I Advise You To Like Me As Soon As Possible - Chapter 1.3
Edited By Nyx & Adrian
“Hey! Don’t look at me that way. This is a rare opportunity. Although it will be hard and tiring, it’s like fighting monsters and upgrading. You will get in touch with some interesting people. Besides, you have to change your cold temperament if you want to become a successful lawyer in China. The legal awareness of domestic clients is not as high as in the US. Maintaining clients is not as simple as in the United States.”
“Of course you can join us as a partner directly, but I suggest that you still practice in the community for three months. There is no harm. You have just returned to China so you should take things easy for a while. You can also spend more time taking care of auntie.”
Fu Zheng was originally a commercial lawyer in the United States and had a bright future. From the perspective of his career, he should not have returned to China. However, his mother was seriously ill, and as the only child, he did not want to have any regrets about his family relationships, so he returned to China.
Although there was a big difference between China and the United States, the commercial world was still the same. Gao Yuan couldn’t help asking his doubts, “I just don’t get you. Although there is a big gap between Chinese and American laws, you could still be a commercial lawyer here. Why do you want to try civil law?”
“Oh, the legal disputes in the commercial field are no longer a challenge for me. Now that I have adjusted my career plan and chose to return to China, I should simply try new areas and continue to dig out my full potential.”
This sounded completely like “I am unbeatable in the field of commercial law, so I choose a new challenge.” If someone else said this, Gao Yuan would have thought of it as bragging. However, since it was said by Fu Zheng, it’s just a simple fact.
“Then it is even more necessary for you to go to the community undercover as an intern. Currently, Yuelan community is our contracted community. The lawyer in charge there is called Ning Wan. I suppose the community thinks highly of her. Although she is younger than you, she has been working as a lawyer since she graduated from university and has rich experience at the grassroots level. You should be able to learn something and get familiar with domestic situations.”
Gao Yuan added with a smile, “I’m afraid that if I tell her your true identity, she will feel uncomfortable around you, creating a communication barrier between you two. You won’t learn anything from her if that happens. Therefore, I concealed your identity. You don’t mind, right?”
“I don’t mind, but I don’t think I can learn anything from her. After all, who wants to go to the community as a lawyer?” Fu Zheng sneered twice, “Those who are transferred to the community must be the people whose professional abilities are marginalized. Tell me, what can I learn from her?”
“You shouldn’t think so. There is still competition for your place in the Yuelan Community. Originally, a young man from our institute applied to go to the community and follow Ning Wan. However, I used my connections and gave this opportunity to you. It could be said that I robbed someone of their cherished thing for you, okay?”
“…”
“Forget it, let’s not talk about work and talk about something else. How do you feel so far about your decision to return to China?”
Fu Zheng thought of the scenes that took place on the train and said sincerely, “Not so good.” He then asked with a frown, “Can someone with mental problems become a lawyer nowadays?”
“Ah?”
“Can people with mental problems even pass the judicial examination?”
“I don’t think so…” After listening to Fu Zheng’s experience, Gao Yuan objectively commented, “Generally speaking, people with mental problems have a difficult time passing the judicial examination, as their capability to think logically is pretty limited. I think the woman who was next to you likely went crazy from the joy of passing the judicial examination. Don’t you know Fan Jin? The moment he got his lawyer’s certificate, he went crazy because of intense emotions.”
“That’s most likely the case.” Fu Zheng felt that what he said made sense.
Gao Yuan suddenly thought of something and then looked at Fu Zheng teasingly, “There are a lot of beautiful women in this city. Did you see any beautiful women along the way today?”
“None.”
He did meet one who was beautiful, but she had too many mental problems.
“Don’t worry about it. Now go up and see Ning Wan. She is the most beautiful woman in our law firm. She is so beautiful that she doesn’t even need makeup.”
???
On the other hand, Ning Wan, who was called a beauty, was carrying her bags. If she heard Gao Yuan’s words, she probably would have scoffed at him. What about being beautiful? Could she eat it?
Today everyone was returning back to work after the new year holiday. She waited for 20 minutes in the cold wind without makeup, making her face turn pale from the cold. When she finally got into a taxi, she didn’t even have time to take a breather when even more bad news arrived.
