Hierarchy? I'll Show You What Hierarchy Means!

The morning sunlight streamed through the massive glass curtain wall, casting gleaming reflections of busy activity on the gleaming floor of the Junyue Law Firm.

For newcomers, especially interns and assistants, arriving early in the morning to clean the common areas is almost an unwritten rule.

Although Lin Feng had a special status, he did not deliberately seek special treatment. He was wiping the oval table in the conference room with a rag and several other intern lawyers who had also arrived early.

The atmosphere wasn't particularly lively, but it was relatively calm, with only the sound of a rag rubbing against the table and the occasional low-voiced conversation.

Just then, the glass door to the office was pushed open, and the portly lawyer Lawyer Chen, with his signature belly protruding and a briefcase tucked under his arm, strolled in leisurely. His gaze swept around the office area, naturally settling on the young intern lawyer wearing black-rimmed Glasses closest to the door.

"Xiao Zhang," Lawyer Chen nodded with his chin, his tone carrying its usual ordering tone, "Stop wiping, go downstairs to ' Blue Bay ' and buy me breakfast. Same old routine, a large latte and a ham sandwich."

The intern lawyer, Xiao Zhang, whose name was called, paused, a barely perceptible hint of reluctance flashing across his face. He hadn't put down the rag in his hand yet, and was about to go wash it; moreover, he hadn't finished his own work.

But power is no match for people. Although Lawyer Chen's professional skills were average, he was considered a "veteran" in the firm, and he, an intern with no connections, dared not offend him. He moved his lips, but ultimately swallowed his refusal and replied in a low voice, "Okay, Lawyer Chen." As he spoke, he prepared to put down the rag.

Just then, a calm yet distinctly cold voice rang out:

"What? Don't you have legs? Do you have to make someone else buy you breakfast?"

The entire office area fell silent instantly, as if the air itself had frozen. Everyone's gaze, including Xiao Zhang's and the other intern lawyers, turned in astonishment toward the source of the sound— Lin Feng, who was standing at the conference room door with a rag in his hand.

Lin Feng's expression was not good. He had been harassed by that scoundrel Sun Qiang last night. Although it didn't pose a real threat, it felt disgusting, like swallowing a fly, and his sleep was also affected. At this moment, he was burning with inexplicable anger. This fatso had walked right into his trap.

Lawyer Chen was clearly taken aback that someone dared to speak to him like that, especially this high school graduate who had humiliated him yesterday. He froze for a moment, then a surge of anger rushed to his head, his face instantly turning red like boiled liver. He whirled around, glaring at Lin Feng, his voice rising sharply with rage:

"What did you say?! Lin Feng! Do you even understand the concept of hierarchy? Do you know what it means to respect your elders?! Giving you some work is a favor, a way to teach you manners!"

"Hierarchy? Respect for elders?" Lin Feng scoffed, tossing the rag he was holding onto the table with a soft "thud." He took a step forward, his eyes sharp as knives, piercing directly at Lawyer Chen. "Do I have to kowtow to you, please?"

His sarcasm was undisguised. "I work here, the law firm pays me a salary, and I do a job that pays for it. What's it to you? Did you pay me a penny, or teach me anything? What gives you the right to boss me around like that?"

"You... you... you!" Lawyer Chen was rendered speechless by this rapid and sharp retort. Pointing at Lin Feng, his entire body trembled with anger, and he couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time. He was used to relying on his seniority and had never encountered such an unpredictable and sharp-tongued tough guy before.

Lin Feng, however, had no intention of giving him a chance to breathe. He looked him up and down, a chilling smile curving his lips, and spoke even faster and more venomously:

"What do you mean, 'you'? With your eloquence, your logic is muddled, and your words are incoherent. You call yourself a lawyer? Let me tell you, even letting a dog bark in court would be more effective than your defense!"

"Pfft—" A female intern lawyer next to him, unable to hold back her laughter, quickly covered her mouth, but her shoulders were still shaking. The other interns also lowered their heads, desperately trying to suppress their laughter, their eyes filled with shock and a hint of barely perceptible admiration as they looked at Lin Feng. Xiao Zhang even secretly gave Lin Feng a thumbs-up under the table.

"You... you motherfucker..." Lawyer Chen completely broke down, blurting out whatever came to mind, but under Lin Feng's icy gaze, he didn't dare utter the final curse. He felt like a clown, stripped naked and humiliated in public, his face burning with shame, wishing he could disappear into the ground.

Lin Feng ignored him, as if he had merely swatted away a buzzing fly. He bent down to pick up the rag from the table, walked to the bucket, and began washing it himself, leaving Lawyer Chen standing there, his face turning pale and then purple, panting heavily, unsure whether to leave or stay, utterly embarrassed.

Finally, Lawyer Chen glared at Lin Feng's Back View, then, clutching his briefcase, walked heavily to his workstation. His Back View view exuded an air of dishevelment and resentment.

In the morning, Lin Feng was sent by Lawyer Zhou to retrieve materials from the archives. As soon as he left, Lawyer Chen was seething with anger and endless grievances, suddenly stood up from his workstation and went straight to Attorney Zhou Wenyuan's private office. He felt that he had the right to be "senior" and that Lawyer Zhou had to get rid of this newcomer who didn't know the rules.

He knocked on the door, his face displaying a complex expression that was a mixture of anger and ingratiation.

