Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 230 - 229: Someone Lied? Sacrifice the Bestie!

Chapter 230: Chapter 229: Someone Lied? Sacrifice the Bestie!

Ji Guoguo and Zhou Chengzi were now thoroughly troubled.

Because Zhang Wei had a simple request, asking them to mark the actions taken by Xia Qianjun when he allegedly molested Ji Guoguo on the day of the incident.

Which part did he touch first?

Such a simple question, yet it posed immense difficulty for Ji Guoguo and Zhou Chengzi.

Because, they themselves didn’t know which part it was?

This whole affair was concocted from nothing, and they hadn’t anticipated that Zhang Wei would ask such a question, so they hadn’t conspired or discussed such details beforehand.

And just like that, Zhang Wei found a breakthrough and caught them off-guard.

What’s more, Zhang Wei didn’t ask Ji Guoguo to say it out loud but to mark it.

"You can’t say it out loud?"

"You start crying?"

"Cry if you must, even crying all day won’t matter."

But the map still needs to be marked, and even if you’re crying, you’ll have to mark it for me.

"What’s the matter? Several minutes have passed, why haven’t you two started to mark anything?"

Seeing that the two were still not marking, Zhang Wei finally couldn’t help but speak out.

"Such a simple matter, why are you two hesitating for so long? Could it be that you actually falsely accused my client?"

"In fact, he never molested Miss Ji at all. It was all fabricated by you two to attract attention, to increase the popularity of your live streams, and to malign others for money!"

Zhang Wei emphasized this statement heavily.

Ji Guoguo was so frightened that the pen fell from her hand onto the floor.

However, Zhang Wei quickly picked up the pen and handed it back to her.

"Miss Ji, no matter what you’re thinking right now, you must eventually take this step."

"Mark it, just a simple mark, please indicate the area with the pen. To use a phrase from Judge Ni Qiuping, that would be... ’Hurry up!’"

Intimidated by Zhang Wei’s tactics, Ji Guoguo’s eyes reddened, ready to burst into tears.

But Zhang Wei was prepared, taking a tissue from the side and extending it toward her.

Here’s a tissue, please use it!

Too ruthless!

Ji Guoguo could no longer cry.

It must be said that in dealing with reluctant witnesses, Zhang Wei had far surpassed Li Qingmu.

Of course, this was also due to the different social strata in which they struggled.

Li Qingmu was already the head of a law firm and did not deal with criminal cases much, whereas Zhang Wei was often in the forefront, with ample practical experience.

Under Zhang Wei’s urging, Ji Guoguo and Zhou Chengzi finally began to mark.

But their speed was excruciatingly slow, hesitantly circling the spot after a long while.

"You two have finished marking? Now please mark another spot. When my client attempted to forcefully kiss Miss Ji, which part of her face did he aim for? The left cheek or the right cheek, the edge of her lips or her cheek? Please point to that spot on the face!"

"This..."

Hearing Zhang Wei’s request for the second marking point, Ji Guoguo and Zhou Chengzi felt their hearts collapse.

"Remember, you just need to point to it, it’s very simple. After pointing, please also mark a number 2. This is the second point I’m asking you to mark. Thank you!"

Zhang Wei spoke again, giving a reminder.

Having no choice, the two clenched their teeth and selected a spot on the face.

"Ladies, according to Miss Zhou’s testimony, my client hugged and performed other actions on Miss Ji. Now please mark where my client’s hands touched Miss Ji during the hug!"

Ji Guoguo and Zhou Chengzi were numb and after agonizing for a while, marked another location.

"Very good, thank you for your cooperation. You can now put down the pens!"

Hearing Zhang Wei’s words, Ji Guoguo and Zhou Chengzi finally took a deep breath.

It was finally over.

But then they began to worry again, because the places they marked were obviously different.

"Oh dear, what’s going on? Why are all three spots marked by you two different?"

Zhang Wei took the papers from the hands of two court guards and placed them on the projector, overlapping them.

Through the projector screen, everyone in the court saw a scene; the figures on the two pieces of paper overlapped, but the three marked areas did not coincide at all.

Even the second marking, for the left and right cheeks, was completely opposite!

This raised a problem!

Which one of Ji Guoguo and Zhou Chengzi was lying? Or were both lying, and Xia Qianjun never molested Ji Guoguo?

