One could say George was inherently cut out for a career in law. Although he lacked so-called professional ethics, his capabilities were top-notch.
"Your chances of winning a lawsuit against him are very slim," Chen Tiankuo gently reminded him.
"Heâs quite formidable," Qin Mu nodded.
If Chen Tiankuo hadnât explained, he wouldnât have known this George was so formidable. He took on any case that came his way and won every single one. It wasnât just about specializing in one field; he took on whichever case paid well. He had delved deeply into case law. No wonder the people from this tour group were so audacious.
"Tsk!"
Zhang Qingyuan, who was nearby, immediately looked displeased. He retorted with a curl of his lip, "Isnât it just a not-guilty defense? Xiao Qin has done that in Jin City, hasnât he? It caused a sensation not just throughout the city, but nationally as well!"
Chen Tiankuo was taken aback. He glanced between Zhang Qingyuan and Qin Mu.
But he didnât take Zhang Qingyuanâs words seriously, thinking it was just him speaking out of spite. True or false, it would be evident once court began. Even if Qin Mu was skilled domestically, this was a foreign country, and the legal systems were different. He just hoped Qin Mu wouldnât lose too badly. If that happened... their chances of winning would plummet, and worse, Zhang Qingyuan and Feng Cuihua could be the ones to suffer the consequences!
This case determined whether the two of them would have to pay the donation and compensation. If they lost, they could face hefty compensation payments.
"Are those two from your tour group?" Qin Mu suddenly pointed to the other side and asked.
Chen Tiankuo looked up. He saw two middle-aged men striding confidently towards George. They shook hands and greeted each other, then began chatting warmly. All three appeared very relaxed, as if they didnât consider the case a big deal.
"Yes, thatâs them," Chen Tiankuo replied. "One is Xu Liming, our original tour guide, and the other is his assistant, Zhao Wan."
Nearby, Zhang Qingyuan snorted coldly and said resentfully, "When we first joined the group, I thought they looked kind and benevolent, like good people. I never expected them to be so ruthless, charging me 100 yuan for a single bottle of water!"
"Also, they said there was a place where altitude sickness was common and sold oxygen for a thousand yuan a bottle! Thereâs so much oxygen in the air; why didnât they just rob people instead?"
Zhang Qingyuan and his wife looked at each other, their faces filled with resentment as they continued their complaints.
"âA hundred yuan for a bottle of mineral water?â" Chen Tiankuoâs eyes widened upon hearing this.
He was astounded; heâd never heard of such a thing. All he knew was that Zhang Qingyuan and his wife had been tricked by this tour group over donations; he hadnât realized so much else had transpired. It seemed this tour group specialized in luring people abroad only to fleece them. Moreover, they specifically targeted elderly people, who were less able to resist and dared not cause trouble. Typically, the victims would resign themselves to their misfortune and suffer in silence. Low cost, low risk, minimal repercussions... The profits, however, were exceptionally high.
Looking at Zhang Qingyuan, he couldnât help but say, "Forgive my bluntness, but you... shouldnât have fallen for such a cheap deal. A 1,000-yuan group tour? During peak season, a plane ticket abroad alone costs more than that."
Zhang Qingyuanâs face flushed.
He also realized his mistake. He had only seen how cheap the tour group was; he never imagined it would involve so many deceptive practices.
While they were chatting, Xu Liming and the other two on the far side suddenly stood up and walked towards them.
"These two, are these the lawyers you found?" Xu Liming scanned Qin Mu and the others, then looked at Zhang Qingyuan and his wife with a hint of provocation.
Zhang Qingyuan snorted coldly, showing no weakness.
Xu Liming narrowed his eyes, focusing on Qin Mu.
He was particularly curious about Qin Muâs background. He already had a good grasp of Chen Tiankuoâs situation. Qin Mu, however, being from China, was an unknown quantity. His information network wasnât that extensive, so for now, he didnât know Qin Muâs full background. All he knew was that Qin Mu was an intern lawyer who had only recently obtained his license. With that level of experience... he genuinely couldnât understand why Zhang Qingyuan and Feng Cuihua would pin their hopes on him.
Finally, George, who had distinct foreign features, spoke up, urging, "Letâs go. Itâs about to start."
Xu Liming then averted his gaze, and the three of them leisurely walked into the pre-trial conference room.
Qin Mu watched and smiled faintly. He didnât take their disdain to heart.
Having lived two lives, his mindset wasnât so petty. He was, after all, still an intern lawyer; it was natural to be underestimated.
"Letâs go in too," he said.
Then, he led Chen Tiankuo, Zhang Qingyuan, and Feng Cuihua, following them into the conference room.
ă...ă
At eleven in the morning, in the pre-trial conference room.
After the court clerk confirmed attendance, the two parties sat facing each other.
Qin Mu and Chen Tiankuo sat at the counselâs table. Zhang Qingyuan and Feng Cuihua sat in the defendantâs dock.
As he took his seat, Zhang Qingyuan felt somewhat uncomfortable.
Normally, he was seated in the gallery or at the plaintiffâs table. This was the first time heâd been sued and ended up here, in the defendantâs dock.
On the other side, George sat at the plaintiffâs counsel table. Xu Liming and Zhao Wan, representing the tour group, were the plaintiffs who had initiated the lawsuit.
BANGâ
At the head of the room, a judge with graying temples, nearly seventy years of age, struck the gavel. He adjusted his glasses. Speaking in the local language, he announced, "Today, this court will conduct a pre-trial conference. This concerns the suit filed by Xu Liming against Zhang Qingyuan and Feng Cuihua for refusal to pay donations."