5 Chapter 5 Pretrial Hearing

Evening, East University forum.

As expected, today's cafeteria incident dominated the campus forum.

Especially since the event itself featured plenty of hot-button topics.

The campus belle Jia Meili, wealthy scion Yuan Dong, the instigating best friend, and Zhang Wei's revenge.

All guaranteed clickbait, sparking widespread interest would be an understatement.

Particularly in East University Law School's various chat groups and discussion forums, messages refreshed nonstop at 99+ per minute, all centered on this very subject.

Many students hadn't silenced their phones, so as you walked by them you'd keep hearing incessant "ding ding ding" notifications.

Even benefiting from East University's renown, the incident made it onto V-blog hot searches, and V-chat keyword searches almost topped the charts.

Among these, one post, in particular, reached unprecedented popularity.

"Shocking! Poor guy dumped and ridiculed by ex-girlfriend, now-boyfriend mockingly airs dirty laundry in front of thousands!"

The post's title was sensational, starting with 'shocking' to grab readers' attention; although the content was somewhat overhyped, it was engaging enough to spark curiosity.

Virtually the entire East University knew that Zhang Wei was planning to sue Jia Meili using a campus mock trial, and many students eagerly anticipated the court session.

Meanwhile, the General Affairs Department sent out a notice.

The mock trial was officially confirmed, with venue preparations underway, and the preliminary scheduled opening for next Monday at the department's grand auditorium.

The grand auditorium could accommodate a thousand people, which was more than sufficient for a mock trial.

But given the heat of the matter, there might well be more than a thousand people present at the trial.

At the same time, the General Affairs Department released a second notice stating that a preliminary selection for the jury was needed, and students from other departments were welcome to apply.

Typically, East University Law School's mock trials were handled internally by its students and professors since they were just reviews of classical cases designed more to simulate the courtroom environment and let students experience the atmosphere of a trial.

This mock trial, however, was to adjudicate a conflict between law students, and in order to eliminate bias and ensure a fair verdict, it was necessary to select the jury from other departments.

Suddenly, many students from other departments began to register.

After all, this was a chance to closely observe the trial, a prime seat. And what could be more comfortable than being a silent juror throughout?

This led to an overwhelming number of applicants, causing the Law School's temporary clerk to sort through dozens of pages of juror applications, all of which had to be forwarded to the General Affairs Department for the final selection of a jury pool exceeding twenty people, to be further narrowed down during the trial.

As for who among them could stay, that was for the representatives of both the plaintiff and the defendant to decide.

And before the trial could commence, a pre-trial hearing had to be held as per standard procedure.

Zhang Wei soon received a notification from the school authorities.

He had just left the General Affairs Department, and the one tasked with delivering the notification was a junior student.

"Brother Zhang, I can't believe you dared to sue the campus belle. Go for it, we're all watching!"

After delivering the notice and cheering Zhang Wei on, the junior quickly departed.

"Watching me, are they expecting to see me lose?"

Zhang Wei watched the junior leave, scoffing to himself.

He knew that the junior wasn't sincerely cheering him on; he could tell when someone was lying.

"Zhang Wei, are you really going to go through with this?" Xia Qianyue, ever by Zhang Wei's side, expressed her concern.

Zhang Wei, however, was unconcerned, simply reassuring her, "Don't worry, Silly, I'm not the same Zhang Wei I was before, and I won't be bullied by just anyone. Just like I said in the cafeteria, since my sincerity has gone to the dogs, I'll reclaim everything with my own methods. If I weren't confident, I wouldn't be doing this!"

With that, he suddenly moved closer to Xia Qianyue.

"By the way, are you free this weekend, want to go shopping?"

Xia Qianyue, caught off guard by Zhang Wei's sudden boldness, stammered, "What, what did you say... this weekend, you, you want to... ask me out shopping?"

"What's wrong, you don't want to go?" Zhang Wei asked with a slight smile, then feigned disappointment, "Alright then, I guess I'll just go alone this weekend..."

"Wait, I'll go!"

Xia Qianyue was afraid that Zhang Wei would continue speaking, so she hurriedly agreed.

"Alright, tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock, we'll meet at the school gate!"

"See you tomorrow!"

Xia Qianyue nodded subconsciously, not even knowing how she had left the office building.

