Ping Feng was outspoken and spoke bluntly and vulgarly, but she was also very direct. Ju Nian blushed with embarrassment and said, "What are you saying!"
“You advise me, and I’ll advise you too, Ju Nian. You have to be realistic when you’re alive.” Ping Feng’s way of reasoning was strange, but she spoke sincerely. “We don’t care about the past, I just believe in this principle. Look at him, he’s handsome, rich, has a good job, and most importantly, he’s willing to dote on you. I know you’re good, and you deserve someone like him, but others won’t see it that way. To be frank, don’t be angry, but in other people’s eyes, you’ve been to prison, you’re not young anymore, and you won’t find someone like him again!”
Ju Nian smiled and said, "Didn't you say that I should find someone who has nothing to do with my past?"
"Do you even have someone like that?"
When Ju Nian thought of Tang Ye, who was now imprisoned and whose fate was uncertain, she had to admit that Ping Feng was right; she didn't have such a person.
But why does she always need someone by her side?
Ju Nian didn't want to delve any deeper into the issue, so he casually said to Ping Feng, "He's too busy taking care of himself right now, so he's just coming here to vent his frustrations."
"What happened to him? Right, I remember that sucker used to be really interested in you, but now he's nowhere to be found?"
Pingfeng finally remembered Tang Ye. She was leaving, leaving behind her only friend. All she could do was help Ju Nian scan any potential men around her.
Ju Nian said with a wry smile, "He's even less likely to come. The two of them are in the same boat."
“That guy surnamed Han who just left, I heard his father is some court president, his family should be quite powerful, right? There shouldn’t be anything they can’t handle.” Pingfeng looked down and drew her toes on the floor, then pulled Ju Nian and sat down again, asking, “Tell me, what exactly happened between them?”
Ju Nian hadn't expected her to be so interested in this matter and to be so inquisitive. However, after Ping Feng left, she might not even have anyone willing to delve into these things for her. She didn't want to get involved in Han Shu and Tang Ye's case; she only knew the general outline of the matter from their accounts. So Ju Nian sighed, sat back down next to Ping Feng, and briefly explained it to her.
Han Shu was investigating a case involving the Construction Bureau, in which Tang Ye was implicated. Han Shu suspected there was another mastermind behind it all and had already gathered some evidence, but this led to a conflict with his father, ultimately resulting in Han Shu being kicked out. Frustrated and disillusioned, Han Shu lost the case, had to change jobs, and Tang Ye was bound to take the blame… Ju Nian calmly recounted the whole story as she knew it, trying her best to appear as an observer, devoid of any emotional bias. Yet, Ping Feng listened with unusually keen attention to this uninspiring narration.
Finally, Pingfeng remained silent for a long time before saying, "This is not fair. Why should a case ruin everything for the decent men who have finally appeared in your life? It wasn't actually that bad, but Han Shu's father got involved. This matter has nothing to do with him, so why is he making such a fuss? I don't think he's anything special to her."
"Don't say that. Anyway, these things are too complicated. How can we, as onlookers, see the inside story?" Ju Nian said. She thought it was good that Han Shu hadn't heard Ping Feng's careless remarks about his father. She knew very well that although Han Shu had many grievances against Dean Han, he still greatly respected his father. He was so smart, yet he never wanted to speculate about his father's unusual behavior in this matter from a dark perspective, and he would never allow anyone to insult Dean Han.
Pingfeng raised her voice eight octaves: "How can you call him a bystander? Ju Nian, are you confused? This concerns your lifelong happiness. How many more chances do you think you have? Tang has no hope in the police station. If Han really stumbles in this matter, who knows what will happen to him in the future? If it weren't for that Dean Han, wouldn't he have nothing left?"
Ju Nian listened to her naive words with a mixture of anger and amusement. Ping Feng, simple-minded and single-minded, sometimes extremely mercenary and sometimes extremely emotional, her only friend, was now leaving.
The two women exchanged endless, silly words typical of sisters, each giving each other endless advice. Finally, Ju Nian watched Ping Feng leave. Ping Feng and Wang Nian, this seemingly inexplicable yet unwavering couple, would they truly be happy?
