Seeing Tang Haotian's bold and fearless demeanor, the plump middle-aged man had no choice but to follow quietly and move into the crowd. "You're Liu Dafu, aren't you?" Gao Liang asked, standing among Tang's loyal friends. Liu Dafu bowed his head, equally helpless. "Now tell me! Quickly! Why have you been delaying payment of wages to the construction workers?" Gao Liang demanded directly. "Our Liu boss is also under pressure," the man with the golden hair said, expressing his own sense of helplessness. He waved his hand and added, "Our boss has his own difficulties!" At this point, Liu Dafu pulled out a contract from his briefcase and handed it to Tang Hao, who respectfully presented it to Gao Liang. Gao Liang read it quickly and smiled. "Then let's go together and talk to the property developer!" "We've already tried to negotiate—why haven't we succeeded yet?" Liu Dafu said, with little hope, casually adding to the workers' faces, "If you succeed, I'll reward you with 50,000!" The workers listened, their eyes widening—50,000 yuan! That’s equivalent to an ordinary worker’s three years of labor costs. But after widening their eyes, they sighed again. After all, what could a young, inexperienced man possibly do when even a wealthy entrepreneur like Liu couldn’t manage it? Your request for an additional 25% contract compensation is unreasonable and lacks legal basis! This is a fixed-price contract signed in 2007 for the construction of Phase One of Mingyi Home. However, with the rising material costs in 2008 and 2009, construction costs have increased significantly. If we continue under the fixed-price terms—where the contract price remains unchanged regardless of material price fluctuations—we, as contractors, would simply have no means of support! Liu Dafu pointed to the contract held by Gaoliang, clearly expressing his frustration. "Did you sign this yourself? I didn't even have a chance to see it! We're following the contract—how could that be wrong?" The developer remained stern, cold and unyielding. "Very well! If we can't reach an agreement, I'll delay the work and extend the project timeline!" Liu Dafu was now incensed. "If you delay the project, I'll deduct penalty fees for breach of contract!" The developer's manager wasn't one to be underestimated—now, the two parties stood face to face, locked in a standoff. On the one hand, the developer and the contractor each hold firm to their own interests, standing face to face, unwilling to yield. This is a classic contractual dispute, and Gao Liang is very clear about the root of the conflict—stemming from the contract signed three years ago. How to leverage this contract to resolve the dispute? Gao Liang stared intently at the substantial document, knowing that resolving the issue would not be an easy task. After all, contracts are formal, signed and sealed, and even notarized, carrying irrefutable legal weight. What could he do? Though Gao Liang had some familiarity with contracts, he wasn't a legal professional—his core expertise lay in computer technology. A technically proficient person simply cannot be equally adept in legal matters. Just when he was at a loss, a vivid image of his elegant, composed colleague, Mo Chou, surfaced in his mind, and he suddenly brightened, mentally calling out: "Mo Chou, the Manager of My Learning and Life!" This is because our highlight suddenly remembered the words the Mochou beauty had said to him: "If you wish to learn at any time, simply think about it in your mind and softly call out my name—'Mo Chou, Little Manager'—and I will transport you right into the Smart Star's Multi-Functional Learning Paradise!" Miraculously, Mo Chou's image appeared before Highlight's eyes. She came like an angel, always offering him a gentle, warm smile—this simple smile proved to be the most effective remedy for Highlight's worries and troubles, truly a magical elixir. "Xiaolong! What would you like to learn now?" Mo Chou asked Highlight with her soft, sweet voice, making Highlight's heart feel as if filled with honey. What a beautiful learning companion! To learn under the guidance of such a stunning woman is truly a blessing. "I'd like to study law! I'm currently facing difficulties in this area!" Highlight said frankly. "Excellent!" "Mochou, the beautiful girl, gently tapped her little hands and said, 'However, given your current situation, you won't be able to fully activate the Learning Space—only the half-space learning mode. So you absolutely have to make every effort to study! I'm now introducing you to Jack Thompson, one of the world's most renowned legal experts since the year 2000. He's British, though—so when you consult him, you'll have to speak English. If you speak Chinese, he won't be able to communicate with you.'" "Got it!" Gao Liang nodded enthusiastically to show his agreement. At that moment, Mochou gracefully drew a beautiful arc with her right hand in front of Gao Liang, and naturally, Gao Liang began to enter the countdown, eventually reaching zero, and stepping into the Learning Paradise of the Zhi Duoxing's otherworldly space. "Hi! Hello! I'm Jack Thompson, your legal expert! What would you like to ask me?" Jack Thompson was a tall, well-built British man with blue eyes and a prominent nose, speaking fluent English throughout. "Teacher, I'm facing this issue!" "Although his English isn't very fluent, his thoughts are very clear, and he manages to express his meaning completely. This stems from his four years of English study at university, which earned him a six-level certification." "Oh!" Jack Thompson listened intently to Gao Liang's explanation, widened his eyes, paused a moment, and then said, "I'd like to see the parties' contracts!" "This... this isn't very convenient!" Gao Liang felt at a loss, as he was halfway holding the contract on-site