Volume One, Chapter Five: Reaping What One Sows

Seeing that Yang Zhigang remained tight-lipped, the interrogator stared at him with a cold, piercing gaze. "We have already gathered substantial evidence. We are giving you a chance to confess now!"

"I am just a father trying to save his daughter! What did I do wrong? That animal Xiang Jinlong deserved to die!"

At that moment, Director Lin walked in, carrying an enamel mug.

"Yang Zhigang, we have already given you your chance. The two men who were with Xiang Jinlong have both confessed. The person they were lying in wait for today was not Yang Huifang at all.

"It was your niece, Sun Yalin! Your daughter is a daughter, but are other people's daughters not daughters as well?

"What do you call this? This is reaping what you have sown!"

Just then, a commotion erupted outside. Shen Lianxia, Yang Zhigang’s wife, had arrived at the police station. As soon as she entered, she spotted the sisters, Sun Yaqin and Sun Yalin, sitting outside.

"Why are you two here?" Neither sister acknowledged her.

Shen Lianxia had heard that her daughter had been raped and taken to the hospital, and that her husband had been arrested for murder. After a brief visit to her daughter, she had rushed straight from the hospital.

Suddenly, it seemed as though everything clicked into place for her. No wonder Sun Yaqin had suddenly visited their restaurant earlier that day; she must have known something and deliberately plotted against her daughter.

"You little bitch! I’m going to kill you! It was you who caused my daughter to be raped!"

With that, she lunged forward to strike Sun Yaqin.

Seeing Shen Lianxia lashing out at her younger sister, Sun Yalin slapped her across the face.

"Shen Lianxia, I have tolerated you for long enough. You and your husband plotted against me today. If I hadn't been feeling unwell and my sister hadn't been worried about me, it might have been us two who suffered today."

"You little bitch! You were the one who was supposed to be raped! Now that your fourth uncle is in trouble, see if I don't kill you! You go around seducing men, turning Xiang Jinlong’s head, and now you dare to lay a hand on me!"

Hearing the implications in Shen Lianxia’s words, the officers immediately stepped forward and detained her.

Shen Lianxia struggled. "Comrade officer, why are you arresting me? You should be arresting those two little bitches! They must have plotted against my daughter! My daughter and my husband are innocent!"

"Shut up! Behave yourself! You just admitted it yourself—you said Sun Yalin was the one who was supposed to be raped. It seems you are deeply involved in this. Lock her in the interrogation room!"

After briefly questioning the sisters, the police told them they were free to go.

Director Lin looked at Qin Xiangdong before turning to the others. "The matter is basically clarified, though we may need your cooperation during the final sentencing."

Sun Yaqin nodded. "Thank you, Director Lin, for bringing the evildoers to justice. I just never imagined that my own uncle and aunt would try to harm my second sister."

As she spoke, she began to sob. Sun Yalin, feeling heartbroken for her sister, wiped the tears from her face and comforted her softly, "It's all right, Yaqin. Isn't your second sister fine now?"

Sun Yaqin pouted and nodded slightly, looking like a young girl who had suffered a great grievance. This made Qin Xiangdong feel a sudden, inexplicable sense of panic. What was wrong with him today?

"I'll take you two home. I don't live far from you."

Sun Yalin initially wanted to refuse, but thinking of the shock her sister had endured, she agreed.

Director Lin spoke up, "Brother Qin, I’ll have someone from the station drive you home."

"No need for the trouble, Director Lin. We don't live far; it's just a few streets away."

"Oh, Brother Qin! Don't be so formal with me!"

Qin Xiangdong cursed Director Lin internally a thousand times. He had wanted to walk with the young girl a little longer. He remembered the first time he saw her, she was like a warm little sun, but seeing her now, hurt and frightened, he couldn't help but feel a pang of ache in his heart.

Director Lin, oblivious to Qin Xiangdong’s thoughts, enthusiastically ushered them into the car and instructed the driver to ensure they arrived home safely.

Minutes later, the car stopped at the gate of Sun Yaqin’s house. Qin Xiangdong watched until Sun Yaqin and her sister went inside before telling the driver to leave.

Once inside, Sun Yalin pulled Sun Yaqin onto the kang, her face showing a trace of anger.

"Tell me! What is going on here? Do you know how dangerous today was? If something had happened to you, how could I face Mom and Dad?"

Looking at her second sister, Sun Yaqin felt like a child who had done something wrong. She lowered her head and wrapped her arms around Sun Yalin’s waist.

"Second Sister, I missed you so much." Sun Yaqin suddenly burst into tears, as if pouring out all the grievances of her previous life.

Seeing this, Sun Yalin’s expression softened, and her voice turned gentle. "I’m not blaming you; I was just worried you’d get hurt. If you knew the fourth uncle and his wife were plotting against me, you should have told me the truth. I was uneasy all night, and sure enough, something happened."

Sun Yaqin stopped sobbing. She was not typically a crybaby; her display at the police station had been intentional.

"Second Sister, I couldn't tell you the truth before. Today, I was climbing trees with the neighborhood boys and fell. I had a very long dream...