Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 226 - 225 "Crying" Technique, Li Qingmu Faces a Predicament

Chapter 226: Chapter 225 "Crying" Technique, Li Qingmu Faces a Predicament

Courtroom scene.

As the judge entered and banged the gavel, the trial finally began.

"Plaintiff!"

Ni Qiuping nodded towards the plaintiff’s bench, and Chen Baoluo immediately stood up.

The opening statement of the plaintiff’s side began.

"On the 31st of last month, at 2:45 PM, at a coffee shop on Southeast Walking Street, my client, Ms. Ji Guoguo, encountered sexual harassment by the defendant, Xia Qianjun!"

Chen Baoluo pointed at Xia Qianjun in the defendant’s bench, saying coldly, "Knowing full well that my client had feelings for him, the defendant brazenly attempted to take advantage, trying to commit indecent acts in public. Had my client not screamed loudly, the situation might have escalated to something even more dreadful!"

"As for the defendant’s public acts of indecency towards a woman, we certainly will not tolerate it. A criminal like him should be severely punished to give my client the justice she deserves!"

"Objection!"

Chen Baoluo’s words were interrupted by Li Qingmu.

"Defense lawyer, you are interrupting during the plaintiff’s statement?" On the bench, Ni Qiuping raised an eyebrow.

"Your Honor, the plaintiff’s lawyer is using improper language!"

Li Qingmu knew that it was unusual to interrupt the opening statement, but he had caught a flaw.

"Before the case is officially decided, my client, Xia Qianjun, is merely a suspect. However, the plaintiff has used the term ’culprit.’ This seems inappropriate to me, doesn’t it?"

"You are right!"

Ni Qiuping nodded and then turned to Chen Baoluo, "Lawyer Chen, please mind your language. I know you are not from Dragon Country, but I also know your Dragon Country language is very good. Do not make excuses like language habits; I know your intentions!"

"Your Honor, I apologize for my inappropriate language!"

Chen Baoluo immediately admitted his fault, apologizing towards the defendant’s bench.

A subtle helplessness flashed in his eyes, as he had actually used the term "culprit" on purpose, aiming to plant this concept into the minds of the six jurors through his opening statement.

Unfortunately, his opponent interrupted him.

This also showed that Li Qingmu was not to be underestimated.

After admonishing Chen Baoluo, Ni Qiuping did not let Li Qingmu off, "Lawyer Li, although you pointed out the mistake of the plaintiff’s lawyer, I hope you will focus on the case at hand, not on nitpicking language!"

"Your Honor, I will try to restrain myself!"

Li Qingmu also bowed his head in acknowledgment, but how sincere he was, only he knew.

"Alright, let the plaintiff continue!"

Ni Qiuping did not intend to delve into these issues, urging Chen Baoluo to continue.

"Ahem, the plaintiff calls witness Zhou Chengzi to testify!"

Chen Baoluo did not waste time and immediately summoned the first witness.

This witness was none other than Ji Guoguo’s best friend and one of the few eyewitnesses present at the scene of the incident.

Of course, what she actually witnessed was known only to her.

Zhou Chengzi entered the courtroom, took a seat on the witness stand.

"Hello, Miss Zhou!"

"Hello."

"Please tell us, what is your relationship with our client,"

"I am Guoguo’s good friend, her best friend."

"So, on the day of the incident, were you with her?"

"Yes, I was with her the whole time, even during... that time, I was by her side!"

As Zhou Chengzi finished, she glanced at the defendant’s bench with an unfriendly look in her eyes.

This scene was also clearly seen by the jury, who seemed to take note.

Chen Baoluo was pleased with this response and immediately asked, "Could you please describe what happened that day?"

"Yes, I can!"

Zhou Chengzi thought for a moment and then began, "That day, Guoguo and I actually had an appointment with someone, but to our surprise, that person stood us up, so we decided to go to the place we had agreed upon together."

"The shop is called ’Love Kitchen,’ a place for young people to learn cooking, with a lady who teaches us. Usually, couples or close friends form a team to cook the food together. That day, when we entered the shop, we saw a handsome guy... the defendant. He was by himself, and the lady stopped him from entering. Out of kindness, feeling sorry for this handsome guy, we teamed up with him and went into the kitchen together."

