Chapter 26: Shouldn’t you go see your junior assistant attorney?

With Qian Heng as her anchor, Cheng Yao had a good night’s sleep. The next day, she arrived at the office feeling refreshed.

No matter what, Cheng Yao had already made up her mind—no matter how much people cursed her online, no matter how many harassing calls and messages she received, she wouldn’t let fear affect her.

However, she had still been too naive, underestimating just how malicious some people hiding behind the internet could be.

“Deep dive! Scumbag lawyer Cheng Yao has an older sister named Cheng Xi! And this Cheng Xi was the ex-wife of Lawyer Deng Ming a year ago!”

“Why does the name Deng Ming sound so familiar?”

“He’s Bai Xingmeng’s current lawyer! He was on the show Lawyer, Help! before—super handsome, professional, and really approachable. Most importantly, he has a kind heart, always helping the underprivileged fight for their rights and educating the public about the law on TV. He’s the complete opposite of Cheng Yao—he’s the real justice and conscience of the legal world!”

“Ohhh! Now I remember! Cheng Xi! She was the one living off Lawyer Deng’s income like a pampered housewife while he was out there helping people, and she even cheated on him! She totally screwed him over, right?”

“Yes! That’s her!”

“These sisters are a goldmine of scandals! There’s no end to the dirt on them! This has to be a family issue.”

“Absolutely disgusting. Cheng Xi, that filthy homewrecker, and Cheng Yao, that cheap woman—has their mother exploded in shame yet?”

…..

The comment section was filled with insults. Because of Bai Xingmeng’s attempt to shift the blame, her fiercely loyal fans, determined to defend their idol, launched a full-scale attack under the banner of “delivering justice.” Convinced they knew the truth, they engaged in relentless harassment and doxxing. Some fans even dug up photos of Cheng Xi, while others, taking things even further, edited pictures of Cheng Xi and Cheng Yao into memorial portraits.

Previously, Cheng Yao had always thought that while Xu Jun’s suicide was understandable, it was still somewhat an act of weakness.

But now, experiencing the same overwhelming cyberbullying that had consumed Xu Jun, she finally understood—no matter how strong a person was, when subjected to such relentless abuse, to the most degrading insults, there would always be a moment when death seemed like the only escape. Let alone someone like Xu Jun, who had been struggling with depression.

She didn’t dare look at the rest of the comments. With trembling hands, she put down her phone. Being attacked herself was something she could still endure—though her heart felt heavy and desolate, she could at least try to ignore it.

But her family, dragged into this because of her, being subjected to such vicious insults and attacks… especially her sister, Cheng Xi, who had finally started to heal, finally managed to move on from that terrible marriage…

It was all her fault.

That single thought echoed in Cheng Yao’s mind. She clenched her fists and stared blankly out of the office window, desperately trying to recall something good that had happened recently—anything to distract herself.

She had to hold on with everything she had, just to keep the tears from spilling over.

*****

Inside Qian Heng’s office—

Qian Heng glanced at Wu Jun, who was lounging on the sofa. “Take care of Cheng Yao’s situation.”

Before Wu Jun could react, Qian Heng cleared his throat and casually explained, “This incident has already damaged Junheng’s reputation. As the partner responsible for Junheng’s PR and publicity, this matter falls under your jurisdiction.”

Wu Jun looked up, his tone tinged with amusement. “If it’s about the firm’s reputation, Qian Heng, why did you call it ‘Cheng Yao’s situation’ instead of ‘Junheng’s situation’?”

Qian Heng pressed his lips together. “Is there a difference? It’s the same thing.”

“How is it the same?” Wu Jun smirked. “The simplest way to handle this would be to fire Cheng Yao right now and throw her under the bus as a scapegoat. Then, we issue a statement declaring that Junheng maintains the highest ethical and professional standards for its lawyers, highlighting our top attorneys and reaffirming our commitment to providing the best legal services. Not only would this salvage our reputation, but it would also turn this controversy into free publicity for Junheng. Killing two birds with one stone—wouldn’t that be perfect?”

Qian Heng’s expression darkened ominously.

Unfazed, Wu Jun continued, “Besides, haven’t you always disliked Cheng Yao for being a nepotism hire? Wouldn’t this be the perfect opportunity to get rid of her? Completely justified, too.”

Qian Heng coughed, avoiding Wu Jun’s probing gaze. Instead, he flipped through a document and said nonchalantly, “Well, this situation isn’t entirely Cheng Yao’s fault. I was also negligent.”

“Huh?”

Wu Jun was stunned. Qian Heng admitting to negligence in his work? He touched his forehead, then pinched himself.

“Shit! That actually hurt!” Wu Jun grimaced. “I’m not dreaming? You actually made a mistake? Then tell me, what exactly did you do wrong?”

Qian Heng averted his gaze and answered seriously, “I evaluated Cheng Yao and the other junior lawyers based on my own standards. I failed to warn her in advance to be cautious of Bai Xingmeng. So I should bear part of the responsibility as well. That’s why I’m not firing her. But if, after I’ve taught her better, she makes the same kind of mistake again, I’ll terminate her immediately.”

