Chapter 52: Success!?

Su Mu didn’t quite understand what Attorney Jiang was planning, but he wasn’t worried that Jiang would side with outsiders, so he swallowed his words and stayed silent for the time being.

The two had already had a brief conversation earlier, during which Su Mu made it clear that his intention was to help not just one elder, but others as well.

It was only in recent days that he learned, by chance, that many elderly Chinese immigrants were also unable to receive their relief funds. Most of them were in circumstances similar to Granny Lin's—some had no children or family and survived by begging or scavenging, leading very difficult lives.

Mr. Gilley visibly relaxed when Attorney Jiang nodded in agreement to settle Granny Lin’s relief payment dispute out of court for two hundred thousand dollars. He had agreed to this sum without consulting the Ge family father and son, making the decision on his own authority. Right now, the priority was to quell the trouble, not to be stingy about saving money. As long as this crisis could be weathered peacefully, there would be plenty of opportunities to make money in the future; within two months, it would all be recouped. Gilley knew the Ge family would surely agree. And even if they didn’t, it didn’t matter—they were all in the same boat, and if things went wrong, they’d simply sink together!

In fact, Granny Lin’s relief payments had been issued on time every month since shortly after she registered at the age of sixty-six. If Su Mu hadn’t brought it up a few days ago, Old Gilley wouldn’t have even remembered who she was. Only after his subordinates reminded him did he realize that he’d been pocketing her relief funds all along.

The American authorities were extremely strict about fund management, with multiple departments overseeing each other to prevent abuse of power. He absolutely couldn’t use money from the Social Security Administration to compensate Granny Lin; that would be easily discovered. Of course, the process would still be handled under the SSA’s name, but the compensation would have to come from Gilley and the Ge family themselves. Saying he didn’t feel the pinch would be a lie. As for those higher up, the “protective umbrellas” who had benefited for years, they would never hand over any money that had already made its way into their own pockets.

Embezzling the relief funds of hundreds of people was no small matter. If the connections between all levels hadn’t been properly greased, they wouldn’t have gotten away with it for this long. Nearly all the old staff under Gilley had been involved in the scheme to siphon off relief funds…

“Very well, let’s do it this way. I’ll go draft the contract right now.”

Attorney Jiang had brought along a template for settlement agreements, with the parties’ names left blank and enough space to add clauses as needed. The sections for the amount and date were also empty. He agreed to handle these matters for Granny Lin, temporarily becoming her legal representative.

He was a bit puzzled by how agreeable Old Gilley was—he hadn’t even called in a lawyer. That was all the better for Jiang; if only every case could be settled so easily, he’d be spared the endless procedural hassle.

The agreement would have full legal effect regardless. So he quickly drafted it, forcibly adding several clauses. After more than twenty minutes, he checked it over, found nothing amiss, and handed it to Gilley to sign.

Attorney Jiang specialized in civil cases and was deeply familiar with these kinds of settlements. He didn’t have a dedicated contract-drafting assistant like those in big law firms, nor was he a graduate of any prestigious law school, but he had plenty of experience. He knew that as long as the other party signed, victory was assured.

In recent years, many Chinese lawyers had emerged in the community.

People of this era weren’t so complicated. Many Chinese lawyers like Jiang had organized themselves, often providing free legal assistance to impoverished compatriots and enjoying an excellent reputation.

Su Mu witnessed the entire process and found the role of a lawyer incredibly impressive, especially during those earnest negotiations. He thought to himself that he too wanted to become such a lawyer in the future, helping people resolve their troubles and uphold justice.

He was still young, and his thoughts remained simple. When Attorney Jiang, acting on behalf of the client, finished signing for Granny Lin, the contract wasn’t technically in effect yet because Jiang still needed Granny Lin’s signed authorization—her agreement to have the lawyer handle the settlement.

But Old Gilley was unaware of this detail. Smiling, he asked, “OK? Are you satisfied? Our SSA has always cared deeply about the welfare of the poor and will never shirk our responsibilities!”

He spoke with such righteousness that, if Su Mu hadn’t seen his evasive attitude days before, he might have believed him.

Attorney Jiang smiled and continued, “That’s wonderful. Once we finish our review, we’ll likely be coming back. Many other Chinese in circumstances similar to Madam Lin meet the requirements for relief payments but have been denied by your Social Security Administration. If all goes as expected, I will represent them in filing a lawsuit. Next time, be sure to have a lawyer ready—you may be in for a long case.”

This time, Old Gilley was truly stunned.

It wasn’t the two hundred thousand dollars that pained him, but the realization that if a lawsuit was initiated and an internal investigation conducted during discovery, his tricks would almost certainly be exposed—there’d be no escaping!

A chill ran down his spine. He wanted to say something but was so shaken that his body felt devoid of strength.

He slumped in his chair, his gaze vacant.

In his experience, Chinese immigrants were never this persistent. He’d always assumed that once they got some compensation, they’d let the matter drop—never that they’d pursue it to the end, or go out of their way to help strangers they might not even know.

Clearly, after spending so long in Chinatown, this old white man still didn’t understand the Chinese character.

After Su Mu’s efforts, the relief fund issue had become a hot topic in the neighborhood. Attorney Jiang was seizing the opportunity to make a name for himself. For the sake of reputation, he considered it worthwhile even if there was no profit.

Confucius taught his students that virtue brings its own rewards. Attorney Jiang thought so too; it made perfect sense. The only thing to fear is not that good deeds go unrewarded, but that people stop doing good altogether—that would be truly tragic.

On the way downstairs—

Su Mu laughed cheerfully. “Mr. Jiang, no wonder you didn’t let me speak. You were waiting to spring this on him! Hahaha, solve Granny Lin’s issue first, then bring up the others. Did you see that old man’s face as we left? He looked like he’d swallowed a fly!”

“You should be thanked,” Attorney Jiang replied, turning to smile at Old Su. “It would be wonderful if there were more brave young Chinese like you.”

Uncle Qiao, a well-known figure in the community, had personally called him to help, showing just how much influence Old Su had. Jiang didn’t mind praising Su Mu more to draw closer—connections were invaluable in the Chinese community.

At the entrance, a large crowd was still waiting. The discussion had lasted about an hour; many had left for other matters, but even more had arrived in the meantime, blocking the whole street.

Attorney Jiang, without claiming all the credit, picked up his briefcase and left to find Granny Lin for her signature. If the bar association discovered he’d signed a settlement agreement without the client’s authorization, his license would almost certainly be revoked. Old Su went with him.

Only Su Mu and Miss Lily remained at the scene. Having done a good deed, Lily Temple was in high spirits and slipped into the crowd.

Su Mu, feeling awkward under all the attention, no longer had the same fervor as when handing out flyers. When someone asked how it went, he came to himself and shouted, “We got it! We secured two hundred thousand dollars in compensation for Mrs. Lin! Other seniors who haven’t received relief funds may also be eligible—Attorney Jiang is working on it! And if you have elderly relatives over sixty-five who are struggling, be sure to ask!”

His voice rang out, and the crowd erupted in excitement!

Many Chinese onlookers marveled that the protest had actually succeeded.

They couldn’t help but think, perhaps it wasn’t so difficult after all…