Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 304 - 302: Does the Little Apprentice Fear? The Purse Snatching Case

Chapter 304: Chapter 302: Does the Little Apprentice Fear? The Purse Snatching Case

Saturday, overtime day.

Zhang Wei once again arrived at the law firm early in the morning.

The Criminal Division currently had no one; he was the first one to arrive.

But this was normal after all, since it was the weekend and everyone was off work for the two-day break.

Zhang Wei came here, naturally, because of overtime.

After all, he was a strong contender for the Employee of the Year award.

"Where’s Xiao Meng, didn’t we agree to meet early in the morning?"

Zhang Wei glanced over the Criminal Division’s office and discovered that the other person he had arranged to meet hadn’t arrived.

If Zhang Wei could be seen as the exemplar of diligence and a strong candidate for excellent employee, his little apprentice was the antithesis in the workplace.

On workdays she’d always be slacking off and skiving, every time he saw her working, she was sneakily watching dramas, and even after becoming a team leader, she set no good example.

Such people are usually the first to be cleared out of the department.

But who could do anything when her dad was one of the big bosses of the law firm?

In other words, the whole Jincheng was her family’s.

Who would dare to fire the boss’s daughter, wasn’t that courting death?

If it were before, Zhang Wei couldn’t stand these second-generation characters, unable to hit them or scold them.

But if the other party was a cute girl, that’s another story.

Moreover, the little apprentice did show Zhang Wei respect, and occasionally she would display impressively slick moves, these were the pros of having a little apprentice.

As long as she became a bit more sensible, a bit more punctual, actually, that would be enough.

Thinking this, Zhang Wei waited for over an hour.

Just before 10 a.m., the elevator doors finally opened.

"Ah, I’m late, I’m late~"

With a flurry of panicked shouting, the little apprentice finally rushed in.

Glancing at the clock, it was just hitting 10 o’clock.

And the time she had arranged with Zhang Wei the day before, was 8:30 a.m...

Lin Yumeng: emmm...

The little apprentice’s heart "thudded" for a second, then she looked up at her master, Zhang Wei.

At this moment, Zhang Wei had his arms crossed, a face brimming with schadenfreude.

That expression was telling her, you’re late, and there’s going to be a penalty!

Done for, done for!

Seeing the master with that expression, Lin Yumeng thought to herself that she was in for it.

What to do?

Could it be that she had to resort to her ultimate move?

The little apprentice arrived at this thought and quickly put on a look of grievance and pitiable cuteness, barely squeezing a tear from the corner of her eye.

"Master, it’s not my fault at all, it’s all because my blanket got sick, I had to stay in bed to take care of it, you’ve got to believe me, I didn’t want to be late..."

"Stop!"

Naturally, Zhang Wei didn’t believe Lin Yumeng’s excuse.

What do you mean, your blanket got sick and you had to take care of it in bed? Are you kidding me?

But Zhang Wei was too lazy to call her out on it, and instead nonchalantly waved his hand, "Xiao Meng, you really need to improve your storytelling skills; my advice is to be more realistic, closer to reality rather than a fairy tale!"

"Er..."

Lin Yumeng daren’t cry anymore, reining in her expression considerably, because she really couldn’t continue the act.

"Alright then, since you’re here, let’s get down to work!"

"Ao~"

Zhang Wei said, leading the adorable little apprentice into the Criminal Division’s conference room.

There, several folders were already laid out.

"First off, I need to clarify something with you about why we need to work overtime today."

"Xiao Meng, you’re a team leader now; you have to set a good example. Since Old Tie said that the newcomers can’t take on cases for the time being, as a team leader, you should show them what the Criminal Division is capable of."

"So, I took the chance yesterday, Friday, to get a lot of public service cases from the court. These cases have no takers, and the court will eventually assign them. Choose one from here."

As he spoke, Zhang Wei pointed to the folders on the desk and motioned for Lin Yumeng to take any she liked.

The little apprentice naturally didn’t dare object and picked the one closest to her, flipping open the first page.

"Ah, a rape case!"

She exclaimed, then looked pitifully at Zhang Wei.

That innocent gaze seemed to say: Master, it’s not that I don’t want to take on lawsuits; it’s just that this kind of case really isn’t suitable for a girl’s family.