Ning Wan received a call from Chen Shuo, “Senior sister, I can’t come to the community to help you.”
Ning Wan frowned, “What’s the matter?”
Chen Shuo was Ning Wan’s senior high school classmate and he also majored in law. However, his university was much better than Ning Wan’s. It was ranked first in China. After graduation, it was quite a coincidence that he also entered the Zhengyuan Law firm with Ning Wan. Naturally, his treatment and development in the institute were much better than Ning Wan because of his academic background.
Generally, lawyers had no interest in grassroot communities. Ning Wan was actually ignored before being assigned to take charge of the legal affairs of the contracted community. However, she didn’t know what was going on with Chen Shuo. He just said that he would like to go to the grassroots level for experience, so he took the initiative to apply. In reality, he wanted to help out Ning Wan.
“It was already agreed that I would come help you this year, but I don’t know what happened. Today, I was suddenly informed that I didn’t need to come anymore. The Institute arranged a new employee to come to the community, which was personally decided by Senior Gao.”
Chen Shuo was in a bad mood. Ning Wan was also not happy. Chen Shuo was enthusiastic, proactive, and reliable. Ning Wan was looking forward to his arrival to the community, but now…
“What is the background of this paratrooper?”
(T/N: ‘Paratrooper’ means someone who pops up out of nowhere.)
“I don’t know. I just heard that he is a Juris Doctor who graduated from a prestigious American college and is not young. He came to our institute this year to apply for the certificate and is still in the internship period. He has to work in the Yuelan community for only three months.”
(T/N: ‘Juris Doctor degree’ is a graduate-entry professional degree in law. You can read more about Juris Doctor Here.)
He didn’t have any law experience in China so he needed practical experience urgently. In the end, he squeezed into the grassroots community. He would only have to work for three months. This was obviously a person who didn’t want to do anything and just wanted to fatten up his resume.
Community lawyers generally made less money than other lawyers, but it wasn’t that no one coveted this title. It was just like applying for a foreign prestigious college. Beside having a perfect GPA, you must have some extracurricular activities that demonstrate a sense of social responsibility.
Many lawyers who sought fame would readily sign up to become community lawyers. These people didn’t do actual work and just wanted that title on their resume. They threw all the real work to their fellow lawyers.
However, in the future, they would show their resume proudly to show that they were a responsible lawyer who didn’t care about money. There were also people who just regarded their experience in the community as working in a NGO.
That person had graduated from a prestigious American college. One must know that almost all good law schools in the United States were private. The tuition for a year was unimaginable and Juris Doctor would take another three years. This person was likely to be a young master or someone related to a young master. It was the type of person Ning Wan hated the most.
“What’s the name?”
“Fu Zheng.”
“Okay, Fu Zheng, right? He is screwed. After three months, the grass on his grave will be three feet tall. I will make him give up in three days.” Ning Wan cracked her knuckles. “Let me show him some care.”
Want to fatten up your resume under my nose? You must be dreaming! This kind of person only has one ending under my hands—
Die for me!
???
When Ning Wan hurried back to the community, Director Ji of the Social Work Committee was already waiting at Ning Wan’s desk with a smile on his face.
Ning Wan looked at him, “Has Zichen been found?”
“That’s right. I found him and sent him to the hospital for treatment.” Director Ji squinted at Ning Wan and added, “I know, I know, this is thanks to you. I won’t let you work in vain.” After he finished speaking, he magically took out a big box of steaming fried chicken from behind his back, “Your favorite, eat it while it’s hot.”
Director Ji, who was in his early 40s, was the head of the Yuelan Social Work Committee. He managed six social work communities from Phase I to Phase VI of the Yuelan district. Because the head office of the Social Work Committee was in the building next to the community lawyer’s office, he and Ning Wan were familiar with each other. Ning Wan called him Old Ji on weekdays.
(T/N: ‘Old’ is a prefix used to indicate affection or familiarity.)
