Beautiful mother and pretty daughter (78-85)

78.
One evening in May, after entertaining clients, I hired a designated driver to pick up Ji Yalei from the police station.
Upon arriving at the station, I dismissed the driver and stood by the car waiting for Ji Yalei. While waiting, a young policeman approached me and said, "Hey! Isn't this Brother Chen?"
Although I didn't recognize him, I wasn't surprised. I had just attended their station's family appreciation event before May Day, so many people should recognize me.
"Hello, hello..." I smiled.
"You're here to pick up Chief Ji, right?" the young policeman asked enthusiastically.
I nodded and smiled, "Yes!"
"Then please wait a moment. Chief Ji will probably be out soon. I'll go in first."
"Okay, are you busy?"
"Hey! I'm on duty tonight."
Watching the young policeman's retreating figure, I sighed inwardly. When I worked part-time as a male prostitute, I was most afraid of encountering the police, but now I was being greeted with smiles by them. This was all thanks to having a policeman's wife. From someone who used to walk the dark side of society, I had become a family member of someone within the system, infinitely close to it.
After waiting a while, I saw Ji Yalei and two young police officers, a man and a woman, come out. The female officer, with sharp eyes, spotted me immediately and said to Ji Yalei, "Chief Ji, your husband is here to pick you up again, how sweet!"
Ji Yalei smiled and patted the female officer, "Alright, you two should go back and rest, you have a ton of work to do tomorrow!"
"Bye-bye, Chief Ji!" The male and female officers said goodbye to Ji Yalei, then greeted me and got into a car.
Ji Yalei walked up to me and smiled sweetly, "Honey, have you been waiting long?"
I smiled slightly, "I just got here a little while ago."
"What? Have you been drinking?" She leaned closer and sniffed me, "Drinking and driving? Don't think you can drive drunk just because you have a police officer wife. Let me tell you, if you get caught, I can't protect you."
I laughed, "How could I dare? I called a designated driver, you can drive in a bit."
"That's more like it. Get in the car." She smiled sweetly.
In the car, Ji Yalei drove while complaining that I shouldn't have come to pick her up if I had been drinking. I said, "No way! You didn't drive to work today, I have to pick you up.
" She gave me a coquettish look, "I only knew you were a sister-obsessed guy, I didn't know you were such a wife-obsessed guy."
I laughed, "A good man has to be a wife-obsessed guy."
"You're so annoying!" she laughed, "Seriously, don't pick me up so often anymore, how many times have people seen us?"
"So what? It's not illegal for me to pick up my wife." I said, leaning closer to her and laughing, "It's a good opportunity to give the single men and women in your unit some flirting."
"Get lost!" she giggled, pushing me away.
Then, Ji Yalei told me some shocking news. Her acquaintance, Officer Zhang, who works as a prison guard at Dazhou Prison, called her today to tell her that Zang Xiaolan had passed away a few days ago.
I inwardly groaned, thinking that even Sister Hong's last lead was gone. But then Ji Yalei said, "Don't be discouraged. Before she died, Zang Xiaolan confessed something: the baby girl she took from her hometown twenty-seven years ago was sold to a young couple surnamed Yao in Ganzhou, Jiangxi."
"A young couple surnamed Yao? Are you sure?" I immediately became excited. I instantly remembered that Su Fei had told me her cousin and cousin-in-law had bought her from human traffickers, and that her original surname was Yao, and that she was exactly twenty-seven years old this year.
"Anyway, that's what Officer Zhang said," Ji Yalei said.
My mind raced. What a small world! Could Su Fei really be Wen Hong's daughter who was taken away twenty-seven years ago? Are Wen Hong and Su Fei mother and daughter?
This connection shocked and excited me; I was practically itching to get started.
"What's wrong, honey..."
Ji Yalei's voice came from beside me. I snapped out of my daze and said, "N-nothing... Honey, this news is very important. I'll tell my friend tomorrow."
"Junhao, your friend is Sister Hong, right?" Ji Yalei asked.
Seeing that I couldn't hide it from her, I could only say, "Yes, yes!"
"Then why didn't you tell me before?"
"Hey! Well?" I laughed, "I didn't think it was necessary!"
After a long silence, Ji Yalei asked, "Honey, what was your relationship with Sister Hong before?"
I felt a little awkward and laughed, "Don't you already know? I worked for her back then."
"I don't mean that. I mean..." Ji Yalei stared at the windshield and said, "You two are too close. It doesn't seem like ordinary friends."
I patted Ji Yalei's right hand on the steering wheel and laughed, "Don't overthink it. Sister Hong and I are very good siblings. I treat her like my own sister."
All along, I could sense that Ji Yalei had some doubts about the true relationship between Wen Hong and me. Although I've never slept with Wen Hong since we got together, I still don't want her to know about our past.
Otherwise, wouldn't it be awkward for the two women to be together? Although I used to work in that line of work, and Ji Yalei knows I've slept with many women, those women never crossed paths with her. But Wen Hong is different; because of me, the two women inevitably meet often.
"It's nothing, I was just asking..." Ji Yalei turned and smiled slightly at me, "I believe you, husband."
I patted her right hand and smiled back.
After driving a while, I felt the urge to urinate because I'd drunk too much beer, so I asked Ji Yalei to pull over. Although it was night, the streetlights in this area were numerous and bright, so to avoid being unsightly, I walked a little further away to urinate.
As I was urinating, a bright beam of headlights shone on me. I turned my head and saw a large truck speeding towards me from the opposite lane. I lowered my head and continued urinating, thinking how rude of them to use their high beams in the city. Suddenly, I sensed something was wrong. Looking again, I saw the large truck had veered off course and was hurtling towards our car.
I was terrified and immediately ran towards our vehicle, shouting, "Ya Lei, get out! Get out quickly!"
But just then, with a piercing metallic clang, the truck crashed head-on into our car, even mounting it slightly.
