0022 A single piece of evidence determines the case

Qu Zhong didn't know what was wrong with her that day; she was so angry that she cried.

The last time she broke down in tears was when she failed her driving test (Part 2) three times. On her fourth retake, she finally passed the first few parts and was just one step away from success.

As a result, when going uphill, she was so nervous that her legs shook terribly when she released the clutch, causing the engine to stall three times in a row. The voice announcement immediately stated that the test was over and the result was unsatisfactory.

At that time, Qu Zhong was stuck on the slope, unable to go up or back up. She was so anxious that she slammed her hand on the steering wheel and wailed. In the end, the test center staff and the instructor guided her to get down.

Qu Zhong felt that this was the most embarrassing and awkward moment of her life. She never expected that she would lose her composure again at the procuratorate because of work.

After her mind calmed down, Qu Zhong carefully reflected on the questions she had asked Bai Qing, and realized that her wording was indeed inappropriate.

When she was a novice lawyer, the "Car God" personally guided her to meet clients, teaching her what to say and what not to say. Qu Zhong has always kept this in mind, and such a situation has never occurred since she began practicing law.

It's likely that the phrase "best choice" from Shen Yun put considerable pressure on her, coupled with her outstanding achievements in the previous two cases, so she was too eager to make a breakthrough in this case, which backfired.

Not only did she cause such a scene in the reception room that day, but she also failed to get the facts she wanted to know from Bai Qing.

This is tricky.

But she didn't want to contact Zhai first to inquire about the case's progress, hoping he would come to her to communicate. However, this man had quite a temper; since their argument that day, he hadn't sent her a single message, nor had he asked her to book a room.

If Qu Zhong hadn't received a copy of the indictment from the C District Court and seen the words "Prosecutor: Zhai Shi" at the end, stamped with the official seal of the C District Prosecutor's Office, she would have thought that the prosecutor in Chen Xi's rape case, her lover, had been declared missing by the world.

Zhai was ruthless in the indictment, recommending a six-year prison sentence, which is far from Shen Yun's expected acquittal.

There was no other way; Zhai wouldn't give her a chance to persuade him, so she could only fight to the death during the court investigation and debate stages, just like in Xue Bo's case.

Fortunately for Chen Xi, the incident occurred in his office. It was a closed space with no surveillance cameras, and besides the victim Bai Qing and the perpetrator Chen Xi, there were no third parties present.

Therefore, the current conviction relies solely on Bai Qing's testimony and her injury assessment report. As long as Chen Xi denies the crime, the prosecution's so-called chain of evidence is nothing more than a single piece of evidence. Trying to convict someone of rape and deprive them of six years of freedom based on a mere single piece of evidence is probably not that simple.

Zhai never expected that he would see Qu Zhong again in the First Criminal Court of District C.

Just like last time, she sat down early in the defense counsel's seat opposite him, quietly looking down at the materials in her hands.

However, the atmosphere between them wasn't like this last time. She would come up to him and make funny faces when he was discussing the case with the judge, deliberately stay silent to tease him during the recusal process, and they even did *that* after the trial ended.

But today, she looked for Chen Xi's wife, Shen Yun, in the audience seats, nodded to the presiding judge in the dock, but deliberately avoided glancing at the prosecutor in the prosecutor's seat.

He didn't even glance at him out of the corner of his eye.

...It's been so many days, and she hasn't contacted him or cared how he wrote the lawsuit. Is she now annoyed even by looking at him?

It was so frustrating to have a problem that couldn't be solved in time. Zhai wanted to apply for a postponement of the trial right then and there so he could tell her everything he wanted to say.

But when Bai Qing walked in and sat down next to him, he had to come to his senses again. He told himself that in this courtroom, he was not only facing Qu Zhong, nor was he just Zhai Shi.

They are the prosecution and defense in the same case.

She defended Chen Xi, while he spoke out for Bai Qing; for the time being, they were irreconcilable enemies.

The standard court proceedings proceeded smoothly, and the case moved into the investigation phase. Qu Zhong began by questioning Chen Xi, using the same questions she had asked in the detention center, which were also crucial to the case.

"Defendant, in your opinion, what makes your student Bai Qing, the victim in this case, different from other students who take the course Modern Literature Appreciation?"

Chen Xi glanced briefly at Bai Qing in the prosecutor's seat; the girl wasn't looking at him. He looked away and spoke slowly and clearly, his objective tone as if he were writing a final report for a student: "She is very active in class; I have never seen such an enthusiastic student."

Qu Zhong followed up with the question: "Does she often come to your office on her own initiative?"

Chen Xi nodded: "Yes."

Has anyone in the hospital discussed your relationship?

"some."

"What is your relationship in other people's eyes?"

Chen Xi paused slightly before answering, "Couple."

After asking Qu Zhong, she exchanged a glance with Shen Yun in the audience. The woman's makeup was exquisite, like wearing a heavy mask, completely concealing her unpredictable expression.

The only thing that's certain is that the look she gave the defendant's seat was filled with hatred, not love.

Qu Zhong sighed inwardly, her thoughts a jumble of complex emotions. She felt increasingly that this case was a tangled mess that was impossible to unravel.

