chapter 14

The neighbor’s lost axe.

The more you suspect someone, the more everything about them starts to look suspicious.

That wasn’t right.

With no evidence, Qiu Rongrong warned herself not to let her mind run wild.

Her gaze drifted to the large fruit basket at her feet-definitely not cheap-and she spaced out for a moment.

“Do you not have a pen you can use? Here, take this.” Jiang Yuwei pulled a brand-new Stellalou collab pen out of her pencil case. It was a limited edition-online you had to pay extra just to get one.

Qiu Rongrong immediately waved her hands. “This is expensive. I can’t take it.”

“I said it’s for you, so it’s for you.” Jiang Yuwei forcefully stuffed the pen into Qiu Rongrong’s palm. “It’s just a pen.”

Qiu Rongrong smiled, open and unguarded.

Right. Just a pen.

“Then thanks. I’ll treat you to milk tea later,” Qiu Rongrong said, accepting it straightforwardly.

No matter how she looked at it, Jiang Yuwei didn’t seem like someone so desperate for money that she’d need to steal even a pen.

She was dressed head to toe in brand-name stuff.

Qiu Rongrong had even heard people say the hair clip on her head cost two thousand yuan.

She was warm and outgoing, and she’d even stood up for Qiu Rongrong.

Even the pen Jiang Yuwei gave her was worth far more than the one Qiu Rongrong had lost.

She shouldn’t be doubting her.

There were only two classes in the morning.

Qiu Rongrong didn’t live on campus, and going home at noon would be too rushed. She wanted to find a part-time job at school to earn some spending money.

When she reached the narrow alley beside the teaching building, Qiu Rongrong saw Xu Zhao and his little clique beating up Tan Song.

Maybe men could take more of a beating.

Xu Zhao was hitting Tan Song far harder than he’d hit Qiu Rongrong last time.

Tan Song was pinned down in that cramped, dim back alley behind the school. Muddy water mixed with fallen leaves plastered his thin school jacket.

Those people formed a circle around him, fists and feet raining down.

Every blow landed solidly-no mercy at all.

Qiu Rongrong watched as Xu Zhao lifted his foot and viciously kicked Tan Song in the stomach. Tan Song couldn’t dodge and could only raise his arm to block. Xu Zhao immediately brought a baseball bat down on his arm-again and again. Tan Song clenched his teeth and refused to beg.

When you’re too stubborn, you get beaten until your skin splits and your flesh tears.

One swing cracked against Tan Song’s head.

Qiu Rongrong saw the bat snap. The front half flew off. Tan Song’s body jerked violently, then he collapsed heavily to the ground with a dull thud.

His head lolled to the side, eyes unfocused, his face turned right toward Qiu Rongrong.

Blood dripped down from his brow.

Qiu Rongrong thought of what her father looked like when his head broke.

She instinctively stepped back.

One step, two steps…

She stumbled, her face drained of color.

Tan Song had probably already seen her.

Qiu Rongrong turned and ran.

She had to find help.

Her first instinct was to find a teacher.

But where were the university professors’ offices?

Forget it-there was no time to think.

Qiu Rongrong could only sprint to the administration building to find the counselor.

The counselor was a young woman who looked only a few years older than her. She still hadn’t finished her probationary period. She was bent over her computer, typing.

After listening to Qiu Rongrong’s breathless explanation, her expression changed instantly.

She shot up from her chair in shock. Without even grabbing her coat, she rushed out with Qiu Rongrong.

Qiu Rongrong led the counselor quickly back to the mouth of the alley. The moment they turned in, a sharp, choking stench of blood hit her.

Her steps stalled.

By the wall, Tan Song sat slumped against the ground. Blood dripped from his jaw, seeping into the cracks between the tiles.

His head hung low. Half his face was swollen and misshapen, the corner of his mouth split open. He was panting, eyes half open as he stared ahead.

The counselor sucked in a breath, her face turning white as she covered her mouth with her hand. “Who did this? This is outrageous. How dare they hurt someone like this on campus.”

