Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 541 - 536: Retreating to Advance, Are You Really Doing It for the Child?

Chapter 541: Chapter 536: Retreating to Advance, Are You Really Doing It for the Child?

Zhang Wei felt he was entrenched in a bitter struggle.

The reason, naturally, was the betrayal of "one of his own."

This person so dear to him even went to court to commit perjury, standing up for Gu Shimang.

And another person who could have cleared Gao Tianri’s name with their testimony was currently touring abroad, and it was estimated that they wouldn’t be able to return in the short term.

Even if that person could come back, it would be difficult to make them admit in front of their boyfriend that they had gone to a hotel room with Gao Tianri.

Therefore, there was temporarily no possibility of breaking the impasse.

Even without looking, he knew that everyone in the courtroom had already taken sides.

Zhang Wei could only look towards the woman sitting in the witness stand.

At this moment, Gu Shimang perhaps felt that victory was in her grasp, a hint of a mocking smile flickering deep in her eyes.

She laughed!

"I once gave you, Zhang Wei, a chance, but you didn’t cherish it."

"Now it’s too late for regrets, you’re bound to lose!"

"With my unparalleled acting skills, victory is naturally within easy reach."

Gu Shimang seemed to have already envisioned the scene where, after winning the case, she would get everything from Gao Tianri and then live a life of luxury with her lover.

"Lawyer Zhang, do you wish to continue questioning?"

It was at this moment that Ni Qiuping interjected a reminder.

You, Zhang Wei, tried to cross-examine Gu Shimang before, but your efforts were ruined by an unexpected witness.

Now it’s you who finds himself at a disadvantage.

Zhang Wei had naturally considered this too.

He realized that, apart from Old Ni who might still be somewhat rational, everyone in the courtroom actually seemed to be supporting Gu Shimang.

Even if he did bring up some minor issues, he estimated that neither the jury nor the spectator gallery would care.

Unless he could reveal some bombshell, winning was impossible!

That was the predicament he was facing.

But where could bombshells come from?

There weren’t any.

"Our side requests another 5-minute consultation with the party concerned!" Zhang Wei raised his hand again.

Ni Qiuping naturally nodded.

However, she found it strange.

In previous cases, Zhang Wei had never consulted with the party on the spot in the courtroom.

Why, this time, did he need to consult twice in the courtroom—could it be that Zhang Wei had lost his confidence, that he was panicking?

Zhang Wei was now huddled together with Gao Tianri, and the two of them discussed many issues.

After a while, the pair began speaking alternatively, nodding in agreement from time to time.

Just like that, 5 minutes passed.

"Judge Ni, we have finished our discussion!"

"Then hurry up!"

"Of course!"

Zhang Wei once again approached Gu Shimang, tidied up his appearance, and asked with a smile, "Shi Man, having said so much, can I assume that everything you’ve done is not for yourself, right?"

"Yes, all that I’ve done was for my child in my womb!"

Gu Shimang said, softly caressing her belly with a face full of happiness.

"Then what do you think if my client is willing to accommodate you?"

"Huh?"

Upon hearing Zhang Wei’s words, Gu Shimang was dumbfounded.

Not just her, but Miss Laura and Grey on the plaintiff’s bench were also utterly bewildered.

The spectator gallery and jury box, and even Judge Ni Qiuping on the bench, were all similarly taken aback.

What does "willing to accommodate you" mean?

"Are you saying you’ve given up?"

"Or is there another situation?"

Everyone in the courtroom turned their gaze to Zhang Wei.

Zhang Wei explained calmly, "As everyone knows, the root cause of this case is the disintegration of the marriage between the plaintiff, Gu Shimang, and my client, Gao Tianri. The couple can no longer live together as husband and wife under the law."

"Therefore, Miss Gu Shimang enlisted the help of Miss Laura from William International, acting as her attorney, to initiate a lawsuit against my client, with the purpose of legally dividing the property after the divorce."

"Even though Miss Gu Shimang has claimed a substantial amount of compensation from my client, Mr. Gao Tianri, after much contemplation, has decided to partially agree to Miss Gu’s request."

"What do you mean by ’partially agree’?" Gu Shimang finally couldn’t sit still and hurriedly interrupted.

