Chapter 63: Taking the Case, Unexpected Situation! |
To be honest, when it comes to professions like doctors and lawyers, the first thing most people look at is age.
It was no wonder Sun Zhigang felt uncertain; the person in front of him was simply... too young!
"Since everyone is here, let''s sit down first. There is no rush," Zhang Hu said from the tea table.
Hearing this, Sun Zhigang snapped back to his senses and invited Xu De to take a seat.
He looked at the young lawyer, hesitating time and again. Finally, unable to suppress his emotions, he blurted out, "The defendants are three girls, and none of them are even eighteen!"
"Are you sure... you can meet our demands?"
Xu De paused. He pondered for a moment, then, instead of answering directly, he asked, "Do you have the defendants'' profiles? Including but not limited to photographs and personal identification."
Sun Zhigang glanced at Tang Xiaohu beside him.
Tang Xiaohu quickly opened his briefcase and pulled out a stack of documents. Prominently displayed within were photos of the three girls, each with distinct features.
He picked out the photo labeled ''Liu Jingqi'' and stared at it for a long time.
Liu Jingqi was 165 centimeters tall and weighed 60 kilograms. She had ordinary features, but there was a certain... arrogance in her eyes?
Most importantly... she looked slightly mature for her age.
"How old is she?" Xu De asked with a frown.
Tang Xiaohu replied, "Sixteen."
"A high school senior? Are you sure she is sixteen?" Xu De questioned.
Tang Xiaohu shook his head. Liu Jingqi''s age was indeed suspicious.
Sun Zhigang did not understand the law, but he knew the death penalty was impossible for someone under eighteen. The reason he was still pushing for the death penalty was exactly because of the point Xu De just raised.
"I have said the same thing, and you are not the only one asking," Tang Xiaohu said with a shake of his head. "However, the police went to the hospital, forensic agencies participated in bone age assessments, and multiple investigations were conducted... The final verified data is what you see in front of you."
If the police provided it, it meant these details had been repeatedly confirmed by law enforcement.
But...
"Alright, I understand."
Xu De spoke, but just like Tang Xiaohu, he did not take this information as absolute truth.
In this world, nothing related to the judicial system was ever absolute. It only depended on whether you could find the right angle, and what words you would use to expand upon it!
As for the current case...
Xu De would only completely trust what he investigated himself!
"It is not too late to make a decision after understanding the basic information of the case."
"So... Mr. Sun, Mr. Tang, besides this, what other information do we have about the case right now?"
He looked up at the two men across from him.
As long as he dared to take it...
Sun Zhigang breathed a sigh of relief. Compared to those other timid lawyers... the ones who did not even dare to try after hearing the defendants were minors... the man in front of him was much stronger.
Tang Xiaohu said, "Currently, the news from the police is this."
"In half a week, the case will be handed over to the Greenwood City Prosecutor''s Office for public prosecution. The prosecutor is a man named Huang Shi, thirty-five years old."
"As for the defendants... their families hired a boutique law firm. I do not know anything beyond that."
In theory, a case like this should be handled by veterans like Hu Guang and Wang Wei.
But... veterans might be experienced, but they were not nuclear-powered mules. They had just finished the Lijia Village case and were currently busy prosecuting Li Youcai and Liu Cui; they simply had no energy to spare.
Therefore, it fell to Huang Shi, who was a tier lower in capability.
"A lower-tier prosecutor, a boutique law firm..."
Xu De fell deep into thought.
His teammate''s ability was lacking, while the opponent was likely a team composed of golden lawyers. Looking at it this way...
"Is the defendant''s family wealthy?" Xu De narrowed his eyes, interlacing his fingers.
Tang Xiaohu sighed and nodded.
"They are not exactly rich, but their family received compensation for a housing demolition—just one million in cash. However, that is more than enough for this case."
"It is precisely because of this that Liu Jingqi was spoiled into having such an arrogant attitude."
Xu De nodded, getting a rough idea of the opposing party''s family background.
After a moment of thought, he felt this case...
Was winnable!
"This case... I can give it a try," Xu De declared, then his tone shifted. "Mr. Sun, I will not give you a guarantee right now that I can completely achieve your demands. That would be irresponsible to you. But what I can guarantee is that I will fight this lawsuit with all my ability for my client! If you are willing, we can sign the contract in ten days."
Was he willing...
Sun Zhigang paused, falling silent.
Other lawyers did not even bother investigating the details; they flat-out refused after hearing the basic facts. There was no room for discussion. Since this man was willing...
"Done!"
"I trust you."
Sun Zhigang took a deep breath, his eyes hardening as he spoke with the confidence of someone with deep pockets, "Once the case is finished, I will give you three hundred thousand in commission. If we fail, you will still get one hundred and fifty thousand for your hard work!"
"Alright, in that case..." Xu De nodded, a smile appearing on his face. Then, he paused and suddenly asked a question that caught them off guard. "Can you take me to see the client now?"
The client?
Sun Zhigang froze, then nodded.
......
......
Zhao Li was dead, and Yang Jiale was dead.
But Zhao Li had two children, not just Yang Jiale. Out of the family of three, one young son was still alive.
"The boy''s name is Yang Huan, fourteen years old this year."
"He is still in middle school. These past few days... his emotional state has not been very good."
"Rest assured, he will be your client, but I am the one paying. As long as you get the job done, you will not be shortchanged!"
"Mr. Sun, you worry too much. I am not thinking about the money, but the case itself."
"..."
Greenwood City, suburbs.
A black sedan wove through a residential area.
This was the outskirts of the city, three kilometers away from the nearest commercial street. Most of the buildings were self-built single-story houses, and the overall feel was no different from a rural village.
A moment later.
The car pulled up in front of a somewhat dilapidated single-story house.
Xu De opened the door and stepped out, looking up at the house before him.
Zhao Li rented this place for a hundred and fifty a month. The environment was poor, and transportation was inconvenient.
Yang Huan had not gone to school. After the construction site and the police informed him about the case, he took a leave of absence. If he had not gone out, he should be home.
Xu De walked up to the door and reached out...
Just as he knocked and was about to call out... to his surprise, the door was pushed open by the slight force of his knock.
At the same time, Xu De''s ears twitched. He caught a sound and narrowed his eyes.
Sun Zhigang stepped up from behind, looking confused by Xu De''s expression. "What is wrong?"
"Shh—"
Xu De made a ''hush'' gesture, signaling him to lean in and listen closely.
Suspicious but compliant, Sun Zhigang did as told. The next second, faint, indistinct voices drifted into his ears.
"Our client expresses deep regret. She has been tossing and turning these past few days, filled with guilt. She is willing to offer compensation..."
"She is also a victim. She was friends with your sister, and she never expected that playing around would lead to your sister''s accidental death."
"Your mother passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack caused by overwork. Mr. Yang, I know you are an understanding child, you..."
This...
In a flash, Sun Zhigang''s pupils contracted. Without another word, he kicked the iron door wide open.
"Bang!"
"Who is talking in there!"