This was by no means a story that could hold water.
The police indicated that after further interrogation and evidence collection, they would apply for an arrest warrant. The case would then be transferred to the procuratorate for further review and prosecution.
Gao Xiang stared at Chen Ziyu in disbelief. They had grown up together, attended the same schools, and lived under the same roof. Before he left for university in the provincial capital, they had been extremely close, sharing nearly every secret of their formative years. Yet he had never known that beyond his free-spirited demeanor, his younger uncle harbored such a dark side. Chen Ziyu refused to meet his gaze, hunched over with his head bowed low, appearing like a complete stranger.
Suddenly, the door to the meeting room burst open, and a middle-aged man charged in without a word. He swung the police baton in his hand at Chen Ziyu, who let out a sharp cry as blood immediately streamed from his head. Collapsing to the ground, Chen Ziyu curled up while the man continued to beat him. With his hands cuffed, Chen Ziyu could only raise his arms to shield his head, writhing and howling in agony as he tried to evade the blows.
Amid Chen Zihui's screams, Gao Xiang snapped out of his shock and rushed over to stop the assailant. However, the man's eyes were bloodshot, and his strength was astonishing. He easily shoved Gao Xiang aside and kept swinging the baton at Chen Ziyu. It took several police officers, summoned by Attorney Zhang, to finally restrain the man and drag him out of the room.
In the scuffle, Gao Xiang took a heavy blow to his shoulder. Ignoring the pain, he helped the bleeding Chen Ziyu to his feet. Chen Zihui, still trembling with fear, cried out, "Who is he? How dare he barge into a police station and assault someone? Arrest him immediately!"
The police officer replied uneasily, "That's Deputy County Head Zuo. We thought he was here to inquire about the case progress. We had no idea he would..."
It turned out the man was the father of the victimized girl. Faced with his rage, Gao Xiang had nothing to say. He held back his mother, who was about to lunge forward. "Mom, stop arguing. Ziyu needs medical attention for his injuries."
☆、04
II
Chen Liguo was receiving treatment at a cardiac hospital in the provincial capital, and Gao Xiang had returned to the city for work while also caring for his grandfather. He learned from his father that Chen Zihui had arranged for Chen Ziyu to be released on medical parole. Surprised, he asked, "He only had external injuries. The doctor said it wasn't serious. Does he even qualify for medical parole?"
Gao Ming was clearly displeased with his wife's actions. "Your mother has stirred up quite a commotion this time. Not only did she get Chen Ziyu a medical certificate claiming post-concussion syndrome and an unexplained brain hematoma requiring further examination, but she's also been filing complaints against Zuo Xuejun everywhere. She's accusing him, as a public servant, of abusing his power to carry out vigilante justice and claiming the police condoned his violence. The government, worried about the negative publicity, had no choice but to compromise and agree to Chen Ziyu's medical parole."
Gao Xiang was at a loss for words and could only say, "At least make sure Ziyu stays put at home during this time."
However, less than a week later, Gao Xiang received a call from his mother: Chen Ziyu had suddenly disappeared.
"If he comes to the provincial capital to find you, you must..."
The phone was snatched away by Gao Ming, who said sternly, "Don't listen to your mother. The police are after him, and an arrest warrant might be issued soon. If he shows up, you must not protect him, or you'll be implicated too."
The sound of a heated argument erupted on the other end of the line. No matter how much Gao Xiang yelled for them to stop, it was useless. He had no choice but to hang up and give himself some peace and quiet.His girlfriend Sun Ruodi looked at him anxiously, "What exactly happened?"
He simply couldn't bring himself to tell his innocent college-senior girlfriend that his family had produced a fugitive criminal. He could only vaguely say, "There's still some trouble at the company that needs resolving. I have to go back to the office."
In the following hours, Gao Xiang couldn't calm down. Every time his phone rang, he'd answer with a sense of dread, but Chen Ziyu never called him.
