Chapter 23

That night, Ye Sibei didn’t sleep well. When she woke up the next morning, Qin Nan noticed her tired expression and asked, “Did you have a nightmare?”

“Yeah.”

“What did you dream about?”

Ye Sibei paused for a moment, then replied softly, “I dreamt of a child, who was crying constantly.”

Qin Nan was taken aback. He looked at her, thought for a moment, and awkwardly asked, “Do you want me to get you a talisman?”

Ye Sibei laughed at that. Stretching as she walked to the kitchen, she replied in a much lighter tone, “Boss Qin, you should believe in science.”

Qin Nan cooked some noodles, and they both ate together in silence. As Ye Sibei ate, she thought about her plans and looked up at him, “I plan to stay home and study for the civil service exam.”

“That’s good.”

As Qin Nan spoke, he suddenly remembered something. He put down his bowl, opened his wallet, took out a card, and placed it on the table in front of Ye Sibei.

Then he picked up his bowl and continued eating his noodles.

Ye Sibei was taken aback. Qin Nan spoke in a muffled voice, “Don’t give the money to your parents again.”

Ye Sibei knew Qin Nan was referring to her past “achievements.” Even though he was joking, she felt a bit annoyed. She glared at him, pushed the bank card back, and continued eating her noodles, “I don’t need your money. I can support myself.”

“Oh,” Qin Nan finished his last bite and looked up at her, “Are you staying home today?”

“The books haven’t arrived yet,” Ye Sibei thought for a moment, “How about I help out at your shop?”

Qin Nan paused. Seeing his hesitation, Ye Sibei quickly laughed to cover up her brief moment of panic, “I was joking. I’ll just…”

“Go ahead,” Qin Nan looked at her, “I’m worried about you.”

Hearing this, Ye Sibei felt her nervousness ease. She lowered her head, “I can’t stay cooped up at home forever.”

Qin Nan nodded. After they finished eating, Qin Nan washed the dishes while Ye Sibei wiped the table. When they were about to leave, Ye Sibei changed into some sportswear. Qin Nan quietly slipped the bank card into her bag.

Once Ye Sibei was dressed, they left the house together. As soon as Ye Sibei opened the door, she saw paint splattered on the doorstep. She stepped outside in confusion and then froze in place.

Noticing something was wrong while changing his shoes, Qin Nan rushed out. Looking up, he saw that someone had sprayed bright red letters on the doorway with paint:

“Whore.”

Although there weren’t many people around the complex, several residents poked their heads out, curiously looking at the door.

Qin Nan quickly pulled Ye Sibei inside, “You go back inside, I’ll clean it up.”

With that, he made Ye Sibei sit on the sofa and drove off to buy cleaning supplies and paint.

Ye Sibei sat inside, dazed as she thought about the words painted outside the door. Suddenly, her phone vibrated.

It was a message from an unknown number:

“This is just the beginning.”

From that day on, Ye Sibei started every morning by cleaning off paint. Every day, she received anonymous threatening and insulting messages.

At first, Ye Sibei reported it to the police, but after investigating, the police only caught some young troublemakers. After fining, detaining, and making them apologize according to regulations, a few days later, a new group would show up.

Eventually, Ye Sibei and Qin Nan stayed up all night. One early morning, they heard noise outside. Qin Nan and Ye Sibei rushed out with tools and saw two blonde youths spraying paint.

Seeing Qin Nan, the youths turned to run. Qin Nan chased them and caught one on the ground floor, delivering a heavy punch.

The other youth saw his companion being beaten and came back to help. Ye Sibei arrived with a clothes rod and, seeing the two attacking Qin Nan, started hitting them while shouting, “Thief! There are two thieves here! Call the police!”

Her yelling woke the neighbors, and lights turned on as people rushed out. Seeing the crowd, the two youths let go of Qin Nan and fled.

Ye Sibei helped the punched Qin Nan and asked anxiously, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Qin Nan winced in pain, then glanced at the clothes rod and smiled, “I’ll buy a sturdier rod next time.”

The youths were caught by the enthusiastic neighbors and taken to the police station that night. From then on, there were no more paint attacks at home. But the next day, Qin Nan found the words “Green Cuckold” spray-painted on his shop’s door.

People around gossiped, but Qin Nan said nothing. He poured cleaning agent on the door and quickly cleaned it up before opening the shop.

He didn’t tell Ye Sibei about this incident. Even if he did, she couldn’t do anything about it. He couldn’t leave Ye Sibei alone at home at night, nor could he have her stay in the shop’s damp and dark little room.

Although no more paint was thrown at their home, the harassment towards Ye Sibei didn’t stop.

People would knock on her windows during the day, but no one was there when she opened the door. She received anonymous abusive messages every day. Whenever she checked her public contact information on social media, there were all kinds of insulting messages.

But she never told Qin Nan about any of this.

They each bore their own pressure, gritting their teeth and moving forward.