When it was Zhai's turn to ask Chen Xi a question, his question was also about the relationship between Chen Xi and Bai Qing. However, due to their different perspectives, the questions he asked were different.

"Defendant, you just told your defense attorney that others perceive you and the victim in this case, Bai Qing, as a couple. Did Bai Qing explicitly express to you that she wanted to establish a romantic relationship with you?"

A question that only required a yes or no answer, yet Chen Xi couldn't respond immediately. He remained silent for a moment, a faint smile playing on his lips, before his eyes became vacant, like an empty street scene. He said no, Bai Qing had never expressed any affection for him.

Zhai rephrased his answer as follows: "In other words, the so-called romantic relationship is just speculation from the outside world, a rumor that has never been confirmed."

Chen Xi stared straight ahead without speaking. Qu Zhong sensed that his back was no longer as straight as it had been at the beginning, as if it were collapsing.

Zhai didn't press him: "On the day of the incident, did Bai Qing go to your office?"

"I've been there."

"Going to do what?"

"We discussed a literary work."

"Besides that, what else did you do to Bai Qing?"

Chen Xi turned her gaze to the prosecutor's seat, her tone calm, but her words shocked everyone present: "We had sexual relations."

Because of the significant impact of the case, a large number of people were present in the audience, and the courtroom was almost full. Chen Xi's words caused an uproar. The presiding judge banged his gavel to signal for silence, and court discipline was maintained.

Instead of asking Chen Xi any more questions, Zhai requested the court to allow the victim, Bai Qing, to appear in court, stating that he needed to personally explain the victim's subjective state of mind to the court.

Bai Qing walked from the prosecutor's seat to the front of the courtroom.

Qu Zhong noticed that she had carefully styled her hair, applied light makeup, and wore a suit that was inappropriate for her age, but paired it with jeans.

Like Shen Yun, she also prepared a mask for herself. She was trying her best to make herself look like an accuser rather than a victim.

At the judge's prompting, Bai Qing recounted the questions that Qu Zhong had been unable to ask in the reception room.

“I like Professor Chen’s classes.” Even at this moment, she still respectfully addressed Chen Xi as “Professor,” but that was the end of it. “I respect him, admire him, and trust him. But he took advantage of my vulnerability and sexually assaulted me. I never consented to this.”

During Bai Qing's speech, all parties in the courtroom remained silent, with only the sound of the court clerk's keyboard pounding against the floor. Every word she uttered was clearly recorded in the court transcript.

“After this incident, I felt ashamed, timid, afraid of light, and even thought it was my own fault. But then someone stood up and told me that I was still as innocent and upright as my name suggests.”

"So I mustered up the courage to stand here, because I believe that person's words. Justice and fairness reside in the hearts of the people."

Chen Xi indicated that he would waive his final statement and defense. The trial ended, and everyone left the room.

Qu Zhong felt that the claim of acquittal was unlikely to be realized in the first instance. She and Shen Yun went back to Guanzheng to discuss the next defense strategy with her, and of course, to give her a heads-up.

“Miss Shen, if you are not satisfied with the first-instance verdict, we can appeal.”

But she said, "No need."

"Actually, I know perfectly well whether he did it or not."

"I'm just not reconciled."

Shen Yun was born into a wealthy family at Lane 300, Manao Road. From a young age, she had everything she could want, attending the best schools in Shanghai and receiving the best education.

Later, she went abroad to study and met Chen Xi.

Chen Xi scrimped and saved to pay for her tuition by working several jobs, while Shen Yun could freely enter and leave high-end steakhouses without batting an eye. The difference between them was like heaven and earth.

Yet, Shenyun was captivated by him at first glance, like an object clinging to its master, unable to let go.

Unable to resist her persistent pleading, her parents finally agreed to let Chen Xi marry into the Shen family. Later, Chen Xi became a professor at Tsinghua University, while Shen Yun became a full-time housewife.

She had always thought they would love each other forever. But day after day, their love faded amidst their arguments. They went from talking about everything to having nothing to say to each other, and eventually he wouldn't even touch her anymore.

Shen Yun was unwilling to admit that she had made the wrong choice, and she became sensitive and suspicious. One day, she went to Chen Xi's office and happened to run into Bai Qing.

She saw Chen Xi chatting and laughing with a girl outside the window. It had been a long, long time since she had seen such a dazzling light in his eyes.

She suppressed her tears and left quietly, trying to pretend nothing had happened. But not long after, Chen Xi handed her a divorce agreement.

In the agreement, he agreed to leave with nothing, not wanting a single penny, only wanting to end this marriage in name only.

Shen Yun coldly tore up the agreement, pointed her finger at him and cursed him, saying that if she couldn't get love, he wouldn't get freedom either.

She didn't know if Bai Qing liked Chen Xi, but Chen Xi liked Bai Qing. And because she wouldn't let go, he didn't hesitate to violate her.

For Chen Xi, who is so isolated that she is almost obsessive, what she cannot have must be destroyed.

*

I've been working from home for two weeks because of the pandemic, and I'm going back to the law firm tomorrow. A ton of things are waiting for me QAQ. Daily updates might be a bit difficult, but I'll write whenever I have time! Thank you all for your comments, I'm so happy!