Chapter 116 My mother's cooking isn't this good.
Zhao Qiqi was too tired to walk around anymore, so she took Chen Junsheng upstairs.
Chen Junsheng noticed that there were many whispers in the corridor, mixed with an atmosphere of shock and disbelief.
As Zhao Qiqi reached the door, he saw Yuan Juan and Wu Xue hugging each other and crying on the ground. He asked Lu Ye, "What happened?"
They haven't made any arrests yet?
Chen Junsheng frowned, once again questioning the efficiency of the mainland police in handling cases. He wondered if he had wasted his time coming here.
However, the words of the onlookers completely stunned him.
"How could a child have committed murder? Her father... how could her father die at the hands of a 13-year-old child?"
"He was stabbed to death with one blow! That takes so much strength!" Wu Yan shouted. "I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Niu Niu, tell your aunt the truth, it must have been your stepmother who killed him!"
"My mom didn't kill him, I jumped down from the windowsill and stabbed him. There are still my footprints on the windowsill!" Ignoring Yuan Juan's attempts to stop her, Wu Xue strode to the door, took off her long-sleeved school uniform to reveal her battered arms: "See? This was all done by that beast Wu Dahai."
As she spoke, she lifted her vest again, revealing shocking bruises. She sneered, "Wu Dahai was worried that if it was too serious, he would force an investigation, so he didn't burn me. These injuries heal quickly because I'm young; they should disappear in about a month. He said if I dared to call the police, he would kill me and my mother!"
The elderly neighbor angrily retorted, "Wu Yan! Don't you and your family, living right across the street, know anything about what your child has gone through?"
Wu Yan was terrified. She shrugged and waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "No, I don't know anything about it."
His son, chewing Big Big bubble gum behind him, said, "How could I not know? You even said it would be best if he were killed, so I could keep all of Wu Dahai's assets."
Enraged, Wu Yan slapped her son across the face: "You little beast, get back inside right now!"
The sixteen-year-old boy was fearless and had long been spoiled by Wu Yan's family. He was not satisfied when Wu Yan hit him and reached out to hit her back, but Chen Junsheng stopped him: "Don't move, or I'll handcuff you."
Wu Xue stood at the door, a gleeful smile on her face. She had been waiting for this day for a long time: "Wu Dahai said I was a bastard, that my mother cheated on me and gave birth to me, but my mother had a difficult childbirth, and I have a birthmark on my back that is exactly the same as Wu Dahai's. We also have the same blood type. Your Wu family clearly heard my mother and me begging for mercy inside the house. I even knelt down at your door once and knocked on it for help. The door opened, but the old woman closed it again."
"What?! Is that even possible?!" The neighborhood committee lady was furious. Forgetting her status as a neighborhood committee official, she rolled up her sleeves and was about to beat up Wu Yan.
Chen Junsheng was bewildered by the sudden turn of events, and turned back to pull her along.
Wu Xue's words aroused public outrage. Seeing the little girl they had grown up with suffering such serious injuries, and that her grandmother and aunt did nothing but covet the family property, they were truly a family without a single good person.
While everyone was cursing, Wu Xue took her diary from her bedroom and handed it to Chen Zhenzhu in front of everyone: "Police officer, this is my diary. I wrote down every time Wu Dahai came back from stealing, as well as the times when he hit my mother and me. There are also photos of my injuries that my classmate took for me."
Shen Zhenzhu took the diary and said, "This diary is very important. You did the right thing."
Yuan Juan hugged Wu Xue with tears streaming down her face: "My child, my child, I was too cowardly to kill him first. I don't deserve to be your mother."
Wu Xue hugged Yuan Juan tightly, afraid that they would be separated at any moment. She choked up and said, "You are my mother. I have never blamed you. This is my own choice."
Wu Zhongguo glanced at Shen Zhenzhu, who then looked at her watch and said, "Give me ten more minutes."
"Officer, I found copper blocks hidden in Wu Yan's house!" After finishing his phone call, the young man from the repair shop ran to the opposite house to search when no one was looking, and found a bowl of copper blocks hidden under the bed.
"These copper blocks are worth over a thousand yuan! You're all accomplices in selling stolen goods. When the factory manager arrives with his men, we'll arrest you all!" the young man said angrily. "Because of you, we didn't get our New Year's bonuses!"