In any case, as soon as there was a discrepancy in the marked points, the six jurors began to look at Ji Guoguo with naked doubt.

Among you, at least one person is lying, and it’s highly likely that both of you have lied!

You claim to be eyewitnesses, so how come the scenes you described are completely different?

Even those seated in the hearing section started to chatter amongst themselves.

It has become quite obvious that Xia Qianjun is very likely innocent, and both Ji Guoguo and Zhou Chengzi have evidently framed each other.

"Zhang Wei is so impressive!"

Of course, the most excited in the hearing section had to be Xia Qianyue.

She saw how Zhang Wei stepped into court and resolved the crisis, completely changing the direction of the trial; she was beyond thrilled.

If it weren’t the courthouse, she would have hardly been able to keep herself from jumping up.

Xia Donghai and Li Qinghua beside her were also very happy.

Xia Donghai wore a joyful expression, silently praising that his son-in-law, Zhang Wei, really came through!

Li Qinghua, though happy her son could be cleared of suspicion, felt somewhat displeased considering it was once again thanks to Zhang Wei.

She then remembered her elder brother, Li Qingmu, which only intensified her annoyance.

Both being lawyers, how could there be such a disparity in skill level?

In the hearing section, there was another person whose change in expression was very noticeable.

That was the miss of William International, Laura.

"This Zhang Wei... is really troublesome..."

Before the court session, she had gone over the files and knew of Zhang Wei’s formidable tactics.

But she never imagined that the man was beyond formidable – that he could pull off such a stunt as having witnesses "do an exercise" on the spot to prove they were lying.

These maneuvers were simply beyond the norm.

Yet Laura knew more surely that they couldn’t afford to lose this trial!

She gave a meaningful look to a subordinate nearby, who immediately understood and stood up, step by step moving towards the front rows of the hearing section.

The movements of the subordinate also attracted the attention of Chen Baoluo in the plaintiff’s seat, who turned his head and locked eyes with Laura’s fierce gaze.

Chen Baoluo could feel the pressure, as sweat slightly beaded on his forehead.

He knew he had to resolve the current crisis; otherwise...

But how to resolve it?

Zhang Wei’s tactics had already proven that at least one person among Ji Guoguo and Zhou Chengzi was lying.

"Since that’s the case, then..."

In a quick succession of thoughts, Chen Baoluo finally made his decision.

"Your Honor, considering the little experiment conducted by Lawyer Zhang just now, please allow me to pose some necessary additional questions to my client!"

"But we are still in my time for cross-examination?"

"Your Honor, this is related to the credibility of the witness, and after I finish my questions, Lawyer Zhang can still proceed with the cross-examination!"

Since Baoluo insisted, Ni Qiuping had no choice but to look towards Zhang Wei.

"Lawyer Zhang, what do you think?"

"Since Lawyer Chen is so serious about it, I don’t mind."

"Very well, this court approves!"

Following Ni Qiuping’s strike of the gavel, Zhang Wei returned to his seat, and Chen Baoluo took the floor again.

"Miss Ji, I would like to ask you, was your good friend Miss Zhou, in fact, unable to see the entire process of the indecency against you?"

As he asked the questions, he emphasized certain details in his tone.

"She..."

Ji Guoguo looked at Zhou Chengzi in the courtroom, hesitating to speak out.

"Miss Ji, please answer me, this question is very important for you, as it concerns your credibility!"

"Yes, she indeed did not see the whole process!"

"Then is it possible that her earlier testimony was given because she was worried about you and thus said those things?"

"Yes, Chengzi didn’t want me to be bullied, so she wanted to stand up for me!"

"So in fact, Miss Zhou didn’t actually know the actions of the defendant when he committed the indecency against you, right?"

"Yes."

At this point, Ji Guoguo finally understood the purpose of Chen Baoluo’s questioning.

"Oh, so that’s the situation..."

Similarly, from the very first question, Zhang Wei knew what Chen Baoluo was thinking.

Sacrificing a pawn to save the chariot.

Or in other words, sacrificing Zhou Chengzi to preserve the image of Ji Guoguo as the victim.

The purpose of Chen Baoluo’s questions was to tell everyone in the court that Zhou Chengzi did not tell the truth before, and her testimony was all out of the desire to protect Ji Guoguo.

