Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 236 - 235: Not Enough Money? It’s Not About the Money!

Chapter 236: Chapter 235: Not Enough Money? It’s Not About the Money!

Serious Crime Unit, temporary mediation room.

"Young man, our child didn’t do it on purpose, really, I apologize on his behalf as his parent!"

"Lawyer Zhang, I don’t know what needs to be done for our child to be forgiven!"

"This Little Lawyer Zhang, don’t stay silent, give us a clear answer, what must be done for this matter to be considered over?"

"Yes, as parents, we’re not concerned about anything else, just worried about our only child. You’re being a bit unreasonable, aren’t you?"

"It’s not right, it’s really not right. This way is truly inappropriate."

"Little Lawyer Zhang, we have never begged anyone before in our lives, please do us a favor and let my son leave first. I can assure you, our child has always been a good kid. He definitely did not hit anyone!"

"Yes, yes, my son wouldn’t hit anyone!"

Several parents sat inside the mediation room, facing Zhang Wei, their mouths never stopping.

Zhang Wei completely ignored them, his gaze sweeping across the room.

There were a total of five people who had beaten Zhang Xinyan, hence five families were present, totaling nine parents, four couples and one woman.

Since Zhang Wei sat down, six of the parents from three of the families hadn’t stopped talking.

They were either making excuses for their sons or urging Zhang Wei to be understanding.

The implication was clear, we’ve all come here to plead, you ought to give some sort of response, right?

Zhang Wei rolled his eyes inwardly, respond how?

You think a few spoken words equates to begging?

You think I must give you face just because you rattle off a few phrases and act a little pitiful?

That’s not happening!

Zhang Wei’s gaze glided past these six without a second thought, moving to the last two groups.

The silent parents from these two groups appeared to be better off, with the man in an expensive suit, and his wife adorned in gold and silver, glittering with jewelry, accompanied by a male lawyer who seemed a cut above a public interest attorney.

Ever since this couple entered the mediation room, they hadn’t said a word. The man’s eyes remained discreetly fixed on Zhang Wei, while the woman communicated with the male lawyer beside her.

Zhang Wei could see the man looking disdainfully at the three families around him, a hint of contempt in his eyes.

Clearly, he felt there was no need to speak yet, allowing those three families to take the lead and test the waters with Zhang Wei first.

"This man looks like a businessman, sharp and self-assured, thinking he’s above the rest, using the other three families as pawns. As for the woman, she appears naive, her thoughts plainly written on her face!"

Zhang Wei needed only a glance to know this family was no cause for concern.

So, the only issue was with the last family.

Setting aside the eight observed parents, there remained one last person, a woman in a red suit and sporting sunglasses.

Since entering the mediation room, she hadn’t uttered a single word, had not even changed her expression; she was like a sculpture.

It was as if the incident didn’t involve her son but a stranger.

But Zhang Wei could tell that this woman’s behavior was actually due to numbness.

Or rather... she was accustomed to it.

If there was one thing that truly concerned Zhang Wei, it might be this woman and the Yu Liang beside her.

Heaven knows why a lawyer skilled in divorce cases would be here?

This woman and Yu Liang must have had some collaboration.

The atmosphere in the mediation room was oppressive, tense.

The six parents from the three families continued to pour out their grievances.

However, the content of their speech had shifted from their initial pleas and shows of weakness to a gradual change.

"Lawyer Zhang, why don’t you speak?"

"My son is not a bad person, why won’t you listen?"

"I’m kneeling before you here. Although my son has made a mistake, please give him a chance. We guarantee he won’t do it again!"

"We’re kneeling before you, now speak!"

"Exactly, they’re kneeling before you, and you don’t say a word. How heartless you are!"

"You, such a young lawyer, how can you be so heartless? You don’t have a shred of compassion, look, they’re kneeling before you!"

One of the families indeed knelt, while the other two started to echo the sentiment, by berating Zhang Wei for being heartless and cursing him for being inhumane.

Unfortunately, Zhang Wei’s skin was as thick as city walls, even if someone genuflected before him, he remained unmoved.

"This..." Chief Liu, presiding over the mediation room, was also stunned.

He thought to himself, what a tough kid, truly heartless.

Even he might feel uneasy facing the kneeling and pleading of so many families.