Wu Yan blushed deeply, wishing she could disappear into the ground: "No, it's not mine, I didn't know."
"This family steals and hides, they've done all sorts of bad things!" the neighborhood woman said angrily. "Your family has completely disgraced our building."
With nothing else to do, Chen Junsheng went to the kitchen and started rummaging around while Shen Zhenzhu was talking to Yuan Juan and Wu Xue.
Unexpectedly, he found a bag of rat poison on the kitchen shelf.
"Yuan Juan, is this the one you bought to kill someone?" Chen Junsheng asked Yuan Juan directly.
“No, it was given to Wu Dahai by someone who helped him repair things,” Yuan Juan answered truthfully.
"Do you think I'm stupid or Wu Dahai is stupid?" Chen Junsheng frowned and said, "If you're going to make something up, at least make it up properly. Actually, you've long intended to kill Wu Dahai and even his whole family, haven't you?"
If Yuan Juan admits to this, she will face legal consequences for "attempted murder."
"Chen Junsheng, this is my case, it's none of your business." Shen Zhenzhu stopped Chen Junsheng from asking questions: "Go out and guard the gate."
"I'm an exchange student from Gangcheng, and an outstanding graduate of Gangcheng Police Academy. You want me to be a gatekeeper? You actually believe that kind of nonsense?" Chen Junsheng said incredulously.
“I believe them,” Shen Zhenzhu said firmly. “I believe what they both say.”
Yuan Juan hugged Wu Xue tightly, her body trembling slightly. She didn't know Shen Zhenzhu and Chen Junsheng's positions and was very worried that the smooth situation would be reversed.
However, Chen Zhenzhu's decision to have Chen Junsheng guard the gate greatly reassured the mother and daughter.
Chen Junsheng gave Chen Zhenzhu a deep look, then turned and walked towards the door.
Yuan Juan breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Chen Zhenzhu hugging Wu Xue: "Are they leaving?"
“Time’s up,” Shen Zhenzhu said.
Wu Xue obediently stretched out her hands and waited for the handcuffs.
Shen Zhenzhu pressed her hand down: "It's not necessary."
Wu Xue turned around and saw Yuan Juan looking at her sadly from behind. She gritted her teeth and knelt down abruptly: "Police sister, please take my mother away too. Please don't leave her here alone. My mother is weak-willed. They are not good people. I'm afraid they will hurt her."
Shen Zhenzhu quickly helped her up and said, "Yuan Juan will be coming with us as her guardian. Don't worry, the law will protect every victim."
Wu Xue was hugged tightly by Yuan Juan, and she choked out, "Mom, Mom..."
Yuan Juan sobbed uncontrollably, "Good child, Mom will wait for you to come back outside."
Wu Xue let go of her arm, wiped away her tears, and said, "Mom, you don't need to wait for me. I also want you to get out of this cage and see the vast world outside. Please go far away, don't stay here any longer, leave this place forever."
“Silly child, how could your mother abandon you? If I could abandon you, I would have left long ago.” Yuan Juan said to Chen Zhenzhu with tears in her eyes, “Comrade, could we ride in the same car? I want to see her off.”
“Okay.” Shen Zhenzhu was very easy to talk to the mother and daughter. She gestured to Zhao Qiqi and said, “Brother Qi, let them ride back in your car.”
"No problem." Zhao Qiqi smiled at them and said, "I'm a very good driver, you can talk in the car without any problem."
"Thank you, thank you all." Zhao Qiqi's tough yet tender heart made Yuan Juan wipe away her tears again. She repeatedly said thank you, looked around at the home that had caused her so much pain, and finally stepped out of the house accompanied by Shen Zhenzhu and Wu Xue.
Lu Xiaobao carried the survey kit back upstairs and asked Chen Zhenzhu, "Is it all done? Can I collect that drop of blood on the windowsill now?"
“I had forgotten about it if you hadn’t mentioned it. Go ahead,” Chen Zhenzhu said with a smile. “It’s kind of you to come back again.”
Lu Xiaobao walked up to Shen Zhenzhu and asked, "Is it that child? Did he confess?"
Shen Zhenzhu patted him on the back: "It's a confession."
