Chapter 192 Face

Qingni Street is just one stop away from the newly built Liancheng Railway Station and is an emerging commercial center. Shopping malls, restaurants, and underground shopping centers are bustling with activity, and the streets are always packed with people during holidays.

During rush hour, Qingni Street is completely congested with cars picking up and dropping off passengers at the train station, and pedestrians line up to wait for buses.

Today was just a normal workday rush hour, and not only were the roads congested, but the pedestrian overpass was also jammed. Everyone was peering down from up there, and a group of police officers were surrounding two men and a woman, telling them to calm down.

Outside, off-duty reporters, having caught a big story, quickly got out of their interview vehicles; some were taking photos with cameras, others were recording with video cameras.

Below the overpass, at the entrance of the shopping mall, there was a woman selling roasted peanuts and melon seeds. A little boy clinging to her leg was munching on a steaming hot roasted sweet potato, his eyes fixed on the noisy crowd across the street.

"Oh my god, if someone splashed sulfuric acid on that guy's face, such a handsome young man, he'd be turned into something unrecognizable." The old lady who was tasting the sunflower seeds threw away the shells, chewed the kernels a couple of times with her teeth, and said, "Luckily I'm still nimble, or I would have been caught by that madman."

A young couple ran across the road, waving to unsuspecting onlookers and shouting, "Hurry up! That old man has gasoline; he's going to burn everyone alive!"

The old lady eating sunflower seeds said, "What's there to be afraid of across the street? Didn't you see the police are here?"

Shen Zhenzhu got out of the police car, ran around the blocked traffic to the scene of the incident: "Major Crimes Unit, Shen Zhenzhu."

Upon hearing the words "Chen Zhenzhu," the police officer maintaining order at the scene breathed a sigh of relief and asked the onlookers to make way.

The hostage-taker leaned against the side wall of the underground shopping mall's entrance, his felt hat pulled low, his left hand gripping a woman in her thirties, while his right hand lit a lighter.

The air reeked of gasoline, and a stylish man knelt at his feet, groaning in pain. The man was soaking wet, and a white bucket used to store gasoline lay discarded in the grass.

"...Isn't this Brother Jia?" Wu Zhongguo couldn't believe his eyes.

The kneeling man's facial features were corroded by sulfuric acid, and he kept wailing. Shen Zhenzhu recognized the kneeling man's attire; who else could it be but Kong Jieren!

Seeing more police officers approaching, Jia Minliang stammered, "Don't come any closer, or I'll set it on fire!"

“Uncle Jia, please don’t be impulsive.” Shen Zhenzhu pointed to herself and said, “It’s me. We’ve met before.”

The moment Jia Minliang looked at Chen Zhenzhu with fear in his eyes, he felt a sense of relief. He even smiled at that moment and said, "The girl who delivered the chicken cake, good girl."

Chen Zhenzhu nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, it's sponge cake."

The woman controlled by Jia Minliang had her makeup ruined and, with a twisted ankle, cried out in a low voice for help: "Help, please, I don't know anything!"

Wu Zhongguo pointed to himself and said, "Brother Jia, I'm Lao Wu. Didn't I buy you a train ticket? Why are you back again?"

After hesitating for a few seconds, Jia Minliang kicked Kong Jieren, as if to bolster his courage, and shouted loudly, "He killed my daughter and then seduced another good girl. This won't do! I'm going to teach him a lesson. I can't let another good girl be killed by him! You've come at the right time, take her away!"

Kong Jieren's handsome face looked like a melting ice cream cone. He was in so much pain that he kept howling, but he dared not touch it with his hands, because if he touched it, large chunks of skin and muscle tissue would fall off.

Seeing that Jia Minliang was about to let the woman go, he roared, "Help...help me! I'm in so much pain! I...I can't live anymore! Forget about her, save me!"

Fearing that Jia Minliang would change his mind, the woman said tremblingly, "Brother, I have a lot of money. You can have it all if you let me go."

Kong Jieren screamed, "My eyes are melting! Help me! It's the first day I met her, it doesn't matter if she lives or dies!"

"How could you do this! He said he would let me go!" The woman was furious. Looking at Kong Jieren, whose face was completely disfigured, she suddenly realized that his heart was just as ugly.

The woman pleaded with Jia Minliang, "Please let me go, I really have a lot of money, I'll give you money."

Jia Minliang said solemnly, "Girl, I have plenty of strength to earn money. I have hands and feet and I don't need other people's money. Promise me you won't be with him and I'll let you go."