Although this would sacrifice Zhou Chengzi, there’s no room for consideration anymore.

Discarding a pawn to save a more valuable piece on one’s own side is a necessary sacrifice.

"Your Honor, I have finished my questioning!"

Seeing that Ji Guoguo had understood his intentions and achieved his goal, Chen Baoluo immediately concluded his questioning.

Meanwhile, in the jury box, a few jurors also displayed a look of realization.

They now understood why the marks of Zhou Chengzi and Ji Guoguo were different.

It turns out that Zhou Chengzi lied! This could be understood—seeing her good friend being bullied, she stood up to accuse the villain. That was why she lied while testifying in court.

But... is that really the case?

Zhang Wei stood up again and approached Ji Guoguo.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" This time, Zhang Wei wasn’t asking about the case details but posed this question to the witness instead.

"I don’t understand what you’re talking about!" Ji Guoguo replied coldly, without emotion.

"Alright then, it’s your choice, but I just want to say, your best friend is going to be very sad."

Hearing this, Zhang Wei looked towards the bench.

"Your Honor, in light of Lawyer Chen’s questioning and the witness Ji Guoguo’s responses, we have reason to suspect that one of the plaintiff’s witnesses, Zhou Chengzi, has committed perjury in court. We request that you make a ruling on her actions!"

"You’re right!"

Ni Qiuping nodded and then banged the gavel, announcing, "This court believes that the defendant Zhou Chengzi has provided false testimony in court, misleading the court and the jurors. Now, as the judge, I declare that she be temporarily detained and sent to the investigative department for inquiry!"

Following Ni Qiuping’s declaration, two court guards, one on each side, took the still baffled Zhou Chengzi into custody.

"What’s going to happen to me?"

"Perjury is a criminal offense; you could be facing ten years in prison!"

Zhang Wei answered the question very "kindly."

Hearing this, Zhou Chengzi’s face turned pale, and she looked at Ji Guoguo with disbelief in her eyes.

She was actually betrayed by her best friend!

"Don’t worry, we at William International will help you. You’re a first-time offender with no criminal record; we will help you get acquitted!"

Similarly, Chen Baoluo also made a point to reassure her as she passed by, quickly speaking up.

He was not truly intending to help Zhou Chengzi get acquitted, but to temporarily placate her to avoid her harboring resentment against Ji Guoguo and creating a lose-lose situation.

In the spectator’s gallery, Laura also signaled to a subordinate, who immediately stood up and followed the court guards escorting Zhou Chengzi out.

Clearly, William International was moving to protect Zhou Chengzi.

For the smooth progression of this case, they must also stabilize Zhou Chengzi.

Seeing Laura take action, Chen Baoluo finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The potential problem was temporarily resolved.

"I may have sacrificed Zhou Chengzi, but I’ve protected Ji Guoguo. If you were to prove that either both were lying, or just one of them, I would simply remove the liar, leaving you with no way to prove whether the other has lied or not!"

Chen Baoluo smiled again, praising his own ability to think on his feet in his mind.

In such a crisis, only he could have thought of this move.

"Now it’s your headache, Lawyer Zhang!"

As he said, the problem had now shifted to Zhang Wei’s side.

With Zhou Chengzi taken away, the only witness Zhang Wei had left to question was Ji Guoguo.

Without an eyewitness and since Zhou Chengzi was forced to "self-destruct," the only remaining eyewitness was this one sitting in the witness stand.

"In fact, I have another witness, and that’s the big uncle himself, but he is a witness for our side and cannot speak now!"

Thinking this, Zhang Wei approached Ji Guoguo.

He tapped the witness stand but didn’t speak immediately.

"Lawyer Zhang, will you continue the questioning?"

After waiting a moment, Ni Qiuping grew a bit impatient and couldn’t help asking.

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

Zhang Wei did not continue to cross-examine the witness because he knew even if questions were asked, Ji Guoguo could tearfully accuse Xia Qianjun.

Now that the only threat had vanished, whatever she said would go unchallenged since the defense had no way to refute.

So Zhang Wei also decided to save his energy, as there was no point in listening to Ji Guoguo’s courtroom rhetoric anymore.

Seeing Zhang Wei stand down, both Chen Baoluo and Ji Guoguo breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhang Wei and Li Qingmu were two different kinds of lawyers, and the pressure from the former on both of them was clearly much greater.

