Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 185 - 183: Zeng Xiang’s Neighbor Goes to Court, Zhang Wei Arrives to Break Defense

Chapter 185: Chapter 183: Zeng Xiang’s Neighbor Goes to Court, Zhang Wei Arrives to Break Defense

(Today is the third round of nucleic acid testing in the community, and Author Germ has to get busy with guard duties, likely until late at night. Plus, having been out all day yesterday, there’s simply no time to write. Only one update today—dear readers, please don’t send razor blades my way. Slipping away now...)

...

The city court, conference room.

Zhang Wei and the others were having lunch, but the court’s lunch was almost entirely takeout.

There were five people in the conference room: Zhang Wei, Tie Ruyun, Lin Yumeng, Zhao Qingyan, and the defendant Fang Yunshu.

During the meal, the conference room was very somber, and nobody spoke.

Zhao Qingyan had lost his appetite. After pushing his food around for a few bites, he held his words back.

"Uncle Zhao, I know what you want to ask. You’ve seen how the trial is going, and I can only say it seems slightly unfavorable for us!"

"In the final moments I did use some tactics to garner sympathy from some of the female jurors for Ms. Fang, but unfortunately, it’s like trying to extinguish a burning cart of firewood with a cup of water..."

Zhang Wei quickly put down the hamburger in his hand and added an explanation.

"Yes, I’ve noticed that too!"

Zhao Qingyan sighed, but still comforted, "If it were any ordinary lawyer facing the fierce attack of Lan Gaojian, they would have likely surrendered by now; only you, kid, could hold your ground, and even turned the tables using the prosecution’s witnesses twice!"

"To be honest, if it weren’t for the need to maintain silence in the courtroom, I would have struggled to not cheer you on. Your performance really did impress me!"

Zhang Wei smiled at Zhao Qingyan’s praise without any sign of complacency.

After all, the case was just beginning, and the opponent’s attacks wouldn’t halt!

"Yes, yes, Uncle Zhao, now you know how amazing my master is, don’t you!"

"I’ve realized it, Little Miss Lin from the Lin Family!"

Lin Yumeng complimented Zhang Wei, eliciting a slight smile from Zhao Qingyan.

"Huh?"

But their conversation made Zhang Wei pause for a moment.

Did Lin Yumeng and Zhao Qingyan already know each other?

However, considering Zhao Qingyan’s status as a VIP client of Jincheng Law Firm, he let it go.

It made sense that the boss Lin Xiangtian and Zhao Qingyan were acquainted.

As the boss’s daughter, Lin Yumeng would certainly have met Zhao Qingyan, and it wouldn’t be strange for Lin Xiangtian to let his daughter call him Uncle, right?

Once Zhang Wei figured this out, he did not dwell on it further but instead focused on preparing for the afternoon trial.

"The prosecution’s witness list still has quite a few names on it. Although we don’t know how many will be called, for us, each will be a tough battle!"

Zhang Wei reminded Fang Yunshu and Zhao Qingyan to prepare themselves.

The afternoon trial would not be simple.

Today was Friday, and certainly, Lan Gaojian would want to leave the jurors with the thought of Fang Yunshu’s guilt over the weekend!

Zhao Qingyan and Fang Yunshu exchanged a look, nodding at each other with a slightly solemn expression.

Tie Ruyun also felt the oppressing atmosphere, while Lin Yumeng was still eating her meal, carefree...

...

1:30 PM.

The midday recess was over, and it was time for the court to resume.

"All rise!"

As the Court Guard announced, everyone returned to their places.

Zhang Wei smiled and nodded towards the clerk’s desk in the corner of the courtroom.

Unfortunately, all he got in return was a roll of the eyes and a displeased look from Li Qinghua.

The future mother-in-law’s attitude gave Zhang Wei a bit of a headache.

This trial was important not only for the client and Zhao Qingyan, but he also needed to impress his future mother-in-law.

"The cross-examination of the prosecution’s witnesses finished this morning, so it’s now time for the prosecution to continue with their opening statements!"

After Judge Chen clarified the situation, he turned to Lan Zhengye, "Prosecution, do you have any more witnesses to call?"

"Of course, Your Honor!"

Lan Zhengye straightened his collar, stood up, and replied.

"The prosecution calls Miss Peng Liying to testify!"

As Lan Zhengye made the announcement, a short-haired woman with a nice figure twisted her way to the stand.

