Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 162 - 161: Everyone Suspects Me? The Case in Tonghu Town

Chapter 162: Chapter 161: Everyone Suspects Me? The Case in Tonghu Town

The next day, Thursday.

In the morning, within the Lin Mansion kitchen.

Zhao Xiaoxiao unusually woke up early today and was now messily eating her breakfast.

Zhang Wei sat opposite her, with his legs crossed, leisurely reading the newspaper.

"Second daughter, today I’m going to accompany Jessica on a business trip to Jinying City, I might come back late, or might not return at all, it’s hard to say, you’ll be okay here, right?"

"Oh~"

The second daughter, naturally, didn’t even lift her head, casually responding with a noise.

Was this "oh" a sign of a problem or not?

Zhang Wei glanced at Zhao Xiaoxiao, thinking that his second daughter was already a grown-up; surely there wouldn’t be any issues.

"Alright, then later I’ll just..."

"Remember to wear a condom!"

"Huh?!!"

Zhang Wei was about to say something, but his second daughter suddenly came out with something fierce.

Man alive!

Zhang Wei stared blankly at the girl who was bowing her head and eating breakfast, was this still his sweet little cotton-padded jacket?

Who?

Who on earth had corrupted her, to start talking dirty out of nowhere?

Return my kind and cute, literate second daughter to me!

Meanwhile.

On the Dongfang Capital Metro, within a certain carriage.

Achoo—

Mo Yuzhu sneezed, then lowered her head, looking at the paper bag containing her breakfast, and fell into thought.

Who could be thinking about her?

First to rule out her parents since they hadn’t come home this week.

In fact, it was a big unknown whether they even remembered they had a daughter.

"Could it be Silly or Xiao Xiao? These past few days we seem to have chatted every night until late, what did we talk about yesterday?"

"Oh, right, yesterday we talked about that thing between men and women, sigh, if only we hadn’t driven the car during the chat, not sure if Silly and the others could grasp..."

Not to mention the self-reflection of a certain instigator.

At this moment, Zhang Wei had still not recovered from his second daughter’s sudden driving of the conversation.

"You..."

"I’m full, go and come back early. Remember to take safety measures tonight, goodbye!"

He was just about to educate the second daughter, but she didn’t give him the opportunity, throwing down her chopsticks and running upstairs.

Well, Zhang Wei couldn’t do anything about it.

He sighed and could only start clearing up the bowls and chopsticks, then head to the city.

On the way, Zhang Wei pulled out his phone and sent a message to Tie Ruyun.

[Zhang Wei: Boss, I need to take a trip to Jinying City for the next few days to help a female friend with some cases.]

[Zhang Wei: I’ll probably take a few days off. During this time at the end of the month, good luck to you all!]

Taking a few days off from work, it was necessary to give the boss a heads-up.

Shortly after, Tie Ruyun’s reply arrived.

[Tie Ruyun: This...]

[Tie Ruyun: Alright, but remember to be moderate, that woman doesn’t seem easy to handle...]

Man alive, was Zhang Wei going to be unable to clear his name?

Why did everyone assume that he was going to do that sort of thing with Jessica?

"This is society’s prejudice against me!"

Zhang Wei was indignant, deeply misunderstood by others; do you even suspect a gentleman?

He was too lazy to explain, because explaining is akin to covering up.

...

United Financial Building, underground parking garage.

After arriving, Jessica just happened to come down from the elevator and into the garage to retrieve the white car.

The two met up and set off in their vehicle.

The client for this case was Susan.

Her hometown was in Jinying City, right next to Dongfang Capital.

However, it wasn’t in the city center but in a suburban area, a place called Tonghu Town.

Susan and her mother had lived in Tonghu Town for decades, and it was safe to say they were genuine Dragon Country natives by now.

Zhang Wei could tell from Susan’s accent when she spoke—she had the intonation of a Dragon Country person, with a strong local dialect of the Southern region.

Zhang Wei couldn’t help but feel some anticipation for his trip to Jinying City this time.

Jessica drove, and after getting stuck in traffic in the crowded city center for a while, they finally left Dongfang Capital after more than two hours.

As they drove on the highway toward Jinying City, Zhang Wei finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The city center traffic took 2 hours, but the remaining half of the journey to Tonghu Town might take less than 1 hour.

