Chapter 1, Original Sin
Bai Xiangyun did not even glance at him as she walked up the stairs and entered the police office on the second floor
In his impression, Bai Xiangyun's wife, He Xuerong, is beautiful and graceful, making them a well-matched couple with the tall and strong military man, Bai Xiangyun
Officer Gao, I am here to surrender! Bai Xiangyun did not follow his gesture to the visiting room, but instead spoke the words that instantly froze his brother's movements
This is the complete set of facilities in the cell
Mr. Huang, is there another newcomer coming in?
The old disciplinarian left after saying this, while the stove outside is warming up
The old disciplinarian ignored his eloquent words and instructed Bai Xiangyun to continue forward, turning a deaf ear to the various shouts and greetings of "Congratulations and prosperity" coming from the passing cells, until they finally stopped in front of the door of Cell 13 at the back.
"What happened to your sister-in-law?" Gao Fan finally couldn't help but ask aloud as Bai Xiangyun lit the third cigarette.
A few fellows leaning against the door, exhaling smoke and exchanging words, slowly swayed their entire bodies back to the cement bed covered with blankets, watching unsteadily as the iron door creaked open, Bai Xiangyun entered, and then it creaked shut again
Ha, dressed elegantly and looking radiant, he seems to be a wealthy individual. Mr. Huang, please let us stay here; the brothers are suffering from severe malnutrition. Another person with slanted eyes reached out to tug at Bai Xiangyun's designer suit.
Bai Xiangyun slightly moved the corner of her mouth, let out a long sigh, stepped forward to take the cigarette he handed over, and said somewhat awkwardly: "Happy New Year! Brother!"
Bai Xiangyun forcefully twisted the cigarette butt a few times in the ashtray, gently nodded, and said: "You know, https://mhetushu.com, I have always been a person of my word!"
When the only duty officer in the office came into view, he could not help but stop in his tracks, his expression changing in an instant.
Indeed, usually Mr. Huang is quite personable
A man in his twenties, with a scar on one ear, glanced sideways at the new roommate at the door
Are you... using a pen to write? Gao Fan, feeling somewhat helpless, picked up the pen, but the tip did not touch the paper
"Brother Huang, wishing you prosperity!" Gao Fan greeted the accompanying police officer, patted Bai Xiangyun on the shoulder while rubbing his wrist, and pulled the old supervisor aside, earnestly offering a cigarette and whispering softly. After a while, the old supervisor nodded repeatedly amidst the swirling smoke.
Detention Center
The following will be the procedures... documentation, inquiry, detention, autopsy
The vast detention center, apart from the four corner watchtowers, consists entirely of single-story buildings. Rows of prison cells extend along both sides of a wide corridor nearly ten meters across. The corridor is quite desolate, with a few duty officers chatting idly by the stove, while from within the numerous large iron doors of the prison cells on either side, intermittent shouts can be faintly heard.
Bai Xiangyun's eyes clashed unyieldingly with the sharp gaze of the scarred man, causing the already cold temperature in the monitoring room to seem to drop several degrees.
Brother! Take care! Gao Fan took over the handover procedures after signing his name on the old mentor's document, patted Bai Xiangyun on the shoulder, and added: If you need anything, just give me a call
"Diao Yan Si, when did it become your turn to call the shots here?" The old instructor swung the baton in his hand.
After the two finished their conversation, the routine search on Bai Xiangyun's side was also conducted. All items, including keys, were taken out from his person, and he was then asked to remove his leather shoes and place them in the corner
The guard at the duty room heard his somewhat heavy footsteps, lifted his eyelids slightly, and upon seeing him dressed in a smart suit and polished shoes, silently lowered his eyelids again to continue reading his newspaper
Brother, you are indeed impressive, with firecrackers throughout the city sending you here. What is the matter? Can't even enjoy the New Year properly
There will no longer be the clamor of the bustling city here
She has another man," Bai Xiangyun said淡淡, while pointing to the pen to remind him
Scar threw away the cigarette butt in his hand and sat up abruptly, while the other two stared at Bai Xiangyun with expressions as if they were looking at a corpse
Here, there will no longer be the thrill of navigating the business world on one's own
Bai Xiangyun put on the plastic slippers and instinctively moved a bit; the slippers felt as cold and hard as the cement floor. If it weren't for the socks, they could have easily rubbed off the delicate skin on his feet, which had become much softer after his demobilization.
Qingxi City, East District, Chengdong Police Station
Bai Xiangyun cast a deep glance at him, then turned her head to look towards the depths of the corridor
I do not know
Go ahead! The old disciplinarian kicked a pair of worn-out slippers in front of him: "Put these on first, and buy new ones in a couple of days."
"Officer Gao, what is the matter?" A correctional officer in his fifties approached, observing Gao Fan unfastening Bai Xiangyun's handcuffs, and took the handover document from another officer.
"You see that there are no bloodstains on me, right?" Although Bai Xiangyun was in an extremely bad mood, a hint of admiration still involuntarily flickered in her eyes as she nodded. She then looked up at the ceiling, her eyes shimmering faintly: "It's good to be dead, it's good to have died and - illustrated - it well!"