"After we finished cooking and came out together, we went to a famous coffee shop on the walking street for coffee. And there, the defendant specifically chose a secluded table, and then he... he..."

Seeing Zhou Chengzi hesitate to continue, Chen Baoluo quickly encouraged her with a smile, "Miss Zhou, do not be afraid; this is a sacred court. Please tell us, what exactly happened in the coffee shop?"

"The defendant started to act inappropriately. He not only tried to touch Guoguo with his hand, but he also attempted... attempted to kiss her face with his mouth, he... he was simply shameless!"

Zhou Chengzi pointed at Xia Qianjun, accusing him in a voice tinged with sobs.

"Hmm..."

The six jurors in the jury box all looked towards the defendant’s seat with naked scrutiny.

You clever boy, looking every bit the part of a talented young man, who would have thought you’d do such a thing.

You couldn’t have slowed down, could you? The girl actually had a favorable impression of you, and yet you, of all people, couldn’t muster the slightest patience?

Some wore cold, murderous looks, others cursed in frustration, and there were those who averted their eyes in disgust, unable to bear the sight.

Anyway, the jury’s sole conviction was that Xia Qianjun had indeed done it.

You didn’t see the girl crying, did you? Her eyes red as she pointed and cursed at you. You definitely did it!

The mood in the courtroom began to shift.

In the press gallery, many reporters had already started crafting their stories.

Headlines like "A Maiden’s Tearful Accusation Against a Profligate Son," "Beneath the Handsome Facade, A Filthy Heart Lurks," and "Tears in the Courtroom Point to the Sole Beast in Human Clothing"

Their headlines were more sensational than the next.

"Something’s not right~"

Zhang Wei could also tell that the mood in the courtroom was subtly changing.

Although this was only the first witness, Zhou Chengzi’s acting skills were indeed formidable, managing with just a few words to garner the jury’s sympathy.

Of course, this was also Li Qingmu’s fault.

If he had selected more reliable jurors during pre-trial, absent so many easily swayed by sentimentality, perhaps this scene wouldn’t have occurred.

Either way, all six jurors now saw Xia Qianjun as the villain.

"Order!"

Seeing the commotion among the press and the jury being influenced by the witness’s crying, Ni Qiuping immediately banged the gavel and warned everyone.

"Lawyer Chen, do you have any more questions?"

"Your Honor, we have no further questions for Miss Zhou,"

Judge Chen smiled, glanced at the defendant’s seat, then returned to his seat, seeming very confident. He didn’t appear concerned about any cross-examination Li Qingmu might initiate against Zhou Chengzi.

"Lawyer Li, your turn!"

In fact, there was no need for Ni Qiuping to remind him; Li Qingmu had already risen to his feet.

"Witness, did you say that my client molested your good friend?"

"Yes!" Zhou Chengzi answered adamantly, her expression indignant.

"How exactly did he molest her?"

"Objection!"

As Li Qingmu asked the question, Chen Baoluo immediately stood up to interrupt.

"Your Honor, since the witness is the sole eyewitness in this case, I see nothing inappropriate in inquiring about the details of the incident,"

"Your Honor, to ask a young woman to recount the public indecency committed against her friend, in my view, is utterly inhumane. I implore you to consider this from the perspective of the women involved and not to condone such misconduct!"

"Your Honor, an eyewitness has the duty to inform the court of the events as they occurred, for the sake of justice. We strongly demand that the witness reveal the details of the incident, and I believe the jury and everyone in the courtroom would like to know more about the case,"

"Your Honor, there is actually no need to elaborate on the incident because the defendant knows full well what he did. How could he possibly forget his own actions?"

"Lawyer Chen, I fail to understand why you are opposing the witness’s fulfillment of her duty?"

"Lawyer Li, you are imposing an undue hardship on a girl of tender years, expecting her to speak those words. Do you still consider yourself a man?"

"Order!"

Ni Qiuping, witnessing the in-court argument, swiftly intervened with her gavel.

"You two, stop squabbling. This is a courtroom, not a marketplace!"

She rebuked them sharply and then turned her gaze to the witness stand.