She thought Zhang Wei was about to capitulate, but it turned out he was playing some sort of game; naturally, she wanted a clear answer.

Seeing that Gu Shimang had taken the bait, Zhang Wei immediately smiled and said, "It’s quite simple—I’ve persuaded my client to agree to the divorce!"

Gao Tianri, sitting in the defendant’s dock, also nodded in agreement at this moment.

Yes, he agrees to the divorce.

Gu Shimang’s eyes narrowed, a hint of gloom on her face.

Because what she wanted was not just a simple divorce; she wanted Gao Tianri to leave with nothing. She wanted everything that belonged to Gao Tianri.

The real estate in his name, his studio, his film company, all of his investments both domestic and abroad.

All of it should belong to Gu Shimang.

Of course, that was the ultimate goal, but she couldn’t admit it openly in court.

Otherwise, everyone would think that she’s a greedy woman.

So, Gu Shimang’s strategy was...

"Is it just an agreement to divorce then? What about the pain she inflicted on me, the trauma to my psyche, to my life, to my career..."

As she spoke, she was on the verge of tears again, and her eyes began to redden.

"Shi Man, enough is enough!" Zhang Wei quickly interrupted her.

If he didn’t interrupt now, she was going to cry again.

"I know what you want, so I’ve also convinced the client to make a choice."

As Zhang Wei spoke, he walked over to the jury and then loudly questioned Gu Shimang, "But I want to ask you one thing, what is the fundamental purpose of your lawsuit?"

"Of course it’s for the child in my stomach!"

Gu Shimang didn’t think twice before answering promptly.

She couldn’t afford to appear selfish here; admitting it was for her own sake would leave a bad impression.

But using the child as a bargaining chip could garner everyone’s sympathy and understanding. That way, demanding more property would be no issue at all.

After all, it’s for the child, not for herself.

"Good, it’s for the child!"

Zhang Wei gestured to Zhao Xiaoxiao, who immediately started working on a laptop.

Not long after, a spreadsheet appeared on the courtroom’s projection screen.

"This is data calculated by a professional financial planner, detailing the total expenses required from birth to 18 years old for a child from an average family."

"As you can see, the expenditure during the pregnancy period is about 10,000-20,000. The postpartum ’sitting month’ period costs about 20,000-30,000."

"Next is the child-rearing period. The estimated expenses for ages 0-2 are around 65,000, which includes the cost of nursery school. Starting from ages 3-5, early childhood education expenses reach nearly 100,000. From ages 6-14 are the obligatory education years, but considering Director Gao’s financial situation, he might opt to enroll the child in a prestigious academy, with annual tuition close to 200,000, amounting to 1,800,000 over nine years. For the 15-18 age group, the spending is relatively lower, around 40,000-50,000 a year, totaling 150,000."

"As for university, by then the child will be an adult and independent; technically, Director Gao is not obliged to pay for this expense. However, as the father, he could choose to additionally cover the child’s tuition and accommodation fees for college."

"Now we can calculate the total cost of raising a child and giving them an elite education; it comes to about 2.1 million!"

When the figure of 2.1 million was mentioned, many in the courtroom scoffed.

Does it really cost so much to raise a child?

Working hard all our lives, how old can our own children be raised to?

"What’s the point of sharing this information?" Gu Shimang looked at the numbers on the screen, puzzled.

"The significance is quite substantial!"

Zhang Wei looked at her as if she just couldn’t understand and then pointed at Gao Tianri, saying, "Director Gao has decided to pay 20 million, nearly ten times the computed cost, to establish a trust fund for the child. Whenever their child reaches a certain age, the trust will provide a fixed amount of money to the child until they turn 18 and come of age!"

"In other words, my client takes the well-being of the child in your womb very seriously and has decided to fulfill his basic duty as a father. That means he will fully assume responsibility for the child’s future life and education!"

As these words were spoken, many among the jury nodded their heads.

All three gentlemen carried expressions as if to say "it’s only right," while the hostility in the eyes of the three ladies towards Gao Tianri had notably diminished.

It wasn’t just the jury; even among those seated at the hearing, the animosity towards Gao Tianri was gradually fading away.