"Lawyer Zhou, you really have to do something about this!" Lawyer Chen began pouring out his grievances as soon as he entered the room, his tone exaggerated.

"Your new assistant, Lin Feng! He's absolutely outrageous! He's arrogant and conceited!"

This morning, I kindly asked him for help... no, I just asked an intern to buy me breakfast, and he actually jumped out and pointed his finger at me, yelling at me! He even talked about 'hierarchy' and told me to 'go home and retire'!

"Lawyer Zhou, this isn't a job posting; this is clearly a job to be treated like royalty! Keeping someone like this in the firm is seriously disrupting team harmony and the work atmosphere! What I mean is, this kind of person can't be kept..."

His words conveyed only one core message: Lin Feng is immature and disrespectful to his colleagues; Lin Feng should be dismissed immediately.

Zhou Wenyuan listened quietly, his face expressionless, until Lawyer Chen, his throat dry from speaking, looked at him expectantly. Only then did he pause for a moment, and then speak in a calm yet undeniable tone:

"Lawyer Chen, if that's the case... then you should leave."

"Huh?!" Lawyer Chen's expression froze instantly. His eyes widened, his mouth gaped open wide enough to fit an egg, and he stood frozen in place as if struck by lightning. He wondered if he had misheard! He had clearly come to complain, to ask Lawyer Zhou to get rid of Lin Feng, so how did it turn into Lawyer Zhou telling him to leave?!

"No... no... Lawyer Zhou, you must have misunderstood! It's me! It's that Lin Feng, he..." Lawyer Chen panicked, stammering as he tried to explain.

Zhou Wenyuan raised his hand, interrupting him, his expression serious and without a hint of joking. "I have no misunderstanding. If the conflict between you and Lin Feng has reached an irreconcilable point, and he is determined not to forgive you... then, for the sake of harmony in the law firm, I have no choice but to ask you to leave."

Upon hearing this, Lawyer Chen's entire body trembled, a chill running from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Only then did he truly realize that Zhou Wenyuan was serious! He wasn't showing favoritism; he was stating a decision made based on Zhou's flawed judgment, one that was extremely detrimental to him!

He's different from Zhou Wenyuan! Zhou Wenyuan is one of the firm's star partners; he's prestigious, well-connected, and owns shares. He's always a VIP wherever he goes.

As for Lawyer Chen, he's just an ordinary lawyer who relies on the firm's platform and connections to get cases and barely maintain a decent reputation! After leaving Junyue, it's uncertain whether he can find a suitable new firm, given his abilities and reputation; his income could very well plummet!

Overwhelmed by immense fear and regret, he was instantly consumed by it.

"Lawyer Zhou! Lawyer Zhou! I was wrong! I know I was wrong!" Lawyer Chen's voice trembled with tears, and his forehead was instantly covered in cold sweat. "It was my fault for being so talkative! It was wrong of me to provoke Assistant Lin! I... I'll go apologize to him right now! I'll sincerely apologize until he forgives me! Please give me another chance! I can't leave Junyue, Lawyer Zhou!"

He almost knelt down, his face filled with pleading.

Looking at his pathetic state, from arrogance to obsequiousness, Zhou Wenyuan's eyes flashed with a barely perceptible indifference. He waved his hand, his tone remaining completely calm:

"Go. Go apologize to Lin Feng. If he forgives you, we'll let it go. If he doesn't forgive you..." Zhou Wenyuan paused, his gaze calmly fixed on Lawyer Chen's instantly pale face, "Then pack your things and resign."

"Yes, yes! Thank you, Lawyer Zhou! I'll go right away! I'll go right away!" Lawyer Chen felt as if he had been granted a pardon, bowing repeatedly and staggering as he fled from Lawyer Zhou's office.

He had just come out when he ran into Lin Feng, who was returning from picking up the materials.

Under the curious or mocking gazes of all her colleagues, Lawyer Chen steeled herself, took a few quick steps to block Lin Feng's path, then suddenly bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle, almost burying her head in her crotch, and shouted in a voice trembling with sobs and utmost sincerity:

"Assistant Lin! I'm so sorry! I was wrong this morning! I was so rude! I was so impolite! Please forgive me this time!"

Lin Feng, holding the case file, stared expressionlessly at the fat man before him who had lowered himself to the dust. He didn't speak, offering neither sarcasm nor feigned forgiveness. He simply walked past the still-bowing Lawyer Chen as if he were a stumbling block, pushed open the door to Lawyer Zhou's office, and went inside.

Although he didn't receive verbal forgiveness, this attitude at least indicated that Lin Feng had no intention of pursuing the matter further. Lawyer Chen maintained his bowed posture until the office door closed, then he dared to slowly straighten up, his face a mixture of shame, lingering fear, and a hint of relief, before dejectedly moving back to his workstation.

Around him, the eyes of his colleagues were filled with undisguised mockery and disdain. Almost everyone silently cursed him as an "idiot."

Anyone with a brain can figure out that Lin Feng, with only a high school education, being parachuted into becoming Lawyer Zhou's personal assistant must have some powerful connections. Only a fool like Lawyer Chen, who doesn't know his own limitations and still tries to act like a senior figure, would actively try to kick this hornet's nest.

After this incident, Lawyer Chen has completely lost face at Junyue Law Firm.