Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 428 - 424: What Happened to Xiao Liu, Hou Liangliang Makes a Move

Chapter 428: Chapter 424: What Happened to Xiao Liu, Hou Liangliang Makes a Move

Zhang Wei glanced at the prosecution’s bench.

He always felt that this opponent had some inexplicable confidence.

What made you so confident that even the way you look at people is off?

Zhang Wei thought, could it be that this Hou Liangliang is an idiot?

However, the selection work still had to continue.

"The defense has no further questions for now," he declared.

After some consideration, Zhang Wei decided to pass his chance to select to see how Hou Liangliang would fare.

He returned to his seat at the defense’s bench, and Hou Liangliang took the opportunity to stand up from the prosecution’s bench.

"This case is about a safety accident, so I hope everyone can understand that long-term laxity can lead to irreversible safety hazards," he began.

"I’d like to ask if any of you or someone in your family works in safety?"

Several of the prospective jurors raised their hands.

"Sir, what do you do for work?"

"I’m a website administrator, responsible for filtering site content and controlling comments."

Hou Liangliang nodded; of course, that counts.

"And you, ma’am?"

"My husband is a bank auditor, does that count?"

Hou Liangliang couldn’t help but nod emphatically; that certainly counted.

"What about you?"

"I’m a driving school instructor."

Seeing the man smile as he answered, Hou Liangliang smiled as well.

After the smiles, he turned toward the judge’s bench, "Judge Liu, the prosecution accepts jurors number 8, 10, and 13."

Judge Liu made a note of this, and Hou Liangliang took the opportunity to return to the prosecution’s bench.

"The questions asked were direct and the purpose was clear, concise, and straightforward, but unfortunately, the results were not very good," observed Zhang Wei.

He analyzed Hou Liangliang’s approach; the level of questioning was quite average.

Take the lady whose husband is a bank auditor, for example; she is she, her husband is her husband, their jobs are not actually interrelated.

On the contrary, her casual dress was in stark contrast with her husband’s meticulous oversight required as an auditor. This was not the kind of juror that Hou Liangliang was looking for.

As for the driving school instructor, he unconsciously made a gesture of holding a cigarette when speaking, obviously having a heavy smoking habit, and used to receiving "gifts" from driving test candidates, not truly understanding the gravity of safety accidents.

However, Hou Liangliang’s mistake in choosing jurors had nothing to do with Zhang Wei, who wouldn’t remind his opponent out of kindness.

The questioning continued.

"Fellow jurors, please imagine this scenario: you are an operator in a factory. Starting this year, the factory is preparing to implement safety management regulations, making the rules stricter for operating machines and placing tools."

"One day, while you’re working, a manager who never descends to the workshop comes up to you wagging fingers, catching you for a lecture, and you have to listen properly, or else they’ll dock your performance points."

"The reason for the scolding? It’s because, for convenience, you placed a wrench on the machine next to you, which could pose a safety hazard. According to the factory’s new rules, all tools including wrenches should, when not in use, be kept within five steps inside a toolbox, strictly prohibiting any tools on machines, especially those in operation."

Having said that, Zhang Wei looked at the jury, "Do you think the manager’s actions were excessive, can you understand why he did so, and those who think it was an overreaction, please raise your hands?"

Not a few jurors raised their hands, some even showing expressions of disgust.

It seemed that Zhang Wei’s example had hit a nerve.

"Ma’am, why didn’t you raise your hand, do you think the manager did the right thing?"

"Of course, I believe rules are rules, and the worker didn’t follow the safety regulations, so it’s right for him to be lectured!" she replied.

"I see," Zhang Wei nodded, then looked toward the bench, "Judge Liu, the defense thanks the lady for her response and requests she be excused from the bench."

"And sir, why didn’t you raise your hand?"

"I’m the head of safety production at our factory; my job is to do exactly what you’ve described!" the man proclaimed.

As soon as he spoke, people nearby looked at him with antagonistic eyes.

It looked like this man had given quite a few lectures on safety in the past.

"Sir, your job is indeed very important; without your supervision, it’s easy for safety hazards to arise during production. A moment of laxity could lead to significant property loss, so I support your work."

The man was delighted to find someone who agreed with him, unlike at the factory where many workers viewed him with hostility.

