Chapter 378: My Name Is

My name is Zhang Chenze, and I lied.

I’m 33 years old and have been striving in Chengdu for ten years.

If I were willing to share my story on any public platform, I could easily become a celebrated symbol of independent women. After all, a girl from a small mountain village who worked her way up to become one of Chengdu’s most renowned lawyers—by any measure, that’s an inspiring success story.

But I refuse to do so.

I want to leave my past behind and start anew where no one knows me. If possible, I never want to be associated with that small mountain village again.

I have my ambitions and my dreams.

I want to be exceptional.

And for that goal, I’m willing to do anything.

In the early days of founding my law firm, I couldn’t afford rent, so I slept on the office couch for three years.

I woke up at five every morning to clean the office, then washed up and did my makeup in a public restroom. At night, I’d stay late under the guise of overtime and shower at a five-yuan public bathhouse.

Not a single colleague knew I lived there for all those years.

I endured all that hardship because I had a dream.

If I didn’t become someone extraordinary, I’d be trapped in that mountain village forever—not just me, but my descendants too.

Though, if I’m honest, I often wonder if I’ll even have descendants.

If I can live a brilliant and fulfilling life, that would already be more than enough.

My childhood was so wretched that, in the name of fairness, my future should at least be a little happier. I don’t dare hope for an extravagant life—just one where I can coast along comfortably.

* * *

“Sister Zhang! Sister Zhang!” Xiao Sun from the office tapped my shoulder, startling me.

This young man had been with me for three years and had helped me settle many thorny cases. Of all the juniors, he was the one I valued most.

“What is it?”

“You zoned out!” Xiao Sun laughed. “Look! The bride’s here!”

I followed his gaze to where today’s bride, Mengmeng, stood in a dazzling white gown studded with sequins, holding her father’s arm as she walked step by step toward the stage under the spotlight.

Aside from Xiao Sun, Mengmeng was my most capable assistant. She’d fought alongside me for six years.

Seeing her walk into marriage now filled me with genuine happiness for her.

The handsome, gentle groom, holding a bouquet, strode toward Mengmeng and her father. The guests erupted in applause and cheers, offering their warmest blessings.

But if I’m honest, I didn’t care for what came next.

At the host’s prompting, Mengmeng’s father was supposed to place her hand in the groom’s and solemnly declare, “From now on, Mengmeng is entrusted to you.”

Many guests dabbed at their eyes as if moved to tears.

The host’s voice turned saccharine as he intoned, “From this day forward, this man will take your father’s place, caring for you always, whether in poverty or wealth, never leaving your side…”

Mengmeng stood onstage, glancing between her emotional father and groom, then at the weeping guests around her. She caught my eye and shrugged with a wry smile.

I knew her well enough to understand what she meant.

If not for tradition, for customs, for the expectations of family and relatives, she would never have allowed this moment in her own wedding.

Those few words practically erased every ounce of effort Mengmeng had ever made. As if without her father or husband’s care, she’d be reduced to a helpless infant, starving at home.

Why must marriage be about finding someone to depend on? Why can’t it just be about love?

After years of working with me, Mengmeng earned at least sixty thousand a month. Even without someone “taking care” of her, she could live perfectly well.

She’d worked just as hard as I had. She was an outstanding lawyer, and everything she had now was well-earned. That was only fair.

Mengmeng hadn’t asked for a single cent in bride price, nor had she burdened either family.

She and her groom had bought a modest apartment with their own savings, furnished it together, and were now officially beginning the next chapter of their lives as equals.

They’d continue striving side by side—for better furniture, a bigger home, whatever came next.

To me, that was love at its finest: a balanced scale, never tipping over.

When would people finally realize that marriage is meant to give love a conclusion, not to find someone to lean on?

* * *

“Sister Zhang! Sister Zhang!”

Xiao Sun’s bright voice pulled me back.

I turned to him and smiled. “Yes?”

“Your phone’s ringing!” he said. “It’s been going off for a while!”

I glanced at the caller ID, and in an instant, all joy drained from my face. A chill ran through me, as if I’d plunged into an icy cellar.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

I took the phone and stepped out of the banquet hall, scanning the area before slipping into a deserted stairwell. With a heavy heart, I answered.

“Hello.”

“Zhang Laidi!!” Her shrill voice crackled through the receiver, making me grimace.

“Mom, my name is Zhang Chenze now.”

“Oh, so you still remember your damn surname?!” she shrieked. “Why didn’t you answer my calls yesterday?!”

“I was busy,” I said flatly.

“Busy?! Busy my ass! You’re not stupid—you know how to make money, at least.” She spat out a curse. “Everyone envies the Zhangs for having both son and daughter, but they don’t know you’re such a worthless brat you won’t even cough up two hundred thousand!”

Ah, “both son and daughter.”

In my village, those who had sons hoped to rely on them in old age. Only those with daughters wished for “one of each.”

How ironic.

“Mom, I don’t understand,” I said coldly. “I can give Chengcai a big red envelope for his wedding, but why should I pay two hundred thousand?”

“You’ve got money!” she snapped. “You earn more than Chengcai! You’re his older sister—his own flesh and blood! What’s the problem with buying him an apartment?!”

“I don’t get why you think this is so natural.” My laugh was bitter. “The money I earn is mine. What does it have to do with him? You gave him the best of everything growing up—better food, better clothes, more education than I ever got. He should be able to stand on his own by now.”

“Chengcai hasn’t found the right job yet, you idiot!” Her voice turned even shriller. “What’s your damn hurry? Are you really keeping score with your own brother?!”

“Mom, I’ll be straight with you. I’m expanding the firm right now. Every penny I have is tied up in it. I can’t spare a single cent.”