"I swear, I don't know him at all, and I won't continue to associate with him."

Jia Minliang breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Okay, then go ahead, I'll let you go."

He released his left hand, and the woman who had been holding him screamed and ran two steps away. She turned back, picked up her fallen high heel, and slammed it twice against Kong Jieren's back: "You tried to kill me! You beast!"

After hitting and scolding her, he put on his shoes with his feet up and hopped on one foot to run to Chen Zhenzhu's side in a hurry: "Officer, I was so scared! My God, what happened?"

Jia Minliang pulled a confession letter from his pocket and threw it in front of Kong Jieren: "Open it and read it!"

Kong Jieren gasped in pain, his vision blurring. He slowly opened the "Confession Letter," and after reading it, he was furious.

The confession letter is nothing more than his emotional and financial entanglements with Jia Shishi and Lu Yuexin.

Jia Minliang stepped forward, holding a lighter: "Read it!"

Sulfuric acid had been splashed onto Kong Jieren's face, running down his brow bone and breaking his eyebrows. His right eye appeared abnormally large due to the skin being stretched. The sides of his nose were strangely turned upwards, revealing the moist interior of his nasal cavity. His lips, which had been used to kiss girls, were now only a gaping wound, clearly showing two rows of teeth.

He slurred, "My name is... Kong Jieren. I was expelled from Liancheng University of Science and Technology. Because I... I had a girlfriend but I lied to other girls and dated them. After I got tired of them, I introduced them to prostitutes at KTVs to earn money for me... I liked to praise one of them in front of them, which eventually caused my best friend to turn against me, and I enjoyed it... I'm unrepentant, I still want to use my looks to cheat women out of money and sex..."

What would normally have been an opportunity to elicit sympathy turned into a confrontation after he read his confession, and his shameless behavior led those present to view him as the perpetrator rather than the victim.

Kong Jieren's school name, ID number, and home address were all exposed to the public. Flashbulbs kept going off. Kong Jieren wanted to tear up the "Confession Letter" at all costs, but Jia Minliang yelled at him, and he timidly covered his face and knelt down in front of the "Confession Letter".

"No wonder they ruined his face. If you're going to be a gigolo, just be a gigolo. How can you be so heartless?"

"He ruined two perfectly good girls. It turns out he was the one who arranged for them to go to the karaoke bar. He's shameless."

“If it were my daughter who was killed and then falsely accused by him, I would kill him too.”

The surrounding crowd was abuzz with discussion, all feeling that Kong Jieren's facial features, ruined by sulfuric acid, were not worth mentioning.

The woman glanced at the "Confession Letter" next to Shen Zhenzhu. It clearly stated Jia Shishi's death and Kong Jieren's "crimes".

She said with lingering fear, "What a hypocrite! He said he was a graduate who was coming to my company for an interview and wanted to treat me to dinner. I thought I was going to have a romantic encounter, but it turned out to be hell."

The woman angrily shouted, "Big brother, I'm not going to pursue this matter of you kidnapping me! I support you in upholding justice!!"

"Sister, say less and go rest in the car first." Shen Zhenzhu helped the woman and waved to the female agent behind her.

"Acting on behalf of Heaven!" The woman's words were met with enthusiastic applause from the crowd, who automatically made way for her to leave.

“You are police officers, you have status and position, you can testify for me. There is not a single lie written here, it is all the crime committed by Kong Jieren himself,” Jia Minliang said, pointing to Shen Zhenzhu and Wu Zhongguo.

The crowd stared at Chen Zhenzhu, who nodded and said, "I can testify that the information in the 'Confession Letter' is consistent with what the criminal investigation team has learned."

Jia Minliang said excitedly, "Did everyone see that? Doesn't he deserve to die? He deserves to be torn to pieces! Everyone stay away, don't get close. The gasoline will suddenly blast out, and the fire will hurt a lot."

Shen Zhenzhu watched his every move. In the distance, concealed special police officers had already prepared sniper rifles, ready to act at any moment. Given the brazen hostage-taking and arson in the bustling city center, Shen Zhenzhu, as the on-site commander, had the authority to order the suspect to be shot dead on the spot.

“Uncle Jia, I’m willing to confirm what you said because I know you’re a good father—”

"No, I'm not! I should have been by Shishi's side a long time ago!"

Shen Zhenzhu waved her hand and tried to take a step forward, saying, "It's very regrettable what happened to Jia Shishi. Where did you put her ashes? She's already very sad. Don't let her have no resting place."