"Alright then, pick another one," Zhang Wei said dismissively.

The little apprentice picked up the second document and flipped it open.

"Ah, a murder case!"

Once again, she gave Zhang Wei a pitiful look with her innocent eyes.

I’m not unwilling to take the case, it’s just that I physically can’t accept it.

"Alright, let’s switch to another one." Zhang Wei spoke again.

The third case...

"Ah, breaking and entering, and they even killed the homeowner’s dog—this suspect is too despicable!"

"Master, it’s not that I don’t want to take it, but I also have a dog at home, I hate those who kill dogs the most!"

"Alright, let’s switch!"

The fourth case...

"Ah, this time it’s a domestic dispute, a man accidentally hurt his own wife, and now he’s being sued."

"Master, I don’t want to take this kind of case, because that man is too despicable, who gets violent with his wife after an argument?"

"Alright, let’s switch!"

The fifth case...

The sixth case...

After seven or eight cases in a row, Lin Yumeng rejected them all.

"Stop!"

Finally, Zhang Wei sensed something was off and quickly called a halt.

The little apprentice had been about to voice some fabricated reason she had in mind for another case but was abruptly silenced.

Zhang Wei walked over to the little apprentice, circled around her, and scrutinized her closely.

"Xiao Meng, are you scared?"

"No, no... You must be joking, Master. How could I possibly be scared..."

The little apprentice’s eyes darted around, and her explanation was somewhat feeble.

"Good apprentice, do you know that when you want to explain something, you have to look the other person in the eye?"

"Your expression and posture right now make your explanation seem rather weak and ineffective. You’ve completely forgotten my teaching. If you can’t even persuade me, how are you going to convince a jury?"

Seeing the evasive look in the little apprentice’s eyes and her unconvincing expression, Zhang Wei shook his head in lament.

It seems that the time spent slacking off has indeed caused my little apprentice to falter.

Indeed, one should never slack off, otherwise they’ll become lazy.

"Fine, don’t bother choosing anymore!"

"Really? Master?"

The little apprentice, hearing this, looked excited at the thought of not having to work overtime.

"I’ll pick one for you!"

But Zhang Wei’s next words caused the little apprentice’s face to fall instantly.

Turns out you can’t escape after all~

Zhang Wei casually flipped through the remaining folders and quickly landed on a case.

"This one will do, a street mugging with no resulting injuries, a minor case. It’s perfect for you to practice with!"

As he spoke, Zhang Wei handed the folder to the little apprentice so she could closely examine the case.

"Before lunch, I want you to have read through the case summary. We’ll go see the suspect this afternoon. Tomorrow, while you rest at home, think carefully about how to handle this case. I’ll be assessing your performance next Monday!"

"Awww~~~"

The little apprentice pouted and reluctantly acknowledged.

It was apparent that she still had some resistance to taking on cases.

The entire morning went by as Lin Yumeng flipped through cases.

Gurgle gurgle~

By noon, the little apprentice’s stomach was growling again.

"Master, I was in such a hurry this morning, I didn’t have breakfast..."

The little apprentice gave Zhang Wei a hopeful look, her face full of pleading.

Luckily, Zhang Wei had prepared lunch, and it was enough for two.

"You’re in luck. Old Tie and I went to the Jincheng Club last Friday, where we had their signature lobster dish. So today, I made lobster too!"

"Yay, Master, you’re the best~"

Seeing the lobster meat and other fragrant dishes, the little apprentice’s appetite surged, and her big eyes curved into crescent moons.

The pleasant lunchtime always passed too quickly.

After a hearty meal, the two naturally took a short nap, then set off for the detention center.

...

Dongfang Capital, Detention Center.

For Zhang Wei, this detention center was like his own home.

He even knew it better than the houses at Dongjiang Yipin.

Although it might sound odd, it was the truth.

"Yo, Lawyer Zhang, good afternoon!"

"Lu Waiqin, you’re on patrol again!"

"Hello, Auntie Wang, it’s your turn to sweep the floor today!"

"Chef Zheng, are you just done with the cafeteria lunch? What dishes did you prepare for the detainees today?"

