Chapter 138: Blown Up
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The job orders for the Mid-Autumn Festival were sufficient to get Luo’s Workshop up and about. They were not far away from actually getting the company back on its feet.
At this moment, however, Xiao Luo in a quandary. He was brooding with an intense, downtrodden look on his face. He had just received a piece of really bad news, and they were on the losing end in their lawsuit against Chen Jianbai. The outcome of the first trial was not in favor of Luo’s Workshop. The reason behind their success was none other than the outstanding lawyer Taste Buds have appointed for Chen Jianbai.
“The lawyer that represented Chen Jianbai in his defense went by the name of Fu Heyu. His reputation is up there alongside Ge Zhongtian. He is one of the finest advocates and solicitors in town. With his sharp tongue, he could distort and manipulate facts to win his arguments. Aside from that single time where he lost to Ge Zhongtian, he has never lost any other case he took on. As such, he was popularly hailed by the public as “Orator Fu.” Head of the Department of Legal Affairs, Zhang Yong, had reported the outcome to Xiao Luo. He looked glum and sullen, disappointed that they had lost the high ground in the first trial.
Xiao Luo didn’t respond to him immediately. He only sat on his chair, staring into his laptop. He was watching the proceedings of the first trail intently, and he didn’t even blink his eyes once. His fingers continued tapping rhythmically on the table in a.
1Xiao Luo, acting in this way, created a mood of anxiety in the room. Li Ziming and Zhang Yong, who was standing in his office at this moment, felt very agitated. This uneasiness made them feel like they were in front of a firing squad. They didn’t volunteer to utter a word.
This was especially true for Li Ziming. Initially, she was convinced that with the recording in hand, Chen Jianbai would be on the losing of the litigation as she felt they had a watertight case. With that, Luo’s Workshop’s reputation could have been redeemed. However, when Fu Heyu cropped up out of nowhere. He cleverly manipulated the facts and evidence, utilizing his advocacy skills to the hilt. The court then sided with the defendant, Chen Jianbai, believing that it was Luo’s Workshop that forced him to record the audio. Luo’s Workshop was now faced with a few hundred thousand dollars fine for suspected threatening, intimidation, slandering, and defamation.
Luo’s Workshop suddenly turned from the plaintiff to the defendant!
The turnaround had happened so swiftly that it took them by surprise. n.o.body would’ve expected this outcome.
“The way he articulated his words was nothing short of phenomenal. Even I was almost convinced that Luo’s Workshop was in the wrong after watching the footage,” Xiao Luo said, letting out a long breath, as he smiled.
“Mr. Xiao, we still have a chance to win this case. As long as we can engage Ge Zhongtian as our counsel, there will be no need for us to be afraid of Fu Heyu,” Zhang Yong suggested.
After the first proceedings, judging by the situation, only by getting Ge Zhongtian to be part of their legal team would they stand a chance to win the lawsuit. Should they fail, Luo’s Workshop’s reputation would inevitably suffer another fatal blow. Even with an unexpected increase in job orders for the Mid-Autumn Festival, it would only keep Luo’s Workshop sustaining itself financially for just a while longer.
Xiao Luo stared at him with a chilling expression, “You are the head of the Legal Affairs Department. It is your responsibility and your job to go to court for the company. You shouldn’t be thinking about how to hire a better lawyer. I’d say you should be thinking about how to win this lawsuit.”
Upon hearing that, Zhang Yong remained silent and awkwardly lowered his head.
At that moment, Xu Guansong stepped forward and said, “I do have faith in Zhang Yong’s abilities, but behind an able man will always be another even more able man. Fu Heyu is one of the top lawyers in Jiangcheng City. To be fair, Zhang Yong losing to him is inevitable. It’s just like comparing a high-speed train and a railway train. We can’t possibly be asking a railway train to outrun a high-speed train, can we? If something like that were to happen, it would be against the laws of nature, am I right?”
He was obviously making excuses for Zhang Yong to relieve him of his responsibilities. Zhang Yong couldn’t help but eye him with a look of grat.i.tude.
“Mr. Xu, for you to be so calm, it seems that this is entirely within your expectations?” Xiao Luo lifted his head and glanced at Xu Guansong as he asked probingly.
“Mr. Xiao, it’s not like I disagree with you, but I’ve already suggested to you not to file a lawsuit against Chen Jianbai. It was just that you didn’t take my advice.”
