Insights Chapter 115: Past

Chapter 115: Past

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

In the City Bureau, Shen Junci briefly explained to Gu Yanchen that Li Zhongnan would take on some investigative tasks. Recently, Li Zhongnan had also been investigating the case of the Mansion 13. Information exchange was relatively easy to coordinate.

Shen Junci said, “I haven’t contacted him for a while, but he has also discovered some information from his end.”

Upon hearing this, Gu Yanchen found answers to many questions in his mind, then he asked Shen Junci, “How did you meet Li Zhongnan?”

Shen Junci fell silent for a moment, “Li is a good person. He once helped me.”

As noon approached, Li Zhongnan and Xie Yuna had finished their conversation. He informed Shen Junci to bring Gu Yanchen over. When the two arrived at Xie Yuna’s rented house. Gu Yanchen finally saw Li Zhongnan, whom he hadn’t seen in many years. Li Zhongnan was much thinner than when he was in the police force, and his overall demeanor had changed significantly.

Xie Yuna’s emotions had stabilized by now, though her eyes were still a little red. Having just undergone questioning in the morning, she recognized Gu Yanchen, and Li Zhongnan introduced Shen Junci to her again.

Then Li Zhongnan said, “I’ve checked the room, it’s safe here. There were traces of surveillance on Xie Yuna’s phone, I helped delete them. Just to be safe, it’s better to turn off the phone. Xie Yuna hopes today’s conversation won’t be recorded.”

Gu Yanchen agreed, and the few of them sat down in the room.

Xie Yuna finally agreed to tell her story of the past few months. After a moment of contemplation, she began, “The whole thing started about six months ago…”

Xie Yuna graduated from university and joined a sales company. Her performance was always good, and her parents were proud of her. Six months ago, her lease expired, and with the bonus from the new quarter, she moved out of the shared house, looking for a better environment to rent. She found the Yeko rental website, and the agent showed her several houses. Among them, she was satisfied with two, one was a single room, and the other was a two-bedroom apartment. The two houses were in two adjacent rows of buildings, with similar floors, facing each other from a distance.

She was a little unsure which one to rent.

The agent told her, “Anyway, you’ve seen the situation. Our houses are in high demand and cheap. If you want to rent a two-bedroom, you need to find a girlfriend to live with you.”

Having just experienced sharing a house, she knew that trivial matters between girls could easily lead to unpleasantness.

She thought for a moment, “The single room is a bit expensive. If I rent a two-bedroom, can I find a male colleague to live with me?”

She knew that there was a male colleague in her company who seemed to be looking for a house too, and he was gay. She always treated him as a sister.

However, the agent said, “Sorry, our contract stipulates that this special offer is only available for girls.”

She found this rule a bit strange and asked, “Why?”

The agent explained, “You see, our decoration is very nice. If a man lives here, it’ll become messy in no time. It has to be girls living here. After you bring your friend over for us to see, both of you can sign the contract together.”

She found this a bit troublesome and suspicious.

The agent continued, “If you think the single room price is too high, I can apply for a cheaper option from the company for you. But the process will take some time, and it won’t affect your ability to move in.”

She listened to the agent’s advice and rented the single room at a cheaper price.

Upon arriving at her new place, she started her new life. The single room was well-equipped, with kitchenware in the kitchen and even a small oven. The bathroom had a large bathtub. She felt very good, enjoying the freedom of living alone. Every day, she went to work, cooked for herself, read novels, watched dramas, took baths, and did yoga in the evenings.

One evening, as she went to draw the curtains, she noticed that the light was on in the two-bedroom apartment opposite, and the curtains weren’t drawn. She could see a girl hanging clothes on the balcony. Sure enough, the apartment was quickly rented out too.

Two months later, while buying coffee at a café downstairs from her office, she met a young man named Yan Chi. Yan Chi was tall and handsome, coming from what seemed like a wealthy family, driving a nice car, and being very polite—the type she liked. They exchanged contact information at their first meeting, and Yan Chi started inviting her out frequently.