Qiu Rongrong hurried forward. “Teacher, he’s bleeding. Let’s get him to the infirmary-now.”
Together with the counselor, Qiu Rongrong braced herself and hauled Tan Song upright.

Tan Song was tall and looked skinny, but his body was all hard muscle. His weight bore down on Qiu Rongrong and the counselor until they could barely breathe.

“Both of you, stop sticking your noses where they don’t belong.” Tan Song’s voice was hoarse. He spat a mouthful of bloody foam onto the ground-along with half a broken tooth.

The counselor kept a stern face and said righteously, “I’m a school counselor. It’s my responsibility to ensure your safety!”

“Teacher, you’re new here, aren’t you?” Tan Song let out a light laugh, tugging at the wound at the corner of his mouth. The pain made his words come out stiff.

He narrowed his eyes at the sun hanging on the horizon. “You’ll regret this.”

Qiu Rongrong stood to the side, listening as the counselor tried to soothe Tan Song.

But her heart only sank heavier and heavier.

Students streamed past on the road, lively and bright, full of hope for the future.

Over the crowd, Qiu Rongrong saw Xu Zhao standing not far away, watching her with open mockery.

Sunlight was everywhere-yet he stood in the shadows.

Like a vengeful ghost come to collect her life.

After they got Tan Song to the infirmary, the counselor went back to deal with work. Qiu Rongrong couldn’t settle down, so she stayed by the bed with him.

That huge fruit basket Jiang Yuwei had brought in the morning ended up benefiting Tan Song instead.

Qiu Rongrong peeled a tangerine, tossing the rind into a plastic bag. She split a segment in half and held it out in front of Tan Song.

His injuries had already been bandaged: a split scalp, a fracture in his arm, half a tooth broken off, and the rest were superficial scrapes and bruises.

“You shouldn’t have gotten involved,” he said.

“Mm.” Qiu Rongrong broke off a segment and ate it piece by piece. “I regret it quite a lot, actually.”

She hadn’t had the courage to rush in.

Yet she still had a conscience-she couldn’t just stand by and watch someone die.

She’d helped him, and Xu Zhao had seen it. Now she was terrified of retaliation.

Hearing her say that, Tan Song found the tangerine in his mouth oddly sour.

He had no appetite. He set what was left on the bedside cabinet and asked, “Where have you been these past three days? Why didn’t you come to school?”

Qiu Rongrong told him the truth. “I was kidnapped.”

Tan Song snapped upright, his expression tightening. “Did the culprit come looking for you?”

“Right now there’s no evidence to prove that person was working with your father.”

Tan Song frowned, his voice rising. “Didn’t I tell you already? My dad wasn’t the killer! He was a scapegoat! The one who kidnapped you is the real monster who murdered your whole family!”

“I don’t want to argue with you here, but I can tell you this clearly: back then, in the basement, I saw your father’s face with my own eyes.” Qiu Rongrong’s face turned cold. Her fingers slowly curled tight, the memory tearing at her until it hurt to breathe.

Without evidence, how could Tan Song’s father have been sentenced to death?

Back then, while she struggled, she’d torn off the attacker’s mask.

The person who committed the crime was Tan Song’s father.

He wasn’t wronged at all.

Tan Song looked awkward, suddenly lacking conviction. “But my dad really was a good person. He helped so many stray cats and dogs. He… if someone hadn’t set him up and gotten him hooked on gambling, he wouldn’t have done something like that…”

By the time he reached this point, he choked up more than once.

When Xu Zhao beat him, he’d been stubborn as stone. But when he spoke of his father-already executed by firing squad-his eyes reddened.

Of course. It was always your own parents you hurt for.

Between them lay a sea of blood.

They both understood the other was innocent.

Yet when they were alone together, everything still felt wrong.

“A gambling addict who owed money outside and sold off his conscience-I don’t think there’s any excuse for that.” Qiu Rongrong was exhausted to the bone. “You keep saying your father wasn’t the true culprit. Is it because you’ve found a lead on the real mastermind?”

If there had been accomplices, they should pay back the blood debt her family was owed.

At that moment, her phone rang.

It was a call from Zhou Jingxing.