Chapter 9 — Marriage Book

The finger paused on the call button for a moment, then finally pressed it down. The other party picked up the phone very quickly. Chu Nhiem's voice was decisive.

“Lawyer Chu, I am Chu Khai Hang.” He tried to keep his voice calm, "The agreement you gave me yesterday, I saw it."

“So what?” Chu Nhiem's voice was emotionless.

“I want to talk.” Chu Khai Hang swallowed hard, "Can this matter not be too great, so that both sides can feel more comfortable?"

“Mr. Chu.” Chu Nhiem interrupted, "If you're calling to convey your 'want to come back' message, then you're calling the wrong person. I only represent the client to handle legal issues."

“If you want to discuss specific terms in the agreement and need to negotiate adjustments, I'll give you thirty minutes at three o'clock this afternoon in the conference room of our office.”

“You can bring your lawyer.”

“I haven't hired a lawyer yet.” Chu Khai Hang started to get angry, "It's just a divorce, does it need to be so complicated?"

"It's not up to you to decide whether it's complicated or not." Chu Nhiem's voice was so cold that it almost had no temperature, "Who came up with the 'independent economic agreement upon marriage', you know."

"I consider marriage to be a contract. Now that the contract is terminated, of course the process must be followed."

“If it's not convenient for you to come, you can meet online, but I recommend meeting in person.”

Chu Khai Hang was silent for a few seconds, then finally spoke.

“Okay, I'll be there at three.”

Hanging up the phone, a feeling of guilt flashed through his heart. Returning to his desk, he opened the scanned divorce file and read it again from beginning to end. Every word is like a pin in the eye, especially the sentence.

“Confirming that the independent economic agreement upon marriage was signed under unfair conditions.”

The thought suddenly flashed in his mind, "If only I hadn't offered that in the first place", but was immediately repelled by stubbornness. It's just a divorce, at most it's signed. But as soon as he thought that after signing, he would be known as "the man who failed in marriage" in front of everyone, he felt a lump in his chest. Time passed in that struggle, and it finally arrived at two fifty in the afternoon. He picked up the documents on the table, said to Tran Khoa, "I'll take half a day off this afternoon", then hurried downstairs and got into the elevator. The elevator door opened on the twenty-sixth floor, he stepped out, saw the sign "Hanh Nhat Law Office", his heart suddenly beat a few beats faster. The receptionist politely invited him to register, then led him into the meeting room. Chu Nhiem was already sitting there, on the table was a divorce petition and a stack of documents. She was wearing a neatly tailored gray suit, her hair tied back in a bun, completely different from the girl who used to sit in the dormitory, resting her feet and criticizing drama-filled love stories.

“Mr. Chu.” Chu Nhiem looked up at him, "Please sit down."

Chu Khai Hang stiffly sat down opposite him, his palms were sweaty.

“Are you going alone?” Chu Nhiem glanced at the thin document in his hand.

“It's just a signature.” He tried to sound gentle, "I want to clarify a few things."

"Okay." Chu Nhiem nodded, opened the agreement, "Tell me."

“I have no opinion on the property part of the agreement.” Chu Khai Hang said first, "Everyone's property before marriage belongs to each person, no problem."

“But the part related to the 'other agreement', the sentence 'the female party reserves the right to request invalidity', isn't that a bit too much? No, I didn't force her to sign, she clearly wrote her name herself.

“Whether she is willing or not, I don't know.” Chu Nhiem asked back, her eyes were cold, "Your mother turned on the speakerphone, on the other end of the line constantly putting pressure, you stood next to watch, and didn't say a word of conciliation. Do you call that 'voluntary'?"

"Furthermore, even if the court later finds that the agreement is partially valid, we do not intend to sue immediately, we only retain the right."

“The rights inherently belong to her, you have no right to question them.”

Chu Khai Hang's throat was blocked, his face turned red, his lips moved but he couldn't say anything.

“Second, the part related to children.” He tried to regain his composure, "You write 'the party directly raising is responsible for'. This sentence is not clear. If you really have a child in the future, who is the 'directly raising' person? It's your lawyer's decision."

"Are not." Chu Nhiem replied very slowly, "The court decides."

“Mr. Zhou, what are you worried about when you keep focusing on the future cost of raising a child?”

She looked straight at him, her eyes so calm that they were almost piercing.

"I'm worried that in the future I won't be able to get the child, but I'll still have to pay for it."

“Or are you worried that in the future someone will be willing to give birth to your child, but won't accept your 'AA' precedent.”

Chu Khai Hang's breath stopped, his thoughts were spoken to, his face turned blue and white.