Chapter 198 - 121: A Morally Shocking Rebuttal

"Your Honor!"

"Regarding Article 1043, the defense objects!"

"From a logical, cause-and-effect standpoint, my client was not the one who initiated the violation of this law. In fact, the fault lies entirely with the plaintiff!"

As she spoke, Sun Li stared directly at Wang Yu, a torrent of accusations pouring from her mouth.

"According to Article 1043 of the Civil Code."

"It states that in addition to being faithful to each other..."

"...a married couple must also show mutual love and care!"

"However, during their marriage, Wang Yu clearly failed to do so. He subjected my client to emotional neglect for years!"

"This behavior caused my client to become severely depressed and feel an immense void within her. It was under the weight of these multiple factors that she chose to fill her empty spiritual world with creative artistry."

To put it simply...

Regarding her home feeling like a hotel, and the matter of her being caught cheating...

"The fault lies with the plaintiff, not the defendant!"

Sun Li blurted out.

"If he hadn’t deliberately neglected my client and failed to maintain mutual love and care within the family..."

"...then none of this would have happened!"

As she finished speaking, even the experienced and knowledgeable Presiding Judge Wang Cheng couldn’t help but stare blankly at her.

’The cheater is not at fault, but the cuckolded husband is!?’

’What kind of logic is that?’

The moment Sun Li’s words fell, Lin Yue, at the plaintiff’s table, couldn’t hold back and spoke again.

"Counsel for the defense, I must correct you on one point: the plaintiff never engaged in any so-called emotional neglect!"

"Due to the ’special nature of his profession,’ the plaintiff was often forced to work overtime."

"But that cannot be considered a lack of care and concern for his family!"

Lin Yue slowly began her rebuttal. Xu De had given her a great deal of freedom on this civil case, considering it a training exercise for her.

As for whether she could handle it?

Let’s just say this.

When she first met Xu De, she had told him she was very good at civil litigation!

"How can a husband working to earn money for the family, using that money to improve their overall quality of life, be considered emotional neglect!?"

"On the contrary, this act of earning money at the expense of his own health..."

"...is the very embodiment of caring for one’s family, completely in line with the expression of mutual love and care stipulated in Article 1043 of the Civil Code!"

As she spoke, without giving Sun Li a chance to interject, her gaze sharpened, slashing toward Yang Chunping like a sword.

"Defendant."

"Let me ask you, during this period of so-called ’emotional neglect,’ did you or did you not spend the plaintiff Wang Yu’s money!?"

In civil cases, it was indeed common for a spouse to use work as an excuse for emotional neglect.

In such situations, one could usually determine whether it was emotional neglect or genuine professional overtime by examining the flow of family funds.

And Wang Yu clearly belonged to the latter category!

A programmer in 2003 was worked like a mule.

Therefore, people like him craved familial affection, concern, and love to an extreme degree. That was why every time Wang Yu came home from working overtime, he would have a small gift prepared.

Based on this point alone, one could deduce that the case was... absolutely not about so-called emotional neglect!

"Defendant, do you acknowledge what the plaintiff’s counsel has said?"

On the judge’s bench, Presiding Judge Wang Cheng looked at Yang Chunping, quietly waiting for her to speak.

As for Yang Chunping...

"I... I..."

Yang Chunping was at a loss for words, mumbling incoherently.

’Acknowledge it? Of course she wouldn’t!’

’But in reality, she had spent his money. She even accepted the small gifts he brought back every time. How could this possibly be described as emotional neglect from Wang Yu?’

However, a question often has more than one answer.

"I don’t want money!"

"I want love! I don’t care about his money, I just want love!"

Yang Chunping’s eyes suddenly lit up as she hurriedly spoke.

"I don’t care that he goes out to make money! Compared to money, I’d rather he stayed home and paid some attention to our child!"

She didn’t want money; she wanted love.

Her lawyer, Sun Li, also had a flash of inspiration and quickly added:

"Your Honor, the manifestation of emotional neglect isn’t based on one person’s perspective; it must be viewed objectively!"

