June 28th.
Afternoon, 4:30 PM.
Conscience Law Firm on Hongfu Street.
"Lawyer Xu, my family is excessively affectionate, especially towards our pet dog, utterly spoiling it."
"One day the dog got lost, and my parents offered a reward of one million to find it. Is there a problem with that?"
In the reception area, Xu Liang held the phone between his shoulder and ear, silently listening to the client's voice.
A reward?
Xu Liang thought for a moment, nodded in agreement, "No problem."
Upon hearing this.
The voice on the other end continued:
"Coincidentally, my boss likes to take walks outside and happened to find my dog while on a stroll."
"I duly gave him the one million reward."
"Will this conflict with my promotion and salary raise a few days later?"
Xu Liang: ?
Hmm?
Xu Liang fell into silence.
He took a deep breath and patiently began explaining things to the other party.
After a while...
"Damn lunatic!"
A furious cursing came through the speaker just before the call was disconnected.
Xu Liang looked at the disconnected phone, feeling quite uninterested, and let out a deep sigh.
"Tsk, just solving cases doesn't spread the firm's reputation, huh."
"I still need to take on trial cases..."
He felt trapped in a dead end, set up by capital!
Without achievements, there are no cases.
But without cases, how can there be achievements!?
Thinking of this, Xu Liang shook his head, stopped dwelling on it, and got up to head to the door.
The sunlight in Hanhai City was very bright.
Standing at the front door, he glanced around, taking in the whole scene of Hongfu Street.
"Clatter~"
Xu Liang walked across the street, lifted the noodle shop's door, and looked around.
It was during the afternoon rush; there were hardly any seats available in the noodle shop.
The only one had a girl sitting beside it.
Xu Liang glanced and went over.
"Is this seat taken?"
The woman eating noodles didn't lift her head, nodded, but then thought again and shook her head.
"What do you mean?" Xu Liang was stunned.
The woman mumbled, "Let's say it's not taken."
"Okay."
Xu Liang nodded, not being pretentious, and sat right down.
Then he raised his hand.
"Uncle Zhang, one serving of braised noodles, please."
In the kitchen, Old Zhang, hearing the familiar voice, stuck his head out to take a look at Xu Liang, then glanced at the woman beside him, and laughed.
"Kid, why aren't you working overtime?"
"Weren't you hiding from Yang a few months ago, avoiding seeing him at all costs?"
Hearing this, Xu Liang was somewhat speechless.
He waved his hand.
"Old man, hurry up with the noodles. I'm a customer now, and the customer is king, don't you know!?"
"Haha, didn't you once say all customers are crazy?"
Uncle Zhang chuckled and went back to focusing on his work.
Seeing this, Xu Liang continued to wait for his meal.
However...
The girl eating nearby heard this, suddenly lifted her head, and looked at Xu Liang perplexedly.
"What are you hiding from?"
Hearing the voice, Xu Liang instinctively turned back, and he was momentarily dazed as he turned.
The girl was extremely beautiful, with dark, bright eyes beneath arched brows, a delicate nose, and lips like cherries.
Her eyes were filled with confusion as she repeated.
"What are you hiding from?"
Xu Liang snapped back, furrowed his brows, slightly puzzled.
The question seemed a bit rude.
He was, of course, avoiding the landlord!
The rent he paid was hefty, only slightly less than Old Zhang's noodle shop.
Of course, the cost included all the facilities within the law firm!
Before he rented it, the place was already a law firm, saving him a lot on renovations and purchases.
But over the months, the accumulated rent had reached a terrifying amount!
Thinking of this made him a little agitated, and he replied with a stern face:
"Do we know each other?"
The girl shook her head, then nodded again, leaving Xu Liang puzzled.
After a while, she suddenly looked at Xu Liang again and asked:
"Are you a lawyer?"
Xu Liang nodded; although he hadn't been to court yet, with his license in hand, no one could say he wasn't a lawyer.
Upon hearing this, the girl raised her eyebrows and said:
"I have something I want to consult you about. How much do you charge?"
This is... business!?
Xu Liang's eyes lit up, and he immediately put on a warm smile like a master of changing faces.
"Tentatively set at 60 Eastern Country Dollars per hour. What would you like to consult about?"
"It's nothing much, just that we have quite a few properties, but recently one of them hasn't been getting rent, and they refuse to leave!"
The girl sighed and asked:
"What should I do?"
Damn, this is too outrageous, I can't believe something like this happened!
Xu Liang thought for a moment and replied according to the law: "Violation of Article 721 of the Civil Code."
"According to Article 235, you have the right to terminate the contract and recover any property due to you."
"At the same time, the other party also needs to compensate you for the losses caused during the occupation!"
"However, the compensation situation depends on the current condition of the house."
Xu Liang looked at the girl and said seriously:
"What location is your rented house in?"