At the very least, he would say a few words to ease the atmosphere, like "Don’t kneel," "That’s unnecessary," "Please get up," and the like.

But Zhang Wei truly remained silent.

He even had a strange smile at the corner of his mouth, as if he was thinking about something that delighted him.

This scene finally made the families from the three households unable to hold back any longer.

So we’ve been putting on this act for quite some time, and you’re really just treating it like a show?

Fucking hell!

The hearts of the people from the three families were filled with anger at this moment, and if it wasn’t for a leader from the investigation department sitting there, they might have resorted to violence.

But this was the Martial Association Headquarters, with dozens of serious crime division officers outside. If they dared to act violently, they might be subdued in the next second.

And then, they could truly go keep their sons company.

Since the three families couldn’t persuade Zhang Wei, the fourth family finally started to make their move.

"Lawyer Zhang, I’m a businessman. Let’s not beat around the bush—how much money do you want to settle this matter?"

The man in the suit finally spoke up, his attitude still somewhat condescending, but there was a hint of negotiation in his words.

Seeing him speak, the three families stopped acting, wiped away their tears, sat down obediently, and their gaze began to shift back and forth between the man in the suit and Zhang Wei.

"May I ask how you address yourself, big brother?"

"Just call me Mr. Zhu, no need for formalities."

"Oh, Mr. Zhu, and Mrs. Zhu, is it?"

Zhang Wei smiled slightly, extending a courteous greeting.

"Mr. Zhu, I hope you understand that this is not about money. Your son has assaulted someone, which is a criminal offense!"

"Moreover, my client is still lying in the ICU, and my principal has asked me to come, not to forgive the assailant on their behalf, but to help them bring the assailant to justice!"

Upon hearing Zhang Wei’s words, the man in the suit’s expression darkened slightly.

This young man refused him!

And he says it’s not about money!

Laughable!

Having been in business for several decades and moderately well-off in Dongfang Capital, although not a tycoon, he was still a well-known businessman in that area.

In his view, there was nothing that couldn’t be solved with money, and this matter was no different.

"Lawyer Zhang, you really won’t consider it?"

"Mr. Zhu, as I said, this is not a matter of money!"

Seeing Zhang Wei "persisting," the man in the suit realized that his offer was not enough.

It seemed he needed to raise the amount!

After all is said and done, their initial thought was to appeal to emotion, to reason with him, or, to be frank, to wait for the other party to mention a figure first so they could decide if the price was right.

But unexpectedly, Zhang Wei firmly stated it was not about money.

This statement could mean two things: either it was literally not about money, or it was indeed about money, but they needed to offer a sum that would make him satisfied!

The man in the suit was inclined to believe the second interpretation, so after contemplating for a while, he offered a tentative proposal: "I will cover all of the medical expenses for your client, and on top of that, there’s a settlement fee of 100,000 yuan. How about that?"

After speaking, he also gave his wife a look.

Although she seemed somewhat reluctant, she nevertheless supported him: "Lawyer Zhang, please give my son another chance. We are very sorry for what he has done, and once we return home, we will certainly teach him a good lesson!"

An insincere apology!

Zhang Wei, though he didn’t show it, knew that this apology had no persuasive power whatsoever.

"Mr. Zhu, you really are misunderstanding. This truly is not about money!"

He shook his head quickly, his stance resolute.

Not about money, then what is the problem?

A look of confusion mixed with dissatisfaction toward Zhang Wei’s attitude appeared in the eyes of the man in the suit and his wife.

You little brat, we are already pleading with you, and yet you dare to put on this kind of attitude!

The atmosphere once again began to tighten.

"Trying to settle with money, what a pity the attitude isn’t sincere!"

Zhang Wei could tell at a glance that this Mr. Zhu thought he could clear up the issue with just 100,000 yuan because he underestimated Zhang Wei’s youth.

"Lawyer Zhang!"

It was at this moment that the woman surnamed Zhou finally spoke.

She had been whispering with Yu Liang for quite some time, and seeing that none of the four families could persuade Zhang Wei, she could no longer hold back.

"Lawyer Yu just told me that the cause of this incident is still uncertain for the time being, but it is my son who is wrong for committing assault, and as his mother, I want to apologize to you on his behalf."

"Let’s make it quick; I don’t plan on wasting any time. 200,000, plus all your client’s medical expenses and subsequent rehabilitation costs—I can cover them all."