After Old Ji ‘offered’ the fried chicken, he went back to his office to work and Ning Wan was left alone in the community lawyer’s office. In order to catch the train, she didn’t have time to eat. As no one was here at the moment, she simply picked up the chicken leg. While chewing on a chicken leg, she turned on her computer and looked through the legal disputes and consultations accumulated during the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year).
When she heard the footsteps at the door, she was holding a half eaten chicken leg in her mouth. After wiping her hands carelessly, she was typing rapidly to reply to the legal consultation of the community residents. Almost as soon as she heard the footsteps approaching, Ning Wan skillfully put the box of fried chicken on the table and the chicken leg in her mouth into the drawer. Then she adjusted her sitting posture and put on her most professional elite attitude, ready to meet the first customer of the new year.
Ning Wan’s office was always open for the convenience of residents coming for consultation. By the time the sound of footsteps finally reached her door, she was already looking up with a smile. When the door opened, she saw a face she had seen not too long ago…
Her handsome neighbor on the train.
The other party was also obviously taken aback in surprise, but then he quickly calmed down, “I’m looking for Ning Wan.”
Ning Wan took a look at the other party, “I am Ning Wan. Do you have any legal issues that require a consult?”
The other party was surprised for a minute and then looked at Ning Wan again. He looked calm and self-confident, “Hello, I’m Fu Zheng.”
Fu Zheng? The @?s?s?h?o?l?e? who took Chen Shuo’s position?
This shocked Ning Wan once again. She had been travelling next to him the whole time!
Because of Chen Shuo’s incident, when she looked at Fu Zheng again, her impression of him completely changed all of a sudden. When checking out Fu Zheng, she instantly got a bad impression of him, because of how he f?u?c?k?e?d? over Chen Shuo. Just look at his clothes, he was dressed like a celebrity ready to walk down the red carpet. He didn’t even look like a lawyer! He looked more like a gigolo who would begin stroking his hair back coquettishly at any time…
Vulgar!
If it were not for him, she would not have lost such a reliable helper as Chen Shuo, nor would Chen Shuo have lost a long-awaited grassroot level job opportunity. Moreover, the district would also be able to get better legal services with the arrival of Chen Shuo instead of someone with only good looks with zero intellectual ability. Such a person would only cause trouble, nothing else!
Thinking up about it made Ning Wan really angry. She decided to take an initial show of strength. However, Fu Zheng broke the silence before she could even speak.
He smiled at Ning Wan, “Did you eat fried chicken just now?”
There’s nothing wrong with eating fried chicken. If she was asked by someone else, Ning Wan would even enthusiastically bring out the fried chicken and share it with them. However, she was asked by an enemy like Fu Zheng, she would act totally different.
Ning Wan immediately pulled a long face and said righteously, “I didn’t eat. Although we are community lawyers and our services may not be considered high-level, but we must at least maintain the professional image of a lawyer. I hope you can always keep it in mind. Remember that you shouldn’t eat fried chicken in the office. It is harmful junk food…”
Although there was a faint smell of fried chicken in the air, the other party never saw her eating it so she just would not admit it.
Fu Zheng chuckled slightly, “Attorney Ning, there is still some crispy fried chicken skin stuck on the corner of your mouth.”
“……”
Ning Wan lowered her face and glanced stiffly at the bookcase’s glass door. In the reflection, she really had a piece of f?u?c?k?i?n?g? fried chicken skin on her mouth…
However, she could only act tough now. She avoided Fu Zheng’s playful eyes and insisted, “You are wrong. I didn’t eat any fried chicken at all. This is just a mole at the corner of my mouth.” Ning Wan added, “A mole which looks a lot like crispy skin of fried chicken.”
Ning Wan felt that she had lost face and urgently needed to find footing. She decided not to wait for Fu Zheng to speak again. She wanted to take the initiative. Attack was the best defense!
“Fu Zheng, right? I know that in terms of age, you are several years older than me, but you started working later than me. We care more about qualifications and experience in our profession of lawyers, instead of age.” Ning Wan showed a polite smile, “You have just returned from the United States and are still in the internship period. Therefore, in terms of seniority, I am your senior and mentor. You can call me Teacher Ning.”