Meanwhile, Zhang Wei made a beeline for the hearing scene.

When he pushed open the doors of the conference room, he felt an oppressive atmosphere.

Several professors from the Law School, even the Dean and the Associate Dean, were present; they sat around a U-shaped conference table, and when they saw Zhang Wei appear, all their gazes turned toward him.

Had it been an ordinary student, they might have been unable to withstand such an aura, but Zhang Wei was not just anybody, and he simply ignored their stares.

"Greetings, leaders. Plaintiff and representative Zhang Wei has arrived!"

He walked straight into the conference room and nodded slightly to everyone, as a way of greeting.

Despite his formal self-introduction, such behavior slightly displeased Professor Zheng Qiang, who was sitting to one side.

But he didn't like Zhang Wei to begin with, and his mind was still on the tea set that had been shattered.

Zhang Wei also noticed Zheng Qian, but couldn't be bothered to greet him.

"Zhang Wei, you're here!" The Dean of the Law School, Yang Qingquan, greeted Zhang Wei with a smile and casually pointed to a corner of the conference table, "Take a seat first, we're just waiting for Jiǎ and the others to arrive."

Zhang Wei, of course, didn't hesitate and sat down calmly under the watchful eyes of the faculty leaders.

This composed attitude surprised many leaders.

They were under the impression that this student was shy and not eloquent, so why did he appear different from the rumors today?

Professor Zheng Qian, especially, was the most surprised. To him, Zhang Wei not only seemed different, but like a completely changed person.

"Right, Zhang Wei, we are holding a pre-trial hearing not only to listen to the parties involved but also to ask who you would like to appoint as the judge for this trial?" At that moment, Dean Yang Qingquan spoke again.

"A judge?" Zhang Wei glanced at the leaders in the conference room and then, shaking his head with a smile, said, "Actually, I don't have any particular recommendation for the nominee, but if I really have to choose someone, how about Associate Dean Geng Hongxia?"

Upon hearing this, a woman sitting to the left of Yang Qingquan was slightly surprised.

They had previously discussed who would serve as the judge for this mock trial and had considered asking for Zhang Wei's opinion as one of the parties involved.

They had always thought that Zhang Wei would want a male to serve as the judge because the nature of the litigation was somewhat special. Appointing a female as the judge could lead to biased outcomes.

However, they didn't expect Zhang Wei to be indifferent to this issue.

Yang Qingquan glanced at the door and saw that Jia Meili and the others had not arrived yet, then looked up again and asked, "Zhang Wei, may I ask why?"

"Actually, there's no particular reason. I just used a simple process of elimination and then randomly picked one."

"Oh, a process of elimination?"

"Yes, a process of elimination," Zhang Wei said with a smile, explaining, "The Dean is too busy with his daily tasks, and it is clear that he isn't suitable for the role of the judge. Professor Zheng Qiang has a conflict with me, which is well-known, so his appointment would affect the impartiality of justice. As for other professors, they all teach courses and might have connections with students, making them inappropriate as well. Only the Associate Deans, who usually have no contact with us students, are more suitable to serve as the judge."

Yang Qingquan pointed to two middle-aged men to his right and asked with a smile, "Then why didn't you choose Associate Deans Wang and Shen? Being men, they should understand your situation better, shouldn't they?"

"No, no, no. I think Associate Dean Geng Hongxia is the most appropriate because she possesses a quality that none of you have!" Zhang Wei quickly waved his hand to interject but then paused mid-sentence.

"Oh, what quality?" The professors and leaders became curious about the quality Zhang Wei was referring to.

"I am certain that Associate Dean Geng has never been a 'lickspittle' to women, but I can't be sure about the other two!"

"Hahaha..."

After these words were spoken, everyone including Yang Qingquan couldn't help but chuckle, and the atmosphere in the conference room lightened considerably.

Just then, the conference room doors opened again, and Jia Meili and Yuan Dong arrived.

However, accompanying them into the room was a girl in a suit.

"Hmm, isn't that Zhang Hui?"

"Zhang Hui? The one who interned at one of the Top Ten Law Firms?"

"I remember she's one year senior to Zhang Wei, and last year she joined the Yongjie Law Firm, ranked 7th among the Top Ten Firms. This girl is impressive, ah, the top student from last year's graduating class..."