Lu Xiaobao nodded repeatedly: "Ah, right, right, right, right, surrender yourself, surrender yourself and be a minor, plus a beastly father, that's the final blow. Sister Pearl, you're awesome."
Wu Xue turned around in shock, her eyes wide open.
So, it turns out the policewoman already knew.
As if she could read minds, Shen Zhenzhu patted Wu Xue's shoulder and whispered, "Niu Niu, do you remember what I told you? The Criminal Law clearly states that 'being persuaded to surrender or voluntarily surrendering during a manhunt' are both considered acts of self-surrender. I won't lie to you."
"No, I didn't mean for you to lie to me." Wu Xue didn't know whether she should say something or not, so she held back.
Seeing this, Shen Zhenzhu smiled and said, "This case was still under investigation before, and the investigators had different focuses. Besides, I didn't know you were a suspect before. I was just using your mother as an example. It can't be considered a violation of discipline by me."
"That's good then." Wu Xue was kind-hearted and didn't want this policewoman to be affected, even though she knew it would benefit her.
"Let's go." Zhao Qiqi led the way, and Shen Zhenzhu personally saw them off to the car.
"Oh, right," Shen Zhenzhu said to Zhao Qiqi, "Wait for me a moment."
She ran up the stairs with a clatter, and the onlookers, witnessing her skill, quickly made way for her.
Standing at the door of 502, Shen Zhenzhu said to Chen Junsheng, "Arrest Wang Fengyun for perjury."
Aunt Wu fell to the ground inside the house with a thud, using the opportunity to throw a tantrum: "My goodness! My son is dead, and you still want to arrest me? What right do you have to arrest me?"
Shen Zhenzhu said, "You dared to commit perjury in a murder case. The neighbors can all testify. I even emphasized the harmfulness of perjury, didn't I?"
"Yes, Wang Fengyun even signed the statement; we all saw it!"
"I saw it. He's talking like it's the truth. He's pushing his daughter-in-law to the execution ground. You old bastard, what a cruel heart you have."
Grandma Wu's tantrums on the ground were useless. After Chen Junsheng was kicked a few times by her, he handcuffed her behind her back and said, "You assaulted a police officer? You wait, I'll file a lawsuit against you."
Wu Yan sat on the sofa in a daze, feeling as if today had all been a nightmare.
She thought vaguely that at least she still had her son and husband, and that she could still get by.
Suddenly, a neighborhood woman's voice came from the doorway: "Officer, they live here. All the stolen items are in the living room. I've been watching them, and no one has touched them."
The huge theft case at the repair shop, which had been under investigation for more than half a year, was suddenly solved, and the police officers from the local station responded on five motorcycles.
I thought it was some big theft gang, but it turned out to be an inside job, just like ants carrying small loads.
The neighbor's grandson peeked out from between everyone's legs and shouted, "My brother always goes to the scrap yard to sell iron blocks, and his whole family is spending it all."
Wu Yan snapped angrily, "What are you saying? You little brat, I'll beat you to death!"
"You dare touch him?" The old neighbor pointed at Wu Yan's nose and said, "Don't even mention him seeing it, I also saw your mother and your husband selling copper ingots together. You think you're making extra money and nobody knows? Plenty of people have seen it!"
“I saw it too. He was wearing men’s clothes and hauling basins of stuff into the recycling station in his tricycle. It was a lot of money.”
“They dress up nicely every day, but they have black hearts. They’ve done so many scams and swindles. We should just arrest the whole family. I’m afraid to be their neighbor.”
What she thought was a secret was actually exposed to everyone, and her proud sense of superiority was slapped in the face.
"I...I have no money, I have no money!" Wu Yan shook off the police officer who was about to handcuff her and shouted frantically, "It was my mother who sold them, it has nothing to do with me."
"You have nothing to eat, drink, or wear?" the neighborhood woman said. "You're always dressed up and all that, but you're full of bad intentions."
The police officer from the local police station pulled out handcuffs and said, "You're all part of the same gang. You have to pay back what you've spent. The ringleader is dead. The rest of you are either locked up or have to pay back what you owe."
Seeing this, Wu Yan immediately lay down on the ground and started throwing a tantrum, yelling, "Are you trying to kill me? I'm going to jump off the building! I can't live like this!"
