Resumen del episodio 2 de Lady of Law
> Resúmenes de Lady of Law
Chen Ran and Xu Jie expressed their outrage at Haohuodao's morally questionable practices, particularly regarding pregnant employees. Chen Ran highlighted that forcing Zheng Yan, her client, into roles like field promotion or administrative planning would invalidate years of her hard work, and she doubted Zheng Yan would accept such a demotion. Xu Jie stated unequivocally that Zheng Yan's pregnancy was the real reason Haohuodao wanted her gone, dismissing claims of misconduct.
She explained that the settlement offered was only slightly more than standard severance for a pregnant employee, indicating a systematic strategy to remove pregnant women from key positions by fabricating charges, knowing they would lack the time and energy for legal battles. Xu Jie elaborated that Haohuodao, a company that prides itself on a "wolf-culture" and expects a "996" work schedule, viewed pregnant employees as a financial burden due to reduced hours and continued benefits.
Offering settlements was a cost-effective way to maintain productivity, which Xu Jie likened to "killing the donkey after it's done its work." She stressed that Zheng Yan was not the first pregnant woman dismissed by the company, but she was the only one courageous enough to fight back. Song Xiu aspired to be a capable lawyer, but Li Gongming felt he wasn't ready for court, assigning him instead to community legal awareness events.
Song Xiu voiced his frustration, mentioning he had been gaining out-of-court settlement experience for a year and hinting that economic cases weren't Li Gongming's forte. Li Gongming brushed him off, insisting on the legal awareness task, which Song Xiu grudgingly described as unpaid "charity work" primarily for maintaining potential client relationships, and thus more suited for him than for a "big-shot" lawyer. Later, Xu Jie found Song Xiu working overtime on a minor "dining and dashing" case.
She playfully suggested Li Gongming was dissatisfied with his work, which Song Xiu denied, asserting his mentor's high regard for his abilities. He tried to explain the strategic value of settling cases out of court, quoting the principle of "subduing the enemy without fighting," but Xu Jie countered, "If no one wants to take it to court, then what's the point of having litigation lawyers?" She then sarcastically told him to "eat more free meals."
Chen Ran discussed with Jian Peiran their decision to move to a smaller apartment. She revealed that her mother's funds were tied up in investments and couldn't be lent to them. Jian Peiran was agreeable to downsizing, as long as the new home was close to their daughter Yangyang's school. Chen Ran also shared that her mother refused to let her represent Chen Wenguang, her father, in his case.
Jian Peiran commented on the long-standing separation and stubborn personalities of Chen Ran's parents, implying their refusal to yield to each other, and advised Chen Ran not to dwell on it, assuring her that things would eventually improve. Having moved into her new home, Xu Jie received a phone call from her mother, who announced her remarriage and invited Xu Jie to the ceremony. Xu Jie abruptly refused to attend and hung up.
Recalling Song Xiu's earlier insightful observation about her inherent loneliness and underlying sadness despite her sharp exterior, Xu Jie called him. She confided in him that she wanted to feel happy but couldn't. Song Xiu suggested they play tennis. Despite Song Xiu's playful boast about being a former middle school tennis champion, Xu Jie immediately struck him on the head with a ball, leaving a red mark.
Song Xiu, though startled, retaliated, hitting Xu Jie on the forehead with a ball. As he applied a cold boiled egg to her injury, Song Xiu, overcome by her beauty, spontaneously kissed her. He became flustered, but Xu Jie, feigning annoyance, returned his kiss, and they ended up spending the night together.
Afterward, Song Xiu sat stunned on the bed, unsure what to do, while Xu Jie calmly picked up her phone to call him a taxi, maintaining an air of nonchalance. The next morning at work, Song Xiu tried to greet Xu Jie, but she avoided his gaze and ignored his messages, leaving him disappointed. Chen Ran, meanwhile, received the necessary documents for Zheng Yan's court case.
During the trial, Chen Ran presented evidence, including WeChat conversations, showing Zheng Yan frequently worked until the early hours and had repeatedly cautioned her superiors about the challenges in transitioning Xueji Soy Sauce to handmade production. Chen Ran argued that Haohuodao's management had failed to provide clear directives or solutions, therefore absolving Zheng Yan of negligence.
The opposing counsel, Fang Pu, challenged whether working late automatically constituted diligence and then unexpectedly introduced a new witness on the spot to testify about Zheng Yan's actual work performance. Zheng Yan showed a subtle reaction upon seeing the male witness. Chen Ran requested an adjournment due to this surprise evidence, which Fang Pu agreed to, reiterating an offer for an out-of-court settlement. Back at the firm, Song Xiu tried to discuss their relationship with Xu Jie.
