C19 Sentencing

"Why are you seeking revenge on Yang Hanh? You're a dormitory supervisor, and he's just a minor. What could possibly have happened between you two to warrant such a vendetta, to the point where you'd risk imprisonment just to frighten him?" Lu Wangshu inquired, filled with confusion.

"He killed my daughter."

"That's why I want revenge."

As Mrs. Zhang spoke, the fury in her eyes gave way to profound grief. Her normally gentle face twisted into a ghastly snarl, reminiscent of a vengeful spirit.

Lu Wangshu was taken aback. He could hardly believe that he had uncovered a murder case linked to Mrs. Zhang.

While he was still processing this revelation, Mrs. Zhang began to recount her story, which sounded utterly heartbreaking.

Her only daughter, Du Le, was a student at Yongzhou No.1 Middle School.

Mrs. Zhang described Du Le as strikingly beautiful, the school's belle from the moment she arrived. As a result, she attracted the attention of many boys, including Yang Hanh.

"Lele mentioned it to me numerous times," Mrs. Zhang recounted bitterly, her gaze icy. "Yang Hanh would follow her incessantly, refusing to leave her alone. It seemed he harbored ill intentions."

"Just because of that, you believe Du Le's death is connected to Yang Hanh?" Lu Wangshu asked, seeking clarity.

Mrs. Zhang nodded, her smile chilling. "Absolutely. My daughter was an exemplary student with top grades. She couldn't have been involved in anything nefarious at school. Yang Hanh was the only boy she ever mentioned to me. Therefore, I'm certain her death has something to do with him."

She paused, then added, "If not for him, why would Yang Hanh be so frightened? Truth be told, the white dress I wore wasn't mine; it belonged to my daughter. Yang Hanh recognized it and was petrified."

At first glance, her reasoning seemed plausible, but it wasn't that simple.

Imagine a person presumed dead reappearing in such a dramatic fashion. It would naturally terrify anyone.

The sudden death of her daughter, Du Le, was a devastating blow to Mrs. Zhang.

Desperate to find the person responsible for her daughter's death, Mrs. Zhang was, in essence, seeking an outlet for her own grief.

Yang Hanh, the only name Du Le had ever mentioned, naturally became Mrs. Zhang's prime suspect.

Lu Wangshu, with a contemplative gaze, asked, "You've spoken at length, yet you haven't mentioned how your daughter Du Le actually died. Please, tell me."

"My daughter... she died from a fall off a building," Mrs. Zhang managed to say, before being overcome by her sorrow and breaking down into heart-wrenching sobs.

Once Mrs. Zhang had regained her composure, she took a deep breath and continued, explaining that her daughter had died by suicide, jumping from the rooftop of the academic building.

Yet, the reason behind Du Le's sudden decision to end her life remained an unsolved puzzle.

Ultimately, the authorities concluded that Du Le's death was a suicide, not a premeditated murder.

The immense pressure of academic studies, leading to a moment of desperation and the tragic choice of suicide, is an unfortunate reality in many high schools. Despite Yongzhou No.1 Middle School's reputation as the best in the region, it was not immune to such tragedies.

However, Mrs. Zhang was unconvinced. She knew her daughter better than anyone and was certain that Du Le's positive mindset would not have been shattered by academic challenges.

Something was amiss with Du Le's death.

Although Mrs. Zhang prided herself on understanding her daughter, she had to acknowledge that Du Le might not have shared everything with her. With Du Le gone, there were no opportunities for confirmation, leaving Mrs. Zhang to piece together clues from their past conversations to identify the person responsible for her daughter's demise.

Over time, her suspicions settled on Yang Hanh.

"He's at the school. I can't touch him there, but I can terrify him. I want to drive him to the brink of insanity. I want to destroy his entire life!" Mrs. Zhang declared, her words seething with an intense loathing for Yang Hanh.

Lu Wangshu let out a sigh and responded, "Mrs. Zhang, your reasoning is rather superficial. If Yang Hanh truly were the culprit behind Du Le's death, why would he be scared upon seeing her? Psychologically speaking, most murderers do not feel fear when confronted with their victims."

After hearing Lu Wangshu's words, Mrs. Zhang couldn't hold back her tears. "What can I do? What can I possibly do? My precious daughter is gone, and there's nothing I can do for her. I'm filled with hatred! I realize Yang Hanh might not be the killer, but I can't think of anyone else. I just want to do something for Le, to let her rest in peace."

Lu Wangshu and Qiao Liang, upon hearing Mrs. Zhang's words, couldn't help but feel sympathy for her plight.

Mrs. Zhang, after a moment of crying, seemed to have an epiphany. "Since you figured out that the ghost was a ruse, you must be quite skilled. Could you, perhaps, help me find out who really killed my daughter? Please, I'm begging you. I know I'm going to be sentenced, and there's nothing I can do from prison. So please, help me find out who took my daughter's life, will you?"

Lu Wangshu nodded and reassured Mrs. Zhang, "Rest assured. I promise you, I will uncover the truth behind this case."

"Thank you so much," Mrs. Zhang said, her face awash with gratitude.

She then stood up and reached out to Qiao Liang, "I'm ready to go."

Without a word, Qiao Liang produced a pair of cold handcuffs and secured them around Mrs. Zhang's wrists.

Watching her being led away, Lu Wangshu let out a deep sigh.

After escorting Mrs. Zhang from the interrogation room, Qiao Liang handed her over to another officer and proceeded to Director Lee's office to brief him on the case's developments.

Director Lee listened intently and after a long pause, he said, "Thank you for your diligence. Both you and Wangshu have put in a lot of effort. That said, this case stops here. Go write up the closing report and have it on my desk by tomorrow afternoon."

Qiao Liang was taken aback by Director Lee's directive, momentarily frozen before responding, "But why, sir? Based on Mrs. Zhang's statement, it's clear this case isn't closed. Du Le's death is shrouded in mystery, and there are surely other factors at play. How can we conclude the case like this?"