When the ashes were mentioned, Jia Minliang became depressed, and his hand holding the lighter trembled slightly: "They're with me. I plan to burn them together, so they can go with the wind and accompany her to the ends of the earth."

Wu Zhongguo whispered in Shen Zhenzhu's ear, "It should be the backpack by the door."

Looking over, Chen Zhenzhu saw the shape of an urn in the backpack.

Seeing that he still had some rationality, Shen Zhenzhu pulled out her trump card and said, "Shishi has lacked a father's love for so many years. Do you want to label her as having a murderer as her father even after she passes away?"

Wu Zhongguo chimed in, "Brother Jia, what's done is done. We can't do this for the sake of the child. I'm a father too, and I understand your feelings. Doesn't he make a living based on his looks? Now, it's worse for him to be alive than dead."

Suddenly, a voice rang out from the crowd. It was the woman who had been kidnapped. She hadn't even gotten on the bus yet, and she shouted excitedly, "The police officers are right! He's penniless and shameless; he'd rather be dead!"

Jia Minliang softened a little and stammered, "Really? Really?"

Shen Zhenzhu secretly took another step forward, now only a step away from them: "Really! I won't lie to you."

Jia Minliang gently lowered the lighter and murmured, "Great, being worse than dead is like being torn to pieces, and being torn to pieces is worse than being dead. I... I won't kill him, you can take me away—"

Just as things were starting to look up, Kong Jieren suddenly cried out in agony, "I can't go on living! It hurts so much! Let me die!"

He suddenly stood up, his features, corroded by sulfuric acid, contorted into a grotesque, demonic shape. He lunged at Jia Minliang, shouting, "Let's die together! Let's die together!"

"Kong Jieren!"

At the critical moment, Shen Zhenzhu pounced on Jia Minliang like a cheetah! The instant Kong Jieren touched Jia Minliang, Shen Zhenzhu grabbed Jia Minliang's wrist and snatched the lighter away.

The next second, Wu Zhongguo pounced, grabbed Kong Jieren who missed, and threw him to the side, rolling twice. In the race against time, police officers quickly stepped forward to help control the scene.

"Quickly, don't move!"

"Sit on the ground and don't move!"

Shen Zhenzhu handcuffed Jia Minliang, wanting to wipe the cold sweat from her forehead, but then lowered her hand when she smelled the pungent smell of gasoline in her palm.

Jia Minliang squatted on the ground without saying a word, his hands behind his back, his head held high as he faced the reporters taking pictures.

Kong Jieren fainted the moment Wu Zhongguo threw him. Shen Zhenzhu walked over, and upon closer inspection, her face became even more terrifying.

"Even the most skilled doctors can't bring him back to health; he's beyond saving." After taking plenty of photos of the scene, the reporters took a close-up shot of Kong Jieren's face, and then squeezed in front of the "Confession" to take a clear picture of it.

Shen Zhenzhu came to Jia Minliang's side and helped him up: "Let's go, Uncle Jia. Don't blame me."

Jia Minliang said in a low voice, "As long as he suffers a fate worse than death, I'm not afraid even if he's torn to pieces."

Chen Zhenzhu sighed silently.

"Take Shishi with you." Jia Minliang seemed to have returned to his simple and honest self when he first came to the criminal investigation team. He obediently followed Shen Zhenzhu slowly away from the entrance of the underground mall and looked back at his backpack.

"I'll never forget it." Wu Zhongguo picked up his backpack, patted it, and left the scene with the others.

Police officers began processing the scene, while snipers in the distance ceased their mission and unloaded their ammunition.

Back at the criminal investigation team, Wu Zhongguo interrogated Jia Minliang.

Shen Zhenzhu contacted the former manager of that state-owned restaurant, who didn't remember who the chef was and offered to help her find out.

After hanging up the phone, Chen Zhenzhu muttered to herself in her office, resting her chin on her hand: "Pouring gasoline in a public place with the intent to set someone on fire is arson. Using sulfuric acid to injure someone is intentional assault. Pouring gasoline can also be considered intentional homicide, constituting intentional killing. In addition, another innocent victim was taken hostage. This needs to be sentenced separately, with multiple crimes being punished concurrently."

She wrote down the following mitigating circumstances for Jia Minliang in her notebook: 1. He voluntarily released the kidnapped woman. 2. The victim's moral failings led to the death of the other party's daughter. 3. He put down the lighter to stop the crime and showed a willingness to "surrender".