He leaned against the car window, looking at the blue sky outside the suburbs as his thoughts drifted away.

...

A few dozen minutes later.

With the vehicle jostling, Zhang Wei’s thoughts were jerked back to the present.

"What’s going on?"

Feeling the violent shaking of the car, Zhang Wei almost thought there had been an accident.

"Susan mentioned that the infrastructure outside of Tonghu Town wasn’t very good, but I didn’t expect the road to be full of potholes!"

Jessica said, as she was forced to slow down and drive cautiously.

Today, Jessica was still dressed in her loose, casual attire, but with the car shaking so violently, her impressive chest lacked the restraint of tight clothing and started to quiver up and down, the amplitude astonishing.

Zhang Wei felt that his self-control was quite good, but his gaze was unconsciously drawn over...

Because she... was just too big!

Jostled along the way, Zhang Wei also "admired" the view.

Jessica needed to keep a constant watch on the road conditions, thankfully not noticing the fixed stare from the passenger seat.

Finally, they arrived at Tonghu Town.

Compared to the high-rise buildings of Dongfang Capital, Tonghu Town was a typical southern small town.

The town was built amidst lush green fields, and at a glance, one could see several small hills over a hundred meters tall, as well as fields of rapeseed flowers stretching as far as the eye could see.

Every year in February and March, when the rapeseed flowers bloom, they burst forth in competition, refining and pouring gold color, extending for miles.

The March breeze would brush past them, like waves of gold rising on the sea.

"What a beautiful view!"

"You can’t see this in Dongfang Capital!"

Looking at the rolling golden hills, both Zhang Wei and Jessica were moved.

This scene was something they could never see in Dongfang Capital.

Just for this beautiful view alone, they felt that all the hard travel was worth it.

Tonghu Town lay among the encircling hills, just past the field of rapeseed flowers.

The town was decorated with uniformly white walls and black tiles, with most houses being one or two-story brick buildings, and the occasional three-story house with a yard was already considered a "tall building."

After winding through the town, they finally reached the entrance of a small alley.

Since the space inside was limited, the car couldn’t enter, so Zhang Wei and Jessica had to walk.

"This is the town where I first settled when I came to Dragon Country nearly ten years ago. Really, nothing has changed!"

Gazing at some old buildings at the entrance of the alley, Jessica’s eyes brimmed with reminiscence.

"Let’s go, Aunt Mei’s home is inside. Looking at the time, they should be waiting for us!"

Jessica led the way into the alley, with Zhang Wei following close behind.

The two moved along, one after the other, weaving through the alley no more than 1.5 meters wide.

Ten years had passed, but Jessica still remembered every plant and tree; she didn’t get lost.

After a few stops and starts, they arrived in front of a two-story building.

The house had been renovated; the walls were clearly recently painted and stood out among the surrounding buildings, whose exteriors were covered with green moss.

The house had two yards, front and back, with flowers planted in the green belt of the front yard.

Glimpsing this familiar scene, Jessica quickened her pace like a little girl and arrived at the front door of the house.

"Auntie, Susan, I’m here!"

This shout, tinged with a hint of joy, made Zhang Wei behind her smile.

It seemed that even the usually aloof psychologist had a little girl’s side to her.

"Is that Jessica?"

From within, the voice of an elderly woman came.

Jessica quickly walked through the door as it opened.

Zhang Wei followed close behind, and as he entered the house, he saw Susan supporting a brown-haired woman, slowly rising to greet the two of them.

"Aunt Mei, mind your health, please sit down!"

After helping the woman sit back down, Jessica began to introduce everyone.

"Zhang Wei, this is Aunt Mei, Susan’s mother and the benefactor who took me in!"

"Aunt Mei, this is Zhang Wei, a top lawyer from Dongfang Capital Law Firm in Dongfang Capital, and the most capable lawyer I know!"

Hearing Jessica’s introduction, Zhang Wei scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Really, why brag about yourself to everyone you meet?

I’m thin-skinned and can’t handle flattery.

"Lawyer Zhang, you can call me Aunt Mei just like Jessica does, but my students still like to call me Teacher Su?"

The woman in front of him was named Su Mei, an external language teacher at a school in the town.

