Chapter Summaries

Su Bai arranged for Li Xuezhen to preserve evidence against lawyer Ye Fei and filed a fraud case against Xie Jing on Zhang Tongwei’s behalf. After Xie Jing hired Ye Fei to defend her, the case moved to mediation, where Su Bai learned the judge’s unhappy marriage might affect her judgment and decided to seek her replacement.

• Su Bai told Li Xuezhen to save Ye Fei’s messages and videos, then file suit once Zhang Tongwei had gathered the evidence.
• Zhang Tongwei gave Xie Jing a court summons accusing her of fraud, and she panicked that she might go to prison.
• Ye Fei reassured Xie Jing that she could win and persuaded her to hire the firm to represent her.
• The court accepted Zhang Tongwei’s case and sent it to out-of-court mediation, with a female judge from Nandu Basic Court presiding.
• Su Bai learned the judge’s marriage was unhappy and resolved to have her replaced.

Su Bai and Li Xuezhen engineered a judge’s recusal by arranging and photographing a brief conversation with Xu Meng, prompting the opposing side to file a successful request. After the court replaced Xu Meng, mediation failed when Su Bai demanded that Xie Jing give up her share of the assets and compensate Zhang Tongwei for lost youth.

• Su Bai told Li Xuezhen to speak with Judge Xu Meng while he secretly photographed their conversation, then sent the photo to Zhang Tongwei to suggest he had connections.
• Zhang Tongwei showed the photo to Xie Li, who contacted Ye Fei, and Ye Fei filed a request for Xu Meng’s recusal.
• The court granted the request and replaced Xu Meng, after which both sides’ lawyers entered mediation.
• Su Bai demanded that Xie Jing leave the marriage without assets, compensate Zhang Tongwei for three years of lost youth, apologize, and pay litigation costs.
• Ye Fei rejected the settlement terms and left, and Su Bai said the case would proceed to court.

After mediation failed, Su Bai filed Zhang Tongwei’s fraud case against Xie Jing, and the court accepted it and scheduled a hearing. As Ye Fei reassured Xie Jing that they could win, the hearing began with Su Bai confirming the fraud claim, and the court invited the plaintiff to present his case.

• After Xie Jing and Ye Fei left mediation, the judge told Zhang Tongwei to prepare a complaint, which Su Bai had already completed and submitted to the court.
• Ye Fei advertised the case in her fan group, while Li Xuezhen sent Su Bai screenshots of the group’s messages.
• Before the hearing, Ye Fei reassured Xie Jing that the marriage was real and that Zhang Tongwei had no grounds to sue her for fraud.
• The judicial panel, led by Presiding Judge Yang Yu, opened the hearing and confirmed that Zhang Tongwei accused Xie Jing of fraud.
• Su Bai confirmed the stated cause of action, and Yang Yu invited the plaintiff to present the facts, grounds, and requested relief.

Su Bai and Ye Fei presented their claims in the divorce case, with Ye Fei citing Xie Jing’s depression as grounds for compensation and favorable asset division. When Judge Yang Yu asked Su Bai for evidence of marriage fraud, Su Bai requested permission to question Xie Jing, leaving Ye Fei uneasy.

• Su Bai asked the court to convict Xie Jing of fraud, dissolve the marriage, and award compensation and attorney’s fees.
• Ye Fei rejected the fraud allegation, sought dissolution of the marriage, division of assets, shared responsibility for debt, and compensation based on Xie Jing’s depressive symptoms.
• Su Bai dismissed Li Xuezhen’s concern about the depression claim and told her to prepare the evidence documents.
• Judge Yang Yu asked Su Bai to support the marriage-fraud allegation, and Su Bai requested permission to question Xie Jing before submitting evidence.
• Yang Yu approved the questioning, and Ye Fei felt a vague sense of foreboding.

Su Bai questioned Xie Jing about her reasons for marrying Zhang Tongwei and presented spending records in his fraud case against her. He then submitted chat logs and videos as evidence, accusing Xie Jing of colluding with her attorney Ye Fei to defraud Zhang Tongwei, leaving Ye Fei stunned.

• Su Bai asked Xie Jing whether she had married Zhang Tongwei with fraudulent intent, and Ye Fei tried to stop the questioning before Yang Yu warned her not to interrupt.
• Xie Jing insisted she had married Zhang Tongwei for love after Su Bai questioned her about leaving a boyfriend and pursuing Zhang Tongwei's demolition compensation.
• Su Bai presented records of Xie Jing's spending, but Yang Yu ruled that they did not directly prove fraud.
• Su Bai submitted chat logs and videos as evidence and accused Xie Jing of colluding with Ye Fei to defraud Zhang Tongwei.
• Ye Fei wondered in shock whether she had become an accomplice to fraud.

