Are You Crazy? He's only an Intern Lawyer?-Chapter 78 - 77 Shouldn’t Meddle in Others’ Affairs

While Zhang Wei was chatting and shooting the breeze with the receptionist at Qingmu Law Firm, the atmosphere in the upstairs office was far from relaxed.

Li Qinghe’s office was very spacious, large enough to accommodate more than a dozen people.

So, inside the office, there wasn’t just her daughter Li Feifei, but also Li Feifei’s friends and her husband, Wang Dayang.

Li Qinghe looked at her husband in name, observing his worried expression, her face utterly indifferent.

“Last time it was your big brother.

We pulled some strings and settled with the other party privately.

Now it’s your niece’s turn, is that it?”

“Qinghe, I…”

“Shut up, don’t speak!”

Wang Dayang opened his mouth but was cut off by Li Qinghe’s sharp rebuke.

“Let me get this straight, how many times have you come to me for help!”

Li Qinghe assumed a superior attitude, folding her arms in front of her, exuding the oppressive aura of someone in a position of power.

In front of her, Wang Dayang hung his head low like a squirrel with its tail dropped after being scolded, not daring to make a sound.

Li Feifei sat on a large sofa in the office, head down, playing with her phone, finding her dad being scolded by her mom to be nothing out of the ordinary.

As for her friends, they watched with interest as the famed Lawyer Li chastised her husband.

Even a few of the girls looked at Wang Dayang with contempt and disdain, as well as various other negative expressions.

“Feifei, your mom is so impressive, putting your dad in his place so well!”

“Yeah, yeah, I want to be just like your mom when I grow up, making my husband not dare to go west if I tell him to go east!”

“But your dad too, why does he go to your mom every time he has a problem?

He’s grown-up, yet he doesn’t seem to have any opinion of his own?”

The girls whispered among themselves; Li Feifei heard every word.

She merely raised her eyelids, her face scornful: “What’s so surprising about that?

Since he’s the son-in-law who entered our family, my mom marrying him is a blessing his ancestors cultivated for generations…”

Although Wang Dayang was her father, she had been instilled with the idea that she was a member of the Li Family from a young age, never considering herself part of the Wang Family.

Every time she visited the Wang Family relatives during the holidays, she always saw herself as a cut above them.

Li Feifei and her friends’ conversation was in fact overheard by both Li Qinghe and Wang Dayang.

The office wasn’t that big; even if they tried to keep their voices low, it was impossible not to hear anything.

Wang Dayang, although it pained him to listen, had to pretend he did not hear anything for the sake of family matters.

Li Qinghe, upon hearing outsiders discuss the matter, felt her irritation growing.

Finally, she looked at Wang Dayang, especially his troubled face, and her heart flared with frustration.

“Enough, enough!

Every time something comes up, you pull that long face.

I’m sick of it!” Li Qinghe couldn’t help but scold him, warning Wang Dayang.

But then, she softened her tone and commanded Li Feifei, “Feifei, take your friends outside for a bit.

Your dad and I need to discuss some matters.”

“Oh~” Li Feifei just answered and gave her friends a signal, then the group opened the door of the office and left.

Only Li Qinghe and Wang Dayang, husband and wife, remained in the office.

Li Qinghe sighed impatiently, “Speak up, what trouble has your niece gotten into that has you coming to me?”

“Qinghe, my niece is innocent.

She didn’t commit any crime but was still taken away by the Martial Association.

Then, we heard from the Procuratorate’s Office that they intend to prosecute her.

What can I do, I…”

Wang Dayang then went on to pour out his troubles, telling Li Qinghe about what happened to his niece.

Hearing Wang Dayang’s description, Li Qinghe instinctively furrowed her brows.

…

More than ten minutes later, the office door opened.

Li Qinghe saw Li Feifei sitting outside with her friends.

They had been chatting and laughing, but became silent upon seeing Li Qinghe emerge.

“Feifei, tell your friends to leave first; we’re going out to work on a case soon!”

“Oh, alright!”

Upon hearing her mother say this, Li Feifei knew she was busy and had to send people away.

Although she’d had a significant moment of recognition in front of her friends, Li Feifei was still not fully satisfied, but her mother was used to being dominant, and her commands couldn’t be disobeyed.

“You all go back first, my mom and I have to go out to work on a case.”

“Then see you later, Feifei.”

