Lady of Law Episode 36 Recap
> Lady of Law Recap
Jian Peiran attempted to calmly discuss the situation with Chen Ran, suggesting that they minimize the damage. He claimed he never expected to reach such a point with Cao Hui. However, Chen Ran perceived his calm demeanor as an attempt to maintain a facade of peace for their parents and daughter, Yangyang, as if nothing had happened. She asserted that the harm he had caused was already immense and irreparable.
Jian Peiran argued that their separation wasn't solely their decision, as it involved both sets of parents and their child, insisting that their family should not fall apart. With tears in her eyes, Chen Ran firmly countered that her decision to move out with Yangyang and divorce him was the only thing she could decide for herself, stating that their home ceased to exist the moment he took this step.
After this confrontation, Chen Ran sought out Attorney Jiang Qiong to represent her in the divorce proceedings. Jiang Qiong understood the pain an unhealthy marriage inflicts on children and emphasized that Chen Ran needed to articulate her primary demands. Chen Ran’s main request was to secure full custody of Yangyang, hoping to minimize the emotional impact on her daughter.
Jiang Qiong advised her that while divorce would inevitably cause some harm to Yangyang, Chen Ran's love for her child was paramount. She stressed the importance of providing strong evidence of Jian Peiran's marital misconduct or financial issues to support the custody claim. Jiang Qiong also recommended that Chen Ran temporarily send Yangyang to her mother or another relative, as Jian Peiran’s family might react unpredictably. Chen Ran acknowledged this advice.
Back at her office, Chen Ran briefly told Chen Ke that she might not have much energy to care for Yangyang in the coming period, and Chen Ke assured her he was always available. Meanwhile, Liu Fang excitedly shared office gossip, initially thinking Bai Ning had been poached by Chengtai, but soon corrected herself to reveal that Director Tang Ying was the one who had left Mingtang to join Chengtai.
Xu Jie prepared for Zhen Xiaoyu's court case, but Xiaoyu was uneasy and worried that Song Xiu wasn't present. To bolster Xiaoyu's confidence, Xu Jie didn't reveal that Song Xiu would be there, simply telling her to trust in their ability to win. In court, Xu Jie and Sun Zhewei engaged in a fierce debate over whether Shihao Hotel had infringed upon Xiaoyu's privacy.
Sun Zhewei argued that the settlement agreement was merely personal information, not privacy, and that the hotel’s disclosure was for commercial reasons, having no causal link to the earlier video leak by a third party. Xu Jie countered, defining privacy as personal peace and information one wishes to keep private, arguing that previous leaks made Xiaoyu even more vulnerable. She emphasized that deliberately publishing the settlement agreement, leading to renewed cyberbullying, constituted an infringement under tort law.
Xu Jie stated that even if it were merely personal information, the hotel's disclosure was not lawful, proper, or necessary, and thus they should bear responsibility. During her final statement, Xu Jie paused before revealing a set of intimate photos, announcing that she, Xu Jie, was the woman in the partially pixelated images.
She explained that these photos were taken by a former boyfriend in a hotel and later leaked online for "unspeakable reasons," making her a victim of privacy infringement. Sun Zhewei objected, claiming the evidence was irrelevant, but Xu Jie insisted her statement was pertinent to many people connected to the case. She then cited statistics, highlighting that online privacy violations against women were shockingly common, yet a high percentage of cases were withdrawn.
Xu Jie attributed this to societal victim-blaming and the fear of further public shaming, stating that women are often subjected to comments like "With that body, why fear exposure?" , "Dressed like that, she deserved it," or "She must be a slut." She passionately argued that the real tragedy lies in having one's privacy exploited by someone they once loved and trusted.
Xu Jie connected this to Xiaoyu’s case, asserting that Shihao Hotel’s deliberate exposure of the settlement agreement, which led to Xiaoyu's second wave of online abuse and suicidal thoughts, was even more damaging than direct online vitriol. She called for stronger hotel management to prevent similar incidents and expressed hope that such violations would cease for all women, including herself. The court was then adjourned, awaiting a judgment.
After the trial, Xu Jie had drinks with Song Xiu and reflected on her emotional closing statement, asking if he pitied her. Song Xiu denied pitying her, instead expressing his affection and telling her she was not a "pitiful character casually discarded." Later, Song Xiu relayed that Xiaoyu was now home and ready to start a new life, having asked him to thank Xu Jie for her "impressive performance" in court.
He also encouraged Xu Jie to visit Li Gongming when she had time. Back at Mingtang, Li Gongming called a meeting to address Tang Ying's departure and the significant client losses she caused, emphasizing the firm's grave situation and urging everyone to try and win back the clients. Bai Ning, whose clients were severely impacted, defiantly stated she wouldn't "beg" from the second group. Li Gongming encouraged unity to overcome the crisis.
At Chengtai, Sun Zhewei was furious to find his office being moved to accommodate Tang Ying. He confronted Huang Yaoqing, who explained that Tang Ying, a senior partner with a large client base, was a "priceless treasure" recruited at a high cost, and Sun Zhewei's old office was the only suitable one.
Huang Yaoqing, focused solely on results, not process, also pressured Sun Zhewei to deliver a "fatal blow" to Mingtang in the Lianchuang case, stressing that there was no room for failure after his previous disappointing attempts. Song Xiu, having joined Chengtai, learned about Tang Ying's move and Huang Yaoqing's plans to "take over Mingtang," but preferred that Mingtang and Chengtai remain separate. Meanwhile, Bai Ning struggled to retain her clients, making calls that proved futile.
She became furious, realizing Tang Ying's past "support" was merely a manipulative tactic to control her. Bai Ning angrily decided to confront Tang Ying at Chengtai. However, on her way, she received a phone call from Wen Ya's aunt, informing her that Wen Ya had committed suicide. Overwhelmed by this tragic news compounding her professional woes, Bai Ning broke down in tears. Concurrently, Chen Ke showed Xu Jie an online report.
The article, an interview with Sun Cailu, cunningly shifted the blame for Lianchuang's misconduct entirely onto Mingtang, plunging the firm into another public relations crisis. Xu Jie immediately reported this to Li Gongming, who was about to leave for a consultation with a Beijing expert. Li Gongming recognized this unethical tactic as Sun Zhewei’s doing, designed to deflect blame from Lianchuang and undermine Mingtang in public opinion.
Xu Jie offered to go to Qing'an to meet Sun Cailu directly to understand the situation. Li Gongming also lamented Tang Ying's departure and speculated that it might have been due to their long-standing differences or his failure to consider her feelings, though Xu Jie assured him his focus on what he believed was right for the firm was most important.
Later, Chen Ran tried to contact Jiang Qiong, who wasn't at the law firm, so Chen Ran decided to visit her at home to discuss some divorce materials. Upon arriving, Chen Ran heard shouts and quickly climbed through a window, discovering Jiang Qiong being subjected to domestic violence by her husband, Feng Dezhao.
Chen Ran immediately intervened, threatening to call the police, take photos, and get a medical examination, reminding Feng Dezhao, a company CEO, of the legal repercussions and the damage to his reputation. Jiang Qiong, despite being a skilled divorce lawyer who always advised others to leave abusive marriages, had endured years of abuse herself. Her husband first struck her after their child's full moon because she returned to work, then apologized and promised never to repeat it.
However, the abuse resumed years later, escalating to the point where he hit and cursed her every other day without reason. Jiang Qiong, hiding her bruises with a cold yogurt pack so her child wouldn't notice, finally broke down crying in Chen Ran's arms, admitting she too feared divorce despite helping countless others navigate it.