The next day after work, he went to the hospital to visit his grandfather. Unexpectedly, he saw a police officer standing in the ward, asking Chen Liguo if he knew his son's whereabouts. Chen Liguo's face was ashen, his chest heaving up and down with ragged breaths. Gao Xiang immediately grew anxious, calling for a nurse to fetch a doctor while telling the officer, "My grandfather doesn't even know about this matter. He's been unwell and receiving treatment at the provincial hospital all this time, completely cut off from the outside world. If you have questions, ask me instead."
The officer also noticed Chen Liguo's deteriorating condition and sized him up: "Has Chen Ziyu contacted you?"
He shook his head, "No."
"If he does come to you, you should know what to do."
Gao Xiang was momentarily stunned. Of course he couldn't condone what Chen Ziyu had done, yet he couldn't bring himself to declare that he'd turn against his own family and help the police bring Chen Ziyu to justice.
In the unbearable silence that followed, Chen Liguo on the hospital bed mustered his strength and spoke: "Rest assured, I guarantee on behalf of our entire family that we will all abide by the law."
The officer nodded, "We appreciate your assurance. As a provincial committee member, our leadership has full confidence in your awareness."
After seeing the officer out, a doctor came in to check Chen Liguo's blood pressure and heart rate, advising him to remain calm before leaving. Chen Liguo sat up: "Xiao Xiang, you need to go back to Qinggang."
"But you might be scheduled for surgery any day now. How can I leave?"
He shook his head, "Go back. Drag your mother to the provincial capital if you have to. Tell her I need her here for my surgery. When Ziyu has nowhere else to go, he'll definitely turn to her. I need to keep an eye on her personally. Others might be reasonable, but I'm afraid she's too indulgent of her brother and too impulsive—she might do something foolish. Your father certainly can't stop her."
"But... are we really going to..."
"Xiao Xiang, your mother already took tremendous responsibility by hiding Ziyu's release from me. If Ziyu asks for her help again, she definitely won't refuse. If discovered, that's harboring a criminal—she'd go to prison too. I can't let her make that mistake again. As for Ziyu..." A tear rolled from his clouded eyes, which he wiped away with the back of his hand, his voice firm, "I'll call your father and other relatives. We must do what needs to be done. I won't let one wretched child destroy our entire family. Consider him never born."
Gao Xiang drove through the night back to Qinggang, arriving home late. Yet neither of his parents were asleep. When he relayed his grandfather's words, Chen Zihui indeed shook her head: "I can't go to the provincial capital now."
"Give up any thought of helping your brother," Gao Ming said angrily. "The police have been watching you."
"Wouldn't it make you happy if I got arrested too?""You need to make yourself clear—what exactly am I pleased about? I opposed you getting him medical parole from the very beginning, yet you swore up and down that he would never run away."
"He didn’t run away. It’s just that Zuo Xuejun actually barged into the police station and attacked him. He’s bound to keep targeting him by any means necessary. The more he thought about it, the more terrified he became, and he lost his head."
"You’re really good at making excuses for him. If everything he’s done can be excused by ‘losing his head,’ then what’s the point of having laws?"
"What do you mean by that? How dare you claim you’re not gloating? Listen here, Gao, no matter what happens to Ziyu, he’s still my brother, my father’s son, and the sole heir of the Chen Family."
Gao Xiang was both shocked and troubled. His mother, having been the cherished only daughter in the well-off Chen Family for over twenty years, had a quick temper and a proud, strong-willed personality. His father, on the other hand, was introverted and reserved. They weren’t exactly a loving couple who treated each other with respect, but throughout their marriage, whenever conflicts arose, his father would immediately yield, and they had managed to get along reasonably well. However, since the incident with Chen Ziyu, while his mother was understandably frantic with worry for her brother and spoke more harshly than usual, his father couldn’t help but reveal long-suppressed resentment. They had reached a point where neither would give an inch. Helpless, Gao Xiang watched his parents argue, their faces flushed with anger, and realized that his grandfather had indeed understood his daughter better.