“Goodbye…”

The friends left Qingmu Law Firm with looks of envy.

Once they were gone, Li Qinghe commanded Li Feifei, “Let’s go, Feifei, you drive, take us to the Chengbei District Public Procuratorate’s Office.”

Despite being a strong-willed female lawyer, Li Qinghe had her shortcomings, such as taking a driving test…

After she scraped a vehicle while reversing into a parking slot, hit another car during a parallel park, failed to brake on a slope, floored the accelerator at the start and crashed, collided with something during a right angle turn, and hit something else while driving along a curve.

The driving school instructor had given up on teaching Li Qinghe to drive and even returned her tuition in full.

So, Li Qinghe couldn’t drive and had to let her daughter, Li Feifei, be the driver.

The family of three hurriedly went downstairs.

“Lawyer Li!” The two ladies at the front desk stopped bantering with Zhang Wei and quickly greeted upon seeing the Li trio.

“Auntie, where are you all headed?”

“To the detention center!”

Zhang Wei couldn’t help but ask, and Li Qinghe instinctively replied.

But she quickly realized who was asking, Zhang Wei.

“Xiao Zhang, how are things with Lawyer Zhuo?

From now on, just follow him closely at our Qingmu…”

“Auntie, why not let me learn from you instead?”

Li Qinghe was about to say something else, but Zhang Wei had no intention of looking for Lawyer Zhuo and had instead proactively moved closer to Li Qinghe’s side.

“Is this gentleman your uncle?

A pleasure to meet you.

I’m Xiao Yue Yue’s boyfriend.

Xiao Yue Yue is your niece, Xia Qianyue.”

Zhang Wei and Wang Dayang shook hands, but Zhang felt an icy chill in his palm.

His eyes narrowed, well aware that Wang Dayang’s palms were sweaty, indicating that the situation upstairs was far from trivial.

“Auntie, since you are going to the detention center, it must be for a case, right?

Why not take me with you?

It would be good to help you run some errands!”

Seeing Zhang Wei so determined, Li Qinghe thought it over and did not object.

“Tell Lawyer Zhuo, I’m taking this kid with me!”

She left instructions with the reception and took the trio away from Qingmu Law Firm.

At the parking lot in Innovation City, Li Feifei readied the luxury car for departure while Li Qinghe took the passenger seat.

Only after the two were seated did Wang Dayang dare enter the car, which allowed Zhang Wei to perceive the family dynamics.

The car set off, heading straight for the Chengbei District detention center.

In the car.

Zhang Wei felt the eerie atmosphere.

The Li family hardly spoke.

He could tell that Wang Dayang was very nervous and even somewhat fearful of Li Qinghe and her daughter.

Li Qinghe stared out of the car window with a cold gaze, while Li Feifei wore sunglasses since she was driving, hiding her eyes, though Zhang Wei could guess her expression.

“A son-in-law really doesn’t have much status, it seems!” He sympathized with Wang Dayang upon this observation.

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at Chengbei District Branch Bureau.

Because it was a branch, the office building wasn’t tall, only five floors, and both the Martial Association and the Procuratorate’s branch offices were close by.

This convenience spared Zhang Wei’s group the trouble of an additional trip.

Arriving at the detention center, they headed straight for their destination.

In the visitation room, they met Wang Dayang’s niece, Wang Xi, and her boyfriend, Kong Hang, who were accused of involving in a robbery, armed robbery and assault; they faced a series of criminal charges.

“Uncle, Auntie!” Wang Xi cried out unsteadily upon seeing Wang Dayang and Li Qinghe.

“Niece, don’t be afraid, your uncle is here!” Wang Dayang comforted her, then stepped aside to let his wife take over.

“Niece, tell us, what is the situation?”

Li Qinghe maintained her usual aloof demeanor, arms crossed, looking down at her nominal niece with arrogance.

At that moment, Wang Xi had become a crying mess, repeatedly saying only one thing, “I am innocent, I don’t know anything.”

This almost made Zhang Wei laugh because everyone in detention always starts with this line.

Clearly, Wang Xi was unable to tell them what had happened, and her boyfriend Kong Hang was also completely clueless, with a dumbfounded expression.

“Hmph, utterly useless.

It seems I’ll have to go find the prosecutor!” Li Qinghe huffed, her face filled with dissatisfaction.

Although she was a lawyer, she needed to understand the case details, and now that Wang Xi and Kong Hang knew nothing, it made her job much harder.