He was charming, often giving her small gifts, and even picking her up from her company’s building when the weather was bad.

Three months later, they officially became a couple. They went to amusement parks together on weekends, celebrated her birthday with a big cake from Yan Chi, and she made significant sales at work, earning bonuses and commissions.

Life seemed perfect. But then, things started to go wrong. It started with her encountering an exhibitionist on her way to work. Later, people on the street would give her strange looks. Then, one day, a supervisor at her company suddenly called her into the office during lunch and started asking about work-related matters but then began to touch her inappropriately. He pulled her onto his lap and reached under her clothes.

She cried out, refusing, but the man still took off her outerwear. She was terrified, screamed for help, slapped the man, and ran out crying in panic. This incident happened during lunch break, and half the company was alarmed. Subsequently, the company’s top management said they would mediate the matter.

She was taken to a closed meeting room, and HR demanded her phone before they would start the conversation. Facing several company leaders and HR personnel, she was asked to recount the detailed process of how the supervisor harassed her. She recounted the incident with a heavy heart.

After listening, the top leader said, “Let’s handle it. Resolve the matter.”

A middle-aged female leader added, “I thought it was something serious. This is nothing.”

She originally thought people would support her, but not a single person comforted her as the victim, nor did anyone indicate they would punish the supervisor. HR called her for a private discussion in a separate room. Towards the end of the conversation, HR surprisingly suggested she resign voluntarily.

She scoffed, “What did I do wrong? Why should I resign?”

“Mr. Zhang said you intentionally undressed and seduced him as soon as you entered his office. Your actions have brought a bad influence on the company.”

“Nonsense! What I said is the truth!” She grew angry, chuckling bitterly. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll expose this online?”

“You’re welcome to try anytime.” HR lifted their head, a gaze containing something indescribable, as if they could undress her with just their eyes. “You could have been promoted and given a raise. But now, with your fuss, what else can you expect? Resign as soon as possible, and we can all save face.”

She trembled with anger. “I’ll go to the labor bureau and report him for workplace harassment.”

HR chuckled, “Where’s your evidence?”

“This was witnessed by many colleagues.”

“And who will testify for you? Think about it.” They looked at her, adding, “With your demeanor, what’s there to preserve? Everything about you is laid bare.”

She couldn’t understand anymore, so she left the office. Eventually, they returned her phone after a while. She called the police. Two officers came, briefly understood the situation, made a simple record, and left without further action. There was no evidence. There were no surveillance videos in the supervisor’s office, and even if there were, she couldn’t obtain them. Her colleagues in the office treated her as if she were invisible. No one spoke to her.

She gritted her teeth. That night, she posted about the incident online. Some netizens passionately shared her post, and she felt a glimmer of hope. But within half an hour, the post was deleted, and her account was banned.

That night, she cried as she told her family about her ordeal. She thought her parents would comfort her.

But she didn’t expect her father to say, “Don’t embarrass yourself. What good can come from fighting a big company? Labor arbitration might say you’re making trouble for no reason. You better resign quietly. Don’t let this spread; it will affect your job search. No company wants a disputed employee.”

Her mother said, “You shouldn’t have called the police, making yourself a laughingstock. It’s good nothing serious happened. Handle it discreetly. We ordinary people have to endure even if something happens.”

Her parents said more.

“If you handle this poorly, it could ruin your career.”

“You’re like a dog that got touched.”

“This could affect your marriage. Your husband’s family might mind. You might not be able to marry into a decent family anymore.”

She felt her heart closing off. She didn’t dare to tell her boyfriend about the incident. She rested at home for a day to calm down. She searched online and found the situation was bleak.

On the third day, she still didn’t go to work. Instead, she went to consult with the free lawyers at the labor arbitration institution. It was her first time at such a place. The lawyers were busy, surrounded by people. She was among migrant workers demanding unpaid wages and pregnant women who had been fired. Everyone was talking at once, and she also asked about her situation.