"Ahhh—I'll beat you to death, you thief! If you're not going to live, then let's all hang ourselves from the electric fan. Nobody's going to live today!" The repair shop owner's wife rushed over aggressively, leading more than twenty repair shop employees behind her.
Just as Wu Yan was about to throw a tantrum, the landlady grabbed her hair and spat at her: "Fine, then you can live! Let's see who's still breathing today!"
Ignoring the police's attempts to stop her, the proprietress slapped her several times across the face. Before the police could handcuff her, Wu Yan crawled and rolled to the police, hugging their legs and saying, "Quick, take me away! I'm going to die in her hands!"
The landlady was even more shrewish than Wu Yan had imagined. As she was about to go downstairs, she felt a burning sensation on her scalp and when she reached out, a large handful of hair fell out.
Building 23 has become quite famous in the Tieji dormitory today. First, a convoy of police cars left, followed by a convoy of police motorcycles, and the roaring convoy carried the criminal suspects away.
"Hey, Building 23 must have broken some kind of divine law," the man making keys at the dormitory entrance grumbled.
From the moment she got on the bus, Aunt Wu wailed all the way to the Criminal Investigation Team compound.
Once inside the interrogation room, she uttered outrageous statements: "It must have been her stepmother who instigated it, it must have been. My granddaughter would never kill my son, absolutely not."
Lu Ye locked the man inside, rubbed his ears, and saw Chen Junsheng looking down at his leather shoes. He chuckled and put his arm around Chen Junsheng's shoulder like a good buddy, saying, "With your pursuit of efficiency, if it were you, Yuan Juan, you'd be arrested and executed, right?"
“I…I’m not that useless. I was just distracted at the scene. I’ll figure it out sooner or later,” Chen Junsheng said.
Lu Ye retorted with his own words: "Then your Hong Kong city's case-solving is too inefficient. Like Sister Pearl, who solved a case in two hours—no, she turned herself in. Hehe, we're not like some people who are eager for quick success, but we just happen to be fast at solving cases. What do you say we do about it?"
Chen Junsheng licked his dry lips. His feet were blistered from walking outside. He thought for a moment and said, "It's my fault. I didn't know enough about the mainland police. I admit my mistake."
Lu Ye smiled dismissively and said, "You know the archives, right? You can go to the archives and look up the cases that Sister Pearl solved when you have time. Once you've read them and are convinced of their innocence, then you can admit your mistake."
Chen Junsheng had only been there a day and was receiving "guidance" for the first time. He said seriously, "Okay, I will study it carefully. Thank you for your guidance, senior."
Lu Ye said, "The law needs to be humane in order to better protect the victims. We will also be humane and try our best to learn as much as possible during your three-month internship so that you don't come back to Gangcheng saying that you didn't learn anything here, right?"
"..." Chen Junsheng felt Lu Ye's tapping and nodded with a bitter face: "Understood, Brother Ye."
Without Xiaobai's help, Chen Zhenzhu filled a large teacup with water herself, checked the record book, and saw Lu Ye and Chen Junsheng come in one after the other. She said, "Go to Niu Niu's side, finalize the record, and send it over as soon as possible."
Lu Ye laughed and said, "Now you're in a hurry, huh? It'll be quick once we get to the juvenile court."
Shen Zhenzhu glanced at Yuan Juan sitting on the sofa and whispered to Lu Ye, "Try to urge Section Chief Qin to prepare the physical evidence as soon as possible."
"I'll handle this." Wu Zhongguo, who was sitting opposite Yuan Juan preparing to take her statement, waved his hand and said, "You guys go ahead. Hey, it's almost noon. Should I bring your lunch in later, or do you want to eat outside?"
"Let's eat inside." Shen Zhenzhu didn't want Wu Xue to eat her first meal alone in the interrogation room; it wouldn't be pleasant.
Although I already have very unpleasant memories.
Why.
As she walked, Chen Zhenzhu sighed. She would much rather climb mountains than worry about the mental strain! Although the case was solved, the thought of the horrific injuries from the abuse still made her feel choked up.
In the interrogation room, two female police officers were guarding Wu Xue.
