They say there are four great joys in life: a welcome rain after a long drought, an old friend in a distant land, the wedding night in a candlelit chamber, and success on the day the exam results are posted.
But... to be young, successful, and dressed for the occasion is certainly no less glorious!
At the courthouse entrance.
Countless reporters, both famous and unknown, swarmed the two men who had just walked out of the main hall, creating a chaotic scrum of jostling bodies, bumping shoulders, and stepped-on feet!
Amid the clamoring crowd, one could vaguely make out many familiar faces.
There were long-established reporters from local television stations.
There were also senior journalists from authoritative newspapers, leading figures in the industry.
There were even... people from the official state television network!
But it was clear that even the state TV crew received no special treatment. In fact, the veteran reporters seemed to be pushing them around the most!
The reason was simple...
If they backed down and missed out on a once-in-a-decade case like this just because the other party was from the state network...
...then back at the office, their managing editors and editors-in-chief would probably want to kill them!
’So what if they’re from the state network? My microphone is just as sharp as anyone’s!!!’
With that thought, the crowd pushed even harder. Those in the back were practically swimming through the throng, desperate to get in front of Xu De and Wang Qiang.
"Are you dissatisfied with any aspect of this case?!"
someone shouted anxiously.
But in the blink of an eye, he was shoved to the back of the pack.
And the one who pushed past him was...
...none other than the reporter, Zhang Xia!
The slender female reporter, Zhang Xia, had somehow forced her way from the back to the very front. Standing before Xu De, she panted heavily and thrust her microphone toward his mouth.
"Lawyer Xu, hello. I’m Zhang Xia, a reporter from the Phoenix Newspaper."
"From what I understand, when this case first emerged, multiple law firms in Lusen City refused to take it."
"May I ask what motivated you to accept this case back then!?"
As she finished speaking, Zhang Xia stared intently at him, afraid of missing a single detail.
The others around them also quieted down, eagerly awaiting the answer to this question.
It’s possible to overturn a murder conviction, but it generally hinges on two points.
’First, a lack of clear evidence that the defendant committed the murder, combined with a strong and convincing chain of evidence pointing elsewhere.’
’Second, suspicion or proof that evidence presented in court was obtained through a coerced confession.’
But Wang Qiang’s case didn’t fit either of these criteria.
First, the evidence that he had killed someone was solid. The only point of doubt was that no one had personally witnessed him commit the act of his own volition and without external interference, but his own confession refuted that.
Second, Wang Qiang had not been coerced into confessing, so...
It was practically an open-and-shut case for conviction!
The death penalty or a suspended death sentence was unlikely, but a ten-year prison sentence was a ninety-percent certainty. That outcome was far from what the client wanted, which was why no law firm was willing to touch this hot potato.
But...
Xu De took it.
And what’s more, he won!
Working alone, without a team, he had won an extreme case—the kind of victory that happens less than five times a year in the entire country!!!
"Could you please tell us?" Zhang Xia asked with sincere earnestness, her eyes fixed on Xu De.
Hearing this, Xu De, who had been about to push his way out of the crowd, paused. After a moment’s thought, he suddenly opened his mouth.
He uttered two words.
"Professional ethics."
With that, Xu De took Wang Qiang and began to push his way out, squeezing through the cracks in the crowd.
"Make way, make way."
A moment later, he was clear of the reporters.
Zhang Xia and the other reporters remained where they were, not pursuing him to press for more answers. After all, even without a full interview, the trial proceedings alone gave them more than enough material for a major story!
They watched Xu De’s retreating back until he disappeared from sight.
"Professional ethics..."
Several of them murmured the words, pondering their meaning.
Professional ethics. It wasn’t an obscure term; it was a constant topic of public discussion. But...
...who truly put it into practice?
In the food industry, vendors constantly assured you of their professional ethics—they wouldn’t short-change you, and they guaranteed food safety.
But pick any random market, and you could easily find a few stall owners using rigged scales. Or walk into any number of roadside eateries these days, and you’d find them swimming in gutter oil!
These people treated "professional ethics" like a certificate to be framed on the wall. But did they actually possess any?
