
"These photos cannot prove you committed adultery."
Lam Pham looked up, stunned, hope flickering in his eyes. "Really? Miss Moc Vi, you believe me?"
Gia Moc Vi neither nodded nor shook her head. "I believe the evidence."
Khuong Tich Yen looked at her student, a faint smile appearing. "Oh? Moc Vi. Why do you think these photos can't prove adultery?"
Gia Moc Vi spoke calmly, "The camera used to take these photos is the newest model. Its logo is still visible in the lower-right corner. If Mr. Lam were truly having an affair, why did the investigator only take photos and not record video? Video is far more convincing, isn't it?"
Dam Uyen Chi, holding a tray of tea, leaned forward and murmured, "That's true!"
Lam Pham nodded rapidly. "Yes! Exactly!"
Khuong Tich Yen didn't mind her student interrupting and simply smiled, turning to Lam Pham.
"Just repeat what my student said to your wife. If she still has feelings for you, she'll listen and make her own judgment."
As a wife herself, that was what Khuong Tich Yen believed.
After Lam Pham left
Khuong Tich Yen grinned at Gia Moc Vi. "Moc Vi, do you think his wife will believe him?"
Gia Moc Vi shook her head.
Dam Uyen Chi was confused. "Eh? But didn't you just say the photos can't prove he cheated?"
Gia Moc Vi replied, "I only said those photos can't prove he committed adultery. I didn't say he definitely didn't cheat."
Dam Uyen Chi nodded slowly, and Khuong Tich Yen looked extremely pleased.
"Moc Vi, do you know the most important quality of a lawyer?"
Gia Moc Vi shook her head.
Khuong Tich Yen said firmly, "Eighty percent trust, twenty percent doubt."
Trust your client's words, but always keep a question mark in your heart. People instinctively avoid admitting the wrongs they commit.
And in what they avoid… lies human nature.
What Gia Moc Vi didn't expect was
The man she met in the law office during the day
She saw the woman from the photos at Doctor Ha's hospital that evening.
Though it was only a glimpse of her side profile
Gia Moc Vi instantly recognized the woman entering the elevator still in a nurse uniform, clean and delicate, with the same face as the woman in the photos only without the heavy makeup.
Hadn't that woman worked at Lam Pham's restaurant?
Why was she at a hospital?
Did she have a second job?
That was quite a career range.
Gia Moc Vi didn't think too much of it and followed Ve Dinh Tieu to Doctor Ha's office.
After some preliminary checks, Doctor Ha performed hypnosis therapy.
Though it didn't awaken any memories, Gia Moc Vi slept extremely well on the therapy chair.
When she opened her eyes, Doctor Ha was shining a light into them.
Seeing her awake, he told Ve Dinh Tieu, "She still needs to continue the medication. Her sleep quality is poor, so I can't perform deep hypnosis. Also, the sour feeling in her brain when seeing the goat-horn dagger she described indicates that the memory-deepening method I mentioned is showing slight effect."
"This object must be very significant to her. Something she carried for a long time, forming a deep-rooted imprint on her brain."
Ve Dinh Tieu nodded.
Gia Moc Vi's sleep had indeed been terrible lately.
Worried about returning to her usual work as soon as possible, she had been staying up all night to study, barely sleeping.
"Do I need sedatives?" she asked.
Doctor Ha shook his head. "No need. You're currently in a mentally sensitive state. It's best to fall asleep naturally."
"If your sleep quality is too poor, drink warm milk before bed and avoid electronics thirty minutes before sleeping."
"In the afternoon, do some light exercise like yoga or jogging. Having a healthy physical relationship with your roommate can also improve sleep quality…"
"..." Ve Dinh Tieu.
"???" Gia Moc Vi.
Doctor Ha, however, didn't think much of it.
From the beginning, his old friend Ngan So had introduced them as a young couple.
And throughout their visits, he assumed they were an engaged couple, so he casually offered the advice, completely unaware that Gia Moc Vi was frozen stiff.
"Yes, I understand," Ve Dinh Tieu said.
"?"
He understands?
He understands WHAT exactly???
Ve Dinh Tieu glanced at the hospital report in her hands. She was crumpling it like she wanted to tear it apart. Then he chuckled. "Come on, let's go home."
Gia Moc Vi followed him silently.
Ever since losing her memory, Ve Dinh Tieu was the closest person in her life.
Though they lived together as boyfriend and girlfriend, Ve Dinh Tieu had never done anything that crossed the line.
Before Doctor Ha's comment, Gia Moc Vi thought keeping a bit of distance was perfectly fine.
But after those words, she began reassessing their relationship.
Was it… actually quite delicate?
She had memory loss, not amnesia about how couples worked.
And he had never brought the topic up this whole time. So he probably didn't intend to do anything… right?
Right?
He probably… didn't intend to do anything… right?