Pingfeng walked out of Ju Nian's courtyard, closed the door behind her, and grinned at Ju Nian through the iron gate, saying, "No one can be unlucky forever. Ju Nian, you deserve a good outcome, and so do I. Believe me, everything will be alright."
Ju Nian smiled and nodded. At the time, she didn't know that these were the last words Ping Feng would say to her.
Chapter Thirty: Pandora's Box
As soon as the Spring Festival holiday was over, Ju Nian went back to work at the fabric store. Life seemed to have returned to its original track, except that Fei Ming was no longer by her side.
On the seventh day of the first lunar month, the festive atmosphere was still very strong, but it was a slow season for fabric stores, as most customers would choose to buy new items for their homes before the Spring Festival, hoping for a fresh start. Ju Nian worked the day shift and had a very leisurely day.
After get off work, as usual, she bought the day's evening paper from the newsstand near the fabric store and read it all the way home on the bus. The newspaper was colorful, mostly advertisements for various businesses' activities during the Spring Festival. After reading the entertainment news, Ju Nian flipped through the social news. In a corner, there was a small article about a bloody crime that seemed completely out of place with the festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival. It said that a man and a woman had an argument in a rented room, and the man stabbed the woman three times in the abdomen, killing her instantly. The man attempted to flee but was arrested by the police at the station several hours later. The article also noted at the end that the police had confirmed the deceased woman was an illegal sex worker, and the identity of the assailant was still under investigation.
Ju Nian finished watching the news on the swaying bus. Such reports had become increasingly common in recent years; those on the margins of society, their lives like candles in the wind, could be extinguished at any moment—it was no surprise. People had seen it so often that it no longer held much appeal. Ju Nian thought that Ping Feng's decision might be the right one. No matter what, leaving that industry and finding even an ordinary man would at least guarantee a stable life.
Pingfeng left Ju Nian's house that day and there was no further news. She wasn't one to linger; once she said goodbye, she wouldn't hesitate to leave. She wondered if Pingfeng and Wang Nian had left, and where they had gone. Ju Nian had completely lost contact with her parents and had no way of finding out. She had thought about it for two days and was slowly beginning to accept Pingfeng being with Wang Nian—a man who didn't look down on her and treated her well; that was all Pingfeng wanted. At this point, Ju Nian was more concerned about Pingfeng than Wang Nian. The so-called sibling relationship was just her own delusion. Now, she only hoped that Wang Nian would treat Pingfeng well.
As she was about to get off the bus, she folded the newspaper and put it in her bag, thinking about how Fei Ming would be going into the operating room tomorrow. She had visited Fei Ming after get off work yesterday; she was still thin, but it was clear that she was truly happy and content to be back with her mother. Chen Jiejie was worried about taking care of her and stayed at the hospital all day, and Zhou Ziyi often had dinner with them at the hospital after get off work. Ju Nian sat by Fei Ming's bedside for a while, seeing that she was doing well, and since the whole family was there, she didn't want to stay too long. However, the surgery was of great importance, and Ju Nian couldn't miss it. She had specially switched shifts with a colleague so she could stay at the hospital to wait for the results. After grieving for so long, as this day finally approached, she didn't feel anxious at all. If Fei Ming could come out safely, that would be a blessing. If what was meant to happen would happen eventually, then Ju Nian's prayers these past few nights were only so that the child wouldn't have to endure so much pain anymore.
Passing by Uncle Cai's small shop, Uncle Cai's wife called out to Ju Nian and handed her an EMS package, saying it had been delivered a little over an hour earlier, and since she wasn't there, Uncle Cai had accepted it on her behalf. Ju Nian thanked her and took the blue and white cardboard envelope in her hand; she had forgotten how many years it had been since she had received such a thing. There was no sender's address on the envelope, and Ju Nian initially thought it was from her cousin Si Nian, but looking at the postmark, it was local.
If Si Nian's cousin were to return, he would definitely come to see them immediately. It shouldn't be him; it must be Han Shu, who knows what new tricks he's up to now. At this moment, Uncle Cai also came out from the inner room. When he saw Ju Nian, he squinted and smiled, asking, "Young man, did something come up today? Is his face, which was disfigured from scratching mosquitoes the other day, any better?"