When they heard it was workplace harassment, the lawyer said, “Don’t bother suing. There won’t be any results. It’s difficult to gather evidence for such cases, and you might not benefit.”

Later, the lawyer reminded her that by not going to work these days, she would be considered absent without leave and might be fired, which would go on her record.

Some colleagues she was close to told her that her online post had been screenshot by the company’s legal department and circulated to five hundred people. If she didn’t resign, they would sue her for spreading rumors.

She felt trapped in a quagmire, sinking deeper and deeper, but she had no way out. Finally, unable to bear it, she told her boyfriend, Yan Chi, about the situation. He also advised her not to suffer a loss and to resign first, and then they would see what to do.

She cried bitterly. So she had no choice but to resign from the company, packed her things and left dejectedly. None of her previously close colleagues dared to speak to her.

As she was leaving, the gay male colleague chased after her and whispered, “I overheard Mr. Zhang and HR gossiping about you behind your back. They said they saw your video online. Were you recorded somewhere?”

Hearing this sudden revelation, she was stunned. She had always been extremely cautious. Even in the changing room, she would look around. Where could those people have recorded her? She began to suspect whether she was being secretly filmed on the bus or somewhere else. She was too heartbroken and exhausted to think properly, so she decided to go back and take a nap first. Later, she arranged to meet her boyfriend for dinner.

Yan Chi initially tried to comfort and reassure her, but when she mentioned her suspicion of being filmed, Yan Chi suddenly fell silent. After a while, Yan Chi wrote a line on his phone’s notepad, “Let’s break up now.”

She furrowed her brows, completely puzzled by what he meant, and instinctively asked, “Break up?”

Yan Chi said to her, “If you feel it’s not right, then let’s break up.”

Suddenly, the whole world seemed to change for her. She didn’t understand what she had done wrong, and tears she had been holding back began to flow uncontrollably. Yan Chi took a pen from the table used for ordering and grabbed a tissue from the side, writing a line and handing it to her.

She took it while crying, and it read, “You’re right, you’re being watched, there’s surveillance on your phone.”

She sobbed for a moment, unsure how to react.

Yan Chi sat across from her, his face expressionless, and said, “Wipe your tears.”

Only then did she use the tissue to wipe her tears, crumpling it afterward and placing it aside. Yan Chi then wrote again and handed her another tissue, “The surveillance is in your house, and I’m being monitored too.”

She typed three words on her phone, “Why me?”

They continued their silent conversation, with Yan Chi writing on his phone and showing her before deleting the message or writing on the tissue, “I was sent by those people, my identity is fake. They want to record our process of falling in love.”

Her head was pounding, and she continued to sob, lowering her head.

“There are cameras in your house. For your safety, don’t let anyone know you’re aware of it. Escape, don’t argue with the agency, ignore the deposit and rent, don’t call the police, find a new place to live or leave this city. Leave now while you still can. If asked about me, say you wanted to break up.”

She looked at the man in front of her, feeling like she understood him yet didn’t. She blew her nose with the tissues, crying, “I’ve been so unlucky since I met you, I wanted to break up with you a long time ago…”

Xie Yuna almost ran home in tears. She opened the medicine cabinet and found— She sat on the toilet seat, looked across to the bathtub, and saw the same thing there. She went to the living room, under the TV, on the balcony, next to the oven… She realized she was constantly being watched in her own home, her scalp tingling with dread. Her colleagues in those companies had probably seen everything about her, her baths… changing clothes…

She quickly packed her things, didn’t dare to check rental websites, and instead went to a reputable real estate agency. After only looking at two places, she decided on a new house and decided to move immediately. Then she hesitated over one question. Should she call the police?

Yan Chi advised her not to, but that could be because he was involved. He might fear being implicated. She felt it was right, both for justice and for her own protection, to trust the police and report the situation. She thought, the last time she called 110, there was no result because of lack of evidence, but now with cameras in her room, there was definitely enough evidence. The police would handle it and find those behind it.

