Chapter 39: An Old Acquaintance in the Gallery

That gaze piercing through the glass was filled with complex, indescribable emotions. There was shock and inquiry, but more than that, it was a trembling hope—like catching a sudden glimmer of light in the depths of a despairing darkness.

Jiang Yi’s footsteps faltered at the entrance.

Following Xu Yuan’s line of sight, he naturally caught sight of that familiar yet distant figure sitting in the first row of the public gallery.

His sister, Jiang Wan.

The sister who had given up a full scholarship to a prestigious university abroad for his sake, resolutely returning home to shoulder all the debts and lawsuits on her own.

In that instant, the look in Jiang Yi’s eyes became incredibly complex. For the first time, his face, usually as cold as frost, betrayed a hint of fragility and avoidance, much like the trepidation one feels when nearing home.

His instinct was to turn away.

However, Xu Yuan caught him.

Without looking back, she gently tugged at the corner of his coat with the very hand he had been gripping so tightly just moments before, leaving it flushed red.

It was a light, yet incredibly firm gesture.

As if to say: Don’t be afraid, I am with you.

Jiang Yi’s rigid body slowly began to relax. He glanced at Xu Yuan beside him, then at his sister in the courtroom, who was looking at him with eager anticipation. Finally, he took a deep breath and pushed open the heavy door.

Inside, the courtroom was solemn and imposing.

The national emblem hanging high, the cold judge’s bench, and the gazes from the gallery—some sympathetic, some curious, some indifferent—formed an invisible, vast net, ready to trap everyone who stepped inside.

As they entered, a suppressed commotion rippled through the gallery.

Everyone’s eyes were instantly fixed on Jiang Yi, and on the girl in white walking beside him.

Ignoring the stares, Jiang Yi walked straight to the defendant’s seat.

As the "Project Lead," Xu Yuan naturally took a seat in the first row of the public gallery, the position closest to Jiang Yi.

Beside her sat Jiang Wan.

"Hello." Jiang Wan spoke first. Her voice was slightly hoarse, yet she maintained her refined composure.

"Hello, Senior Jiang." Xu Yuan nodded at her, a polite, appropriate smile on her face.

Jiang Wan watched her, her eyes filled with curiosity and gratitude. She glanced at her stubborn younger brother in the defendant’s seat—who had not looked their way since he sat down—and then turned her gaze back to Xu Yuan.

"Thank you," she said sincerely. "Thank you for being willing to accompany him."

"It’s my job," Xu Yuan replied, using the explanation she had already committed to memory.

Jiang Wan was taken aback for a moment, then seemed to understand something, and offered a self-deprecating smile. She knew this was the only excuse her impossibly difficult brother could have come up with.

"Regardless, thank you," Jiang Wan’s eyes reddened. "He… he hasn’t let anyone get close to him for a long time."

Xu Yuan’s heart gave a slight tremor.

She looked at the young man not far away, sitting alone in the defendant’s seat—his back lonely, yet as straight as a spear—and suddenly, she understood the heavy weight behind Jiang Wan’s words: "I’m afraid he won’t be able to hold on alone."

Just then, the side door of the courtroom opened, and the judge and jury took their seats in succession.

The court fell silent.

The trial officially began.

The plaintiffs were several minority shareholders from Jiang Yi’s father’s company.

Their attorney was a sharp-looking, capable middle-aged man.

He started aggressively, immediately throwing out the trump card he had prepared.

"Your Honor, members of the jury," he said with a highly inflammatory tone, "ten years ago, the defendant Jiang Yi’s father, Jiang Haishan, abused his position to maliciously hollow out company assets and forge financial statements, causing irreversible, catastrophic losses to all our shareholders!"

"Now, although he committed suicide to escape punishment, this blood debt cannot simply be written off! We demand that the court immediately unfreeze all assets under Jiang Haishan’s name to compensate for our losses!"

He spoke with tears in his eyes, and a chorus of murmurs followed from the gallery.

Xu Yuan’s gaze, however, remained locked on Jiang Yi.

She saw him flinch violently when he heard the phrase "committed suicide to escape punishment."

His hands, hidden beneath the table, clenched into tight fists.

Yet, the expression on his face remained that same cold, ripple-free mask.

He was enduring.

He was holding back with every ounce of his willpower.

Xu Yuan’s heart began to ache in waves.

She took out her phone, silenced it, and opened her notes.

She began to fulfill her duty as the "Project Lead."

[User A (Jiang Yi): Upon hearing inflammatory terms such as "committed suicide to escape punishment," he exhibits obvious stress reactions. Manifested by involuntary trembling and clenched fists. Facial expression remains well-controlled. Suggestion: Incorporate a "keyword filter" or "strong-stimulus warning" mechanism in future product designs.]

[User B (Media Reporters): Reporters in the front row are clearly more interested in conflict-laden terms like "committed suicide to escape punishment." During the attorney’s speech, their lenses were almost entirely focused on Jiang Yi’s face, attempting to capture his micro-expressions.]

[User 000 (Spectators): The spectators in the back are clearly more easily swayed. Upon hearing words like "blood debt," small-scale whispering occurred.]

Like the most composed observer, she recorded the emotions of everyone trapped in this storm.

At that moment, the plaintiff’s attorney shifted his focus, pointing his finger directly at Jiang Yi.

"I know that Jiang Yi is a once-in-a-century genius from Binhai University."

He looked at Jiang Yi, a hypocritical, sympathetic smile on his face.

"However, talent cannot be an excuse for evading responsibility."

"To our knowledge, most of the assets Jiang Haishan transferred were left to his only son via a trust fund. That money is the hard-earned blood and sweat of us victims!"

"Therefore, I request that the court summon my first witness!"

He paused, raised his voice, and stated, word by word, the name that sent a wave of uproar through the entire courtroom.

"Song Shiya!"

What?!

Xu Yuan snapped her head up, looking toward the witness stand in disbelief.

Song Shiya, dressed in an expensive white dress, walked out slowly from the back of the gallery.

Her face was exquisitely made up, but her expression carried a hint of perfectly measured sorrow and resolve.

She walked to the witness stand, sat down, and then cast her gaze toward Jiang Yi in the defendant’s seat.

Her eyes were complex and sad, as if looking at a former lover she had once loved deeply, but was now forced to send to the guillotine with her own hands.

As for Jiang Yi, the moment he saw her, the cold mask he had maintained all this time finally cracked for the first time.