Chapter 36.1

Ye Sibei first explained the specifics of the situation, while the reporter guided the conversation and noted questions from the comment section.

Chen Hui read aloud a question from the online audience: “A viewer wants to know why you drank alcohol that night.”

“It was my job,” Ye Sibei carefully considered her words. “It was a work requirement. Should I not have had a drink?”

Chen Hui glanced at the screen and continued, “But before drinking, didn’t you consider your safety?”

“I did,” Ye Sibei replied.

“Then why did you still drink?”

Hearing this, Ye Sibei fell silent. After thinking for a while, she raised her head and suddenly asked, “Have you ever gone out at night?”

Chen Hui was taken aback, but Ye Sibei pressed on: “Have you ever sung karaoke in college? Have you ever gone to a job interview alone? Have you ever done anything dangerous in your life? Did you think about your safety then?”

“No one doesn’t think about their own safety, but there are moments in life when we’re willing to take risks to do certain things.”

Chen Hui nodded, “Indeed.”

“So, I don’t understand why everyone is asking these kinds of questions about this incident. It feels like the only purpose is to tell me that I didn’t protect myself well enough, and that I deserved it.”

Ye Sibei looked at Chen Hui and paused. Chen Hui, visibly moved by her words, listened as Ye Sibei controlled her emotions. After a long pause, she continued, “That’s why I didn’t report it initially—because I was scared.”

“I’m doing this interview today to tell everyone: You can teach someone how to protect themselves, but you shouldn’t ask them what they did when they’re a victim. Whatever they did, it’s not a reason for them to be harmed.” Ye Sibei looked up at Chen Hui, her eyes searching for confirmation. “Isn’t that right?”

Chen Hui met her gaze and nodded. “Yes, no matter what she did, it’s never a reason for her to be harmed. Alright,” Chen Hui smiled, tapping the notebook in her hand before looking at the next question. “What are your wishes for the future?”

Upon hearing this, Ye Sibei thought for a moment. “I hope that if there are other victims in this world, people will give them more encouragement and support to help them stand up.”

Chen Hui looked up at her, and though Ye Sibei worried that she might sound preachy, she still added, “To help them understand that no matter who they are, what they’ve done, or what their past is, they can loudly name who the criminal is.”

“Sex is not shameful, and the victim is never at fault. Silencing the victim doesn’t punish the wrongdoer or protect the good.”

Ye Sibei turned to the camera. “The most effective way to protect the good is to make sure the criminals are punished. Isn’t that right?”

There is no place in the world where crime decreases because women cover everything but their eyes.

And yet, every time an incident happens, people always ask what the victim was wearing.

Many places in the world realize that installing more surveillance or creating a more supportive cultural environment for women may effectively reduce crime.

Yet, whenever a case happens, people rarely ask why there was no surveillance in place, who allowed the victim to drink, or what we can do to help the victim.

After the interview ended, Chen Hui and the other staff escorted Ye Sibei out of the television station.

As they were leaving, Chen Hui held her hand. “Miss Ye, although the trial hasn’t concluded, so I can’t say much, I still want to thank you for speaking out. I believe you’ll inspire more victims, and I believe that the future Ye Sibei will have better choices.”

Hearing Chen Hui’s words, Ye Sibei smiled faintly. “If the future Ye Sibei can have better choices, it will be because there are many people like you, Reporter Chen, in the world.”

Not long after the live broadcast, Ye Sibei received the news that her case would be retried.

This time, the police had obtained several key pieces of evidence, making Lin Feng and Zhang Yong very optimistic.

One day, Ye Nianwen came to visit Ye Sibei. He happily joined her for a meal, helping himself to dishes while telling her, “Sis, did you hear? Zhao Shuhui couldn’t hold out and turned in Fan Jiancheng.”

Ye Sibei was taken aback. “What did she confess?”

“She actually had more than just that audio recording and photo. She had a USB drive, and on that drive…” Ye Nianwen hesitated before continuing, “There wasn’t just one victim.”

More than one victim, yet only she had reported it.

Ye Sibei was stunned, and Ye Nianwen went on, “Even Tao Jie—at first, she wasn’t a willing participant. Somehow, it turned into a long-term arrangement.”

“How do you know that?” It took a moment for Ye Sibei to process. Ye Nianwen grinned slyly. “I persuaded her.”

“I just felt that Fan Jiancheng couldn’t be a first-time offender. I arranged to meet with her and told her that this case would eventually have a conclusion. If she actively provided evidence, she could lessen her punishment. If she continued to help Fan Jiancheng hide things, they’d both end up behind bars. Then I appealed to her emotions and reason, showing her the video of you and Tao Jie meeting with Fan Jiancheng, and analyzed the tragic circumstances that Fan Wenwen faced, urging her to take action. In the end, she broke down.”

