Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 95 - 94: The New Year Begins with Jincheng Law Firm Recruiting

Chapter 95: Chapter 94: The New Year Begins with Jincheng Law Firm Recruiting

(At 6:30 in the morning, while it is still dark, Author Germ is already up early typing for our dear readers. Enough said, I’m asking for your monthly passes, recommendation tickets, and subscriptions, as well as your support~)

...

January passed in the blink of an eye.

February arrived, heralding the coming of the New Year.

Looking at Dongfang Capital all lit up and festive, Zhang Wei, who lived in the Lin Mansion, felt nothing but emptiness.

In the vast Lin Mansion, with its thousands of square feet, only he and Zhao Xiaoxiao lived.

Although Zhao Xiaoxiao had family conflicts with her neighbor, Mr. Zhao Qingyan, after all, they were father and daughter; they had each other.

But what about Zhang Wei?

"It’s too cold, too cold, I’m too lazy to even go out into the yard!"

Zhang Wei shivered as he felt the bone-chilling southern wind and hurried back into the house.

This New Year, he could only huddle with his "second darling daughter" to keep warm.

Zhao Xiaoxiao no longer went out to meet her so-called "little buddies" to expand her social circle, spending all day in her second-floor room.

In between, Zhang Wei cleaned up this girl’s room, gathering a huge pile of household trash.

Because of this, Zhang Wei couldn’t help but criticize the girl.

"Look at you, all grown up, and you still can’t clean up your room by yourself?"

"Heh, no matter what I do, it’s not your place to criticize me, you scumbag!"

What surprised Zhang Wei was that his criticism was bluntly thrown back by Zhao Xiaoxiao.

"Scumbag, who told you that?"

"They did!"

When Zhao Xiaoxiao took out her phone and showed him a chat record with Xiao Baihe, Zhang Wei suddenly understood.

These women, are they in league together or what?

In fact, what he didn’t know was that the last time he was cooking in the kitchen, Xia Qianyue, Zhao Xiaoxiao, and the others had formed a discussion group right in front of him and had secretly added each other as WeChat friends.

"Oh, by the way, my sisters have made plans to go shopping with me later, so I won’t be back for dinner!"

Zhao Xiaoxiao said, flipping through the chat records and informing Zhang Wei.

Well, it looks like the second darling daughter is planning to abandon her dad, huh?

Zhang Wei sighed internally, but he was glad that Zhao Xiaoxiao and Xia Qianyue and others were making friends.

It wasn’t good for the girl to stay cooped up in the house all the time, going shopping with Xia Qianyue and friends was definitely a good thing.

No wonder she got up so early today; Zhang Wei thought the sun had risen from the west, but it turned out she had made plans.

"Have fun, second darling daughter, and remember not to bully your elder sister and the others."

Zhang Wei gave a reminder, eliciting an eye roll from Zhao Xiaoxiao.

Watching Zhao Xiaoxiao leave, Zhang Wei could only smile and return to the house.

For others, this New Year was fulfilling, a rare opportunity to reunite with family.

But for Zhang Wei, he truly understood what it meant to feel the days drag on like years.

The first half of February passed in such an atmosphere.

During this period, the places Zhang Wei visited the most were some city sights in Dongfang Capital and the neighboring Zhang’s Martial Arts School.

The visits to the martial arts school were of course for exercise.

Under Zhang Xinwu’s instruction, Zhang Wei learned some basic self-defense techniques, and his coordination and reaction abilities improved significantly.

The city sights were to familiarize himself with the bustling Dragon Country city.

In previous years, these sights were overcrowded.

But now, with less than a third of the original number of visitors, it was truly comfortable to enjoy them.

Zhang Wei found his own way to have fun and get through the year.

...

February 10th.

When the New Year bells rang.

The sound of festive firecrackers filled the air.

These were the firecrackers to celebrate opening the doors, signifying that the New Year’s work was about to begin.

It was necessary to be festive at the beginning of the year; this was a Dragon Country tradition.

Sifang Gate Street even organized a lion dance performance, the banging of drums and gongs adding to the liveliness.

Zhang Wei got up early and looked at the recommendation letter on the table, filled with anticipation.

"What a pity, it’s not today..."

The only thing that disappointed him was that the Jincheng Law Firm would start work on February 12th, and he had to report the day after tomorrow.

