Chapter 180: Court Case (Postponed)
Ao Junfeng and Brother Song walked to the waiting room, where tensions hung thick in the air. Brother Song questioned, "Do you think we will win this case?" Before Ao Junfeng could answer, Mr. Shi entered with the Gu family trailing behind him. Mr. Shi cautioned, "Don’t be overconfident, Junfeng; the case is not over yet."
Madame Gu scrutinized Ao Junfeng and remarked, "Have I seen you before?" Ao Junfeng replied, "I don’t know, do I look familiar?" Madame Gu persisted, "You look like someone I know." Gu Hua, looking at Brother Song, sneered, "You really thought this would be your big break, your road to riches." Brother Song chose to ignore him.
Madame Gu approached Brother Song, leaned in, and whispered, "You know the men have been itching to have some fun with your wife." Brother Song’s fists clenched, and he threatened, "I am going to kill you." Madame Gu coldly advised, "When you take that stand, you know what you need to do." The Gu family then walked away, followed by their lawyer, leaving the tension-laden waiting room behind.
Brother Song, turning to Ao Junfeng, demanded, "You promised me that they would be safe." Ao Junfeng assured, "Trust me, I have a surprise. Now, get yourself together and go win this case." Despite his fears for his family, Brother Song harbored a trust in Ao Junfeng that reassured him everything would be okay.
After the 15-minute break, they all returned to the courtroom. The judge called for order, stating, "Lawyer Junfeng, bring our witness." Brother Song stood up, took his oath, and then sat in the designated witness area. Ao Junfeng addressed him, saying, "Mr. Song, can you narrate for the court what exactly happened three weeks before the accident?"
Brother Song cleared his throat and began, "I worked very closely with Tang Junjie, who was one of the workers that had worked on many projects for Dreamscape Estates. He brought to my attention that something seemed off with the cement. Most workers had also noticed it, but they feared for their jobs and didn’t want this spoken about. When I saw it myself, I wrote a report and gave it to Manager Ping. The next day, he called me to his office and told me not to mention this to other workers. We had an argument, and I left his office furious. However, I was also aware that I couldn’t go beyond his words, and he was the only one who had contact with the superiors. I was just a low-level supervisor."
Ao Junfeng asked, "What happened in the days following that?" Brother Song replied, "Manager Ping called me to his office and apologized. He said he had informed the superiors, and it would be sorted in a few days. He claimed that all that low-quality cement had been reported to their manufacturer." Ao Junfeng questioned, "So, was the cement changed?" Brother Song solemnly said, "No."
Ao Junfeng said, "What happened next?" Brother Song replied, "We continued with work, thinking that maybe the cement had been changed, but we realized that it wasn’t. So, I reported it once more. Manager Ping threatened me with my job, and someone like me really needed that job, so I just let it be. A week later, the building collapsed."
Ao Junfeng then said, "Your Honor, I don’t have any more questions."
Mr. Shi stood up for his turn and said, "Mr. Song, with what you’re saying, you continued to work even knowing that it was dangerous?" Brother Song replied, "Yes, we did." Mr. Shi continued, "So, you agree that you put the workers’ lives on the line so you could keep your job?" Brother Song, though scared, maintained his composure and said, "It wasn’t on my job description to report to superiors. The work hierarchy says I reported to my manager, and he reported to superiors."
Mr. Shi then said, "You mentioned Tang Junjie." He turned to the judge and said, "Your Honor, I am sure we all know that since Mr. Song has mentioned another person, that person has to be called in to testify." The judge agreed, saying, "That is true." Mr. Shi continued, "Why is Tang Junjie not in the courtroom, Mr. Song? Could it be that because he knows that all this is just a scam, a way for you and those other workers to milk money from the Gu family?"
Brother Song insisted, "That is not true, and Manager Ping knows the truth." Mr. Shi countered, "Are you saying Manager Shi lied on the stand?" Brother Song looked Manager Ping, who was in the crowd, straight in the eyes and affirmed, "Yes." Mr. Shi continued, "And Tang Junjie can prove that?" Brother Song confirmed, "Yes." Mr. Shi remarked, "Then we have to call Mr. Shi here now, won’t we?" Brother Song replied, "Yes." Mr. Shi turned to face the judge and said, "Your Honor, I have no further questions."
Master Gu and Madam Gu looked at Brother Song with a smirk, and Master Gu mouthed, "They are dead." Brother Song clenched his fists as he went back to his chair. The judge declared, "I have heard all the witness statements, and due to some witnesses not being present, the court will resume on Monday. Court adjourned." Everyone left the courtroom with lingering questions, uncertain about who was lying and who was telling the truth.
The reporters quickly went forward to ask Mr. Shi questions, and he didn’t want to miss that moment of fame. A reporter asked, "Mr. Shi, are you certain for a win in this case?" Mr. Shi confidently replied, "Yes, this case will be closed on Monday, and everyone will know that only good always prevails."
The reporter moved to Master Gu and asked, "Master Gu, what are your plans for the workers if you win this case?" Master Gu responded, "You mean, when we win this case... Since the empathy that we had felt for them was not appreciated, we will take further legal actions against them." The reporters wanted to ask more questions, but the Gu family got in their cars and left.
Madame Gu and Master Gu were seated in their vehicle, and Madame Gu said, "We have a banquet to prepare for; let’s worry about the court case on Monday." Master Gu agreed, saying, "Yes, of course. We are going to win this after all."
In the Gu family’s car, Master Gu and Madame Gu discussed their plans for the upcoming banquet, attempting to push aside the looming court case. Despite their outward assurance, a subtle unease lingered beneath the surface. The unresolved nature of the trial left questions hanging in the air, and the Gu family knew that Monday’s conclusion would either solidify their standing or open new Chapters of legal strife.
As they drove away, the sprawling cityscape framed their departure, and the Gu family found themselves at the crossroads of justice. The banquet preparations would offer a temporary respite, but the impending court decision shadowed their every move. Little did they know, the unfolding events were intricately weaving the threads of their fate, and the Chapters of their lives were poised for a turning point on the upcoming Monday.
