Chapter 257: Malicious Transfer of Marital Property

When Jiang Lai withdrew her gaze, she made eye contact one by one with each concerned look from the gallery.

Behind Jiang Lai, a myriad of soldiers.

Lin Shutong gazed at the four empty seats in the gallery, her expression anxious and agitated.

Gu Yinxue was still there, Meng Lü was still there, but behind Lin Shutong there was actually no one.

Shen Xun was deeply struck, and in the ensuing trial he did not utter another word.

He no longer asked the judge to reject Jiang Lai's claim for an equal division of marital property; this is what he owes Jiang Lai.

He also did not deny the investment relationship; this is what he owes the child.

Shen Father felt angry at his son's neutral inaction, his face dark and frightening, yet seeing his son's defeated state, he also could not bear it.

This is his only son.

As for Lin Shutong, Shen Father's gaze toward her eyes seemed to want to kill her; Lin Shutong had deceived the entire Shen family!

At this moment Lin Shutong could no longer care about the Shen family, because the word "fraud" from Jiang Lai's lawyer made her feel a panic she had never experienced before.

Even without legal study, she understood the difference between full reimbursement of marital property and fraud charges.

A fraud of 120 million yuan would wear a hole in the prison floor!

Lin Shutong looked at Shen Xun, again subconsciously touching her belly; fortunately she had arranged a miscarriage before the trial, otherwise if Shen Xun saw these evidences in court and turned against her, she truly would not be able to get away with it.

No matter what, Shen Xun would certainly not deny the investment relationship in court.

Jiang Lai noticed Lin Shutong's hand lightly stroking her belly; this was the second time she had seen it.

At such a critical juncture, could she still be distracted thinking about the lost child?

Jiang Lai felt something odd, and instinctively looked toward Ke Zhongyu sitting in the gallery.

She also did not know why her first impulse was to tell Ke Zhongyu; perhaps because Ke Zhongyu is clever?

Ke Zhongyu noticed her gaze, followed her line of sight, and then noticed Lin Shutong's hand movement.

In an instant, he understood Jiang Lai's meaning.

Ke Zhongyu whispered to Assistant Zhou beside him: "Later, let's go to Hexin Yiyuan to thoroughly investigate the cause of Lin Shutong's miscarriage."

Assistant Zhou's glasses flashed a sharp light: "Yes, Boss Ke."

Ke Zhongyu gave an affirmative hum.

In the courtroom, Lin Shutong drew a deep breath and declared firmly: "Before returning to China, I and Shen Xun were in an investment partnership; although I had no obvious results, I genuinely invested my technology, it was merely an investment mistake, no law requires reimbursement for investment losses, and our investment contract does not state otherwise."

"As for why my spending abroad is so high, part of it is money from my parents and maternal grandfather, part is my own earnings, not the investment funds you speculate about, and I have committed no fraud."

Ke Zhongying whispered: "Is she born in the Year of the Duck? Her mouth is so stubborn."

Jiang Lai looked at Lin Shutong: "So you suspect our calculation and forecast of your family's income and expenses are fake?"

Meng Lü suddenly realized something, wanted to stop Lin Shutong, but Lin Shutong had already straightened her back and answered: "Yes!"

Meng Lü immediately sighed.

Hearing the sigh, Lin Shutong turned her head, wondering what was wrong with her answer, when Jiang Lai spoke again.

"Whoever doubts must provide evidence."

On the gallery, Ke Zhongyu's lips curled slightly, his admiring gaze falling on Jiang Lai's clear and beautiful profile.

Zhong Poqian: "Please have the defendant side produce proof of reasonable income."

Lin Shutong choked, she could not possibly produce it, yet she stubbornly refused to admit, insisting on the investment relationship and insisting she had not misappropriated the money.

However, playing tricks in court is useless, especially when Jiang Lai holds a complete chain of evidence.

Jiang Lai looked at Shen Xun and called his name.