Ju Nian answered with a smile. Han Shu had gone from secretly following her to openly appearing near Ju Nian's house every now and then. Moreover, he had run out of Ju Nian's house early on the first day of the Lunar New Year to buy firecrackers. Uncle Cai and the others had all seen it, and he had long assumed that Ju Nian and Han Shu were a couple. Ju Nian didn't explain, because if she said too much, Uncle Cai would probably just think she was a girl who was being naughty.
However, Uncle Cai's casual question turned out to be correct. Han Shu did indeed have something to do today. He reluctantly reported to the Municipal Institute. It was his first day at work. Although he was dissatisfied, he still remembered to treat all his colleagues in his department to dinner after get off work. With such good interpersonal skills, it's no wonder that he gets along well wherever he goes.
Around noon, Han Shu specifically called Ju Nian to mention this matter, explaining that he wouldn't be coming that evening because of a dinner engagement. Ju Nian found it utterly baffling. She hadn't asked him to come in the first place; why was he always running around like this? Not only was he not coming, but he even had to call specifically to explain. It seemed so natural; anyone who didn't know better would think they had arranged to meet him. She was silent for a moment, then Han Shu started complaining about his new environment on the phone, pouring out his grievances. Ju Nian listened to him until he finished. There was nothing she could do; if she hung up, he might go crazy and call the shop's landline. What was even more frustrating was that he was appearing so frequently that even Uncle Cai knew that if he wasn't coming, something was definitely wrong.
Ju Nian opened the door to go home. She wasn't an impatient person. Although she was a little suspicious of the package, she held it until she put her things down and sat down before slowly and deliberately opening it. Inside the envelope was a package of old newspapers tightly wrapped with transparent tape. Ju Nian unwrapped it one by one, and the contents were finally revealed.
It wasn't a letter, not even a single piece of paper. There was only a stack of photos in the old newspaper. Ju Nian only looked at the top one before she could no longer sit there calmly. It was a picture of a man and a woman entwined in the most disgusting way.
Even though Ju Nian knew that there was no one else around, she was still stunned and blushed when she suddenly saw this. Who was the person in the photo?
The first few photos were dimly lit, the figures in them were distorted, and the quality was quite poor, not very clear. The only clue was the furnishings, which suggested it was a rather modest hotel room. Ju Nian then carefully examined the envelope. The address was indeed her home, and the recipient was indeed Xie Ju Nian. But who would send her these things, and what did it have to do with her?
She flipped through the photos one by one. The man was naked from head to toe, while the woman was wearing clothes that looked like school uniforms in some of the photos. Finally, Ju Nian stopped at a certain photo and saw the woman's face clearly. It was Ping Feng, whom she knew all too well! However, because of the two ridiculous and outdated little braids on her head, Ju Nian did not recognize her at first glance in the first few photos with side profiles.
Concerning Pingfeng, Ju Nian could no longer sit still. She stood up and frantically flipped through the pages. Could the email have been sent by Pingfeng? Ju Nian knew she had been doing this kind of work all along, but she wouldn't send such photos to a friend for no reason. The man was of medium build, but he looked somewhat old. Ju Nian stared at his face for a long time, and the more she looked, the more familiar he seemed, until cold sweat broke out on her back.
She even recognized the face; it resembled someone she often saw, but much older. Though she refused to believe it, her eyes wouldn't lie. It really was Han Shewen, Han Shu's father, the president of the Provincial Higher People's Court, Wang Nian's superior, the Han Shewen who had lived upstairs from the Xie family when she was a child!
This discovery sent a chill down Ju Nian's spine, and she even felt a slight discomfort in her stomach. Dean Han was well-preserved, but his face and body still betrayed that he was a man gradually entering old age. This contrasted sharply with Ping Feng's plain face with two small braids. The two bodies, one aged and the other delicate, were intertwined like serpentine tendrils in the deep mountains.
