"At that time, I was terrified, I couldn't see clearly, my mind was in a mess, and I just thought, I must survive."
After everything was over, Ye Sibei and Qin Nan sat together on the carpet beside the bed. She was covered with a quilt, looking at the half-set sun behind her, and talking about the embarrassing past.
"So whatever his name is, I will do."
It was like tearing open the wound, exposing the bloodiest inside, and then reaching in with tweezers, stirring it, and picking out the largest grains of sand.
She described everything that happened in detail. He put his hand on her shoulder and listened quietly, without any emotion.
When she finished speaking, she turned to look at him. When he raised his eyes in confusion, she realized that the pain was really slowly healing.
She watched the sun set in the valley and couldn't help asking, "Qin Nan, if I didn't sue at the beginning and I got the money, wouldn't that be better?"
"If you don't call the police, they can't talk to you about money."
Ye Sibei lowered her eyes and said softly, "What if?"
Qin Nan didn't say anything. He looked at the sunset for a long time. "My father used to be a weak man. We were a small family, and everyone in the village bullied us. One New Year, my parents came back, and my mother had a conflict with a bully in the village. My father had one of his ribs broken by his four sons."
"I was standing by and watching my dad get beaten," Qin Nan gestured, the height was about a meter high, "It was this high."
"Did you call the police?"
"Call the police?" Qin Nan lowered his head and smiled. "My dad didn't dare to do that. He was afraid that his family would retaliate in the future. So he took the money and didn't call the police or make a public statement."
"Since then, my dad became more and more cowardly. He was afraid of many things. When my mom scolded him, he just listened. Later, my mom found a man. He knew about it but always pretended not to know. When I was in high school, he died on a construction site."
"Then I kept remembering this incident for many years. Whenever I closed my eyes, I felt like I was still a child, standing next to my father and watching him get beaten."
"So Sibei," Qin Nan turned his head and looked at Ye Sibei, "Calling the police is like cutting the Gordian knot. Not calling the police will just consume your life bit by bit."
"You have to call the police and win, or you'll be like me, stuck in that moment for the rest of your life."
Ye Sibei listened to his words. She vaguely sensed from his eyes that this judgment would affect not only her life but also her future.
And Qin Nan.
He might remain in the humiliation of his youth all his life, questioning the rules of this world all his life. Only if she wins can she give him the answer he wants.
She nodded gently: "I know."
“We will win.”
He looked at her as if he was looking at a candle flame, looking at hope: "You're the winner."
From that day on, Ye Sibei no longer went out or went online.
Qin Nan's shop was also handed over to Chen Jun. Except for purchasing necessary daily necessities, he no longer went out.
The two of them lived in the small room day and night.
Ye Nianwen would call them from time to time to inform them of changes in the outside world and the progress of the case.
Upon hearing that Zhao Shuhui was detained again, her recording was submitted as new evidence. The procuratorate delayed the time for filing a public prosecution and continued the investigation.
Hearing that the Internet was booming, Ye Nianwen specifically told her not to go online.
She didn't dare either.
There is only one thing left in life for them: waiting.
Day after day, they watched countless sunsets and evenings, enduring life in misery.
Every day, Ye Sibei told himself to wait, until the verdict came, it would be the end.
When the trial is over, she will get a fair verdict, but perhaps she will have to continue to face rumors in her future life.
But at least, the wound in her heart and her shaky understanding of the world can be repaired.
There can be a result that tells her that she has won this time and that she can win in her life.
While she was hiding in her shell like a turtle, there was already a huge quarrel outside.
Some people accused her of setting up a honey trap, while others accused Fan Jiancheng of slandering her.
Many people also noticed Zhao Chuchu who left Ye Sibei in the car.
Zhao Chuchu has been spoiled and beautiful since she was young, and she has offended many people. So after the incident, photos and rumors about her appeared in an endless stream on the Internet.
Netizens pieced together a rough image of Zhao Chuchu.
He didn't study hard when he was young, and started dating in junior high school. He was admitted to a junior college. He was arrogant and domineering in school. After graduation, he hooked up with a top student in the law department and forced him to buy a house. The other party sold his sister to get a wife, and the two of them lived off their parents and sister.
In Ye Sibei's case, there are various versions of her image.
Some said that she was actually a pimp who helped Fan Jiancheng harm Ye Sibei;
Some said that they made up a bizarre story, saying that she was the victim, but she sold Ye Sibei to save herself;
Some said that she and Ye Sibei colluded to cheat people out of money, in order to solve her house...
She received all kinds of messages every day, criticizing her appearance, the way she dressed, her past behavior, the fact that she had been in love since junior high school, and that she was indecent and flamboyant.