No.
In the context of this case, one couldn’t be certain Xu De was purely driven by professional ethics. The case had generated huge public interest, and plenty of less successful lawyers might have dreamed of taking it on just for the fame.
But then again...
...if you judged people by their motives, you’d find no saints on this earth!
At the very least...
...when Wang Qiang was desperate, facing injustice, and all other lawyers were too afraid of the risks to get involved, it was Xu De who stepped forward. He took the case alone, risking the destruction of his own career.
More importantly, he had managed to turn the tide against all odds and secure an incredibly rare victory!
With his skills and credentials, he had a bright future ahead of him even without taking such a risk, yet he chose to take on this case...
A gentleman is judged by his actions, not his intentions!
Based on his actions alone, he stood at the moral pinnacle of the Lusen City legal community, looking down on everyone else.
’Sigh, where has my own sense of professional ethics gone...?’
Zhang Xia felt a pang of shame, but then her gaze hardened with resolve.
’He may be a gentleman, but...’
’...I’m no villain myself!’
’A man like that... shouldn’t remain in obscurity!’
At that moment, it wasn’t just Zhang Xia. All the reporters present secretly made a resolution to praise him lavishly in their newspapers and news programs.
’Hmph, think you can just hide away in some obscure law firm?’
’Not on my watch! I’m going to make you famous!’
...
「Meanwhile.」
In the Intermediate Court parking lot.
"Incredible, just incredible! Lawyer Xu, can I really come work with you?"
Wang Chao had been waiting in the parking lot for some time, with Wang Mei and Xu Hong by his side. Now, seeing Xu De return with Wang Qiang, his face was a mixture of emotion and disbelief.
To one side, Lin Yue was also filled with admiration, already calculating how much more money she could put up for an additional investment.
If, after the first hearing, Wang Chao had thought he’d backed the right person...
...then after the verdict of the second hearing...
...he realized the man wasn’t just a man—he was a god!
"I’ve never heard of a Red Circle Law Firm in Yanjing turning down a top-tier graduate,"
Xu De said with a smile, making a small joke.
Then, ignoring Wang Qiang, who was having a tearful reunion with Xu Hong and Wang Mei beside him, he looked up and gazed into the distance.
In the distance, a few figures were standing there.
Very familiar figures.
It was the three prosecutors: Hu Guang, Wang Wei, and Zhang Qing.
The three of them, still in their uniforms, were sitting on the steps in a secluded corner, silently eating from lunch boxes. They would occasionally glance over at Xu De’s group before lowering their heads to eat again.
They had also come by car, so it was only natural that they would run into Xu De and the others.
A trial was exhausting enough, let alone one against Xu De.
The two sides had been locked in a grueling battle for hours... This war of attrition was a devastatingly effective tactic against two men who weren’t in the best of health.
They desperately needed to refuel!
However...
Xu De paused.
The next moment, he turned and walked slowly toward Hu Guang and Wang Wei in the distance.
Before long, he was standing in front of the three of them.
Hu Guang sensed a shadow fall over him. He looked up and saw Xu De’s face.
Hu Guang was momentarily speechless with exasperation.
’Seriously? The trial is over... Why is he still hounding me? He’s chased me all the way out here!’
"What do you want? Something to say?"
"Surely you’re not going to stop us from eating, are you?"
Hu Guang asked, exasperated. He and his colleague had been relentlessly countered during the trial, debated into submission. Was Xu De not even going to let them eat after the court had adjourned?
Even the most notorious shyster in Lusen City wouldn’t go this far!
"It’s nothing much. Just handing something over."
Xu De smiled, pulling out a well-preserved but somewhat worn and yellowed slip of paper.
"What is it?"
Hu Guang took it casually, still eating.
"Just a piece of evidence related to the case, but not directly involving Wang Qiang. As for your lunch boxes..."
Xu De paused, looking at the lunch boxes the three had only just begun to eat.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I’m afraid you won’t have time to finish those."
Confused, Hu Guang looked down and unfolded the paper. The slip of paper was, in fact...
...an IOU.