The girl pointed outside, coincidentally, her finger pointed right at the law firm opposite the noodle shop.
"My house is on Hongfu Street."
Xu Liang: ?
Xu Liang was stunned for a moment, looked at the other party, then at his own law firm.
He paused for a moment, then asked cautiously:
"What number on Hongfu Street?"
The girl laughed, her eyes forming a crescent moon, and said:
"The whole street is ours."
Xu Liang: ...
"How... how should I address you?"
Xu Liang was silent for a moment before suddenly asking.
The girl pointed at Old Zhang in the kitchen.
"Uncle Zhang said Xiao Yang is my mother."
Yang Ruoxi pointed at herself, "I'm Little Yang."
Xu Liang looked at her face earnestly and only then realized that she bore a seventy percent resemblance to the landlady aunt.
He was just about to talk about the rent.
But a deep broadcaster's voice came from beside him.
"This is Hanhai Daily, I am the host Wang Yi. We are currently at Hanhai City Basic Court, behind me is..."
"We can see that the trial is now at a critical stage, let's listen to the sounds on site."
Listening to this voice, Xu Liang was stunned; he instinctively turned his head to look at the TV hanging on the wall.
On the TV was the previously seen news anchor Wang Yi, now at the Hanhai Basic Court. From the gaps, a few somewhat familiar figures could be seen.
The person in the defendant's seat was none other than Chen Dong, whom he hadn't seen in a month!
Seeing Xu Liang turn his head away from her, Yang Ruoxi followed his gaze to the TV, her eyes dimming.
"I heard Lawyer Xu was involved in this case?"
"Yes."
Xu Liang casually responded, his mind not at all focused on her.
Yang Ruoxi spoke to herself:
"I saw the case, it's quite tragic and helpless."
"That boy named Chen Dong... he's not even twenty this year. Seven years ago, his sister was raped in front of him, and his mother died."
"His returning father wanted to file a case for revenge, but was beaten to vomit blood and left disabled by the other party. Even the mother's remains were taken away..."
Speaking of the case, Yang Ruoxi sighed deeply, her emotions visibly suppressed.
Xu Liang remained silent.
He had experienced that kind of emotion before, so he naturally understood the implication of her words.
The two of them stared at the TV, not speaking for a long time.
The sound of the news was very noisy and they couldn't hear the on-site debate clearly, not even reading the lips.
Didn't know how much time had passed.
Yang Ruoxi suddenly spoke again:
"What do you think the verdict should be for this case?"
Xu Liang pondered for a long time, then said: "Manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, with a relatively serious nature ranging from more than three years to less than seven years."
"But considering how sensational the case is, the judge might add multiple sentences for the sake of establishing the authority of the law."
"But considering the matter from seven years ago..."
"It's likely within fifteen years."
Fifteen years in exchange for Chen Wei's life...
For Chen Dong, it should be worth it.
Seven years ago, Chen Jian's family beat Zhang Cuisheng to death for money, and with money, they left Chen Hua helpless.
Seven years later... the other party should also face legal consequences now.
"What about you? Are you also a lawyer?"
Xu Liang suddenly asked, his eyes never leaving the TV.
Yang Ruoxi smiled, "Guess who was using the things in your law firm before you came?"
Xu Liang paused, then understood.
"I see, you opened your own firm, but due to poor management, you closed down and I took over..."
"No wonder I can't get any clients, is it because you ruined the reputation of this location!?"
Yang Ruoxi: ?
"Why do you speak so bluntly?"
Yang Ruoxi's face turned slightly red, her fist clenched, muttering something about closing not being the same as going out of business.
However...
Xu Liang had no time to listen to her, his eyes riveted on the TV.
And it was precisely at this moment, on the TV, the judge in the courtroom suddenly stood up and began reading the verdict. The voice was transmitted through the speakers into his ears.
"The verdict will now be delivered."
"Defendant 'Chen Dong', on the night of June 1, 2004, at 10 PM, in Hongfu Street, Hongfu District of Hanhai City, murdered victim Chen Wei."
"After court evidence, this matter is confirmed, the prosecution party proposes..."
"Upon trial, defendant 'Chen Dong' has committed intentional injury under Article 234 of the Eastern Country Criminal Law, as well as intentional homicide under Article 232 of the Eastern Country Criminal Law..."
"I hereby declare, defendant 'Chen Dong' is sentenced to..."
"Death!"
Death... death sentence!?
In an instant.
Xu Liang's pupils shrunk, he jumped to his feet, staring intently at the courtroom.
"No... it can't be..."
"How could it be the death sentence..."
Looking at the judge announcing the verdict in the courtroom, Xu Liang couldn't help but breathe heavily.
"How could they possibly sentence him to death!?"
"How dare they sentence him!?"