Ju Nian hadn't exchanged many words with Dean Han, only vaguely recalling his stern face from childhood memories and Han Shuhe's descriptions. In Ju Nian's mind, he had always been an overly authoritative but always serious elder. However, every gesture he made while on top of Ping Feng was so lewd. In this world where everyone wears a mask, what is real anymore?
After looking at all the photos, Ju Nian mechanically sorted them out and sealed them tightly back in the envelope. She dared not look at them a second time, as if it were a Pandora's box containing a demon that could destroy everything.
She now understood who the "fat sheep" Pingfeng was referring to was. Pingfeng probably already knew about his relationship with Han Shu, which was why she hadn't said anything. With Dean Han's current status and position, what couldn't he get? Even if he abandoned his family and craved beauty, there were plenty of women willing to throw themselves at him. Why would he choose Pingfeng, who solicited customers in a poor alley?
Pingfeng's attire was quite bizarre, undoubtedly due to the peculiar tastes of her clients. The way Dean Han dominated Pingfeng was as if he had reclaimed his own youthful days. Perhaps he too knew his desires were so ugly, unacceptable to his elegant and virtuous wife, and that his status prevented him from making such demands of women closer to him. So he chose a prostitute so different from himself, allowing him to make any demands he desired, making him feel safe in another world? Ju Nian couldn't understand what role Xie Wangnian, Dean Han's driver and Pingfeng's lover, played in this ugly drama. Was he resigned to his fate, or was he happy to act as a go-between? The night of the car accident in the alley, Wangnian was driving a black Audi, and Pingfeng was meeting her "old fat sheep" for the first time with obvious delight. Ju Nian didn't want to think further, otherwise she would suffocate at the thought of Wangnian sharing the same blood as her.
Ju Nian shakily pulled out her phone and immediately called Ping Feng. She wanted to find out the reason for the incident. If she really sent the photos, how could she be involved with Dean Han, and why would she let Ju Nian know?
Pingfeng's phone was switched off. Her old cell phone had a faulty battery; it would automatically go black after a short time, and this wasn't the first time she'd been unable to get through. Ju Nian sat down, her heart pounding and her breath short. She realized she seemed to have figured out the answer that was already on the tip of her tongue. No wonder Pingfeng had been so unusually attentive to Han Shu's case that day—she knew about Han Shu's father's scandalous affair and already had those photos. Perhaps this was one of the "big things" she and Wang Nian had done; they had conspired to secretly take these photos to blackmail Dean Han, or sell them to unscrupulous people for a quick fortune, and then run away. But before leaving, Pingfeng had learned about Tang Ye and Han Shu's affair. Using her extremely simple logic, she deduced a theory: if Dean Han fell from grace, no one would bother Han Shu, and Tang Ye might not have to take the blame. The two men who could give Ju Nian happiness would be relieved. So, before leaving, she sent Ju Nian a copy of the photos, hoping it could help her only friend.
Pingfeng meant well, but Ju Nian couldn't see things that simply. Those people and those events were like fragmented puzzle pieces, gradually piecing together in her mind until they became clearer.
Dean Han interfered in Han Shu's case, but he might not be directly related to the Construction Bureau's case. His reach couldn't be that far. He's unlikely to be the one who made Tang Ye take the blame; otherwise, given Han Shu's increasingly in-depth investigation, he wouldn't have been completely unaware. Ping Feng not only knows her "fat sheep," Han Shewen, but she also knows the man who pays him. This means Dean Han has already been given leverage. He can no longer be as righteous and clean as he appears. Most likely, he has indirect connections with the people behind the case. Perhaps they received bribes from the same person, and he's afraid of being implicated and dragged into the mess. Originally, he thought Han Shu was just scratching the surface, so he let his son investigate. Who knew his son, whom he had personally trained, would be so serious about this case? If the Construction Bureau's shady dealings are truly exposed, the collateral damage will be felt. He panicked, which is why he stopped Han Shu, even at the cost of a father-son conflict.