Wu Jun’s expression turned subtly meaningful. “Alright, whatever you say. You’re Junheng’s star attorney. If you say so, then that’s how it is.” He pulled out his phone. “Let me see which of these ringleader fans I should take down first. I’ll gather all the evidence of those leading the attacks on Junheng, the doxxing, and the insults against Cheng Yao, then have everything notarized before filing lawsuits—”

But before he could finish speaking, his words suddenly caught in his throat. His usual playful expression vanished, replaced by a grave and menacing look.

“What is it?” Qian Heng, knowing Wu Jun’s expertise in PR, was surprised to see him react so seriously. “Is there something particularly difficult to handle?”

“No.” Wu Jun put down his phone, his gaze turning sharp. “Someone has been doxxing and attacking Cheng Yao, but now they’ve dug up Cheng Xi’s past, including her history with Deng Ming. They’ve dragged her into this and started attacking her as well.”

At the mention of Deng Ming, Qian Heng’s face twisted with open disdain. “Bai Xingmeng’s new attorney is Deng Ming. Wouldn’t be surprising if he’s behind this. The guy’s got no real skills—just a fame-chasing opportunist who spends his time on shows like The Lawyer Is Here and Lawyer, Help! making himself look like the ‘conscience of the legal profession.’ In reality, he’ll do anything to manipulate public opinion, even skirting the law. He’s not competent enough to win cases on merit, so he relies on media pressure and public sentiment to influence rulings.”

“This piece of trash.” Wu Jun gritted his teeth at the mention of Deng Ming. “Back then, he got some exposure from a few variety shows, gained a little fame, and met some third-rate model. One thing led to another, and she got pregnant. He looked down on Cheng Xi for not being able to conceive after years of marriage, so he filed for divorce. But he was worried about his public image, so he used his media connections to fabricate the truth, slandering Cheng Xi. He took a few out-of-context photos of her doing volunteer work, where she was holding a mentally disabled young man, then found a few so-called ‘classmates’ to spread rumors that Cheng Xi had a messy dating history in college. He manipulated public opinion to make it seem like she cheated, hired bots to stir things up—and those idiot netizens actually believed it!”

“It’s not even about believing or not believing,” Qian Heng said flatly. “They just wanted to use a trending event to vent their emotions. Otherwise, why do you think the term ‘internet mob’ exists?”

Wu Jun loosened his tie, his voice deep and laced with anger. “When did Cheng Xi ever cheat? She just had a lot of admirers in college, but she was completely devoted to Deng Ming! And back then, what was Deng Ming? A dirt-poor ‘phoenix man’ from the countryside who had nothing to his name except a glib tongue. That sharp-faced, rat-looking bastard—do you really think he could compare to me?”

Qian Heng gave Wu Jun a look of silent sympathy and, as always, played along perfectly by shaking his head. “No comparison.”

“I mean, I just—”

Qian Heng cut him off expressionlessly. “Even if your face got run over by a truck at a crash site, you’d still be better than him.”

“And his legal expertise—”

“His expertise is miles behind yours. Even if he traveled to the ends of the earth for enlightenment, he still wouldn’t catch up.”

“Even if I—”

“Even if you developed dementia in old age, your mind would still be sharper than his.”

“And his physique—”

“Even if you added up all his muscle mass, it wouldn’t be bigger than yours down there.”

“…”

Wu Jun glared at Qian Heng, who spread his hands in a completely insincere apology. “Sorry, can’t help it. My memory is just too good. You’ve said it so many times I’ve memorized the whole script. Didn’t think you’d never update your lines.”

“…”

“In any case, I’ll handle this,” Wu Jun said, giving up on glaring at Qian Heng. He pursed his lips. “I’ll take care of it right away.”

“Issue a statement if necessary.”

“What?”

“Say that I was the sole attorney handling Bai Xingmeng’s case. Every decision regarding the case was made by me, and the other lawyers were only following my instructions.”

“You’re trying to clear Cheng Yao’s name?” Wu Jun was surprised. He reached out to touch Qian Heng’s forehead. “You haven’t burned out your brain, have you?”

Qian Heng swiftly dodged with a look of disgust. “Have some self-respect. Talk with your mouth, not your hands.”

“Then why are you taking the blame for Cheng Yao?”

“I don’t want another Xu Jun situation.” Qian Heng looked away and snorted. “Who knows what kind of emotional resilience these young girls have nowadays? If she pulls a whole crying, screaming, suicidal stunt, does that count as a workplace injury?”

“And you’re not worried about ruining your own reputation over this?”

“What reputation do I need?” Qian Heng scoffed. “Aren’t I already the industry’s tumor? This kind of thing suits my image perfectly.”

“…”

“So, what’s the plan for handling Bai Xingmeng next?”

