Lady of Law Episode 1 Recap
> Lady of Law Recap
Police arrived at Mingtang Law Firm, causing a stir among the staff. Chen Wenguang, a partner and father to Chen Ran, was taken into custody, suspected of illegal business operations. As he was led away, a distressed Chen Ran grasped his hand. Chen Wenguang urged her to take care of herself and the family and not to worry about him, entrusting the firm's affairs to his long-time friend and partner, Li Gongming, who promised to investigate the truth.
Meanwhile, Xu Jie was drinking alone at a bar when she witnessed a man harassing a woman. The woman’s boyfriend, Zhao Sen, intervened and started fighting with the harassers. Xu Jie stepped in, confirming to the police that the other men, whom she called "thugs," had started the trouble. Before leaving for the Zhoujiakou Police Station, she cleverly questioned the bar manager about compensation and surveillance footage.
She pointed out that if the men were intentionally hurting Zhao Sen, it would be "provocation and disturbance," but if Zhao Sen was protecting his girlfriend from harassment, it would be "righteous action." She also challenged the men's accusation of a "honey trap," contrasting it with "sexual harassment," and declared she would hire a lawyer and "see this through to the end."
Later that night, Li Gongming sent his assistant and apprentice, Song Xiu, to pick up Xu Jie from the police station. Xu Jie, pretending to be drunk, let Song Xiu drive her. In the car, Song Xiu tried to lecture her about potential perjury. Xu Jie then questioned him about Director Li, and Song Xiu boasted about being his mentor’s most valued protege at Mingtang.
Xu Jie revealed she was an intern lawyer, which surprised Song Xiu, who had expected someone more important. Taking on the role of a senior, Song Xiu offered her advice on cases and workplace dynamics. Xu Jie skillfully prodded him for information, learning that Mingtang was co-founded by Chen Wenguang and Li Gongming, with Director Tang joining later. She then revealed her name, Xu Jie. The next day, Xu Jie arrived at Mingtang Law Firm.
Chen Ran, who was on the phone trying to secure clients, mistook Xu Jie for a potential client. Chen Ran introduced herself as a lawyer specializing in civil and litigation cases from Group Two and offered her business card, mentioning that she was now actively seeking cases herself. Xu Jie did not clarify the misunderstanding immediately. Li Gongming, having brought Xu Jie in to investigate Chen Wenguang’s case due to her expertise in economic law, introduced her to Chen Ran.
He instructed Xu Jie to help Chen Ran, acknowledging that Chen Wenguang’s incident had significantly impacted Chen Ran’s client base and the firm’s reputation. Song Xiu, who had previously considered himself Xu Jie’s senior, was now assigned to bring her coffee and case files, which Xu Jie found amusing. Chen Ran’s assistant, Liu Fang, expressed frustration about Group Two’s loss of clients and the difficulty of their remaining cases.
In the pantry, Xu Jie found Song Xiu struggling with financial reports. She gave him insights into complex financial metrics, explaining how clues for "capital flight" could be hidden in consistent withdrawals by a single shareholder. Impressed by her knowledge, Song Xiu presented her with an "onboarding gift" of a mug, welcoming her to Mingtang. Chen Ran faced further challenges at the firm; a clerk requested her senior partner car keys, citing firm regulations.
White Lawyer, observing Chen Ran's discomfort, approached Xu Jie and advised her against getting involved in Chen Ran's affairs, suggesting there was "no benefit" and offering Xu Jie a place in her own team. Xu Jie remained noncommittal, her eyes only softening when she saw a thank-you message from Song Xiu on her phone regarding the coffee she had brought.
Seeking support, Chen Ran visited her senior, Tian Mao, a public interest lawyer who was creating legal education videos for the deaf. She expressed her distress that her father still refused to let her be his defense lawyer. Tian Mao explained that Chen Wenguang believed Chen Ran, as part of Mingtang, needed to avoid any appearance of impropriety, and that he didn't want her to see him in such a "wretched state."
Chen Wenguang, who maintained his innocence, claiming he was merely fulfilling his contractual duties as Lianchuang Group's legal consultant, thought Tian Mao was the most suitable candidate due to his experience with economic cases. Tian Mao also conveyed Chen Wenguang's acknowledgment of Chen Ran's immense pressure and that she would now have to rely on herself. Chen Ran pleaded with Tian Mao to tell her father that she would continue to investigate and clear his name.
Chen Ran also tried to contact Mrs. Luo, the wife of Lianchuang Group’s President Luo Runnian, to understand the company’s situation, but Mrs. Luo refused to provide any information, stating that everyone was avoiding them since her husband was detained and the company sealed. At home, Chen Ran’s mother and husband, Jian Peiran, discussed her father’s situation, with her mother concerned that Chen Ran might be held responsible for repaying any embezzled funds.
Her daughter mentioned seeing the news about her grandfather online, adding to Chen Ran’s stress. Chen Ran then asked her mother to withdraw some of her investment money to alleviate financial strain, but her mother explained that the funds were tied up in financial projects and couldn’t be accessed immediately. Her mother suggested they rent out their large house and move to a smaller one to reduce expenses, a plan Chen Ran and Jian Peiran were already considering.
When Chen Ran asked her mother to authorize her as her father's defense lawyer, her mother refused, stating Chen Wenguang had his own arrangements. That evening, Xu Jie reviewed Chen Wenguang's financial records and expense reports from his three years at the firm. She noted a news report indicating Chen Wenguang’s alleged embezzlement as Lianchuang Group’s legal consultant and President Luo Runnian’s suspected illegal fundraising.
This immediately triggered a memory: a past case where she pursued Luo Runnian for a deposit for three days, culminating in her witnessing Sun Jian’s fatal fall from a building on that very day. The connection between both cases and Lianchuang Group fueled her suspicion. Song Xiu, also working late, offered Xu Jie a ride home. He observed her "unhappy aura," describing her as appearing "lonely and arrogant" but suggesting she was "quite sad inside."
Xu Jie smiled, finding his candidness amusing, and accepted his offer. Chen Ran and Xu Jie then collaborated on Zheng Yan’s labor dispute case against Haohuodao. Zheng Yan had been dismissed after becoming pregnant and insisted on returning to her original position, not merely accepting severance, to avoid admitting fault. The opposing lawyer, Fang Pu from Chengtai Law Firm, offered Zheng Yan 300,000 yuan, a recommendation letter, and a confidentiality agreement for her resignation.
If she refused, a demotion to "field promotion" was suggested. Xu Jie interjected, calling it "illogical" to assign "field promotion" to a pregnant woman and warned of potential sanctions from the human resources bureau. Fang Pu quickly countered by proposing a less demanding "administrative planning position" for pregnant women.
Chen Ran then pressed for Zheng Yan’s return to her original role after her breastfeeding period, to which Fang Pu retorted that jobs don't wait for pregnancies, just as judges wouldn't postpone trials for pregnant lawyers.
