As for the matter of renting land, Du Heng decided to set it aside temporarily. He was well aware of the efficiency of the departnt next door. Based on his previous experiences, a decision wouldn’t be made in less than a week.
Just as he returned to his office, Wei Wen and Wang Lili, who were on a training break, rushed into Du Heng’s office and asked with keen curiosity, "Dean, is it true that Zhenzhen is carrying twins?"
"Didn’t you all know from this morning’s check-up? Why are you asking again?" Du Heng casually answered their questions.
Suddenly, Wang Lili whispered, "I heard that it’s your doing that Zhenzhen is carrying twins?"
Startled by this, Du Heng quickly countered, "Whoa, you can’t just say things like that. Their pregnancy is their own business, and it has nothing to do with ."
Wang Lili gently stomped her foot. "Oh, I misspoke. I ant... I heard Zhenzhen beca pregnant with twins because you gave her so dicine?"
Du Heng stared sharply at Wang Lili, then turned his gaze to Wei Wen, asking, his voice tight, "Why are you asking this?"
"I’m asking on soone else’s behalf. Does this kind of dicine truly exist?"
"Yes."
"Then give so."
Looking at Wang Lili, Du Heng asked, "Is it for your own use?"
Wang Lili shook her head. "Not for , it’s for..."
Before she could finish, Du Heng cut her off. "No." His answer was clear and firm.
Wang Lili was dumbfounded, staring incredulously at Du Heng. "Why not? If you could give it to Zhenzhen, why not ?"
"I prepared this dicine myself. It’s fine for people I know to use, but not for outsiders."
"Don’t worry, I’m giving it to my sister-in-law..."
"Enough, don’t say anymore," Du Heng interrupted. "She is your sister-in-law, not mine. Besides, she doesn’t even know who I am. If sothing goes wrong, I’ll be the one to bear the consequences, and it could affect our relationship. So, let’s not bring this up again."
Du Heng firmly rejected such requests; it was for his own good and for the good of others. People cannot see into each other’s hearts. One can’t even rely on their own friends and family, let alone a friend of a friend. It would be foolish to count on that.
Upon being rejected, Wang Lili huffed, turned, and walked out.
Du Heng paid her no heed, instead turning his attention to Wei Wen. "Sister Wen, what can I do for you?"
Wei Wen seed a little embarrassed and stuttered, "I... I want to use it myself."
At these words, Du Heng’s eyebrows twitched. A surge of anger flared within him. Why had he recruited Wei Wen? It was so she could eventually get the authorized job. What was she trying to do now? Barely two weeks into her new job, and she was planning to have a baby?
"Sister Wen, are you saying you plan to have a baby now?"
"That’s the plan."
Du Heng took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on Wei Wen. "Sister Wen, you should know why I brought you here. Besides, you already have two children. Why are you planning to have another one?"
Wei Wen also noticed the displeasure in Du Heng’s tone. She said quietly, "Well, isn’t the country encouraging a third child? Also, his family has always wanted a boy, so we had this idea."
Du Heng was trembling with suppressed anger. He took a mont to compose himself before asking, "Sister Wen, do you feel your authorized job is secure? Or do you simply not care about this position at all?"
Wei Wen was struck speechless by Du Heng’s questions.
Seeing Wei Wen silent, Du Heng didn’t want to press further. Everyone is an adult, with their own thoughts and ways of living. One can’t impose their ideas on others.
"Sister Wen, please think it over carefully."
Wei Wen hesitantly nodded, then stood up and left.
Watching Wei Wen’s retreating figure, Du Heng clenched his hands tightly on the desk, his gaze following her until she was gone. After a long mont, Du Heng picked up the phone and dialed a number, soon finding himself in conversation with Wei Kaida.
This matter had already left Du Heng quite unhappy. But then another piece of news arrived, souring his mood further and making him even more irritable.
Looking at the docunt Wang Zhenzhen had brought in, Du Heng felt a surge of anger.
A court subpoena!
Wu Buwei, who had also rushed over after hearing the news, was fuming.
"How could that person do this? Have they no conscience?"
Du Heng scoffed. "Would soone with a conscience do such a thing?"
Wang Zhenzhen was also angry, but compared to Du Heng and Wu Buwei, she remained relatively calm. "What should we do now?"
One problem after another; Du Heng’s anger flared hotter. However, he knew that losing his temper now wouldn’t help. So, he took several deep breaths to suppress his rage.
After a mont, Du Heng said calmly, "We’ll respond to the suit."
Wu Buwei was taken aback. "Senior..."
Du Heng waved his hand. "You don’t need to worry about anything. I’ll hire the best lawyer for this case."
"But... but she said she’s allergic to rhizoma ligustici, and we still used it. This is recorded in the prescription. We’re sure to lose." Wu Buwei voiced his concerns, "Senior, why don’t we talk to her? We could try for an out-of-court settlent, compensate her more, and ask her to withdraw the lawsuit. If this goes to court, it will be very detrintal to you. You’re still in the probationary period for Deputy Director, and the developnt of the Health Clinic relies on you. You can’t afford any trouble."
