Insights Chapter 74: Redemption

Chapter 74: Redemption

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

Approaching midnight, Penang City Bureau, Gu Yanchen, accompanied by Lu Ying and a police officer responsible for recording, entered Tao Ya’s interrogation room. The girl in front still sat quietly with her head bowed, different from other suspects Gu Yanchen had encountered. Those people were either arrogant, fearful, nervous, or smug. But Tao Ya sat quietly, as if devoid of any human emotion. She protected herself well.

Gu Yanchen spoke, “They have all confessed, Sun Yushi also admitted to killing Zhou Yingying. But I believe this is not the truth.”

Tao Ya’s eyes shifted, looking at him.

“The other girls said you woke them up from sleep, you instructed them to stab Zhou Yingying’s corpse. medical examiners found traces of Digoxin in Zhou Yingying’s corpse, and only your medical card had records of such medication in the entire dormitory.”

Various clues pointed to this seemingly quiet and ordinary girl.

Faced with questioning, Tao Ya’s eyes flickered, looking at the pile of documents on the table. Suddenly, she raised her hand, searching through the photos and found a picture of the corpse. The girl’s gaze fell on the waxen corpse, sighing. Then she set down the photo, raised her head, and looked at Gu Yanchen. “I knew you would come here.”

Gu Yanchen pressed his hands on the table, leaning forward to ask her, “Who killed Zhou Yingying?”

“She died at everyone’s hands,” Tao Ya finally spoke, her voice hoarse, calm, and low.

Gu Yanchen asked, “What do you mean?”

Tao Ya pursed her lips.

Gu Yanchen took out a stack of documents, “According to our investigation, Zhou Yingying was once your good friend. What happened between you two?”

Tao Ya adjusted her hair and said, “I and Zhou Yingying were indeed good friends. Although we were not in the same class in the past, our relationship was always good. At that time, we lived nearby and were both in the choir. We often did homework together. I even thought that one day when I got married, she would be my bridesmaid, and if she got married first, I would be happy to stand by her side. I was the first to enter this factory. Before the official report, I asked a few good friends from my hometown. Zhou Yingying was immediately interested and wanted to join. So, I introduced her to the factory personnel. But I thought too simplistically.”

Tao Ya’s tone was somewhat sad, but her eyes were dry, without a trace of tears. Her expression made it difficult to judge whether she was mourning her friend or revealing her own guilt. She seemed to stand on a boundary between black and white.

Even Gu Yanchen couldn’t assert whether the girl in front of him was an innocent person or a brutal murderer. He patiently listened to her continue.

“At first, everything seemed fine, and life in the factory was very simple, without much excitement. The beginning of everything was on the third day after Zhou Yingying joined. When we were working, a black beetle flew in from outside, and she screamed, shaking the bug off.”

Tao Ya still remembered clearly. That day, she had just started her job, and sunlight streamed in through the window. Everyone was wearing the factory uniform, focused on their work.

Suddenly, the black beetle flew onto Zhou Yingying’s clothes. She screamed loudly. Then she jumped and shook off the bug. This scene happened in the quiet workshop, breaking the silence. Zhou Yingying’s scream shattered the calm, and everyone looked up at her.

Someone, unknown, laughed first, and then others followed suit, laughter spreading contagiously. Everyone was laughing, except her and Zhou Yingying. The initial smile was just an impulse, and she hadn’t realized the malice at that time. Until Sun Yushi’s gaze fell on Zhou Yingying, she smirked, as if finding a new toy.

That’s when all the misfortune began.

Tao Ya finished her recollection and sighed before continuing, “From childhood to adulthood, Zhou Yingying feared nothing but bugs. Her scream was a bit exaggerated, and many female workers witnessed that scene, including Sun Yushi. At that time, she laughed and said to Zhou Yingying, ‘You’re like a dancing rhino. Let’s call you Rhino from now on.'”

“When I saw my good friend being bullied, I got angry and confronted them directly. I said, ‘How can you give others nicknames like that?’ I didn’t expect that this simple sentence would trigger Sun Yushi’s relentless retaliation later. She and the girls from her hometown grouped together, bullying me in various ways. They even gave up teasing Zhou Yingying.”