Su Bai presented chat logs and profile content as evidence that Xie Jing and Ye Fei had conspired to defraud the client, while deliberately provoking Ye Fei in court. After the judge confirmed the evidence came from Li Xuezhen’s lawful entry into Ye Fei’s fan group, Ye Fei struggled to control her anger as the fraud allegation became the trial’s central issue.

• Ye Fei objected to Su Bai’s fraud accusations, but Presiding Judge Yang Yu warned her to observe courtroom discipline.
• Su Bai told Li Xuezhen that provoking opposing counsel through legitimate actions could improve their chances of winning.
• Yang Yu reviewed the plaintiff’s evidence and gave it to Ye Fei, who questioned its source and legality.
• Su Bai showed that Li Xuezhen had joined Ye Fei’s fan group and asked the judge to let Ye Fei verify the evidence on her phone.
• Ye Fei found Li Xuezhen’s mocking message in the group and accused Su Bai of using false information to gain entry.
• Su Bai argued that Ye Fei had invited Li Xuezhen herself and offered to present their earlier chat history, leaving Ye Fei worried she would lose the case.

Su Bai argued that Xie Jing and her lawyer, Ye Fei, had colluded to defraud Zhang Tongwei of his premarital property, and Zhang described how Xie Jing had pressured him into signing guarantees. Ye Fei invoked Xie Jing’s depression, but Su Bai challenged its relevance, leaving Ye Fei struggling to respond.

• Ye Fei argued that Xie Jing could not be accused of fraud for seeking a share of marital property, but Su Bai clarified that he alleged Xie Jing and Ye Fei had conspired to obtain Zhang Tongwei’s premarital assets through improper means.
• Su Bai presented evidence that Ye Fei had advised followers to get their husbands to sign guarantees or gift declarations, and that Xie Jing relied on such a guarantee to claim Zhang’s property.
• The judge allowed Zhang Tongwei to supplement the argument, and Zhang testified that Xie Jing had pressured him to sign documents and had mistreated him while benefiting from his income and property.
• Ye Fei claimed Xie Jing’s depression explained her conduct, but Su Bai questioned whether it had any connection to the alleged fraud, leaving Ye Fei unable to answer effectively.

During Xie Jing’s fraud trial, Presiding Judge Yang Yu ruled that her depression was unrelated to the case, leaving Ye Fei without her main argument. As court recessed before closing statements, Su Bai prepared his final appeal while Li Xuezhen asked whether Ye Fei could be sent to prison.

• Ye Fei struggled to answer Su Bai’s questions as the case shifted from a marital dispute toward a criminal fraud prosecution, and Xie Jing nervously asked what they should do.
• Yang Yu asked whether Xie Jing’s depression was connected to the alleged fraud, and Su Bai warned Ye Fei against giving false testimony.
• Ye Fei denied that Xie Jing had committed fraud and asked the court to consider her depression, but Yang Yu ruled that it was unrelated to the case and rejected the defense’s request.
• Both sides said they had no further objections, and Yang Yu recessed court for an hour before closing statements and the judgment.
• Su Bai told Li Xuezhen that the opposing side would likely face punishment, while she asked whether the case could get Ye Fei locked up.

During the recess, the judges debated whether Xie Jing’s attempt to obtain Zhang Tongwei’s premarital property through legal proceedings constituted fraud, and presiding judge Yang Yu formed a tentative view. Court then resumed, with Su Bai confident and Ye Fei and Xie Jing anxiously awaiting the ruling.

• Xie Jing worried that she and Ye Fei might face prison, while Ye Fei tried to reassure her before court resumed.
• Yang Yu asked Jiang Hao and Liu Hongmei to assess the fraud allegations and the appropriate ruling.
• Jiang Hao supported finding fraud, while Liu Hongmei argued that Xie Jing had not completed the offense and that the alleged unlawful conduct was difficult to prove.
• Yang Yu listened to both jurors and decided to wait for the parties’ statements before making his final decision.
• After an hour, Yang Yu, Jiang Hao, and Liu Hongmei returned to the courtroom, and the hearing resumed.
• Su Bai remained confident, while Zhang Tongwei, Ye Fei, and Xie Jing waited tensely for the ruling.

Su Bai argued that Xie Jing had committed fraud and accused her lawyer, Ye Fei, of encouraging unlawful attempts to take spouses’ premarital assets. After both sides gave their closing statements, Yang Yu prepared to announce the court’s verdict.

