Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 490 - 486: Exploitation? Sister Li Goes to Court

Chapter 490: Chapter 486: Exploitation? Sister Li Goes to Court

Municipal Court, Civil Division.

"Court Guard, let the prospective jurors in!"

At Judge Jiang’s gesture, the Court Guard opened the jury box to allow the prospective jurors to enter.

The Civil Division only needed 6 jurors, and this time there were 20 candidates, more than enough to choose from.

"Which side will start?"

Judge Jiang feigned authority and asked with a stern face.

At the plaintiff’s table, Sun Kongwen was the first to rise.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, please imagine that if you were an entrepreneur with a family-owned factory, and all your employees were diligent and hardworking, laboring earnestly every day, wouldn’t that be wonderful?"

Many on the jury nodded in agreement.

That would indeed be wonderful, but only if we had a factory and were entrepreneurs ourselves.

"Here comes the ’but’."

At the defendant’s table, Zhang Wei chuckled.

As expected, right after he murmured that, Sun Kongwen promptly raised a finger, "But..."

"In your factory, there suddenly appears an employee who, after clocking in, runs off to sleep in the dormitory and only comes back to punch out when it’s time to leave. Can you tolerate such behavior?"

Upon these words, many showed faces filled with indignation.

"Is this behavior not a complete disregard for the company’s rules and regulations?"

More people nodded in agreement.

"Those in favor of fining this employee or even suing them, please raise your hands!"

Among the jury, over one-third of the people raised their hands.

"To those gentlemen, how do you think this employee should be dealt with?"

"Hmph, such a person is simply a thief, not only should he be fined, but his actions should be marked and made known to all, so he’ll never find a job again in his lifetime!"

"Well said."

Sun Kongwen was very satisfied with the response and then looked towards the bench.

"Judge Jiang, we accept this juror!"

"Judge Jiang, we reject this juror!"

Just as Sun Kongwen finished speaking, Zhang Wei also stood up to interrupt.

Judge Jiang could only shake his head at the man who then stood up and left the jury box.

Sun Kongwen didn’t care about the departure of one prospective juror and continued with his questions.

"And you, madam, how do you think such an employee should be handled?"

"It’s best if such a person dies!" the woman said, seeming somewhat extreme and spoke bitterly, "Parents give birth to him, raise him, educate him, not to behave like this, it’s simply trash!"

"Judge Jiang, we accept this juror!"

Seeing the woman’s performance, Sun Kongwen was very pleased.

Then he looked towards the defendant’s table, and Judge Jiang also looked towards Zhang Wei.

Zhang Wei’s expression was calm, offering no objection.

Huh?

What’s happening, no opposition?

Judge Jiang and Sun Kongwen were both somewhat surprised. Weren’t you previously always opposing the other side, why not now?

But seeing that Zhang Wei remained still, Judge Jiang could only take notes, leaving the questioned woman in the jury box.

"Zhang Wei, why didn’t you object, this clearly is a problem, isn’t it?" Luo Xiaobu asked, unable to stay calm.

"Radish, although this woman is extreme, she can also be used by me," Zhang Wei calmly consoled with a smile. "An extreme woman just needs the right method to guide her anger, and she will become a weapon hidden within the jury, moreover, our weapon!"

"This woman, though she appears angry at the employee’s behavior of sneaking off after clocking in, one question alone is not enough to thoroughly understand her character."

"This woman has been eyeing the other jurors peculiarly since she entered the jury box, her disdain mixed with a hint of defiance; from my first glance at her, she would likely not have a good attitude towards anyone. Therefore, when she sees injustice, she would equally be angry at Lead You Fly Network and Zhu Pitte, and what I need is just this anger."

"Indeed, if she can channel this layer of anger onto the other jurors, it would greatly help my case."

"So, this woman is a potential key juror for me; I’d like to call her ’Fiery Mom’!"

For this, Zhang Wei even came up with a nickname for the female juror.

"It’s your turn!"

Lawyer Sun asked a few more questions and eliminated several jurors who expressed willingness to communicate with the shirking employees. He then finished his questioning and stepped aside.