After a moment’s hesitation, Ni Qiuping still said, "While morally, I think this is the wrong approach, legally speaking, I believe it’s the witness’s duty to answer Lawyer Li’s questions!"

"Thank you, Your Honor, for understanding!"

Li Qingmu smiled slightly; he had won this round of the skirmish.

Though Chen Baoluo’s face flickered with discontent, he quickly hid it.

He signaled to Zhou Chengzi at the witness stand, and she immediately got the message.

Chen Baoluo returned to the plaintiff’s seat, while Li Qingmu approached the witness stand.

"Witness, you’ve heard what the judge said. Please tell everyone exactly what happened that day in the coffee shop,"

Zhou Chengzi, feeling Li Qingmu’s gaze, glanced at the defendants and then at Ji Guoguo in the plaintiffs’ seat. Hesitating, she began, "That day, that day..."

"What about that day?" Li Qingmu pressed a step closer.

"That day in the coffee shop, the defendant reached out and touched Guoguo’s thigh, and then he..."

"What did he do exactly?"

"He just... Whoo-whoo-whoo... He took liberties with Guoguo, he..."

Zhou Chengzi seemed to remember something and suddenly burst into tears in court.

Her crying was unabashed, her eyes red and her face almost contorted.

"This..."

Li Qingmu was immediately flabbergasted by the scene.

I asked you to describe what happened, not to do whatever this is. Why are you overreacting so much?

"Goodness, it’s actually this tactic!"

From the witness stand, Zhang Wei narrowed his eyes, as if he saw something.

His gaze swept across the room, eventually locking onto Chen Baoluo at the plaintiff’s table.

At that moment, the latter’s face bore a hint of smugness, and a strange smile was tugging at his lips.

Clearly, Zhou Chengzi’s tearful breakdown in court was a countermeasure against Li Qingmu’s cross-examination tactics.

"Witness, please don’t cry. I just want you to answer the question!"

"Whoo-whoo-whoo..."

"Witness, please calm down..."

"Whoo-whoo-whoo..."

"Your Honor, how can I continue with the questioning when the witness is like this?"

Li Qingmu had no choice but to look towards Ni Qiuping.

The latter rubbed her head, equally feeling at a loss.

"Witness, please be silent, or else I will hold you in contempt of court!"

Ni Qiuping’s stern shout finally quieted Zhou Chengzi a bit, although her face still showed signs of crying, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

Seeing the witness had finally quieted down a bit, Li Qingmu spoke, "Witness, please tell us, what exactly happened that day?"

"That day, that day..."

As Li Qingmu asked this question, the crying tone emerged in Zhou Chengzi’s voice again.

"Whoo-whoo-whoo, I saw Guoguo being harassed by that man that day. He touched Guoguo’s leg, hugged and held her, and was even thinking about kissing her. His mouth was getting closer, and when he did, Guoguo pushed him away, and then Guoguo shouted harassment, and then, and then, whoo-whoo-whoo..."

As expected, Zhou Chengzi broke down in tears in court once again, crying even louder than before.

"This..."

This time, it was Li Qingmu who felt at a loss.

"Your Honor, she..."

"I understand, I understand!"

Ni Qiuping raised her hand to signal that Li Qingmu didn’t need to continue questioning and she gave a look to those on either side.

"Take her down, the witness has already provided some details of the incident. I don’t think it’s appropriate to force her any further. Take her away, take her away..."

The court guards acted immediately, with a female guard supporting Zhou Chengzi, and a male guard escorting her, together leading the witness out of the courtroom.

Li Qingmu silently lamented the pity of not being able to question this witness further.

On the contrary, due to the witness’s crying, the enmity of the six jurors towards Xia Qianjun deepened.

He couldn’t help but note that a woman’s tears, a woman’s cries, are indeed a weapon!

Feeling helpless, he returned to the defendant’s bench.

"Lawyer Chen?"

"Your Honor, the defense calls the second witness to testify!"

Upon Chen Baoluo’s summon, the second witness came to the stand, a young woman.

"Witness, please tell everyone why we have called you here."

"I actually do not know the defendant, nor the plaintiff. I was just drinking coffee in the coffee shop that day, and my seat was right near them, so I heard the commotion when the plaintiff shouted harassment..."