"Ya Lei!" My mind went blank, and my heart-wrenching scream pierced the night.
The truck reversed slightly, then swerved and drove away. I rushed to the front left door, still yelling "Ya Lei!" Inside, with shattered windshields and all four doors, and the car severely deformed, Ji Ya Lei, her face covered in blood, was trapped in the driver's seat, eyes closed and motionless.
"Ya Lei, Ya Lei..." At that moment, I felt my entire world collapse. I desperately pulled at the door, kicking the car body as I did so.
Just as I was in hell, a faint voice came from Ji Ya Lei's moving lips.
“Yarei, what did you say? Yarei…” I cried out, bowing my head.
“Raise…our…child…and…Ai…Lei.” She finished the sentence with great difficulty, her head tilted to the side, and she fell silent.
“Yarei!” I screamed again, my voice breaking, and knelt down beside the car, sobbing uncontrollably…
Ji Yalei's body was taken to the funeral home that very night. Wen Hong, Wen Xiaoting, and Wen Xiuxiu rushed to the funeral hall immediately after receiving the devastating news. Wen Hong held my head and wept for a long time; the three of them were with me the first night after Ji Yalei's tragic death.
The next morning, Hei Pi, Huang Mao, Lao Xie, and A Jun also arrived at the funeral hall upon hearing the news. Hei Pi and Huang Mao, as instructed by Wen Hong, drove to bring the infant Xiao Ai Lei, the nanny, He Xiaoqin, and my third aunt.
Looking at my three-month-old son, completely unaware of his mother's passing, and Xiaoqin, whom Ji Yalei had cared for so tenderly and treated like a younger sister, I wept uncontrollably once more. Everyone else was also in tears.
"Sister-in-law, sister-in-law..." He Xiaoqin sat in her wheelchair, heartbroken and weeping uncontrollably, calling out Ji Yalei, who was like a sister-in-law and mother to her, unwilling to believe that her dearest and most beloved sister-in-law was no longer alive. Wen Hong held her in her arms, comforting her constantly.
"Brother, brother, we clearly promised that the four of us would always be together. Why did sister-in-law leave first? Why?" He Xiaoqin leaned against Wen Hong, crying as she spoke to me. Wen Hong comforted her while wiping away her tears.
I suddenly remembered how happy and unforgettable the time I spent in Qingdao with He Xiaoqin and Ji Yalei, who was just over two months pregnant, less than a year ago.
Those joyful, warm, and pleasant scenes were still vivid in my mind, as if it were yesterday. But now, Ji Yalei was separated from He Xiaoqin and me by death. How could we siblings not be heartbroken?

Seventy-nine.
Not long after, Ji Yalei's family and my two business partners arrived at the funeral hall. Apart from my mother, who was on her way from Zibo, I didn't notify anyone else I knew.
Many police officers came to the funeral hall, but they weren't there to investigate the car accident. The police had already examined the scene of the accident the previous night and questioned me. These police officers were all former colleagues of Ji Yalei, some from the district public security bureau and others from the local police station. They all came to pay their respects to Ji Yalei. The leaders of the police station also came and offered their condolences.
At that time, I was in a state of profound grief. Supported by Wen Hong and Wen Xiaoting, I socialized with Ji Yalei's superiors, former colleagues, and current colleagues.
Although Ji Yalei's family had some grudges against her during her lifetime, they were still her closest relatives and were deeply saddened. However, they treated me coldly and didn't say a word to me because they never accepted me as their son-in-law.
In the afternoon, the police in charge of the investigation also came to the mourning hall. They asked me about the circumstances of the car accident and told me that the truck involved in the accident was found several kilometers away from the scene and that it was a vehicle with a fake license plate. The police were currently conducting further investigations and making every effort to apprehend the hit-and-run driver.
After the police left, my mother arrived; Wen Hong had arranged for Hei Pi to pick her up from the airport. Since Ji Yalei's passing, Wen Hong has been playing the role of the pillar of the groom's family, arranging things at the funeral hall with a police officer from the local police station.
When my mother saw me, she buried her face in her arms and wept uncontrollably. It was the first time in over a decade that she had held me like this, all because of Ji Yalei's sudden and tragic death—truly a cruel twist of fate.
My mother cried for a while before I noticed her boyfriend, Qin Hao, had also come. Qin Hao placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it, offering comfort. Although I had no liking for Qin Hao when I was in Zibo, seeing him now, in this time of great grief, felt like seeing a family member.
The police station where Ji Yalei worked also sent someone to offer condolences; after all, she had worked there for ten years and remained a leader in the subordinate police station even after her transfer, so this procedure was essential.
I didn't expect that Wen Xiaoting's ex-boyfriend, Zhang Xiang, whom I had beaten up, would also come to the funeral hall. He offered his condolences to Ji Yalei, said a few words of comfort to me, and then stayed with Wen Xiaoting.
I wondered if Wen Xiaoting and Zhang Xiang had reconciled? But I wasn't in the mood for such things at the time, so I didn't think about it further.
I also didn't expect Su Fei to come; I don't know where she got the news, but anyway, she appeared here.
It had been over a year since I'd last seen her. Having been married before, she had a certain charm that made her a beautiful young woman. I noticed she wasn't wearing her glasses anymore; perhaps she was wearing contact lenses? Her eyes were even more beautiful than before.
After paying her respects to Ji Yalei, she came to my side. We looked at each other, and though we had a thousand words to say, they were hard to express.
Su Fei patted my shoulder and walked over to He Xiaoqin. He Xiaoqin, who had been watching her, called out "Sister!" and immediately burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably in Su Fei's arms. Su Fei held her, offering silent comfort.
I understood the little girl's feelings; firstly, she had always liked Su Fei and missed her terribly after not seeing her for over a year. Secondly, Ji Yalei and Su Fei were the two people in this world who treated her best besides me, and also the two people she loved most besides me. Now that Ji Yalei is gone, when she sees the other, she can't help but think of the other, and naturally, grief overwhelms her.