Along the way, Zhang Wei greeted everyone he met, even making small talk, which surprised the apprentice following him, Lin Yumeng.

"As criminal defense attorneys, apart from the courtroom, detention centers are also places we frequently visit. To be familiar with these places, you need to know a discipline called ’Networking,’ which can be of great help to you when necessary!"

Zhang Wei didn’t miss the chance to mentor his apprentice and immediately started explaining.

Once you step into society, you will inevitably encounter two disciplines beyond ’Knowledge’: ’Networking’ and ’Emotional Intelligence’.

These two are barely covered in school, or not taught at all.

But it’s undeniable that these are the courses you need the most when entering society.

’Networking’ determines the resources you can access, and ’Emotional Intelligence’ dictates how you interact with people in society.

If you earnestly complete these two courses, then you’ll be able to navigate society like a fish in water.

Of course, for the innocent little apprentice, these two courses are still a bit too advanced.

Detention Center, Meeting Room.

The mentor and apprentice waited for a moment, and finally, the suspect was brought in by two field officers.

"Hello, are you Mr. Yan Dayuan?"

Zhang Wei was the first to stand up and greet him, and after a moment of hesitation, the apprentice quickly stood up as well.

"Are you, my defense attorneys?"

Yan Dayuan was a man with a mustache, looking to be in his thirties, with ordinary features and nothing remarkable about his face, except for an earring that gave off an unreliable impression.

He looked at Zhang Wei and Lin Yumeng in astonishment.

They both looked too young.

They must be interns just out of lawyer school, essentially newbies.

"Kid, you’re lucky that Lawyer Zhang actually took your case, be grateful!"

However, one of the field officers suddenly patted Yan Dayuan on the shoulder and made a comment that the latter couldn’t quite grasp.

But their job was only to deliver Yan Dayuan and not to explain these things, so after bringing him in, they stood guard outside the door.

Inside the meeting room, Yan Dayuan took a seat opposite Zhang Wei and Lin Yumeng.

"Both of you are my lawyers?"

"No, I’m just in charge of training the apprentice. This is your defense attorney!"

Seeing the question from the other side, Zhang Wei promptly pushed the little apprentice forward.

"Oh, hello, my name is Lin Yumeng, your future defense attorney~"

Yan Dayuan looked at the cute appearance of the little apprentice and felt speechless inside.

Although the girl in front of him was cute, he was more concerned about whether he could get rid of the charges and gain his freedom.

"So, I wanted to ask, are you confident about this case?"

This question was what every suspect cared about most.

After all, they didn’t care who their defense attorney was; they only cared whether these people could help them.

But after the question was asked, the room fell into silence.

After a while, Zhang Wei couldn’t hold back any longer.

"Xiao Meng, why aren’t you answering the client’s question?"

"Oh, am I supposed to answer?"

The little apprentice seemed surprised and a bit innocent.

Zhang Wei: ???

Yan Dayuan: ???

Zhang Wei, with his hand on his forehead and an air of helplessness, said, "Xiao Meng, you read the case summary, didn’t you? If you don’t answer, who will?"

"Oh, it seems so..."

The little apprentice couldn’t help nodding her head, and realizing that Zhang Wei was still watching her, she quickly responded, "Um..."

"Talk to him!"

Zhang Wei pointed at Yan Dayuan, reminding her that he was her client.

Lin Yumeng hastily turned her head to face her future client, "Oh, um... How should I put it, I feel that this case is tough to fight..."

After waiting so long, this was the reply she received.

Yan Dayuan immediately raised his hand and asked loudly towards the entrance, "Hey, can I change lawyers?"

"Of course, you can’t," they are lawyers assigned by the court. Unless there is an issue of ethical violation, you cannot change lawyers, even if their professional knowledge isn’t up to standard, you have to accept them!"

The staff member on duty at the door responded immediately after hearing this.

Yan Dayuan could only dejectedly lower the hand he had raised and then looked at Zhang Wei and Lin Yumeng with a face full of grievance.

That expression was as if to say: I don’t trust you, please let me go...

"Cough cough, you should be asking about the details of the case now!"

Zhang Wei coughed and pretended he hadn’t heard the other party’s raised-hand comment and nudged his apprentice’s arm with his elbow.