Gu Yanchen had heard about this incident from Han Ziai.

“They would intentionally wet my clothes hanging to dry and make me wear them wet to work in the workshop. They would throw my books on the ground and step on them a few times, pretending to have just found them and returning them to me. During dormitory inspections, where electrical appliances were not allowed to be plugged in, they would intentionally take out my things, plug them in, and then let the dormitory supervisors find them, resulting in me being criticized. They would leave me alone in the workshop without helping me get food. Things like this happened almost every day.” As she recounted all this, Tao Ya remained calm.

Bullying a strong person is sometimes more interesting than bullying a weak one. Their arrogant attitude made Sun Yushi want to humiliate them. It was like something pure and white that someone always wanted to dirty. They wanted to drag them down, into the mud, to dirty them, because villains feel accomplished when they do that.

“At that time, none of the female workers in the workshop dared to approach me. Only Zhou Yingying thought that the situation was caused by me. In a secluded place, she hugged me and cried. I said, ‘It’s okay. In the future, don’t be nice to me in front of others, don’t talk to me. Otherwise, they will bully you too.’ From that day on, we began to act in front of other female workers.” She lowered her head, looking at her hands. “I didn’t want to involve her.”

Gu Yanchen asked, “Is there any evidence to support what you’re saying?”

Tao Ya shook her head, “To avoid suspicion from others, we didn’t chat online.” Then she remembered something, “Behind the factory building, we had a small secret base. It’s a fenced-off area connected to the back of the factory. Both insiders and outsiders could access it, but people from the factory wouldn’t go there, and outsiders wouldn’t come. There, we could talk freely, just like we did when we were kids. Since then, Zhou Yingying and I would go there to talk when others weren’t paying attention. Only there could we breathe freely.”

Gu Yanchen frowned as he listened. He realized that the place was where Zhou Yingying’s body was buried.

“Although I was bullied badly by Sun Yushi and her group, I endured it. Until one winter when we went out for team building… Everyone was crowded by the lake, and no one noticed except me. Under our feet was the cold lake water. At that moment, I thought, if Sun Yushi died, would everything be solved? Amidst the crowd, she fell into the lake. I watched her sink bit by bit…”

As she told this story, Tao Ya’s voice was calm, her gaze looking into the distance. She seemed to be back by the lake, looking at the endless water surface, with the screams of the female workers in her ears. That annoying woman floated and sank, could be choked by a mouthful of water at any time, and disappeared in the depths. Her eyes were indifferent, looking down at her.

But at that time, there was no sense of revenge in her heart. Should Sun Yushi die like this? She felt like a butterfly wrapped in sticky fluid in a cocoon. If she couldn’t break free, she would die in the cocoon. Her heart beat like a drum, as if it could burst out of her chest at any moment. It wasn’t Sun Yushi who was on the brink of life and death, it was herself.

Her thoughts flipped a thousand times in an instant. She finally made a decision. No, she couldn’t let Sun Yushi die like this! She jumped into the water. At that moment, the cold lake water felt like a dagger piercing her lungs. She was taking a gamble.

…

In the interrogation room, Tao Ya withdrew her gaze and looked at her hands. She coughed lightly for a moment and wiped the corner of her mouth. Since that winter, she had developed a lingering illness, sometimes waking up coughing at night. Afraid of waking others, she would curl up in bed, covering her mouth with the blanket until dawn.

Gu Yanchen knew that the girl was downplaying the severity of the situation; she didn’t go into detail about how Sun Yushi fell, but he still caught some clues.  At that time, Tao Ya was on the verge of darkness. She almost became a murderer. He already knew the outcome of this matter, but he still listened without interruption to Tao Ya.

“I still couldn’t watch her drown. I hesitated for a moment, feeling that it was still a life after all. So I jumped into the water and saved her. It might be that she had a little conscience, and Sun Yushi finally stopped bullying me. But I didn’t expect…” At this point, Tao Ya clenched her fists.

Gu Yanchen listened and asked, “What happened next?”

“After that, Sun Yushi accepted me, but instead bullied Han Ziai and Zhou Yingying.”