“You’re quite impressive.”

Ye Sibei smiled. Ye Nianwen raised his chin proudly. “Of course! I’m a lawyer.”

Ye Sibei thought for a moment, a bit hesitant. “But even if there’s evidence, those girls…” Ye Sibei hesitated, “will they stand up?”

“I don’t know,” Ye Nianwen shook his head. “But you’ve stood up, and that’s the beginning.”

Upon hearing this, Ye Sibei couldn’t help but smile.

After finishing their meal and seeing Ye Nianwen out, she sat in front of her computer that evening when she suddenly heard a “ding” sound indicating she had received an email.

Opening the email, she found a long letter of gratitude.

“Hello Ye Sibei,

I’m writing this letter to thank you.

I know you don’t know me, but that’s okay; I know you.

I used to be an employee at Fuqiang Real Estate, and I was once a victim of Fan Jiancheng. At that time, I was only twenty-one years old and hadn’t graduated from vocational school. Fan Jiancheng was still just a manager, and I came to Fuqiang Real Estate as an intern during the holidays.

He was very kind and caring toward me. To be honest, I did admire him deeply at that time. But I knew he was married, so I hid my feelings and decided to leave after the semester started, cutting off those feelings completely.

However, just before I resigned, he asked to have a farewell dinner with me. I knew I shouldn’t eat with a married boss, but at that moment, I was deceived; I thought he was unaware of my feelings, so I wanted to have one last meal with him.

We went out for barbecue. That night, he drank a lot and cried, telling me how difficult his life was. I saw him getting drunk and wanted to send him home, but his phone had no battery. He told me he would just stay at a hotel for the night.

So, I took him to the hotel, got him a room key, and brought him inside. I thought I could leave afterward.

But I couldn’t.

I had always thought he was a gentle and polite senior, but that night, he choked me, pulled my hair, and slammed my head against the wall. At that moment, I thought I was going to die, and only then did I realize how utterly wrong I had been.

The next day, I fled in a panic. I thought about reporting it, but I didn’t have the courage. I couldn’t even tell my parents because I couldn’t explain to anyone why I had dinner with him that night or why I brought a drunken man to a hotel. I knew I had made a mistake, and perhaps everything I went through was deserved.

I repeatedly told myself that I was a willing participant and that I liked him, but every night in my dreams, I relived that encounter. I clearly knew that in that moment, I didn’t want it.

For many years, I’ve blamed myself and punished myself. Whenever I thought back to that time, I felt so disgusting.

Now, at almost thirty, my life is a mess. My mother keeps asking why I haven’t married, and I can’t answer.

I thought my life would just continue in this daze until I met you.

I regret that if I had reported it back then, maybe your tragedy wouldn’t have happened. I want to apologize to you here.

I’m also very grateful to you. Thank you for telling me that whatever I did is not a reason for me to be a victim.

This morning, the police called me to ask about what happened years ago. I cried uncontrollably on the phone and couldn’t even say a complete sentence.

Tomorrow, I will go to the police station to give my statement. I hope that when I see him being sent to prison, I can finally let myself go.

I can erase these nine years and start my life over from the age of twenty-one.”

Ye Sibei looked at the letter, wiped away her tears, and replied to the woman.

“We all can.”

More and more evidence surfaced, and more victims came forward.

It felt as if everything was starting anew, yet it was different.

During that time, Ye Sibei cooperated with the police investigation while also inquiring about Qin Nan’s situation. At the same time, she began to prepare for moving and job hunting.

According to Ye Nianwen’s analysis, Qin Nan was likely to be sentenced, which would significantly affect her political evaluation. As a result, she gave up on her plan to take the civil servant exam and started sending resumes to the provincial capital, returning to her previous career in accounting.

Ye Ling cautiously asked her what she would do if Qin Nan ended up serving a long sentence.

If he came out of prison, he would likely be unemployed and unable to find work, possibly relying on her to support him.

While eating, Ye Sibei looked up at Ye Ling. “So what do you think I should do?”

Ye Ling was momentarily speechless, and Ye Sibei turned to Ye Nianwen. “Lawyer Ye, you need to step up; your sister might have to rely on you for support in the future.”

Hearing Ye Sibei’s words, Ye Nianwen felt a bit overwhelmed. He nodded, “Alright, I’ll go beg for food right now.”

The family laughed, and after finishing the last bite of her meal, Ye Sibei looked at Ye Ling. “Dad, don’t worry. I’ll just bring Qin Nan along to beg for food; we won’t starve.”