Grassroots lawyers also have their day

For Wang Chuan, a self-taught lawyer who had just passed the bar exam a year ago and hadn't even received his internship lawyer's certificate, there was a vague feeling that his employee was in big trouble!

However, he really didn't know what serious trouble he had gotten himself into. Real-life situations are much more complicated than those in textbooks, and Wang Chuan dared not make things up.

The reason I suggested that the administrative specialist go back and talk to the employees first was entirely based on his work experience in a small company back home. He could also take the opportunity to go back and ask his mentor, Director Niu Gongming, or Mu Huaijin how to handle this kind of situation.

The administrative specialist nodded, finding Wang Chuan's suggestion feasible. Companies generally don't like to go to court unless both sides are so angry that they have no choice but to fight.

After watching the administrative staff member get into the taxi, Wei Meinu tilted her head and looked at Wang Chuan with curiosity in her eyes.

"What's wrong?...Do I have flowers on my face?" Wang Chuan grinned.

Standing on the side of the road, amidst the comings and goings of people, Wang Chuan was being stared at by a beautiful woman from Jiangnan, but he felt a little uncomfortable... a strange feeling in his heart!

"How did you come up with that idea?" Wei Meimei asked with a smile.

"What?" Wang Chuan was a little confused.

"Tell her to go back and talk to the employees, instead of encouraging the company to file a lawsuit and bring a business to the law firm!" Ms. Wei said with a smile.

After hearing this, Wang Chuan's eyes widened and his mouth was half open: "You're right!" He slapped his forehead, and the word "regret" was written all over Wang Chuan's face!

"I was so busy answering her questions that I forgot about making business!" Wang Chuan sighed inwardly. They say Southerners are good at business, and it seems they're right. This young woman is not only beautiful, but also very clever. Sigh! No wonder I'm poor!

"Senior Brother, you're just too honest!" Wei Meinu raised her small hand and gently covered her cherry-like mouth with a smile, her eyes twinkling like stars in the night sky, revealing a cunning glint.

Wang Chuan was engrossed in his reading when a sudden car horn pulled him back to reality. He smiled helplessly and said, "Let's go back to the station!"

"Back to the firm?" Wei Meinu looked at Wang Chuan with a strange gaze, as if she were looking at a simpleton from the neighboring village. Then she said with an exaggerated expression, "Senior Brother! What time is it now? We should be going home by the time we get back to the law firm."

"Okay, let's go straight home!" Wang Chuan said, taking out his phone and checking the time.

"Thank you, Senior Brother, you said it yourself!" After saying that, Wei Meinu ran off to the bus stop.

"Hey!...Where are you going? The subway station is over here!" Wang Chuan shouted at Wei Meinu without thinking.

"I'm not taking the subway. There are buses that go directly to my house. I've checked! See you tomorrow!" Wei Meimei smiled sweetly, then jogged towards a bus that had just stopped and disappeared through the door.

"..." Wang Chuan blinked. Beautiful women really are...

It was only a little past six when he got back to the basement. Usually, Wang Chuan wouldn't even be out of the law firm by this time. Honestly, he didn't want to come back so early, not because he was particularly dedicated, but mainly because the basement… was so damn cold! It wasn't nearly as comfortable as the law firm!

The next morning around 10 a.m., Mu Huaijin walked into the law firm and knocked twice on Wang Chuan's desk as he passed by, calling him into his office.

"General Manager Hu from the trading company called me this morning; he'll be over in a bit." Seeing Wang Chuan's blank stare, Mu Huaijin quickly explained, "It's the company I mentioned yesterday, the one where the employee has been on sick leave for six months."

Wang Chuan suddenly realized what was going on and hurriedly recounted his experience of going to the People's Hospital yesterday to verify the "Diagnosis Certificate," and also expressed his opinion.

"Attorney Mu, I feel that the employee's act of providing a false 'diagnosis certificate' may constitute fraud!" Wang Chuan said tentatively.

He spent half the night researching and also called his classmates who work on criminal cases at other law firms for advice, doing his homework thoroughly.

Zhengyang Law Firm doesn't handle many criminal cases; most are in Director Niu's hands. That morning, as soon as Director Niu entered the firm, Wang Chuan followed him in to verify his suspicions. After all, Director Niu was his mentor, albeit only in name.

Comrade Niu Gongming is usually elusive and has no time to manage intern lawyers! In his view, intern lawyers are just laborers, cheap labor. Wouldn't it be better to spend time at client companies, chatting and jovial, and getting some business?

He often used this phrase to educate the intern lawyers in his firm: "I went through the same thing back then. The master leads you through the door, but the practice is up to you! Whether you can become a lawyer depends not on the master, but on whether the patriarch bestows any gift upon you."

The problem is that Master Niu is too lazy to even take on apprentices, so how are Wang Chuan and Pan Yuanyuan, the other intern lawyer registered under his name, supposed to cultivate themselves? The patriarch can't even see them, so how can he reward them?

With no other option, Wang Chuan and Pan Ershixiong had to use their own methods, seizing every opportunity to relentlessly question Niu Gongming, throwing all the questions they couldn't answer onto him.

At this moment, Mu Huaijin didn't speak, but stood up and paced a couple of steps: "Okay, I understand. When President Hu arrives, you'll come with me to see him."

After saying that, Mu Huaijin went to Director Niu's office. He had no choice; he wasn't good at criminal cases, and he needed to verify the information himself.

Mr. Hu, the general manager of the trading company, was a very energetic man, around fifty years old, with a buzz cut, dressed in casual clothes, and very neatly made up. His eyes shone with a shrewd light, and he looked like a businessman at first glance.

Sitting next to General Manager Hu was the junior administrative staff member who had gone to the People's Hospital with Wang Chuan and Wei Ping yesterday.

Later, Wang Chuan learned that although General Manager Hu's company was not large, he had extensive connections and channels, and his trading company was the kind that quietly made a fortune. The so-called administrative specialist was actually a person who wore many hats, somewhat like a general manager of miscellaneous affairs, handling administration and human resources, but actually not making any decisions.

However, in Wang Chuan's view, this is normal. It's good if one radish is used for one job. What private enterprise doesn't use one radish for multiple jobs? They can move it wherever needed. This is called making the best use of resources and people, maximizing profits (of course, maximizing the boss's profits). In capitalist countries, there is another term for this—exploiting surplus value! Maximizing exploitation!

"Attorney Mu, you are aware of our company's situation. What do you think is the best way to handle the matter I discussed with you yesterday?" President Hu's eyes were full of expectation as he waited for Mu Huaijin to give him advice.

"Mr. Hu, yesterday I sent someone to the People's Hospital to check the 'Diagnosis Certificate'. According to the hospital, there is a problem with the seal on the 'Diagnosis Certificate'."

My suggestion: You can send someone to talk to him (the employee on sick leave). If he admits his mistake and turns back to the right path, the company will have the upper hand, and you can say whatever you want with him.

"If he doesn't admit to providing a false medical certificate, my suggestion is to report it to the police. The sick leave pay, social security contributions, and housing fund contributions he's received from the company over the past six months must be a considerable sum!" Mu Huaijin said, looking at General Manager Hu.