You Have the Right to Keep a Secret Love

Chapter 15: So, this is how Gu Yan's face-to-face confession goes...

Qixi quickly settled the payment for her freelance legal translation work and, after clearing her debt to Gu Yan, swiftly paid the remaining amount for the rock concert tickets. She efficiently obtained the physical tickets.

Equally efficient was Gu Xuehan. The next afternoon, she managed to free up some time and arranged a meeting with Cheng Junliang at the J&H Law Firm.

"Now that Gu Yan and Qixi have decided to take on your case, you are a client of J&H Law Firm. As the supervising lawyer for Gu Yan and Qixi, I also want to meet you and have a conversation," Gu Xuehan explained.

Cheng Junliang couldn't believe that he had managed to garner the attention of a partner at J&H Law Firm. His face displayed a mix of fear and self-consciousness.

Gu Xuehan, with her beauty and presence, made Cheng Junliang almost unable to meet her gaze. His face turned red, and he even stuttered a little as he spoke, "Atto-Atto-Attorney Gu, hello."

"Gu Yan has already discussed his proposed plan with you, right?" Gu Xuehan asked.

"Y-Yes..."

Gu Xuehan smiled lightly. "That plan needs to be overturned. You need to admit to the parties involved that you lost the original loan agreement."

Cheng Junliang was taken aback. "Admitting it will lead to a better outcome?"

"No," Gu Xuehan pursed her lips. "Admitting that you lost the original document means taking responsibility for it."

Cheng Junliang was a bit confused. "Then..."

"As a lawyer, especially as a newcomer like you, you may still have room for improvement in your legal skills and problem-solving abilities. But the first and foremost thing you must learn is to take responsibility. It is the most basic professional ethics for a lawyer."

Gu Xuehan's expression turned serious and earnest. "Losing a document is not terrifying; what's terrifying is refusing to take responsibility. Indeed, you can try to evade responsibility by exploiting legal loopholes, but that may be acceptable for ordinary people. As lawyers, it is not something we should do."

Gu Xuehan looked at Cheng Junliang and said, "This is just the beginning of your practice. If you can't bear the burden of your own mistakes, how can you handle the various disputes and problems of your clients? How can you handle the pressure and responsibility of each case? And how can you gain the trust of your clients?"

These words not only made Cheng Junliang's face turn red, but also left Qixi feeling deeply ashamed. After all, it was her idea to try to be clever, but now, with Gu Xuehan's words, she realized how inappropriate it was.

Cheng Junliang struggled to find the words but managed to say, "Mainly... Mainly, I really have no other choice. I initially wanted to admit my mistake and try to remedy the situation with my client. However, she didn't cooperate and was determined to extort money from me. If I admit to losing the loan agreement, she will definitely demand the full amount of 120,000. That's a sum I can't afford..."

"Admitting your mistake doesn't mean you have to take responsibility for things beyond your mistake," Gu Xuehan interjected, glancing at Qixi and Gu Yan. "As lawyers, we have professional liability insurance. If negligence or mistakes cause economic losses to clients, we are legally obligated to compensate them, and this can be covered by the insurance company. J&H Law Firm provides this insurance for all its employed lawyers or interns, and your law firm should do the same under normal circumstances."

The mention of professional liability insurance brightened Cheng Junliang's eyes, but soon they dimmed again. He stammered, "But I work at a small firm, not a very formal one. They might not have purchased it for me..."