Zhang Wei straightened his collar and prepared to enter the courtroom.

At the same time, he was pondering the details of the case in his mind.

This case was actually about industry monopoly and unfair contracts.

It was because companies like Take You Flying Network and other firms had monopolized the resources of the largest online live streaming platforms that small streamers were forced to seek their shelter and sign unfair artist contracts, subject to exploitation.

Therefore, Zhang Wei’s question was naturally...

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, who among you likes to play mahjong?"

"Huh?"

As Zhang Wei asked his question, many people in the courtroom were taken aback.

Why did the questioning suddenly shift to discussing this pillar of national culture?

Is mahjong something that can be discussed in court?

Judge Jiang looked stunned at Zhang Wei, and then towards Ni Qiuping and Xu Suyun.

His eyes seemed to ask, why is Lawyer Zhang Wei’s question so bizarre?

Ni Qiuping returned with a calm gaze.

This kid’s strange questions are plenty, just stop fussing about it, I’ve seen even more outrageous ones!

Although it was somewhat inappropriate to discuss mahjong, more than two-thirds of the jurors raised their hands.

Clearly, they all liked to play mahjong.

"Well then, please imagine this, one day all the mahjong parlors in the city closed down, and if you wanted to play mahjong, you had to go to the only mahjong parlor in the city center. And to make it clear, private mahjong games are also banned!"

"The mahjong parlor in the city center is not free of charge. On the contrary, they know they are the only mahjong parlor in the city, so they ask for an exorbitant price. Each time you go to play mahjong, they charge a fee of 50, and if you play all night, they directly charge 100. Would you go?"

"Those who would go, please raise your hand!"

Having said that, Zhang Wei’s gaze swept towards the jurors.

The question was out, now it was to see how many people would choose to accept the exploitation of the mahjong parlor for their hobby.

The jurors looked at each other, and a few older ones raised their hands.

"Sir, do you really like to play mahjong?"

"Yeah, when there’s nothing to do, I like to play a couple of rounds."

"Oh, I see. So what if the mahjong parlor thinks that a fee of 50 is too low and decides to raise the price to 500, would you still go?"

"That..."

The man stopped speaking, but there was a trace of anger on his face.

I usually win or lose just over a dozen yuan for a game of mahjong, and for bigger games, it’s only a few dozen yuan.

You’re charging 500 for a game of mahjong, isn’t that daylight robbery?

"No more, I won’t go, no way, that’s robbery!"

Zhang Wei was very satisfied with the man’s response and reaction.

"Judge Jiang, we accept this juror."

Judge Jiang took out a pen to make a note, while his mouth made a disapproving cluck.

Zhang Wei continued his questioning, approaching a woman who looked like a wealthy matron.

"Ma’am, you didn’t raise your hand. It seems that even if there’s a fee, you would still go?"

"Of course, whether it’s 50 or 500, I will go. No one can stop me from playing mahjong!"

The woman said, lifting her face proudly, "My husband is a senior executive of a listed company with an annual salary of tens of millions. He gives me several hundred thousand yuan as pocket money every month. I actually hope the mahjong parlor charges more, so there will be fewer people and I can get some peace and quiet."

"Oh, is that so? Well, what if the mahjong parlor knows you’re wealthy and decides not only to charge you an entry fee of 500 yuan but also to take half of your winnings after the game? Would you still go?"

This statement immediately angered the woman, who said indignantly, "Why would I give them half of the money I wisely win at the mahjong table?"

"Because they are the only mahjong parlor in the city, and you can only play there!"

"Get lost! If anyone dares to take the money from my pocket, believe it or not, I’ll bring people over to burn down their mahjong parlor!"

Hearing the woman’s agitated response, Zhang Wei nodded in satisfaction.

"Judge Jiang, we accept this lady as a juror for this case."

Judge Jiang’s facial muscles twitched, but he said nothing, just silently taking notes.

After assessing the jury panel, Zhang Wei walked up to a young man.

"Young man, you didn’t raise your hand, did you?"

"Because I don’t play mahjong!"

"Well, if you did play mahjong, would you spend money on an admission fee to gain the right to play?"

