0037 Guarantee Clause
After returning to his seat, Qu Zhong first discussed the embezzlement charge that Jia Xing Liu had mentioned with him.
The crime occurred in 2004, involving 1 million yuan. The victimized company reported the crime, but the police did not file a case at the time, only issuing a statement. An investigation was only launched in 2015, and the case has now been prosecuted and transferred to the court.
Qu Zhong believes the key point of this case is whether the statute of limitations applies the principle of applying the older and more lenient laws.
According to the Criminal Law in effect in 2004, misappropriation of 1 million yuan should be subject to the statutory penalty of "huge amount" (3-10 years), and the corresponding statute of limitations is 15 years.
Although the Eleventh Amendment to the Criminal Law revised the statutory penalty range for embezzlement, changing it from two levels to three, and according to the "Interpretation of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate on Handling Criminal Cases of Embezzlement and Bribery," embezzling 1 million yuan would now only be considered a relatively large amount, subject to the first level of statutory penalty (less than 3 years) under the current Criminal Law, with a corresponding statute of limitations of 5 years.
However, since the case was still within the statute of limitations when it was filed in 2015, the timing of the subsequent prosecution and trial will not be affected.
In short, the conclusion is that the statute of limitations for this case has not expired.
But Qu Zhong, this senior student, focused on something else entirely, and his defense strategy remained as bizarre as ever. He was preparing to argue that the charge was embezzlement, but instead changed it to theft.
I earnestly request his guidance: What is the explanation this time?
Liu, who was generous with his advice, suggested that the imaginary competition should be mitigated.
Qu Zhongyun: From...from a light...How come I didn't know there was such a rule?
Oh well, whatever. It's not her case anyway.
She probably won't be taking on any new cases for a while; many are waiting for her return. This was originally an intern's job, but unfortunately, there are no interns in the office right now. Besides, this is a punishment given to her by Su Rongqin, so she's willing to accept it.
It's been too long since I've done any archiving. After a day of it, my back aches, and I feel completely numb.
Just before leaving get off work, Qu Zhong's WeChat on his computer beeped.
She clicked on it and saw that the name that popped up was Zhai Shi. He asked, "Want to have dinner together?"
Qu Zhong stared at the offer, somewhat lost in thought.
She didn't know how to face Zhai Shi, who had seen her crying her eyes out last night.
He acted like a lien holder, taking that fragile and easily broken sentiment into his possession, requiring her to repay it with a vibrant and lively sentiment.
How embarrassing! I feel so ashamed.
Zhai didn't get an immediate reply, so he simply dragged the conversation back on his own: "A new Cantonese restaurant opened on the basement floor of your law firm, and I've already gotten a number online."
This made Qu Zhong restless: "Hey? How do you know so much about what opened downstairs from my law firm?"
Zhai replied: "Scouting the location."
Criminal preparation.
The aim is to create conditions for the next step of implementation.
This practice is called having dinner with a friend.
Damn it, Qu Zhong couldn't stand his rhetoric the most. She put the back of her hand to her face and typed with her other free hand: "Let's eat, don't say another word of nonsense."
...
The newly opened store is incredibly popular, with long queues. Luckily, Zhai had gotten a number online in advance, otherwise he would have had to sit outside and wait helplessly.
This is actually a tea restaurant, with tables arranged very close together, like seedlings growing in a crowded mass, exuding a lively and down-to-earth atmosphere rarely seen in Shanghai.
They sat facing each other at a small, square table, barely enough space to stretch their legs freely. If they leaned forward even slightly, their calves would touch.
It's so strange, I don't feel anything when we're naked in bed together, but this is incredibly awkward...
Qu Zhong put her feet together, took out her phone from her pocket, lowered her head, and started scrolling through Weibo without making a sound, trying to hide her unease.
Zhai coughed, the underlying meaning of which was the same as hers.
He scanned the QR code on the corner of the table with his phone and entered the ordering interface. After quickly scrolling through it from top to bottom, he looked up at Qu Zhong: "Any dietary restrictions?"
Qu Zhong glanced at him briefly, then shook her head: "No, I'm not picky about food."
Zhai looked at the order screen again: "Then I'll have the signature salted egg yolk bullfrog."