As she passed by the seats of both the prosecution and defense, she nodded towards Lan Zhengye and then disdainfully glanced at the defense.

Zhang Wei noticed that the woman’s gaze towards Fang Yunshu had a hint of malice.

"Who is that?"

Fang Yunshu, who indeed noticed something, quietly asked Zhang Wei.

"She is your ex-husband’s neighbor!"

Zhang Wei had done his homework, so he knew the identity of this woman.

It was clear that this woman was a character witness brought in by the prosecution.

Since Zeng Xiang and Fang Yunshu had no relatives in Dongfang Capital, if they needed to call a character witness, they could only choose from colleagues or neighbors – the prosecution’s motive for summoning Zeng Xiang’s neighbor was obvious.

"Hello, Miss Peng, could you please tell everyone about your relationship with the deceased, Zeng Xiang?"

"I am Ah Xiang’s neighbor, and also, for some time recently, we were dating!"

This statement surprised many in the courtroom.

Especially at the defense’s table, Zhang Wei wore a look of disbelief.

"Dating?"

He looked at the woman on the witness stand and then at Fang Yunshu beside him who was just as surprised.

"That’s impossible. If your ex-husband was really stalking you and he was a voyeur, he couldn’t possibly have the time to engage in a relationship with another woman, could he?"

"I... I don’t know..."

Seeing Fang Yunshu shaking her head, Zhang Wei fell into deep thought.

Generally speaking, stalkers and such fixate on a target and then don’t shift their attention to other matters.

In this case, since Zeng Xiang had identified his ex-wife Fang Yunshu as his target, he would naturally not accept any other woman except her.

Zhang Wei admitted that the young woman in court had a nice figure, being curvy, and might be more appealing than the slender Fang Yunshu and that she also had the advantage of being younger, but that was it.

Could Zeng Xiang really be dating another woman while constantly stalking and monitoring his ex-wife?

"Now that’s strange. Jessica and I have also talked about it, stalkers of this type are target-obsessed, once they’ve fixated on a target, they rarely get distracted..."

Now, Zhang Wei was also perplexed, not sure how to comprehend this woman’s account.

Either the witness was lying, or Fang Yunshu was lying...

While Zhang Wei was contemplating, the questioning in the courtroom began.

"Miss Peng, may I ask you..."

"You may call me Miss Peng. At first, Ah Xiang also called me that, because I am a few years younger than him, and he treated me as a younger sister with affection!"

Lan Zhengye was just about to speak when the witness preempted him and even shot a provocative glance at the defense’s table.

"Oh, alright, Miss Peng, since you’ve mentioned it, let me ask you, who was the one to make the first invitation when you started dating Zeng Xiang?"

Miss Peng didn’t hesitate and immediately replied, "Ah Xiang was the one who first approached me. We met by chance at a bar, and that was also our first conversation."

"I had just broken up with my boyfriend at that time and went to the bar alone to sulk. It just so happened that he was sitting beside me... Oh right, he was the one who initiated the conversation. It was then that I found out he was also divorced from his wife, and since both of us were single, we sat together and chatted for a while..."

As the witness narrated, some of Zeng Xiang’s past actions were revealed.

According to Miss Peng’s portrayal, Zeng Xiang was a man who was humorous, understood subtlety, and was gentle and considerate.

To sum it up in one sentence, any woman who dumped him was missing out on a great regret in life.

Although there was quite a bit of boasting in her words, the witness mentioned many small details of life, giving people the impression that these things had actually occurred.

"Thank you for your testimony!"

Lan Zhengye finally concluded his questioning, but he had no intention of handing the witness over to Zhang Wei just like that.

"According to Miss Peng’s testimony, we can clearly understand that the deceased Zeng Xiang was a humorous and talkative man, quite witty, and he owned a network studio providing cyber security services to small and medium-sized enterprises. Zeng Xiang had a decent income, owned his own house in Dongfang Capital, and was well provided for. How could such a person possibly track and follow his ex-wife?"

"Miss Peng also said that Zeng Xiang was dating her, while the defense has been trying to portray the deceased as a stalker, someone deserving of his fate, which in my opinion is pure slander!"

Lan Zhengye pointed at the defense’s table, enunciating each word: "Let everyone understand one thing, in our criminal laws concerning the behavior of stalkers, it’s specified that their actions have a strong purposefulness. Once a stalker targets someone, external matters and affairs hardly distract them!"

