"Qianqian, I’m late; you’ve suffered."
Not long after, a middle-aged man in a suit walked in outside the guardroom. Seeing the haggard Ouyang Qian, he felt immensely heartbroken and immediately embraced her.
He comforted her, "Don’t be afraid. It’s just a lawsuit, isn’t it? We’ll hire the best lawyer, and we’ll definitely win this for you!"
Ouyang Qian hugged Chu Quan back, her eyes red and filled with immense emotion. "At a critical moment like this, you’re still the best to me. I won’t argue with you anymore."
Chu Quan smiled and said softly, "Let’s go. We’ll meet the lawyer first, then we can head home."
Ouyang Qian, her face full of happiness, nodded gently, leaning on him like a little bird.
The two left the detention center and arrived at a rather well-known law firm in Zizhou.
"Qianqian, let me tell you," Chu Quan said while they waited, "this lawyer has an 80% win rate. He’s very professional and can definitely argue for your innocence!" This lawyer was also the most expensive one in Zizhou.
Hearing this introduction, Ouyang Qian’s anxious heart finally settled.
Soon, a lawyer in formal attire came out to learn the specifics of their case.
"Demolished a load-bearing wall?" After hearing Ouyang Qian’s description, the lawyer visibly shuddered. What a stimulating case... He had never encountered one like it before. "Did you take any remedial measures?"
Ouyang Qian paused, her face etched with grievance, and said, "I was about to have the construction team rebuild the load-bearing wall when the police took me away."
The lawyer’s lips twitched. He inquired further, "Has the building’s safety assessment been conducted?"
Ouyang Qian thought for a moment and replied honestly, "The police said one of the owners had it done. It seems to be Grade D."
Upon hearing this, the lawyer suddenly fell silent.
Seeing this, Chu Quan couldn’t help but frown. "Lawyer Feng, you’re the most expensive lawyer in Zizhou. Please speak your mind; don’t keep us in suspense. As long as you can win the lawsuit for us, money is no problem!"
Lawyer Feng raised his head. He looked deeply at Chu Quan and asked pointedly, "I know Mr. Chu is in business and owns a company. May I ask the market value of your company?"
Chu Quan was somewhat surprised and didn’t speak.
Instead, Ouyang Qian, standing tall, said proudly, "Its current market value is around four billion."
Four billion was quite a substantial enterprise in Zizhou. Chu Quan had always been her pride, as well as the basis for her willfulness.
Chu Quan took a deep breath and cut to the chase. "Let’s not waste time. Just tell us, can we win this case or not? If not, we’ll have to find another lawyer."
However, Lawyer Feng shook his head, looking at him sympathetically. "Based on my thirteen years of experience as a lawyer, changing lawyers won’t help with this case. You’d be better off changing your wife."
As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Quan frowned. Before he could utter a word, Ouyang Qian immediately retorted, displeased, "What do you mean by that?"
Lawyer Feng, unperturbed, calmly stated, "Demolishing the load-bearing wall compromised its structural integrity, rendering the building unsafe and all its residents homeless. This action incurs criminal, administrative, and civil liabilities."
"As for criminal liability, you will face prosecution by the public prosecutor for endangering public safety through dangerous methods. If this has caused severe consequences to public safety, the sentence will be more than ten years of fixed-term imprisonment, life imprisonment, or even the death penalty."
Upon hearing this, Chu Quan said impatiently, "That’s why I came to you."
But Lawyer Feng shook his head. He continued, "Regarding administrative liability, for renovation work involving alterations to the building’s main structure or load-bearing elements carried out without a design plan and proper authorization, an order for correction will be issued, along with a fine ranging from 500,000 to 1,000,000 yuan."
Chu Quan scoffed, "I can still afford 500,000."
"Don’t be too quick to dismiss that," Lawyer Feng said, then continued, "Then there’s civil compensation. According to your description, there are 360 households in this building, and the safety assessment rated it Grade D. This means all 360 homeowners will seek compensation."
"Calculated at 50,000 yuan per square meter, that amounts to roughly 1.97 billion. Add to that compensation for mental distress, lost income, nutritional expenses, and other related costs, and the total will be around 2 billion."
"These are all standard claims that the court will undoubtedly uphold."
"And since the entire building is cracked and uninhabitable, the prison sentence sought by the public prosecutor will definitely be more than ten years..."
As Chu Quan listened, the look of displeasure on his face instantly turned ugly. Even the hand holding Ouyang Qian’s involuntarily loosened.
Two billion! That was an astronomical sum! He had toiled for over a decade to achieve his current success and fortune!
"Honey, what’s wrong?" Ouyang Qian, having also listened to the lawyer’s explanation, quickly grasped Chu Quan’s arm. She began to explain anxiously, "I didn’t mean to, I really didn’t! I had no idea that demolishing a load-bearing wall would have such severe consequences. Don’t listen to this lawyer; he must be talking nonsense. We’ll find another lawyer. How could it possibly cost so much...?"
As she spoke, she tried to pull Chu Quan away.
But Chu Quan remained motionless; instead, he coldly pushed her away.
He looked back at the lawyer and asked, "Lawyer Feng, if I file for divorce now, is there still time?"