Since the other party decided not to pursue further, the pressure on them greatly decreased.

"Bang Bang Bang!"

Just then, Judge Ni Qiuping struck her gavel once again.

"In light of today’s proceedings and the possibility of false testimony by the plaintiff’s witness, the court finds itself fatigued. We will now adjourn temporarily and set the next hearing for Monday next week. Please make sure to remember the date..."

Many things happened in court today, so many that everyone needed some time to process them.

Although this trial was just a minor civil case, the legal battle within it was exceptionally exciting.

Especially towards the end, there was even suspicion of witness perjury—an unforeseen turn where a witness was detained in what started as a minor civil case.

It was preposterous!

Now, as the judge announced the adjournment, the courtroom began to disperse.

Chen Baoluo glanced at Zhang Wei and hurriedly left with Ji Guoguo’s family.

Zhang Wei, too, gathered with Xia Qianjun and his in-laws.

"It’s a pity they managed to get by with a ’sacrificing a pawn to save the chariot’ move. Otherwise, I could have cleared big brother-in-law’s name today!"

"Zhang Wei, you’ve worked hard!" Xia Qianyue was aware of how much Zhang Wei had done and quickly expressed her thanks.

"We should go, too. Once we get back, we need to discuss our strategy for next Monday!"

Zhang Wei also led Xia Qianyue’s family out of the courtroom.

By exiting through a back door, they avoided the reporters at the front entrance and saved themselves much trouble.

...

At Dongjiang Yipin, the in-laws’ home.

This time, Xia Qianjun did not return to the special operations team but stayed at home instead.

Zhang Wei stood on the balcony, appearing to look out at the river scenery, but he was actually deep in thought.

The vast river landscape held no allure for him now.

He needed to think of a strategy to help Xia Qianjun clear his name.

Ding-dong!

At that moment, the doorbell rang.

"Friends are here!" With the soft chime of the electronic prompt, Xia Qianjun immediately went to the door.

"Wow, Brother Jun, this is your place?"

"This house is way too big; it’s so much bigger than our old house, I don’t even know by how much!"

The visitors were Luo Qi and Gao Yang, two of Xia Qianjun’s comrades in arms.

Following them was a fair-looking young man.

"Brother Jun!" He greeted Xia Qianjun with a bow and a hint of a smile on his face.

"Hehe, it’s the loyalty of our brothers that counts. When they heard you needed a character witness, Xiao Ning rushed back from the front line overnight. He could have refused, you know!"

The young man called Xiao Ning, with a hint of excitement, said, "Brother Jun once saved my life; it’s only right that I do this."

"You’ve worked hard, Xiao Ning," Xia Qianjun finally showed a hint of a smile on his otherwise indifferent face.

Even though he looked down on most people, even his brother-in-law Zhang Wei, he had unconditional trust for these comrades who had accompanied him for years.

Xia Qianjun and his three comrades quickly came together and started chatting.

Their conversation also drew Zhang Wei’s attention.

"Hm, this young man, he’s the character witness that big brother-in-law was originally planning to summon!"

Zhang Wei’s gaze fell on Xiao Ning, betraying a trace of oddness.

Because he noticed that Xiao Ning’s look towards Xia Qianjun’s regimental colors was... slightly off.

"I’ve got it!"

Suddenly, something occurred to Zhang Wei. He hurried over to the group, simultaneously giving Xia Qianjun a solid slap on the shoulder.

"Big brother-in-law, I’ve got a strategy!"

"Really? What is it?"

Xia Qianjun didn’t care about Zhang Wei’s lack of formality anymore, his face showing a hint of excitement.

"Before that, let me ask you one thing. To clear your name, are you willing to do anything?"

"Of course, I’m innocent in this case, and I’ll definitely do everything for my exoneration!" Xia Qianjun quickly added, "Of course, if it involves sacrificing my sister, I refuse. If you want to pursue my sister, it’s up to you, don’t think about threatening me!"

A bead of sweat formed on Zhang Wei’s forehead; his big brother-in-law was indeed prone to wild thoughts.

"Big brother-in-law, you’ve misunderstood, or rather you should be concerned not about me but about yourself..."

Zhang Wei leaned close, flashing a white grin.

"Let me ask you, in order to clear your name, are you afraid of a social death?"