At the same time, different people were asking her a question: Why did she abandon Ye Sibei that day
She gradually stopped going out, locked herself in her room, and lost weight rapidly.
Several times when Ye Nianwen went to see her, he saw her sitting by the window, staring blankly at the yard.
Ye Nianwen knew why she was sad, so he gently embraced her and comforted her: "Don't be sad, I believe you."
But when he held her, her mind was full of what netizens said.
"If that Zhao really threw Ye Sibei in the car when she was unconscious, and she was the accomplice of the rapist, could Ye Sibei's brother really not mind her?"
"If she really abandons Ye Sibei, she will be a sinner and deserve to die."
"It's obvious that the Ye family colluded to set up this. What they are talking about is rape. If it was really rape, then my sister-in-law threw the drunk sister-in-law in the car. What kind of person is this?"
"Nianwen." Zhao Chuchu opened her mouth and asked the most tormenting question in her heart, but the moment she called out the other person's name, she suddenly lost her courage.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Zhao Chuchu leaned her forehead against him, "I just feel very tired."
"too tired."
Everyone is waiting and suffering.
I don’t know how much time had passed, but I saw the green leaves of summer turning into autumn yellow, the weather began to get colder, and people on the street put on thin sweaters. It was not until then that Ye Sibei finally received a court summons.
That night, Qin Nan cooked beef. After they had their fill, they stood on the balcony and smoked.
Qin Nan didn't know what he was thinking, but he suddenly said to her, "After we win the lawsuit, we will quit smoking and drinking together."
Hearing Qin Nan's words, Ye Sibei turned to look at her. She was a little confused. Qin Nan smiled and said, "I want to live longer."
"What's the point of living longer?"
"Take a look at this world," Qin Nan thought for a moment, "and see what it has become."
The two of them stayed awake for almost the entire night and only fell asleep in the early morning. After sleeping for three or four hours, they were woken up by the alarm clock.
They got up and washed together. Qin Nan and Ye Sibei stood in front of the mirror together. Qin Nan looked at the sportswear Ye Sibei was wearing in the mirror and couldn't help but suggest, "How about wearing a skirt?"
"I don't dare yet."
Ye Sibei forced a smile: "Nervous and scared."
"Then you promise me."
Qin Nan put his hands on her shoulders: "If you win today, I will buy you a skirt?"
Hearing this, Ye Sibei inexplicably felt a little relieved, as if the future after winning was just around the corner. She pursed her lips and smiled, and answered seriously: "Okay."
After washing up, the two went downstairs together. Ye Sibei sat in the passenger seat. Looking at Qin Nan sitting next to her wearing sunglasses, Ye Sibei had the illusion that she was going on a picnic.
She couldn't help but purse her lips. She took out a Chinese knot that she had woven at home and hung it in the middle of the car.
Qin Nan looked at the Chinese knot she had hung swaying gently in the car, looked away, and released the handbrake: "Leaving?"
"Walk."
Ye Sibei nodded.
As the car started to move, Ye Sibei watched the autumn light fall on the car. She suddenly remembered, "When did you buy this car?"
"I just met you not long ago."
"Don't you have a motorcycle?" Ye Sibei turned to look at him, complaining, "You have to spend more money."
"Because I'm afraid you don't dare to ride a motorcycle." Qin Nan responded calmly, and smiled, "Besides, you're thinking about starting a family, so you have to look good."
Ye Sibei listened quietly, and she suddenly realized that from the very beginning, Qin Nan had never been willing to settle for this marriage.
The two drove to the court, where many media were already waiting at the door.
Since it was not my first time, I didn’t feel as shocked as the last time I went to the procuratorate.
Ye Sibei and Qin Nan squeezed into the court together. When they got outside, they saw Fan Jiancheng's family and a lawyer who looked quite elderly talking earnestly about something.
Zhao Shuhui held her child's hand and spoke to the lawyer with red eyes, nodding all the time.
Ye Nianwen came with his parents and Zhao Chuchu, and when they came to Ye Sibei's side, Ye Sibei moved his gaze away from Zhao Shuhui's face and saw Zhao Chuchu at first sight.
She was wearing the most ordinary casual clothes and had her hair cut short. Her bare face looked tired and haggard, and her usually bright eyes had lost their luster.
She was very thin, and Ye Sibei knew at a glance what she had been through.
Because she is the same.
She couldn't bear to look any longer and nodded towards Zhao Chuchu, who called out softly, "Sister Ye."
"Thanks for your hard work."
Ye Sibei said soothingly, and looked at Ye Nianwen: "She came out?"
Ye Nianwen knew that "she" was talking about Zhao Shuhui, and explained: "She was detained for fifteen days according to the Public Security Management Regulations and was released a long time ago."
Ye Nianwen said, looking at Zhao Shuhui, and noticed the lawyer next to her, and looked away stiffly: "Don't worry about her."