Lin Yumeng immediately got the hint, took out her notebook, and began to ask:

"Mr. Yan, can you please tell us about the situation at the time?"

"I read the case summary, and it says you robbed a lady’s purse in public and chased her down several streets with the intent to do harm."

"Luckily, passersby intervened and so no casualties occurred, but because of your act of snatching the purse and the subsequent chase, you were judged for robbery rather than the lighter offense of snatching."

"Do you have anything you’d like to explain about this?"

After asking the question, she eagerly looked at Yan Dayuan.

The latter hesitated for a bit and, knowing that he couldn’t change lawyers, resigned himself to the situation.

"Well, I want to say that I really didn’t intend to rob that woman’s purse, do you believe me?"

"But you did snatch it, right out of her hands, and in the street at that. Doesn’t that count as robbery?"

"What if I said I had been drinking the day before and got confused, would you believe that?"

"This..."

Lin Yumeng was taken aback for a moment and then looked towards Zhang Wei.

The latter’s expression, however, was quite composed, as he had seen all sorts of outrageous cases, so this explanation didn’t surprise him.

Seeing that Lin Yumeng wasn’t getting anywhere with her questioning, Zhang Wei took over the conversation.

"How about this, Mr. Yan, why don’t you recount the events of the case from your own perspective? That way, we can better understand your point of view and figure out a way to resolve this matter for you."

"Alright..."

Yan Dayuan thought for a moment and found the suggestion reasonable.

He pondered for a while and then began to explain:

"The thing is, that day, I really was a bit confused, my head wasn’t clear, so I made a little mistake, of course, I didn’t really intend to rob anyone’s purse, I just..."

As Yan Dayuan explained, the expressions of Zhang Wei and Lin Yumeng began to change.

Zhang Wei remained composed, but Lin Yumeng’s mouth almost formed an "O" after hearing Yan Dayuan’s impassioned explanation.

Because the explanation was... rather outlandish!

Five minutes later, Yan Dayuan finished explaining.

"Alright, Mr. Yan, we understand now, and next we will look for ways to help you resolve this issue!"

Zhang Wei once again took the lead, giving Yan Dayuan the necessary assurances.

"Lawyer, I know my explanation sounds far-fetched, but I need you to believe me!"

"Don’t worry, Mr. Yan, we have seen cases far more outlandish than yours, and your explanation doesn’t surprise us!"

Zhang Wei reassured him again, and the three of them concluded their meeting.

Outside the detention center, Zhang Wei and Lin Yumeng were still reminiscing about their client’s explanation.

"Master, isn’t that just too far-fetched?"

"That man said he didn’t intend to snatch the money, he just happened to see that the woman had a purse identical to his, so he thought she had stolen his. In the heat of the moment, he ’took back’ his own purse."

"After a while, when he realized the purse wasn’t his, he tried to return it to the woman, but she started to run away, and he chased after her, shouting ’your purse’ all the while. Unfortunately, the woman didn’t hear him and instead screamed ’murder!’

"In the end, a few public-spirited citizens, witnessing their chase, suddenly took him down, saving the woman and delivering him to the Martial Association before he was locked up in the detention center."

Lin Yumeng, while flipping through the notes in her notebook, started to lament about the case.

This case is just... too far-fetched.

"Xiao Meng, do you remember what I’ve taught you? As long as the client doesn’t show obvious signs of lying, we have to take their word as the truth!"

"Master, this case is too far-fetched, are you sure he’s not lying?"

"What’s there to be sure of? Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction!"

Zhang Wei laughed, raised his finger, and emphasized, "What the world is never short of is people!"

"And when there are people, all sorts of bizarre things can happen."

"In my view, Yan Dayuan isn’t lying; he probably just made a mistake. The woman happened to have bought a purse identical to his, and he was confused because of the drinks from last night, that’s all."

After hearing this, Lin Yumeng nodded but then asked:

"But isn’t it unusual for a grown man to be using a pink hellokitty wallet?"

"Maybe he has the heart of a young girl?"

Zhang Wei laughed, not bothering to explain further.

After all, their job was to prove Yan Dayuan’s innocence.