The Law at Heart

Sentencing Day

Scene: The courtroom. Yuan Luo, acting as the plaintiff's lawyer, delivers his closing statement. The defendant is his father.

Core: Through a calm, restrained account backed by the force of evidence, he shows how he sends his father and his mistress to prison for “embezzlement” and “bigamy.” The story does not dwell on hatred, but instead presents “due process” and “the power of facts.”

Ending: After the verdict, his father looks back at him as he is led away, his expression complicated. Yuan Luo remains impassive, but the fountain pen in his hand snaps. Flashback: His mother's frail, withered hand on her hospital bed. Subtitle: “Three years ago, I buried my family ties with my own hands. Today, I buried my future with my own hands.”