Of course, that wasn’t her original name; her name was Melina, but she took her husband’s surname Su after marrying him and adopted a more locally familiar Dragon Country name.

The same was true for Susan’s name as well.

"Hello, Aunt Mei!"

Zhang Wei nodded in greeting, then sat down alongside Jessica.

What followed was the three women chatting about everyday family matters.

Zhang Wei played the role of a faithful listener, hands propping up his cheeks, lost in thought.

There was no help for it; Su Mei’s home didn’t have many big items—the living room had only four bamboo chairs, one piled with laundry, and an old sofa with torn leather, creating a picture of poverty.

On his way here, Zhang Wei had done his homework.

Su Mei was a school teacher, and Susan a district lawyer. Although the income of the mother and daughter was not high, they could still maintain a basic living.

But to destroy a family, sometimes all it takes is a serious illness.

Unfortunately, Su Mei had suffered such a misfortune; she was diagnosed with cancer, and her health had been deteriorating over the recent years.

Zhang Wei could tell that Su Mei was enduring with great strength; her complexion was poor, conveying a sickly pallor.

"Jessica, you’re not the little girl who used to follow me around anymore. By the way, have you gotten a boyfriend during your years in Dongfang Capital, or is this gentleman perhaps..."

Although Su Mei originated from abroad, she had lived in Tonghu Town for decades and had become as integrated with the local women as any other neighbor, even adopting their way of asking questions.

The moment she spoke, she was asking if someone’s daughter had found a partner, which made both Jessica and Zhang Wei pause slightly.

The two exchanged glances, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

"Aunt Mei, I’ve been busy working in Dongfang Capital these years, and as for matters of the heart..."

"I understand, but Lawyer Zhang here seems quite good. After all, it’s rare for a lawyer from Dongfang Capital to come to our small town, and as Susan mentioned, he doesn’t even charge for his help, which makes me guess that..."

"Aunt Mei!"

Su Mei wanted to say more, but Jessica interrupted her, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Zhang Wei also touched his nose and felt a bit hesitant to speak.

"Alright, I won’t meddle in young people’s affairs as an elder. However, we’re not from Dragon Country after all, and we’re not as reserved about matters of the heart. If you truly like each other, just say it outright!"

Su Mei smiled, then turned her gaze towards Zhang Wei.

"Lawyer Zhang, or perhaps I should just call you by name, may I?"

"Of course, Aunt Mei, you may do as you like!"

Being respectful to elders was natural for Zhang Wei.

"Well then, Zhang Wei, thank you for coming!"

After expressing her thanks, Su Mei continued, "I believe Susan must have already told you about some issues. We’ve reached out to you because we’re facing a very troublesome situation here, and I’m afraid that a local lawyer might not be able to handle it, which is why we thought of Jessica who works in Dongfang Capital. If we could have handled it ourselves, I really wouldn’t have wanted to bother her."

"Let me be honest with you: our adversary is a major corporation in the city, and in Taoyuan District, they’re among the top. Even in our town, many people work for them or their subsidiaries. They also have the most powerful team of lawyers in Jinying City, while on our side, we only have six families; that’s our situation..."

Hearing Su Mei’s words, Zhang Wei simply smiled serenely, "Aunt Mei, don’t worry, none of that is a problem for me."

"What I’m more concerned about is the situation on your side, or rather, how are you doing?"

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Zhang Wei was about to ask something when Su Mei began to cough painfully.

"Mom!" Susan quickly came to her aid but was stopped by Su Mei.

"Zhang Wei, I am well aware of my condition. The doctors told me that unless there is a suitable organ donor, I only have less than nine months left. So I’m not afraid, and these other five families decided to stand with us because of me; that’s how we’ve come together."

"You need a suitable organ?"

Zhang Wei muttered something and looked toward Jessica.

However, Jessica kept her gaze on Su Mei, obviously not picking up on the meaning Zhang Wei intended in his words.

"Cough, cough, cough, I might need to rest for a bit, but I’ve already asked Susan to sort out the documents, you can take a look."

"Aunt Mei, I’ll help you back to your room!"

Since Susan was going to give the documents to Zhang Wei, Jessica quickly got up, assisting Su Mei up the stairs.

Zhang Wei received the files from Susan and began to flip through them.

After a while, his expression gradually became more serious.