This turn of events was something Gu Shimang and the boss hadn’t anticipated.

Zhang Wei had actually managed to dissolve the hostility from everyone through this strategic retreat.

"But what about the pain he inflicted on me?"

"Shi Man, rest assured on this point too, my client has also taken it into consideration!"

As Zhang Wei spoke, he signaled to Zhao Xiaoxiao, who promptly opened another spreadsheet.

"This document lists the public assets of my client, Mr. Gao Tianri."

"As you can see, my client owns multiple properties, including a film and television company, a shooting studio, and shares in a cultural media company. The total value of these assets is roughly estimated at about 1 billion."

"And my client has decided to give half of that to Ms. Gu Shimang, which is the full 50 percent, as part of the divorce settlement to the plaintiff, Gu Shimang!"

percent, in liquid assets, that’s 500 million!

Upon hearing this number, many in attendance couldn’t help but be taken aback.

Zhang Wei then added, "Of course, this 500 million will not include the 20 million in expenses for raising the child, which Mr. Gao Tianri has decided to bear separately after the divorce, so there’s no need for you, Ms. Gu Shimang, to spend anything on that!"

"Furthermore, my client has decided to make a sincere apology to Ms. Gu Shimang for the long-term physical and emotional stress she has endured. I emphasize that this will be a public apology in the name of Mr. Gao Tianri and will be published in multiple media outlets and newspapers in Dongfang Capital to show our sincerity!"

Now, the hostility towards Gao Tianri had been cut by more than half.

After all, even though Gao Tianri may have behaved poorly, at least his attitude of "admitting fault" was commendable.

He says to compensate 500 million, he compensates 500 million; he says to apologize, he apologizes!

Throughout this, Gao Tianri himself remained silent, not raising a single objection, which could be seen as his tacit approval of the arrangement.

In the eyes of the onlookers, Gao Tianri’s attitude couldn’t be more impeccable.

However, among those present, some were not quite satisfied with the settlement.

They were none other than Laura and Gu Shimang.

Gu Shimang wanted it all, not just 50 percent or the so-called 20 million child support fund.

If there was a chance to get all the money, the company, and the studio, then why settle for just half?

Therefore, Gu Shimang gave Laura frantic looks.

"I object!"

Laura naturally stood up, interrupting Zhang Wei’s monologue.

"This is a court hearing, not a phase for negotiating settlement agreements outside of the courtroom. Offering conditions during the hearing does not align with the normal procedural flow!"

"Though that may be true, it is currently my stage for questioning and I am allowed to pose any form of question related to this case to the plaintiff Ms. Gu Shimang!"

Faced with the opposition’s rebuttal, Zhang Wei fired back immediately.

Then he looked towards Gu Shimang, "Shi Man, everything I’ve just said is simply part of my questioning. Now I’d like to formally ask you, if my client presented these conditions, would you agree?"

At this, Laura’s expression turned to one of shock.

This is actually a question?

"Witness, you may answer the question."

And Judge Ni spoke up at this moment, giving Laura a look.

Sit down already, don’t interrupt her from answering!

Having no choice, Laura sat down.

Now, all eyes were on Gu Shimang, with everyone eager to see how she would respond.

"Shi Man, this is the most sincere offer my client can make, and I believe there are no better terms than this."

"Moreover, we have fully considered your main demand, which is everything for the child, so I’ve explicitly convinced my client to increase the child support by tenfold!"

Zhang Wei emphasized once more Gu Shimang’s basis for her claim, the child, using a strong tone on certain words.

He wants to make it clear to everyone, if Gu Shimang truly has the child’s best interests at heart, then such favorable conditions would be unreasonable to decline.

If you don’t accept it, then you must have ulterior motives!

So, would Gu Shimang agree?

Agree my foot!

Gu Shimang internally raged, thinking 500 million would be enough to dismiss me, dream on!

"I’ve thought it over, and I’ve realized that I still..."

"Ahem, may I interrupt for a moment!"

Perceiving that Gu Shimang might be about to refuse, Zhang Wei interjected before the former could finish.

"Let me ask you, Shimang, do you know how long it takes for a woman to go from pregnancy to childbirth?"