One day, while carrying groceries on the street, a group of young people on bicycles sped past her. One of them cheered and suddenly slapped her head. They laughed, made faces at her, and arrogantly rode away.

She took out her phone to call the police but saw the long list of emergency calls.

Lately, the number she dialed most often was the emergency number.

Report to the police, make a statement, file a case, catch people, identify, apologize, compensate, detain.

Then a new group would come, again and again.

She hesitated for a moment, then put her phone away and jogged home with the groceries.

From that day, she minimized her outings. She only went out with Qin Nan once a week to buy groceries, spending most of her time at home, forcing herself not to think too much and to focus on studying.

Lin Feng had just told her that in five months, she would have an outcome.

She just needed to endure these five months to get a result.

She started keeping a journal, writing every day. Her happiest moments were flipping past the pages she had already written.

Half a month later, one evening during dinner, Qin Nan suddenly suggested, “How about we move?”

Ye Sibei looked up at him. Qin Nan kept his head down, picking at his food, “We can rent another place and move to the next town.”

Ye Sibei was momentarily at a loss. Her mind had been sluggish lately. After a moment, she asked, “Will you still come home?”

“I will,” Qin Nan looked up at her and smiled reassuringly, “I checked it out. The house isn’t far. It only takes me an hour to drive there.”

That meant a two-hour round trip each day.

Living in another city would leave their current house vacant. The paint-throwing incidents were well-known in the area, making it unlikely they could rent out the place. This meant additional expenses for renting a new place.

Monthly mortgage, rent, two hours of commuting every day, and gas expenses…

Ye Sibei quickly calculated the expenses in her head. She continued eating, her voice very soft, “We’re living just fine here. Why move?”

“You don’t need to worry about the money,” Qin Nan seemed to understand her concerns and hesitantly said, “I’ve already figured it out…”

“I like living here,” Ye Sibei interrupted, “I’m used to it. It’s fine.”

They reached an impasse. Qin Nan looked at Ye Sibei’s stubborn expression for a long time before he lowered his head and softly responded, not saying more.

Before bed, Ye Sibei received another message:

“Have you asked your husband how his business is doing lately?”

Ye Sibei stared at the message for a long time, then buried her phone under the pillow.

Qin Nan sensed she wasn’t asleep and asked softly, “Can’t sleep?”

“Qin Nan,” she stared at the ceiling, not knowing why she was bringing it up, “The provincial exam period has passed this year. I have to take next year’s exam.”

“Mm, prepare well.”

“I’ll do more housework and prepare well for the exam. I’ll work hard.”

“I know.”

“When I pass the civil service exam,” she closed her eyes, “we’ll move to the provincial capital. I’ll help you reopen the shop.”

So this year, I’m sorry.

She didn’t say the last part out loud, unsure if Qin Nan would understand. After a moment, she felt a hand reaching out from below, holding her hand that was hanging off the bed.

He said nothing, but Ye Sibei suddenly felt an indescribable sadness rising within her. In the darkness, she gently squeezed Qin Nan’s hand back, feeling silent tears slip from her eyes into her hair.

The weather in Nan City was getting hotter. By the end of May, Ye Sibei turned on the fan, which creaked overhead. As she marked and highlighted her books, she received another familiar anonymous message.

“Zhao Chuchu resigned. Don’t you feel guilty? You troublemaker.”

Ye Sibei’s hands trembled as she read the message. For a moment, she wanted to go online, make a big fuss, and fight to the end. But then she remembered Fan Wenwen’s radiant smile in the photos, thought of Qin Nan, Zhao Chuchu, and Ye Nianwen.

Once she posted online, it wouldn’t just be the perpetrator being judged but herself as well. She didn’t know how many people would be affected, how the internet would judge them, whether her family would be pointed at, or if Fan Wenwen, an innocent child, would be criticized.

She couldn’t bear the consequences, and rationality stopped her from acting.

Feeling powerless, she gripped her phone for a long time before calling Zhao Chuchu.

The phone rang twice before being answered, and Zhao Chuchu’s loud voice came through, “Sis, it’s been a while since you called me. Do you miss me?”

“Chuchu…”

As soon as Ye Sibei spoke, her hoarse voice betrayed her emotions. She couldn’t continue, but Zhao Chuchu understood, “Sis, are you calling about work? I resigned on my own. It has nothing to do with you. Don’t worry about it. That company is too dangerous; I can’t stay there.”

Ye Sibei listened to her explanation but knew Zhao Chuchu was trying to comfort her.

Fuqiang Real Estate was a good private company in Nan City, offering full insurance, regular pay, and bonuses. Zhao Chuchu had a good position in the business department and had always cherished this job.

“How did they threaten you?”

After a long pause, Ye Sibei finally spoke, “I’ll go talk to them.”