More than ten minutes later, he finally finished the files.

"Lawyer Zhang, what do you think?" Susan promptly inquired, her expression equally grave.

Zhang Wei handed the files back to Susan and rubbed his forehead.

"In total there are six families, including yours, whose elders have experienced worsening conditions—thyroid diseases, cancer, heart problems, bladder inflammations, and so on. But I think these are all entirely different illnesses. Furthermore, the resistance of the elderly is naturally weak, they have many reasons to fall ill, and it’s difficult to prove that it’s all due to industrial pollution from the company..."

"I’m aware of that, so we specifically invited an environmental pollution expert from Jinnan City. He told us that the cause of these conditions comes from a chemical substance used as a flame retardant for furniture called C2HCl3 (trichloroethylene) in the factory. This is the environmental pollution inspection report he provided!"

Susan handed Zhang Wei a second file, but its contents, filled with elements and formulas, were only comprehensible to an environmental expert. Zhang Wei, not having a background in chemistry, was naturally befuddled.

"An expert from Jinnan City, why would he, like me, come all this way to Tonghu Town to help you out?"

Zhang Wei fell into a kind of suspicion concerning the expert.

Susan, seeing his serious demeanor, also expressed her worries, "Lawyer Zhang, the expert’s report will help us, do you think with this report there’s a high chance of winning the case?"

"It’s hard to say right now because with these types of cases, it depends if the jury will sympathize with victim families like yours. Let me meet the other families, then I’ll be able to give a rough answer!"

"I’ve considered this too. After dinner, we’ll discuss it together in the activity room at the village entrance, and then you can meet them."

"That’s great then!"

Since he could meet with people from the six families, Zhang Wei felt somewhat reassured.

After all, a single Su Mei already carried significant weight. With six families, it would be hard for a jury not to be moved.

And this time, he was on the side of the underdog.

Even though the underdog lost in the Chengyi Insurance case, it was because Zhang Wei resorted to "unconventional" methods.

Under normal circumstances, the weaker party always manages to garner sympathy.

Still, just to be safe, Zhang Wei knew he needed to have a backup plan.

Soon, evening came.

Originally, Su Mei intended to cook to host Jessica and Zhang Wei, but Zhang Wei stopped her.

He personally took to the kitchen, preparing a sumptuous dinner for the three ladies.

Especially the red-braised fish Zhang Wei made, which made Susan and Su Mei praise endlessly.

"Your cooking reminds me of my father-in-law; he used to be a chef at a restaurant. The flavor of this red-braised fish is very nostalgic for me."

"Yeah, Grandpa’s cooking was delicious. The taste is unforgettable. I didn’t expect to eat it again today."

"It’s nothing, just some minor skills that don’t play a big role, not something that impresses on the big stage, only useful in the kitchen."

Zhang Wei smiled slightly, his response tinged with modesty.

"For a boy to know how to cook, that’s definitely a plus!" Su Mei smiled subtly, then turned to look meaningfully at Jessica.

That statement clearly held another implication.

This naturally caused Jessica to lower her head once more, her fair neck turning slightly red.

Zhang Wei watched as Jessica turned bashfully girlish and smiled as well.

Aunt Mei, are you giving me an assist here?

What a great teammate!

The dinner ended pleasantly, and Zhang Wei’s group of four made their way to the town’s activity room.

Inside the activity room.

Several families had already arrived, and they were idly chatting with one another.

"Did you hear? This morning, a young couple came to town, a blonde woman and a suit-wearing young man?"

"I saw them too. That blonde woman is really pretty, skin as white as snow, and those assets, tsk tsk tsk!"

"I remember that woman, seems to be from Su Mei’s home. She was pretty as a child, didn’t expect her to grow into such a beauty."

"I remember Su Mei’s daughter too. Seems like she went to Dongfang Capital to find her. Wonder if that young man is the lawyer from Dongfang Capital, whether he can sort out the mess here for us."

"Hard to say, that young man looks too youthful. There’s a saying ’no beard, no reliability’—I’m skeptical!"

"Right, we’re against the ’Haofangzi Group’ from Jinying City, a big company with assets of over a hundred million. How could an ordinary person handle them!"

Zhang Wei and his group hadn’t arrived yet, but the conversation inside was already far from optimistic.