"If it’s as the defense says, that Zeng Xiang was stalking the defendant Fang Yunshu, then in the former’s eyes, no woman but the defendant could fit, let alone engage in a relationship with Miss Peng!"

"Let’s understand this in a more colloquial way. If there’s a woman who wants to be with you and has a good impression of you by your side, then why would you go stalk another one who doesn’t want to be with you?"

With these words, Lan Zhengye cast a challenging look towards the defense’s table, "So, all of the defendant’s testimonies are actually lies, all excuses for her act of murder!"

As soon as these words emerged, Lan Zhengye exuded a sharp momentum, pressing towards the defense’s table.

Fang Yunshu, who had been hanging her head low, trembled slightly upon sensing this vigor.

Then, from all around, countless sharp gazes swept towards her.

Clearly, many people in the courtroom were swayed by Lan Zhengye’s statement and developed doubts about Fang Yunshu’s testimony.

"Your Honor, is the prosecutor making a closing statement?"

Zhang Wei hastily stood up and spread his hands towards the judge.

"Ahem, Prosecutor, do I need to remind you that there are some matters that cannot be conclusively determined before the case is closed!"

Judge Chen looked at Lan Zhengye, his expression slightly unfriendly.

Zhang Wei might be a bit cheeky, but at least he didn’t go too far.

But look at you, as a senior prosecutor, you repeatedly overstep. Do you think I can tolerate you many times?

"I apologize, Your Honor, I take back my last statement and conclude the questioning!"

Lan Zhengye confidently returned to his seat, drawing a look of amazement from Zhao Jing sitting beside him.

Truly a senior prosecutor, he effortlessly managed what they could never do before!

He suppressed Zhang Wei!

In the gallery, some rejoiced while others despaired.

"This kid is finished today!"

Zhao Chunming wore a cold smile, finally feeling the certainty of victory.

Next to him, Tie Ruyun and Lin Yumeng looked solemn and distressed.

Their expressions even affected Zhao Qingyan next to them, whose face went from "partly cloudy" to "overcast," and was gradually turning into "light rain."

The jury too was influenced by Lan Zhengye’s statements; they all believed that Zeng Xiang couldn’t have been following Fang Yunshu.

The witness’s testimony corroborated this point.

If the witness wasn’t lying, then it could only mean that the defendant was the one lying!

The direction of the court shifted again, and Zhang Wei and Fang Yunshu also noticed the jury’s dilemma.

"Lawyer Zhang, do they all think I’m lying?"

"Never mind them; even I’m almost persuaded by the prosecution!"

Zhang Wei complained inwardly but kept a steady face, "Don’t worry, even if this woman isn’t lying, I have a way to render her testimony invalid. Just you watch!"

After comforting her, he walked to the witness stand under the watchful eyes of the courtroom.

"What method will this guy use to neutralize my approach? I’m quite curious to see," Lan Zhengye thought, waiting with anticipation in his seat.

"Hello, witness!"

Greeting the woman before him, Zhang Wei politely said.

The woman, unappreciative, held her head high with an attitude: "You can call me Miss Peng!"

"Oh, Peng... Big Sister, hello!"

Zhang Wei deliberately called out, causing the woman’s complexion to drastically change.

"You... you, you, you..."

She pointed at Zhang Wei, too angry to speak.

"What’s the matter, Big Sister Peng? There’s nothing wrong with that address, is there?"

Zhang Wei pointed in Lan Zhengye’s direction, "The prosecuting lawyer, who is also the public prosecutor for this case, is about your age, so it’s proper for him to call you Miss Peng."

"But look at me, I’m so young. I just left law school last year, and I haven’t even been a graduate for a full year. I am still an intern lawyer, so calling you ’Miss’ would be taking advantage of me, wouldn’t it?"

"You, you’re calling me old..."

Finally, the woman completely lost her composure, her chest heaving with rage.

"Big Sister Peng, don’t get agitated; this is a court, so please control your temper. If you act out, the judge might find you in contempt of court!"

Zhang Wei warned, but his initial use of "Big Sister" further fanned the flames.

The woman clenched her teeth, repeatedly clenching and unclenching her fists, frustrated and angered.

"Ahem, Big Sister, let’s stop the teasing and start the cross-examination, shall we?"

Zhang Wei shifted his position and asked with a smile, "Witness, how long were you in a relationship with the deceased?"