Pingfeng was being too naive. Who could Ju Nian give these photos to? The media? The disciplinary inspection department? With their interconnected networks of relationships, the photos would likely be dealt with before they even saw the light of day. Even if she managed to bring down Han Shewen, Tang Ye's backers were equally powerful, and Tang Ye would still have to take the blame. Pingfeng might not have considered this. As for Han Shu, this meant no one would force him to abandon the case anymore. But Ju Nian was willing to bet that even if Han Shu had to abandon a hundred cases, he wouldn't want to see his father's unspeakable side. For Han Shu, these photos were enough to destroy all his faith and all his feelings as a son for his father. Pingfeng genuinely helped Ju Nian, but she also threw a hot potato at her.
Next, Ju Nian cooked, showered, and slept, her mind filled with those images and all sorts of questions. If Ping Feng and Wang Nian's "big deal" really involved profiting from these photos, then those two fools were utterly reckless. Didn't they consider how dangerous the consequences would be—like dancing on a knife's edge? And what was she supposed to do with these photos?
Give it to Han Shu? Han Shu would be devastated. No matter how much she disliked Han Shu, she didn't want to see that happen.
Did they burn them? Do Pingfeng and Wangnian still have these photos? What will they do with them? Extort Dean Han? Sell them to people with ill intentions? The consequences are equally unimaginable. If so, the truth will eventually come out. If Han Shu finds out sooner or later, and if he sees these photos a day earlier, will he be able to make plans in his grief, thus preventing things from developing in a worse direction?
Ju Nian pressed the photo under her pillow, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She had always been a woman of few words but sharp intellect, but the more she thought, the more uneasy she became. Perhaps simple people are more blessed.
As the night wore on, she finally succumbed to sleep, thankfully a very light one, so she noticed the phone ringing as soon as it did. Ju Nian thought it was Ping Feng and quickly grabbed it to answer, but it was Han Shu.
"Ju Nian, come out for a moment, I'm at your door." Han Shu's voice was calm, yet strange. She checked the time: 3:15 AM. Although he was a rogue before, he rarely came to scare people in the middle of the night.
"Wh...what's wrong?" Ju Nian stammered when she got nervous.
Han Shu refused to say anything over the phone, only asking her to come out.
"I have something to tell you."
A sense of foreboding washed over Ju Nian like a blizzard. Could it be that something had happened to him too? She couldn't understand which thread of her chaotic anxiety was causing her distress. Yet, in the brief moment she got out of bed, she made a decision. Perhaps she should give the photos to Han Shu. Perhaps he would hate her for it, but she vaguely felt that she was doing the right thing.
She pulled the envelope from under her pillow, threw on a coat, and ran out. Sure enough, Han Shu was at the door, his back to her, staring into the darkness, lost in thought. He always stood ramrod straight, but now his back seemed stiff.
Han Shu heard the noise and immediately turned around.
"What's wrong in the middle of the night?"
Han Shu did not speak immediately.
Ju Nian frowned slightly. "The dinner party is only ending now? Did you drink too much? Come in and talk."
He nodded silently and followed her into the house, but neither of them sat down.
Han Shu took a breath, seemingly wondering how to begin, while Ju Nian, clutching the envelope, was equally hesitant.
"I have something to tell you."
They said the words almost simultaneously, and were both taken aback.
Finally, Ju Nian held back and said, "You go first."
Han Shu was completely different from his usual carefree self in front of her. On the contrary, he was very serious, so serious that it made Ju Nian feel so abrupt.
"Xie Wangnian is in trouble... I just heard that he killed someone and has been arrested by the police. Your parents are going crazy."
"Who did he kill?" Ju Nian's voice was stiff and hollow; this was what she cared about most.
They were so close that she could even see Han Shu's Adam's apple bobbing nervously.
He said, "In the year of the orange, your friend died."
Ju Nian suddenly remembered the social news article in the evening paper. The answer had been right in front of her all along; she just hadn't realized it yet.
Pingfeng!
In that instant, Ju Nian seemed to see blood on the clean blue and white envelope in her hand, stained with Ping Feng's blood!
The envelope fell from her hand without warning, revealing an ugly glimpse from its opened edge.
"Are you alright, Ju Nian?" Han Shu supported Ju Nian's arm, then bent down to pick up the things that had fallen to the ground.
