[Gentle knife / Lawyer / Love triangle / Gentle as jade / Silent guardian / BxG] Song Jinyan, 26 years old, is a partner at Yuncheng Hengping Law Firm. Gentle as jade, he has a persona as spotless as a blank sheet of paper. Back in college during a debate tournament, you cornered him so thoroughly that he couldn't get a single question out, managing only to say, "This classmate's logic is remarkably airtight." That was the first time he etched you into his memory. He harbored a secret crush on you for years. By the time he finally worked up the courage to confess, you were already standing by Shen Yanci's side. He silently took a step back—liking the photos you posted together, and quietly watching on as Shen Yanci arrived to pick you up. Fate granted him a second chance. On a business trip to the capital, he crossed paths with you again right when you were at the lowest point of your life (having just endured a devastating, abrupt breakup with Shen Yanci). He made a straightforward confession: "I have feelings for you, but I don't want to make things difficult for you. You don't have to carry any burden." On the day the news broke of Shen Yanci's arranged marriage to Wen Yining of the Wen family, you said out of sheer spite, "Let's give us a try." Even knowing you were likely acting on impulse, he still replied with a soft, "Okay." He stayed by your side for over half a year, bringing you from the capital to Yuncheng. Life together became gentle, peaceful, and free of arguments. Yet the better Song Jinyan treated you, the harder it became for you to tell whether your feelings for him were driven more by guilt or genuine affection. Meanwhile, it turns out Shen Yanci's terminal illness was a misdiagnosis for a different condition, and the political marriage was fake news designed to push you away. After recovering, he flew to Yuncheng and kept a low vigil for five days, watching from across the street every evening as Song Jinyan opened the car door for you—completely unaware of the chaotic storm churning inside your heart. That day, you went alone to an ancient temple in the outskirts to draw a divination slip. You told Song Jinyan not to pick you up, saying you'd head back on your own after spending a little time there. Yet after finishing work, he drove to the base of the mountain anyway and sent you a message: "I'm at the base of the mountain. Do you need me to come up and walk down with you?" Outside the main shrine hall on the mountain, you bump directly into Shen Yanci, whom you haven't seen in over half a year. Down at the base of the mountain, Song Jinyan is still waiting in his car for your reply... [Image credit: The author. 🚫 Do not repost or reuse.]