"I hope they'll give me a lenient punishment." Chen Zhenzhu stretched and glanced at the door, noticing someone crouching stealthily in front of the food cabinet.

Shen Zhenzhu tiptoed over and pressed down on Tian Yongfeng's shoulder, saying, "Team Leader Tian, ​​this year's stoves all have numbers, so don't even think about touching mine."

"I'm really starving from working overtime today, and besides, my stove was stolen last year." Tian Yongfeng casually stuffed the Wang Zhong Wang cigarette into his pocket, grinning sheepishly, and said, "I heard you rambling on when I came in, so I didn't get a chance to greet you. You've been busy, haven't you?"

Shen Zhenzhu took out a box of luncheon meat and stuffed it into his arms, sighing, "I think hatred is a one-way street. Violence is like a cyclical disaster that can't end hatred... Sigh."

"I heard about the incident where that kid was splashed with sulfuric acid. You must be upset, right? This has caused quite a stir." Tian Yongfeng weighed the luncheon meat in his hand and asked with concern, "Well, while I sympathize with the father, I don't approve of such behavior."

Shen Zhenzhu understood his implied meaning. No matter what, Tian Yongfeng was her senior. She said, "Team Leader Tian, ​​please rest assured. Even if society and the public sympathize with and understand the story of 'a tragic father seeking revenge for his beloved daughter,' I will separate 'encounter and sympathy' from 'crime and trial.' Pain cannot be a reason to hurt others. We are enforcers of the national law, not tools for tragic revenge."

"I know you know what you're doing." Tian Yongfeng pretended not to hear Shen Zhenzhu's words, "I hope for leniency," and said with a smile, "You're all talk. Thanks, I'll pay you back later. Bye."

“I’m the ‘most steadfast’ one.” Chen Zhenzhu squatted down and rummaged through the food cabinet, found a bag of rice crackers, tore it open and took a bite, then stuffed two orange jellies into her pocket.

I've been so busy lately that I haven't paid attention to the pantry, but I didn't expect it to be so full of things, all of which are her favorite foods.

She tasted the crispy rice and thought it was good. She found another bag of crispy rice inside, took it out, and ran upstairs to put it in a bamboo basket. Hopefully, her brother Zheng can also enjoy the delicious crispy rice and relax at work, recover his wings soon, and continue to soar high!

With best wishes in mind, Chen Zhenzhu, having finished stuffing the rice crackers, left work first. It was already getting dark outside, and she crunched the rice crackers as she returned home.

After a night's rest, the newspaper arrived while I was having breakfast at home.

Shen Zhenzhu read yesterday's headline, "The Heartbreaking Motives of the Troublemaker Who Threw Acid, the Beastly Heart of the Former School Heartthrob."

The film "Confession Letter" is so clear that it's easy to find Kong Jieren's true identity. The emotional entanglements within the story prompted passionate commentary from several "commentators."

Without the "Confession Letter," Kong Jieren might still be able to play the victim, but now that societal judgment has reached its climax, Kong Jieren's life is truly over.

After finishing her shrimp wontons in small bites, Shen Zhenzhu put down her newspaper. Before leaving, she tied her hair up, and once again, she looked as energetic as ever as Section Chief Shen.

The agent keeping an eye on Hu Caizhi called ahead of time: "He's already gone out. We saw him and Hu Xiaolei get on a bus heading towards the hospital."

"Okay, I'll be right there."

Shen Zhenzhu waited for Wu Zhongguo at the entrance of the residential area. After getting into the car, Wu Zhongguo went straight to the hospital.

"Xiao Lei, don't be afraid, Dad is with you." Hu Caizhi squatted down to tie Hu Xiao Lei's shoelaces. Looking at the soccer shoes, which were obviously a size too big for a girl, he sighed, "It was bound to happen sooner or later."

Hu Xiaolei wore a long-sleeved, long-legged sports uniform, the zipper up to her Adam's apple, and she kept holding up the collar with her hand. Her eyes held both expectation and fear. From birth to the present, her gender reassignment has prevented her from experiencing a life of normal gender.

When Shen Zhenzhu saw them, she walked up to Hu Xiaolei and extended her hand: "Hello, Hu Xiaolei, don't be nervous. The doctor has already made arrangements. Just listen to the doctor."

Hu Xiaolei was only fifteen years old and felt a little lost in front of strangers, so she subconsciously hid behind Hu Caizhi.