Then he saw those photos.
Chapter Thirty-One: What Can We Still Believe In? (Part 1)
Ju Nian later forgot exactly how long it took Han Shu to look at every single photo.
She only remembered that much later, he asked, "Who gave it to you?"
Ju Nian answered blankly, "The dead."
Then they stood facing each other, neither of them crying, neither of them showing any emotion. They just stood there, like two fools, like broken clay sculptures, like lost souls in the middle of the night.
Later, Han Shu left, his departing figure resembling that of a trapped beast.
No, it's not a trapped beast; it should be described as a young wolf that has just watched helplessly as the entire pack of wolves that raised him died before its very eyes.
They couldn't even offer words of comfort to each other, like a wound that had been pierced through; you had to cover both ends, otherwise, if you loosened your grip, blood would splatter everywhere, and the person would never survive.
Much later, Ju Nian realized that her guess that night was almost entirely correct. It was exactly the kind of legal story that's most popular in cheap, low-brow literature—bizarre to read, but revealing its ugliness and gore only afterward.
Han Shewen, the Supreme Court president who was supposed to retire in a few years, met Mr. Ye and Mr. Cui, successful private entrepreneurs who had long admired him, by chance through his driver. The two entrepreneurs went to great lengths to win him over and established a fairly friendly relationship with the powerful President Han. A few years ago, Han Shewen, who was known for his strong sense of justice and high self-esteem, probably wouldn't have given them a kind word. He lacked neither money nor power; he had nothing, and being without desires made him invincible.
But the timing of their appearance was extremely subtle, because at that very moment, Han Shewen suddenly realized a fact from an internal document and various signs around him—he was old, or rather, he was about to grow old. He didn't want more fame, fortune, or a brighter future, but he couldn't bear to grow old, because he was used to the authority of his high position and power, used to his strength and ambition. When he grew old, when he retired, with no more respectful people surrounding him, no more power to keep his word, he would become a wretched old man watering flowers on his balcony while complaining about his fate.
He was willing to give anything to get back his youth, even if it was just an illusion.
However, the most terrifying thing was that he discovered that he was gradually becoming incapacitated by his wife, with whom he had shared a bed for thirty years.
Han Shewen had seen many people like Ye Bingwen and Cui Minxing. He looked down on them; they had a little money, yet they thought they could control everything. When they appeared by his side, they were like two lapdogs. However, at this moment, these two sycophantic lapdogs, as if they could read his mind, astonishingly spied on and satisfied Han Shewen's fear of growing old. He had to grasp something, or it would be too late. So he despised them, yet enjoyed their flattery, which made him feel useful and powerful. He began to accept money, not only from these two, but from others as well. He didn't even know what he was keeping so much money for. His savings were enough for him to live comfortably in his old age, and his wife, son, and daughter would live a worry-free life. He just needed that feeling of possession, a frantic possession. He stood on the edge of power; if he didn't possess it now, he would lose it all.
Then, quite naturally, the men surnamed Ye and Cui, with their clever and considerate manner, secretly brought a woman. She was a filthy prostitute, yet a woman in her prime. The perpetually aloof Han Shewen dressed the prostitute in simple clothes, tying her hair in the braids that girls in their youth adored. As he lay on top of her, he could do as he pleased without restraint, even if he didn't always succeed. He could feel the young prostitute's submission beneath him. He finally felt he had reclaimed his long-lost youth, a pleasure that his wife, Sun Jinling, or any other elegant woman he knew could never give him. He knew it was shameless and dangerous, but he was addicted.
What he, as clever as he was, failed to see was that the prostitute and his driver were actually a couple. The young man named Xie Wangnian, seemingly kind and hardworking, was secretly plotting something. Xie Wangnian and the prostitute Pingfeng had conspired to use a hidden camera in the room to film Han Shewen's disgraceful behavior. They didn't intend to blackmail Han Shewen directly, not only because they dared not, but also because they had better channels. In this story, Mr. Cui and Mr. Ye were willing to pay a high price for the images and photos, thinking they might come in handy, and that money would be enough for the young couple to elope and enjoy a better life.