Chapter 44

Chapter 44: I'm a Lawyer, Not a Technician The next day, the moment Chu Tang arrived at the law firm, she sensed something was off. Everywhere she passed, she could hear hushed whispers. Chu Tang walked to her workstation and sat down. Lawyer Zhang Tianxin, who shared her office, hadn't recovered enough to be discharged from the hospital yet, so she had the office to herself for now. She hadn't been seated long before Yang Xiaojing arrived. Standing at the door, she knocked twice and said to Chu Tang, "Come to my office for a moment." Chu Tang had a rough idea what she wanted to ask—nothing more than what happened last night. In the office, Yang Xiaojing sat in her chair, sharp-eyed and visibly annoyed. "I sent you with Kong Weijie to negotiate that case last night, and I heard you got into a conflict with two clients and hit them?" Chu Tang explained, "I went there to discuss the case, but those two bosses had nothing but filthy things on their minds. They assaulted me—I was acting in self-defense!" Yang Xiaojing's expression darkened, and her tone grew harsher. "Ruan Chutang, I know you're skilled in combat—you saved us when someone caused trouble last time—but you need to understand that violence doesn't solve anything!" Chu Tang's expression remained indifferent. "I was polite and courteous at first, but those two seemed incapable of understanding basic human language. Supervisor Yang, I'm a lawyer, not a technician. Clients of that caliber aren't worth keeping anyway." Hearing this, Yang Xiaojing immediately flared up. She slammed the table and said angrily, "What arrogance! Do you have any idea how much damage your impulsive behavior last night caused our firm? A five-year legal counsel contract is worth 150,000! And those contract dispute and trademark infringement cases would have brought in at least 500,000 in legal fees! You got your satisfaction and hit them without a second thought—are you going to cover that 650,000 loss?" Chu Tang curled the corner of her mouth and said coldly, "Fine, I'll fill that hole today. And from now on, don't send me to clients like that who have nothing but filth on their minds." Yang Xiaojing didn't believe Ruan Chutang had that kind of capability. Her tone was resolute. "Before the end of the workday today, I want to see the contract you've signed and the payment transaction records from the other party. If you don't have them, don't bother coming in tomorrow. According to the firm's personnel regulations and labor law provisions, you've caused significant losses to the firm—the firm has the right to terminate you without any compensation!" Chu Tang's brows remained cool and detached. "I understand." Chu Tang walked out of Yang Xiaojing's office and passed by Kong Weijie's office. Kong Weijie happened to be stepping out and came face-to-face with Ruan Chutang. Kong Weijie said sarcastically, "Oh, Lawyer Ruan, after offending the clients last night and losing such a big case, you still have the nerve to show up for work? If it were me, I'd be too ashamed to face anyone." Chu Tang swept a cold glance over him, ignored him completely, and brushed past him to return to her own office. A moment later, Chu Tang received a message from Yu Jiaojiao. [Lawyer Ruan, Lawyer Chen and Lawyer Kong both posted on their Moments subtly attacking you—have you seen it?] She then sent two screenshots—the Moments posts from Chen Yangyang and Kong Weijie. Chen Yangyang: [Some women are truly shameless. Young, with working hands and feet, yet they refuse to work hard. Relying on their looks to find a sugar daddy to keep them—and someone like that calls herself a lawyer? She's a disgrace to the legal profession.] Kong Weijie: [Someone is absolutely disgusting. If you're not short on money, then don't come out to work. Just stay home and cling to your old man who drives a Cullinan. Coming out to "experience life" and on your first day you offend clients and lose a major case, dragging me down with you. Already kept by an old man, yet still putting on airs of purity in front of clients. Classic case of having it both ways.] Chu Tang clicked into Chen Yangyang's Moments after seeing the screenshots and found she'd been blocked. Likewise, Kong Weijie had also blocked her. Chu Tang saved both screenshots. She replied to Yu Jiaojiao. [Those posts don't name anyone. How do you know they're talking about me?] Yu Jiaojiao: [Lawyer Ruan, I've heard them spreading rumors privately that you're being kept. I heard it started with Lawyer Chen and Lawyer Kong.] [They even made a group chat specifically to gossip about you. You're not in that group, so I'll send you the screenshots.] Before long, Yu Jiaojiao sent over thirty screenshots. Chu Tang read through them one by one, fury rising in her chest. She had thought treating everyone to a meal at an upscale restaurant would foster better workplace relationships, but it turned out that on the surface they were all polite and courteous, greeting her with smiles whenever they met—yet behind her back, they painted her in such a vile light. Chen Yangyang and Kong Weijie led the charge in spreading rumors, slinging mud at her, while the other colleagues followed along with the gossip without any evidence, believing whatever others said. Chu Tang realized she had been too naive about the workplace. Thinking a meal could build rapport and maintain colleague relationships—her approach had been far too idealistic. This was a place that devoured people without spitting out the bones. In that moment, she understood: here, only strength and connections mattered. No one cared about your personality or how you treated others. Sometimes, being too kind and too agreeable only made you an easier target. Chu Tang stared at the screenshots on her computer screen, gritting her teeth silently. Ruan Chutang: "Jiaojiao, thank you for telling me this. Can you do me a favor?" Yu Jiaojiao quickly replied: "Of course, Lawyer Ruan. You saved my life. Whatever you need, just say the word." Ruan Chutang: "Next time they talk about me, record it for me." Yu Jiaojiao: "Okay." Chu Tang took a deep breath to steady her emotions, then called Ruan Shaodong. "Hey, Dad, does our company need a legal consultant?" After hanging up, Chu Tang got up and went to the print room to print out a few contracts, then headed straight to the family company. Upon arriving, she went directly to the chairman's office. Ruan Shaodong had just finished a meeting and, knowing she was coming, was sitting in his office waiting for her. Chu Tang tossed the contracts onto the desk. "Dad, take a look at the contract. If there's no problem, just sign it." Ruan Shaodong flipped through the contract page by page. "I asked my assistant. The company's legal consultant contract with the previous law firm expires at the end of the year. I can sign a five-year contract with your firm, but the term would start from the beginning of next year." Chu Tang nodded. "No problem, but if we sign this afternoon, payment needs to be made immediately." Ruan Shaodong looked up at her. "That urgent?" "Yeah. Last night I went to negotiate a case and got harassed by two old perverts. The case fell through, and my supervisor gave me an ultimatum." The moment Ruan Shaodong heard she'd been harassed, his tone turned anxious. "Who dared to harass you?" Chu Tang shrugged. "Don't worry. They didn't get any advantage—they got beaten up instead." Ruan Shaodong frowned deeply. "Chu Tang, maybe you should stop being a lawyer. Your firm just had that incident not long ago, and now this—you're being harassed again. Being a lawyer is too risky. What if someone retaliates against you in the future? Why don't you come back and work at the company? I'll arrange a general manager position for you." Chu Tang shook her head. "No. I still prefer being a lawyer for now. I hold shares in the company, and the dividends are enough for me. Besides, I don't know the first thing about business management. If you made me general manager, aren't you afraid I'd run your company into the ground?" Ruan Shaodong let out a helpless laugh. "I'd hire professionals to assist you." Chu Tang refused again. "No need. I'll think about it when I get tired of being a lawyer." Ruan Shaodong sighed in resignation. "You..." He signed the five-year legal consultant contract and immediately called the finance department to transfer one hundred and fifty thousand yuan to the law firm's corporate account. Chu Tang smiled and asked, "Has the company had any disputes recently?" Ruan Shaodong called his subordinate on the intercom. "Let Xiao Zhang fill you in. I don't usually deal with these matters." "Alright."