Xie Yuna searched and, gathering courage, walked into the nearest police station. It was her first time in a police station, and she was a little nervous. A male police officer greeted her.

Xie Yuna spoke, with a mixture of grievance and righteousness, “I’m here to report a crime.”

“A crime? What happened? Theft, robbery, or what?” the officer asked.

Xie Yuna organized her thoughts, “I’ve been secretly filmed.”

She was led into the office of the police station. Inside were several male police officers, some middle-aged with big bellies, others looking fresh-faced and young, all busy with their tasks.

Someone asked, “What’s going on?”

The male officer who initially questioned her said, “She says she’s been secretly filmed.”

“Then let’s start by asking, without evidence, we might not be able to file a case. If it’s a civil matter, you can file a lawsuit yourself, and we’ll handle cases involving violations of public security regulations.” A police officer pulled a chair for her to sit down and spoke realistically.

She remembered her experience of hitting a wall when complaining about workplace harassment. She thought, if her parents knew there were cameras in the rental house, they would definitely want to keep it quiet and wouldn’t agree with her coming to the police station to talk about it. The conversation in front of her continued.

“Filmed? By who? How was it done? Can you provide more details?” a male officer with an accent asked.

She felt uncomfortable from the questions and the looks from the people around her.

“It’s just some videos of me changing clothes…” Xie Yuna tried to convince herself she was overthinking, but she became more cautious and didn’t dare to reveal everything at once, speaking ambiguously.

“Where? When? Were there other people around? If you’re reporting this, you need to be clear about these details,” the officer kept asking.

Someone nearby chimed in, “Are you sure you didn’t mistake it? Some people confuse burglar alarms with surveillance devices. Like that woman last time, scaring herself.”

“Who are the criminals? Do you know?”

“You didn’t lose any money, right? No financial loss? Were you assaulted?”

“If it’s a mobile surveillance unit, it might be hard to track down. We might not be able to catch them and can only rely on surveillance footage.”

“You better fill out a form first, write down your contact information and ID.”

She was stunned. Was this how reporting a crime went? Although it seemed like caring inquiries, those questions made her increasingly uncomfortable. She felt like she had done something wrong, couldn’t lift her head, and found it hard to speak.

Xie Yuna clutched her clothes tightly and asked in a trembling voice, “Are there female police officers?”

“The female officer is out investigating now. This isn’t a rape case, we can handle the inquiry.” The police officer’s gaze was caring. “Where were you filmed? In a changing room? Do you have any videos? Any evidence? Were there other victims?”

“I…” She didn’t know where to start.

An older officer nearby said, “Miss, you have to fill out the form and speak up. If you don’t explain clearly, how can we help you?” He asked based on experience, “Is it intentional by your boyfriend? Did he upload it online? If not, we can advise him to delete it.”

Another officer walking by interrupted, “These kinds of things happen too often.”

The police station was bustling. There was a man with a bleeding head wound, a middle-aged man loudly arguing on the side, and an elderly woman crying in pain.

Compared to them, it seemed like what she went through wasn’t as severe. And she felt like a joke trapped in the midst of it all. She realized that reporting to the police was a mistake. She stammered, “I can’t remember, I won’t report it, I’ll reconsider…”

The grassroots police officers looked at her differently, as if she was making a false report and they were losing patience.

She dashed out as if fleeing, hearing a police auxiliary officer at the door of the police station speaking on the phone while smoking, “It seems a house was found out, came to the police station today, it’s the one on the surveillance… You should see if you can handle it.”

Her heart almost leaped out of her chest with fright. So, this was what not reporting to the police meant. Those who could install cameras in rental houses, find people like Yan Chi to act, must have money and power. She couldn’t even handle company matters, how could she deal with those behind it? She felt like she was struggling pointlessly in a net. She returned home in tears, quickly packed her things, and moved them one trip at a time.