After speaking, he quickly added, "Senior, don’t worry about the money. I’ll ask my father to help out."
Du Heng smiled; hearing those words was comforting.
"She said she’s allergic to rhizoma ligustici, and we’re just supposed to take her word for it? Did she ever tell you? She certainly never told ."
Du Heng’s words struck Wu Buwei like a bolt of lightning, clearing the fog in his mind. Indeed, had she ever ntioned it? No, she hadn’t! Was there a witness? No. Since she never said anything, why couldn’t we use it? She was unrighteous first, so she can’t bla us for being uncharitable in return!
"Now that you ntion it, Senior, I don’t recall her ntioning any allergy either," Wu Buwei agreed.
Du Heng looked at him with satisfaction. This kid is teachable.
Wang Zhenzhen, seeing the direction they were heading, couldn’t help but roll her eyes. "Weren’t there other people present that day?"
Du Heng replied with a faint smile, "No, it was just the three of us."
"What if she recorded the conversation on her phone?" she questioned.
"Impossible. She ca seeking treatnt that day. There’s no way she would have known beforehand that I would use rhizoma ligustici." Pausing for a mont, Du Heng added, "Even if she did have a recording, I distinctly rember asking her and getting her consent before using it. Most importantly, her claim of being allergic to rhizoma ligustici was just that—a claim. She never provided any proof."
Disgusted by such unscrupulous behavior, Wang Zhenzhen didn’t want to argue the point. Instead, she offered, "I’ll ask Gong to help you find a good lawyer."
Du Heng shook his head. "No, I have a better candidate in mind."
"Who?"
"Bao Mi."
A flicker of surprise crossed Wang Zhenzhen’s eyes, followed by the image of a gentle, frail-looking girl pushing a wheelchair appearing in her mind. "Her... can she do it?"
"It’s not a question of ’can she’." Du Heng’s gaze was intense. "The Justice Departnt of the Provincial Governnt. You tell if she’s capable."
"The Justice Departnt? But they can’t control the courts, can they?" Wang Zhenzhen asked.
"They can’t control the courts directly, but they oversee the lawyers." Du Heng glanced at Wu Buwei and Wang Zhenzhen. "Don’t you think Bao Mi can find us the best lawyer in Jinzhou?"
Surprise flickered in Wu Buwei’s and Wang Zhenzhen’s eyes; they hadn’t thought of this connection.
However, Wang Zhenzhen voiced another concern, "Hiring such a famous lawyer, wouldn’t the fees be very expensive?"
"Expensive? As long as we win the case, we won’t have to pay a cent." Du Heng’s eyes turned cold. "Moreover, I intend to countersue her for extortion. Why else would I seek out the best lawyer? 120,000 yuan is not a small sum."
Furthermore, Du Heng also thought of Wu Shengnan. I helped her just a couple of days ago. It shouldn’t be too difficult to ask her to return the favor, right?
This was the second ti he had encountered such blatant ingratitude. This ti, I must vent this frustration and make anyone who dares to sue in the future think twice before they act!
"Alright, you two can go about your business now," Du Heng said, dismissing them.
Seeing that Du Heng had a plan, Wang Zhenzhen didn’t linger and excused herself. Once outside, she imdiately called Gong Daoyang to update him.
Wu Buwei did much the sa. Although he was also a defendant, he chose to trust Du Heng unconditionally. "Senior, I’ll leave then. Call if you need anything."
"Mm, don’t worry. Go on with your work."
After work, Du Heng gathered his things and drove directly into the city.
In a private room of a restaurant in the city center, Du Heng, Bao Mi, Bao Mi’s suitor, and an elegant middle-aged woman were seated around a table. Du Heng and Bao Mi conversed quietly, while Bao Mi’s suitor sat beside her, smiling. The woman, anwhile, was engrossed in reading the contents of the summons.
After a mont, the woman removed her rimless glasses. "Mr. Du, what is your objective in this lawsuit?"
"To win, and then to countersue her for extortion. Is that feasible?"
"Are you certain she has no evidence?"
"What kind of evidence? If you an evidence of my using rhizoma ligustici, then yes, she has the prescription I wrote."
The elegant woman shook her head. "That’s not what I an. Does she have evidence that she inford you of her allergy? For instance, a recording, or any written material?"
"There’s no written material. She didn’t present any proof, and we didn’t sign any agreent." Du Heng leaned back slightly. "As for a recording, I don’t know. But considering the situation at the ti, I doubt she has one."
"Was there any verbal agreent? Were there any other witnesses?"
"She did ntion she was allergic to rhizoma ligustici, but she didn’t offer any proof. I specifically asked her about it and only used it after she gave her confirmation. There were no other witnesses. The only people present were the two of us defendants, and herself, the plaintiff."
The elegant woman gently placed the summons on the table and asked calmly, "How will you prove she gave her consent?"
Du Heng’s brow furrowed slightly. This was his first ti dealing with a lawyer. Being questioned so sharply by his own legal counsel made him a little uncomfortable.
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