"Then let me ask you one more thing, does your safety management department have a daily quota for issuing ’tickets’ for violations?"

"Yes, there is, I gave my team a target to catch 100 people a day using their phones on the job, daydreaming, chatting idly, operating improperly, or leaving tools lying around. I also require them to write a self-criticism on the spot and after that, deduct their points. Every month I deduct 500 yuan from their pay, and the factory manager has praised me for doing a good job," the man proudly stated.

But he was oblivious to the increasingly naked hostility directed toward him from those around.

"Oh~"

Zhang Wei understood as well, his expression exaggerated as he looked directly toward the judge’s bench, "Judge Liu, the defense requests to dismiss this juror!"

The man’s face changed, the smile gone, and his look toward Zhang Wei carried immense disbelief.

How can you dismiss me just like that when I was speaking the truth?

Zhang Wei, however, retorted, "People like you shouldn’t even have sons, because they’d lack assholes. If I don’t kick you, who should I kick?"

"Well, we now have a suitable jury, everyone take a break, have some lunch, and we’ll begin the first official hearing at 2 PM!"

Judge Liu struck the gavel, announcing a temporary adjournment.

After finishing, he immediately stood up and hurried out of the courtroom.

The place put too much pressure on him; he needed a coffee to unwind.

The courtroom disbanded, and everyone followed Judge Liu’s lead, gradually exiting the space.

"Prosecutor Xiao, may I have the honor of inviting you to lunch?"

"I’m not hungry yet, why don’t you take Ying Ying to lunch instead?"

Faced with Hou Liangliang’s invitation, Xiao Baihe directly used Tan Yingying as a shield.

"Umm... I brought my own lunch..."

Tan Yingying looked embarrassed as she too declined.

"Then..."

"Since I’m not hungry, then Ying Ying and I will take a break outside. I look forward to your performance this afternoon, Senior Hou!"

Saying so, Xiao Baihe promptly took Tan Yingying and left.

Slowly, the smile faded from Hou Liangliang’s face, replaced by a gloomy expression.

Elsewhere.

"Come on, let’s scrounge a meal at your place."

Zhang Wei, accompanied by Zhao Xiaoxiao, instructed Zhang Xinyan to drive back to Zhang’s Martial Arts School.

Anyway, the court session wasn’t until 2 PM; there was plenty of time to return.

The main issue was that he didn’t want takeout food.

Returning now allowed them the chance to catch a meal prepared by Lu Ma—what could be better?

Zhang Xinyan was at a loss for words, inwardly criticizing Zhang Wei for being too miserly, not even springing for a meal and instead mooching off his own family.

Start the car, off we go!

...

1:30 PM.

A waiting room at the city courthouse.

After having lunch, the group got ready and headed back to the courtroom once again.

"Lawyer Zhang, the hearing is up next, are you sure there’s no problem?"

Due to the immense pressure, Old Tan asked Zhang Wei once more.

In fact, he had eaten very little for lunch and every two or three minutes after finishing, he would ask Zhang Wei the same question again.

He couldn’t feel at ease without asking.

His wife and son were there, too, though Tan Xiaozhi might have been tired, as he had fallen asleep in the arms of Chen Xiaoyu.

"Old Tan, can’t you be a little calmer? At this rate, I’m afraid to let you take the stand in your own defense."

Zhang Wei was somewhat speechless—Old Tan’s state might just be a disaster if he didn’t appear in court; he could be pressured into something bad by the opposing side.

"But I..."

"Stop!"

Before he could say more, Zhang Wei interrupted him with a wave of his hand.

"Old Tan, if I’m going to have you take the stand to prove your innocence next, with your current mindset, it might just backfire."

Finally, Old Tan fell silent, though the look on his face was anything but good.

"Look at you—your attitude is risky. Don’t you know you have to learn to adjust your mindset and relax, relax..."

Zhang Wei couldn’t help but shake his head.

"Forget it, there’s not much time left, let’s go to court. I hope you can adjust your attitude today; otherwise, think about your wife and son. If you get sent to prison, what do you think will happen to them? They’d have to live without you."

As he spoke, he considered something.

Chen Xiaoyu actually had money, and Zhao Qingyan had given her a small share of Blacksmith Technology, with millions a year, which was more than enough for a mother and son to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.