• Yang Yu resumed the hearing and invited Su Bai to deliver the plaintiff’s closing statement.
• Su Bai argued that Xie Jing had defrauded Zhang Tongwei and accused Ye Fei of promoting conduct that violated the law and her professional ethics.
• Ye Fei asked the court to strike Su Bai’s personal accusations, but Yang Yu denied her request and required her to give her statement.
• Ye Fei appealed to marital harmony and women’s rights, while Xie Jing declined to say anything further.
• Yang Yu announced that the arguments had concluded and prepared to deliver the judgment.

Presiding Judge Yang Yu announced a sweeping verdict that sent Xie Jing to prison for six months and her lawyer Ye Fei to prison for a year, revoked Ye Fei’s license, and granted Zhang Tongwei a divorce. Su Bai celebrated the victory with Zhang Tongwei and Li Xuezhen as Ye Fei and Xie Jing protested.

• Yang Yu ruled that Xie Jing had committed fraud by trying to seize Zhang Tongwei’s premarital assets, sentenced her to six months in prison, granted the divorce, and ordered the return of property transferred without Zhang’s consent.
• Yang Yu found that Ye Fei had instigated Xie Jing’s fraud, sentenced her to one year in prison, revoked her law license, and said the court would notify the Procuratorate.
• Ye Fei protested the verdict, while Xie Jing confronted her and was restrained by a bailiff.
• Zhang Tongwei praised Su Bai for winning the case and promised to pay his remaining legal fees.
• Li Xuezhen celebrated Ye Fei’s prison sentence, and Su Bai admitted that Yang Yu’s unusually severe ruling had exceeded his expectations.

After Su Bai won Xie Jing’s case, Ye Fei declared that she would appeal, while Xie Jing begged Zhang Tongwei to withdraw the case. Su Bai and Zhang Tongwei left the courthouse as Wang Li celebrated Su Bai’s victory.

• Li Xuezhen praised Su Bai’s legal skill and packed up their documents after the hearing.
• Ye Fei told Su Bai she would appeal and overturn the judgment, but he ignored her and explained that an appeal would be difficult and could lead to a heavier sentence.
• Xie Jing blamed Ye Fei for her loss, then pleaded with Zhang Tongwei to withdraw the case; Zhang Tongwei refused and followed Su Bai out.
• Wang Li enthusiastically praised Su Bai outside the courthouse and admitted Zhang Tongwei had been right to trust him.

After winning Wang Li and Zhang Tongwei’s case, Su Bai reassured them about an appeal and agreed to let Zhang pay his legal fees later. Ye Fei decided against appealing after Jiang Min warned that it could lead to harsher charges, and news of her prison sentence made White Jun Law Firm famous across the Southern Capital legal community.

• Su Bai told Wang Li and Zhang Tongwei that an appeal was unlikely to affect their divorce or property ruling, and Zhang agreed to pay the firm when he collected the judgment.
• Li Xuezhen urged Su Bai to advertise for more clients, and he agreed.
• Jiang Min warned Ye Fei that an appeal could expose her to more serious charges, so Ye Fei abandoned the idea and faced the consequences of her conduct.
• News of Ye Fei’s prison sentence spread through the Southern Capital legal community, drawing attention to White Jun Law Firm and Su Bai.
• Several firms invited Su Bai to join them, but he declined because he preferred working independently.

Legal commentator Luo Daxiang learned that White Jun Law Firm had handled another sensational case and considered recommending the firm for a difficult Northern Capital prosecution. At the firm, Li Xuezhen proposed livestreaming legal education to attract clients, and Su Bai questioned whether viewers would care about the law or her looks.

• Su Bai checked his system panel and saw that he had earned an S victory rating for his completed case.
• Xiao Haibo told Luo Daxiang about White Jun Law Firm’s marriage fraud case, where the plaintiff’s lawyer had been jailed.
• Luo Daxiang recognized White Jun Law Firm from its frequent advertisements under his videos and considered the firm for a difficult Northern Capital prosecution.
• Li Xuezhen worried that her advertising had brought no consultations, and her roommate suggested livestreaming legal education.
• Li Xuezhen proposed livestreaming to Su Bai, who teased that viewers might watch for her appearance rather than her explanations.

Su Bai considered whether White Jun Law Firm should make legal education content, but Li Xuezhen instead brought him a death penalty case referred by Luo Daxiang. After Zhang Tongwei paid the firm’s legal fees, Su Bai advised him on recovering marital assets from Xie Jing’s family.