Finally, Su Fei gently stroked He Xiaoqin's face and softly said, "Sister has something to do and can't stay too long. I have to go."
Although He Xiaoqin was reluctant to let her go, she nodded through her tears, "Mmm..."
"Don't cry, be good, sister will come to see you later." Su Fei wiped away He Xiaoqin's tears.
He Xiaoqin nodded again. Su Fei looked at me again, "Junhao, I'm leaving."
I stood up and said, "I'll see you off."
This was the only time I saw off guests during Ji Yalei's funeral. I didn't even see off Ji Yalei's superiors, because I was in a daze the whole time. Everyone looked at me in surprise.
As I saw Su Fei out of the mourning hall, He Xiaoqin cried out, "Sister, you must come to see me!"
Su Fei wiped away her tears, smiled, and nodded at her.
Arriving outside the mourning hall, I said, "Thank you for coming."
Sophie smiled and said, "It's nothing. Please take care of Xiaoqin. I can see that girl's grief is no less than yours."
I nodded sadly, "Yes!"
She added, "Junhao, it seems you've done what I told you."
I looked at her, somewhat bewildered. She smiled slightly, "I can tell that the wife you found treats Xiaoqin very well, otherwise she wouldn't be so sad."
"Yes! Yalei is a good sister-in-law and a good wife. By the way..." I hesitated for a moment and asked, "Have you... kept in touch with your mother?"
Suddenly feeling I should explain, I added, "I don't want to inquire about her, I just want to know how your relationship is now?"
"My mother and I are doing quite well now..." Sophie said cheerfully, "We keep in touch often. She's in Austria."
"Then... that's good." I didn't dare look her in the eye and lowered my head.
"After all, we're mother and daughter. Although you were cheated on by the same man, a mother and daughter are still a mother and daughter. The past is the past."
Sophie's words filled me with shame. She said again, "Okay! I'm leaving now."
"Wait, what happened to your hair?" I said, reaching into her hair.
"What?" she asked, confused, and reached into her hair too.
Suddenly, I pulled hard and plucked two strands of hair. Sophie cried out in pain, "Ouch!" and complained, "What are you doing?"
I said, "Nothing, you can go now!"
She asked anxiously, "Junhao, are you overwhelmed with grief? Don't be too sad, okay?"
I smiled and said, "Yes, I know."
She rubbed her head and turned to leave. Watching her departing figure, I thought to myself, "Feifei, are you really Sister Hong's daughter?"
The next morning, when Ji Yalei's body was cremated, many people came to bid her farewell. Besides my relatives and friends, Ji Yalei's family and friends, many police officers, all of whom were close colleagues of Ji Yalei, also came.
When we said our final goodbyes to Ji Yalei's body, at that moment I really wanted to go with her. Every little detail of our relationship, from meeting to falling in love, was etched in my mind.
Three years ago, that young woman who maintained a sexless marriage with her husband and suffered long-term emotional abuse from him was brought into my life by the god of fate. We started with a transaction of sex, but it turned into love. We thought we could be the happiest couple in the world, we thought it would last forever. But three months after giving birth to my son, she left me during our most beautiful and happiest time.
I asked God in my heart, "Could you be any more cruel? Could you do anything more cruel? If you could, please take me with you!" Please let me go with her.
Although I was overwhelmed with grief, I knew I had to be strong because I had to take care of Xiaoqin in her wheelchair and my infant son.
As Ji Yalei's body was pushed into the blast furnace entrance, amidst the cries of the Ji family, I held He Xiaoqin's head in my arms, tears streaming down my face. Wen Xiaoting stood beside the wheelchair, her hand on He Xiaoqin's shoulder, comforting her while weeping.
Beside us, Wen Hong embraced my mother, the two oldest women in my life, standing together, weeping uncontrollably. Wen Xiuxiu was also wiping away tears, while Heipi, Huangmao, Lao Xie, and Ajun, several grown men, were also in tears.
He Xiaoqin cried uncontrollably in my arms. She raised her tear-streaked face and pleaded with me, "Brother, I don't want sister-in-law to leave! I don't want sister-in-law to leave! Please stop her! Please stop her!"
The little girl shook me as she cried, still unwilling to believe the cruel reality that her dearest sister-in-law had left us. I could only weep and wipe away her tears.

Eighty.
On the day after the funeral, I went to the police station accompanied by Wen Hong, Ji Yalei's brother and sister-in-law, to hear the police's detailed report on the car accident investigation.
The station had opened a case and established a special task force. Because all the signs at the scene and the preliminary investigation results indicated that this was not an ordinary hit-and-run accident, but possibly a premeditated murder. As for who the murderer was and what the motive was, further investigation was needed.
At this moment, a thought sent chills down my spine. If this was a premeditated murder, then the killer could very well be Ji Yalei's ex-husband, Zhao Jinhui, because he harbored resentment towards Ji Yalei and me. Another crucial point is that Ji Yalei once told me she knew many of Zhao Jinhui's illegal and disorderly conduct.
Could these two points combined be Zhao Jinhui's motive for killing us both, both as revenge and to silence us?
I told the head of the special investigation team about my suspicions and the fact that Zhao Jinhui had repeatedly harassed and threatened Ji Yalei.
The head of the team said that the information I provided was very important, and they would conduct a targeted investigation. However, given that Zhao Jinhui was the head of the city's public security branch, and the matter was of great importance, he hoped I wouldn't reveal this information to anyone, patiently await the investigation results, and cooperate fully with the police investigation.
In the following days, my mother stayed to accompany me, while Qin Hao went back to Shandong.
The nanny resigned, saying that Ji Yalei's tragic death might be an omen of misfortune for our family, and she was very afraid. I didn't say anything, gave her her wages, and let her go.
