Chapter 392: My Fairness

In the mountains, it's difficult for firefighters to reach a blaze, so most people just watch from a distance.

If a kind-hearted person happens to help, they might try to fetch water from a well to put out the flames. But unfortunately, I had poured kerosene, making the situation even more dangerous when water was added.

Soon, I heard intense coughing. Delicate Jin Dou must not be able to bear it anymore.

I'm sorry, truly sorry.

Although I have no deep grudge against you, for personal reasons, I can't let you leave.

If you go, my guilt will be confirmed, and tonight no one can see me. So, you have to die.

Intentional homicide carries the death penalty, life imprisonment, or fixed-term imprisonment of ten years or more. For cases with lighter circumstances, it's fixed-term imprisonment of three to ten years.

I stood in the doorway, crying bitterly, not knowing why I felt so sad.

I had clearly cured my own "illness" with my own hands, yet I was truly heartbroken.

What kind of life is this...? Why does it have to be so painful?

The fire quickly spread through the entire house, and Jin Dou let out screams. She was surely beyond saving.

Before anyone else noticed the fire, I concealed myself and made my way to the village entrance. Then, with the car lights off, I left the mountain village before causing any bigger disturbance.

Only after carefully descending the mountain did I turn on the car lights and speed away. A few minutes later, I arrived in the town and found a roadside car wash, where I paid thirty yuan to clean all the mud off the body and wheels.

I took out my phone to check the time, parked the car by the side of the road, and grabbed a sticker from the Zhou Jielun fan merchandise. I stuck it on my arm and then took a photo of it with a glowing light stick.

"Tonight was really fun."

Yes, tonight was fun.

The heavy burden weighing on me had fallen into the abyss.

I set off again, still avoiding the main roads and weaving through the various small paths in the villages. Because it was so dark and most villages had no streetlights, it took me even longer to finally return to Chengdu.

When I drove into Chengdu, dawn was just breaking.

This city was like my state of mind—my dark past was about to vanish with the black night. From now on, I would live peacefully here.

As for my parents and younger brother, they had unfortunately perished in a fire in the mountains tonight.

I didn't "wipe out my own family." I was just an unlucky person.

I kept comforting myself in my heart until tears streamed down my face.

I've been deceiving myself my whole life, just as I did before and as I do now.

I had the most unfortunate childhood, yet I delusionally thought I could rise above others through my own efforts. Now that I've wiped out my own family, I still fantasize about embracing a completely new life.

What right do I have?

There are so many criminals in this world. If I escape the law's punishment, it would be unfair to everyone.

But right now, I really want to experience that "unfairness."

I want to put all this behind me. I want to spend the rest of my life peacefully with Jia Qi.

I want to wear a wedding dress once and be a normal woman.

Today, Chengdu was shrouded in thick fog, and everything before my eyes was blurred.

"Jia Qi... wait for me..." I kept wiping the tears from my face, trying to talk myself through it, but my heart ached as if a knife had been stabbed into it. "I'm back... From now on, we'll wake up together every day..."

"Welcome to listening to music radio during the morning rush hour." A muffled voice came from the car radio. "Yesterday, Zhou Jielun came to Chengdu and stirred up memories for all the 80s and 90s generations. If you weren't there, follow along with the next song, 'Yi Fu Zhi Ming,' and return to the golden era of Chinese music."

"The cool morning dew wets the black suit."

"The foggy stone path, father whispers softly."

"The helpless awakening, only more cruel, all for the road to the holy hall."

"The fog that won't disperse, hiding the intent."

"Who gently steps and stops."

"The bullet that passes before you can cry takes away the warmth."

"We all have sins, committing different sins..."

"No... it's not like that..." I muttered to the air. "I didn't kill my own family; it was just... someone defrauded me of two million yuan... The case involved a huge amount and was extremely malicious... I was only gathering evidence for the trial... Jia Qi... you believe me, right?"

That person not only blackmailed me... he even borrowed from loan sharks... Jia Qi... you must understand me, right...?

I don't want to be a devil... I just want to be an ordinary person.

Now, I really have no burdens left... Let's be together, okay?

As long as the police don't find me... we'll be together, okay?

Once the fog in Chengdu clears today... we'll be together, okay?

I passed by Du Fu Cao Tang and drove from Qing Yang Zheng Jie toward Wu Hou Ci.

I was just about to call Jia Qi when suddenly everything spun—I felt an earthquake, and it was much stronger than the ones I'd experienced before, as if the epicenter was right in Chengdu.

I saw the ground cracking ahead, so I slammed on the brakes and stopped just in front of the fissure. But the car behind me couldn't avoid it and rear-ended me.

I kept wiping away my tears, trying to calm down.

Why is there another obstacle?

Why is it so hard for me to move toward a new life?

The cars kept rear-ending me, pushing my vehicle toward the crack.

"Don't do this..." I cried in the car. "Heaven, please stop testing me... I just want to live... Can't you be unfair to me just once?!"

But this tragic life was no different from the thirty-three years I'd already endured.

Even as my car plunged into the abyss, I saw no hope at all.

...

This place brings back bad memories.

The game is called "Songxinren."

I'm being held as a "hostage" in a huge microwave oven.

What's terrifying is that this microwave oven is even smaller than the room Ma Tuzhu gave me.

Those painful memories keep flooding back, dragging me into complete despair.

Why did I end up in a place like this?

Why am I locked up?

It must be because I wiped out my own family—Heaven is sending another trial my way.

Yes, that's fair.

But I'm so scared. What should I do?

Am I going to be roasted alive in this huge microwave oven?

I was sitting inside, shivering, when the door suddenly opened. I looked up and met his gaze.

Just like last time, someone came to save me. The light from outside streamed in, making the handsome man in front of me shine like a beacon.

"Qi Xia!"

I couldn't control my trembling body and rushed forward to hug him.

"I..." He looked awkward, not knowing where to put his hands.

"Thank goodness... You scared me to death..." I was shaking all over; I was so frightened. "I thought I was going to be roasted alive in here..."

"Zhang Lvshi, I remember you don't like people touching you," Qi Xia said awkwardly.

"Ah..." I quickly let go and wiped my eyes. "S-sorry... I didn't cause you any trouble, did I?"

"Not really, just startled me." He shook his head. "I don't like things that are out of expectation. In my impression, you're not the type."

"S-sorry." I slowly lowered my head and returned to my usual demeanor.

These people don't know...

They don't understand me.

I'm a monster who killed my entire family; I'm worlds apart from anyone here.

Even if there are villains here, none could be worse than me.

How ridiculous...

They think I'm a meticulous lawyer, but they have no idea how dark my inner world can be. So, this secret must never get out... After all, I've already prepared an alibi.

As long as I can get out of here, I can go back to normal life.

I'll wait for Jia Qi to dress me in a wedding gown and step into that better future.

I'm not Zhang Lai Di.

I am Zhang Chen Ze.

Although it's unfair to all of you, I'm sorry—I'm starting to lie now.