Line of Constant direction, Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Anchor Up

The security guards on patrol turned off the last light in the corridor.



Xu Heng was the only one left in the office, facing a table full of messy case files and materials. The fast food box delivered by the takeaway had already cooled, and the characteristic greasy smell of the gutter oil after it had cooled drifted away, filling the small, closed compartment.



The vague discomfort in the stomach, she frowned and tried to ignore it again.



The word document was still blank.



Xu Heng is not sure if he has reached his limit, the custody dispute is just a small case, far from the main business of the Huahai Institute - in addition to the parties are the nephew of the shipyard owner.



The brain just can't function, purely subjective resistance.



Closing the laptop hard, she jerked up from her chair. Bending down to pick up the trash can, she shoved the fast food boxes and paper cups from the table into it viciously, then repeatedly stomped on it a few more times.



Not far away the lights in the hall were still on, "Best Shipping Law Firm", "Best Insurance Law Firm", "Best China Law Firm" ...... The shiny gold plaques filled up one whole wall.



On the other side of the wall of honor, there was a white board for notification, on which a few sheets of printed paper were scattered. The Instructions for Enrolling in the Second Round of the Dayang Group's Shipfollowing Training Program are clearly visible, and the recruitment conditions emphasize that "men are preferred."



She has been working as an assistant attorney at Huahai for more than five years now. Zhao has said that everything here is multiplied by two: overtime hours, work intensity and, of course, income.



If you have money to earn, you must also have a life to spend.



Xu Heng gritted his teeth, threw the trash can on the floor, uncovered the registration instructions, and pushed the door open to leave the empty office.



After she left South China University of Political Science and Law, Ms. Zhao still lives in the single apartment assigned by the school. She saw the light on in the fourth floor bedroom, knew the other party was still awake, and dialed the phone.



"Xiao Heng?" Zhao Adherence sounded a little surprised.



"I'm downstairs at your house."



The other end was silent for a moment, "What's up?"



"I'm going to follow the ship."



"Life on board is very hard, you a girl ......"



"I'm not afraid."



The window was pushed open, and a figure peeked out and looked down.



Xu Heng stood motionless by the street lamp, his gaze straight back.



The man's sigh came through the microphone, which was particularly clear in the dark night: "Xu Heng, don't force me."



"Dayang Group is your client," she switched hands for the phone, "I can only look for you."



"It's not up to legal counsel to decide what happens on board."



"What can you decide?" Xu Heng interrupted with some impatience.



Zhao Adherence was choked speechless, "Just because of this morning's case?"



"That's the case I found."



"Colleagues in the institute, learn to share resources."



"What about that ship touchdown earlier? And the insurance recovery at the very beginning." Hearing the tone of the other party's lecture, Xu Heng became even more annoyed.



"Didn't ...... give you a different case?"



"Custody dispute." She sneered out.



"You've only just gotten your license to practice, it's good to practice with a small case first."



After his toes crushed an ant passing by, Xu Heng's voice lowered: "Teacher Zhao, believe it or not, I will go to your house and knock on your door right now?"



Even if Zhao Adherence has left the South China Political Science and Law, eventually still have to mix in the legal world. The two scandals out, not only the identity of the King of Diamonds will not be preserved, the dignity of the teacher will also be swept away.



The window on the fourth floor was closed.



Zhao adhering to the tone has been completely cold down: "This time the 'Longboat' to go East Asia line, the voyage four months, at present the Institute has not been registered. If you really want to go, I'll say hello to the ocean side and get on board on Wednesday."



Xu Heng's heartbeat gradually calmed down, waiting for him to finish his words.



"If you can't arrange that case in your hand, just return it to the secretary, and I'll follow up."



Xu Heng skimmed the corners of his mouth, gave up arguing with it, and only faintly returned the sentence, "It's okay."



"The maritime law cases are big and quick, but it's not that easy to get into the business." Zhao Adherence still wanted to say something, Xu Heng lifted his foot and walked towards the school gate: "Zhao teacher, take an early rest."



"Since you've been in Huahai for so long, don't give up so easily. We'll all find a way to fight for it, and things will slowly get better."



"Thanks." She hung up the phone while leaving as if she was running away.



What could be more despicable than to threaten the other party by exposing the love affair? The streetlights passed by in the cab, and the scenery in front of her was like a bubble.



When I opened the door to my home in the dark, the rhythmic sound of breathing came from the master bedroom.



The backpack was carefully unloaded, and the high heels were put in place side by side. The keys in my hand didn't hold and fell to the floor with a crisp clang.



"Back?" His mother, always a light sleeper, quickly asked in a voice.



