In June, the weather began to turn scorching, and the fierce sunlight poured down onto the ground.
The atmosphere in the Beijing Primary People’s Court was bleak, as the debates unfolded silently.
To the right of the judge’s bench, Jiang Tong sat upright in her chair, dressed in a black uniform, her hair neatly tied up with a prosecutor’s badge pinned at her collar.
Her fair, slender fingers tapped lightly on the table, with her sleeves slightly rolled up, revealing a stretch of white, smooth skin.
She had a pair of clear, bright almond-shaped eyes, her long eyelashes blinking faintly, masking the gloom within.
Opposite her was the defense lawyer in this case, also her nemesis—
Shen Anru.
"The defendant Li Changhui, during the trial, has confessed to the crime of raping the victim without dispute, showing a good attitude towards admitting guilt, and has compensated the victim for all economic losses. This indicates that the defendant has displayed remorseful behavior.
Further, in accordance with Article 53 of China’s Protection of Minors Law, along with the above points of defense, I request the court to consider these during sentencing and to impose a lenient sentence on the defendant Li Changhui."
After reading her defense statement, Shen Anru glanced provocatively at Jiang Tong.
The scene fell into a tense silence.
"Does the prosecutor have any objections?" The presiding judge looked towards Jiang Tong.
Jiang Tong clenched the pen in her palm, her gaze deep as she coldly replied, "No objections."
"Alright, a fifteen-minute recess." The presiding judge nodded, and left the courtroom with the panel for deliberation.
"Jiang Tong, oh Jiang Tong, I wonder if your myth of never withdrawing a case in Beijing can continue this time?"
Shen Anru deliberately walked in front of Jiang Tong, mocking her with glee.
Jiang Tong lazily leaned back, one arm resting casually on the back of her chair.
"Exploiting legal loopholes, is that the original intention of your becoming a lawyer?"
Her nonchalant attitude successfully enraged Shen Anru.
Again with this!
What she hated most was this fake aloofness from Jiang Tong.
As if nothing in the world could catch her attention.
"My original intention? Listen carefully, Jiang Tong. The only intention I had in becoming a lawyer was to crush you beneath my feet," Shen Anru’s eyes flashed with a trace of malice.
What a load of crap about the myth of never withdrawing a case in Beijing?
Today, Shen Anru was determined to make Jiang Tong an epitome of ridicule in Beijing.
With this thought, she smirked arrogantly, walking back to the defense bench as if victory was assured.
Jiang Tong watched her coldly, her hand forming a fist, pounding heavily on a stack of documents without making a sound.
She never cared about winning or losing in court.
But she cared about those who blindly mixed personal emotions, disrupting the legal order.
What she didn’t expect was that Shen Anru would stop at nothing to go against her.
Using illegal means to alter Li Changhui’s officially recognized age.
But... unfortunately, she currently had no evidence.
From the gallery, the victim’s mother, unaware of the current situation, anxiously glanced at Jiang Tong.
Jiang Tong received her gaze, and a hint of tremor flashed through her almond-like eyes.
For her, those fifteen minutes of deliberation passed slowly and stiflingly.
The presiding judge and the clerk returned to the courtroom.
"All rise." Everyone in the courtroom stood up in response.
The presiding judge, holding the verdict, read aloud: "The judgment is as follows: The defendant, Li Changhui, is not guilty. This verdict will be delivered within 5 days post-closing of the court. If there is any dissent to this verdict,
an appeal can be made through this court or directly to the Kyoto Intermediate Court within 10 days starting from the second day of receiving the verdict. June 2, 2020."