After the nanny left, my mother put little Airei to sleep every night. Now, in my eyes, she finally seemed like a mother, but I still didn't like talking to her. She didn't seem to mind, and devoted herself to taking care of my son.
Taking care of such a young child is very tiring. One night, I was woken up by my son's crying. I opened my mother's door and saw her pacing back and forth, holding little Airei and constantly coaxing him.
I asked my mother if he was hungry. I offered to heat up some milk. My mother replied that she had just fed him, and feeding him again would make him spit up. She thought for a moment, then sat on the edge of the bed, unbuttoned her pajamas, revealing her full breasts to me, and put one nipple into her grandson's mouth, continuing to coax him.
My mother was fifty-two years old that year, and her breasts were still full, round, and white. I had seen countless women's breasts, almost all of them younger than my mother, some even much younger, but my mother's breasts were no less impressive than any of them. I secretly admired her; she had maintained them remarkably well.
She had no breast milk at all, yet she still earnestly fed my son. Strangely enough, the little guy gradually stopped crying and suckled at his grandmother's nipple with relish.
Watching my mother breastfeed, I thought she was so beautiful. I thought to myself, this is how she raised me, and now she's raising my son the same way. I seemed to see myself as an infant, the little Ai Lei who was now suckling at my mother's breast and had been crying incessantly just moments before. Suddenly, my nose stung, and tears welled up in my eyes.
"Don't linger here, go to sleep," my mother said, breastfeeding her grandson.
I walked to the door, turned back to look at her, and really wanted to say, "Mom, thank you for your hard work."
But the words stuck in my throat.
Wen Hong came to my house every day, from morning till night, helping me take care of things at home. Anyway, her nightclub had been running for so many years, she didn't need to be there. My mother told Wen Hong that having her as an older sister was a blessing from her past life.
Hearing my mother's words, Wen Hong smiled and said, "Sister, isn't it a blessing for me to have a younger brother like Junhao?"
Wen Hong was forty-four years old that year, eight years younger than my mother. The two middle-aged women had begun to develop a sisterly bond because of me.
Wen Xiaoting often came over whenever she had free time; she was about to graduate and was preparing for her graduation defense. Even Wen Xiuxiu often came to my house after school to see if there was anything I could help with. This girl was used to being diligent, and since it was Wen Hong and I who brought her from our hometown, I had taken good care of her since she came to Guangzhou, making her consider me her older brother from the bottom of her heart.
Wen Hong had no choice but to tell her niece, "You have your high school entrance exam next month, don't come here so often, just stay home and study." Only then did she come less often.
With the care and concern of those around me, my emotions remained relatively stable, but whenever I woke up in the middle of the night, the thought of never seeing Ji Yalei again still brought me to the brink of sorrow.
One night, I woke up from a dream calling out Ji Yalei's name, unable to stop crying. Although I tried my best not to cry loudly for fear of waking the family, my mother heard me from the next room.
She came into my room and hugged me tightly, crying, "Son, don't be like this. The dead can't be brought back to life, and besides, Yalei in heaven wouldn't want to see you like this!"
"Mom! Mom!" I cried, hugging her tightly. For the first time in over a decade, I felt a sense of connection with her, my mother.
"Mom's here, Mom's here..." my mother said, gently stroking me, tears streaming down her face. "Baby, Mom will always be with you. Mom loves you!"
This was the first time she had told me she loved me; she had never even told me that when I was little. I lifted my head from her warm, soft embrace, looking at her through teary eyes. "Mom, do you really love me?"
At this moment, after twelve years of being strong and carrying heavy burdens, I suddenly became a little boy who needed my mother's care. My mother wiped away my tears, gazing at me with tearful eyes. "Silly child, how could your mother not love you? What mother in the world doesn't love her own child? Please forgive your mother's past selfishness and indifference..."
I said through tears, "Mom, I want to hear what you just said again."
My mother cupped my face, gazed at me for a moment, her beautiful eyes overflowing with love and tenderness, and smiled, "Baby, Mom loves you, and will always love you."
As she spoke, she kissed my forehead, held my head in her arms, and stroked my hair lovingly.
After a long pause, I said in my mother's arms, "Mom, Ya Lei once told me something. She said that for lonely people, companionship is the most important thing. All these years, it wasn't me by your side, but that Qin Hao..."
I looked up at her again, "So, I apologize to you and Qin Hao for what happened that night."
My mother's tears immediately fell. "It's okay, son, it's nothing. I'm glad you understand. Also, that Qin Hao really isn't as bad as you think..."
Only then did mother and son open their hearts to each other. I finally resolved the knot between my mother and me that had been there for so many years, and I finally received the tenderness from my mother that I had longed for for so long.
But this happened after Ji Ya Lei passed away. If she were still alive, she would have been happy to see this scene. Unfortunately, she will never see it.
That night, I fell asleep peacefully in my mother's arms...
I secretly took a strand of Wen Hong's hair and took it to the Provincial Medical Appraisal Center to compare with Su Fei's hair for DNA testing. The results will take some time to come out.
The reason I didn't tell Wen Hong beforehand was because I was afraid that if I made a mistake and it turned out that Su Fei wasn't actually Wen Hong's daughter, she would be greatly disappointed. So I decided to conduct the test quietly by myself first, and tell her when the results met my expectations. If I made a mistake, I wouldn't want to upset her.
On the day the test results came out, I returned home excitedly. Wen Hong and my mother weren't home; my aunt said they had gone out.
I sent my aunt away and sat in the living room to wait. After a while, two middle-aged beauties returned, chatting and laughing, carrying large bags and small packages.
They were eight years apart in age, both equally charming, and now they were like best friends.
"Where have you two beauties been?" I greeted them with a smile.
Although Ji Yalei had passed away not long ago, life had to go on. As the saying goes, the dead are gone, but the living should live on.
