Are You Crazy? He's only an Intern Lawyer?-Chapter 53 - The party starts, guests arrive, Jia Meili came too

Luo Xiaobu looked around, and seeing no one paying attention to him, he leaned in closer to Zhang Wei:

“I’m planning to intern at a notary office soon; my parents pulled some strings to get me in.”

Zhang Wei frowned slightly upon hearing this.

“Are you going to be a notary?”

He looked at Luo Xiaobu but wasn’t exactly surprised.

Qualifying as a notary is even more challenging than becoming a lawyer; not only is a minimum of two years of internship experience at a notary office required, but a rigorous political screening and background check are also needed, followed by recommendations from relevant personnel to gain entry.

Notaries, too, need to pass juridical assessments, and the work they do is relatively monotonous; it lacks the challenges faced by lawyers, but it is certainly more stable.

For instance, when elders draft wills or a couple signs a prenuptial agreement, a notary is necessary.

Zhang Wei knew Luo Xiaobu well.

Even though he had passed the legal exam, he panicked even during mock trials; unless he overcame his barriers the day after tomorrow, he really couldn’t handle a real court trial.

“Yes, my parents had quite a hard time finding this connection for me, and besides, being a lawyer isn’t for me; I’m not as good as you are!”

Luo Xiaobu said, with a hint of envy for Zhang Wei.

After all, the ability to carry oneself with ease in court is something every law student longs for, but it’s hard to change one’s character.

In this regard, Luo Xiaobu felt he did not measure up to Zhang Wei.

Which law school student didn’t dream of being a big-shot lawyer?

As the three chatted, the counselor arrived.

The counselor for Zhang Wei’s class was a middle-aged woman whose name he had almost forgotten.

He only remembered she had spoken a few words in class at the beginning of the semester.

Although Zhang Wei was a good student, he had never liked interacting with people much during his four years of college, and he had hardly communicated with this counselor.

“Students, you may proceed to the venue now.

The law school students will enter the venue in turns by class.

The gathering point is in the side hall of the exhibition hall,” the counselor said, urging the students to start moving.

Everyone began to queue up and move toward the assembly point for the party.

For this party, the law school really went all out; they not only cleared a huge exhibition hall within the campus but also hired a packaging and operation company to host the event.

The school even invited some junior girls from the neighboring Aeronautics and Astronautics Academy to be receptionists and hosts.

When the law school students arrived at the party, they saw young juniors in red cheongsams with graceful figures, and many self-assured male students started hitting on them to get their WeChat contacts.

Luo Xiaobu did the same.

He had a date with a female anchor, but that was in the future; which senior wouldn’t love a fresh and tender junior girl?

Zhang Wei, however, was indifferent.

He already had a vibrant beauty at his side, making the junior girls less appealing to him.

Zhang Wei entered the exhibition hall with Xia Qianyue.

The exhibition hall was large, divided into three venues: the left and right side halls and the main hall in the center.

According to the school’s arrangements, the main hall was designated for receiving VIPs, while the side halls were for the law school students to gather.

The entire venue was set up as a cocktail party scene, which was not what Zhang Wei had envisioned—students gathering around a large round table, dining together.

It seemed the school was also focused on maintaining a certain level of class, or perhaps, prestige!

Their class quickly found their spot, located in a corner of the left side hall.

However, once the banquet started, everyone was free to move around, so this spot was only temporary.

If you had good social skills, you could even go to the main hall and talk to school leaders and external VIPs, as long as they were willing to give you the time of day.

But more often than not, students gathered in small groups, speaking with peers of similar status.

“What a boring banquet!” Zhang Wei thought, feeling somewhat bored as he looked around at the groups of students.

When it comes to excitement at a party, that probably wouldn’t start until the “main characters” arrived.

As for when the main characters would make their entrance, naturally, the later they arrived, the higher their status.

However, in his past life, Zhang Wei never liked being late to banquets.

Whether he was waiting for others or they were waiting for him, he disliked it.

But now, he had to be patient.

“Excuse me, classmate, may I add you as a WeChat friend?”

Just then, an out-of-place voice interrupted.

It turned out that a self-assured male student suddenly approached Xia Qianyue to ask for her WeChat.

Although Xia Qianyue wasn’t a student of the Law School, no one knew this, and her Crime Investigation Academy was also part of East University.