"Well," Xu Heng walked into the living room by moonlight, took off his jacket and stretched, "You go to sleep first, you have to go to the hospital tomorrow morning."



A rustling sound came from the master bedroom, and the thin old woman climbed up wrapped in a shawl: "There's still soup in the pot, I'll heat it up for you. So long without eating at home, beware of stomach discomfort again ......"



Xu Heng hurriedly held the thin shoulders and pressed his mother back into bed: "There are working meals at the institute, I'm full."



The course of chronic leukemia is long, except for weakness, night sweats, weight loss, there is no difference with normal people. If it were not for the abnormal blood picture found during the physical examination, Xu's mother might have been like most retired women, shopping for groceries during the day and dancing at night, worrying at most about her only daughter's personal problems.



The moment she received the confirmation of her diagnosis, Xu Heng made up her mind to interrupt her studies.



In her second year as a graduate student in maritime business at South China University of Political Science and Law, she left school and looked for a job during the non-recruitment season.



Only Xu Heng herself knew that she could not afford to wait.



She lost her father when she was young, and her mother, who was an elementary school teacher, was widowed for life and sent her to a prestigious school drop by drop. Now, she was found to be terminally ill when she was about to make it to the top - the reincarnation of heaven, retribution and karma have become a joke. ".



After the first round of chemotherapy, he recovered well and was recommended to take "Gleevec" by his doctor.



The Swiss company Novartis anti-cancer drug, can not take medical insurance, major medical treatment is not included, but can stabilize the disease, to ensure that the patient's normal life; need to take uninterrupted, a box of 23,500 yuan, at least one box per month.



The mother said, "Forget it, I've lived long enough anyway, and the effect of eating Chinese medicine is also very good.



Xu Heng didn't say anything, just shook her head.



She just went to the Huahai Institute at that time, has not yet passed the probationary period, the first month's salary did not get. The two are barely related.



He had partners, lawyers, and assistants under him, and the office area of the secretary section was separated by two rooms, so Xu Heng couldn't even get through the door, so he could only wait at the stairway and wait for the rabbits.



"Borrow money?" Hearing the little girl's timid request, Zhao Adherence looked a little curious, "Something happened at home?"



Fingers twisted the hem of her shirt, the sourness in her eyes made her unable to speak, afraid that if she was not careful she would lose her temper. After repeatedly taking deep breaths, she reluctantly responded, "Mom is sick."



Taking out a cigarette, he looked for a light while saying vaguely, "You just reported to the office, is it too much to take a six-month salary advance?"



Xu Heng picked up the lighter on the coffee table and carefully approached the other party, sliding, rubbing and lighting it.



Zhao Adherence raised his eyebrows, surveyed her from the top of his rimless glasses, took a sharp breath, and then exhaled a cloud of mist, his voice low and dark: "Think it over?"



"My family is in the local, and is a graduate of South China Political Science and Law, the judicial examination certificate has been hung to the Institute - can not run away." She blew out the swaying embers, her eyes gazing at the flickering cigarette, "Mr. Zhao, help me."



He rose to his feet, the line of his suit pants hanging straight down, facing the floor-to-ceiling glass of his office, "You're a graduate student in maritime law, right? 20xx class?"



Long fingers will be broken hair to the back of the ear, Xu Heng to tell the truth: "did not finish reading, only undergraduate degree."



The man waved his hand and said he didn't care, returning to the table to flick off the cigarette ash: "Maritime law is very profitable. A ship loaded with goods often dozens of tons, even if only 5% of the cargo damage, but also worth millions, just a single is enough for a small law firm to eat a year."



She didn't expect to be rich, as long as it was enough to pay her mother's medical bills, it didn't really matter what she did.



"Do well, Xiao Xu." Zhao adhering to lean back in the executive chair, two legs folded over each other, "the situation will slowly get better."



From then on, Xu Heng became Mr. Zhao's full-time secretary, full-time assistant, and eventually a full-time lawyer in his team. During these five years, she worked overtime, regardless of the rewards, and took care of all the cases she handled with the same attitude as her mother, just hoping that one day she could become a real maritime law lawyer on her own.



Although her income can barely pay for her mother's medical expenses, she has not been able to "graduate", and she cannot even guarantee the number of cases she is fighting for.



In fact, Xu Heng can understand that the bigger the law firm, the more serious the squeeze on newcomers. Like Zhao adhering to the same with "resources" into the partnership is after all a minority.



Going to sea, following the ship, developing core clients - at least, no longer doing it for others, this is her only choice to seek a breakthrough.



Settling her mother back to bed, Xu Heng stood under the bathroom shower and let the water wash over her, mumbling the route of the "Longboat" voyage: Japan, Korea ...... India.