Zhang Hui, who is one year Zhang Wei's senior, passed the bar exam and now has started her internship at a law firm, with the position of assistant lawyer.

(Many people get confused between an 'assistant lawyer' and a 'lawyer's assistant.' The former can be understood as someone who assists a barrister, and when necessary, can share the burden of court appearances. If the barrister cannot attend, the assistant lawyer may stand in for them in court. In contrast, the latter is a clerical worker, focusing on photocopying + making tea and coffee + running errands to deliver materials...)

Of course, even as an assistant lawyer, that means she has entered the firm and can be involved in legal cases with lawyers.

The dean seemed to know Zhang Hui too, and upon seeing her, he asked with some confusion, "Zhang Hui, what brings you here...?"

"Dean, as well as all the leaders and professors, Zhang Hui is the defense attorney for me and Jia Meili," Yuan Dong immediately stood up and blurted out.

"Defense attorney?"

Including Dean Yang Qingquan, everyone was somewhat surprised.

It wasn't that they couldn't understand.

In a trial, having a defense attorney is normal.

But the theme this time was a campus mock trial, although it was based on a real case, it was still a contest between law students after all.

For a practicing assistant lawyer to get involved, wouldn't that be somewhat like bullying the less experienced?

On one side was Zhang Wei, who had never appeared in court, and had never even participated in a mock trial before.

On the other side was Zhang Hui, who not only had nearly a year's internship at one of the Top Ten Law Firms but was also a top student before graduation. Were these two comparable?

It was at this moment that Zhang Wei stood up.

"Oh, so it's Senior Zhang Hui. In that case, I look forward to learning a lot from you in the upcoming trial!"

With those words, he gave Zhang Hui a smile, as if he wasn't concerned at all about her status.

Zhang Hui was a capable woman, but she also had the pride of an elder sister. Hearing his words, she nodded in return and said, "It's actually me who should be saying that. Please also guide me in the upcoming mock trial!"

With that, both parties officially agreed.

Seeing this, Dean Yang Qingquan didn't find it appropriate to stop them.

If Zhang Wei himself had no complaints, why should they busy themselves with matters that weren't their concern?

"Ahem, since neither party has any objection, then the participants for this trial are settled. However, that's not the purpose of our pre-trial conference today. Don't think we're being long-winded, but we want to make sure if it's possible for your conflict to be resolved through a settlement," the dean explained, gesturing to Zhang Hui, Yuan Dong, and Jia Meili to take a seat too.

After they were seated, they were facing Zhang Wei.

Dean Yang Qingquan took the central seat and mediated: "We generally don't encourage students to air their disputes publicly, but since you have requested a mock trial, we as leaders of the law school will naturally not oppose it. We can even support you by arranging the venue and staff."

"However, this time Zhang Wei is suing Jia Meili, and the legal framing of this case itself is not easy to determine, after all..."

The dean was in the middle of speaking when Zhang Wei interrupted him, "Respected dean, I understand what you're saying, but I've already made a compensation claim list. It's just right that I take advantage of this pre-trial hearing to inform the defense!"

As he spoke, he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and respectfully handed it to a Professor Luo sitting nearby.

The professor glanced at the contents of the note, his brows arched ever so slightly, and quickly passed it to his colleagues beside him.

Like this, the note was passed around until it finally reached Dean Yang Qingquan.

"Zhang Wei, you're asking Jia Meili to pay for two years of your supplementary class fees totaling 80,000 yuan, plus an additional 20,000 yuan for emotional distress compensation, which amounts to a total of 100,000 yuan?"

Zhang Wei nodded with a calm expression, "Yes, the 80,000 is for my labor and the 20,000 is for emotional distress. As for the additional hospital fees, they are just a few thousand in change, so I've rounded them off!"

"This is impossible!"

"Asking us for 100,000 yuan in compensation, why don't you just rob us?"

Hearing Zhang Wei's demand, Yuan Dong and Jia Meili both became unsettled.

It wasn't that they couldn't afford it, but Zhang Wei really dared to ask for so much as if it were nothing, just blatantly demanding 100,000 yuan, which was practically extortion.

"Please be aware, my request for Jia Meili to pay for my labor is reasonable, how can it be considered robbery?"

Zhang Wei laughed: "If I really wanted to rob you, then I wouldn't ask for 100,000 yuan, I would ask for a million. How does that sound?"