Bai Xiangyun sat down at the inquiry desk chair, took several deep puffs of smoke, and after a long while, amidst the swirling smoke, slowly said: "I killed my wife"
That... the old disciplinarian lifted his chin towards the shackles under a table. As a serious criminal convicted of murder, he was generally required to wear shackles in the detention center
Do you want to know
"Sit down and we can talk." The officer lit a cigarette for himself and for him, then looked at his face, which showed no signs of joy.
Two days later, the basic program was completed, and amidst the sounds of firecrackers welcoming spring, Bai Xiangyun was sent to the detention center
Do you know why there are so few people in this warehouse
Bai Xiangyun took in her temporary residence at a glance: a cement floor, a squat toilet in the corner, and a small washbasin beside it
On the left side, there is a row of monitoring cells, and it is evident that the walls are very thick. The iron doors are blue, narrow enough to seem less than one meter wide, with different Arabic numerals inscribed above each door.
Hearing the heavy iron door clang shut behind him, Bai Xiangyun gently exhaled the breath that had been held in his chest for a long time, his gaze wandering through the wide, hollow corridor; this marked the beginning of his entry into another world
Thank you! Bai Xiangyun said in a nonchalant manner, following him into the prison building behind the large iron door marked with the number 3.
There will no longer be any mountain delicacies or seafood here
Step back! Everyone sit down properly! The old disciplinarian knocked on the iron door, sternly admonishing the few people behind the door with a cold expression.
The common sleeping area can accommodate seven or eight people, yet there are only four individuals in this cell, including him, which indeed makes it quite spacious
The old instructor scrutinized the tall new inmate for quite some time, and finally nodded: "Alright. I will greet the director."
Hmph, your words sound better than your actions. Everyone, behave yourselves; anyone causing trouble at the beginning of the New Year will not have a good outcome! Dare to play tricks in front of me and see how I deal with you. Also, give him a quilt!
Room 13! The old instructor has asked him to go ahead: "This room has the fewest people and is more spacious. Rest assured, I will warn those mischievous little ones."
The first iron gate of the cell was pressed against by two individuals, their half-faces squeezed through the gaps in the steel bars, as a wisp of smoke accompanied by a foul odor spewed from their mouths. Behind them was a crowd of people stacked upon one another, eager to witness the "excitement," indicating that the old guard was not mistaken.
Bai Xiangyun halted his steps, gazing up at the national emblem atop the main gate. It felt as if a sigh of relief escaped his heart, yet it also seemed to weigh him down a little more. Unconsciously, he shook his head vigorously, took a deep breath, and stepped through the entrance of the police station.
"No need for that. He voluntarily surrendered himself, after all." Gao Fan glanced at the silent Bai Xiangyun and exchanged an ambiguous smile with the old instructor.
After a while, Gao Fan finally came to his senses. His nearly five years of case-handling experience told him that Bai Xiangyun was not joking with him, but he still forced a laugh and said, "Brother, it's the New Year, this joke isn't very amusing."
As a former soldier; as a successful businessman; as a man—he may have nothing, but he must have dignity
Mr. Huang, I know you are wise, but during this festive season... why the long face?
Scar glanced away from the pack of cigarettes, looking at the cold, hard face of the new recruit, his gaze filled with a hint of irritation
For a long time
Thank you
The hand with strange characters on the back withdrew, and its owner, with a face full of grievances, exclaimed: "Mr. Huang, don't put such a big hat on me. I, with my droopy eyes, am indeed a rare good and honest person. I am only thinking of the health of my fellow brothers. If we all become emaciated, what if one day a superior comes for an inspection? It would also affect the reputation of the detention center, wouldn't it? ..." If we all become emaciated, what if one day a superior comes for an inspection? It would also affect the reputation of the detention center, wouldn't it? ...
Gao Fan's eyes were filled with compassion
Inside is a large rectangular courtyard, with several plastic ropes stretched along the walls, laden with various garments; overhead, a dense network of steel bars crisscrosses like tiny fingers; at the far end is a large pool, with white steam rising from the surface of the water
"It's nothing. When a person is down on their luck, even drinking cold water can get stuck in their teeth." Bai Xiangyun said casually, tossing a pack of premium cigarettes into the middle of a few people: "I am Bai Xiangyun. Where do I sleep?"
Do you know what place this is
Gao Fan's footsteps, which were about to take him to sit down in front of him, suddenly halted, as he fixed his gaze tightly on the broad back before him: "Are you... serious?"
I don't want to
Gao Fan sat in silence for a while, poured a cup of coffee, and placed it in front of Bai Xiangyun. With a serious expression, he sat down at the table, habitually picked up a pen, shook it slightly as the tip touched the notebook, then set it down again, quietly gazing at his close friend with whom he had shared a deep bond for over ten years.
The police officer, who was intently reviewing the case files, was clearly startled by the sudden sound of footsteps. Upon seeing Bai Xiangyun standing at the door, a joyful smile appeared on his face as he hurriedly stood up: "Boss Bai, why aren't you at home enjoying the festivities during the New Year? Have you come to visit your brother?"
Throughout the journey, he kept his eyes closed and did not glance at the scenery outside the window even once, until he entered the gate of the detention center
But he does not regret it
If everything were to start over, he would still kill his unfaithful wife who had strayed beyond the bounds of propriety.