Chapter 85 Wake up, Bao Rui! You’ve really gotten too deep into your role!

After handling the temporary legal consultation a client had sent, Cheng Yao recalled Cheng Xi’s words and couldn’t hold back her curiosity. She moved her chair over beside Tan Ying, who was still looking at Japan strategies.

“Have you heard of ‘Lawyers Come to Debate’?”

Tan Ying was obsessed with all kinds of variety shows. As expected, she hadn’t let this legal variety show pass either. Her eyes lit up. “It’s been very popular recently. Have you also started following it?”

“No… I just heard of it and thought of asking you. Is it good?”

“Good! This program is one legal theme per episode. Each episode invites two industry big shots to preside. Then it will recruit cases needing legal help in the relevant field from the whole of society. After screening, it picks out those with the greatest controversy and greatest difficulty, turns the case facts into topics, and has the two industry big shots respectively represent the opposing sides in the case, commenting from both the perspectives of reason and law, engaging in verbal combat. The entire process is live-streamed—no prior recording or editing, completely natural. Ultimately the audience votes to select the winning lawyer.” Tan Ying’s eyes shone. “Three episodes have already been broadcast previously. The theme of the first episode was real estate law; the second episode’s theme was labor law; the third episode’s theme was consumer rights protection law. By the way, the fourth episode is about to start in a while. This episode’s theme is marriage law…”

Only then did Cheng Yao suddenly understand. So that was it. The next episode was marriage law, so one of the invited “industry big shots” was Deng Ming.

“By the way, do you know?” As a result Tan Ying leaned close to Cheng Yao’s ear and said mysteriously, “Actually our Qian Par received an invitation letter from the program team.”

“Eh?”

“It’s the program team of the fourth episode of ‘Lawyers Come to Debate.’ They’ve already sent invitations to our Qian Par several times. They even made more than ten phone calls. They’re truly very sincere. Even though our Qian Par refused with an extremely bad attitude, they still keep thinking of him and even made several phone calls to Wu Par hoping Wu Par could act as an intermediary to persuade Qian Par to participate.”

“Has the other participating lawyer been confirmed?”

“Confirmed. It’s that Deng Ming, the partner of Dewei Law Firm. I heard your legal aid case ran into him, right? Isn’t it said in the industry that he’s the industry’s conscience, while our Qian Par is the industry’s toxic tumor?” At this point Tan Ying couldn’t hold back and laughed. “Hahaha, now I kind of understand the program team’s persistence toward Qian Par. The industry’s conscience facing the industry’s toxic tumor—there really is quite a bit of viewing value and marketing points.”

The speaker was unintentional; the listener was intentional. Tan Ying was only casually gossiping, yet Cheng Yao’s heart began to stir restlessly.

This program—Deng Ming was definitely going to participate. If Qian Heng could also participate, with Qian Heng’s professional competence and that mouth of his that could send you to the crematorium at any time, Deng Ming would probably have his face completely destroyed in the live stream. That layer of painted skin of his would naturally peel off along with it.

Only… only Qian Heng indeed disagreed…

During the evening date, Cheng Yao exhausted the strength of nine oxen and two tigers attempting to persuade Qian Heng to participate. As a result she still met with his merciless refusal.

“I’m a lawyer, not an entertainment star. A lawyer only needs to do their professional work well and serve clients well. There’s no need to go on this kind of meaningless variety show.” When Qian Heng mentioned “Lawyers Come to Debate,” he clearly held some disdain. “Turning professionals into entertainment is truly too idle. Besides, the lawyer images in these variety shows are all packaged—just like the lawyers in TV dramas. They’re fundamentally not our real working state. Outsiders just watch the excitement. It’s nothing more than a platform for people like Deng Ming to market themselves in a disguised form.”

“But then all the more we should go shatter the public’s unrealistic impressions of lawyers and tell them what real lawyers are like.”

Qian Heng shot Cheng Yao a sideways glance, then took off his own scarf and messily wrapped it around Cheng Yao’s head. “My time is very expensive. Besides work, I truly don’t want to waste it on this kind of thing. Especially now my leisure time is even more precious than before.”

“Has your hourly rate risen again?!” Cheng Yao couldn’t help crying out. “Is there still any justice left?! Your rate is already that high and you still want to raise the price!”

“It hasn’t risen.”

“Then why is it more expensive?”

“Idiot.” Qian Heng turned his head away, his voice slightly awkward. “Because now the free time all has to be left for you.”

Although Qian Heng ultimately did not agree to participate in the “Lawyers Come to Debate” program, Cheng Yao felt not only that she wasn’t unhappy—on the contrary, she was actually like a cat that had been stroked with the grain. Her whole person was extremely comfortable.

Very sweet.

Sweeter than drinking a cup of sugar water.