Bullying still persisted, just with a different target.

“Bullying among these people seemed like a snowball rolling down a hill, gaining momentum and growing bigger. Everyone contributed to it, finding joy in it. Even though I stood around Sun Yushi, I couldn’t stop this behavior. Sometimes, because of my dissuasion, the bullying intensified. During that time, Zhou Yingying and I had to continue our act. When we were outside, I didn’t talk to her. I even started leading the bullying against her. If I initiated it, Sun Yushi and others would bully her less. Almost every Friday night during that period, Sun Yushi would call her downstairs to the storage room for various reasons, to punish her, mock her, and embarrass her. Others would gather around to watch, suggest ideas, and ridicule Zhou Yingying.

“It was a group behavior. I realized that while Sun Yushi was the one leading, the others were not innocent either. Sometimes, just because of a word or thought from someone in the group, bullying would occur. Others would follow suit, trampling over the vulnerable. Anyone who voiced dissent would be ostracized by everyone, including Sun Yushi. If someone didn’t do enough, couldn’t convince the majority, they would face complaints from the group. Under the influence of those emotions, to maintain their status and persona, they would do even more extreme things.

“To break this cycle, the efforts of one or two individuals are not enough. Each person is an individual, with some commonalities and differences. Unpredictable, elusive. I could see that Zhou Yingying was tormented and becoming depressed. She wanted to escape, but her family didn’t allow her to leave the factory. She became more and more distressed, more and more desperate, and I couldn’t help her. Her health started deteriorating, with rapid heartbeats. She was afraid of her parents and the people at the factory finding out, so she borrowed my health insurance card to go to the hospital. She received news that due to obesity, her heart was deformed, and without surgery, she could die from a heart attack at any time. The doctor prescribed her Digoxin to temporarily relieve her symptoms.”

Gu Yanchen asked, “Regarding this, were there any test results?”

Tao Ya shook her head, “Zhou Yingying went by herself, and I didn’t see any test results. The hospital wasn’t very big, but it was relatively close to the factory. She said the doctor wanted her to be hospitalized, but she refused and only brought back some medicine.”

Previously, Gu Yanchen had tried to have Bai Meng find the doctor at the time, but the hospital wasn’t fully electronic, and after so long, the medical records were lost. Besides confirming that the hospital prescribed the medicine, they didn’t obtain any other information.

Hearing this, Lu Ying, who was also present during the interrogation, had some doubts. “Are you suggesting that Zhou Yingying died from a heart attack?”

At this point in the case, he was unwilling to believe in such a simple coincidental outcome. But such a possibility corresponded with many details in their investigation. Digoxin in the blood, heart disease, death.

Tao Ya raised her head and blinked lightly, “Please let me continue. Things are not as simple as that.” She continued the story, “Zhou Yingying started considering the surgery, but she knew her family didn’t have that much money, and if the factory found out about her illness, she would be fired. The surgery would cost at least 200,000 yuan, and even if she hired an expert, the success rate would only be ten percent.

“The incident happened on Zhou Yingying’s 22nd lunar birthday. According to the customs in our hometown, we only celebrate lunar birthdays. Only Zhou Yingying and I were in the secret base. I bought her a small piece of cake, and in the end, we only lit one candle. After lighting it, I realized that there was only a small, twisted flame, which was not auspicious for a birthday. Zhou Yingying finally faced the fact that she might not live much longer. She lamented that her short life was so insignificant, her parents were still alive, and those bullying coworkers would continue to live well. The world wouldn’t change much, except that she might disappear. We talked about those people and things, feeling angry inside. At that time, we came up with a plan…”

As she spoke, Tao Ya’s eyes reddened, whether from sadness or hatred, it was unclear. She revealed the truth, “We decided to use Zhou Yingying’s death. To take revenge on those people.”

At this point, Tao Ya seemed to feel like she was back in that dark storage room. Zhou Yingying lay on the ground, without breath or heartbeat. Sun Yushi collapsed not far away, crying hysterically because of accidentally killing someone, while another girl was completely at a loss.

Facing her friend’s corpse at that time, she took a deep breath and stood up, “Calm down, Sun Yushi. You must calm down. I have a way to change everything. No one will know you killed someone.”

