How Did the Divorce Court Award Me to the Lawyer?

Lawyer Jiang Yuche takes on a new case: a divorce suit.

His client, He Yi, is the man he secretly loved for ten whole years, the one who vanished without a trace after graduation.

The once spirited young man has fallen on hard times. His family is broke, he is buried in debt, and his marriage has reached its end.

Yet He Yi still forces a smile and raises an eyebrow like he used to. "I'll just start over! It's just that I need money to start a business, and it's really got me worried."

Jiang Yuche looks calm on the outside, but inside, a storm is raging.

He carefully lays his plans and, by a roundabout route, offers an "investment with no strings attached."

"We're friends. Don't mention it."

Those words, the ones he least means, are the deep affection he has hidden for ten years.

He Yi: "Oh, Yuche! You're such a great friend! From now on, you're my brother for life!"

Jiang Yuche lowers his eyes and smiles.

Fine, brothers will do.

As long as I can still be in your life, I'll take any role.

In the days that follow, Jiang Yuche quietly gives and drops hints like crazy.

He Yi takes all his efforts as something a good buddy would do, and perfectly sidesteps every one of his advances.

Until one day, He Yi shows up at his door, excitedly carrying two bottles of Erguotou.

The door opens, and there he is!

A strange man is holding roses and confessing his love to Jiang Yuche!

He Yi is dumbstruck. The bottles in his hands nearly end up as an offering to the Earth God, while his mind races: What's going on? Is some guy acting out a romantic drama with my buddy? Wait... since when was he into men?!!

He watches Jiang Yuche turn the man down outright, and the rejected suitor slinks away.

Jiang Yuche turns to him, his gaze deep and captivating.

He Yi gives an awkward laugh, trying to ease the tension. "Well, well, Lawyer Jiang... you've got quite a market, huh? Men and women alike are chasing you right to your door?"

Jiang Yuche doesn't respond. He simply takes a step forward, blocking He Yi in the entryway, and asks in a low, heavy voice, "Did I scare you?"

"No! Not at all!"

He Yi presses his back against the door. "I've seen it all..."

"Have you?" Jiang Yuche's gaze falls on his face, slowly tracing every inch as if examining the most important evidence. Then, softly and slowly, he asks, "Can you tell why I've been so good to you now?"

Jiang Yuche smiles, a little self-deprecatingly, but with the resolve of someone who has nothing left to lose. "He Yi, I'm not that noble."

"From beginning to end, when I treated you well..."

"I never meant to be just your friend."

Now it is He Yi's turn to be completely dumbfounded.

So all that targeted poverty relief was because you had your eye on me?!

[Reading Guide]

1. Devoted, scheming lawyer seme x sharp-tongued, optimistic, straight-man uke. HE.

2. The seme's secret crush comes true. The uke is hopelessly straight at first, then spends the later part of the story questioning his whole life. Includes a slightly comedic pursuit-and-regret arc.

3. Heavy Beijing flavor. The uke's mouth is on loan and overdue for return; he never stops running it.

Theme: I really thought of you as a brother, but you wanted to...