"Stop arguing, Mom. If you don’t go to the provincial capital, who will sign for Grandfather’s surgery? Heart bypass is no minor procedure."
Chen Zihui hesitated, then turned to Gao Ming and said, "You go."
The commanding tone infuriated Gao Ming. He replied coldly, "Your father made it clear he wants you to go. The Chen Family’s company affairs have been left unattended lately and are already in complete disarray. I’m not going."
He turned and left, slamming the door shut behind him. It was the first time Chen Zihui had seen her husband walk out in anger, and she was taken aback. She looked at Gao Xiang, who shrugged. "Mom, I can go take care of Grandfather and sign the papers. But you need to think carefully about why Grandfather insists you go to the provincial capital."
"I know exactly what he’s thinking. He’s giving up on this son. How can he be so heartless?"
"Grandfather isn’t heartless, he—"
"You don’t understand. He already gave up on Ziyu once. When Ziyu was born, it was a difficult delivery. The doctor came out and asked whether to save the mother or the child, and he immediately said to save the mother."
Gao Xiang was stunned. "Mom, you have to be reasonable. Was Grandfather’s decision wrong? The person he wanted to save was your mother. Could you have stood by and watched him abandon his wife just to have a son to carry on the family line?"
"Don’t twist my words like your father does. Of course I wanted my mother to live and be healthy. But she was older, pregnant, and in poor health. She knew the risks and still decided to have the baby. She made it clear to both Grandfather and me that she wanted a son, even if it meant sacrificing her own life to let the child live. Men will never understand that. I failed to take good care of Ziyu. How can I face her…"
Chen Zihui suddenly broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.Gao Xiang held his mother, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. He couldn't fully comprehend her self-blame, but he knew perfectly well that the care and affection she had given Chen Ziyu far exceeded what she had given him. Seeing his mother so heartbroken and distressed, he couldn't help but be deeply moved.
"Mom, Grandpa and Dad aren't trying to abandon Ziyu either. It's just that what he did isn't a capital offense. Coming back to surrender and face trial, to avoid compounding his crimes, is the right choice. We'll hire the best lawyer for him and do everything we can to seek a lighter sentence."
"But Ziyu is someone so accustomed to freedom—wouldn't locking him up be like taking his life?"
Gao Xiang frowned. "Mom, please don't say such foolish things. Everyone has to take responsibility for what they do. He's still young; why would he need to live as a fugitive, hiding and running for the rest of his life?"
Chen Zihui gradually stopped crying and wiped away her tears. "I know, Xiao Xiang. Go back to the provincial capital and take good care of Grandpa. Tell him not to worry."
"How can I leave with peace of mind? And how can I keep Grandpa from worrying? You have to promise me you won't help him escape."
Under her son's intense gaze, Chen Zihui hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I promise you. If Ziyu contacts me, I'll take him to surrender."
☆、05
II
Chen Ziyu drove off a cliff in the mountainous area at the border of the province and the neighboring province, resulting in his death.
The news was relayed to Gao Xiang by Gao Ming over the phone. At that moment, Gao Xiang was waiting outside the operating room of the cardiac hospital and was instantly stunned, nearly dropping his phone. The past week had been unusually quiet, and he had been vaguely restless due to an ominous premonition in his heart, but he never expected to receive such news.
"...He was driving that Mercedes at the time. The police were chasing him, he was driving too fast, and with the rain making the road slippery, he veered off the mountain highway. The car was destroyed, and he died."
This was an outcome he had never anticipated. For a long time, he couldn't speak.
"Xiao Xiang, after your grandpa comes out of surgery, don't tell him about this just yet. I'm afraid he won't be able to handle it."
Gao Xiang agreed in a hoarse voice, struggling to steady his mind, when he suddenly remembered something. "Wait, Dad, Ziyu didn't take a car when he slipped away a few days ago. How could he suddenly crash in a Mercedes?"
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