Moreover, he was going for an interview, and there was no guarantee he’d get the job.

"Just as well, I could find a place to get myself a proper attire."

It’s often said that clothes make the man; this is especially true in the field of law.

Although Zhang Wei didn’t particularly like wearing expensive clothes and needed to save money...

...being a lawyer sometimes required certain external items to maintain appearances.

These items could include a well-decorated office, an impressive business car, an exquisite and luxurious business card, a well-tailored suit, and a pair of polished, glossy leather shoes.

Zhang Wei stepped outside, contemplating where to purchase his clothing.

As soon as he left the yard, he saw Zhao Qingyan at the door.

"Xiao Zhang, happy New Year!"

"Uncle Zhao, a happy New Year to you too."

"Are you heading out for an interview with that briefcase, or to court early in the morning? You’re quite the go-getter."

Zhao Qingyan couldn’t help but admire Zhang Wei, who was planning to work on the very first day of early February.

"Nope, Uncle Zhao, I’m going to get myself some attire for the day after tomorrow!" Zhang Wei saw no need to hide his plans and told Zhao Qingyan the truth.

"Getting attire, you mean you’re preparing for an interview?"

Zhao Qingyan’s eyes gleamed as he figured it out.

Buying attire seemed to imply an interview at a law firm was in the cards.

Otherwise, why bother with such attention to wardrobe?

Zhang Wei, who had previously been a public defender at the city court, didn’t have to worry about clothing, but prestigious law firms cared about such things.

Unless the interview was at a roadside legal clinic with "All-Purpose Lawyer" types, that would be a different story.

"Yes, that’s why I need to pick up a good suit!" Zhang Wei nodded.

"Oh, which law firm?" Zhao Qingyan suddenly got interested and pressed for details.

Zhang Wei, seeing Zhao Qingyan’s interest, quickly leaned in closer and said in a low voice, "Uncle Zhao, I’ll be honest with you. Didn’t I win the case for our law school’s Professor Luo? He wrote me a recommendation letter to Jincheng Law Firm!"

"Jincheng!"

Upon hearing the name Jincheng, Zhao Qingyan’s pupils constricted slightly but soon returned to normal.

"So, Uncle Zhao, I am planning to go to the city center and spend some money on a few formal suits."

As Zhang Wei spoke, he made moves to take his leave.

"Xiao Zhang, wait a moment..."

However, Zhao Qingyan stopped him.

Zhao Qingyan quickly walked back to Zhao Mansion, into his room, and took out a business card holder, from which he selected a card.

After coming out of the house, he handed the card to Zhang Wei.

"Xiao Zhang, the place you’re going to is Jincheng... cough, it’s not just any law firm, and they have many rules there. There’s not much I can do to help you, but go to this place to get some clothes, and just mention my name!"

Zhang Wei took the card and read the words on it.

The front of the card displayed "Orion," and on the back was the address, located in the Dongfang Capital City Center.

"Thank you, Uncle Zhao. But aren’t you a programmer? Do you also need tailored suits?"

Zhang Wei expressed his gratitude but couldn’t help teasing him.

"Ah, I can’t help it; my boss thinks I need to. After all, I’m the core of the company’s research, and I need to show my face at some technical conferences!"

Zhao Qingyan casually explained, urging Zhang Wei to hurry on his way.

After Zhang Wei had gone far, the smile on Zhao Qingyan’s face slowly faded.

"Jincheng Law Firm, huh? I didn’t expect Xiao Zhang to have such a connection with the Lin family. But he probably doesn’t know about it, the Lin family..."

He turned his head, glanced at the neighboring sign of Lin Mansion, and couldn’t help shaking his head.

...

Dongfang Capital, the city center.

The address on the card led to a famous fashion street in Dongfang Capital.

The shops on this street were mostly branches of international brands, making it a high-end business district even within the bustling city center.

There weren’t many pedestrians on the entire street, but each one was dressed distinctively, clearly possessing significant wealth.

Among the multitude of fashion stores, Zhang Wei found a very unassuming store, the very "Orion" listed on the card.

It was a tailor shop, with an "Open" sign hanging at the entrance.

As Zhang Wei entered, a bald man with glasses, who was arranging suits, gave him a glance.

"Hey, this is not a place for you, kid!"