The woman’s explanation made it clear to everyone.

She was also an eyewitness who was in the coffee shop at the time of the incident.

"Impossible, Silly and I asked several people, and they all said they didn’t see what happened. This woman’s seat should have been even further away than those I asked, right?"

Zhang Wei was puzzled seeing this woman.

Because he and Xia Qianyue had not only reviewed the surveillance footage of the coffee shop yesterday but also tracked down a few potential eyewitnesses with reference to the footage.

However, none of these people had seen what happened. They only gathered around after Ji Guoguo shouted harassment.

Presumably, this woman must be the same.

"Considering that the last witness, Miss Zhou, was unable to inform everyone about the sequence of events at the time of the incident, I would like to ask you, the witness, to tell us what you saw."

"Oh, okay!"

The woman thought for a while before recalling: "That day, I was waiting for a girlfriend, so I was drinking coffee on Southeast Walking Street. I remember sitting in a corner spot. I was just about to finish my coffee when I checked the time and realized my friend hadn’t arrived yet, so I was about to get a refill. Just as I was about to get up, there came a scream from a few tables away, and it was the plaintiff, that girl, grabbing the defendant, that guy’s hand, and then shouting out loud for molestation!"

"So did you witness the defendant molesting my client during the incident?"

"No, I only looked over when I heard the shouting, and I did not see the incident."

"Then did you notice the reactions of both parties after my client screamed?"

"I did see that."

"Could you please describe their reactions?"

"Hmm, let me think..."

The witness glanced at the plaintiff’s seat, "The girl seemed very panicked and afraid, clinging to the guy’s hand and not letting go. She had a friend by her side as well, and both were pulling on the guy. At that moment..."

"What about the defendant’s reaction?"

"The defendant seemed very eager to leave the coffee shop, anyway, he tried to push the girl away. I saw it all!"

"Oh~"

Chen Baoluo was very satisfied with this answer and immediately said, "So it seems that the defendant was guilt-ridden, trying to flee the scene as soon as possible, right?"

"Objection!"

Li Qingmu, of course, wouldn’t let the opponent have his way, quickly stood up.

"Your Honor, I retract that last statement!"

Ni Qiuping was about to speak up but Chen Baoluo didn’t give her the chance, immediately apologizing.

She could only glare at him, but how much intimidation that glare held was something only heaven knew.

Although the judge issued a warning, every lawyer present knew one thing.

Would the jury listen? Of course not~

Hearing that Xia Qianjun wanted to push the girl away and flee the scene, the jury’s gaze towards him grew even more unfriendly.

"Your Honor, we have no further questions for this witness!"

After finishing, Chen Baoluo smiled towards Li Qingmu, as if to say: Now the witness is all yours.

Li Qingmu stood up and walked to the witness stand.

"Witness, I only have one question, did you see my client molest the plaintiff?"

"No."

"Did you see my client touch the plaintiff inappropriately?"

"No, I didn’t."

"So it’s possible that my client did not molest the other party, and that the other party is falsely accusing him!"

"I don’t know, I didn’t see the whole thing..."

Li Qingmu looked at the witness; unfortunately, this woman really was just an innocent bystander.

She knew nothing about the course of the case.

The only thing she witnessed was the scene of Xia Qianjun wanting to leave the coffee shop.

And this scene was very unfavorable to them.

However, regrettably, Li Qingmu had no good countermeasures, and there was no breakthrough to be found with this witness.

In the end, he could only sigh and say, "Your Honor, we have no further questions for this witness."

Li Qingmu, at a loss for what to do, could only return to the defendant’s bench.

Chen Baoluo finally smiled. He had arranged for this witness, intending to strike at Li Qingmu, to make him feel powerless.

As for the role this witness could play, it actually wasn’t significant.

"Lawyer Chen, do you have any more witnesses?"

"Of course, Your Honor, we are going to call the most crucial witness to the stand!"

At Chen Baoluo’s words, the atmosphere in the courtroom suddenly became tense.

The most crucial witness would naturally be the victim, Ji Guoguo.

"Is she finally going to take the stand?"

At this moment, this thought flashed through everyone’s mind in the courtroom.

It also meant that the plaintiff’s killer move was finally about to come!