Xu Guansong’s tone of objection was quite harsh, but he had raised some relevant points. It was uncharacteristic of Xu Guansong to react in this way. For whatever reason, he felt compelled to drive home his point, “Taste Buds will never just stand aside and watch as Chen Jianbai gets sued. With their influence, and not to mention Fu Heyu, even hiring Ge Zhongtian to defend Chen Jianbai could be possible. It that happens, then itis destined that Luo’s Workshop will lose. As a reporter, Chen Jianbai has his own network of influence. I bet a horde of reporters is already on their way to our company to demand an answer from us.”
As if to confirm his words, Mrs. Liu from the Customer Service Department knocked on the office door. She said apprehensively to Xiao Luo, “Mr. Xiao, there are some 50 to 60 reporters outside our company asking to see you. They said they want answers from you about why have you threatened their colleague. They even have come with their interviewing props, claiming that they will expose Luo’s Workshop’s crimes.”
“So, it still comes to this!”
Xu Guansong let out a long sigh, “I’ll go deal with them. Their questions will be very tricky, but I should be able to handle them.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and strode out of the office.
Li Ziming gritted her teeth.
“b.a.s.t.a.r.ds!”
As the one who personally went with Xiao Luo to collect evidence, she felt exasperated and wronged. It was Chen Jianbai who deliberately slandered Luo’s Workshop’s name. But after the first court session, the tables were turned. Luo’s Workshop was now being accused of threatening and intimidating Chen Jianbai instead. How could the truth be easily be twisted? Then, what else in this world could we truly believe?
Xiao Luo kept his gaze on the wall in front of him, without any expression on his face. Running a company wasn’t easy, and now, he finally got a taste of it himself.
At this moment, his phone rang. It was a video call from Zhang Dashan.
He waved his hands, gesturing Li Zimeng and Zhang Yong to leave his office. Talking to Zhang Dashan would ruin the dignified image he had carefully nurtured in the company. He didn’t want his employees to witness his true colors.
When the two left, Xiao Luo accepted Zhang Dashan’s video call request.
Zhang Dashan’s chubby, slit-eyed face immediately appeared on his phone, accompanied by the sound of chaotic noises in the background. The location Zhang Dashan was at now was right at the Luo’s Workshop’s entrance. There was not only Zhang Dashan on the screen but also Feng Wuhen and the rest of his gang who were in security uniforms.
Lin Chongdong of the Human Resource Department had made them security guards based on their strengths. The job was slightly easier than that of regular workers, and their difference in pay wasn’t all at big.
“Mate, things are gonna blow up here. These moronic reporters are insisting that such a recording exists because the Luo’s Workshop has threatened Chen Jianbai. They are doing a live broadcast now. They are demanding you to show up in person to give them an answer. I’m afraid that we’ll be on the headlines if we don’t deal with this smartly,” said Zhang Dashan.
“What a headache!” Xiao Luo rubbed his temples.
Zhang Dashan scolded immediately, “Headache your as* you fool! Hurry up and think of something! These b.a.s.t.a.r.ds are getting more and more demanding. I’ll let you hear the clamor.”
After he switched to the back camera, Xiao Luo could not only see the annoying and detestable faces of the reporters; he could even hear them screaming.
“Shameful company! You threatened our colleague with despicable methods. We are determined to expose this!”
“We will be staying here until your boss appears for an interview with us. Let’s see how you can keep your production going.”
“Show yourself! Don’t be a coward! Get out here, boss of Luo’s Workshop! You owe the reporters of Jiangcheng City an answer.”
The crowd was roused and behaving aggressively. Each word uttered was more unpleasant than the previous one. Certainly enough, all their verbal abuses were not going to be broadcasted.
When Xu Guansong appeared, they immediately extended their microphone into the iron gate, booted their cameras, and started the live broadcast.
“Mr. Xu, in the first trial, the court has accused Luo’s Workshop of threatening and forging evidence to defame our colleague. What are your views on this matter?”
“As the weaker party, reporters are p.r.o.ne to be threatened by ma.s.sive companies like yours. Aside from threatening Mr. Chen Jianbai, have the company also threatened some other people before?”
“It is rumored that Luo’s Workshop has a new boss, does your new boss come from a thuggish background?
Harsh questions were thrown at Xu Guansong out one after another.