At this moment, Hu Caizhi acted like a truly loving father, affectionately rubbing Hu Xiaolei's head and saying, "Sister won't hurt you. Come on, Dad knows you've been waiting for this day for a long time. Once you leave the hospital, you'll be a proud and upright man."

Hu Xiaolei gripped Hu Caizhi's clothes tightly, looking warily at Shen Zhenzhu and Wu Zhongguo behind her: "Are you police? I've seen him... in the public restroom."

Wu Zhongguo said frankly, "I was just passing by to use the restroom and thought you had gone to the wrong place. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known about this."

Hu Caizhi's tense face relaxed a little upon hearing this. He patted Hu Xiaolei's back encouragingly and patiently persuaded her, "Xiaolei, the doctor is here. Let's go. It's just a basic physical examination. Dad has had one before, so don't be afraid."

Shen Zhenzhu greeted the doctor, and Hu Xiaolei was accompanied by a nurse and Wu Zhongguo for a physical examination.

"Height, weight, blood type, and health status all need to be checked." The doctor showed Hu Caizhi the medical examination form: "Parents need to sign it, and all the results will be available in a week."

"Oh, thank you." Hu Caizhi carefully looked at the medical examination form and cautiously signed his name.

While waiting for her medical examination, Shen Zhenzhu noticed that Hu Caizhi kept touching his chest.

"Is your heart not feeling well?" Shen Zhenzhu asked.

Hu Caizhi immediately let go of her hand, smiled, and said, "I'm worried about Xiao Lei."

Shen Zhenzhu asked, "May I take a look?"

Hu Caizhi reluctantly took out the jade Buddha and said, "You can look at it, but don't touch it. Have it blessed by someone."

Shen Zhenzhu glanced at it and noticed that it was quite different from the jade Buddhas sold all over the street. It was finely crafted, clear and translucent, and exuded an aura of authority.

“Good stuff,” Shen Zhenzhu said.

"In addition to Hu Xiaolei's physical examination, we also arranged for a psychologist to help her," the doctor said, holding up the completed examination report.

Hu Caizhi said in surprise, "What? We need a psychologist? My child has no psychological problems."

The doctor said, "Having raised him as a girl for so many years, constantly imitating female language and actions, we always need to assess whether he has developed gender dysphoria or any mental health issues. If not, that's the best outcome. But if he does, we need to intervene as soon as possible, as there's still a possibility of correction when he grows up. This is just in case."

"Just in case... alright then." Hu Caizhi looked anxiously at Hu Xiaolei, who had emerged from silence. He had already unzipped his jacket, revealing a noticeable Adam's apple.

Hu Xiaolei had an androgynous voice, and upon seeing Hu Caizhi, she immediately called out, "Dad...it's alright."

The nurse walked up the stairs and said, "The psychologist is waiting upstairs. It will be over in half an hour, so don't worry."

Wu Zhongguo walked to Hu Xiaolei's side and said, "Let's go."

Hu Xiaolei obediently walked up the stairs. Shen Zhenzhu was still thinking about how to use the thirty minutes to get some information out of Hu Caizhi when the sound of running footsteps came from the corridor.

"Xiao Lei! Get down, you're not allowed to go!" Hu Xiao Lei's mother, "Shi Lina," had been questioned by Zhao Qiqi yesterday and thought she would tacitly allow the physical examination today. However, when she saw her running out in slippers, Shen Zhenzhu felt that something was very wrong.

She stopped Shi Xiaolei from going upstairs, and, breathless, pointed at Chen Zhenzhu's nose and yelled, "Did you instigate this?"

Shen Zhenzhu asked, bewildered, "What did I instruct you to do?"

"Shi Lina" plopped down on the ground, slapping her thigh and saying, "You police are spreading rumors about me everywhere, saying that Xiao Lei was a bastard child born from rape, and that I wander around sleeping with other people. Waaah, even if I am a vagrant, it's because I have no choice. I've had such a hard time."

"Big sister, get up and talk first." Seeing her shrewish manner, Shen Zhenzhu frowned and stepped forward to help "Shi Lina" up, but "Shi Lina" just kept kicking and thrashing on the ground and refused to get up.

"I thought everything was in the past after all these years of hiding it, but now the whole neighborhood knows! I can't live like this anymore!" Shi Lina wailed, pointing at Hu Caizhi, "If it weren't for him, I would have jumped into the river and died long ago. You're a policeman, why didn't you protect me? Why did you have to expose all my past? How am I supposed to live like this now!"

-----------------------

Author's note: See you tomorrow, there are 100 red envelopes waiting for you! [Let me see]