Qu Zhong immediately stopped her: "I don't eat bullfrogs."
Zhai's eye twitched, and he changed the name of the dish: "Black Gold Char Siu?"
"No, this sounds too sweet and cloying."
"Boat congee..."
I finally got a positive answer, but it came with a condition: "This is fine, but please note that you don't want scallions on top."
Zhai raised his eyes, a mixture of doubt and helplessness in them: "You call this not being picky about food?"
Qu Zhong tilted her head: "Well, I like to eat everything except what I don't like to eat."
"..." Fine, whoever has a twisted logic is right.
The dishes were served quickly, and soon the table was covered with delicacies. The aroma filled the air, making one's mouth water.
Zhai first served her a bowl of porridge. Qu Zhong took it, thanked him, and then silently scooped it into her mouth, looking somewhat detached from her body.
Zhai didn't touch his chopsticks, and asked her, "Are you alright?"
Qu Zhong knew what he meant and understood why he had invited her to this meal; it was simply because he was worried that she hadn't calmed down yet.
She stirred the thick, almost solid white porridge in the bowl with a spoon a couple of times and said she didn't know.
She thought she was no longer the intern lawyer who made mistakes and needed a mentor to clean up her messes. But in the end, it was Su Rongqin who cleaned up her messes.
She acted like a nominee shareholder, meddling in everything, and was extremely willful, since all the responsibility was borne by the nominee shareholder registered with the business administration.
"I could have accepted worse consequences, but in the end I was defeated by such a small thing." As she spoke, she fell into deep reflection and could not let go of the matter for a while.
Zhai seemed touched and said sincerely, "Qu Zhong, I actually envy you."
Qu Zhong was puzzled: "What?"
"When you make a mistake, someone will take the blame for you. Don't you think that's a wonderful thing? It's like having a safety net, allowing you to have a broad heart to bear all the unexpected situations you might encounter."
As for him, he never had such a mentor and friend by his side from beginning to end. He had hoped that Ling Yedong would be that person, but what he considered important seemed childish in Ling Yedong's eyes, not worth his time at all.
As a result, over the past four years, he has gone against his ideal self and has no idea what he is doing every day.
Qu Zhong listened to him finish speaking with great patience, and then said what she was thinking: "Zhai, you have done a very good job. At least that's the impression I got from the cases we worked on together."
She paused, then decided to be honest with him, "When I said I wanted to change the case handler, that wasn't the truth. If there are many prosecutors in the Third Department who can handle these cases, then I'll pray that the next one is you..."
Qu Zhong swore to God that she really just wanted to comfort him, as a return gift for the effort he had put into comforting her the night before. But to some, it sounded like: "You're confessing your feelings to me."
This direct question made Qu Zhong's face flush slightly. She rolled her eyes and said, "You wish. I'm just talking to you about work."
"Oh." Zhai didn't hear the answer he wanted, but he didn't seem angry. Instead, he offered a sincere suggestion, like he was giving advice to a draft. "Could you spare some of the appreciation you have for me at work and apply it to me at other times?"
"For example, right now, at this moment, the person in front of you is Zhai."
Help! Seriously, what woman could remain unmoved after hearing something like that? Especially when the person saying it is incredibly handsome, and his gaze is so full of affection.
Qu Zhong's face flushed instantly, and she wished she could bury herself in the bowl: "I'll give it a try..."
Then, as if remembering something, he mumbled through his food, "Who knows what you're like behind my back? Maybe you're making plans with me while you're rushing off to find other girls."
She herself didn't realize that her words actually sounded somewhat jealous and sour.
“No, never, there never has been.” Zhai suddenly sat up straight, staring at her with unwavering determination.
He had never done anything like this before with her. Now it's only with her, and it will be in the future too.
With just three simple words, he placed the present, past, and future on a single plane, as if he were presenting the current, retroactive, and preclusive effects of the applicable legal provisions in the main text of a judgment, frankly and earnestly telling her:
Qu Zhong, no matter when, I only want to be with you, only you.
...I can't hold on any longer.
Qu Zhong picked up the last crystal shrimp dumpling from the steamer and tossed it onto his plate.
"Alright, let's eat!"
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