On the last trip back to get her belongings, she suddenly remembered something and looked up at the room opposite hers. It was a house decorated similarly to hers. Later, it seemed like two girls moved in. It was late at night now, and there were lights on in the opposite house, looking warm and peaceful. Did that house also have these surveillance devices?

She felt like she was on a solitary island, only the two girls living in that building could understand her pain. In an instant, all the grievances she had suffered rushed to her heart, then transformed into courage, bursting out. She had to warn them! She put on a hat and a mask, then hurriedly ran to the opposite building, taking the elevator upstairs. She stood outside the door, knocking fiercely, then twisting the handle.

“Open up, this house isn’t safe…” she screamed in her heart, but after a day like this, her throat couldn’t produce a sound.

If the door opened, she would tell them about her experience, but the door remained unmoved. She tried to look through the peephole, but it seemed blocked from the inside, and she couldn’t see anything.

She felt powerless, terrified. Then she realized, she couldn’t even save herself, let alone the people in front of her. With her last bit of courage, she took out a note from her pocket and wrote four words in a crooked manner, “Leave this place!”

She stuffed the note into the door crack, ensuring they would see it when they opened the door later. Then she went downstairs and left her nightmare behind. From that day on, she turned into a snail, afraid to interact with people, distrusted men, feeling like everyone looking at her had ulterior motives. She seemed unchanged on the outside, but inside, she was riddled with wounds. She waited quietly, hoping her wounds would heal, but they remained open. She felt despair, agony.

Encountering Li Zhongnan, for the first time after all she had been through, she felt warmth and help from the outside world. Like seeing a glimmer of light in a long dark night. Finally, she summoned the courage to open up.

.

Xie Yuna was in the rental house, recounting these events. It was the first time she had detailed them to anyone since they occurred. As she spoke about certain events, she still trembled all over.

During the conversation, Li Zhongnan got up to pour her a cup of hot water. He continuously encouraged the girl, “You’ve done very well.”

Gu Yanchen also understood why Xie Yuna had been reluctant to speak about these things when she was at the City Bureau before.

Xie Yuna drank some water and said, “But this isn’t the end of it. Afterward, Yan Chi contacted me. He said he borrowed a spare phone from a fellow villager to call me. He apologized to me, saying he was also coerced. Because his mother was sick, he borrowed money from those people, and they threatened him to pursue girls. I was lucky to have realized something was wrong in time. I cried so bitterly at that time, and he felt guilty and sympathetic towards me, so he told me the truth.”

She had very mixed feelings about Yan Chi. She hated him, feeling he was a liar who had pushed her deeper into the abyss. Yet she also felt a bit grateful to him because he told her the truth. She didn’t know if she still loved him and was a bit worried about him.

After that, they sporadically contacted each other using the spare phone, their relationship resembling sympathetic friends.

Li Zhongnan explained to Shen Junci, “I have contacted Yan Chi through some channels. He often breaks up with the girls when they are about to fall deep into the situation. I’ve been urging him, hoping he could become an informant for the police.”

Gu Yanchen noticed a crucial point, “So where is this Yan Chi now?”

Xie Yuna said, “A few days ago, he sent me a text saying he betrayed those people and asked me not to contact him anymore. I feel like he might be in danger.”

He took out the text message and showed it to them.

Shen Junci calculated the timing, “That should be the day we discovered the corpse. It’s possible that the person who disposed of the body was Yan Chi. He might have placed the corpse under the lover’s tree to attract the attention of the police.”

“The lover’s tree?” Xie Yuna paused when she heard this.

Gu Yanchen asked, “Do you know about this place?”

“Yeah…” Xie Yuna whispered, “I kept urging Yan Chi to take me there, but he refused me many times.”

Gu Yanchen noted down the phone number and sent it to Bai Meng for investigation. After a moment, he said, “This phone is still on. We might be able to locate Yan Chi’s hiding place by tracing this number.”