novelraw Chapter 280 - 178. Lawyer’s Schemes ①
Chapter 280 - 178. Lawyer’s Schemes ①
Chapter 280: 178. Lawyer’s Schemes 1
The office was filled with a mysterious light and shadow, and An Cheng, usually regal and aloof, was wearing a white shirt and blue skirt that resembled a high school uniform today. Her hair was adorned with straight black strands.
Her face was paler than ever, even without lipstick.
An Cheng suddenly looked up from the morning light mist, her gaze pure and almost transparent, washing away her previous sharpness, a softness and fragility silently rose, piercing directly into Tang Yanxi’s heart.
This An Cheng was entirely new to him.
Unlike the 30-year-old An Cheng, she resembled the 16-year-old her back in high school.
As if time had reversed, the world quickly retreated, transformed through time, returning to its original simplicity.
In the past, fellow lawyers joked, saying An Cheng’s name was a pity since she herself was not transparent at all; instead, she was more devious than a man. They all said she was like a Black Widow spider, forever unclear in her intentions and ready to bite at any moment. Despite her cold beauty, her allure seemed to draw opponents to her charms, but in court, she wouldn’t care who it was, she’d bite down fiercely.
Those who spoke would turn to him and smile sympathetically, "Yan Xi has battled against her many times, and must deeply understand."
Yet now facing this entirely new her, a strange desire rose in him, wishing to call those fellow lawyers who labeled her as a "Black Widow" and have them witness this her.
Clear as water, nimble as water, none surpassed her.
.
Despite Tang Yanxi’s careful restraint, his shock was not lost on An Cheng’s keen eyes.
An Cheng furrowed her brows slightly, "I’m doing this for the case, you don’t need to show that expression."
Quickly adjusting her attire, she glanced at the paper bag in his hand, walked over to grab it, pulling out a bun to bite into, muttering, "Thanks."
As she spoke, she pulled out a wallet with her other hand and handed a bill to Tang Yanxi, "For the buns."
The series of actions were done smoothly, showcasing her usual aloofness.
Tang Yanxi could only smile wryly, "I am not a delivery boy, so there’s no need for this money."
Swiftly finishing off the bun without losing her cold elegance, she eyed him coldly.
"Lawyer Tang need not emphasize your worth, I clearly understand that even adding two zeros to the bun money wouldn’t match the time you spent coming here."
While speaking, four buns were finished, she naturally sent her fingertip to her lips.
"But I’m sorry, I didn’t call you here, this billable time cannot be charged to me. It was Jian who called you, so ask her for it."
Saying that, without another glance at Tang Yanxi, she took a disposable toothbrush from a drawer and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Five minutes later, tidied up, she headed to the elevator to go downstairs.
Jian quickly packed her briefcase and followed, Tang Yanxi could only sigh softly and quickly kept up.
The elevator glided down, the doors opened, and Tang Yanxi hurriedly stepped forward to hold the door open. An Cheng gave him a look and entered; Jian smiled and said "Thanks." Tang Yanxi was the last to enter, standing beside An Cheng.
An Cheng unceremoniously stared at him, "Lawyer Tang, what’s this meaning? The prosecutor’s office can’t afford Lawyer Tang as my second chair."
Tang Yanxi shrugged, "I’m not that well-paid. I’m currently serving as a pro bono lawyer."
An Cheng remained blunt, "Lawyer Tang is overly charitable. Firstly, I, An Cheng, am not so cheap to require free legal aid; secondly, my income is above the minimum income threshold, so according to the law in this state, I’m not eligible for free legal aid."
As the elevator landed, An Cheng left the elevator with a cold glance, "Let’s part here, Lawyer Tang, be at ease, bye~"
.
Inside the car, Jian sympathetically glanced at Tang Yanxi standing roadside.
Jian couldn’t help but glance at An Cheng, "Don’t you think you were too harsh on him?"
"What harshness?" An Cheng unceremoniously glared back, "If anyone was harsh, it’s you. Haven’t you been my secretary for years? Don’t you know my habits? On court days, I hate being disturbed by personal thoughts. Yet today, you let him come to my office uninvited, see my attire, and disturb my mind before the trial... Jian, please be more professional, okay?"
"I don’t want to worry about my secretary’s intellect while strategizing against suspects and defense attorneys, nor constantly concern myself with lapses in my camp."