• Su Bai explained to Li Xuezhen why online legal education content would bring the firm unhelpful attention, and told her to wait for the fees from Zhang Tongwei’s case before advertising.
• Luo Daxiang messaged Li Xuezhen and offered to refer a Northern Capital public prosecution case to White Jun Law Firm.
• Li Xuezhen told Su Bai about the death penalty case, and he decided to wait until Zhang Tongwei’s written judgment arrived before considering it.
• Fourteen days after the hearing, Ye Fei’s and Xie Jing’s sentences were finalized, and the court mailed the written judgment to White Jun Law Firm.
• Zhang Tongwei transferred 550,000 in legal fees to Su Bai and asked how to recover marital assets Xie Jing had given her family.
• Su Bai advised Zhang Tongwei to keep asking Xie Jing’s family to return the money and to apply for court enforcement with the written judgment if they refused.

After Zhang Tongwei’s divorce case ended, Su Bai abandoned handing out flyers when Li Xuezhen revealed that Teacher Luo could connect them with clients and law firms through a Northern Capital death penalty case. Su Bai and Li Xuezhen traveled to the Northern Capital to take the case and expand the White Jun Law Firm’s business.

• Su Bai finished Zhang Tongwei’s case, and Wang Li joked that he would return when he decided to divorce.
• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen handed out flyers for three days, but attracted no promising clients.
• Li Xuezhen told Su Bai that Teacher Luo had offered to promote the firm and introduce them to Northern Capital law firms and corporate clients after the death penalty case.
• Su Bai stopped the flyer campaign, accepted the case, and decided to expand the White Jun Law Firm into the Northern Capital.
• Li Xuezhen got permission from her adviser to leave campus and packed for the business trip.
• Three days after accepting the case, Su Bai and Li Xuezhen arrived in the Northern Capital by high-speed train.

Su Bai and Li Xuezhen traveled to Northern Capital to take on a university student’s death penalty appeal, and Su Bai began shaping a defense strategy after consulting Luo Daxiang. After signing the representation agreement with the client’s parents, Su Bai prepared to review the first-trial files and teach Li Xuezhen to adapt to local circumstances.

• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen met Luo Daxiang, who explained the case and warned that the retrial would be livestreamed and prosecuted by a capable opponent.
• Luo Daxiang described how a student killed two men during a confrontation in a shopping mall, fled the scene, and received a death sentence at the first trial.
• Su Bai told Luo Daxiang he was unsure the court would find lawful self-defense but was confident the case would not end in a death sentence.
• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen met the client’s parents, signed a modestly priced representation agreement, and heard the parents entrust their son’s case to him.
• Su Bai told Li Xuezhen they would review the prosecution’s existing evidence and relevant law rather than collect new evidence, then taught her to adapt to Northern Capital’s procedures.

Su Bai and Li Xuezhen traveled to the Northern Capital to review Qi Feng’s death penalty case and prepare his appeal. When detention center staff delayed their meeting with Qi Feng, Li Xuezhen used her connections to secure an immediate visit.

• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen obtained copies of the first-trial case file from the Northern Capital Intermediate Court.
• Su Bai reviewed the prosecution and defense arguments and concluded that the appellate court would not uphold the original verdict.
• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen applied to visit Qi Feng at Bright Street Detention Center, but an officer initially told them they would have to wait about two days.
• Li Xuezhen contacted someone she knew, and the officer soon returned to approve their visit with Qi Feng.

Su Bai met Qi Feng to prepare his appeal, then asked Li Xuezhen to investigate the presiding judge’s preferences and personality. Li Xuezhen agreed, and Su Bai felt more confident about the upcoming case.

• Su Bai learned that Li Xuezhen had contacted an acquaintance to help them at the detention center.
• Su Bai told Qi Feng that Luo Daxiang had asked him to handle the appeal, restoring Qi Feng’s hope, and reviewed the first-trial evidence with him.
• Su Bai concluded that the appeal depended on how the judges interpreted the law, not on overturning the evidence.
• Su Bai drafted and submitted Qi Feng’s appeal petition, and the Northern Capital Higher People's Court accepted it and scheduled a hearing.
• Su Bai persuaded Li Xuezhen to investigate the presiding judge, who had ties to her teacher.

Li Xuezhen gathered information about presiding judge Lin Youping for Su Bai and learned about him from her professor, Feng Lijian. As Qi Feng’s hearing approached, public debate over self-defense intensified, and Su Bai’s comment became the most-liked response online.

• Li Xuezhen reviewed Lin Youping’s background and called Feng Lijian to ask about his personality and preferences.
• Feng Lijian told Li Xuezhen what he knew about Lin Youping, then realized she had called to help Su Bai rather than herself.
• Li Xuezhen gave Su Bai the information on Lin Youping, and Su Bai promised her internship pay and a permanent position if she met the requirements.
• As Qi Feng’s hearing neared, online discussion about whether his actions were self-defense or homicide drew widespread support for him.
• Su Bai watched his comment about ordinary people’s right to fight back gain likes and remain at the top of the discussion.