Sun Yushi stopped crying and looked at her blankly. She continued, “We can call the others down and make them think they killed Zhou Yingying themselves.”

As she said this, her body trembled, and her voice seemed not to be her own. This was the plan she had devised long ago. Zhou Yingying’s death seemed to be a turning point. Everything would change from here.

In the interrogation room, Tao Ya admitted, “I used Zhou Yingying’s death and her corpse. I gave Sun Yushi the idea. To make Sun Yushi believe me, I stabbed the corpse first, then I called the other girls downstairs.”

After saying these things, Tao Ya looked up at the police officers. She told a completely different story. The whole event became like a Rashomon. 

In the observation room, everyone fell silent. Bai Meng couldn’t discern from Tao Ya’s expression whether this was the truth or a fabricated lie. However, recalling Sun Yushi’s words, she remembered that Sun Yushi had said that only on that night did Zhou Yingying resist her like she had gone mad, and they struggled together.

Gu Yanchen asked, “Is there anything to prove what you’re saying?”

Tao Ya replied, “I have a video.” She paused for a moment and continued, “It’s a video recorded by Zhou Yingying before her death. The original was lost with my old phone, but I have a clipped version with a password, stored in the cloud. If you give me a phone, I can retrieve it and show it to you. It proves that I’m telling the truth.”

Bai Meng hurriedly got up to fetch Tao Ya’s phone. She connected the phone to the computer in the police observation room and performed a simple screen mirroring. Through a layer of evidence bags, Tao Ya operated her old-fashioned phone. She entered a program, input several passwords, and accessed a cloud space before decoding and opening a folder.

As the folder opened, everyone looked at the screen. First, they saw the photos stored inside. There weren’t many photos, a total of twelve. They were group photos of the female workers with the corpse. Each female worker held a knife, stabbing Zhou Yingying’s corpse in the back. The wounds on her back gradually increased.

In the dim storage room, the girls had pale faces, with various expressions—numbness, pain, tears, and fear. It was these photos that forever changed their lives.

Tao Ya said, “There’s also a video of Zhou Yingying fighting with Sun Yushi recorded. It’s all in there.”

Finally, she opened the longest segment of the video. A chubby, ordinary-looking young girl appeared on the screen. Everyone instantly recognized her as Zhou Yingying, the deceased in this case.

Previously, Shen Junci had seen photos of her and her corpse. Now, seeing her image gave him a surreal feeling. The background of the video was dark, with no light except for a small candle in front of Zhou Yingying, illuminating her face.

Tao Ya’s voice came from outside, “Say something. After all, it’s your twenty-second birthday.”

Zhou Yingying paused, “What should I say?” She looked at the camera, hesitating for a few seconds before speaking, “I’ve been a fat and cowardly person since I was young. I’m very ordinary-looking, not good at studying, and my family is poor. My parents often scold me, and I can feel that they don’t love me. My brother also looks down on me. At school, I lived a mediocre life. I’ve never been in a relationship. I feel like I’m too different, so I try to smile hard. I hope others can accept me and that I can be loved. I’m timid and weak. For the past twenty years, I’ve been acting according to others’ opinions.

“I used to think that when I grew up, I could have my own life, and everything would be beautiful. But when I grew up, I found it wasn’t like that. Once I turned twenty, my parents treated me like a matured pig ready for slaughter. If it weren’t for this factory job with good pay, I would have been forced to marry long ago. And Sun Yushi, along with those coworkers, keep bullying me.

“I feel like I’m in hell, and this hell is created by the people around me—whether they’re strangers, parents, relatives, colleagues, or bosses… Because of my weight, because I’m ugly, because I can’t meet their expectations, because I look easy to bully, everyone is human, but I’ve become the target of their bullying, the target of their venting. No one has ever considered my feelings.”

Tao Ya comforted her from the side, “What you’re saying isn’t entirely true. Look at me. I’ve been through these things too, but I’ve survived. Everything will become better. If there’s no future, that’s when there’s truly nothing left. So, I still hope you can hold on. You should tell your family about your illness, and go to a better hospital.”