and halfway immersed in the otherworldly space of the Learning Garden. He couldn't possibly carry the contract into the otherworldly space. "Xiao Long!" the beautiful Mo Chou smiled gently, "Can't you make better use of your brain's memory function?" Upon hearing this, Gao Liang immediately understood. He then scanned the contract quickly and attentively, and at that moment, Liu Dafu, Jin Sanmao, the developer's manager, as well as Tang Hao, Du Hu, and Wang Biao all noticed Gao Liang focusing intently on the contract. The highlight activated all the memory cells of a well-developed brain that had undergone genetic life restoration, transferring the memory from the real-world space to the Zhiduoxing realm in just about one minute. With clear and well-structured thinking, Jack Thomson translated the Chinese into English, fully conveying the message—though not word-for-word, the accuracy reached 98%. This amazed Jack Thomson, as the student hadn't been reading from a contract! Expressing such content in English would normally require at least six A4 pages—how could anyone remember that much? At the same time, he felt delighted to have met such an outstanding student. Jack Thomson is indeed a world-class legal expert. After listening to Gao Liang's English explanation, he quickly responded, "Xiaolong! This is an invalid contract! Although it appears legally valid, it's merely formal—this contract merely conceals an illegal intent." "Mr. Thompson! According to you, that means the developer entered into the contract with the construction company through fraud or duress, thereby harming the construction party's interests! Yet the developer claims both parties signed voluntarily, with no duress at all, right?" High Bright didn't understand. "Therefore, we need to gather evidence in this regard to clarify the situation!" Jack Thompson reminded. "Thank you! Now I understand!" High Bright instantly grasped the point, knowing exactly what to do. He then automatically pressed the countdown for departure. When the timer reached zero, he stepped out of the Learning Garden and fully returned to reality. At that moment, Liu Dafu, Jin Sima, the developer's manager, Tang Hao, Du Hu, Wang Biao, and others were still僵持, silent. Liu Dafu sighed, his eyes filled with disappointment, and sharply tossed a remark at the developer's manager: "Well, you're tough!" After saying that, he began to slowly make his way toward the exit. High Bright suddenly stopped him and said, "Don't go yet!" "I have some very important questions for you! You must answer me honestly!" Seeing how seriously and responsibly Highang was focused, Liu Dafu, though not hopeful, couldn't help but feel that this young man carried a strong sense of determination. So, he nodded. While Highang asked Liu Dafu several specific questions in front of the developer's manager, Liu Dafu went into detail about the exact circumstances when the contract was signed three years ago. This helped Highang identify the core issue. It turned out that although the contract appeared legally valid, voluntary, and free from coercion, the developer at the time was severely short on funds and could not afford to pay high construction costs. Therefore, they had actively sought out contractors with lower construction fees. At that time, due to the low quotation, the project remained unresponsive despite being advertised for several days. Meanwhile, as the construction contractor, Liu Dafu was struggling—unable to secure new assignments. Not only that, but his 70-year-old mother had fallen ill and required hospitalization, undergoing surgery that cost over 200,000 yuan—funds that needed to be raised. Just when things were at their worst, someone introduced him to a potential sponsor willing to cover this expense, on the condition that Liu would take on a construction project. While this wasn't strictly mandatory, given Liu's desperate situation, he had no choice but to agree. When signing the contract, he didn't carefully review the clause stating that the contract price would remain fixed regardless of material price fluctuations—this was the most critical term. He simply signed without fully understanding it. His initial motivation was simply that as long as the contract was signed, he would have work and income to cover his mother's medical expenses and support his family. Now everything makes sense—the signing of the contract was not voluntary, but rather under pressure—indirectly, subtly, and implicitly. Gaoliang asked Liu Dafu, "Can you provide a copy of your mother's hospitalization bill and proof of your financial situation at that time?" "Oh! I've kept those!" Liu Dafu said with sudden realization. "Jin Sanmao, hurry—go to my car and look for them. I saved these materials from three years ago. I kept them in a suitcase under the car seat. Yesterday I even thought about throwing it away, but luckily I didn't!" Upon hearing that his boss had assigned the task, Jin Sanmao quickly rushed off. The developer's manager immediately gave a subtle nod to his representative who was wearing glasses. The representative instantly understood and followed suit. Gaoliang noticed this subtle gesture carefully. Now the developer was beginning to hesitate—how could this young man be so attentive? Did he really intend to reveal details from three years ago? Nevertheless, he maintained a composed demeanor and said, "We have professional lawyers handling this matter. I'll have my lawyer speak with you!" "Very good!" Gao Liang smiled confidently, indicating his willingness to stay and defend his position. From that moment on, the hall fell silent. Everyone knew that the medical bill and financial status documentation Gao Liang had just presented regarding Mrs. Liu Dafu’s hospitalization were irrefutable proof—only such solid evidence could