At the end of the year, all work had reached the winding-up stage. Everywhere already overflowed with the atmosphere of the new year. Time passed quickly, yet everything also proceeded in an orderly manner. The first-instance judgment of Li Mengting’s property dispute case had already ended. As Cheng Yao had expected, the judgment supported Li Mengting obtaining ownership of the house while Zhang Hao received corresponding share cash compensation. Although after the first-instance judgment was served there was still a fifteen-day appeal period, Cheng Yao could almost be certain that even if Zhang Hao was dissatisfied with the first-instance judgment and chose the second instance, the judgment result would not change much either.

“Thank you, Yaoyao! After the judgment takes effect, once I scrape together the money to give Zhang Hao that portion of cash and also pay off that one million, I can thoroughly say goodbye to the past!” When Li Mengting received the judgment document she almost wept with joy. Recently her fetal condition had already been very stable. Under her parents’ care and encouragement she had already adjusted her mentality and her complexion had become rosy.

Once she pulled herself together, Li Mengting’s action power was even stronger than Cheng Yao had imagined. Ever since obtaining Cheng Yao’s judicial examination review materials, she began drilling into them every day, simply putting on the posture of the college entrance examination back then.

“This child complains that the hotel has no studying atmosphere. Nowadays every morning at eight she goes to the nearby library to review.” Li Mengting’s mother was a bit heartbroken. “Fortunately the library is close. The doctor also said that in the middle and late stages of pregnancy one can have a bit of appropriate exercise. It’s good for controlling blood sugar and the size of the fetus, and also makes natural delivery easier.” At this point she was a bit complaining. “Originally her dad and I accompanied her walking to the library every day and picked her up to walk back together in the evening. As a result these past few days she refuses to let us pick her up no matter what and insists on walking back by herself. I’m so worried…”

Li Mengting’s mother didn’t think much of it, yet Cheng Yao keenly smelled a bit of clue from Li Mengting’s expression.

Once Mama Li left, Cheng Yao put on an interrogation posture. “Come on, spill it. Who’s been sending you home recently?”

Li Mengting’s face slightly reddened. Her gaze dodged. “No… no one.”

“You can still hide it from me?” Cheng Yao laughed. “Ever since you almost had threatened premature labor last time you’ve been very careful. Now although it’s the relatively stable middle stage of pregnancy, you also absolutely wouldn’t rashly insist on walking home alone on the night road in the evening. Speak. Who’s been sending you back?” Cheng Yao squeezed her eyes at Li Mengting and lowered her voice. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep it secret for you and won’t tell your parents.”

“You said it—keep it secret for me!” Li Mengting glanced at Cheng Yao and ultimately no longer hid it. “Because there are fewer people in the foreign-language library and it’s quieter, when I go to the library I generally review in the foreign-language library. There’s a foreigner who has also always been reading books in that library. His Chinese isn’t very good. Once he wanted to borrow a foreign-language book. The librarian is older and doesn’t understand English very well, so I conveniently helped him handle it. After that we got to know each other through repeated contact.”

Cheng Yao’s eyes radiated the light of gossip. “How old? Which country? What background? What work does he do?”

“He’s a Finnish engineer, six years older than me. He’s also had one marriage, but because he and his ex-wife spent little time together and much time apart, they ultimately separated peacefully. They’ve been divorced for several years and have no children, but he quite likes children.”

“Handsome?”

“Not handsome. Not the kind of European-American handsome guy you’re thinking of. Just an ordinary person. But he’s very mild. Unexpectedly we still have quite a few common topics.” Li Mengting was a bit shy, also a bit uneasy and anxious. “I never thought of anything with him—just treated him as a foreign friend. I also told him my situation. I didn’t expect he doesn’t mind and even feels that it’s very difficult for me and that choosing to give birth to the child is very courageous. And even while pregnant I still insist on coming to study every day. He feels I’m very persevering and also very strong and independent. He actually truly and seriously began pursuing me. I’ve refused, but he still insists on sending me home, hoping to start from being friends.”

Cheng Yao could understand Li Mengting’s unease. She had just extracted herself from a failed relationship. Toward men, toward marriage, toward the future she was probably still fearful. Only having been hurt and having been unfortunate does not prevent obtaining happiness once again.

And through this setback Li Mengting had clearly also grown a lot. Nowadays she no longer hesitated. Toward her own future she also had her own considerations and grasp. “Right now my new life has just begun. There are many unstable factors. I don’t want to start another relationship so early. The most important thing is still to first become strong myself. Don’t people say, ‘If you bloom, the clear breeze will come of its own accord’? I believe that only if I myself work hard enough can I meet better people and obtain matching love. Once you truly work very hard, life will not treat you poorly.” Li Mengting’s voice carried determination. “Yaoyao, this time I won’t think of entrusting my life to a man again. I’ll rely on myself to become strong. First love myself, then love others. Besides love and marriage, there are still many other things in life.”

