Monday, October 19th.
Lin Feng found himself in a courtroom.
Thanks to the school collaborating with the procuratorate, the whole process had been expedited and instead of the usual fourteen days or more wait, they were having the hearing now.
And with the compiled evidence, they might even have a sentencing in the same hearing.
Lin Feng looked around.
The courtroom was much smaller than Lin Feng had expected.
Wooden benches lined the back for observers. A raised platform at the front held the judge's seat, flanked by the national emblem. To the side sat the prosecutor, a middle-aged woman with sharp eyes and a stack of documents before her.
Lin Feng sat in the witness area along with Liu Mei, Sun Xiao, and two other female students he recognized from the investigation.
On the opposite side of the room, Wang Zhenguo sat behind the defendant's table. His lawyer, a thin man with glasses, whispered something to him.
Wang Zhenguo looked different from when Lin Feng had last seen him. His face was pale, his eyes sunken. The confident demeanor he once carried was nowhere to be found.
The bailiff's voice cut through the murmurs.
"All rise."
Everyone stood.
The judge entered - a woman in her fifties with graying hair pulled back in a neat bun. Her expression was unreadable as she took her seat.
"Be seated."
The rustling of movement filled the room before silence settled again.
The judge opened a folder and reviewed its contents briefly. Then she looked up.
"This court is now in session for the case of the People versus Wang Zhenguo." She glanced at the prosecutor. "You may present the charges."
The prosecutor stood.
"Your Honor, the defendant Wang Zhenguo is charged with forcible indecency under Article 237 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China."
She paused, letting the words settle.
"On the night of September 30th, 2020, the defendant did knowingly and with premeditation administer a sedative substance to the victim, Ms. Liu Mei, with the intent to commit indecent acts against her person."
Wang Zhenguo's lawyer scribbled something on his notepad.
The prosecutor continued.
"The prosecution will present evidence including medical records confirming the presence of sedatives in the victim's system, testimony from the victim herself, testimony from the witness who intervened and prevented further harm, and documentation from Zhejiang Business University's internal investigation which uncovered a pattern of harassment by the defendant against multiple female students and staff."
She sat down.
The judge nodded slowly.
"The defendant may respond to the charges."
Wang Zhenguo's lawyer stood, adjusting his glasses.
"Your Honor, my client maintains that the events of that night were a misunderstanding. He had no intention of…"
"We will hear the evidence first," the judge interrupted, her tone flat. "Save your arguments for after."
The lawyer hesitated, then sat back down.
…
The prosecutor called her first witness.
"The prosecution calls Ms. Liu Mei to the stand."
Liu Mei rose from her seat. Her steps were steady as she walked to the witness stand, though Lin Feng noticed her hands were clasped tightly together.
She sat down and faced the court.
The prosecutor approached.
"Ms. Liu, please describe your relationship with the defendant prior to September 30th."
Liu Mei took a breath.
"Wang Zhenguo was the head of the university's incubator program. I worked alongside him and also under his supervision as a faculty advisor for student projects."
"And how would you characterize your interactions with him during this time?"
"Professional, for the most part." She paused. "But there were... incidents."
"What kind of incidents?"
"Comments about my appearance. Suggestions that we meet outside of work. Once, he placed his hand on my lower back during a meeting and left it there longer than appropriate."
Murmurs rippled through the observers.
"Did you report these incidents?"
"No." Liu Mei's voice was quiet but steady. "He was my superior. I thought if I just kept my distance, it would stop."
The prosecutor nodded.
"Please describe what happened on the night of September 30th."
Liu Mei's gaze dropped for a moment. Then she looked up again.
"There was a faculty gathering that evening. Wang Zhenguo offered me a drink. I didn't think anything of it at the time."
She paused.
"About thirty minutes later, I started feeling dizzy. My vision became blurry. I remember him offering to help me get some air."
"And then?"
"I don't remember anything after that." Her voice wavered slightly. "The next thing I knew, I was in a hospital bed."
The prosecutor turned to the judge.
"Your Honor, I submit Medical Exhibit A - the toxicology report from Hangzhou First People's Hospital confirming the presence of a sedative compound in Ms. Liu's bloodstream."
The judge accepted the document and reviewed it.
"Continue."
…
"The prosecution calls Lin Feng to the stand."
Lin Feng stood and made his way forward.
He could feel Wang Zhenguo's eyes on him as he passed.
He sat down and faced the court.
The prosecutor regarded him for a moment.
"Mr. Lin, you are a first-year student at Zhejiang Business University, correct?"
"Yes."
"Please describe what you witnessed on the night of September 30th."
Lin Feng kept his voice calm.
"I was returning to campus after an outing with friends when I saw two figures. One was supporting the other, who appeared to be barely conscious."
"Did you recognize either of them?"
"The woman being supported was Ms. Liu Mei, my class advisor. The man was Wang Zhenguo."
"What did you observe about Ms. Liu's condition?"
"She could barely stand. Her eyes were unfocused. She wasn't responding coherently to anything."
"And what did you do?"
"I approached them and asked if everything was alright."
"How did the defendant respond?"
Lin Feng glanced briefly at Wang Zhenguo.
"He told me he was a coworker and that he was taking her home because she had too much to drink."
"Did you believe him?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Ms. Liu is my teacher. I had never seen her drink let alone excessively. And the way she looked..." Lin Feng paused. "It wasn't someone who was drunk. It was someone who had been drugged."
Wang Zhenguo's lawyer shot to his feet.
"Objection. The witness is not qualified to make medical assessments."
The judge raised a hand.
"The witness is describing his observations, not providing a medical diagnosis. Overruled." She looked at Lin Feng. "Continue."
Lin Feng nodded.
"I insisted on calling for help. Wang Zhenguo became agitated and quickly left."
"And then?"
"I took Ms. Liu to the hospital and escorted her to her house after she was discharged."
The prosecutor paused, letting the testimony sink in.
"Thank you, Mr. Lin. No further questions."