She firmly told him they were merely colleagues and that she preferred to keep her private life out of office gossip, which deeply disappointed him. Concurrently, Chen Ran and Xu Jie discovered that the new witness, Tang Rui, was Zheng Yan's subordinate and the father of her unborn child. Zheng Yan confessed that they had been together for over a year, but after she became pregnant, Tang Rui demanded she have an abortion.
She refused, choosing to raise the child alone, which led to their separation. She expressed her capability, both financially and professionally, to raise the child independently, but emphasized her need for her job. She also stated that she didn't want the child to be associated with Tang Rui and hadn't anticipated him testifying against her. Outraged by Tang Rui's behavior, Xu Jie drove Chen Ran to Haohuodao's office building to confront him directly.
Upon spotting him, Xu Jie aggressively attacked him. Tang Rui admitted that company management had promised him a promotion and salary increase if he testified, arguing that Zheng Yan's pregnancy rendered her unsuitable for her position. Xu Jie was further infuriated by this blatant injustice. Chen Ran intervened to calm the situation, and together, they pressed Tang Rui.
They informed him that Xue Ji's decision to delist was voluntary and unrelated to Zheng Yan's performance, warning him of the legal repercussions for perjury. Chen Ran also reminded him of his legal obligation to financially support his child, regardless of Zheng Yan's personal wishes. Under pressure, Tang Rui divulged the full details of his agreement with the company. Xu Jie declared that regardless of Haohuodao's plans, she would ensure Tang Rui lost his job.
Later, while Xu Jie was dining with a friend at a hotel restaurant, she noticed Song Xiu entering with a young woman, their arms linked, heading towards the upper floors. Xu Jie followed them into the elevator, causing Song Xiu to awkwardly release the woman's arm.
Xu Jie, assuming the woman was Song Xiu's new romantic partner, made a sarcastic remark about his "colorful" private life, to which Song Xiu retorted, echoing her earlier words about personal freedom and not interfering with others' lives. However, the young woman then referred to Song Xiu as "Second Uncle," clarifying that she was his niece who had come for an art exam and he was merely looking after her. Xu Jie realized her misunderstanding.
Meanwhile, a young man visited Tian Mao's law firm, inquiring about his expertise in economic cases and his previous work at Mingtang, but did not disclose the purpose of his visit. Tian Mao offered him his business card. Upon leaving, the man helped Chen Ran pick up some dropped apples and seemed to observe her thoughtfully. In her ongoing investigation into Chen Wenguang's case, Xu Jie presented her findings to Li Gongming.
She revealed that despite Lianchuang Group having paid all its legal fees, Chen Wenguang had been receiving separate, staggered payments amounting to 20 million yuan into an overseas account over three years, starting shortly after Lianchuang Group's cooperation agreement with Mingtang. Xu Jie also highlighted that Chen Wenguang consistently used Lucerne in Switzerland as a transit point on his return flights, even though Mingtang had no business operations there.
She suggested these anomalies were highly suspicious, prompting Li Gongming, who initially defended Chen Wenguang, to consider the implications. Xu Jie brought Chen Ran to a charity auction gala exclusively sponsored by Haohuodao. She explained that Haohuodao's decision to terminate a pregnant employee had negatively impacted the image of their brand ambassador, Amy, a prominent live-streaming host. Given that Haohuodao's CEO had recently invested in a listed company, Amy's public perception directly influenced the company's stock performance.
Xu Jie's initial attempt to confront Amy in the restroom, by bluntly asking how her fans would react to Haohuodao's discriminatory practices, backfired, causing Amy to walk away. Chen Ran then approached Amy, apologized for Xu Jie's directness, and with genuine empathy, requested three minutes to share Zheng Yan's story.
Chen Ran detailed Zheng Yan's dedication to Haohuodao, her courage as a single mother, and her fight for her job and career future, emphasizing that Zheng Yan sought no compensation, only the return of her work and independence. Chen Ran concluded by stating that Amy was the only person who could help Zheng Yan now. Xu Jie believed this heartfelt appeal would resonate with Amy's persona as an independent woman.
Song Xiu received a consultation from a young woman who had been physically abused by her boyfriend. He was initially reluctant to get involved because she neither wanted to report the abuse nor break up with him. However, seeing Xu Jie observe the woman flirting with him, Song Xiu agreed to accompany her to confront her boyfriend. The confrontation quickly turned violent, with Song Xiu getting beaten up and ending up at the police station.
Xu Jie arrived to pick him up, jokingly remarking on his "new business" of providing "door-to-door beating" services. Despite her playful teasing, she gently touched his injured face, reassuring him that he still looked handsome. Song Xiu, in turn, joked about their frequent encounters at the police station being "fate."
Xu Jie admonished him for resorting to physical violence instead of using legal channels, to which Song Xiu explained he was acting in self-defense and that the boyfriend had accused him of "cuckolding" him.
