The vehicle started slowly, driving onto the empty street.
Liu Guangyu leaned back, his lips slightly parted, staring blankly at the car ceiling with a trace of
confusion on his face.
In the space where the sound of wind faintly whistled past his ears, he subconsciously imagined the speed of
the car and the remaining distance to the prison.
He could feel the car pausing at red lights, slowing down at crosswalks, and speeding on straight roads.
Suddenly, he felt a deep fear of the moment when the inertia would end, and someone behind him would say,
"We're here. Get out."
The anxiety, trembling, and anger from the murder welled up again, weighing on him like a mountain, dragging
him down into a deep, bottomless pit.
He didn't understand why he had become a murderer.
He had envisioned himself as a failure, living a mediocre life, barely getting by. But he never imagined his
future would include a prison sentence.
Liu Guangyu moved his hand, the shackles clinking softly. He quickly stopped and looked up, asking, "Can I
have a cigarette?"
Brother Huang reached for his pocket, but He Chuan Zhou asked, "Do you even smoke?"
Liu Guangyu replied, "I used to, but I quit."
He Chuan Zhou said, "Then don't start again. It's not a good habit."
Liu Guangyu just murmured, "Oh," without any real disappointment. He didn't really miss the taste of
cigarettes; he just didn't know what else to do at that moment.
Smoking and drinking seemed like they might help him stop thinking for a while.
He Chuan Zhou asked, "Anything else you need?"
After thinking for a while, Liu Guangyu finally remembered something important. He said, "My rented place,
did you see the potted plants on the balcony?"
"Yes," He Chuan Zhou replied in detail. "The leaves are a bit wilted, but they should survive with some
water. The strawberries are bearing fruit, though not much. I don't know if the landlord has thrown them
out."
Liu Guangyu said, "Please take care of them for me. I planted them last year, and it would be a shame if
they died."
He Chuan Zhou agreed, "Sure."
Brother Huang noticed and asked kindly, "Are you scared?"
Liu Guangyu kept his head down for a long time before giving a muffled "Mm."
"That's normal. Many people have a moment of clarity at times like this, realizing the gravity of their
actions. Just remember, no matter how many wrong choices you have, killing someone should always be off the
table," Brother Huang said, feeling like he was at that age where he couldn't help but offer advice to
disheartened young people.
"Get a good lawyer and sincerely repent in front of the judge. If you're not sentenced to death and behave
well in prison, you might still have..."
He found it hard to tell a 26-year-Brother that after many years in prison, he'd still be young.
Instead, he said, "You might still have some time left."
Liu Guangyu forced a smile. "Thank you."
The car stopped.
The sun was just rising, a sliver of it peeking over the horizon. The sky, a gray palette, was tinged with
yellow, though buildings obscured most of the light, allowing only a corner of orange to show.
They didn't rush him inside. After getting out, they stood with him for a while.
Liu Guangyu felt cold. Standing there, looking at the entrance to the prison, he felt a sense of unreality.
It was like a frost-laden dream.
He had been climbing aimlessly on a sheer cliff, and just when he was about to reach the top, he slipped and
fell. All the rocks, cliffs, and sunlight shattered into dust, leaving only a long chasm filled with
darkness and cold winds, opening before him.
He didn't know where he would wake up.
As he walked in a daze, He Chuan Zhou’s low voice broke his reverie.
"Do you want to know where Xu Chunhui went?"
Liu Guangyu turned to look at her, not speaking.
"If you want to know, I'll tell you," He Chuan Zhou warned. "It's not good news."
Liu Guangyu blinked unnaturally, then closed his eyes tightly. When he opened them again, he said, "I want
to know."
He Chuan Zhou nodded, her eyes bloodshot and dark circles visible despite makeup. Her fatigue was evident,
making her expression and tone seem flat.
"We found her death record in the files. According to various testimonies, Xu Chunhui—her recorded name was
Xu Quanhui—had a violent conflict with her husband because he refused to adopt you, among other accumulated
issues."
Liu Guangyu stopped, listening intently, not daring to miss a word.
He Chuan Zhou continued, "Yuan Lingyun's father strongly preferred boys. He wanted Xu Chunhui to have a son
rather than raise another's child. Xu Chunhui refused. Unable to resolve their differences, they divorced."
"A matchmaker then introduced her to a man who couldn't have children but was willing to take care of her
and you, treating you as his own if you'd care for him in his old age. He also promised a dowry of fifty
thousand yuan."
Liu Guangyu's lips moved silently, overwhelmed by emotions, his neck veins bulging from the intensity of his
feelings.
He Chuan Zhou spoke slowly, giving him time to process.
"You were under 14 then, right? Your father didn't want to keep supporting you. He repeatedly threatened Xu
Chunhui, saying he'd kill you or sell you unless she gave him money. Xu Chunhui was scared and wanted to
take care of you. So she considered the offer."
She paused, looking at Liu Guangyu.
His whole body trembled uncontrollably. He gripped his wrist tightly, his fingers shaking. His eyes were
wide, legs tense as if he would run at the next word.
He Chuan Zhou licked her lips and said calmly, "She met with an accident on the way. She never came back."
Liu Guangyu and Brother Huang both turned to look at her.
He Chuan Zhou’s face was serious, showing no signs of lying.
Liu Guangyu didn't dare ask if it was true. Brother Huang said, "That's really sad."
"Do well in prison; don't let her down," He Chuan Zhou patted his arm. "She'd want you to be a good person."
After finishing the paperwork and returning the car to the precinct, they felt more awake and chatted
casually.
Brother Huang shared a dramatic story he'd heard from a neighboring team—a complex and surprising love
quadrangle.
He was well-liked and connected with everyone, so he had a lot of information. He Chuan Zhou joked that he'd
be the most popular in any group of elderly ladies after retirement.
Brother Huang was describing how one woman's third "first love" discovered her backup plan when He Chuan
Zhou’s phone buzzed again.
She had received several messages before but hadn't checked them. She quickly scanned through the unread
messages.
Jiang Zhaolin's regular updates continued.
As usual, there was a photo and a few words.
"Just got off work. Had to do an emergency surgery."
The picture was of a small yellow flower he had taken on his way home.
He Chuan Zhou hesitated for a moment, swiping left but not yet clicking delete. Just as she did, Zhou
Tuoxing's icon popped up at the top.
Switching to it, she found that Zhou, who had previously said he was going to sleep, was still up late and
had sent her a probing text around three in the morning.
Zhou Tuoxing: "Are you off work now?"
Then came the latest messages.
Zhou Tuoxing: "About the meal you owe me, I'd like to change the request."
Zhou Tuoxing: "If you have time, let me know."
He Chuan Zhou laughed, rubbing her forehead. Brother Huang paused his storytelling and asked curiously,
"What's so funny?"
He Chuan Zhou replied, "Nothing."
She sent a reply to Zhou Tuoxing.
"So, what do you want to change it to?"
Author's Note:
Jiang Zhaolin is the anonymous person who messaged the female lead in the first chapter. He will appear in
the second arc.