"We were together for almost half a year!"

"Oh, half a year, huh?"

Zhang Wei nodded thoughtfully, "You described Zeng Xiang as a humorous and witty man, so you must have gone to many places together, right?"

"Of course, we not only toured Dongfang Capital thoroughly but also visited several neighboring cities. I even took lots of photos,"

As the woman spoke, she looked towards the defense bench with a show-offy air.

Zhang Wei noticed that every time the topic of Zeng Xiang came up, this woman brimmed with provocation and hostility towards Fang Yunshu.

"This point might be useful!"

He made up his mind and then continued to ask, "I want to ask about the expenses for these trips. Were they perhaps all..."

"All paid by him. He has a lot of money, you know, his studio could bring in a million every month. He didn’t just take me traveling, but also gave me lots of nice things, like designer bags, designer jewelry, designer clothes..."

"Okay, okay, Big Sister Peng, I get it!"

Seeing the woman was about to boast, Zhang Wei hastily interrupted her.

Then, his eyes rolling, he thought for a moment and suddenly asked, "Since you two were so close, has he ever touched you?"

"Of course he has, we hugged and held hands!"

"Uh, the touching I’m referring to is not that, but rather content that might easily lead to a 404!"

"Objection, this question is irrelevant to the case!"

Upon hearing Zhang Wei’s questioning, which was somewhat off-script, Lan Zhengye immediately objected.

"Your Honor, it was the prosecution that first brought up Zeng Xiang’s personal life, I merely expanded on it slightly?"

But Zhang Wei had anticipated this and also looked towards the bench.

Judge Chen hesitated for a moment, but recalled the earlier remarks from Lan Zhengye and made a decision in his mind.

"Objection overruled. The witness needs to continue answering the questions; however, the court also informs you that if the defense’s questioning touches on some personal privacy, you may refuse to answer!"

Zhang Wei then continued to look at the witness stand, "Big Sister Peng, since you’ve mentioned that you and Zeng Xiang were so close, could you please tell us if your relationship developed any further?"

"That..." The woman hesitated, seemingly on the verge of speech.

Seeing this scene, Zhang Wei had a good idea of the situation.

Similarly, Lan Zhengye sitting at the prosecution bench and the jury were also taken aback.

Zeng Xiang treated you so well, took you traveling, and yet you two never had a relationship?

That’s unscientific, is Zeng Xiang even a man?

"Oh, Big Sister Peng, seeing your expression, it seems like I already know the answer!"

Zhang Wei also spoke at the right moment, his gaze filled with sympathy as he looked at the woman.

A man treats you well but isn’t interested in your body, that’s simply incomprehensible...

No wonder Miss Peng was full of hostility towards Fang Yunshu, it was jealousy over Zeng Xiang’s past feelings for Fang that was driving this woman.

Zhang Wei understood clearly, stepped in front of the witness stand, and pointed at the defense bench.

"Big Sister Peng, now I ask you again, do you perhaps harbor some resentment because Zeng Xiang never touched you?"

"And has this resentment, because of Zeng Xiang’s death, been unable to be vented, and therefore you’ve transferred it to his ex-wife, my client, Miss Fang Yunshu?"

"Big Sister Peng, please tell us in front of the court, do you resent my client?"

Facing Zhang Wei’s thrice-urgent questioning, everyone in the courtroom also sensed the significance of this question.

"This..." The woman completely lost her composure.

"Big Sister, please answer the question!"

Zhang Wei spoke again.

"Witness, this question is about your credibility and the reliability of your testimony. Please answer seriously and do not conceal anything!"

Similarly, Judge Chen suddenly spoke out, backing up Zhang Wei.

"I..."

The woman opened her mouth, and at last, with a fierce resolve, pointed towards the defense bench and shouted, "Yes, I am jealous of that woman, jealous of that bitch sitting there, pretending to be pitiful!"

"Why did Ah Xiang still think of you? Why, after he took me traveling and I hinted so much, he still wouldn’t touch me? I am jealous of you, jealous of that bitch..."

As the woman finally voiced her innermost thoughts, a victorious smile surfaced on Zhang Wei’s face.

He had sought exactly this effect; the woman’s testimony was now ruined!

Not only that, but parts of the woman’s statements had proven some things.

And these statements had, in turn, inadvertently helped him.

As the witness lost control and burst into hysterical shouting, the tide in the courtroom changed once more.