“Come on, let’s go next door to the Procuratorate’s Office and inquire!”

Li Qinghe rose from her seat and instructed Wang Dayang, “Stay with them.

Once I’ve learned more about the situation, I’ll be back!”

Naturally, Zhang Wei followed Li Qinghe, wanting to understand the case as well.

Meanwhile, he harbored a doubt.

The expressions of Wang Xi and Kong Hang didn’t seem feigned, yet the Procuratorate insisted on prosecuting them.

Could there be irrefutable evidence?

After a few minutes’ walk, they arrived at the neighboring Procuratorate’s Office and found the prosecutor in charge of the case.

Chengbei District Public Procuratorate’s Office.

“Isn’t this the famous Lawyer Li from Qingmu?

What brings you to my humble office?”

“Old Fang, let’s not beat around the bush.

You know I’m here because of a particular case!”

“Oh, I remember the female suspect mentioning that she had an aunt who is a lawyer.

I didn’t expect it to be the renowned Lawyer Li.”

As soon as Li Qinghe met with the prosecutor, they began their “cordial greetings.”

Zhang Wei quickly glanced at the nameplate on the desk, which read “Fang Wenbin,” with a note underneath identifying him as the district prosecutor of Chengbei District Public Procuratorate’s Office.

“Wow, the big boss of the prosecution in Chengbei District!”

The man before them, Fang Wenbin, appeared to be in his fifties with thick hair and a tall build.

He was looking at Zhang Wei and the others with a smile that was all too insincere.

Zhang Wei could tell that the smile concealed something.

Was it a challenge?

Or confidence?

Or perhaps some sort of deeper mockery; in any case, it was not a friendly expression.

“Old Fang, tell me what’s going on with my niece.

But let me warn you, she’s innocent.”

“Hmph, whether she’s innocent or not isn’t for you, Lawyer Li, to decide; evidence speaks for itself.

You don’t need me to tell you that.

Now that you’re here, does that mean you’ll be their defense lawyer?”

“Hmph, my niece, of course, I’ll be her defense lawyer!”

Upon hearing Li Qinghe’s assertion, Fang Wenbin nodded, but then asked, “In this case, we are prosecuting both your niece and her boyfriend simultaneously, as they have not formally registered their marriage and are thus not legally spouses, meaning there are two defendants.

I’ll ask you once more, if you are representing your niece, will you also be representing that young man called Kong Hang?”

At that question, Li Qinghe was momentarily taken aback.

“Is it a joint crime?” But then Zhang Wei suddenly interjected.

“What’s with this kid?

A new lawyer from your firm?”

Fang Wenbin looked up at Zhang Wei with a hostile gaze.

“Kid, didn’t you see I was talking to your leader?”

“Xiao Zhang, mind your own business; this case has nothing to do with you!”

Li Qinghe also cautioned him but then quickly, realizing the pertinence of Zhang Wei’s question, asked urgently, “Are they jointly committing the crime?”

“Whether it’s a joint crime is still unclear, but we know there were two robbers, both masked.

The only ones fitting the description are your niece and her boyfriend!”

Upon hearing what Fang Wenbin said, Zhang Wei inquired further, “So, the Procuratorate hasn’t determined whether they are jointly committing the crime, accomplices, or if one of them is involved in the crime?”

“What’s your problem, kid?

Why are you interrupting our conversation?”

Interrupted repeatedly by Zhang Wei, Fang Wenbin grew annoyed.

Who does he think he is?

He is the ace of the Chengbei District Public Procuratorate’s Office, a veteran with thirty years of prosecutorial experience.

When has a rookie lawyer dared to talk back to him?

“Didn’t you see that even your leader Li Qinghe wouldn’t dare to question me like this, and she’s a senior partner at Qingmu Law Firm!”

“Prosecutor Fang, I think I understand the situation now,” Zhang Wei said.

“You can’t confirm whether Wang Xi and Kong Hang are co-defendants in the crime, and even the current evidence isn’t enough to corroborate this.

Therefore, you plan to have my aunt defend both of them together, and once the judgment finds them guilty, they will be convicted together as co-defendants, right?

What a clever trick Chengbei District Public Procuratorate’s Office is playing!”

Zhang Wei sneered, cutting through Fang Wenbin’s ploy.

“Old Fang, you’re actually scheming against me here?” Li Qinghe hadn’t expected Fang Wenbin to resort to such a tactic.

