Zheng Xianwen heard the word "betrayal" and felt as if he had been struck on the head. Fear retreated, leaving behind a void.
"Betrayal? Did you ever consider me one of your own?"
Though his words were accusatory, he wore a smile. The absurdity of it all made his shoulders shake, and he laughed maniacally, though the sound was more a series of odd noises squeezed from his throat. Moments later, his expression shifted. He stepped forward, towering over the man on the ground, gripping a knife tightly. Blood dripped from the blade, revealing its silver sheen.
Han Songshan’s phone lay on the ground, its flashlight cutting through the dense grass. The knife reflected a soft white light.
The two men exchanged a tense, unclear look through the night. Han Songshan, terrified by Zheng Xianwen’s manic behavior, thought he might be stabbed again. Propping himself on his elbows, he frantically tried to crawl backward.
Through his blurry vision, Han Songshan heard Zheng Xianwen say, “I truly regarded you as family. I admired you and even called you father.”
Han Songshan, drenched in cold sweat and feeling his life ebbing away, struggled more, causing his blood to flow faster. Soon, he lay flat, unable to get up.
Rain that had threatened all evening finally began to fall. The first drop hit his lips, spreading a wet chill amid his pain. Quickly, the rain formed a curtain, soaking his entire face.
As the wind calmed, the air suddenly grew colder. Han Songshan shivered uncontrollably, turning his head slightly to mock, “Family? Father? Stop being so fake. You only love my money! Did you think I didn't know?”
His voice weakened under the rain, but he managed to spit out, “Pah! You bastard!”
Zheng Xianwen replied, “Then why were you so fake with me? Was it because betraying Zheng Jinmei gave you a sense of accomplishment? Does seeing my despicable behavior make you happy?”
Han Songshan opened his mouth, but blood loss prevented him from forming coherent sentences. Desperately, he reached out to Zheng Xianwen, pleading, “Save me.”
Zheng Xianwen stood unmoved, “You destroyed her, tormented her, and played with her fate. Did it make you proud? You never even saw her as a person.”
Han Songshan shook his head and turned painfully, trying to crawl forward, clutching at the grass.
Zheng Xianwen followed, sneering, “We’re both evil, deserving of death. But you’re worse. I am your spawn, your retribution. Han Songshan, do you hear me? I am your retribution!”
Han Songshan stopped moving, looking back one last time.
Zheng Xianwen stood, the knife hanging down, watching silently until Han Songshan’s head drooped, lifeless.
Breathing heavily, Zheng Xianwen felt a suffocating lack of oxygen, and his limbs grew weak. He stepped forward and dragged Han Songshan into the water, covering his face with grass.
After completing this task, Zheng Xianwen stood dazed by the river, scanning the surroundings, then looking up at the vast night sky. The rain made it hard to keep his eyes open, washing away the blood from his face, trickling into his mouth.
The desolate emptiness and the unceasing wind left him feeling that life and death were equally meaningless.
This deathly stillness lingered, so even when the police searched and interrogated him, he remained unusually calm, as if he had been waiting for this end.
Zheng Xianwen’s mind drifted, “If I hadn’t met Han Songshan, maybe I wouldn’t have become so greedy. My mom might not have killed herself because of me. A job that paid five thousand a month isn’t so bad, is it?”
Zheng Xianwen had genuinely admired Han Songshan. Lacking a father figure growing up, he had fantasized unrestrictedly about that role. Han Songhan’s lies had fueled these fantasies, leading him into self-deception.
Growing up in poverty, the lavish, unrealistic lifestyle was the cruelest poison to him.
Brother Huang sighed, at a loss for words, while Captain Zhang scanned the documents before him, asking, “What about Wang Gaozhan? Why was he with you?”
“Nothing much,” Zheng Xianwen replied casually. “I knew he hated Han Songshan too, so I told him I had a way to ruin Han Songshan completely, but he had to give me all his money. If he gave enough, I might be tempted.”
Zheng Xianwen laughed, “He was so stupid. He actually believed me. Not only that, he agreed to give me his house in City A. He worked hard, giving me half his monthly salary. Did he really hate Han Songshan that much to do this for his son? His son is gone anyway…”
He Chuan Zhou watched Zheng’s smile fade into a pained expression, the mockery in his words dying out.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t want it. I just wanted to test him, to see how much he loved his son.” Zheng Xianwen closed his eyes, tears sliding down his face. He no longer spoke insincerely, just smiled wryly, “Why couldn’t I meet a normal father? I didn’t need much, just for him to not teach me to be a bad person.”
Captain Zhang waited for Zheng Xianwen to finish crying before asking, “What about Wang Yifei?”
Zheng wiped his face roughly, speaking softly, “I never met him. I don’t know why he did what he did.”
He Chuan Zhou interjected, “I know. Wang Yifei tracked them using his phone’s location. Wang Gaozhan had lent it to him.”
Zheng Xianwen chuckled again at this.
Captain Zhang glanced at Zheng Xianwen, then at He Chuan Zhou. There were still details to confirm and evidence to locate, which would take some time.
He Chuan Zhou understood, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.”
Just as she stood, Zheng Xianwen called out, “Officer He, can I ask you a favor?”
She raised her chin, noncommittal, “Go ahead.”
“When you have time, could you visit my mother’s grave? I’m afraid I won’t be able to do it myself.” Zheng Xianwen’s expression was serene, almost detached, his eyes slightly unfocused as if veiled by distant smoke. “Just every few years, place a flower on her grave. She loved all kinds of flowers. She’d be happy if you did.”
After thinking for a moment, He Chuan Zhou agreed, “I can do that.”
“My house can be yours. It’s old and in the suburbs, not worth much, but I hope you don’t mind.” Zheng Xianwen said, “We bought it cheap. The previous owner said it had issues, but my mom didn’t believe in that stuff. Maybe it really has bad luck. Sell it if you want.”
This time, He Chuan Zhou shook her head, “No need.”
Zheng Xianwen continued, “Then help me sell it. Donate the money in my mom’s name.”
He had grown accustomed to wearing a mask, speaking to others with a detached smile. Now, without the need for pretense, he seemed to shed a layer of confinement, feeling a rare lightness.
As He Chuan Zhou reached the doorway, she glanced back one last time.
Zheng Xianwen, having asked Brother Huang for a cigarette, took a puff and remarked with disappointment, "Expensive cigarettes don’t taste any different. I guess I can’t tell the difference, even though I thought my state of mind might change the experience."
Brother Huang chuckled, "Are you stupid? This is a cheap cigarette. I just put it in a Zhonghua box."
Zheng Xianwen burst into laughter, "Even you cops do that?"
Captain Zhang interjected at the right moment, "If it doesn’t taste good, stop smoking. Secondhand smoke is awful. Brother Huang, have you noticed how your face has turned sallow? It’s probably from smoking too much."
As Brother Huang’s face darkened, He Chuan Zhou shut the door, descending to the first-floor lobby where Zhou Tuoxing was waiting on a bench outside.
He twirled his phone in his hand, glancing at the door occasionally. So, the moment He Chuan Zhou appeared, he noticed her immediately.