Looking at the Li Mengting who nowadays seemed as if she had been completely reborn, Cheng Yao held back the emotion in her heart and forcefully nodded. “As long as you work hard and persist, life will definitely become better and better!”

Indeed, life is full of choices. Choosing wrongly may exact a heavy price. But life is not only one game that determines win or loss. If you choose wrongly, stand up again and never give up on yourself—you can still hack through the brambles and thorns and harvest tomorrow.

Li Mengting’s case could also be considered basically concluded. Lin Fengjuan’s case was still waiting for the second-instance trial, but even by a conservative estimate victory was already in the bag.

Being able to resolve these two cases at the end of the year, Cheng Yao finally breathed a sigh of relief and at last allowed herself to also relax a bit and throw herself into the atmosphere of the Japan team-building.

Ever since Bao Rui again persuaded Qian Heng to let him continue going to Japan, he had very enthusiastically prepared Matsumoto Kiyoshi discount coupons and Japan must-buy lists for everyone. Tan Ying had also already matched the outfits for Japanese street photography. The underground couple Wang Lu and Li Minglei of course also couldn’t ask for more regarding going to Japan for team-building.

Under everyone’s strong anticipation, the five-days-four-nights Kansai trip of the Japan team-building finally opened the curtain.

Winter in Japan was very cold. Yet the group of lawyers from Junheng talked and laughed all the way. The atmosphere was extremely lively.

“For the first three days the itinerary is arranged in Kyoto. The latter two days we return to Osaka. Because considering that the time we arrive in Kyoto today isn’t early either and we can’t arrange any itinerary, we’ll first go to the hotel to put down luggage and rest a bit, simply eat dinner, and in the evening arrange for everyone the performance at the Gion Yasaka Hall.” Sister Zhu of the administrative department enthusiastically explained to everyone. “The performance at the Gion Yasaka Hall is very traditional Japanese traditional culture. Besides geisha performances there are also tea ceremony, flower arrangement, gagaku, and kyogen and the like…”

Sister Zhu was still speaking at the front of the group when Bao Rui began to lament. “Ai!”

Tan Ying was very curious. “What are you ‘ai’-ing about?”

Bao Rui’s face was beyond words. “The first time I came to Japan I also vainly attempted to accept a bit of cultural influence and cultivate my sentiments a bit. But this performance is truly not fun! First of all this performance is pure Japanese with completely no translation. That geisha Kyoto dance performance or whatever can still be blindly watched a bit. The rest—the tea ceremony and flower arrangement are extremely boring. Kyogen and the like fundamentally can’t be understood… Last time when I accompanied my wife to watch, I slept through forty minutes of the one hour…” He said with regret. “With this time it would be better for everyone to go to Kyoto’s bars. I know several bars that are very good. Exactly my wife isn’t here—I want to go all out…”

It was also at this time that Qian Heng happened to walk over. Bao Rui couldn’t hold back his grievance and directly complained. “Qian Par, which travel agency arranged this itinerary? Coming to Japan, is my Bao Rui here to watch this kind of performance? The one who arranged the itinerary—isn’t he afraid of being an idiot? Moreover this only watchable geisha song and dance—the performers are all men. There isn’t a single woman. What is there to watch? The one who arranged the itinerary—if he’s a man, he must also like men!”

The more Bao Rui spoke the angrier he became. “Next time don’t let me see the one who arranged this itinerary. I’ll be the first to beat him until he calls me Dad.”

Qian Heng didn’t speak. He pressed his lips together and swept a glance at Bao Rui. “Bao Rui, the itinerary was arranged by me.”

“Qian Par…”

“I’m very certain I don’t like men.” Qian Heng said coldly. “Given that you have no interest at all in the evening performance, I happen to have a client with an agreement that needs to be revised. You just work overtime in the hotel.”

Bao Rui was about to cry. “Qian Par, no… you listen to me explain…”

“Don’t explain to me. Your dangerous thoughts of wanting to go to nightclubs while your wife isn’t here—I think your wife should be informed a bit. So you just go explain to her.” Qian Heng smiled sinisterly. “Don’t worry. I’ll ensure she knows.”

Bao Rui alone felt his whole heart turn ice-cold. Looking at Qian Heng’s indifferent departing back, he almost knelt.

“Does Qian Par know that my wife is a tigress? Him doing this—I’ll die!” Bao Rui said in despair. “If I’m beaten to death by my wife, how can I still serve by Qian Par’s side? Doesn’t he want his little sun anymore?”

“…”

Wake up, Bao Rui. You’re too deep in the role!