Drunken Mistake

DM 23

Wednesday arrived earlier than expected. Among those present to witness this momentous day were Luo Qingyang, Wen Ning and Nie Huissang on one hand and Jiang Cheng, Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan on the other. Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan sat in their designated places. The courtroom was tense with anticipation on the day of the verdict. Lan Wangji sat calmly beside Wei Wuxian, his expression unwavering as he waited for Judge Helan to take his seat. Across the room, Meng Yao shuffled his papers, a confident gleam in his eye as he prepared to make one last attempt to discredit Wei Wuxian. Apparently his need to stand against Lan Wangji to display his capability outweighed his concerns for the Wens who had gained nothing by extending his legal services to the Jiangs.

Judge  He Lan entered, taking his seat with a solemn nod. He scanned the room before saying, "We will proceed with any final statements or clarifications before the verdict is passed."

Meng Yao rose first, his voice smooth as he addressed the court. "Your Honor, while the defense is prepared to return Mr. Wei's shares, we must note that these shares have significantly diminished in value due to the very public nature of this case. Jiang Industries, however, believes this compensation is appropriate. And as for the alleged leak... the source may not be a software breach but rather a deliberate sabotage. We suspect that someone was bribed by Mr. Wei himself."

The room fell silent at the accusation, and Wei Wuxian tensed. Lan Wangji merely gave him a reassuring look before standing up.

"Your Honor," Lan Wangji began, his voice steady and clear, "we anticipated this baseless attempt to assign guilt to my client. We would therefore like to call Lin Sisi to the stand."

A murmur rippled through the room as Lin Sisi was escorted to the witness stand, her expression caught between apprehension and defiance.

Lan Wangji approached her. "Miss Lin, are you aware of why you're here today?"

Lin Sisi hesitated, glancing quickly at Meng Yao, who gave her a cold, warning look. She swallowed, her voice shaking slightly. "I... I am."

A rustle passed through the audience as Lin Sisi, visibly nervous, entered the room. She walked to the witness stand, refusing to meet anyone's eyes as she was sworn in.
"Miss Lin," Lan Wangji began, his voice soft but unwavering, "please tell the court about your role in the data leak incident."
Lin Sisi's hands shook, but she lifted her chin. "I... I stole the data. But I wasn't working with Wei Wuxian." She swallowed, her gaze darting between Judge Helan and the gallery.
An eruption of whispers swept through the courtroom, but Judge Helan rapped her gavel, silencing the crowd. "Explain yourself, Miss Lin," she commanded.
Lin Sisi's voice wavered, but she finally looked up. "I... I worked at Jiang Software in an administrative role. I did access data that I wasn't supposed to."
Meng Yao's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing. "Ms. Lin, I'd advise caution."
Lan Wangji took a step forward, holding up a small stack of papers. "Ms. Lin, were you acting on anyone's instructions?"
"Yes," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I was."
The courtroom erupted in gasps and whispers. Judge Helan banged his gavel. "Order!"
Lan Wangji stepped closer, his tone gentle but firm. "Would you please state who instructed you to access the data?"
Lin Sisi took a deep breath, her hands shaking slightly. "It was... Jin Guangshan. He promised that if I did this for him, he'd—he'd help me."
Meng Yao's confident expression vanished, replaced by shock, but Lan Wangji pressed on. "Let me clarify for everyone present here. You were working for Jin Guanshan. Not my client Mr. Wei who is seated here. Did Mr. Wei Wuxian ever approach you about leaking the data?"

"No!" Lin Sisi shook her head furiously. "He had nothing to do with it. This was all... all Jin Guanshan's plan. He promised that if I got him the data, I'd be free from him—he'd leave me alone."

The courtroom fell deathly silent, Judge Helan's face darkening as he took in Lin Sisi's confession. Lan Wangji let the silence settle before he gestured to the clerk. "We have CCTV footage here, Your Honor, showing Miss Lin accessing data files she was not authorized to view."