The man was not from Dragon Country; he had deep-set eyes, pale skin, and a tailor’s tape around his neck. His tone was somewhat shrill as he warned Zhang Wei, giving off a slightly effeminate demeanor.

He instantly recognized the cheap suit on Zhang Wei and felt it was beneath the store’s standards.

He looked at Zhang Wei with disdain, his face all but reading, "You’re not welcome here."

Zhang Wei understood that he was not the client base of the other party, and he also understood why they were eager to see him off.

In his previous life, he had worn many tailored suits, and he could tell at a glance that the craftsmanship and materials of these suits were all high-end.

Zhang Wei took out his business card and directly stated his purpose, "I’m here at the recommendation of Mr. Zhao Qingyan."

"Mr. Zhao!"

Upon hearing the name Zhao Qingyan, the man was slightly surprised, but after seeing the business card, he nodded.

"Please wait a moment, I’ll confirm this!"

The man’s attitude changed, and he immediately walked to the back of the shop.

Soon after, he returned with a female assistant in her thirties.

"So, it’s Mr. Zhang. We’ve confirmed it with Mr. Zhao Qingyan, and he said that these suits will be charged to his account. Do you have any specific requirements for the suits? We’ll make sure to meet all your needs!"

This time, the man’s face bore a flattering expression as he pinched the tailor’s tape and approached Zhang Wei step by step.

Mr. Zhao Qingyan is paying?

Zhang Wei hadn’t expected to once again take advantage of Uncle Zhao and get another freebie.

However, he did not refuse and immediately made his requests, "I like black, preferably have both winter and summer styles ready, make one with tailored cashmere, and for summer, use cooling silk fabric..."

The female assistant quickly took notes at breakneck speed.

"Mr. Zhang, I’ll take your measurements now!"

But after Zhang Wei had made his requests, the man immediately pinched his orchid fingers and began feeling around Zhang Wei’s body.

This made Zhang Wei somewhat uncomfortable; he always felt that there was more to the man than just being effeminate...

If it weren’t for Mr. Zhao Qingyan’s recommendation, he wouldn’t have come here.

Suppressing the urge to beat up the man, Zhang Wei endured the man’s "inappropriate touches."

"Hmm, did you get all the measurements?"

"Got them!"

The man gave a few instructions to the assistant, who then went back to the rear room, while he continued to attend to Zhang Wei.

"Mr. Zhang, custom-made clothing will take a day to prepare. If you need something to wear immediately, we also have ready-made clothing available. Would you like to pick one out?"

The man recommended a few suits from the display cabinet, and with just a touch, Zhang Wei knew they were all high-quality items.

"No need, I’ll come to pick them up tomorrow,"

Zhang Wei discussed the timing and the number of suits to be tailored with the man and then left the tailor shop.

The next day, Zhang Wei went to the tailor shop to collect his suits.

Three for winter and three for summer, enough to alternate wearing, and he also bought two pairs of leather shoes from the store next door. This time he paid with his own money, no freeload—no freebie.

When he got home, he wanted to thank Mr. Zhao Qingyan, but he had gone to work.

And for two straight days, he did not return, making Zhang Wei sigh at the hard life of a programmer.

It’s just the start of the year, and he’s already living at the company, no telling how busy it would be after the year.

...

Finally, the 12th arrived.

Zhang Wei was constantly monitoring the public information of Jincheng Law Firm, as today was the day they began external recruitment.

Jincheng Law Firm, being the leader of the Top Ten Firms, recruits only twice a year, one round right after the New Year and before the start of spring, and the second round during summer in June and July. Apart from these two rounds, Jincheng Law Firm declines all recruitment efforts.

Despite the high-status attitude, the reputation of being number one among the Top Ten Firms also draws countless legal practitioners from Dongfang Capital City.

Every year, for the two recruitment periods, it is said that thousands of people would queue up at the entrance of Jincheng Law Firm.

So, when Zhang Wei arrived early by subways at the city center,’ he saw countless suited and booted job seekers under "Jincheng Building."

Some of them knew each other and gathered to talk, while others would pep themselves up with encouraging words, and still, others paced back and forth nervously.

All these people were, without exception, job seekers like him.

Zhang Wei also blended into the queue of job seekers and stood in an inconspicuous corner waiting.

Meanwhile.

In the inner ring, along the Dongjiang River.