"Well? We went to a full-body spa and then went to the supermarket to buy some things," my mother said with a smile.
I stood between them, arms around both of them, and laughed, "You two, you really know how to enjoy yourselves! Next time, take me with you."
Wen Hong laughed, "Women are getting a spa treatment naked, what are you going to do there?"
My mother said, "Exactly, and whose little brother are you? I'm your mother!"
After the banter, I said to Wen Hong, "Sister, come to my room, I have something to tell you."
"Are you two having a private talk?" my mother laughed.
Wen Hong patted her and laughed, "Sister, don't be jealous."

Eighty-one,
I came to my room and took out the test report, handing it to Wen Hong. She took it and looked at me with confusion, "What's this?"
"DNA comparison results, take a look." I smiled slightly.
Wen Hong was stunned and asked, "Whose?"
"Yours and your daughter's."
Her eyes immediately welled up with tears, and she looked down at it. After looking at it for a while, she pointed to the line at the end of the report that stated the conclusion and said, "Junhao, does this mean that the person I compared with is my daughter?"
I held Wenhong's arms with both hands, looked at her, and smiled, "Yes, she is your daughter, your biological daughter."
"Oh my God!" she exclaimed in disbelief, covering her mouth and tears streaming down her face.
I looked at her and smiled, "Sister, congratulations, you've finally found your daughter."
"Junhao, are you sure you're not mistaken?" Wenhong was still a little uneasy.
I smiled, "Absolutely not. A few days ago, I secretly took your hair, along with her hair, as samples for DNA testing and sent them to the medical testing center. The results came out today. Don't you believe in science?"
She turned away from me, covering her face and weeping. Finally, she turned around again, grabbed me urgently, and said, "Junhao, tell me, who is she? Where is she? Tell me quickly..."
"Sister, don't rush, let me tell you slowly." I put my arm around Wenhong and sat on the edge of the bed. "Do you remember the day of Yalei's funeral, there was a young woman in her twenties in the mourning hall?"
"Yes, I remember..." she nodded and said, "That woman was very beautiful and had a great temperament. She was also very familiar with Xiaoqin. I wanted to ask you who she was, but because you were in grief at the time, I didn't ask..."
She suddenly covered her mouth and exclaimed, "Oh my god! You mean, she is my daughter?"
I looked at her and smiled and nodded. "Yes, her name is Su Fei, your daughter who has been missing for twenty-seven years."
Wenhong's tears flowed down like a broken string again. She murmured, "She is my daughter? She is my daughter? My daughter is so beautiful? Oh my god!"
I continued, "Not only that, she is also very outstanding. She is a young prosecutor."
"Really? She's a prosecutor?" Wen Hong exclaimed in surprise. "Thank God, my daughter is not only alive, but also so beautiful and outstanding! Thank God..."
As she spoke, she couldn't help but cover her face with her hands, bursting into tears of joy. I put my arm around her shoulder to comfort her.
Wen Hong cried for a while, then looked up at me. "Junhao, how did you find her? How did you meet her?"
"Sophie... she used to be my girlfriend..." I said, telling Wen Hong about my brief but intense relationship with Sophie, and everything else about Sophie.
As she listened, she cried again. There was a knock on the door and my mother's voice. "Junhao, what's wrong? Why is Xiao Hong crying?"
I said to the person outside the door, "Mom, it's nothing, I'll tell you when I get out."
My mother didn't say anything more and walked away. Wen Hong asked me if I had a picture of Sophie. I said yes, and sent it to her via WeChat.
She scrolled through the photos on her phone, tears streaming down her face. "She's so beautiful, so incredibly beautiful..."
After she finished, she hugged me tightly, sobbing in my ear, "Thank you, Junhao, thank you for everything you've done for me."
I gently pulled her away from my embrace and asked, "Sis, what are you planning to do next?"
"What do you think? I'll do whatever you say," Wen Hong said
, wiping away her tears. I thought for a moment and said, "Feifei still knows nothing about her true background. We need to give her some time... How about this? I'll talk to her in a few days and then arrange the rest, okay?"
Wen Hong wiped away her tears and said, "That's fine too. Although I can't wait to recognize her, to hold her tightly in my arms and hear her call me 'Mom,' like you said, we have to give her time. After all, she doesn't know I exist as her mother for twenty-seven years. It's hard for anyone to accept having a biological mother like this all of a sudden."
She leaned her head on my shoulder and murmured, "Now that I know my daughter is alive and doing well, I'm already very content. We'll take things slowly..."
She suddenly kissed me on the cheek, "Junhao, it's so good to have you by my side!"
But at that time, immersed in our anticipation of mother and daughter's reunion, we never imagined that when Wen Hong and Su Fei finally faced each other, it would be under circumstances we hadn't anticipated.
My mother discussed with me that she wanted to take Ai Lei back to Shandong to take care of her, to ease my burden, because I also had to take care of Xiao Qin.
After listening, Wen Hong said, "Sister, you'll basically be all alone over there. Will your boyfriend be able to help?"
My mother said she would hire a nanny to take care of her, and she could focus on taking care of her grandson without any problem.
Wen Hong said it was up to me to decide. If I couldn't bear to leave my son, she would help me take care of the child. Anyway, it didn't matter whether she went to the nightclub or not.
In the end, I followed my mother's advice. For this reason, she had Qin Hao come over again.
That night, I couldn't sleep again because I missed Ji Yalei. I went to the living room to smoke, and as soon as I sat down, I heard a groan coming from my mother's room. I knew that the two of them were doing it.
The thought of a man not much older than me doing that kind of thing with my mother in my own home made me feel uneasy. But then I thought, my mother is only in her fifties, not too old, and still has normal physiological needs. She and Qin Hao are boyfriend and girlfriend, so it's not a big deal that this kind of thing happens.
Hearing my own mother moaning in bed was always quite unsettling, so I took a couple of puffs and went back to my room.