Seeing Zhang Wei's attitude, it was ultimately Zhang Hui who stepped forward, "Dean, and all the leaders, I think junior brother Zhang's demand is a bit excessive. This amount is too large!"

"No, not at all, this amount is calculated based on the fees of extracurricular tutoring classes, and even then, it has been reduced. I've also laid out the specific rules for calculation in the document, which you all can check!"

Yang Qingquan once again lowered his head, scanning over the list, "Zhang Wei indeed wrote this down. The standard tutoring fee is 100 per hour, 2 to 3 hours a day, averaging 2.5 hours, 4 days of tutoring a week, 16 days a month, 10 months of residency in a year, which makes 20 months for two years, summing up to 800 hours, with a total charge of exactly 80,000!"

"Is 100 per hour expensive?" Zhang Wei looked towards Zhang Hui and the other two, "Now, the special extracurricular tutoring classes charge 200-300 per hour, and students are even vying for those. I only charge 100, which is already a friendly price among classmates!"

Hearing Zhang Wei say this, for some reason, including Yang Qingquan, everyone started to feel that the price wasn't really expensive.

Moreover, he had everything listed out, including the daily tutoring duration and the total standard charges weren't problematic.

Looking at it this way, the compensation amount actually seemed quite reasonable.

"Oh, and your bestie, Feng Li!" Zhang Wei looked at Jia Meili, speaking in a rather magnanimous tone, "I remember she has also attended quite a few of my classes, amounting to over a hundred hours I suppose. But I'm a generous person, so I won't be asking her for the fee. That 80,000 will include her as well, and you, as her good friend, can pay for it all together!"

Upon hearing the name of her bestie Feng Li, Zhang Hui, who was sitting to the side, slightly brightened. It seemed as though she caught onto something from Zhang Wei's words.

As for Zhang Wei.

While speaking, he stood up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Dean, let's conclude this pre-trial hearing here. I certainly won't be dropping this lawsuit, and looking at classmate Jia Meili, it's clear she won't agree to a settlement with me either, otherwise, they wouldn't have invited senior sister Zhang Hui to bolster their case!"

"For the coming weekend, I'll have to prepare court materials and witness testimonies, so I won't take up more of the leaders' time!"

After nodding to the leaders and senior sister Zhang Hui, Zhang Wei took his leave directly.

Including Yang Qingquan, nobody tried to stop him.

"Dean, professors, and leaders, we also have to go prepare court materials."

Seeing this, Zhang Hui naturally took Jia Meili and Yuan Dong with her to leave as well.

However, as soon as they stepped out the door, Zhang Hui couldn't hold back anymore.

"Jia Meili, tell me the details of the tutoring, I need to understand the specifics of this case, and besides you all, who else attended Zhang Wei's tutoring?"

"Aside from me and Feng Li, there was also this girl named Xia Qianyue, though she is from the Criminal Investigation School..."

"Xia Qianyue, tell me about this girl and your tutoring sessions, I need to know what witnesses Zhang Wei will present, to craft countermeasures in advance!"

"Okay, senior sister."

…

On the other side.

Zhang Wei also returned to his dorm.

He was about to prepare for the upcoming mock court trial.

As for the court trial, he was as familiar with it as he could be; he had even planted a trap during the pre-trial motion earlier.

In the battle of the court, one must be extremely careful once it's set, for at any time, one might step unto a mine laid by the opposition.

Zhang Wei shook his head with a smile as he wrote, "I always feel like I'm bullying people a bit, a trainee lawyer just stepping into the field, facing their first trial against me."

As he said this, he looked towards the door, because he heard Luo Xiaobu's voice.

"Zhang Wei, Zhang Wei, are you in the dorm? Is it true, you're going to sue classmate Jia Meili?"

The plump boy's flustered voice came through even before he appeared.

When he opened the door and saw the composed Zhang Wei, he suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

"Radish, your timing is perfect. I need an assistant lawyer for the court session, and you'll take on that role!"

"Ah, why me? Can't you do the questioning yourself?"

"You're right, I indeed can't do it myself because I'll be calling myself as a witness. I can't very well question myself!"

Upon hearing Zhang Wei's words, Luo Xiaobu's eyes widened.

How come your move is so cunning?