Lady of Law Episode 7 Recap
> Lady of Law Recap
Jian Peiran received a call from his junior sister, Cao Hui, who had accidentally hit a flower bed with her car on Zhangyu Street and was at the repair shop. He immediately rushed over, first checking if she was hurt. To express her gratitude, Cao Hui invited him to dinner. They went to an old restaurant they used to frequent during their college days, where Jian Peiran mentioned that his company organizes exhibition events, including for real estate openings.
While they were eating, Chen Ran called to share the happy news that their daughter, Yangyang, had her first period, officially becoming a young woman, and she wanted to celebrate together. However, Jian Peiran made an excuse about being at a gathering and said he would be home late. Meanwhile, Xu Jie was handling a seemingly "trivial" fake bag case assigned by Director Tang. Liu Fang expressed her frustration, explaining the difficulty in proving a bag is counterfeit.
She highlighted that appraisal certificates from domestic third-party authenticators were not legally recognized, and brands' domestic agents refused to authenticate high-quality replicas to avoid acknowledging their existence. Liu Fang then ingeniously suggested a solution: just like a broken watch, the bag could be sent to an authorized store for repair. Xu Jie found the idea brilliant and enlisted Song Xiu to help.
Song Xiu, known for his mediation skills, clarified that while consumer rights law typically provided triple compensation, a merchant's "pay ten for one fake" promise was a legally binding unilateral commitment. However, he cautioned that an individual purchasing agent's ability to pay might be limited. At Chengtai law firm, Director Huang, unable to find his usual assistant, asked Chen Ke to scan some documents for archiving.
As Chen Ke worked, he noticed that the materials were related to the Lianchuang Group. Following Liu Fang's plan, Xu Jie and Song Xiu visited a luxury store with the disputed bag. After a thorough inspection, the sales associate stated the bag was "not authentic" and therefore could not be repaired, a statement that Song Xiu secretly recorded on his phone.
Back at home, Yangyang celebrated her coming of age with a feast of fries and fried chicken and asked why her father wasn't there. She then bluntly told her mother that she lacked a "sense of crisis" regarding her appearance, noting that women "age more noticeably," especially at Chen Ran's age.
Yangyang suggested her mother take better care of herself, even mentioning cosmetic procedures, and warned that if Chen Ran didn't, Jian Peiran might prioritize his career move to the Northeast, potentially "falling for the landscape" instead of "loving his beauty." Taking her daughter's words to heart, Chen Ran later sprayed on perfume and attempted to be intimate with Jian Peiran, who was engrossed in his work.
He failed to notice her overtures, only the strong scent, advising her to use less perfume as it might keep her awake. Feeling disheartened, Chen Ran quietly left the room after he had fallen asleep. Liu Fang's investigation into the seller "Inoue Kumagao" revealed his real name was Lu Jingran, an Australian university student who had recently returned to China.
However, he had no assets registered under his name, leading Song Xiu to remark that unless he was a "super well-hidden rich second generation," their efforts for high compensation would be for nothing. During their meeting, Lu Jingran admitted to being a student and having created a rich persona to boost sales. He claimed all his earnings were held by his mother.
Xu Jie and Song Xiu presented the recorded evidence and warned him that a lawsuit could lead to travel restrictions, demanding the tenfold compensation he had promised. Lu Jingran requested time to discuss the matter with his parents. After the meeting, Xu Jie deduced that Lu Jingran was not wealthy but merely maintaining an illusion, and Song Xiu praised her sharp insight.
The next morning, Song Xiu arrived to pick up Xu Jie for work, playfully exchanging titles of "Butler Song" and "Lawyer Xu." He presented her with "daily nuts" he had prepared, expressing his happiness working alongside someone he admired. He shared his ambition to "catch up to you bit by bit, then slowly surpass you, and elevate my status at home," to which Xu Jie wished him success.
Xu Jie and Song Xiu went to Lu Jingran's address, which turned out to be a modest home where he lived with his elderly grandparents, who relied on collecting plastic bottles to make ends meet. It became evident that Lu Jingran could not afford the demanded 280,000 RMB. Xu Jie decided they needed to propose an alternative settlement to their client, Zhao Sen.
During a subsequent meeting, Xu Jie explained that their investigation indicated Lu Jingran genuinely lacked the ability to pay. They offered a revised proposal: a refund of the original 28,000 RMB, plus an additional 10,000 RMB, paid in installments. Zhao Sen was furious, feeling deceived by his lawyers for not advocating for him effectively, and stormed out. After work, Zhao Sen's girlfriend approached Xu Jie and Song Xiu to apologize for his outburst.
She clarified that Zhao Sen had misunderstood her desires, believing she envied her friends' branded items, which led him to spend a large sum on the fake bag. She stated that she never cared for luxury goods; her real point was for him to pay more attention to her actual preferences. Song Xiu interjected that direct requests would be simpler for men, but she countered that a gift given upon request lacks the thoughtfulness of one freely given.
Observing that Song Xiu understood Zhao Sen's mindset, Xu Jie suggested he be the one to talk to him. Later, a deeply troubled Chen Ran met Xu Jie at a bar. Chen Ran confessed that her daughter’s recent comments had made her acutely self-conscious about her age. She expressed her fear that Jian Peiran's impending transfer to the Northeast was because he was tired of the "troubles at home."
While she worried about the impact on their marriage, she also recognized the career opportunity for him and didn't want to be an obstacle. She asked Xu Jie for advice on whether to face a cruel truth or escape it. Xu Jie, using a coin toss as a prop, remarked that Chen Ran likely already knew the answer in her heart.
She advised Chen Ran to "go with the flow," suggesting that perhaps after Jian Peiran leaves, he would realize how much he couldn't bear to be without her. A tipsy Chen Ran returned home to find Jian Peiran waiting. He helped her take off her shoes and presented her with an exquisite brooch he had bought, believing she would like it. Chen Ran loved the gift, noting it had been a long time since he last gave her one.
Jian Peiran told her he understood she was under immense stress and had intentionally avoided discussing her father's situation to spare her further pain. Emboldened by alcohol, Chen Ran confided her deep fear that his move was because he was tired of the "troubles at home" or that he "disliked her" for having "gotten old." Jian Peiran pulled her into a hug, reassuring her that his transfer was solely for work. He playfully pointed out his own gray hairs, reminding her that everyone ages, and affectionately declared that in his heart, she would always be his "little princess."