I dozed off in bed for a while, but then couldn't fall asleep again. I figured the two of them were done, so I went back to the living room and found Qin Hao sitting alone, drinking a can of beer.
Qin Hao looked a little embarrassed when he saw me. "You...aren't you asleep yet?"
Since he came to my house today, I wouldn't say I'd given him the cold shoulder, but I hadn't been friendly either; he'd been lukewarm at best. Plus, I've never been very friendly to him, and this was my house, so he was a little wary of me.
"You're not asleep either, are you?" I sat down and lit a cigarette. "Is my mom asleep?"
"Yeah..." Qin Hao took a sip of beer. "Want some? I'll get you some."
"I'll get it myself..." I said, getting up.
"It's okay, I'll get it for you." He got up, went to the refrigerator, took out two cans of beer, and handed me one.
I opened the bottle and took a sip, then asked casually, "How did you and my mom meet?"
Qin Hao paused for a moment, then said, "At a poetry gathering... oh, you know, the kind where poetry enthusiasts get together to share and exchange their work."
"My mom actually went to that kind of event?" I found it unbelievable.
He smiled and adjusted his glasses. "A friend dragged her there. That's how we met at the poetry gathering, and we were attracted to each other."
"Were you ever married before?" I asked, taking a sip of beer.
"Yes, and I'm divorced."
"Why?"
"My ex-wife cheated on me..." He drank his beer, recounting his past to me, a man who had been cuckolded, tearing open his old wounds to a man he didn't know well.
“My ex-wife’s family are all civil servants. I used to be a primary school Chinese teacher, but I quit to go into business. I didn’t make any money; in fact, I lost money. My in-laws scolded me for being incompetent and useless, saying I could only write lousy poems. My ex-wife also looked down on me, saying I was a good-for-nothing scholar. Later, she took advantage of her youth and beauty and had an affair with a rich man, so we divorced.”
“Do you have any children?”
“We have a daughter who lives with my ex-wife.” Qin Hao took a big gulp of beer and said, “I haven’t felt respected since I met Sister Yun. She admires me and thinks I have talent…”
He took out a cigarette and lit it. “I admit that there is a big gap between me and Sister Yun in terms of finances, and she is very supportive of me, so many people think I’m a kept man. Sister Yun told me not to care what others think and to live my own life. I also think, should I separate from the person I love just to please others?”
“Do you really love my mother?” I looked at him calmly.
“Of course, I love her.”
“But she’s over fifty, and you’re only forty…”
Qin Hao stared at me blankly for a moment, then took a drag of his cigarette. “Many people think like you. I can only say that those who aren’t in the situation can’t understand the reasons, and I’m too lazy to explain. Some things become less believable the more you explain them, so why bother?”
I quietly looked at this man, wondering how much of what he said was true and how much was false. But there was one thing I believed was true: he had met my mother during his long period of low self-esteem, and for the first time, he had experienced a man’s dignity and being loved.
“Hey! Why aren’t you two sleeping? Are you smoking and drinking here?” My mother came out of the bedroom, complaining.
She was dressed very provocatively, in a spaghetti strap nightgown, making me feel embarrassed to look at her.
"Go to sleep! Don't disturb Xiaoqin." She pulled Qin Hao from the sofa and led him to the bedroom, then said to me, "You go to sleep too, don't drink anymore."
When my mother dragged Qin Hao to the bedroom door, he turned to me and said, "What I said earlier was all true."
"What do you mean, true or false? Come in..." My mother said, taking Qin Hao's arm and leading him into the bedroom.
Looking at the closed door, I thought to myself, whether it's true or false, if you dare to lie to my mother, I will never forgive you.

Eighty-two.
On the day we returned to Shandong, Wen Hong and I saw my mother, Xiao Ailei, and Qin Hao off at the airport.
Because we had developed feelings for each other during this time, my mother and Wen Hong were reluctant to part. The two middle-aged beauties holding each other's hands reminded one of Liu Yong's poem—"Holding hands, gazing at each other with tearful eyes, speechless and choked with emotion."
My mother told Wen Hong and me to rest assured that we could leave Xiao Ailei to her, that she would raise her grandson to be healthy and chubby.
To me, my mother didn't look like a woman who had become a grandmother; probably no one would believe it if I told them. She looked so young, so charming and attractive.
I think she's really changed. In the past, she prioritized enjoying life, neglecting even her own son. Now, she's taking meticulous care of her grandson; it's truly remarkable.
"Sister, don't worry, leave Junhao to me. I'll take good care of him," Wen Hong said, putting her arm around my shoulder with a smile.
"Yes, with you by Junhao's side, I'm at ease," my mother replied with a smile. She sighed, "Xiao Hong! Do you think I'll ever have the chance to hear you call me 'Mom' again?"
"Mom!" I immediately complained, thinking that my mother had truly developed feelings for Wen Hong, and that she had noticed the unusual relationship between us these past few days. It's just that this old woman speaks without thinking, jumping from one thought to another.
"Sister, what are you saying?" Wen Hong blushed and playfully hit my mother. "I'm twelve years older than Junhao! I've always treated him like a younger brother."
My mother laughed, "So what if you're twelve years older? Aren't I twelve years older than our Ahao too!"
"Mom, stop!" I interrupted.
My mom laughed again, "Alright, enough joking around, let's part ways here!"
She hugged Wen Hong again, then opened her arms to me, "Come on, son, give Mom a hug."
I hugged my mom, patted Qin Hao's shoulder, and said, "Please take good care of my mom over there."
"No problem, I'll take good care of Sister Yun." Qin Hao smiled, then hesitated for a moment before saying, "Junhao, I have something to tell you..."
He pulled me aside and whispered under the gaze of the two women, "I really love your mom! Please believe me."
I glanced at my mom and gently punched Qin Hao's chest, "I hope you're worthy of my trust."
He and I smiled at each other, as if to say that we'd forgive and forget.