Wu Xue sat obediently in her seat, and at Shen Zhenzhu's instruction, she was not handcuffed.
"Have some water, let's talk slowly." Chen Zhenzhu sat down and gently comforted Wu Xue, who looked flustered, "Don't worry, just tell me everything, and everything will be fine afterward."
"...Okay, sister, I believe you." Wu Xue's words seemed more like an encouragement to herself.
Wu Xue carefully sipped the warm water, took a sip, and looked up in surprise. Shen Zhenzhu was looking at her with smiling eyes.
The sweet milk tea entered her mouth, nourishing her soul. Even the intimidating slogans hanging all around didn't seem so frightening anymore; she felt warmth.
Shen Zhenzhu watched her quietly, knowing that Wu Xue had killed someone and turned herself in because of long-term domestic violence. Her psychology needed to be analyzed from multiple perspectives, far beyond the words "good" and "evil".
Wu Xue's experience is real, heartbreaking, and evokes sympathy. Her actions cannot be simply interpreted as "crime." Rather, they should be seen as the final, most desperate solution taken by a child who has been under extreme survival pressure for a long time, in order to end unbearable suffering.
Such behavior is forbidden in society, but it is self-consistent in her world.
Her killing and fleeing stemmed from traumatic stress caused by prolonged fear and heightened vigilance, which, coupled with her failed attempts to seek help, led to learned helplessness.
“I hate him.” Wu Xue held her teacup, her body trembling uncontrollably. “My biological mother had a difficult childbirth, and he wouldn’t let the doctor perform a C-section. He insisted that my mother give birth to me because Wu Yan said she had spoken to another man. After my mother died, because of me, his burden, he couldn’t find an ideal partner. He met a few women in between, but he wasn’t satisfied with any of them, feeling that they weren’t gentle and filial enough. Then he met my current mother.”
Wu Xue tried to detach herself from the past. Knowing that Chen Zhenzhu was listening to her, she calmly said, "He neglected his family and didn't give us any living expenses. My mother couldn't make ends meet and had to go back to her old job as a hairdresser on the street. Later, I don't know who said something to him, but he said that all mothers were the same, all prostitutes. Actually, I know that he just felt ashamed for not being able to support his family, so he deliberately said very hurtful things. Later, as the rumors spread, he became more and more violent. My mother probably found out something. She wasn't afraid of being beaten and begged him to let me go to a boarding high school."
"What do you think your mother discovered?" As a good listener, Shen Zhenzhu wanted to get her to open up about her innermost thoughts and find relief.
“He is possessive of both my mother and me. He checks our personal belongings every day and asks us if any male classmates like me. He often says that all the women in this family belong to him. I’m terrified.”
Wu Xue's face regained color as she spoke, probably from shame: "I saw him becoming more and more violent. Several times, my mother was beaten unconscious by him and lay there for two or three days before she could catch her breath. I don't care about myself, I don't want to lose her."
Her sexualized possessiveness made Wu Xue feel the deeper and more sordid harm inflicted by her father, distorting the most basic human relationships. As she grew up day by day, she felt not only fear and anger, but also immense, unspeakable shame.
This was a feeling hidden deep within her heart. This shame made her feel even more isolated and helpless with Yuan Juan, unable to ask for help from the outside world. She felt that this matter itself was "shameful" and "unspeakable." Even when Wu Dahai glanced at her underwear, she felt "dirty."
Even if no substantial relationship has been established through the act of aggression, the intent and atmosphere are sufficient to create such a psychological effect.
This transformed Wu Xue's situation from a physical threat to an existential threat.
Simply beating her is threatening her personal safety. But sexual possessiveness is threatening her autonomy, identity, and future.
She studied diligently, clinging to the hope that "the future will be better," but this hope was shattered by Wu Dahai.
Wu Dahai conveyed to her the implicit idea that "you are not only my punching bags, but also my possessions, and I will take over everything of you." This idea completely erased her value as an independent individual, objectifying her into a pure sexual object and a possessive object.
Abroad, there are often cases of family ethics collapsing completely, and relationships that destroy ethics, some of which are beginning to take shape, and some of them are similar to what Wu Xue experienced.
Out of concern for the underage girl, Shen Zhenzhu did not intend to publicly analyze Wu Xue's psychology; at most, it would be circulated among internal investigators. As she pondered, she stated, "So you had the idea of murder."
