She took her phone to the fire exit stairwell and answered.
"Xiaoqin..." Fang Yu's voice was hoarse, as if she had been crying. "I think you're right. I need to report this. But my family thinks it's shameful and won't go with me... Can you come with me?"
Zeng Keqin didn't hesitate. "Yes. I get off at six. Wait for me in the dorm."
"Okay, thank you."
Lunch break ended.
Zou Min came to the meeting room and gave individual feedback on the draft legal opinions in front of everyone.
"Overall, your basic skills are good. But some of you are lacking in the completeness of the evidence chain."
She opened Zeng Keqin's file. "Zeng Keqin's summary of the key issues is the clearest, but her argument on liability for breach is not sufficiently supported. Go back and supplement it."
"Zheng Zhixi's argument is rigorous, but the structure is a bit rigid. Try to be more flexible."
Zou Min also commented on the others' work and then announced, "Starting tomorrow, you'll be arranged to sit in on court hearings one by one. I'll send the specific times in the group chat."
After the meeting, Zhou Yi stretched. "Finally over. Want to grab dinner together?"
Qiao Meng raised her hand. "I want barbecue!"
Su Wanyi smiled. "Didn't you just have that yesterday?"
"Doesn't stop me from having it today." Qiao Meng looked at Zeng Keqin. "Xiaoke, want to join?"
"No, I have plans today."
Zeng Keqin packed up her things and walked out of the meeting room.
As she passed Zheng Zhixi, she clearly heard him snort lightly.
Zeng Keqin ignored him. She had more important things to do.
*
Back in the dorm, Fang Yu was sitting on the edge of her bed, head bowed. Wang Chunyue and Liu Ying were comforting her.
"Qinqin, you're back!"
Wang Chunyue straightened up. "Shadow and I decided we'll go with you to the police station. More people mean more strength. Xiaoyu shouldn't have to face this alone."
These past few days at home, her parents' scolding and relatives' nagging had been suffocating. But these roommates were genuinely trying to help.
Fang Yu's eyes reddened even more, and she choked out, "Thank you, everyone..."
Liu Ying waved her hand dismissively. "It's no big deal!"
Zeng Keqin grabbed the evidence she had prepared earlier. "Let's go."
[Western Suburb Branch]
The four of them stood at the police station entrance, hesitant. They had never been to a place like this before and felt a bit intimidated.
Zeng Keqin gritted her teeth, pushed open the glass door, walked up to the front desk, and said to the officer on duty, "Hello, we'd like to report a case."
The officer looked up. "What kind of case?"
"Online fraud."
The officer's expression turned serious. He took out a notepad from the drawer and pointed to the chairs opposite. "The victim sits here. The rest of you wait over there."
Fang Yu sat down and began recounting the scam. Her voice was tense at first, but with Zeng Keqin constantly reassuring her and occasionally filling in important details, she gradually calmed down.
Wang Chunyue and Liu Ying sat on the bench, listening quietly.
Halfway through the statement, a sudden commotion erupted outside the door—
"Get the hell off me! Say that again, I dare you!"
"Let go! This is a police station! Keep fighting and we'll throw you all in!"
The hall door was pushed open violently, and a crowd surged in. Their faces were bruised, clothes torn, and some even held broken beer bottles still stained with blood.
Wang Chunyue flinched and moved closer to Liu Ying.
The group was still heated, oblivious to the fact that they were at a police station. They continued shoving each other, showing no signs of stopping.
The officer who had been taking Fang Yu's statement suddenly stood up, slammed the table, and yelled, "What do you think you're doing! Stop right now!"
At the same time, several more officers rushed out from the back to separate the brawlers.
Among them, one person who had been standing at the back wearing a cap looked up. There was a cut on his forehead, blood trickling down his brow, glaringly conspicuous.
The moment Zeng Keqin recognized the face, her pupils contracted.
It was Jiang Shiyu.
His lip was split, his cheek swollen, and he looked utterly disheveled. But his dark eyes were fixed on the person opposite, like an enraged leopard.
Wang Chunyue recognized him and exclaimed, "Isn't that the handsome guy who returned your student ID last time?"
Jiang Shiyu seemed to sense the movement and turned his head, looking in their direction.
Their eyes met.
He was clearly startled, and the murderous intent in his eyes receded slightly. Then he turned away, his jaw tightening.