"Fifty a day, that’s 1500 a month, and 18,000 a year; I might as well pick up a new hobby. Mahjong, I think I could give it up!"

The young man spread his hands, showing that giving up mahjong was no big deal to him.

Zhang Wei frowned upon hearing this answer.

This juror is not steadfast in his commitments and would not support those who spend money and waste energy for their dreams—he is not a prospective juror.

"Thank you for your answer, juror. We request dismissal!"

The young man, shaking his head, could only leave his seat.

"Sir, you..."

Next, Zhang Wei continued to ask questions and filtered through several jurors.

"Good, our jury is now in place. After lunch, we will begin the hearing, tentatively scheduled for 1 PM. I wish everyone a pleasant lunch!"

With Judge Jiang’s gavel falling, the pretrial officially ended, and the courtroom began to disperse.

Sun Kongwen approached from the plaintiff’s side.

"Lawyer Zhang, this is our witness list!"

After handing over a list to Zhang Wei, Sun Kongwen looked towards Bobo.

"Miss Lin, Director Zhu and I discussed it, and if Miss Lin agrees, we can sign a new contract with you, raising your cut to 25% of the gift rewards, and we will also prepare a new place for you to live and a new streaming team. Of course, the team’s salaries will be paid by the company; there is no need to deduct them from your share!"

"This contract is something that only big streamers usually have, right?"

Hearing the increase in the profit-sharing ratio, Zhang Wei guessed this was a compromise from ’Take You to the Skies,’ believing that Bobo had streaming value.

"Correct, this contract, even within the entire online streaming industry, is quite favorable. If Miss Lin likes, we can immediately reach a settlement and sign the contract with you in person!"

As Sun Kongwen spoke, it seemed he was trying to lower Bobo’s guard, and he pointed at Zhang Wei, "Of course, when signing this contract, Lawyer Zhang can also be present!"

"This..." Bobo immediately looked to Zhang Wei.

She thought the contract sounded quite good.

"How many years is the term of the contract?" Zhang Wei directly asked a critical question.

Sun Kongwen raised a palm, fingers straightened, and replied, "Five years!"

Hearing this number, Bobo’s expression changed, then she shook her head.

"No, that’s too long – five years is too much!"

"Miss Lin, you must understand that the company isn’t a charity. Director Zhu is putting a lot of resources into promoting you. These resources are real money spent, so you do not expect to sign and then stream when you want and leave when you wish, right?"

"No, five years is too long; I don’t want it!"

Bobo still shook her head, which annoyed Sun Kongwen.

"Fine, since you are so stubborn, Miss Lin, don’t blame us for not giving you face in court!"

Sun Kongwen knew there was no more to say and walked away with a flick of his hand.

"Miss Lin, will you continue streaming in the future?"

"I might, or I might not, but even if I do continue streaming, I probably won’t do it for too long..."

Hearing Bobo’s response, Zhang Wei also frowned.

This woman, giving up her career at its peak – what could be the reason?

Has she found a new career or a new backer?

But what career could be more profitable than online streaming, especially since she’s one of the leading streamers on the biggest online platform – a money-making machine?

Or perhaps, she has found...

Zhang Wei gave Bobo a meaningful glance and also glanced at Luo Xiaobu, who had been watching Bobo the whole time, with an involuntary sense of compassion.

"Right then, let’s go to lunch as well. After eating and resting for a while, we’ll prepare for the hearing!"

Zhang Wei led his group out of the courtroom, awaiting the start of the afternoon hearing.

...

After lunch.

PM.

"This court announces, the breach of contract case brought by ’Take You to the Skies’ Network against defendant Miss Lin is now proceeding to its first official hearing!"

After Judge Jiang’s declaration, he looked towards the plaintiff’s side.

It’s your turn to present in court.

"Judge Jiang, we call the first witness, Sister Li, to the stand to testify!"

Upon hearing this witness, Zhang Wei and his colleagues weren’t surprised; after all, she was the person most familiar with Bobo at the talent agency.

Her face bandaged with gauze, Sister Li walked to the witness stand step by step.