“File a lawsuit,” Qian Heng said without even looking up. “I’ve already instructed Bao Rui to organize the evidence. Every single communication between Bai Xingmeng and me is documented—emails, text messages, and voice recordings. She explicitly stated that she absolutely refused to settle but wanted to drag out Xu Jun’s case. With this and the rest of the evidence chain, we can fully prove that our firm was merely executing the client’s instructions faithfully. We never overstepped our role or made any decisions on her behalf. Bai Xingmeng’s public statement is not only false but has also damaged Junheng and our lawyers’ reputations. Since our firm has done nothing wrong, she must pay the full attorney fees without deduction. Furthermore, we’ll seek damages for the harm to our reputation and demand a public apology.”

“Why not just use Junheng’s official Weibo account to expose the evidence and shut her down?” Wu Jun mused. “Right now, there’s a lot of attention on this matter, so a clarification would reach more people. You know how long lawsuits take. By the time we win the case, the public interest will have faded. If we release a statement then, barely anyone will see it, and the negative impact on Bai Xingmeng will be much smaller than if we clear things up now.”

“We can’t directly post the evidence on Weibo.” Qian Heng rejected the suggestion without hesitation. He pursed his lips, his tone calm. “All this evidence was obtained under a signed representation agreement with Bai Xingmeng. It falls under the attorney-client relationship. Even though our agreement with her has been terminated, this information remains protected under our confidentiality obligations. We can’t just violate professional ethics and discard our legal responsibilities for the sake of defending ourselves.”

Wu Jun looked at Qian Heng. “You realize that even though it’s technically wrong, the public would completely understand if you did it. Even if Bai Xingmeng files a complaint, the bar association won’t impose any serious punishment. Besides, while our contract had confidentiality clauses, it doesn’t specify penalties for breaking them. That makes the obligation about as enforceable as a blank check. If she sued, the case would drag on forever, and the consequences wouldn’t be severe. If we release the evidence now, we’d not only clear our firm’s name immediately but also turn this into free publicity.” He spread his hands. “Not to mention, plenty of firms already use media leverage when disputes arise with clients.”

“No.” Unfortunately, Qian Heng remained unwavering. He put down his work and looked at Wu Jun with a serious expression. “I know this would be the easiest PR shortcut, but Wu Jun, we can’t do it. Just because ‘everyone is doing it’ doesn’t make it right. Just because public opinion would sympathize doesn’t mean it’s the correct course of action. Junheng is a law firm, not a PR agency. A law firm must uphold professionalism, respect the law, and honor its responsibilities. Encountering a client like Bai Xingmeng doesn’t justify lowering ourselves to her level. Every legal professional should have their own principles and bottom line.”

Wu Jun chuckled. “I knew you’d say that.” He raised an eyebrow. “I just wanted to see if, now that Cheng Yao is involved, your principles would change—if you’d make a different decision for her.”

“You really have too much time on your hands.” Qian Heng shot Wu Jun a cold glance. “My faith in the law and my professional ethics won’t change for anyone. And what’s so special about Cheng Yao? She’s just an ordinary associate lawyer.”

“Alright then.” Wu Jun shrugged. “I’ll go with your approach. I’ll handle the online discourse and coordinate with Bao Rui on the lawsuit against Bai Xingmeng. We’ve got this case in the bag. Once we get the judgment in our favor, we’ll publicly slap her in the face. Still, it’s a shame we can’t humiliate her right now.” He sighed. “Honestly, it’s infuriating how people like Bai Xingmeng—who have no principles and no sense of decency—manage to thrive, while those of us who follow the rules end up suffering for it.”

“Following the rules is what allows you to go the distance,” Qian Heng said with an easy smile. “Time will prove that.”

*****

Before leaving, Wu Jun suddenly thought of something and turned back. “Shouldn’t you go check on your little associate lawyer?”

Qian Heng frowned, looking completely puzzled. “What?”

“If it were me, I’d find it harder to accept my family being exposed and insulted because of my own mistake than being attacked myself. That kind of pain would be even worse.”

Qian Heng put down the case file in his hand and looked at Wu Jun expressionlessly. “And?”

“So you should go comfort her.”

“Heh. What, tell her to drink more hot water?”

“…”

Wu Jun didn’t give up. After a brief speechless moment, he pressed on, “At the very least, give her some time off. Let her get out for a bit instead of staying cooped up alone. A change of scenery could help distract her. Or she could eat some sweets to relax—girls love sweets, you know? Eating something sweet can lift your mood. Oh! And since she’s under so much pressure from this case, she should just let it all out and have a good cry. She’d probably feel much better afterward!”

“Wu Jun, do you think I have that much free time? Besides, she messed up because of her own incompetence, which led to an unfavorable outcome in this case. Shouldn’t she be the one comforting me , her innocent boss who got dragged into this mess? Why do I have to comfort her ?”

Forget it, Wu Jun thought. Expecting Qian Heng to comfort someone was a lost cause. If anything, he might just end up making things worse.