Lady of Law Episode 35 Recap
> Lady of Law Recap
The heated argument between Bai Ning and Xu Jie during the senior partner election was abruptly halted by Li Gongming, who announced that the final decision regarding the senior partner position would be made solely by him and Director Tang, dismissing everyone from the meeting. Outside, Xu Jie told Chen Ran that she believed Director Li had been trying to protect Chen Ran during the election.
However, Chen Ran herself acknowledged that Attorney Jiang was also an excellent candidate and stressed the importance of seizing opportunities, especially with the tie vote. Li Gongming later discussed a merger proposal with Qingmu Law Firm with Tang Ying, but she vehemently opposed it. Tang Ying expressed her strong disapproval, stating that ever since Chen Wenguang left, Mingtang had become Li Gongming's personal fiefdom, where her opinions were completely disregarded.
She recounted how he was absent when Chengtai poached their clients, only to return and take all the credit after she had resolved the issues. Meanwhile, Huang Yaoqing from Chengtai, recognizing Tang Ying's deep dissatisfaction, met with her and offered a tempting alternative. He acknowledged her feelings of being ignored and suggested that with Chen Wenguang gone, Li Gongming now had absolute control over Mingtang.
Huang Yaoqing promised her better conditions, transparent partnership agreements, and the respect and control she desired, all secured in a clear written contract if she were to join Chengtai. A despondent Bai Ning sat eating alone in a restaurant, openly weeping in frustration over the election results. Xiao He, accompanying her, offered comfort, reassuring her that many in the firm, not just himself, privately supported her, believing her capabilities were truly impressive.
Bai Ning felt all her efforts had been in vain, like merely "running alongside them for nothing." Xiao He countered that every effort was a form of self-improvement and accumulation. When Bai Ning asked who he had voted for, he unequivocally said, "You." He openly confessed his feelings for her, expressing his desire for the woman he loved to achieve her dreams, calling her the most beautiful, adorable, kind-hearted, and amazing woman he had ever met.
His genuine affection eventually helped Bai Ning calm down. Chen Ran used a room key to track down Damao. Damao confessed that she had once harbored feelings for Jian Peiran during their time in the Northeast. However, she quickly clarified that she was now happily in a relationship with a bar owner in Jinghai, and her partner later appeared, confirming her words.
Damao advised Chen Ran to genuinely care for Jian Peiran and to learn to show vulnerability, suggesting that Jian Peiran lacked a sense of worth in their marriage. Later, Chen Ran indirectly sought advice from Attorney Jiang about divorce and child custody, posing it as a question for a friend. Attorney Jiang explained that divorce cases, especially those involving child custody, were complex and often ended up in court.
She stressed the importance of preparing various forms of evidence, including documentary, physical, audio-visual materials, and witness testimonies, and urged the friend to gather favorable evidence promptly as there's an 80% chance it would go to court. Jian Peiran sent Chen Ran a message saying he was working overtime, but Chen Ran knew he had lost his job. He also received a message from Damao, informing him that Chen Ran had visited her.
When Jian Peiran finally returned home, Chen Ran decided it was time for an honest conversation. Jian Peiran admitted to losing his job in the Northeast and apologized for not telling her earlier, explaining he didn't want to worry her or Yangyang, or appear pathetic. Regarding Damao, he maintained that he merely helped her secure a hotel room when she arrived in Jinghai, as she was a former subordinate with no connections.
He assured Chen Ran their relationship was strictly professional and that Damao already had a boyfriend, even offering his phone for her to check their messages. The truth began to unravel when Yangyang's lost smartwatch was tracked to the Jinghai Grand Hotel. Chen Ran dropped Yangyang off with Chen Ke after her daughter refused to go to her grandmother's house.
Yangyang confided in Chen Ke that she felt both her parents were too busy and that her dad seemed to be "having issues." At the hotel, Chen Ran cleverly obtained Jian Peiran's room number by pretending to order fruit delivery for him. Standing outside the room, she then overheard Jian Peiran referring to a woman inside as "Xiaohui." Reflecting on recent events, Chen Ran decided she could no longer avoid confronting Jian Peiran. She rang the doorbell and waited.
Jian Peiran, seeing Chen Ran through the peephole, hesitated for a long time. He and the woman, Cao Hui, changed out of their sleepwear. Believing Chen Ran had left, he finally opened the door only to find her sitting patiently outside. They finally had a face-to-face confrontation. Jian Peiran admitted his wrongdoing, tried to reassure Chen Ran that Cao Hui had no intention of breaking up their family, and claimed he never wanted to leave them.
Chen Ran was disgusted, telling him that hearing Yangyang's name from his mouth made her sick. Jian Peiran expressed a desire to find a solution that would minimize harm to all parties involved. Song Xiu called his mother to confirm that he had transferred the money to her. Shortly after, he found Xiaoyu waiting downstairs at their office building.
Xiaoyu confessed she was scared and wanted to withdraw the lawsuit, believing that if she had dropped the case earlier, none of this "struggle" would have happened. Song Xiu reassured her, asserting that she had done nothing wrong and should not give up, promising that Xu Jie would help her win and clear her name. But Xiaoyu remained afraid. Meanwhile, Xu Jie was distracted at work, unable to reach Xiaoyu.
After calling Sun Zhewei, who denied any involvement in Xiaoyu's disappearance and taunted Xu Jie, she went to Song Xiu's place after work, where she was surprised to find Xiaoyu. Xu Jie was frustrated by Xiaoyu's sudden and unannounced departure from the hospital, pointing out that as her lawyer, her time and energy were limited. Song Xiu explained that Xiaoyu was too scared to go anywhere else and he had agreed to let her stay.
Due to a severe emotional dependency, Xiaoyu now trusted only Song Xiu and insisted on staying at his home. Despite her initial irritation, Xu Jie understood Xiaoyu's distress. Song Xiu assured Xu Jie that they would convince Xiaoyu to continue the lawsuit. Later that night, Xiaoyu, after receiving comfort from both Song Xiu and Xu Jie, had a change of heart.
She told Song Xiu that she had reconsidered and agreed that they "must file the lawsuit," realizing that otherwise, she would "carry this stigma for life." She apologized for her emotional outburst and expressed her decision to trust them to help her get justice.