"Witness, are you alright with your injury?"

"It’s nothing, just accidentally bumped my face on the ground, the doctor said it’s fine."

"Oh, I see..."

Judge Jiang nodded her head, but still seemed somewhat perplexed.

If your face bumped the ground, why is the injury on the bridge of your nose instead of your forehead? After all, your nose doesn’t seem that high.

"Hello, Sister Li."

"Hello, Lawyer Sun."

Sister Li gave Sun Kongwen a smile, but the combination of her smile and the wound on her face looked somewhat unsettling.

"Sister Li, you are the agent of the defendant Miss Lin, correct?"

"Yes, I am responsible for guiding Bobo and some other female broadcasters who joined the company at the same time. My task is to help them adapt well to live broadcasting work and adjust their schedules for work and life."

"What do you think about the defendant then?"

Unable to resist, Sister Li glanced at the defendant’s bench and then said in a "sincere" tone, "I have been with Bobo day and night. I have always treated her like my own sister."

At the defendant’s bench, Bobo became agitated.

"She’s lying. She never treated me like a sister. She treated us like slaves and would curse us out at the drop of a hat!"

"I understand, I understand..."

Zhang Wei signaled Bobo to calm down; he knew exactly what kind of person Sister Li was.

Someone like Sister Li, who could call in the likes of Brother Chen to lay hands on the broadcasters at any moment, if not the worst kind of person, was definitely an accomplice to tyranny.

Let them strut around the courtroom for now; I’ll make my move later.

In the courtroom, the statement continued.

"Sister Li, do you think Miss Lin, the defendant’s behavior, was somewhat..."

"Yes, I watched Bobo grow step by step, but after she gained a fanbase and some influence, she started to get carried away. She always thought she was great and that everything depended on her. She began thinking about breaking away from us, from the company. Of course, this is quite common in our industry."

"How did you respond?"

"Of course, I tried to enlighten her and persuade her. In our industry, there are many broadcasters who achieved some success and then left on their own only to immediately lose popularity. There is also a lot of broadcasters who, after gaining a fanbase, jump ship for a high price, only to disappear without a trace once they join a new platform."

At this point, Sister Li’s eyes brimmed with tears, pretending to be worn out by worry and toil: "In a nutshell, the broadcaster profession is not as simple as you imagine. The company and I are doing this for your own good. Now you’re just getting started and already thinking about jumping ship, which is not proper!"

"Sister Li, may I ask, how long have you been immersed in the live broadcasting industry?"

"I’ve been fighting in this field for 10 years; you could say I’m one of the old-timers, so my advice is definitely not wrong."

Sun Kongwen nodded his head, then looked towards the jury.

Quite a few people were moved by Sister Li’s impassioned performance, nodding in agreement.

After all, it’s quite fortunate to encounter a "warm-hearted" senior like Sister Li who always has your best interests in mind when joining a new industry.

In contrast, the defendant named Bobo appeared ungrateful. Thinking she could go solo, she planned to abandon the company, an act akin to a thankless wretch!

Thus, the jury seemed temporarily swayed towards the plaintiff’s side.

"Thank you for your testimony, Sister Li. Our side is finished with the questioning for now."

After returning to the plaintiff’s bench, Lawyer Sun and Zhu Pitte glanced towards the defendant’s bench.

In their eyes, there was nothing but sarcasm and mockery.

They didn’t believe Zhang Wei could be fully prepared after just one night.

They clearly felt they had this in the bag.

Zhang Wei adjusted his collar and walked calmly to the courtroom floor.

"Hello, Sister Li, you remember me, right? We met yesterday."

"Of course I remember, Lawyer Zhang..."

Because her persona was that of a kind-hearted big sister, Sister Li showed "kindness" to Zhang Wei.

But inside, she was seething with resentment; the one responsible for her injuries was none other than the man facing her, Zhang Wei.

Even as kindness showed on her face, the hostility in her heart could hardly be concealed.

"Good gracious, this looks like a murder in progress!"

Zhang Wei naturally felt Sister Li’s hostility but remained composed on the surface.

Because, in a moment, this woman would have her comeuppance.