Jian could only helplessly shrug, "I called him today because your case today is very challenging. Since you took on this case, you’ve been working overtime every day."
An Cheng turned to look at her seriously: "So you’re worried that I can’t handle this case on my own and need his help, right? Jian, are you trying to tell me that, in your heart, he has beaten me?"
Jian could only swallow all her words, not daring to say anything further.
.
At the district court, An Cheng first went to the preparation room to meet Shi Nian.
An Cheng brought up photos of the judge and the jurors from his tablet, letting Shi Nian familiarize herself with their faces.
"Don’t be nervous, we’ve prepared in advance. Just do what I taught you; you’ll do great. Look at their faces again—do you still think they’re strangers meeting for the first time? Once the unfamiliarity is eliminated, you’ll be much more at ease facing them."
Shi Nian was one of An Cheng’s most crucial witnesses, so before the trial, An Cheng personally coached Shi Nian on how to handle the court: how to face the judge’s inquiries, how to respond to the defense attorney’s questioning, how to face the audience present, and so on.
Shi Nian took a deep breath and smiled, "Don’t worry, An Cheng. You’ve already helped me so much, even if I hadn’t seen the photos of the judge and jury before, I would still be able to manage. Don’t forget I’m a journalist; I can talk to strangers whom I’ve never met before with ease."
An Cheng gently exhaled: "That’s great."
Shi Nian gazed at An Cheng, also sensing An Cheng’s slight anxiety today. Shi Nian gently held An Cheng’s hand, "An Cheng, just do your best. And I believe you’ll definitely win today."
"Why?" An Cheng turned to ask.
Shi Nian smiled and pointed at An Cheng’s attire.
"To be honest, before seeing what you wore today, I was a bit uncertain. But when I saw you in this outfit, I knew we had a chance."
An Cheng squinted slightly, "Do you know why I dressed this way today?"
Shi Nian nodded with a smile, "Yes, I do."
When Shi Nian first saw An Cheng walking in like that, she was also taken aback, but then understood immediately. She sincerely said, "Truly, An Cheng, you are the most remarkable female prosecutor and the most remarkable female lawyer I’ve ever seen. Your intelligence in the courtroom is unmatched."
An Cheng finally laughed too, "I wouldn’t dare claim such praise. I just don’t want to give up any means allowed within the legal boundaries to tear off the suspect’s disguise and deliver a hard kick to those defense attorneys who don’t distinguish between right and wrong."
Shi Nian nodded with a smile: today’s defense attorney was Xiang Yuan after all. If An Cheng really kicked Xiang Yuan, should she step in to intervene?
.
At the same time, Xiang Yuan brought Mark into the defense’s preparation room.
Mark remained calm, as if he wasn’t the accused today but merely an uninvolved observer.
He sat upright, his eyes shining with a bright blue light, his thin lips slightly pursed, a trace of a mocking smile hung at the corners.
It was as if everything today was laughable, whether it was this courtroom or the tension on Xiang Yuan’s face.
Mark’s expression made Xiang Yuan feel quite displeased. Today’s lawsuit was related to Huatai Hall’s revenue, related to Xiang Yuan’s formal transition, and even related to—his marriage.
For today’s lawsuit, he even gave up his marriage, which he couldn’t bear to put aside. He had to win, he couldn’t lose.
Xiang Yuan reviewed the response strategies with Mark again, also covering how to answer the judge’s questions, how to deal with the prosecutor’s inquiries, how to manage the audience’s emotions, and more.
Mark crossed his long legs high, appearing indifferent to Xiang Yuan’s anxiety. Yet, when Xiang Yuan mentioned there would be audience and media present, a look of anticipation flashed in his eyes, two patches of pink rising on his cheekbones.
"Are you saying he might be watching my performance, is that it?"
Xiang Yuan looked at Mark, full of helplessness. Fortunately, Mark’s state was exactly the court strategy planned for today.
Xiang Yuan nodded and perfunctorily replied, "Yes, everyone following this case should see your performance in court today. So, give it your all."
Mark became visibly excited, no longer indifferent and detached, but radiating a strange heat all over. He raised his brows high, corners of his lips spreading into a smile.
"I definitely will. I want him to see that I’m as good as he is."
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[The courtroom showdown begins~ Second update in the morning]