"My client only wanted love, but the plaintiff responded with handfuls of cold, hard cash. Is that not a form of emotional neglect?"

"Is this not the most direct evidence of what caused the defendant’s spiritual emptiness!?"

This was a false proposition.

Money and love were two different things—one spiritual, one material.

But if the two were elevated to the same level, then...

...a double-edged sword would be born!

When you have no money to give with your love, they’ll demand money, not your cheap, insincere love.

When you’re busy making money to give them, they’ll demand love and time with you.

And Sun Li still hadn’t stopped!

"The defendant’s spirit was left empty due to the plaintiff’s actions, and to fill that spiritual void, the so-called ’artistic creation’ incident occurred!"

"Furthermore, because the plaintiff took it upon himself to call the police, my client’s reputation was damaged, and she suffered extreme mental distress."

"Your Honor, we have the right to demand emotional damages from the plaintiff!"

"This is the case for an adult."

Sun Li paused, her eyes flashing, then suddenly spoke again.

"So what about the child? Your Honor, the child’s mental state is even more worrying, and all of this... was caused by the plaintiff!"

Whether in a criminal or civil case...

...as long as you brought up the severe infringement of a child’s interests...

...you could almost always gain a significant advantage!

But then again...

...the premise was that the child’s interests had actually been infringed upon.

In this case, from an objective standpoint, the child’s interests had indeed been infringed upon—severely so.

But then again...

’Who was the one doing the infringing!?’

’Was it really the plaintiff who caused the infringement of the child’s interests!?’

Suddenly, the entire Third courtroom, the civil trial chamber, fell silent. It was deathly quiet.

At the plaintiff’s table.

The two lawyers said nothing. They exchanged a look, clearly understanding each other’s meaning.

’She took the bait!’

’The other side... had finally dragged the child into it!’

At the defendant’s table.

"Hmph, hmph..."

A smirk appeared on Sun Li’s face, and she was visibly more relaxed.

It was obvious she was very pleased with the two arguments she had just presented. And indeed, if this were any other civil case...

...these two points of contention could even sway the entire direction of the proceedings!

On the judge’s bench.

Presiding Judge Wang Cheng and the others were completely stunned, their eyes fixed on the defense counsel, Sun Li, in disbelief. For a long moment, none of them could utter a single word.

’She...’

’What on earth is she talking about?’

’Is this person a lawyer? Is she really a lawyer!?’

Liu Guo and his colleague from the Xu Family also opened their mouths, unsure of what to say.

’This woman...’

’How could she say such things in the face of the 360-degree, ironclad evidence provided by the police?’

’The child’s psychological evaluation, medical examination report, and Guo Tu’s confession are all laid out right here!’

’What is this nonsense about Wang Yu’s long-term neglect causing the child’s psychological problems?’

’Considering what Yang Chunping and Guo Tu did...’

’Forget the child.’

’Even an adult would have a hard time not developing psychological issues after going through something like that!’

’Yet, in a situation that even a three-year-old could understand...’

’...she could still spout such blatant lies? And with such righteous indignation!!!’

’This... what on earth is she thinking?’

In a daze, Presiding Judge Wang Cheng suddenly froze. A thought surfaced in his mind, and his expression turned to one of stunned shock as he stared at the defendant’s table.

"Counsel for the defense, I will confirm this one last time."

"Are you... aware of what you are saying?"

He paused, then added another sentence.

"What I mean is..."

"Before the trial began, did you review the evidence presented by the plaintiff!?"

’The evidence presented?’

’What other evidence could the plaintiff have?’

’Besides, the evidence in a divorce case basically revolves around infidelity. They had just been debating the infidelity, so if the plaintiff had evidence, shouldn’t they have presented it already?’

Suddenly, Sun Li seemed to sense that something was wrong. A look of hesitation appeared on her face.

"Evidence?"

"What evidence?"

The judge’s bench: ?

The next second, a look of astonishment crossed Presiding Judge Wang Cheng’s face, and he couldn’t stop himself from asking:

"You didn’t look at the evidence!?"