Jing Yongwei slammed the file shut. His eyes flicked to Xi Jiayi—too calm, too steady. Not the fragile girl she had seemed. There was more here. He could feel it. But pressing now would only expose his own footing.
At length, he exhaled. "…Miss Xi will not be detained tonight. But she may be summoned again."
Han Ruiming closed his folder with a decisive snap. "She will cooperate—provided the law is respected."
"You can leave!" Jing Yongwei leaned back, staring at the seventeen year old girl.
Xi Jiayi inclined her head. "Understood."
She rose without hesitation. Han Ruiming stood as well, gathering his folder with clean precision before moving to her side.
The gesture wasn't protective, not exactly—but it carried weight. Respect. Authority.
Jing Yongwei's gaze followed them out, thoughts circling darkly. A seventeen-year-old orphan with Qilin International's behind her back, isn't something normal. She's not as fragile as she looks.
But he stayed silent. For now.
---
In the lobby, Jun Meiyu leapt from her seat the moment she saw them.
"Miss Xi!" She hurried forward, panic spilling from her voice. "Are you alright? Did they threaten you? What did they—"
Han Ruiming's voice cut smoothly into her flurry. "She's fine."
Jun Meiyu startled, turning toward him properly for the first time. He extended a hand, his tone polite but firm.
"Hello Miss Jun! I am Han Ruiming. Senior Counsel, Qilin International Group. I'll be overseeing this case from here."
Jun Meiyu blinked, stunned. She didn't know who he was, but she knew the name—Qilin International.
For years their shadow had loomed over every industry. A lawyer from Qilin was someone people saw on television, negotiating billion-dollar deals. Not in a police station past midnight. Not standing here, speaking with her.
Her relief tangled with unease. This was too much. Too high, too far above her reach. How could she possibly afford something like this?
Han Ruiming caught it all. Her face was an open book, every thought written clear across her expression. A veteran of a thousand boardrooms, he had read men far more cunning than her. He spoke before she could voice her doubts.
"Miss Xi is my client. And since she's already entangled in this matter, it's better I take the lead. You don't need to be concerned about fees or obligations. I take one or two pro bono cases every year. Consider this one of them."
Jun Meiyu's lips trembled. "But—"
"It's fine." His voice was steady, decisive, leaving no cracks for argument.
Jun Meiyu's eyes darted to Xi Jiayi. The girl stood there, bandages stark against her pale skin, but her calm never wavered. "Teacher Jun," Xi Jiayi said softly, "you don't need to worry. It's okay."
Her reassurance hit harder than any elaborate promise. Jun Meiyu's breath shuddered. She bowed low, deeply, to Han Ruiming. "Thank you. Truly, thank you."
Then she turned to Xi Jiayi, her voice breaking. "Miss Xi… I don't know how to thank you. You put yourself in danger for me. I—I'll never forget this. I'm sorry. I dragged you into this mess."
Xi Jiayi shook her head, steady as stone. "Don't be. I would have done it anyway."
Jun Meiyu's eyes burned. She looked at the girl before her—fragile in appearance, yet stronger than anyone she had ever known. Gratitude filled her gaze until it hurt.
Han Ruiming glanced at the clock, then at the two of them. His tone left no room for debate.
"It's late. I'll drop both of you off. The streets aren't safe right now."
Xi Jiayi opened her mouth to refuse, but the hour pressed in—dark, heavy, unsafe. She simply nodded.
Jun Meiyu began to shake her head in protest, flustered. "No, no, that's too much—"
But Xi Jiayi's hand closed around her arm, pulling her gently forward before she could say more. "Let's go."
The three of them stepped out into the night, leaving the station lights behind.
---