It seemed like whether Old Tan was around or not didn’t really make a difference...

Shaking his head, Zhang Wei quickly dismissed this "plausible but rather demoralizing" thought.

He couldn’t dwell on it; it would only make Old Tan feel worse.

Zhao Xiaoxiao, who was beside Zhang Wei, watched him nodding and shaking his head, her expression filled with speechlessness.

Is there something wrong with your head, why are you twitching like that?

Amidst their varied thoughts, the group arrived at the courtroom prepared for what was to come.

On the prosecution’s side, Hou Liangliang had taken his place; Tan Yingying and Xiao Baihe had also returned, but sadly, the trio had not communicated.

During a quiet moment, Hou Liangliang glanced over at the defense’s bench, his eyes brimming with sinister intent.

Zhang Wei had thought about pulling aside a moment to speak with the prosecution, but upon seeing Hou Liangliang’s gaze, he extinguished that thought.

Meanwhile, inside the courthouse.

Judge Liu was also getting ready for court, tidying up his appearance.

Dinglingling!

Suddenly, the office telephone rang.

"Who is it, don’t they know I’m about to go to court?"

Judge Liu answered the call, and then his expression changed.

"Yes, yes, I didn’t expect you to call, please go ahead, you were saying..."

After a moment, Judge Liu hung up the phone with a look on his face that was particularly animated.

...

PM.

"All rise!"

As the Court Guard declared, Judge Liu entered the courtroom.

However, compared to the morning, his complexion was somewhat grave.

And in the corner of his eye, he glanced occasionally at the prosecutor’s bench, his gaze landing on Hou Liangliang.

"What’s with Xiao Liu, has he been schooled by someone?"

Similarly, Zhang Wei had caught Judge Liu’s glance and felt something was amiss.

"This court announces regarding..."

After reading from the script, Judge Liu began to maintain order in the courtroom.

"Prosecution, please begin your opening statement."

Hou Liangliang stood up, walked to the center of the courtroom, and began his statement, "As I said this morning, this case concerns issues of safety management standards. Next, the prosecution will prove that due to the negligence of the defendant, Tan Zhiqi, fire hazards arose inside the restaurant, which then led to the explosion, causing collateral property damage to several shops. It was the defendant’s mistake that led to..."

"Objection!"

Just as Hou Liangliang was about to launch a sharp accusation, Zhang Wei stood up and interrupted him.

"Objection overruled, the defense may continue."

But, from the judge’s bench, Judge Liu didn’t give Zhang Wei any courtesies.

Zhang Wei frowned and reluctantly sat down.

At the same time, he was somewhat surprised. What was going on with Xiao Liu, allowing the prosecution to make lengthy arguments without even allowing a defense objection?

After Hou Liangliang made a sharp accusation, he was finally ready to summon witnesses.

"The prosecution calls Mr. Qi from the cleaning company to testify!"

Following Hou Liangliang’s summons, a middle-aged man dressed in formal attire walked into the courtroom.

"Hello, Mr. Qi, I hear your cleaning company is responsible for providing sanitation services to several restaurants in the street block where the defendant operates. Is that correct?"

"Yes, I am the person in charge of the company."

"Then, are you familiar with the defendant’s restaurant?"

"Actually, it’s not me who does the cleaning, but my employees."

The man said, glancing at the jury, "But as you know, there’s a high turnover in this line of work; after all, no one chooses to spend their life dealing with grease and smoke."

"So, you mean that you’re not familiar with the defendant?"

"I can’t say I’m familiar, but I’ve seen Mr. Tan several times, and I’m indeed the person responsible for cleaning their shop and for the kitchen sanitation."

"Mr. Qi, how often does your company perform work intervals?"

"About once every three months, as per fire safety regulations, every restaurant must clean the grease every three months, otherwise it can easily cause a fire accident."

"So every time, it is you who sends people over?"

"Yes."

"Did you go to the scene yourself?"

"I went a few times, but there were times I didn’t go."

"The times you went, can you tell us what the defendant did?"

"The defendant would pull me aside to smoke next door, have a chat, and wait until the cleaning was over."

"So, you’re saying that the defendant might have pulled you away, allowing your employees to cut corners during the cleaning?"