“They didn’t threaten me,” Zhao Chuchu laughed, “They just wanted me to persuade you. I didn’t like that. What a trash company, they should trouble Fan Jiancheng instead of pestering you. So I told them I quit. Anyway, I’m getting married soon, they can do whatever they want.”

“I’m sorry…” Tears fell from Ye Sibei’s eyes, “I’m sorry, Chuchu…”

“No, I should be the one apologizing,” Zhao Chuchu stood on the street, her eyes red, “Sis, if I had been more cautious that day and not trusted others so easily, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“It’s not your fault…”

“And it’s not yours either.”

Zhao Chuchu quickly wiped the tears from her face, “Let’s not talk about this. I’m on the street, and my makeup is getting ruined. I’ve already resigned and will find a new job tomorrow. I’m so excellent and good-looking, why worry about finding a job? But you, Sis,” Zhao Chuchu’s tone turned serious, “Don’t think too much. Since you’ve reported it, follow through and show them our strength.”

“I’m sorry…” The more Zhao Chuchu comforted her, the harder Ye Sibei cried. She didn’t know what to say, just kept repeating, “I’m sorry.”

After hanging up, Ye Sibei sat at home, curled up and cried for a long time.

When she had cried enough, she sat in front of the computer, unable to resist opening a forum and asking a question:

“If I’ve been sexually assaulted, but reporting it will implicate many innocent people, should I still report it?”

However, after typing it out, she didn’t have the courage to post it. She feared someone would say something negative, feared someone would tell her she was wrong.

So she deleted the question and reopened her notebook, writing down all the words that had supported her so far, word by word.

“Innocent people should not be punished, and wrongdoers must pay the price.”

“If I’m not afraid of death, why should I fear living?”

“I am not wrong.”

She wrote each word carefully. Once she felt calm again, she sat on the balcony and called Lin Feng, “Officer Lin, I want to ask if I can file a report if someone is constantly harassing me.”

“Someone’s harassing you?”

Lin Feng was heading downstairs and paused when she heard this. Ye Sibei explained, “The company and Zhao Shuhui have both come to threaten me, trying to make me change my statement.”

“Get a new number tomorrow and come to the police station. Don’t be afraid, we’ll handle it. These people are simply lawless!”

“Okay.”

Ye Sibei replied, “Thank you, Officer Lin.”

After hanging up, she smoked a cigarette on the balcony. When Qin Nan finally returned, he opened the door and saw Ye Sibei sitting at the table. She turned around, and Qin Nan noticed something was off and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Ye Sibei stood up and smiled apologetically, “I forgot to make dinner. I’ll go do it now.”

After they finished eating, Ye Sibei looked at her phone for a while, then removed the SIM card and turned to Qin Nan, “Come with me to get a new SIM card tomorrow?”

Qin Nan glanced at the card she put into the drawer and reminded her, “You’ll need to update your contact information with the police.”

“I know.”

The next day, Qin Nan took her to get a new SIM card, and then they went to the police station together. When Lin Feng saw Ye Sibei, she was shocked, “You’ve lost so much weight! How have you been?”

“Nothing much,” Ye Sibei smiled and asked, “Officer Lin, how is the case progressing?”

“We’ve already submitted the prosecution opinion to the procuratorate. We’re waiting for their approval. Let’s get your statement first.”

Ye Sibei nodded and followed Lin Feng into the interrogation room, where she recounted the recent events. As she spoke, Lin Feng grew increasingly angry, while Zhang Yong remained calm.

When Ye Sibei finished, she handed over her phone, “Here’s the recording I took at the time.”

“Take her to get it notarized.”

Zhang Yong glanced at Lin Feng, who nodded and led Ye Sibei out. As they walked, Lin Feng advised her, “Sibei, make sure to collect evidence next time. If they dare to come again, tell them that threatening or bribing a witness to give false testimony can result in up to three years in prison. Let’s see who dares to come then.”

“Okay.”

Ye Sibei nodded.

Lin Feng glanced at her, feeling somewhat worried. After some thought, she encouraged her, “Sibei, don’t be afraid. Next time something happens, come to me. We all support you in going to the police.”

Upon hearing this, Ye Sibei finally smiled a bit.

“It’s actually just a minor thing,” Ye Sibei thought Lin Feng was being polite. With so many serious cases for the criminal investigators, how could they keep focusing on her? She just smiled, “You’re busy as it is. As long as the case progresses smoothly, it’s fine. You don’t need to bother about the rest.”

Lin Feng accompanied Ye Sibei to notarize some documents. By noon, Ye Sibei bid farewell to Lin Feng together with Qin Nan.

Watching their backs as they walked away hand in hand, Lin Feng couldn’t help but feel like she was seeing a flower crushed under a boulder.

Zhang Yong walked up behind her, smoking a cigarette. “What are you looking at?”

“Master, what else can we do?” Lin Feng murmured.

Taking a deep drag from his cigarette, Zhang Yong replied, “Move the case forward, give them a resolution.”