When Luo Fei’s case went to court, Su He sat discreetly in the gallery, not drawing much attention.
She wore a black trench coat and sat in a corner seat, occasionally exchanging a few words with the person next to her.
An elderly woman sitting beside her looked haggard, but her eyes were not vacant. Clearly, after learning that Luo Fei was to be sentenced, she had found some measure of comfort.
“Young lady, why are you alone?” The defendant was still some time away from arriving, and the old woman, bored of waiting, struck up a conversation with Su He.
Su He smiled faintly. “Yes, I’m alone.”
“Did… did someone in your family also suffer at the hands of that beast?” The old woman actually wanted to ask if Su He was also a victim, but she feared provoking her, so she changed her words.
Su He shook her head. “I saw the news and wanted to come and see what fate awaited him.”
“For a creature worse than a pig or dog, a death sentence is too good for him.” The old woman had only one daughter, whom she raised like a treasure. But because she was targeted by that beast, she eventually suffered a mental breakdown and remained childlike to this day.
However, compared to those girls who lost their lives, her family was considered fortunate.
At least, she was still alive.
But living like this was not much better than being dead.
Su He wholeheartedly agreed.
As they were whispering, the door beside them suddenly opened, and Luo Fei, with his head shaved, was slowly escorted in by prison guards.
Compared to his former dignified appearance, he could now only be described as disheveled.
His face was covered in stubble, his eye bags drooped, and fine lines around his eyes made him look as if he had aged ten years. Moreover, there were new injuries on his face, bruised and purple, indicating he had not fared well in the detention center.
It was understandable. Prisoners in jail were of various types, from petty thieves to murderers. But even among them, men would disdain someone like Luo Fei, who preyed specifically on women.
In prison, might made right. A "gentle" man like Luo Fei, who relied only on his words, was bound to be beaten.
The more glamorous he was outside, the more miserable he was inside.
“I heard you’re a romance scammer? You look so decent, why would you do such a thing? You’re not a man at all!”
“They say you’re a psychologist, and you used certain methods to make those women obey your every word, tsk tsk tsk…”
“Those women loved you to death, and it was all fake?”
“Of course! If he hadn’t hypnotized them, how could those women have fallen for it!”
“This kid is dishonest. If he wanted to pursue a woman, he should have done it openly. Using such dirty methods! Humph, shameless!”
“Is he incapable in that department? Hahaha…”
Scoffing was the least of it; more often, it was physical violence.
A man, brave enough to face his actions, would never use such despicable means to bully women. It was a disgrace to manhood!
And so, Luo Fei became the man he was now.
His arrival caused a stir.
Most of the people present were victims’ families. Upon seeing him enter, they became agitated, wanting nothing more than to rush forward and tear him apart.
“Luo Fei, you scum, may you die a horrible death!”
“Luo Fei, give me back my daughter’s life!”
The judges, seeing the agitation below, had to rap their gavel, signaling for quiet. “Order!”
After a while, the commotion below was calmed.
The subsequent trial proceeded exceptionally smoothly. Faced with multiple charges, Luo Fei pleaded guilty to all of them, not even attempting to defend himself. Perhaps knowing the outcome, he couldn’t be bothered to argue.
“It’s not like that… he couldn’t possibly do such a thing…”
“He’s a doctor, how could he break the law he upholds…”
The only one who believed he was wronged was his wife.
The pregnant woman, with tear-streaked cheeks, cried out towards Luo Fei. “There must be some misunderstanding… My husband is a responsible psychologist. He has a family and children. He wouldn’t do such a thing!”
“Madam, please be quiet.” The judge, seeing her pregnant state, spoke with some politeness. “If you continue to disrupt the order, I will have to ask you to leave.”
Mrs. Luo sobbed, seemingly not hearing the judge, and spoke on her own: “Luo Fei, why don’t you explain…”
Luo Fei kept his head down, as if unable to face anyone, and remained silent.
Helplessly, the judge had a female lawyer escort Mrs. Luo out.
Half an hour later, Su He walked out of the courthouse.
Luo Fei’s heinous acts were confirmed by irrefutable evidence. The lawyer barely spoke, apparently having given up on the defense. In the end, due to multiple convictions, Luo Fei was sentenced to death.
Originally, he might have received a life sentence. After all, he hadn’t physically harmed anyone himself, only used suggestion. The charges related to this were difficult to define, and a death sentence was not a foregone conclusion. However, Luo Fei’s passive attitude left no room for suspense.
The moment the verdict was read, cries erupted from the gallery.
Some wept tears of joy, others of relief.
The victims’ families, who had waited so long, had finally received a just trial. It brought them some solace, but the deceased were gone, and what was lost could never be regained.
With the matter settled, it was time to move on. Life had to continue.
Su He breathed in the fresh air outside, her heart feeling heavy.
Perhaps it was because she had grown up in a loving environment and rarely witnessed the darker side of human nature, believing the world to be pure and beautiful. But recent events had taught her that the world was not as good as she had imagined, and in fact, it could be terrifyingly so.
“Young lady, it’s all over now.” An elderly woman with white hair appeared beside her at some point, gently patting her shoulder. Clearly, she mistook her for a victim.
Su He looked at her kind face and offered no explanation. “Yes, it’s all over.”
*
Su He drove home, her emotions gradually calming.
In the evening, she personally cooked a meal of three dishes and one soup.
Compared to before, her cooking skills had improved considerably, all thanks to Sister Li. Sister Li had worked as a helper in the Lu family for many years and was an excellent cook. Under her tutelage, Su He’s culinary skills advanced rapidly.
When the food was served, Lu Yan Bei also arrived home on time.
Since getting married, he had rarely gone out for social engagements. Unless it was unavoidable, he would call her in advance to inform her.
“Why are you cooking today? Where’s Sister Li?” Lu Yan Bei loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt, pacing towards the dining table.
“I made the sour fish soup you like,” Su He replied, avoiding his question.
“You worked hard, wife,” Lu Yan Bei leaned in and kissed her cheek.
Su He found the term “wife” incredibly cheesy, but when Lu Yan Bei said it, it sounded so natural and even a little sweet.
The man before her gave her a sense of security, making her unconsciously forget all those bothersome matters.