Ye Nianwen said to ignore them, but the other party noticed Ye Nianwen. The lawyer who looked older smiled and walked up to Ye Nianwen, saying familiarly: "Hey, Nianwen."
Ye Nianwen had a stern face. The other party glanced at Ye Sibei and said, "Are you your sister's lawyer for the civil case?"
"Yes." Ye Nianwen looked up at the other party, "Lawyer Meng still took this case?"
"Someone has to defend the defendant," Meng Xin said, raising his hand and patting Ye Nianwen's shoulder, "The lawsuit is over. I'll treat your family to a meal as an apology. Please understand."
"Who knows?" Ye Nianwen heard Meng Xin's hint and supported the situation, "Who knows, I have to treat Lawyer Meng to a meal and apologize to Lawyer Meng."
Hearing this, Meng Xin shook his head and smiled, without saying anything more, turned and left.
When he turned around, Ye Sibei looked at Ye Nianwen: "Who is this?"
"Meng Xin," Zhang Yong came over with a cigarette and explained for Ye Nianwen, "the best criminal defense lawyer in South City, your brother's boss."
Then Zhang Yong turned to look at Ye Nianwen: "When were you fired?"
Ye Nianwen didn't want to answer this question and turned to look at the court door.
The door was opened by the staff. Meng Xin comforted the family and went into the court with his assistant.
"You are both the plaintiff and the witness. Since the procuratorate has brought the case on your behalf, your position as a witness is irreplaceable. So you will be a witness in the courtroom waiting to be summoned."
Ye Nianwen briefly explained the trial procedures to her, and Ye Sibei nodded seriously.
After a while, I saw several people in prosecutor's uniforms walking towards me from the other side with documents in their hands.
“They are your prosecutors.”
Ye Nianwen approached Ye Sibei and whispered to her.
Ye Sibei watched them coming from afar, as if she saw her hope. She didn't know why, but her eyes felt a little sour.
The people from the Procuratorate walked to the front door of the court, looked at Ye Sibei and Ye Nianwen, nodded slightly as a greeting, and then walked towards the court.
Ye Sibei subconsciously grabbed the sleeve of one of the female prosecutors. The other party turned around and looked at Ye Sibei expectantly.
“We must win.”
Ye Sibei spoke hoarsely. The female prosecutor was stunned for a moment, then raised her hand and patted her hand: "Don't worry, we will act according to the law and bring the murderer to justice."
Ye Sibei kept nodding but couldn't let go.
The other party looked at her calmly and firmly. Ye Nianwen walked forward and gently pulled Ye Sibei's hand away.
"Sister, let the prosecutor go in first."
Ye Sibei was pulled away by Ye Nianwen. Ye Sibei watched the prosecutors who represented her justice leave one by one, and then the staff left one after another. Ye Nianwen saw that the time was almost up, and whispered to her: "Sister, I'm leaving too."
"Um."
"Sister," Ye Nianwen raised his hand and placed it on her shoulder, asking her to look at him, "You are not alone in this lawsuit."
"I've been in court all along, don't be afraid."
"Um."
Ye Sibei nodded, and Ye Nianwen stretched out his hand and clenched it into a fist.
When they were young, they would bump fists like this after they succeeded in doing something bad together.
Ye Sibei looked at him, smiled with tears in his eyes, raised his hand, clenched it into a fist, and gently touched it with his.
Ye Nianwen smiled, then turned to the court, put away his smile, straightened his clothes carefully, and walked out solemnly and calmly.
Ye Sibei watched the court door slowly close, and then heard someone calling her name: "Ye Sibei? Zhao Chuchu?"
Ye Sibei turned around and saw a staff member greeting them: "Witnesses, come over here and wait to be summoned."
"OK."
Ye Sibei responded and turned to look at Qin Nan who had been standing beside her.
"I'm waiting for you."
Qin Nan smiled: "I'll buy you a skirt."
Ye Sibei smiled, nodded heavily, and walked towards the staff with Zhao Chuchu.
Being alone with Zhao Chuchu, she finally had the chance. She looked at Zhao Chuchu and whispered to her, "It's over today."
Zhao Chuchu raised her eyes and looked at Ye Sibei with dull eyes for a long time before she nodded gently: "It's over today."
The two were separated by the staff, and Ye Sibei followed the staff to a small room outside the court. She was alone in the small room, looking at the surrounding environment, and slowly sat down on the chair. After hesitating for a moment, she turned her head and looked at the small door next to her.
At this time, in the court, after the clerk read out the court rules, the presiding judge slammed the gavel and announced the opening of the court.
At 9:33 am on September 3, 2018, the first trial of Fan Jiancheng’s suspected sexual assault case officially opened.