Chapter 34 Rebuke
A murmur rippled through the gallery.
The judge frowned slightly and looked down at the expert report.
Song Zhiwei's mind went blank, and her vision went black.
She suddenly realized that once this evidence was accepted, the nature of the entire case would change.
From the simple division of property in divorce.
It has become a major marital misconduct case involving extramarital affairs, birth of children out of wedlock, and transfer of marital property.
Her client not only faces the risk of losing the case.
They may also find themselves in a passive position morally and legally.
Chen Qimin didn't tell her a single word of this crucial information.
Her hand holding the pen trembled slightly.
My mind raced back through every conversation I'd had over the past month.
Why did he hide it?
She even began to wonder if she had been used from the very beginning.
It became a tool for him to cover up the truth.
The judge carefully reviewed the evidence submitted by Jiang Yurong's side and then began asking questions.
He first inquired about the qualifications of the paternity testing agency and whether the sampling process was compliant.
They then verified the time, amount, and purpose of each transfer record.
Every question was answered precisely and rigorously, leaving no detail overlooked.
The clerk quickly took notes, while the onlookers held their breath in rapt attention.
Jiang Yurong's lawyer handled the situation with ease and provided flawless answers.
In contrast, Chen Qimin stammered when questioned.
He can't even finish a single sentence.
When the judge asked him if he knew the woman in the photo, his eyes darted around and his voice became weak.
"I...we're just ordinary friends."
When asked about the purpose of the transfer, he began to stammer again.
"That's... money from a project collaboration."
But when the judge pressed him for details about the project name and contract number, he was speechless.
He was speechless for a long time.
Song Zhiwei looked at him, her heart turning ice-cold.
After all the procedures were completed, the judge solemnly struck the gavel.
The sound echoed in the empty courtroom.
"The court hearing is now adjourned."
As soon as he finished speaking, some people in the audience sighed softly, while others looked regretful.
Many others silently packed their things and prepared to leave.
Song Zhiwei stood up and glanced at the heavy stack of case files in her hand.
I took a deep breath and walked towards the exit.
It was completely dark when I walked out of the courthouse.
Night fell as dark as ink, pressing down on people and making it hard to breathe.
The snow is still falling, like torn pieces of paper, or a silent accusation.
Chen Qimin stood not far away.
His hands were in his coat pockets, and his brow was furrowed.
He glanced at her, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
There was anger, and also a hint of resentment.
After a moment, he spoke calmly.
"Attorney Song, get in the car."
Song Zhiwei clenched her fists.
At this time of day, in this weather, the streets are deserted.
There wasn't a single taxi in sight.
She gritted her teeth and finally dragged her tired body toward the car.
As soon as the car started, the engine roared in a deep rumble.
Chen Qimin's face suddenly turned very ugly, and he abruptly turned his head to look at her.
His voice was filled with suppressed anger.
"Attorney Song, is this what you meant by having a high chance of winning?"
Even though Song Zhiwei was usually very patient, she couldn't suppress the anger surging within her at this moment.
She looked directly into Chen Qimin's eyes, her gaze piercing.
His tone was firm and left no room for argument.
“Mr. Chen, you hired me as your lawyer, but you haven’t told me a single piece of crucial information.”
"Which of the two pieces of evidence just presented in court isn't fatal?"
She asked the question almost word by word, her voice trembling slightly.
"Did you mention that Ms. Jiang sold the house and invested the money in your company? Did you ever tell me that you secretly transferred money to your illegitimate child multiple times during your marriage?"
"No matter how good I am, I'm just a lawyer, not a fortune teller who can predict the future! How can I defend you based on facts I don't know?"
Chen Qimin's eyes flickered upon hearing this.
But soon, that feeling of guilt was overshadowed by anger.
He slammed his fist on the steering wheel and shouted.
"It's clearly your incompetence that caused you to lose the case! I paid so much money to hire you as my lawyer, and this is the kind of service I got? Give me my money back! I want your full refund of my legal fees!"
Song Zhiwei almost burst out laughing.
She's been in this line of work for over a year and has encountered quite a few strange clients.
Some complained that her fees were too high, while others complained that she wasn't enthusiastic enough.
But this is the first time I've ever encountered someone as unreasonable as Chen Qimin.
She steadied her breathing and spoke calmly.
"Mr. Chen, it was clearly written in the contract we signed. If a party loses the case because they concealed the facts, provided false information, or failed to truthfully state the facts, the party shall bear the responsibility themselves."
She really couldn't understand why, if they had already hired a lawyer, they were still hiding it.
Keeping all the key information to yourself, only to find out you've been kept in the dark when the other party goes to court?
Are you afraid of winning the lawsuit?
Do you still think that lawyers should be gods, able to foresee everything?
Chen Qimin stared wide-eyed, breathing rapidly, his face flushed with anger.
He stared at her fiercely, as if she were an enemy.
"You lawyers are the worst! You take money and do nothing, and even if you lose the case, you still take the money. Isn't that just cheating people?"
His voice echoed in the carriage, filled with paranoia and resentment.
"The laws you've learned aren't for helping ordinary people like us at all; they're all just ways to scam us!"
"I should have known that lawyers always side with the rich!"
Song Zhiwei pursed her lips, trying hard to control her emotions and prevent her voice from trembling.
"Mr. Chen, let's calm down. Things should be discussed rationally, right? When we get back to the law firm, someone will explain everything to you in detail. There won't be any problems with the process."
She's still in his car. If she really angers him, it won't do her any good.
She had to stabilize the situation, even though her mind was in turmoil.
Chen Qimin suddenly slammed on the brakes.
The car suddenly stopped at the roadside, its front end tilted slightly, and it almost crashed into the roadside guardrail.
He turned his head, his eyes bloodshot and his face full of anger.
He roared fiercely at Song Zhiwei.
"Get out of here! I'm annoyed just looking at you!"
Song Zhiwei looked up and saw that it was already completely dark.
The surrounding area was deserted, and there wasn't even a single light in the distance.
Her heart tightened suddenly, and her voice trembled involuntarily.
"Mr. Chen, this place is too remote. It's so late, it's too dangerous for me to be here alone. Could you please take me to the next intersection?"
Chen Qimin ignored him completely, his facial muscles twitching, his eyes filled with disgust.
He reached out and pushed hard, with astonishing force.
They shoved her off her seat.
"Mr. Chen, my things are still in the car..."
She stumbled to her feet, ignoring the pain of her fall, and quickly reached out to grab the car door.
Before he could finish speaking, the car door slammed shut with a loud bang.
The car started instantly and sped past her.
She was only wearing a suit jacket.
The down jacket and the bag containing the documents were all left in the car.
Along with her hand warmers and spare phone.
Now, she has nothing.
The biting cold wind seeped into my sleeves and poured in through my collar.
She suddenly shivered.
The mountain path was desolate on both sides, with withered grass lying on the ground and bare branches crackling in the wind.
The wind lashed her face like a knife, making the withered trees overhead groan eerily.
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