MWC – Chapter 17 Claims (1)

I AM DROPPING THIS NOVEL. IF ANYONE WANTS TO CONTINUE THEY CAN. IF POSSIBLE PLEASE SHARE THE LINK SO I CAN BINGE READ TOO.

In the morning, after drinking Zhen Shi’s medicinal soup, which still tasted bitter, Lu Ming went downstairs to the laundry shop without hesitation. He directly grabbed a bottle of “Del” brand aluminum canned soda from the refrigerator in the back room. It was orange-flavored, tangy and sweet, with a pleasant taste.

Although Pamela was down on her luck, even drowning in debt, she still maintained a middle-class lifestyle on the surface. There were even beverages like soda and milk in the fridge.

But Bess, despite her tender age, already knew that their family was on the verge of bankruptcy and she would have to work as a child laborer. It was quite distressing to think about.

The sodas and milk in the refrigerator were all prepared by Pamela for Bess.

“Uncle, do you like soda too?” Seeing Lu Ming drinking her stuff, Bess became unexpectedly happy. She leaned over with a smile on her face, her little face like a blooming flower, revealing her cute baby teeth that were in the process of changing. It was extremely adorable.

“Mom also said that if you drink too much soda, you’ll become really fat!” Lu Ming chuckled, “Well, your mom is wrong. Kids should eat and drink whatever they want. If you manage your diet at such a young age, where’s the fun in your childhood?”

Just as Pamela was coming out, she frowned slightly and said, “Mr. Lu, please don’t give my child strange ideas.”

She was probably irritated to see this guy teaching her daughter nonsense, but she didn’t want to make a scene.

Lu Ming coughed and said, “Let’s go!”

Pamela had clearly taken great care with her appearance. Her face looked like it had just been treated with a mask, soft and radiant like water, with deep brown eyelashes meticulously mascaraed, shiny and slightly curled, very alluring. Her bright red lips made people want to suck on them fiercely. Her golden wavy hairstyle was extremely similar to Marilyn Monroe’s, sexy yet delicate, paired with a ruby red fluffy skirt. This Western beauty was also a top-notch beauty, but with a completely different charm from Zhen Shi’s Eastern beauty.

After leaving the laundry shop, Lu Ming tossed the car keys to her. “You drive.”

The Snow Dragon Phantom was parked in the alley next to the laundry shop. Pamela hesitated for a moment, then took the keys and went to fetch the car.

Lu Ming wasn’t trying to show off; driving was simply tiring, and he avoided physical exertion whenever possible.

…

The sleek sports car swiftly arrived at the foot of the Lucky Bird Building.

Lu Ming shook his head again. It was Lucky Bird Building once more.

The two largest law firms in Beiguan were both located in Lucky Bird Building. Liu Hanmin’s law firm was on the fourth floor, while the Tang-Li law firm, which they were facing this time, was on the eighth floor.

In a short time, he would be dealing with the two largest law firms in Beiguan one after the other.

When someone eventually writes his memoirs, the beginning will seem quite extraordinary.

The Tang-Li law firm acted as the agent law firm for selling washing machines to Pamela’s Fungshun Tradin Company.

Yesterday, they had agreed to meet with the representatives of Fungshun Tradin Company here today.

The meeting room of the Tang-Li law firm was as spacious and luxurious as Liu Hanmin’s law firm.

Similarly, Lu Ming and Pamela waited for more than ten minutes before footsteps could be heard outside. The glass door opened, and four or five people walked in one after another. The men were in suits and the women in professional suits. They sat down opposite the large oval conference table in succession, exuding an imposing aura.

“Lawyer Lu Qianxing, I’m Charlie Tang!” said the middle-aged man sitting in the first seat on the left, standing up to shake hands with Lu Ming.

Lu Ming furrowed his brows slightly upon hearing the name, but he reasoned that he couldn’t blame the people here too harshly, considering they had been ruled by colonizers for a thousand years.

Lu Ming nodded. Pamela, due to her upbringing, might be seen as hypocritical or otherwise, but she certainly had class and seldom spoke harshly.

After smiling and shaking hands with each of them, Lu Ming sat down, straightened his posture, and his face turned serious as he said in a deep voice:

“Lawyer Tang, first of all, on behalf of my client, I reject the irresponsible act of your firm sending a lawyer’s letter. Additionally, I reserve the right to report your actions to the Donghai Bar Association.”

The atmosphere changed abruptly. The opposing party was taken aback, not expecting the seemingly gentle and approachable young lawyer to suddenly turn cold and start with such a hammer blow.

Pamela was also stunned, thinking to herself that this man was truly impressive. He could change his demeanor so drastically. It was terrifying.

“Lawyer Lu, my client has agreed to meet with you today, which shows considerable sincerity. Please do not make alarming statements that could disrupt the atmosphere of our meeting,” Charlie Tang frowned.

Lu Ming waved his hand. “Lawyer Tang, I’m not making alarming statements. My client has never shared the details of her dispute with Fungshun Tradin Company with anyone other than her consulting lawyer. Your groundless lawyer’s letter is nothing but harassment to my client, affecting her life and is an abuse of the right to issue such letters.”