Combined with Xia Qianyue’s attire for the day, which showcased her intellectual beauty, along with her stunning beauty that outshone everyone else, naturally attracted a lot of male attention.

Guys will be guys!

Especially many of the graduating ones, about to step into society, so the stirrings in their hearts they felt during their student days, they no longer intended to suppress.

When encountering a pretty girl, asking for her WeChat is a common tactic.

If things went smoothly, they’d quickly move on to asking her out to dinner, to watch a movie, and eventually to booking a hotel room.

“Sorry, I came here with Zhang Wei!”

But Xia Qianyue was clearly not playing this game.

She directly looped her arm through Zhang Wei’s, telling the other guys around that this flower was already taken.

The male student, not thick-skinned enough, saw that Xia Qianyue was with Zhang Wei and could only skulk away.

Yet, Zhang Wei noticed that many guys nearby were still restless.

One reason was Xia Qianyue’s attractiveness, and another was Zhang Wei’s ordinariness.

The prize was tempting, and the challenge seemed not too difficult, so many males were poised to act, just waiting to see if anyone else would continue to lead the charge.

“School leadership is entering!”

However, at this moment, a ceremonial announcement interrupted the guys’ thoughts.

It turned out that the leaders of the Law School had arrived.

They were the main guests, so the students all turned their attention towards the main entrance.

They saw the Dean Yang Qingquan leading the Law School leadership into the venue.

In the main spot of course was Dean Yang Qingquan, followed by three vice deans, among whom was Geng Hongxia, who acted as the judge in mock court comprised part of the group.

Following them were several professors from the Law School, with Professor Zheng Qian, who had a conflict with Zhang Wei, among them and in a prominent position.

Even some department heads did not have a position as prominent as Professor Zheng Qian’s.

“Eh, why does Professor Luo Feixiang look so pale?”

In the crowd, Luo Xiaobu muttered in surprise.

Zhang Wei was right beside him and naturally heard this comment.

Professor Luo Feixiang was also one of Zhang Wei’s teachers, the main lecturer in Criminal Law, known for his humorous and engaging lectures, and a favorite among students.

So when Professor Luo made an appearance, many students immediately noticed his unusual demeanor.

“I recall Professor Luo is just in his forties, isn’t he?

Why does he look like he’s in his fifties?”

“Not just that, my uncle’s almost sixty, but he doesn’t look as weathered as him!”

“Sixty?

I feel like Professor Luo looks almost seventy or eighty now.

Could it be that he’s blossomed later in life and finally caught the eye of a wealthy woman?”

“Man, you got connections?

I’m not interested in meeting any rich ladies, just wanna experience Professor Luo’s life.”

Zhang Wei in the crowd also noticed this.

Professor Luo’s complexion was pale, his eyes bore panda-like dark circles, much like Luo Xiaobu staying up late chasing after female streamers, and even then, it was as if he had gone several days without sleep, with several intense nights implied.

Of course, Professor Luo wouldn’t stoop to such vulgarity, but his condition certainly seemed off.

“He must have something on his mind, right?”

Although unclear about the specific reason, Zhang Wei could feel that Professor Luo must be facing some personal difficulty.

But Zhang Wei wasn’t one to gossip, uninterested in prying into others’ difficulties.

His attention was elsewhere at the moment.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, the school leadership entered the banquet venue.

Their arrival also signified that the banquet was about to begin.

“Guests, please enter!”

The announcer, who had been reading from the list, spoke up again.

This time, she announced through the microphone while holding the guest list, ensuring her voice could be heard throughout the exhibition hall.

“Zhengyang Law Firm’s Lawyer Wang has arrived!”

“Fengshou Law Firm’s Lawyer Li and his wife have arrived!”

“Member of Dongfang Capital Lawyers Association, Lawyer Zhang, has entered the venue.”

“Blue Ocean Company’s Legal Affairs Department Director Chen has arrived.”

“Dongfang Capital First Auction House Manager Zhou and his wife have entered the venue.”

…

There were quite a few attendees, and the emcee would announce the names of the distinguished guests.

Zhang Wei noticed that there were two styles of invitations.

Those whose names were announced by the emcee all held red invitations.

The rest, whose names were not announced, had the ordinary white invitations.