"10 months?"

"Right, do you know how long the typical divorce litigation takes, from the first hearing to the final judgement, and the end of the appeals process by the other party?"

"This..."

Gu Shimang had indeed seen many divorce cases, but those that easily dragged on for 1 year, or even 2 or 3 years, were dreadfully long.

Furthermore, in some divorce cases, after the conclusion, the husband or wife would simply disappear. Even when the court ordered enforcement, it was of no use. Only after several years did they manage to find the person and proceed with penalties.

"Let me tell you, in most divorce litigations involving asset division, the process takes more than 1 year, and if the amount of assets is significant, this period can be extended multiple times. I’ve made a conservative estimate. Even if Director Gao doesn’t appeal, the whole process could still take around 2 to 3 years, right?"

"Shimang, by that time, you would have already given birth, and the child would be over 2 years old. Do you, a woman all alone, really want to raise a child on your own while entangled in a divorce case with my client?"

"This..."

The words of Zhang Wei left Gu Shimang without a response.

Although she would certainly not be alone, she couldn’t say that out loud.

"If you agree now, you can immediately get 500 million in assets, and your child will have a trust fund of 20 million. You and your child could immediately enjoy the best life, the best education. This money could be said to last a lifetime. I really don’t see what you have to hesitate about, what you disagree with. Is it because the child isn’t my client’s, that you are hesitating?"

Zhang Wei’s words were sincere, but the last sentence was laced with a hidden threat.

"You..."

Gu Shimang never expected that Zhang Wei would prepare to counterattack at the end.

"Right, about the trust fund matter, I still need to explain something to you."

However, Zhang Wei didn’t care about the look on Gu Shimang’s face as he continued, "My client will create a trust fund for the child, but the condition is that the child must be his. I believe my client, no matter how generous, isn’t likely to care for someone else’s child, right?"

"Therefore, after the child is born, my side hopes that the child will undergo a paternity test with my client. If the child is indeed my client’s, then the 20 million in fees will be transferred to you immediately. But if... I mean if, the child isn’t my client’s, then I’m sorry, you can forget about the 20 million. As for the child’s education expenses, Miss Shimang, you would need to ask the child’s biological father for that!"

Upon hearing these words, Gu Shimang’s face turned ashen, her fingers tightly clenched, her expression fierce.

Meanwhile, the entire courtroom was lost in thought.

The demand raised by Zhang Wei seemed reasonable, after all.

You’d be willing to spend money on your own child, but would you want to be the sucker paying for someone else’s child?

I think, ninety-nine percent of people would not agree, right?

Zhang Wei, of course, noticed this and immediately pressed on with a forceful tone, "Shimang, you should agree to my proposal, right?"

"If you refuse, it’s not a problem, but I am curious. Could it be that the child in your belly isn’t my client’s, and that the child’s father is actually someone else?"

At that moment, Gu Shimang seemed trapped in an impossible situation.

Her previous excuses were all about the child.

But Zhang Wei had proposed a paternity test, to prove that the child was Gao Tianri’s.

However, if a paternity test were done, the results would definitely not please everyone.

Shimang (Gu Shimao) was unclear about many things, but one thing she was sure of, the child was definitely not Gao Tianri’s.

After all, Gao Tianri had long been incapable; how could he possibly have impregnated her.

"Shimang, I have now posed my question; it is time for you to answer. Are you willing to accept the generous terms offered by my side for the sake of the child?"

"Or are you saying, you initiated this litigation with an ulterior motive, not truly for the child in your belly? Hence, you don’t want to accept our offer, aiming to be even greedier?"

Zhang Wei presented Gu Shimang with two options, waiting for her reply.

The entire courtroom, everyone turned their eyes to Gu Shimang, waiting silently for an answer.

"Indeed, the conditions you offer are exceedingly generous. I couldn’t possibly refuse, since it’s all for the child!"

After a long silence, Gu Shimang finally spoke.

However, a smile suddenly appeared on her face.

"But, I remember a lawyer once said something to me..."

Zhang Wei’s expression shifted slightly, as if recalling what that statement might be.

"However, I refuse!"

Sure enough, Gu Shimang flatly said these words in court!