In an over 400-square-meter duplex mansion with a river view.

"Xiao Meng, today is the day you go to report for duty. We’ll drive you there today!"

"Who would have thought, our Xiao Meng has grown up to be such a young lady."

If Zhang Wei were here, he would certainly be surprised.

Because the woman, speaking with a Dongfang Capital City local accent, was the landlady who had rented out the Lin Mansion to him, known as Lin’s Second Sister-in-Law by Zhao Qingyan.

And now, that landlady was talking to a girl who had her hair tied in pigtails.

The girl wasn’t very old and was picking out suitable business attire while doing her hair and getting dressed.

"No rush, no rush, just take it slowly..."

"Mom, I’m dressed~"

The girl straightened out her clothes before picking up her purse and walking out of the house with the landlady.

The elevator quickly reached the ground floor.

Since there was only one household per floor, the four elevators ensured there would never be congestion.

The landlady drove off in her million-dollar SUV with the girl.

"Xiao Meng, you should remember to find your brother, he has arranged everything for you."

"If you’re treated unfairly at the company, tell mom, and we’ll invite him for a meal!"

"Today is your first day at work, you have to..."

All the way, the landlady was full of endless reminders and nagging to the girl.

It wasn’t until the car approached Jincheng Building that they, unsurprisingly, ran into a traffic jam!

The landlady honked her horn several times, but the cars in front didn’t move an inch.

"What a bunch of fools, to run into such nonsense early in the morning, irritating!"

Seeing Jincheng Building not far away, the landlady couldn’t help but curse inside the car.

"Mom, why don’t I just get out here, my dad’s lawyer office is just ahead, a 5-minute walk away!"

From the passenger seat, the girl looked at the endless line of vehicles and gave up the idea of getting through by car.

After all, it was the new year rush, and there were too many people; the cars probably wouldn’t be able to move for an hour or two.

Having said that, the girl opened the car door and walked out.

Luckily, the entire road was completely jammed with cars, which actually made it relatively safe.

"Hey, Xiao Meng, wait..."

The landlady shouted from inside the car, but the girl had already walked far away.

After a 5-minute walk, the girl finally arrived at the base of Jincheng Building.

She was about to take out her phone from her bag to make a call, looking at the long lines of people.

She was almost at the number, but her fingers never pressed down.

"Although Mom said to find my brother, I really want to rely on myself~"

She comforted herself with these words and found a line, getting in it straight away.

At the same time.

Zhang Wei glanced at the time and felt it was time to line up, so he got up from the landscape garden and joined the shortest queue.

In front of him was a girl with twin ponytails, short in stature, with a back that gave a delicate and lovely impression.

"Twin ponytails?"

Zhang Wei muttered to himself somewhat speechlessly.

Because no matter which lawyer, everyone wanted to give their clients or customers a sense of maturity and confidence.

Nowadays, a 25-year-old lawyer wishes to appear 35.

After all, lawyering is a profession that depends on seniority and experience.

It was rare to see a girl like the one in front of him, sporting twin ponytails, giving off an impression of naivete.

"Little girl, there’s a problem with your outfit!"

Zhang Wei, thinking the girl was also there for a job interview, "kindly" offered a piece of advice.

He wanted the girl to change her hairstyle a bit, turning the twin ponytails into a single ponytail for a more professional look.

"Hmm, what did you say?"

A slightly dazed voice rang out as the girl turned around.

Wow, those eyes are big...

Zhang Wei was slightly surprised; the girl was pretty, especially those bright, shining eyes.

They say eyes are the windows to the soul, and looking into the girl’s eyes, two words came to Zhang Wei’s mind.

Innocence!

When the girl confirmed that Zhang Wei was talking to her, she showed a puzzled look.

Zhang Wei also sized up the girl, who had an innocent expression, a bit of a natural ditz, with a round and somewhat cute face.

The girl was young, dressed formally, but with an impressive bust size, which by estimate, if not quite as good as Jessica’s, was close to Zhang Xinwu’s standard.

This cleavage was well above average.

So the rest of the conditions didn’t really matter.

"Are you here for a job interview too?"

The girl looked at Zhang Wei and smiled sweetly.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Lin Yumeng, and I’m applying for the assistant lawyer position!"

"My name is Zhang Wei, and I’m here to apply for a lawyer position too!"