Lady of Law Episode 19 Recap
> Lady of Law Recap
Xu Jie gazed at Song Xiu’s neatly arranged stack of documents and client thank-you letters on his desk, feeling a pang of longing for him. At the office, Chen Ran thanked Xu Jie for helping with her mother-in-law's case; the successful retrieval of money from a problematic café membership had greatly improved their relationship. Chen Ran also expressed concern about Song Xiu's recent suspension, hoping it would be a minor disciplinary action.
Meanwhile, Song Xiu met with Wang Tao, who relayed that his attempts to persuade Zhang Chuang, the lawyer Song Xiu accidentally pushed, to drop the lawsuit had failed. Feeling distressed, Song Xiu drank heavily and headed towards Xu Jie’s apartment. He arrived to find Dr. Ye, who had moved into an adjacent apartment specifically to pursue Xu Jie. Song Xiu, in a fit of jealousy, smashed a bottle of wine Dr. Ye intended to give Xu Jie.
Xu Jie, angered by the scene, told Dr. Ye to leave. Song Xiu then confronted Xu Jie, arguing that while he respected her wish to keep their relationship private, it shouldn't be an invitation for others to intrude. Xu Jie retorted that she had done nothing wrong and found Song Xiu unreasonable. Song Xiu then voiced his frustrations, lamenting how he had worked so hard to get promoted, only to face suspension.
He questioned if he was still worthy of being her boyfriend. Xu Jie responded by kissing him, calming his anxieties. The following morning, a sobered Song Xiu came to apologize, presenting her with a "personalized legal code"—a blank law book where she could write her own rules for him. Xu Jie offered to intercede with Director Li regarding his suspension, but Song Xiu, prioritizing his pride, politely declined.
Later, Wang Tao suggested Song Xiu join Chengtai Law Firm, implying Director Huang could then arrange for Zhang Chuang to withdraw his complaint. Song Xiu firmly rejected the idea, considering it a betrayal of his mentors. Xiao He started his day by finding Bai Ning already at work. When Miao Miao reminded Xiao He about invoices, Bai Ning interrupted, reassigning the task to Miao Miao and stating that Xiao He would be working with her on a new case.
The case involved Huilai Renewable Resources Co., Ltd., a major waste plastic recycling company, whose owner, Zhou Guxi, needed their help. Zhou Guxi met them on the company's top floor, collecting their phones to prevent leaks. He revealed that Hels, Yikou, and Huilai were the three giants in plastic recycling, and the other two companies were proposing to lower recycling prices to control costs. Concerned this constituted a horizontal monopoly, a legal gray area, he sought Mingtang’s solution.
After reporting to Director Tang, Bai Ning suggested that Zhou Guxi feign agreement and then report their actions to the authorities once concrete steps were taken. Director Tang approved this strategy. Later, Miao Miao and Liu Fang gossiped about Bai Ning taking an assistant on a client visit, something she rarely did.
Bai Ning and Xiao He visited Huilai's factory, where Director Cao revealed that the company's primary profits came not from recycling but from stockpiling low-cost recyclables and reselling them when market prices increased, similar to futures trading. As they left, Bai Ning’s high heel got stuck, and Xiao He pulled her shoe free, accidentally breaking the heel.
Taking a break, Xiao He encouraged Bai Ning to not be so anxious, reminding her that she already had a direction for a solution. Noticing an old piano, Xiao He played a cheerful tune, prompting a rare smile from Bai Ning. That evening, Xiao He brought dinner and a pair of slippers for Bai Ning, who was working late. Despite initially calling them ugly, Bai Ning put them on.
She proposed a share swap as a solution to persuade the other two companies and revealed her ambition to become a senior partner. Xiao He wholeheartedly supported her and pledged his full assistance. Meanwhile, Xu Jie continued investigating Li Yi’s connection to Chen Wenguang’s case.
She discovered that Li Yi, the true controller, used Maker Law Firm to operate three shell companies in the Cayman Islands—Hao Men Holdings Limited, Top Timber Holdings, and YAF Trading Company—which had transferred 20 million RMB. However, the associated bank accounts were untraceable. Chen Ran recounted how Chen Ke had mentioned Mrs. Luo’s conversation with Director Huang, where Mrs. Luo claimed to have new evidence proving Chen Wenguang's bribery.
Following Xu Jie's advice to leverage her family connection, Chen Ke met with Tian Mao. He suggested Li Yi was likely Mrs. Luo’s scapegoat and that they should consider a plea bargain for his father to reduce the sentence if necessary. Chen Ran and Xu Jie then met with Tian Mao, who shared that he had spoken with Chen Ke. They all agreed to collaborate, with Xu Jie investigating the companies and Tian Mao engaging with local banks.
At Chengtai Law Firm, Director Huang met with Attorney Sun Zhewei, whom he invited to help with the acquisition of Mingtang Law Firm using a "scorched-earth strategy." Confident in his ability to poach Mingtang’s high-value clients, Sun Zhewei demanded a 10% equity stake in Chengtai in addition to becoming a partner. While Director Huang was impressed, Chen Ke, who was introduced to Sun Zhewei, sensed an ominous presence.