"This... I’m not sure about that..."

Hou Liangliang’s questions left the man slightly startled.

"Objection, the prosecution is leading the witness to speculate!"

Zhang Wei, sensing the direction was turning unfavorable, quickly objected.

"Objection overruled because the witness answered he doesn’t know!"

This time, Judge Liu still did not offer his support.

"What’s going on with Xiao Liu today? Just because the witness says they don’t know, does that mean the jury won’t speculate? That question was clearly provocative!"

Zhang Wei looked at Judge Liu, always feeling that Xiao Liu was a bit off today.

Why is he targeting me?

With your bushy eyebrows and big eyes, who would have thought you’d also play tricks?

Hou Liangliang hadn’t expected that his mere attempt would actually win the judge’s support.

He glanced at the jury, and indeed, a few of them were looking doubtful following his remarks.

Press the advantage and teach Zhang Wei a lesson!

"Mr. Qi, as a professional cleaning company manager, you should be familiar with fire safety hazards, right?"

"Somewhat."

"Then I’d like to ask, what kind of conditions would be needed to cause the kind of fire that occurred in the defendant’s restaurant?"

Mr. Qi thought for a moment, then slowly analyzed, "Actually, our cleaning company mainly focuses on removing kitchen grease because once the grease builds up to a certain extent, it may become a safety hazard, the fire hazard you mentioned."

"What about the fire in the defendant’s shop, which involved an explosion as well? How much grease would need to accumulate for that?"

"I think there would need to be at least five or six months’ worth of accumulated grease. Otherwise, it could only cause a simple fire, not an explosion."

"Five or six months?"

Hou Liangliang quickly repeated it.

This made many in the jury nod their heads.

"Mr. Qi, did you go to the last few cleanings yourself?"

"No, I sent a senior employee to oversee them."

"Can this employee come to court to testify?"

"No, he went back to his hometown a few days ago."

"Went back to his hometown?"

Hou Liangliang’s eyes rolled, and he chuckled, "Is it because he felt guilty about the safety hazards and got a guilty conscience?"

"Objection, hearsay evidence, the prosecutor is indulging in subjective speculation!" Zhang Wei couldn’t help it and interrupted loudly.

"Objection... Objection sustained!"

Judge Liu looked around the courtroom and hesitated before choosing to side with the defense.

Zhang Wei breathed a sigh of relief.

Because this time, he had come up with a reason. If Xiao Liu didn’t support him this time, he was ready to blow his top in court.

Although interrupted, Hou Liangliang asked again, "Before the fire, it was your employee who led the team for cleaning at the defendant’s store, right?"

"Yes."

"Did he resign after the fire?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Qi, when you’d previously gone to the defendant’s store, did he always distract you by inviting you to smoke so you couldn’t supervise the cleaning work?"

"Yes."

"So do you think, when your employee went to the defendant’s store, they too might have been unable to fully oversee the cleaning work?"

Mr. Qi glanced at the defendant and nodded, "I guess, it’s very likely!"

Upon hearing this, many in the jury and the audience seats couldn’t help but ponder.

"Objection, leading the witness into speculation!"

"Objection overruled!" Judge Liu rejected it once again.

"Overruled again?"

Zhang Wei clenched his fist for an instant, almost unable to hold back.

Though he sat down, his mind had already started to wonder, what was up with Xiao Liu today?

Was this still the same passionate Judge Liu?

Could it be that he was also experiencing outside interference?

"Xiao Xiao, can you do me a favor later? Find my mother-in-law Li Qinghua and ask her to check the call records of the city court. I remember these are marked in the backend. Focus on Judge Liu’s office landline."

"Woof~"

Zhao Xiaoxiao nodded, indicating she understood.

Meanwhile, in the courtroom, Hou Liangliang felt as if he had already won, believing that with just the first witness, he could win the case.

"Therefore, we argue that it is because of the defendant Tan Zhiqi’s repeated negligence, lack of attention to cleaning duties, and even interruptions of the cleaning staff’s work, that prevented the grease from being effectively cleared, which is the fundamental cause of the fire!"

Hou Liangliang pointed at the defendant’s seat, making a sharp accusation.

On the defense’s bench, Old Tan’s face changed color after being pointed out directly.