“Clever boy, I’ll remember you!”

Fang Wenbin’s eyes darkened as he glanced at Zhang Wei, but then he asked:

“So you only plan to represent Wang Xi, is that it?

If that’s the case, the court will appoint a public defender for Kong Hang, but because it’s the same robbery case, they will still be tried together…”

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“How about this!”

Just as Fang Wenbin was explaining the situation, Zhang Wei interrupted him.

“I also happen to be a public defense lawyer.

If Kong Hang doesn’t object, I can be his defense attorney!”

“You little punk, a public defense lawyer?

Aren’t you with Qingmu Law Firm?”

“Prosecutor Fang, when did I ever say that I was with Qingmu Law Firm?”

Faced with Fang Wenbin’s questioning, Zhang Wei retorted.

“Little Zhang, don’t be reckless!” Seeing Zhang Wei stepping forward, Li Qinghe quickly tried to stop him.

She pulled Zhang Wei aside and whispered, “This is our family’s affair, what are you getting involved for?”

“Auntie, it’s precisely because it’s a family matter that we can’t let outsiders interfere!”

Zhang Wei hurriedly explained, “Think about it.

If another public defender steps in, their first thought will be to have Kong Hang plead guilty.

If it’s a joint trial, won’t your niece also be convicted?”

“And besides, even if we have evidence, with cases where two people are prosecuted separately, what do we do if the prosecution presents ironclad evidence against one of them?”

As Zhang Wei said this, he leaned in close to Li Qinghe and whispered, “If the evidence only proves one person guilty, I think all lawyers would push the blame onto the other party, leaving their own client innocent, right Auntie?”

“Rather than have an outsider involved, which would result in you and the outsider passing the buck in proving liability, isn’t it better to handle it ourselves?

Even if that situation arises, it’s surely better to discuss it among ourselves than with an outsider, right?”

After hearing Zhang Wei’s explanation, Li Qinghe realized that there might be some truth in his words.

If another public defender were hired and the prosecutor then presented evidence of one person’s guilt, what would the public defender do?

Probably, in nine out of ten cases, they would claim the other party was the culprit, with their own client being innocent.

At that point, during the trial, the scene would consist of Li Qinghe and Kong Hang’s public defender undermining each other, while the prosecution looked on as they fought among themselves.

“Little Zhang, what you say does make sense!”

Li Qinghe felt Zhang Wei had considered the issue comprehensively and she nodded in agreement.

In fact, Zhang Wei had anticipated that the prosecution would take such actions, and they might even deliberately release part of the evidence first to prove one of them guilty.

They would love nothing more than to watch two lawyers undermine each other at trial, as it would be greatly beneficial to their own side and demoralizing to their opponents.

“Old Fang, we’ve made our decision,” Li Qinghe said.

“I’ll be responsible for representing my niece Wang Xi, and Little Zhang will represent her boyfriend Kong Hang.

Both of us will act as defense attorneys and take charge of this case together!”

Li Qinghe felt that bringing Zhang Wei along was not a bad move.

However, she still had a thorn in her heart.

That’s because she knew Wang Xi, after all, it was her niece.

But with Kong Hang, she had no recollection at all.

In fact, Li Qinghe was thinking, if necessary, they could abandon Kong Hang to protect her own niece.

“I hope that Little Zhang will understand my intentions when the time comes.

This case isn’t difficult; at worst, it’s just a case of sacrificing a pawn to save the chariot!”

Thinking this, Li Qinghe approached Fang Wenbin to request the case files and started reviewing them.

“Seeing Auntie’s expression, it seems like she’s planning to abandon the other party if necessary, eh?”

Zhang Wei also noticed Li Qinghe’s ulterior motive, but he wasn’t surprised.

Because it was normal, he’d already said almost all lawyers would do the same.

If it were him in the past, he probably would have hoped the other party would plead guilty and totally extricate his client from any involvement.

So with such a case, when necessary, one must not only be wary of the prosecutor’s tricks but also guard against one’s own people stabbing them in the back.

He even prepared for the worst-case scenario, where both Kong Hang and himself would become Qingmu’s sacrificial pawns.

But if Kong Hang and Wang Xi were innocent, he would fight with all his might to secure their acquittal, even if Qingmu planned to backstab them!

Because he was a defense lawyer, and his only goal was to seek the truth of the case!