CH 29

Since they parted at the hospital last time, Ji Yao hadn’t seen Jiang Heng again.

He heard that Jiang Heng had gone to the hospital a few times to pick up documents, but he wasn’t sure whether Jiang Heng was intentionally avoiding him or if it was just coincidental timing. Whenever Ji Yao wasn’t performing surgery, he was busy with outpatient clinics, but he hadn’t run into Jiang Heng even once.

But perhaps it was for the best. Whenever Ji Yao thought of him, he felt uncomfortable all over. Not seeing each other face-to-face actually brought them both a sense of peace.

The middle-aged lawyer the hospital often collaborated with was named Wang Tao. He was around the same age as Hao Yu and had a look that seemed like a combination of Director Hao and their hospital’s president. He was a somewhat cunning yet kind-hearted person.

Wang Tao seemed experienced in handling medical disputes and had a well-established process that he navigated with ease. He was attentive and careful, often coming up with points that Ji Yao hadn’t thought of during problem-solving.

Ji Yao, with his background as an eight-year doctoral student, had a substantial number of research articles under his belt. The hospital was favorably inclined toward him in this matter, green-lighting the process for him. They even gave him fewer shifts, allowing Ji Yao to prepare for the legal proceedings more comfortably.

Li Linghua was evidently serious about this case. Within half a month, the case was transferred to the prosecutor’s office with charges of medical malpractice. The prosecutor’s office would conduct evidence gathering and investigation before preparing for prosecution.

Once the district court accepted the case, Wang Tao, on behalf of the hospital, had already processed Ji Yao’s bail. He then returned from the court, arranging to meet Ji Yao.

For the purpose of preparing the defense, Ji Yao often found time to meet Wang Tao during weekends. They would go through the patient cases and notes of the day, attempting to identify any gaps and address them, to minimize any potential vulnerabilities in the documentation.

Ji Yao, despite not being on duty during weekends, was hesitant to keep asking his colleagues to cover for him repeatedly. Therefore, on workdays, he would work extra hard, often keeping himself busy with back-to-back shifts.

When Wang Tao contacted him, Ji Yao had a couple of hours left before his night shift changeover. As a result, he proposed meeting at the hospital staff canteen.

At 3:30 in the afternoon, the canteen hadn’t started serving food yet. Several counters were empty, with a few scattered lunch boxes on display.

Sitting in a corner of the canteen, Ji Yao felt a mixture of anxiety as he unlocked and then locked his phone repeatedly. He occasionally glanced at his wristwatch, contemplating whether he should get up and walk around for a bit, but he managed to restrain himself.

Fortunately, Wang Tao arrived promptly, carrying a briefcase and two cups of coffee.

“Mr. Wang.” Ji Yao’s eyes brightened as he walked a few steps to greet him.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Wang Tao shook his hand and then sat down in a quiet corner. He opened one of the cups of coffee and handed it to Ji Yao. “I’ve taken care of all the necessary procedures for you. Don’t worry, everything has gone smoothly.”

“Is that so?” Ji Yao managed a faint smile, saying, “Thank you for your hard work.”

When Li Linghua first wanted to press charges, Ji Yao hadn’t been particularly worried. As a doctor, he had encountered medical disputes and even heard about medical lawsuits before but he hadn’t considered it a major issue.

However, as the case was progressing toward actual prosecution, Ji Yao was beginning to feel uncertain. The prospect of facing a trial had made him uneasy.

Wang Tao seemed to sense his nervousness and offered reassurance. “Dr. Ji, there’s no need to be too anxious. The bail application is a standard administrative procedure. After the trial, if you’re found not guilty, your record will be cleared. Moreover, you can continue working as usual during this period, as long as you don’t leave the city. Your daily life won’t be significantly affected.”

Ji Yao let out a small sigh of relief, his furrowed brow relaxing slightly, although not completely.

Wang Tao continued, “Today, I obtained a copy of the indictment and the list of evidence. You might as well take a look. Overall, the situation is quite manageable. While the patient’s death is a fact, the concept of ‘serious irresponsibility’ is hard to define. The patient’s father’s statement is the only evidence we have regarding the patient’s medical condition. Since he was intoxicated at the time and not in a clear state of mind, we can argue that his memory was confused, making his statement inconclusive.”

Ji Yao nodded and remembered something. He asked, “By the way, do you know about the situation with the Li family?”

Wang Tao looked puzzled, indicating he wasn’t aware of what Ji Yao was referring to.

“The conflict between Li Linghua and Liu Qiang.” Ji Yao said, “The person who signed the consent form was Liu Qiang’s affair.”

Ji Yao paused for a moment, inwardly chuckling at the thought that no matter what, Jiang Heng had at least been of some help. He had managed to pass on this piece of information, sparing Ji Yao from being completely in the dark.

He briefly relayed the information Jiang Heng had told him to Wang Tao, avoiding any personal bias and presenting it as objectively as possible. Wang Tao rubbed his chin and clicked his tongue softly.

“No wonder,” Wang Tao said.

“What do you mean?” Ji Yao asked.

“The opposing lawyer visited the club where Li Wen used to race a few days ago.” Wang Tao said. “I was wondering why he went there. Now it makes sense; he might have been investigating Li Wen’s death.”

“…You knew about that?” Ji Yao was surprised.

“We’re all part of the same circle, so we can catch wind of some information.” Wang Tao said, “His professor is a well-known professor in the political and legal department. I’ve heard a bit about him.”

Ji Yao couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on. He knew about Jiang Heng’s reputation. Ever since he graduated, Jiang Heng’s trial success rate had been impressively high. Though not perfect, it was enough to frustrate Ji Yao.

“Is he that impressive?” Ji Yao asked. “I thought you lawyers consider experience as well.”

“It’s more about talent.” Wang Tao chuckled. “The law is fixed, but people are not. What matters is whether your mind is active and flexible, whether you can think creatively. Haven’t you heard those young folks say before, ‘What’s in a name? There’s always a suitable one for you?'”

Ji Yao: “…”

Thanks, now I’m even more anxious.

It was clear that the joke didn’t lighten the mood. Wang Tao chuckled and shook his head.

“Just kidding,” Wang Tao said. “In the end, lawyers, just like anyone else, aim to win in court. If it were a civil case, you would definitely lose. Someone died in the other party’s family, so even from a humanitarian perspective, they would demand compensation for negligence. But now the situation is different. When it escalates to criminal prosecution and sentencing, it may sound intimidating, but in reality, you have a good chance of winning.”