Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Objection! The plaintiff’s lawyer is slandering my client as mentally retarded and neurotic! That’s a personal attack!” The defendant’s lawyer immediately latched onto the loophole in Gu Nianzhi’s words, appearing very excited.
Gu Nianzhi smiled at him. “Are you certain that I’m slandering your client? Is the truth considered politically incorrect these days?”
The defendant’s lawyer nearly thumped his chest as he exclaimed loudly, “My client is most definitely not mentally retarded and neurotic! It’s quite the opposite. He’s very smart and logical—his academic grades prove that, and his family and friends can also testify that he’s a polite and well-behaved child—”
“Enough,” Gu Nianzhi said, cutting him off. “That’s all I needed to know.” She then turned to the judge with a serene expression and was completely unreadable as to what her next move was.
He Zhichu smiled faintly, secretly impressed with Gu Nianzhi’s quick wit amid adversity, which effectively blocked the opponent’s next move.
The judge also stiffened before confirming with the defendant’s lawyer at the Gu Nianzhi’s urging, “Are you certain your client is not mentally retarded and neurotic?”
“Absolutely not!” The defendant’s lawyer blurted out, then suddenly seemed to recall something. His face dropped, and the male defendant Seth’s stepfather, York, muttered bitterly, “Cunning…”
Gu Nianzhi looked at the judge, a polite smile on her pretty little face. “Your Honor, the defendant’s lawyer has personally confirmed that the defendant is neither mentally retarded, neurotic, nor mentally ill, and has no neurotic traits. That means he’s a completely capable adult. Since he was already 21 when he committed the crime and all his physical signs also indicate that he was an adult, we object trying this case in juvenile court.”
The defendant’s lawyer’s face turned ashen. He suddenly realized he was the one who was really mentally deficient. Gu Nianzhi’s words reminded him that claiming his defendants as mentally retarded or mentally ill was the easiest way to get him out of the sentence. How could he have cast that all aside and allowed the opponent to lead him by the nose?! That little b*tch had just checkmated him by making him personally destroy his chances of defending his client as mentally retarded or mentally ill.
Seth’s parents glared viciously at him as if out for his blood. As a result, though the defense had assumed that they had prepared sufficiently for the second defense, they’d ended up defeated by Gu Nianzhi’s interference. The judge sighed and announced that the defendant would be tried according to the legal basis respective to adults.
Seth’s mother, Ramona, immediately burst into tears. “My baby! My baby!” She lunged over to embrace her Goliath of a son as she sobbed and wailed.
The corners of Gu Nianzhi’s mouth twitched as she muttered in Chinese, “Let go of your baby. He’s not a child anymore…”
“Don’t get so smug.” The defendant’s lawyer walked over and stabbed his finger at the sky. He warned her lividly, “There are still many rounds of trials. You think you really have the upper hand?! Can’t you see where you are? You’re too naive!”
“Too young? Too simple?” Gu Nianzhi tidied her things with a smile, a hint of derision on her expression. “I’ll hold my breath. Good luck to you, too. Don’t make me feel like I’m fighting a one-sided battle.”
“You…!” The defendant’s lawyer was completely enraged by her and wanted nothing more but to beat her. However, He Zhichu and the four strapping American lawyers surrounded him, their expressions grim as they watched on. The defendant’s lawyer could only snort and leave in a huff.
“Give him an inch, and he’ll take a mile, eh?” Gu Nianzhi was totally unfazed but was very displeased when she turned around to see Seth glaring at her.
What are you looking at? If Germany had capital punishment, you’d be dead meat! Gu Nianzhi secretly thought to herself but pretended to appear very frightened. She immediately said to the bailiff, “Sir, I’m afraid that man will take revenge on me. I request court protection.” Gu Nianzhi pointed in Seth’s direction before he could avert his look of hatred.
Everyone in court, including the judge and the bailiff, witnessed it. Seth had been originally released on bail, but upon seeing his violent look, the judge automatically rejected his family’s request for bail pending on trial. The reason was that he had threatened the plaintiff’s lawyer, so that was another charge, and it cost him the chance of bail.
Ramona muffled her mouth tightly, her eyes rimmed red. She witnessed the bailiff lock her son up and walked over to Gu Nianzhi sobbing, “You’re too cruel! My son didn’t do it on purpose. Why did you have to destroy his chances of surviving this? How are you related to that girl? How much money did her family pay you for you to work so hard for them?”
Inwardly, Gu Nianzhi rolled her eyes. These kinds of people did as they pleased with their bit of power and authority. Truly, nothing had changed since ancient times.
“My client was even more innocent,” she said. “May I ask why your son tortured her to death? You son showed no mercy to an innocent person. What right do you have to ask someone else to show your son mercy? Just because you’re a high-ranking police officer here?”
Gu Nianzhi spoke loudly, her authentic Oxford-accented English clearly discernible to the German media waiting at the door. They practically perked their ears up to listen to what was happening.
Ramona was thoroughly heartbroken. That dead Huaxia female exchange student was less than a dog to her. Though she would pity a dead dog, that dead girl was just a powerless foreigner. She truly didn’t think her precious son needed to pay such a high price for something so minor.
“Don’t you know that my son is only 22? His whole life will be ruined if he goes to jail! What opportunities will he ever have in the future?!” Ramona went on to blame Gu Nianzhi angrily, “Also, you don’t even have any evidence! How can you say that my son killed your client?!”
“I don’t have any evidence?” Gu Nianzhi snorted. “How do you know I have no evidence?”
“Of course I know! My husband and I personally investigated this case!” Ramona wiped away her tears, a lethal look fashing in her eyes. She hadn’t climbed to the rank of Senior Lieutenant by merely using her husband’s influence.
Gu Nianzhi detested this kind of person the most. She sneered. “There is no evidence because you and your husband destroyed all the evidence, right?!”
“Nonsense!” Ramona retreated, her expression anxious. “There was no evidence to begin with! My son didn’t kill her!”
She finished speaking and left the courthouse in a hurry, refusing all media interviews.
Gu Nianzhi put on large sunglasses and followed He Zhihcu out of the courthouse. There were even more reporters waiting outside, and they surged up as soon as they came out. Multiple microphones with recording capabilities were passed to He Zhichu. He also wore large sunglasses, which accentuated his fine features and lent an air of mystery.