Shen Xun looked up at the sound, his eyes filled with red blood vessels, his gaze toward Jiang Lai full of pain and regret.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say sorry.

Jiang Lai only asked him: "First, was the research funding you gave Lin Shutong made after our marriage?"

The transfer dates are laid out there; Shen Xun cannot deny it: "Yes."

Jiang Lai continued: "Second, did I know about it? Did I consent?"

Shen Xun lowered his eyes: "No."

Jiang Lai: "Third, you say it's an investment, a partnership, then why do you fly to where she is every year on her birthday?"

Shen Xun startled: "... You know."

Jiang Lai did not answer him, but affirmed: "You admitted it."

Lin Shutong's pupils contracted: "You have no evidence!"

Jiang Lai: "Who says we have no evidence? In those dense photos just now, there is Shen Xun's flight ticket information to your city; before you returned to China, you already had an improper relationship."

Although she did not take the flight ticket handed over by Shen Xi, Assistant Zhou's investigated data also contained this, and moreover, Zhong Lü, while organizing these data and evidence, also marked it for her.

It was not in vain that she had recorded all the evidence these days.

Jiang Lai looked again at Shen Xun: "This is not investment; this is malicious transfer of marital property."

Zhong Poqian spoke timely: "Please, presiding judge, carefully examine the dates of the investment contract signed by Defendant One and Defendant Two."

"First, the timing is reversed: payment before contract signing, which conforms to no business investment logic; this is clearly a falsified document hastily fabricated for litigation."

"Second, legitimacy of purpose: combined with abundant evidence of the couple's extramarital intimacy, the sole purpose of this supplemental contract is to evade responsibility for returning marital property."

"In sum, this contract is a post-facto forgery, backdated, lacking authenticity and legality; we earnestly ask the court not to admit it, and to pursue legal liability for its falsified evidence according to law."

Each word and sentence resonated with force.

Not only the judge, but everyone in the gallery could see this was a lawsuit the plaintiff would surely win and the defendant surely lose.

The temporary contract, the temporary lawyer, without laying out the full history, without reasonable income evidence, Lin Shutong had no chance to win.

Meng Lü glanced at Gu Yinxue in the gallery, indicating he had done his best; this lawsuit, he and the parties had no cooperation, wanting to reduce the repayment amount is mere daydreaming.

Gu Yinxue nodded lightly.

Then let it be that.

Lin Shutong herself doesn't trust her and Meng Lü; it's normal that mud can't support a wall.

The trial has come to this point; Zhong Poqian begins to summarize his arguments: "According to Article 1062 of the Civil Code, spouses have equal rights to handle joint property. Disposal of substantial joint property not for daily necessities must be agreed upon by both parties. Shen Xun had an affair during the marriage, long concealed and transferred huge assets, and gifted them to a third party without authorization—he thus had no right to dispose and violated public order and good customs; this gift is therefore void from the outset."

"The defendant Lin Shutong received a huge transfer of 120 million over the three years and four months before returning to China, with no statements, no reconciliation, no dividends, and diverted it for personal use, constituting a maintenance gift rather than a research investment; she should therefore return the full amount."

Jiang Lai's eyes flickered slightly; this should be what Zhong Lü previously said, 'maybe there will be more.'

The 118 million on the earlier lawyer's letter only included part of the 'research fees'; now it's all been counted.

"The huge property Lin Shutong received after returning to China—including but not limited to cars, houses, jewelry, etc. —was given without consideration or legal basis, and she knew Shen Xun was married, so she does not qualify as a good-faith third party; likewise, it must be returned in full."

"Furthermore, according to Article 1092 of the Civil Code, if one spouse conceals, transfers, sells, damages, or squanders joint property, upon division they may receive a smaller share or none at all. Shen Xun's affair during marriage plus malicious transfer of assets constitutes a major fault; therefore, he should receive no share of the property."