We never imagined that just as we were trying to get over the pain of the previous misfortune, another misfortune would follow.
A few days later, Wen Hong called me to her house; the two girls were still at school.
"Junhao, I...I might have to go in..." Wen Hong said as soon as she saw me, her face full of worry.
I've been with her for ten years and known her for twelve, and I've never seen her so distraught. I wondered what trouble she was in.
"Sister, what are you talking about? What do you mean by going in or not going in? Where are you going?" I asked.
"Prison," she said sadly.
I was shocked. Wen Hong then told me that the country had launched a new round of anti-gang and anti-crime campaigns in recent years, and many criminal gangs had been wiped out. Just a few days ago, her protector, Wen Xiaoting's biological father, committed suicide out of guilt (besides acting as Wen Hong's protector, he also committed other serious illegal and disorderly crimes), and she estimated that she would soon be caught by the law as well.
I gripped her shoulders urgently and said, "Sister, it's not that serious, is it? You're overthinking it, aren't you?"
She smiled bitterly and said, "What do you think? I've been running a large-scale prostitution business for a long time. It's not a minor crime. I used to have Tingting's dad protecting me, but now that he's fallen, I really can't escape this time."
I also realized the seriousness of the situation and immediately became extremely anxious.
Wen Hong continued, "I've been in this business for over twenty years, and I knew this day would come sooner or later. But when it actually came, I was still terrified..."
She suddenly looked at me and said, "Junhao, what should I do?"
I said urgently, "Sister, why don't we run away? Run far away, run abroad."
She gently pushed me away, wiped her tears, and said, "Forget it, I don't want to live this life on the run. Rather than never seeing my family again, I'd rather stay inside and see you on visiting days."
My tears also fell. Facing this former nightclub boss who had connections in both the legitimate and underworld circles, seeing her now so weak and helpless, and thinking of how she had treated me like a younger brother for over ten years, my heart broke.
I hugged her tightly and cried, "Sister, is this really the only way? Is there really no other way?"
Deep down, I still held onto a sliver of hope, fantasizing that this woman who had once been so powerful would surely find a way to turn the tide this time.
“Junhao, don’t cry, I have something to say to you.” Wenhong pulled me to sit on the sofa.
She gently wiped away my tears. “I’m not afraid of going in, I’m just worried and unwilling to accept it, so I have a few things to entrust to you.”
She spoke as if she were entrusting me with my last wishes, and I burst into tears again, burying my head in her lap. “Sister…”
“Junhao, lift your head and listen to what I have to say…”
I stopped crying and looked up at her. She said, “After I go in, you must take good care of Tingting and Xiuxiu. I’m not too worried about Xiuxiu, she’s a very sensible girl, but she’s about to take her high school entrance exam, so we have to keep this from her for now…”
“Okay…” I nodded through my tears.
“I’m more worried about Tingting. She’s been spoiled by me since she was little, she’s willful and arrogant. I’m worried she won’t be able to handle this, she won’t be able to accept that her mother is a brothel madam, a bad woman who breaks the law. So, you must talk to her and comfort her. She’s always listened to you the most. Also, whatever you do, don’t tell her that she’s adopted, or who her father is. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sister, I understand.” I started crying again.
Wen Hong wiped away my tears, then looked away to wipe her own. "I'm just so unwilling to accept it. I just found my daughter, but now I have no chance to reunite with her..."
I grasped her hand and said urgently, "We'll go find her now, find Fei Fei, and tell her you're her biological mother."
She smiled bitterly, "Are you crazy? How can I acknowledge her at a time like this? Even if she could accept it, she's a prosecutor, a government official, and I'm a criminal. How can I be associated with her as mother and daughter? You're ruining her future!"
She sighed, her eyes filled with sorrow, and said, "It's alright. Now I know my daughter is alive and a prosecutor. I'm content with that. Whether I can reunite with her or not..." How important is it to hear her call me mom? The important thing is that as long as she is good and I am inside, everything will be fine.
At this time, Wen Hong was already in tears, "Where will I be in the future?" No matter what? Whenever I think about my daughter living such a good and outstanding life, my heart feels particularly peaceful, warm, and contented. So, don't worry about me..."
she said, staring at me, "and you must promise me not to say anything to Feifei, do you understand? "
I nodded with tears in my eyes, "Yes, I understand..."
She held my hand, "And you must promise me the things I just told you.
I wiped my tears, held Wen Hong's hand that was holding mine, and said, "Sister, don't worry, I promise you everything."
"Thank you, Junhao..." She caressed my face, staring at me with all kinds of love and tenderness in her eyes, "As I said, it's great to have you by my side, sister." It's worth it for me to have you as my brother in this life.
"Sister, why am I not like this?" "I said emotionally.
Wen Hong's fragrant lips slowly moved toward me, until they met mine. I didn't flinch or refuse; we kissed passionately, the kiss growing stronger with each breath.
Between kisses, she murmured in my ear, "Junhao, make love with me, okay? Make love with me one last time, alright?"
"Okay..." I said, sucking on her lips as I lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom...
I made love to Wen Hong with all my might, being exceptionally gentle and tender, striving to bring her to one climax after another.
She moaned and cried loudly during her climax, whispering in my ear, "Junhao, do you know? I've always loved you, I've loved you for a long time..."
I paused, continuing to thrust deep within her overflowing love, and heard her continue, "But I know I'm not good enough for you, so I've always kept my love for you hidden deep in my heart, only treating you as a younger brother. But my love for you is no less than any other woman who has ever loved you."
"Junhao, tell me, did you ever love me?" She cupped my face, gazing at me with tear-filled eyes.
What could I say at a time like this? And my feelings for her had always been complicated—friend, confidante, sister, lover—a mix of all three, yet not limited to any one.
"Sister, I love you too," I said, looking into her eyes.