“But not everyone can be as strong as you. At least, I don’t have your courage, your intelligence, or your luck. I’m just an ordinary person.” Zhou Yingying continued, “I once thought of running away, going to a place where nobody knows me, living alone. But later, I found out that I couldn’t go far. I have no money, my documents are kept at the factory, and my parents watch me closely… Even if I leave, what can I do? In a new place, people will still call me a pig, say I’m worthless. Moreover, I’m sick now, I’m dying soon…”

At this point, the video went black for a moment before lighting up again. This time, Zhou Yingying looked at the camera, her gaze seeming to penetrate the screen, “Before, I was a timid and cowardly person. Now, before I die, I want to change everything. Tonight, I will call my parents and talk to them. Sun Yushi should call me again. I will try to resist her. If my parents stop scolding me and forcing me, I will tell them about my illness and try to find a solution together. If tonight, Sun Yushi doesn’t bully me and leaves me alone, I will go to a major hospital myself and get detailed examinations, trying to get treatment.”

As she said this, she choked up, and even the officers in front of the screen felt the girl’s despair. Zhou Yingying wiped her eyes, “If tonight, my efforts are futile, if they still treat me the same as before. Then I hope… I hope… they will be punished, pay the price…”

At this point, she looked at Tao Ya, “Tao Ya, you will help me do that, right?”

“I will. We’re supposed to be lifelong best friends. We’ll never betray each other.” Tao Ya’s voice came through, “If, I mean if, it really comes to that, where would you want to be buried?”

Zhou Yingying pointed to the ground, “Right here. Only here am I free and happy, where I belong to myself. I don’t even want anyone to find my corpse. Then I can sleep quietly here. People will blame my family for my disappearance, saying they favor sons over daughters and drove their daughter away. Sun Yushi will become a murderer because of my death, she will always be afraid, always be wary. Others will also have a thorn in their hearts because of my death. They will never be able to bully others with such peace of mind as before. People who couldn’t resist when I was alive will be punished after my death. They will dream of me. Then wake up, and I will become their eternal nightmare, haunting them forever.”

Zhou Yingying smiled at the camera. It was like a small and ordinary girl declaring war on the world for the last time. If she lost the battle, she would use her life as a bargaining chip, put it on the scale, and try to change everything. It was her final desperate attempt, like a moth to a flame.

After the video turned black again, it then brightened, “If one day, I mean if, the police find my corpse, then show them this video. Prove that all my actions were of my own will, my own choice, and had nothing to do with you.”

Tao Ya said, “Let’s have some cake.”

Zhou Yingying said, “Then I’ll make a wish. I don’t want to die. I want to live on. I love this world so much.”

She blew out the candles on the cake, and everything plunged into darkness. The video paused, and everyone fell silent. This video was recorded a year ago, and now they’ve all seen the ending.

Zhou Yingying is already dead, seemingly killed by those people, yet also killed by this world.

Gu Yanchen looked solemn and serious. Bai Meng, upon seeing this, grabbed a tissue and quietly sobbed. Shen Junci didn’t know if things would have turned out differently if Zhou Yingying’s parents hadn’t scolded her that day, engaged in intense arguments. If Sun Yushi hadn’t bullied her as usual, humiliated her, would the outcome have been different?

But there are no “ifs”. That kind and ordinary girl died on her 22nd birthday.

Tao Ya said, “Since that day when Zhou Yingying died, I’ve carried out the vow I made to her and continued the plan. When Sun Yushi was at a loss, I suggested letting one girl after another be morally judged. I maintained balance in the dormitory. You should know what happened afterward.”

Zhou Yingying’s parents were criticized by everyone. Sun Yushi began to behave more cautiously. Bullying in the dormitory disappeared from then on. Zhou Yingying couldn’t save herself, but everything seemed to have improved a bit because of her death.  Hell was other people. She turned herself into a blaze, tearing open a fissure in hell. Unfortunately, she couldn’t see any of this anymore.

Tao Ya said, “After Zhou Yingying’s death, I started folding origami cranes, one every day, and now it’s been a year. Inside each crane is my longing for my friend. I hope these small cranes can convey faith. If there is truly an afterlife, then Zhou Yingying, under the spring, will also be pleased with everything today.”