The woman paused after speaking.

Yu Liang leaned in close to her ear, seemingly discussing something critical.

After Yu Liang finished, she continued looking at Zhang Wei, "Lawyer Zhang, I believe such an amount should adequately demonstrate my sincerity. Just write a [Criminal Reconciliation Letter] for my son, and my Zhou family will acknowledge you as a friend!"

Having said her piece, the eyes behind her sunglasses fixed on Zhang Wei, waiting for him to respond.

She believed she had been amiable enough, and the offer she made doubled what the Zhu family had proposed.

This was a show of sincerity!

Madam Zhou believed her sincerity was more "friendly" than that of the other families and surely it would have an effect.

"Madam Zhou, I think you have misunderstood; this is really not about the money!"

But Zhang Wei’s reaction was beyond her expectations.

Zhang Wei shook his head, reiterating his position; indeed, it wasn’t about the money!

Damn!

Madam Zhou almost couldn’t restrain herself any longer. You keep saying it’s not about the money, but as a lawyer, isn’t it all for the money?

Her five fingers clenched into a fist, but she quickly relaxed it.

Madam Zhou turned her head to look at Yu Liang sitting beside her, who immediately understood.

"Chief Liu, could you please tell us if there is a separate room nearby where I can have a one-on-one talk with Lawyer Zhang without interruptions?"

"There’s a storeroom next door—nobody’s in there, and there are no surveillance cameras..."

"Lawyer Zhang, let’s talk in private!"

Yi Liang said, taking the lead towards the adjacent room.

Zhang Wei scoffed to himself and walked out as well.

The storeroom next door.

"Lawyer Zhang, you’re really asking for the lion’s share here. My client offers 200,000 plus all medical expenses, and you’re not willing to accept?"

"Lawyer Yu, this really isn’t about the money!"

"If it’s not about money, then why are you practicing law?"

Facing Zhang Wei’s attitude, Yu Liang responded with a scoff.

"Lawyer Zhang, let’s not beat around the bush. Although we serve different masters, our underlying goals are the same—to earn legal fees. Let’s not deny that."

"The only favorable piece of evidence for your party is the surveillance video from near the parking lot, which shows your client being attacked, but the reasons for the incident and more are still unknown."

"Although your client is injured, we have also shown enough sincerity. I believe even if this goes to court, the judge would most likely order compensation for the medical expenses plus a few ten thousand in damages."

"Now, my clients are willing to offer the victim’s family 200,000 in compensation, and other families will not be too far off that amount. Just issue a [Criminal Reconciliation Letter] on behalf of the victim’s family, which is but a matter of writing a few words, and you could get your client hundreds of thousands in compensation—your legal fees should be a substantial sum too, right?"

Seeing Yu Liang laying it all out on the table, Zhang Wei shook his head again: "This really isn’t about the money..."

Damn, this kid is really greedy!

Yu Liang understood; still not enough "sincerity" had been offered.

"Lawyer Zhang, how about this: Madam Zhou just hinted at it—you name the amount, and she’ll give you a separate fee under the table as a reward for your efforts. This fee won’t be recorded publicly; you can keep the whole sum!"

"You’re trying to bribe me to betray my client’s interests for money?"

"Lawyer Zhang, you jest. Isn’t this an unspoken rule in our line of work?"

"Lawyer Yu, I didn’t expect you to be this kind of person!"

Zhang Wei sighed, somewhat disappointed.

After all, it really wasn’t about the money.

"Bang bang bang!"

Just then, Chief Liu suddenly knocked on the storeroom door.

"Lawyer Zhang, my subordinate just informed me that your client has woken up!"

Zhang Xinyan has woken up?

Zhang Wei thought to himself ’impressive’—the kid’s injuries were so severe, yet he managed to wake up after just half a day.

Since the client was awake, further discussion was unnecessary.

"Lawyer Zhang, could you leave your phone number? We’ll have to interact more over this case,"

"Oh, I have your business card; you gave me one from the start!"

Zhang Wei chuckled, then without looking back, he walked out of the storeroom.

There was no point in going back to the mediation room; there would be no agreement reached.

His goal really wasn’t the money, but to bring the five assailants to justice.

As for the compensation, did Zhang Wei care about that money?

"If possible, I might help Zhang Xinyan get enough compensation, but unfortunately, I have to consider Sister Xiao Wu’s feelings more!"