“The school is teaching us a lesson here, the differences in social status have sorted people into different ranks!”

Zhang Wei could naturally see that the school was using the weight of the invitations to teach the students a lesson.

One day when you’ve gained status, you too will be treated like a distinguished guest, but if you don’t do well in the future, you’ll be like any ordinary guest, just passing through the entrance without anyone caring about you.

“Director Zhao and Director Guo from Dongfang Capital Procuratorate Headquarters have arrived!”

Amidst the emcee’s announcements, all eyes suddenly concentrated on the exhibition hall entrance.

This time, two high-profile figures had come, the Heads of the Major and Minor Crimes Departments from the Procuratorate Headquarters.

Zhao Chunming and Guo Wufeng, they were also graduates of East University Law School.

“Well, I never expected to run into them here!”

Zhang Wei never imagined that the two Directors from the Procuratorate Headquarters he had grievances with were actually his direct seniors.

Zhao Chunming and Guo Wufeng, these two were renowned figures in Dongfang Capital’s judicial circles.

After they entered the banquet hall, they were personally received by the dean, Yang Qingquan.

Upon their arrival, they were guests of honor, directly entering the central exhibition hall and taking the spotlight.

Seeing Zhao Chunming and Guo Wufeng, Zhang Wei lost the interest to go over and greet people in the main hall.

He planned to take advantage of a moment when no one noticed him and leave the venue to get some fresh air outside.

At least outside, he didn’t have to keep thinking that there were two “guests of honor” inside who couldn’t wait for him to die.

“Representative from Yongjie Law Firm, Lawyer Qi has arrived!”

“Representative from Xicheng Law Firm, Lawyer Tian has arrived!”

Just then, the voice of the emcee at the entrance suddenly rang out loudly.

This time, her voice was louder than before, which also indicated that the status of the newcomers was somewhat more important than that of the others.

“It’s people from the Top Ten Law Firms!”

Yongjie and Xicheng, two of the Top Ten Law Firms in Dongfang Capital, with Xicheng ranking 5th and Yongjie 6th.

The Top Ten Firms of Dongfang Capital represent the ‘Red Circle Firms,’ a place that all lawyers aspire to be.

Hearing that representatives from the Top Ten Law Firms had arrived, the attention of the entire venue once again gathered at the entrance.

They saw the representatives from the two major law firms enter the scene, accompanied by two ladies in evening gowns.

“Lawyers Qi and Tian, welcome, welcome!”

This time it was two vice deans who came out to receive them, guiding the representatives into the main hall to join Dean Yang Qingquan and others.

Seeing the representatives from the Top Ten Law Firms arriving, many students from the law school were already eager to move.

It’s because those were the Top Ten Firms.

Just by joining one of the Top Ten Firms, it meant really making it.

At future classmates reunions or when visiting relatives, just mentioning that one had joined a Top Ten Firm would be enough to gain great respect.

As the distinguished guests arrived one after another, the banquet officially began.

Melodious music started playing in the exhibition hall, and the law students in their suits and dresses began to move, hoping to make their way to the main hall.

Inside the main hall, guests started to clink glasses and eagerly engage in conversation.

In the side hall, some students who had passed the legal bar exam and felt confident in themselves started entering the main hall one by one to interact with the seniors.

This banquet was, frankly speaking, a showcase of the human network of East University Law School, giving the students a chance to connect with the legal and judicial circles of Dongfang Capital.

If the school provided you with a platform, then you had to seize it.

Zhang Wei saw those boys who had been eager to ask Xia Qianyue for her WeChat earlier now starting to connect with practicing lawyers from various law firms.

As for those who had not passed the bar exam and who felt unworthy of taking the stage, they naturally did not dare to step forward.

Zhang Wei was not particularly interested in connecting with these law firm folks, but that didn’t stop him from bringing Xia Qianyue into the main hall.

No other reason, just because there were free drinks in the main hall.

“Hmm, the school really splurged this time, this wine is quite mellow, surprisingly good!”

Zhang Wei sipped the wine lightly and couldn’t help but comment.

“Zhang Wei, how come you drink alcohol?

I remember you don’t drink, right?”

This puzzled Xia Qianyue beside him, who thought to herself, ‘You actually drink?’

