022 Up Earlier Than the Roosters
When Zeng Keqin arrived at the law firm the next day, she froze as soon as she walked in.
Chen Kaiheng's once cluttered desk was completely transformed. Not only were the files categorized and archived, but even the pens in the holder were arranged by color. The desktop was polished to a shine, and the takeout boxes and coffee cups were all gone.
Just as she was wondering, a young man with black-rimmed glasses walked over from the other side, holding a white ceramic mug filled with rich, aromatic coffee.
He stared at Zeng Keqin for a few seconds, then said expressionlessly, "You're blocking my way."
Zeng Keqin quickly stepped aside. The young man sat down at her seat from yesterday, then placed his coffee cup precisely in line with the gap between the files beside it.
"Yo, everyone's here so early!"
Chen Kaiheng walked in cheerfully. He wasn't surprised to see his desk spotless. Pointing at the young man, he said, "Keqin, let me introduce you. This is Qi Yan, a graduate of University of Law. He started a year before you, so he's your senior. He's meticulous and responsible, but a bit rigid—don't learn that from him."
"Hello, Senior Qi."
Zeng Keqin quickly greeted him.
Qi Yan gave a slight nod in return.
Chen Kaiheng clapped his hands. "Alright, Old Shen is on a business trip, so it's just the three of us now. Oh, and there's the receptionist, Wei Nan—she handles reception and logistics. We'll rely on each other for the next half month..."
After the morning meeting, Chen Kaiheng pointed to a makeshift desk diagonally across. "You sit there. Old Shen finally cleared it out last night. The computer password is the last four digits of your phone number."
Zeng Keqin turned and saw the brand-new desk.
The desktop was clean, with a small potted plant on the upper left, identical to the one in his office.
Her mood, which had been a bit down because Shen Jingbai was away, instantly brightened. She felt energized.
The villa-and-luxury-car case had been stuck with her for five whole days.
Every time she spoke with the client, no matter how she explained, the client clung to her own stubborn reasoning.
"He put up the link, I bought it—that's a contract. He has to fulfill it. No matter what you say, I only want the car and the villa. Don't call me again!"
Zeng Keqin tried to explain: "According to the Civil Code, an unconscionable contract can be revoked. A villa for ten thousand yuan clearly doesn't match market rules..."
The other party hung up.
She sat at her desk, staring blankly at the potted plant for a long time.
Chen Kaiheng passed by and said, "Don't just make phone calls. Young people need to get out and walk around."
True. If calling didn't work, she'd talk face-to-face.
Zeng Keqin looked up, wanting to thank him, but only saw his back disappearing down the hallway.
On the day of the meeting, the client, Luo Qian, almost showed up late.
She looked about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with yellowish-brown hair and a patch of new black growth at the roots. She wore no makeup and looked a bit haggard.
She sat across from Zeng Keqin and said impatiently, "I only have one demand: if he gives me the villa and the car, I won't sue him."
Zeng Keqin didn't rush to argue. Instead, she took a folder from her bag and spread out the documents one by one.
"Ms. Luo, let me first show you what we've gathered so far."
She pointed to the first screenshot of property registration.
"The villa he showed on the live stream was located at a film studio. It's not his. He doesn't own any property under his name."
Zeng Keqin pointed to the second image, a vehicle registration.
"The Porsche he showed in the stream was rented. We've obtained the rental contract—it was for three days. He only owns a minivan worth less than twenty thousand yuan."
Luo Qian's expression finally shifted slightly.
Zeng Keqin pointed to the third image. "This is a chat log showing his sincere repentance."
Luo Qian glanced at it. The gist was: "Sis, I was really wrong. I did the event to gain followers. I never thought anyone would actually pay. My family is in poor condition—my father is seriously ill, my mother works odd jobs. I've scraped together the twenty thousand to refund you. Please don't call the police."
"His father is indeed seriously ill. Here's his hospitalization record. Even if you take this to court, honestly, the judge won't make him compensate you with a villa and a luxury car. A contract made through fraud can be revoked by the court upon request. Once revoked, it has no legal force, and both parties must return what they received. But since he has no villa or car, the judge will only order him to refund your twenty thousand yuan within three days."
Luo Qian seemed unreceptive and insisted, "Then I'll still sue. Let the court decide. I don't believe there's no justice."
Zeng Keqin calmly took out a piece of paper and a pen. She wrote and calculated as she spoke.
"Court fees—for your claim of twenty thousand yuan, it's a few hundred, not much. But you'll need me to appear in court, right? The attorney fee is six thousand. If you appeal after losing the first instance, the appeal fee will be added. Let's also count time: the first instance takes three to six months. You'll have to take a day off, which means lost wages. Add travel to the court and printing costs. By the time the lawsuit is over, the court orders him to refund you twenty thousand. The actual amount you'll have spent might exceed twenty thousand."
Luo Qian's resolve wavered, but she still said stubbornly, "I don't want money. I want the villa and the car."
Zeng Keqin pulled out a document from the bottom of the folder. "This is the settlement agreement from the other party. He voluntarily refunds the twenty thousand, covers all costs of this case, and compensates you with an additional two thousand as an apology. If you agree, he'll transfer the money to your account within three days and issue a written letter of apology."
This time, Luo Qian didn't say anything. She just stared at the agreement.
Zeng Keqin picked up her water glass and waited patiently without rushing.
"I really can't get the villa?"
"No."
Zeng Keqin answered bluntly.
Luo Qian gritted her teeth. "Fine, I'll accept the mediation."
She picked up the pen and signed the agreement.