“Lawyer Lu, I understand that you recently had a confrontation with Liu Hanmin’s firm and gained some advantage, but this is not Liu Hanmin’s firm, and I am not Cheng Ye!” Charlie Tang’s frown deepened, and there was a hint of dissatisfaction on his face. “I reluctantly persuaded my client to take the time to meet with you. We’re not here to listen to your nonsense.”

Lu Ming nodded inwardly. No wonder the other party agreed to the meeting; it had something to do with him. The legal community is small, and his recent victory against Liu Hanmin’s firm must have spread. Given that Beiguan only has a few law firms, it was understandable. Additionally, his drinking session with Li Guan likely made the rounds among these firms. That eccentric old lady was probably a headache for many lawyers, and few had earned her favor.

But regardless, Lawyer Charlie Tang here, although he agreed to mediate between the parties, didn’t necessarily hold him, a rookie lawyer, in high regard. He likely wanted to show him up and, at the same time, take a jab at their biggest competitor, Liu Hanmin’s firm.

Looking at Charlie Tang, Lu Ming smiled slightly, “Alright, nonsense, right?” He then took out a piece of paper and pushed it across the table. “This is the compensation my client is demanding.”

Charlie Tang sneered, picked up the paper, and suddenly frowned. “Lawyer Lu, you must be insane!”

The woman next to him from Fungshun Tradin, Ms. Wang, glanced over and exclaimed, “2500 yuan?”

Charlie Tang stood up and said to Ms. Wang, “Manager Wang, I think there’s no need for further discussion. The other party not only refuses to admit their mistake but also demands compensation from you. Let’s see them in court!”

“In court, you’ll lose more, and we’ll gain more. Moreover, Fungshun Tradin and Tang-Li Law Firm will suffer reputational damage. An established trading company selling inferior products and a long-standing law firm abetting the oppression of the innocent,” Lu Ming said leisurely, sipping his coffee.

“We didn’t sell inferior products! Mrs. Pamela knew from the start that they were second-hand!” Ms. Wang glared at Lu Ming with her small, fierce eyes.

Charlie Tang tried to dissuade her softly, suggesting they let the court decide, but Ms. Wang ignored him.

“Don’t listen to this foreign woman lying. I never promised how long the washing machine would last!”

Ms. Wang’s words became increasingly harsh, and she sneered, “Just because you have a pretty face, you think you can lie?”

Lu Ming suddenly noticed that Pamela was hesitant to meet Ms. Wang’s gaze. It dawned on him that Ms. Wang might not have made any verbal promises. Pamela, embarrassed after being deceived, might have claimed they did for her own sake.

But facing the party directly now, Pamela likely found it difficult to lie, requiring both great courage and a thick skin, hence her apparent shame.

Looking at her, Lu Ming found it amusing. This little foreigner, despite her temper and slight racial bias, seemed honest and upholding her own moral standards. Yet here she was, lying.

“Lawyer Lu, I’m sorry, let’s leave…” Pamela whispered timidly, trying to stand up for the first time.

“Don’t rush!…” Lu Ming patted her arm, indicating she should sit down.

In reality, whether there was a verbal promise was irrelevant to his understanding of the case.

Pamela and Ms. Wang both misunderstood, thinking the verbal promise was crucial.

Lu Ming looked at Ms. Wang and said, “Regardless of any verbal promise, the act of selling substandard products exists. There’s a principle in product sales called the implied warranty of merchantability. This means that the quality of the sold product should meet common expectations. Although this washing machine was second-hand, the contract clearly stated that my client bought it to open a laundry shop. Therefore, it falls under the implied warranty of merchantability. It’s unreasonable to think my client bought the washing machine to run a laundry shop for just a month.”

Ms. Wang was bewildered and looked at Charlie Tang.

Charlie Tang frowned, “What principle?”

Lu Ming smiled, “Implied warranty of merchantability. Lawyer Tang, I’ll give you some time to look it up. In April this year, a case in New Dunham State, presided over by Judge Smith of the Third Circuit Court, established this principle to resolve unclear sales contract terms and protect consumer interests.”

“This principle states that the quality of sold goods must meet the buyer’s expected use. For example, if I buy a new pair of pants to wear but they break in a day, and the sales contract doesn’t specify that the pants are only guaranteed for a day, the seller is responsible and must refund.”

“Similarly, the contract stated that my client bought the washing machine to open a laundry shop, not as scrap. Therefore, if it breaks down in less than a month, the seller is responsible. After all, my client paid a year’s rent, hired workers, renovated, etc., not just to run a laundry shop for a month. This defies common sense.”

“According to the maintenance records, a critical part of the washing machine was already worn out, so it wasn’t due to my client’s misuse. Based on the implied warranty of merchantability, the seller is fully responsible.”

“This principle has been reflected in some cases before, but Judge Smith explicitly defined it. I believe it will soon become a guiding case for all similar cases. I’m confident the judges in Beiguan won’t overlook this precedent.”

Charlie Tang’s face was sullen. Ms. Wang, beside him, asked nervously, “Is it true? Is it true?” She didn’t understand what Lu Ming was saying, but she grasped that it was very unfavorable for her.

“Please wait a moment…” Charlie Tang reluctantly reassured Ms. Wang, then turned and hurried out.