“Haha, I’ve got to start practicing, don’t I?” Zhang Wei laughed, but he only had a casual interest in beverages for men.

He didn’t smoke, let alone drink heavily.

At most, he would take a small sip, but that didn’t prevent him from understanding some of the wine culture.

In his past life, he was a top lawyer who litigated for countless tycoons, and he learned quite a bit about various wines through exposure and experience.

Zhang Wei gave Xia Qianyue a smile, intending to move to another location.

“Representative of Blackfoot Law Firm, Lawyer Hu has arrived!”

At the entrance to the main hall, the master of ceremonies announced the name of another guest.

Upon hearing this name, Zhang Wei instinctively frowned.

Because he had heard of this person, and it was Tang Chunde who had told him about him.

Tang Chunde had sought out Lawyer Hu from Blackfoot Law Firm before approaching Zhang Wei, but to his surprise, he was turned away from the firm.

Zhang Wei inherently felt a sense of dislike toward Blackfoot Law Firm.

Apart from Tang Chunde’s matter, another reason was the firm’s bad reputation in the entire Dongfang Capital lawyer circle.

The lawyers from Blackfoot Law Firm liked to engage in shrewd schemes and were much less bound by moral constraints than average lawyers, and according to some rumors, they even had ties with people from the “underworld”.

Zhang Wei also understood that the lawyers in Blackfoot Law Firm were some kind of “bad lawyers”.

These kinds of people would resort to any means necessary to win, even if it involved breaking rules.

As long as you couldn’t catch them red-handed, they wouldn’t play by the rules.

Because of its bad reputation, Blackfoot Law Firm was ranked only tenth among the Top Ten Firms in Dongfang Capital.

But it was said that even the representatives of the other firms in the top ten didn’t like dealing with attorneys from Blackfoot.

“Hu Yaode is here?”

“Why has he come?

Blackfoot usually doesn’t attend this event, do they?”

“That guy, although he’s also an alumnus of East University, is notorious for his eccentric ways and unscrupulous actions—we’re embarrassed even to mention his name!”

Inside the main hall, some people frowned upon hearing the firm’s infamous name.

“Wait, the girl with him is…”

“Isn’t that Jia Meili?

Wasn’t she expelled by the school for misconduct?”

“Mr.

Hu is actually bringing her as his companion?”

Next to Hu Yaode was a woman in a formal dress, none other than Zhang Wei’s “old acquaintance,” the former belle of their department, Jia Meili.

The current Jia Meili no longer had the student-like appearance but instead exuded the aura of a mature woman.

She wore bright lipstick, blood-red nail polish, a red dress with a plunging neckline, and clung to Lawyer Hu’s arm, showing no sign of her downfall after being expelled.

“Hey, Old Qi, Old Tian, you guys are here too!”

Hu Yaode, as if discovering a new continent, greeted a few people at the very center of the main hall.

The people he referred to were representatives from Xicheng and Yongjie Law Firm.

Seeing Hu Yaode greeting them, the two felt displeased but, as lawyers, of course, they had to keep up appearances.

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“Hu Yaode, I didn’t expect you to come!”

“Didn’t you always skip the East University Law School’s banquet in the past?”

In response to their questions, Hu Yaode laughed out loud and pulled Jia Meili closer.

“Hahaha, I, Hu Yaode, wouldn’t normally attend such second-tier gatherings, but what can I do when my new lady friend wants to attend?

I had no choice, right?”

As he spoke, he introduced Jia Meili, who was by his side.

However, when they heard him belittling East University’s banquet, Dean Yang Qingquan’s brows furrowed deeply.

But Hu Yaode, bringing Jia Meili with him, had come specifically to seek out the dean.

“Oh, Dean Yang, my companion here is supposed to graduate this year, but due to some misunderstandings, she was expelled from your Law School.

Today, how about you forgive her for my sake?”

As Hu Yaode spoke, he approached Yang Qingquan, clapped him on the shoulder, and adopted a posture that seemed like a negotiation but lacked any hint of humility.

People from Blackfoot Law Firm always acted without consideration.

It was at this moment that Jia Meili’s eyes searched the crowd, quickly finding her target.

Zhang Wei!

Seeing the person who had caused her downfall and her former groveler, Jia Meili’s eyes glinted with deep-seated hatred.