Wu Xue's jaw tightened, and she said urgently, "I don't know what will happen next, I'm scared. I wonder if I was born to be treated like that? Did I do something wrong? If I change myself, will things get better?"
Violence is a known horror, but sexual assault is an unknown and even more terrifying horror. As Wu Xue said, "What will happen next?" This fear tormented her more than explicit violence because it was full of imagination and uncertainty—a slow, psychological torture.
“You don’t need to blame yourself, Niu Niu.” Seeing that Niu Niu’s emotions were tense again, Chen Zhenzhu stepped forward and gently hugged her, saying, “Niu Niu, Mommy is waiting for you outside, and the police officers are protecting you. Don’t be afraid, okay?”
“He hit her harder and harder, my mom is going to die… Waaah…” Wu Xue sobbed.
Shen Zhenzhu understood that Wu Dahai had done two things yesterday that triggered his death.
The first issue is that his escalating violence makes it highly likely that Yuan Juan will never wake up again after the next act of violence.
The second thing was what he said to Wu Xue: "You've grown up."
Yesterday's relentless, frenzied violence and inappropriate language crossed the final line, making Wu Xue see clearly the approaching abyss and the irreversible path ahead. A sense of urgency rose within her; these were not mere imaginations, but things that were "about to happen."
"I want to kill him, I must kill him." Wu Xue kept repeating in Shen Zhenzhu's arms, "He must die, he must die, he must die."
Shen Zhenzhu gently patted her back and told her, "You have completely eliminated Wu Dahai. He will never appear in front of you again. Look, his death photo is right in front of you."
This statement hits the core of Wu Xue's murderous motives. In her mind, Wu Dahai was no longer a human being, but a vicious piece of trash, a villain who corrupted and destroyed her world.
Killing him is the ultimate solution. Only by eliminating the "big villain" can her world be purified.
Wu Xue took a few deep breaths and nestled in Shen Zhenzhu's arms to calm down.
"Sister Pearl, the food is here." Zhao Qiqi knocked on the door and came in carrying several lunch boxes.
"I'll do it, I'll do it." Shen Zhenzhu let go of Wu Xue, observed her expression, and felt that there was no major problem; she still had self-control.
"I heard from your mom that you're a good student? I'm not so good at it, I barely pass." Chen Zhenzhu opened the steaming hot lunchbox and handed it to Wu Xue, saying, "Wow, sweet and sour fish and sweet and sour pork, my mom made this, have a taste."
Wu Xue slowly picked up her chopsticks and whispered, "Police officer, is my mom still hungry?"
Zhao Qiqi said from behind, "Don't worry, they've already started eating and are doing well in Sister Pearl's office."
"Thank you." Wu Xue then slowly picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork with her chopsticks and took a small bite: "...It's delicious."
As Shen Zhenzhu watched the little girl eat slowly, she knew that the way to save her was to make her believe in her own worth and that she was loved again.
Shen Zhenzhu said, feigning pride, "My mother is a very good cook, isn't she?"
"Mmm...it's so delicious." Wu Xue noticed that she didn't act like a grown-up at all and even knew how to be proud. She looked around and saw that everyone was enjoying their delicious boxed lunches.
...This is the interrogation room of the Major Crimes Unit.
"Is it alright for you to be so lax?"
Shen Zhenzhu was amused by her and said, "Relaxing? Why don't you try running one?"
Wu Xue didn't try; her mother was waiting outside.
She swallowed the sweet and sour pork and said softly, "My mom isn't a great cook, but she always makes what I like to eat, and I love it."
"Your cooking isn't good, does it mean you don't like to cook?"
"No, she loves making it for me."
"real?"
"I'm not lying to you."
"That's good."
Shen Zhenzhu's eyes were a little red as she lowered her head and ate her rice.
Wu Xue believes that she is loved by her mother, and she loves her mother in return.
Yuan Juan was her salvation.
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Author's Note: Little Pearl breathed a sigh of relief: Phew, there's hope!
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See you tomorrow, there's a red envelope coming! [Let me see]
***
The psychological analysis references "Criminal Psychology", "Profiling", "Psychological Profiling" and online resources.
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