The case seemed to have finally come to a conclusion.

At night, Bai Meng packed up all the files, and she wiped away her tears, awakening from her emotional empathy. Others also got up one after another and continued to be busy. Shen Junci looked at Gu Yanchen beside him, his expression not showing the relief that should have come after solving the case.

Doctor Shen pondered for a moment and suddenly understood. Although he had inferred this possibility before hearing Tao Ya’s confession, there were still some discrepancies in the story. Now that Tao Ya had spoken like this and presented the video, he began to doubt that this was still not the truth.

Shen Junci asked Gu Yanchen, “Should we believe Tao Ya’s testimony? Although we have that video of Zhou Yingying, I’ve noticed something. Many of the things Tao Ya narrated happened in the secret base. Including them agreeing to keep their underground friendship hidden from others. Besides this footage, Tao Ya’s testimony has no other evidence to prove everything.”

After all, everything happened after the incident with the nickname. At that time, Tao Ya stood up for Zhou Yingying, while the timid Zhou Yingying hid behind Tao Ya, even watching Tao Ya being bullied. Was it at that time that cracks appeared in their friendship, Tao Ya was disappointed in her friend, and had the thought of retaliating against Zhou Yingying? Otherwise, it couldn’t be explained. After Tao Ya and Sun Yushi’s relationship improved, why did others suddenly start targeting Han Ziai and Zhou Yingying, who were also from her hometown? Did Tao Ya have a hand in this?

Human hearts are treacherous. Human nature is also hard to fathom. Is there a possibility that Tao Ya was playing both sides and pretending to be a good person in front of Zhou Yingying? From the testimony, they could also infer that Tao Ya did bully Zhou Yingying. Can everything really be changed only through such methods, as her testimony said?

People couldn’t see what she really thought from the appearance of things and the testimony. Was she acting or feeling the pleasure of revenge from bullying? They couldn’t find the answer.

Gu Yanchen said, “I understand what you mean, even the video from the night isn’t continuous, there are some traces of editing.”

What is the real complete video? What was Tao Ya’s purpose in editing it? Was it because it involved privacy? Or was it because the memory wasn’t enough for continuous recording? Or did Tao Ya say something that guided Zhou Yingying to say those things?

“There’s also something off about her words,” Gu Yanchen said.

“Where?” Shen Junci asked.

Gu Yanchen said, “The number of origami cranes doesn’t exactly correspond to the date after death. I counted them myself before. There are 352 cranes in the bottle, but it’s been 374 days since Zhou Yingying passed away.”

The missing dozens of cranes could be due to holidays being missed, or for some other reason, they were placed elsewhere. Maybe during that time, She couldn’t get the same kind of paper, or maybe it was inconvenient to fold during the New Year, or perhaps Tao Ya just exaggerated and forgot about some days. This didn’t even count as a lie, just a slight difference in numbers, which couldn’t be used as evidence or explain anything. But this matter was somewhat unsettling.

Shen Junci furrowed his brows and thought deeply.

There’s a possibility that Tao Ya might just be a deeply cunning good girl, as she described in her story, enduring humiliation for the sake of her best friend, silently doing everything. She wanted to fulfill her best friend’s wishes, punishing all those who deserved it. She made the world after Zhou Yingying’s death better. But there’s another possibility in this case, though it’s very low. He couldn’t deny its existence.

This girl in front of him might truly be exceptionally intelligent, and after being bullied, completely turned dark. After Sun Yushi fell into the water, she thought she shouldn’t let her die so easily, so she saved her. While bullying Zhou Yingying, she pretended, saying, “I still regard you as a friend. I’m doing this for your own good. If I don’t bully you, others will, and I will be ostracized.”

She knew Zhou Yingying was sick. While pretending to persuade her to seek medical attention, she also told her that people like her should just die and decided to take advantage of her death. The hospital records were not detailed, and there was no clear diagnosis left. Even the existence of Digoxin was only confirmed through prescription records. They couldn’t confirm the exact concentration, nor did they know if Zhou Yingying had taken it herself.