truly outweigh persuasive arguments. Yet, for a long time, Jin Sanmao had not shown up. Gao Liang sensed something was amiss, and Liu Dafu was growing increasingly anxious. Gao Liang gave a subtle signal to Tang Hao, who then sent Du Hu and Wang Biao to follow. These two former soldiers, like Tang Hao himself, were well-trained in physical fitness. They quickly descended the stairs and rushed toward Liu Dafu’s car. After a while, Jin Sanmao and the developer representative both hung their heads in embarrassment, visibly shaken, and were dragged up the stairs by Du Hu and Wang Biao—both trembling in their legs and their lips quivering. What had happened? Gao Liang himself didn’t know. Everyone in the room stared in wide-eyed astonishment. At that moment, Du Hu and Wang Biao explained what had transpired. Originally, when they rushed to Liu Dafu's car, they found Jin Sanmao had disappeared. They quickly searched around and discovered him burning a large pile of documents together with the developer's representative at a corner of the room. Fortunately, thanks to timely rescue efforts, the key documents were saved—only the cover page of the patient records was damaged. At this point, Du Hu and Wang Biao immediately realized: Jin Sanmao must have accepted kickbacks from the developer and thus acted in self-interest, betraying his long-standing loyalty to his boss. Liu Dafu had truly misjudged him! "You! You!" Liu Dafu pointed at Jin Sanmao and suddenly fainted. The developer's representative, meanwhile, dared not meet the developer manager's eyes, as the situation had now come to light—the developer manager's face was flushed with embarrassment. "Now, speak!" High-light took the document that Wang Biao had handed over and quickly scanned it, then turned to Jin Sanmao. Jin Sanmao looked as if he had a bitter gourd on his face—deeply embarrassed, almost wishing he could vanish into the ground. The developer’s manager also froze; his previously firm expression suddenly softened, his face flushed, and his heart racing. The conspiracy had been exposed! Without waiting for Jin Sanmao to speak, he stepped forward and said: "I admit it. I'm at fault. Everything was carefully planned and orchestrated by me. However, at that time, our working capital was extremely limited, and the pressure from above was immense. To meet the targets, I had no choice but to take this course of action." "This contract is invalid, pursuant to the Contract Law of the People's Republic of China, when the parties enter into a contract under the following circumstances, the contract shall be deemed invalid." (1) One party enters into a contract through fraud or coercion, thereby harming the interests of the state; (2) Deliberately colluding to harm the interests of the state, the collective, or a third party; (3) Concealing an illegal purpose under a legitimate form; (4) Damaging public interests; (5) Violating mandatory provisions of laws or administrative regulations. You've essentially committed all of them! What shall we do now? Do we need to invite your professional lawyers to defend us? High-light spoke with firmness and conviction, his words resounding with authority. "No, no, no!" The developer's manager repeatedly insisted, "I hereby declare this contract invalid! We will revise and re-negotiate the contract!" "Excellent!" Upon hearing that the contract would be re-negotiated, Liu Dafu was overjoyed. He immediately grasped the developer's hand and said, "Let's re-establish our partnership!" "Re-establish our partnership!" The developer's manager also expressed his excitement. But how should the new contract be drafted? What terms would satisfy both parties? Liu Dafu and the developer's manager both found themselves at a loss Gaoliang smiled and said, "I'll draft it!" Then he took a notebook computer offered by a developer representative, and with swift fingers, within a short while, six complete A4 Word contract documents appeared clearly before everyone. Using a projector, he displayed the documents on the soft white wall of the hall, presenting them vividly and authentically to all present. Together, everyone read through the documents sentence by sentence, carefully reviewing them, and found that the contract perfectly aligned with the mutual interests of both parties. Through this contract, Gaoliang resolved the developer's issues of delayed construction schedule and declining construction quality from a perspective of fairness, transparency, and impartiality, while also addressing the contractor's challenges of rising raw material costs—should they continue under outdated contractual terms, they would face financial strain and potential insolvency. Both the developer and the contractor were delighted and signed and sealed the agreement. At that moment, the general manager of the development company was beaming with enthusiasm, extending his hand to invite Gao Liang to join their company and sincerely offering an annual salary of 200,000 yuan—because he knew that although Gao Liang had exposed his company's shortcomings, from a long-term perspective, Gao Liang was actually helping them grow. After all, everyone preferred a win-win partnership. Therefore, talent was truly rare; with talent came wealth! The potential for talent to create value was limitless. It's already a top-tier price—how can they refuse? Must have heard it wrong. But seeing that Gaoqing didn't reach out to grasp it clearly shows this is real, happening right before their eyes, right beside them. Among all of them, Tang Hao, Du Hu, and Wang Biao most admire him, because a person who values integrity and principles must surely be someone capable of bearing great responsibilities. People who only see money as valuable are the most unreliable, and true friends should be those who embody genuine integrity.