At Xinran Water Bar, Wen Ying met a Lawyer Zheng who was over a decade younger.
In 2005, Lawyer Zheng still had a full head of hair.
Wen Ying instinctively stood up, Hello, Lawyer Zheng.
Zheng Zhihe seemed born to be a lawyer. His name, Zhihe, meaning harmony, reflected what most people sought in lawsuits, not a fight to the death but a peaceful resolution.
Who would want to go to court if things could be settled amicably?
Hiring Zheng Zhihe for a case truly brought harmony.
Zheng Zhihe often joked about his name to break the ice, earning laughs from students at his lectures, instantly closing the distance with them. But that was just his facade. Zheng Zhihe never pushed clients to settle before trial. He was the type to strike twice without ever stopping at one and a half.
Zou Weijun really knew how to pick them.
With so many lawyers in Rongcheng, how did she zero in on Zheng Zhihe?
Though the current Zheng hadn’t gone bald yet, and his prowess might not match his future self, Han Qin was definitely unlucky to face him.
Zheng Zhihe had no idea about the drama playing out in Wen Ying’s mind.
On his way over, Zou Weijun had told him he’d meet the author of Wandering Fish in person, a young writer with big ideas, proposing to sue the anonymous Tianya netizen spreading rumours.
Zou Weijun asked if it was feasible.
Of course it was.
Zheng Zhihe came with keen interest. Others might be fooled by Wen Ying’s non-threatening round face or underestimate her due to her age, but Zheng never made such mistakes.
Judging people by appearances was shallow, and Zheng admired Wen Ying’s thinking.
Apart from her gaze drifting to his hair a few times, making him instinctively want to touch it, Zheng had a good impression of her.
A young, talented person was truly likable.
Zheng Zhihe was very cordial, I’ll call you Xiao Wen. Ms Zou said you have some new ideas. Would you share them with me in detail?
Wen Ying almost laughed at his familiar tone.
Zheng Zhihe’s friendliness was fake. He always got friendly before digging a pit for someone.
Thankfully, he was Zou Weijun’s lawyer, not Han Qin’s. Wen Ying mentally lit a candle for Editor Han and shared her earlier thoughts.
As Wen Ying spoke, Zheng Zhihe listened quietly. Only when she finished did he smile.
I’ve considered the lawyer’s letter you mentioned, and suing the anonymous netizen alongside seems feasible to me. The law is a weapon for ordinary people, but many don’t know how to use it. They fear lawsuits, find them troublesome, not realizing that the tougher you are, the more those bullying you will fear you.
Zheng showed Wen Ying his laptop, where he’d already drafted a lawyer’s letter, yet to be sent.
The letter was addressed to Tianya Forum, demanding the removal of unverified statements harmful to the author Reverse Flow Fish.
A thousand readers have a thousand Hamlets. Forum users, as readers, can critique Youth Idol’s quality.
But escalating from critiquing the work to attacking the author’s character was unacceptable.
Zheng just needed to tweak the letter.
Adding another defendant was a small matter for him.
He’d discussed some issues with Zou Weijun before, but without meeting Wen Ying, the client, he wasn’t certain about details. Now, after speaking with her, it was his turn to ask.
Ordinary readers don’t care about the process, only the outcome. So we need to do a lot of groundwork early on to present a solid verdict that clears up misunderstandings and restores your reputation. The catch is, the preliminary work is tedious and time-consuming. Some of my clients, even as plaintiffs, weren’t defeated by defendants but by the lawsuit process itself. To win, you need to cover legal fees and invest significant time and energy. I’d like to ask if you two are truly mentally prepared for this?
Zheng still had hair, so he wasn’t as formidable as his future self.
But what makes a big shot? They don’t spring out of nowhere. Before becoming balder and stronger, they show early signs of greatness.
Most lawyers, to secure a case, would say lawsuits are no trouble at all.
They’d say, Just sign the agreement, and leave the rest to us.
Zheng Zhihe didn’t sugarcoat. His words were grounded.
Wen Ying’s addition of another defendant widened the case’s scope.
No case is settled by just signing an agreement. Lawyers need clients’ cooperation multiple times to prepare evidence. Wen Ying knew this well, having been scolded by clients for repeatedly asking for evidence when she was a lawyer.
Clients thought, I paid you, so why am I being bothered? Isn’t my money wasted?
What could Wen Ying say? Even the best lawyer doesn’t have clairvoyance. Without clients providing evidence, should lawyers invent it?
Zheng said plaintiffs could be worn down by the process, but lawyers face the same. Sometimes, it’s not the opposing counsel but the client who drives the lawyer mad.
Clients who don’t cooperate with evidence.
Clients who lie, leaving Wen Ying blindsided in court.
Wen Ying had stepped into every one of those traps.
Back then, she swore that if she ever became a client, she’d aim to be a 100-out-of-100 client, never settling for 99.
Seeing Wen Ying silent for a while, Zou Weijun thought she was intimidated by Zheng and getting cold feet.
Zou Weijun wasn’t disappointed.
Wen Ying was just a young girl.
Writing novels was impressive enough for her. Adults should bear these pressures.
Lawyer Zheng, we discussed this before. Youth Idol is a key project I’m overseeing. My stance aligns with the company’s. No matter the cost, we’ll sue Aige to get justice and restore the author’s reputation.
Zheng nodded outwardly but wasn’t convinced inwardly.
He knew Zou Weijun genuinely wanted to clear the girl’s name.
But her company might not share that view.
For the publishing department, a book’s sales were paramount.
Given the current trend, winning the lawsuit might not make Youth Idol a hit. Losing, however, could make it infamous and boost sales. The market is strange like that, not just Zheng’s imagination. Last year, a high-profile plagiarism lawsuit saw a bestselling author ordered to pay damages, apologise, and cease infringement. The author rejected the ruling, refused to apologise, and appealed.
That lawsuit made the author even more famous. Despite the legal battle, their book sales didn’t suffer, they soared.