Tao Ya might have completely foreseen everything that has happened today, which is why she left the video of Zhou Yingying as evidence to exonerate herself. She might be an absolute villain. Starting from the day she was bullied, she recorded everything, endured humiliation, gritted her teeth, and ultimately sought revenge, tit for tat.

Starting from the incident of Sun Yushi falling into the lake, she completely turned the tables. She calculated everything step by step, and Zhou Yingying’s fate and death were also part of her plan. She controlled everyone and evolved into a ruthless alpha wolf.

Thinking of this second possibility, Shen Junci felt chills down his spine, and the hairs on his arms stood on end. It felt like an invisible hand was choking him.

Gu Yanchen finally stood up and said, “Let’s close the case. Based on the relevant evidence and all testimonies, we can’t possibly know the whole truth. Only Tao Ya knows what really happened. But at least we can make a choice, choose what we believe.”

Shen Junci asked, “Which one would you believe?”

Gu Yanchen said, “Probably the story Tao Ya told. At least when Zhou Yingying recorded the video, she trusted her good friend.”

Gu Yanchen had some basis for his judgment.

After Zhou Yingying’s death, Tao Ya didn’t turn around and bully other girls. The relationships in the dormitory were relatively harmonious. Regardless of the accident that caused Sun Yushi to fall into the lake, Tao Ya did indeed save her from the icy waters. Moreover, they had no evidence directly linking Tao Ya to Zhou Yingying’s death.

If Tao Ya had really calculated to that extent, why would she bother being an ordinary girl here? So, he was willing to believe that Tao Ya’s nature was kind. Thinking of this, he asked Shen Junci, “What about you?”

Shen Junci remained silent for a moment, ruling out his previous speculation. His handsome face gradually regained its usual calm. “I’m the same. If this isn’t the truth, then the world, with its complex and dark human nature, would be hopeless.”

Relative to testimonies and conjectures, the authorities preferred to believe in evidence. The testimony of the deceased Zhou Yingying was favorable to Tao Ya. At present, these were the only evidence they had, and the specific outcome would depend on the court’s judgment. They had completed all their work. Further analysis would require speculation, and excessive conjecture could mislead the prosecution. 

There’s a saying in the law: innocent until proven guilty. This means that in the absence of clear evidence, the verdict tends toward innocence because people cannot prove they haven’t done something. They wouldn’t let bad people go, nor did they want to wrongly accuse good people. Everything would be recorded impartially.

As for the answers they held in their minds… Sometimes, people have to convince themselves to believe in something, so their beliefs can become stronger. Shen Junci didn’t know how to describe his feelings, nor how to tell this story to others. In the end, he buried all his feelings deep inside. Stacks of files, piles of testimonies, would eventually be forgotten, becoming just another solved case among many. This case was ordinary, yet not so ordinary.

It wasn’t until 1 a.m. that they finished work. As they walked down the steps of the Criminal Investigation Building, Shen Junci suddenly said, “In this world, it seems we can feel the pain inflicted by many others. It’s strange that although people are of the same kind, they hurt each other,” Shen Junci continued. 

“If it weren’t for Sun Yushi’s initial mockery, maybe none of this would have happened,” Gu Yanchen replied. “But there are things in this world that can heal these wounds,” Gu Yanchen said. “That is the love others bestow upon you. As long as there’s enough of that love, it can counteract the pain.”

Hearing these words, Shen Junci felt like a warm hand was enveloping his cold heart, bringing him warmth and hope. Regardless of whether Tao Ya’s friendship was genuine or fake. At least from Zhou Yingying’s perspective, or from the perspective of the deceased.

As a deceased person, one would hope to have a friend or confidant who would do many things for you even after death, maintaining the connection between you and this world. Thinking like this, death didn’t seem so terrifying anymore. Shen Junci could somewhat relate to this feeling. Perhaps because of this, he could return to the world. Standing on the steps of the City Bureau, Shen Junci suddenly called out the man’s name, “Gu Yanchen.”

Gu Yanchen turned to look at him. “What is it?”

Looking at his handsome features, Shen Junci spoke softly, “I’m glad I know you.”