Thinking thus, Zhang Wei didn’t even look back. He left the Martial Association and headed straight to the hospital.

...

Outside the hospital ward.

Zhang Xinyan had indeed awoken but couldn’t be questioned right away.

"I’m sorry, the patient has just awakened, and his consciousness hasn’t fully recovered. It’s not convenient for him to receive visitors other than family members. As for taking your statement, that’s even more impossible now since he can’t speak yet!"

The attending physician outright refused Chief Liu and others’ request to see the patient; however, as the lawyer of the victim’s family, Zhang Wei could go in.

"When can the patient fully regain consciousness?"

"I can’t say for certain. It all depends on the patient’s recovery progress. He needs at least three or four days of consciousness recovery period."

"This..."

Chief Liu glanced into the ward and ultimately could only shake his head, leaving with his subordinates feeling unsatisfied.

Without being able to take a statement, they couldn’t know what had happened that night.

Not knowing the truth would make the investigation and the subsequent case filing and sentencing more difficult.

Chief Liu left disappointed, while Zhang Wei entered the ward with an unexpected expression.

Inside the ward.

"Come on, Xiao Yan, take your medicine!"

Zhang Xinwu was seen holding a bowl of freshly prepared herbal medicine, feeding it to Zhang Xinyan.

However, although the latter’s consciousness was blurred, his body’s instinct was still present, showing an indescribable rejection to the thing brought to his mouth.

"Lu Ma, help me hold down Xiao Yan; I need to feed him the medicine!"

"Okay, Miss!"

Lu Ma and Zhang Xinwu, one holding down Zhang Xinyan’s head, the other began directly pouring the medicine into his mouth.

Zhang Xinyan’s body trembled, his limbs began to flail in resistance, and he made "wuu wuu ehh ehh" noises.

Pitiful!

Heartbreakingly pitiful!

Zhang Wei, suppressing the discomfort in his heart, slowly approached the hospital bed.

After a bowl of herbal medicine went down, Zhang Xinyan’s eyes rolled back, and he passed out completely.

However, after feeding the medicine, the expressions on Zhang Xinwu and Lu Ma’s faces improved a bit.

Clearly, as long as Zhang Xinyan could swallow this effective medicine, his condition was essentially stable.

"Little Lawyer Zhang, you’re here!"

"Yes, Lu Ma, Sister Xiao Wu, I’m back."

"Zhang Wei, what did the investigation department say?"

"The assailants have been caught, five people in total. They ganged up on your brother, and the beating was captured by surveillance at the scene. They definitely can’t escape the charge of assault and battery..."

As Zhang Wei spoke, he looked at Zhang Xinwu, "Sister Xiao Wu, although I know you’ll definitely refuse, I still have to ask, do you want to reach a settlement with them?"

"Settle? You mean for me to forgive them, to forgive the group that harmed my brother?"

"No, settling means letting them pay for a [Criminal Reconciliation Letter]. It won’t be a small amount of money."

"With the letter, what will happen to them?"

"Well, let me think, if they have the letter, it means you, as the family member of the victim, have forgiven the culprits. Subsequently, even if the court sentences them, the defendants will present the letter and can qualify for a discretionary sentence. Maybe instead of 3 years, they would get just one year or even a suspended sentence without jail time."

"Then I won’t accept it!"

Indeed, upon hearing that the perpetrators could potentially get a suspended sentence and avoid jail, Zhang Xinwu immediately refused.

My own brother is in such a terrible state, yet you want me to forgive the culprits; that’s impossible.

"Actually, if we rely on the effective medicine, your brother should be able to recover quite quickly."

"All things considered, your brother’s injuries that could heal in half a month in exchange for a sum of money isn’t necessarily a loss, but since your attitude is to refuse, then I won’t convince you to accept the settlement!"

Zhang Wei looked at Zhang Xinwu, knowing this woman wouldn’t easily change her mind.

Although Sister Xiao Wu is usually quite amiable, when it comes to matters of principle, that’s a different story.

"Mhm, Zhang Wei, please ensure that the culprits are punished severely!"

Zhang Xinwu looked at Zhang Wei with a pleading tone.

"I understand!"

Faced with Sister Xiao Wu’s request, Zhang Wei naturally wouldn’t refuse.