She stared at me, mesmerized, for a moment, then kissed my lips. I kissed her while my lower body moved rapidly, bringing her to another climax…
Wen Hong was right; she was taken away by the police that afternoon.

Eighty-three.
That evening, on the sports field of Wen Xiaoting's university, I told her about Wen Hong being taken away by the police.
She immediately cried, asking why her mother had been taken away. I didn't hide anything from her, because I felt it was time to tell her everything.
"I knew it! I knew she wasn't a decent woman! I knew she was a bad person!" Wen Xiaoting cried out to me.
"Your mother isn't a bad person," I said.
"How can she not be a bad person? If she wasn't a bad person, would the police have arrested her?"
"This kind of thing can't be explained in a few words. Let me explain slowly."
Wen Xiaoting pushed me, her tearful eyes glaring at me. "You're just like her, not a decent person either, right? Brother, did you also sleep with those old women for money?"
I looked at her for a while and silently nodded. She immediately burst into tears, hitting me repeatedly with her hands. "How could you do this? You've disappointed me so much, brother. I've liked and admired you since I was little. Why did you do this?"
Seeing her in so much pain, I was extremely sad and hugged her. She sobbed uncontrollably in my arms, "I hate you, brother, I hate you so much..."
Suddenly, she pushed me away and ran away. I caught up with her and grabbed her. "Tingting, listen to me..."
"Don't touch me!" Wen Xiaoting shook off my hand, crying, "You're filthy, you're as filthy as my mother, you're all filthy..."
"Tingting!" I shouted, "You can say I'm filthy, but you can't say your mother is filthy. I won't allow anyone to say that about her, including you!"
She looked at me with teary eyes, "Am I wrong? She runs a brothel and sells girls, maybe she used to be one herself? She's the filthiest woman in the world..."
"Shut up!" I yelled, slapping Wen Xiaoting across the face and pointing at her, "No one has the right to say those things to her, especially you."
She covered her face, staring blankly at me, tears streaming down her face. I took a breath and decided to break my promise to Wen Hong and tell her everything.
“Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was a girl from a very poor rural family. Her parents favored boys over girls from a young age, and she dropped out of school after junior high. When she was a teenager, she had a relationship with a boy older than her and gave birth to a daughter.”
“Her daughter was taken away by human traffickers hired by her parents as soon as she was born, and she never saw her daughter again. Can you imagine the grief and helplessness she felt at that time?” I said, staring at Wen Xiaoting.
She stared at me blankly as I continued, “Later, to leave this place that had broken her heart and offered her no hope, she left her hometown at eighteen to work in this city, enduring countless hardships and tribulations…”
“When she was twenty-two, one of her sisters gave birth to a daughter for a man who would never acknowledge the child in her womb. After giving birth, her sister committed suicide due to postpartum depression. So she adopted the child, believing that God had taken pity on her for losing her first child and given her another one.”
“To support this child, she had to work as a hostess in a nightclub, and in her twenties, she became a mother. To earn enough money to give this child the best life, she took risks and walked the dark side of society, until later…”
Wen Xiaoting’s tears streamed down her face. I stared at her and said, “This poor woman, this hardworking mother, is your mother, and the child she adopted is you, Wen Xiaoting…”
She shook her head repeatedly, tears streaming down her face.
"And now you're here calling her dirty. You ungrateful daughter, what right do you have to talk about your mother like that? If she hadn't adopted you, would you be standing here today, accusing your mother so much? You have everything, you lack nothing except a grateful heart, Wen Xiaoting!"
I said all this in one breath, glaring at the girl in front of me who was crying her eyes out. She suddenly squatted down, wrapped her arms around her knees, buried her face in her arms, and sobbed uncontrollably.
After crying for a while, she looked up at me with teary eyes, "Then where is my father? Where is he?"
"Your father, actually, is that uncle you met a few times before. He's dead. Just a few days ago, he committed suicide to escape legal punishment."
Hearing my words, Wen Xiaoting's tears streamed down her face again...
After the initial trial at the Public Security Bureau, Wen Hong's case was transferred to the Procuratorate for review and prosecution.
Soon, the court seized the nightclub and several assets under Wen Hong's name, including the house she and Wen Xiaoting were currently living in. Fortunately, she had transferred some of her assets to Wen Xiaoting's name over the years, thus preserving them.
To make it easier to take care of Wen Xiaoting and Wen Xiuxiu, I let these two cousins move into my home. From then on, I lived with three teenage girls. As their eldest brother and the only man in the family, I felt an even heavier burden on my shoulders.
After finishing her middle school entrance exams, Wen Xiuxiu cried and told me that no matter what her aunt had done, she didn't believe her aunt was a bad person and that she would always love her aunt.
The house that Ji Yalei left me wasn't very big, a three-bedroom apartment. He Xiaoqin and I each lived in one room, leaving only one room for Wen Xiaoting and Wen Xiuxiu to share. But Wen Xiaoting still harbors resentment towards her cousin and refuses to share a room or even a bed with Wen Xiuxiu. Although she hasn't said it explicitly, she clearly doesn't want to.
The sensible Wen Xiuxiu told me that she could sleep on the floor in Xiaoqin's room or in the living room. I decided to teach Wen Xiaoting a lesson about her still-unchanged spoiled brat temper. I disagreed with Wen Xiuxiu's plan and told Wen Xiaoting that she either had to be roommates with her sister or sleep on the streets. Only then did the girl calm down.
For Wen Hong's case, I contacted Jiang Li, a female lawyer I had previously helped. She readily agreed to my request and offered to be Wen Hong's defense lawyer.
One day in mid-July, I took the two girls to visit Wen Hong in the detention center. In the visiting room, the mother, daughters, aunt, and niece were all in tears.
In just over a month, this once glamorous nightclub boss had completely lost her former charm, aged considerably, and even had gray hair. Seeing her now, my heart ached.
I told Wen Hong that I was there for her, and that she should stay in there and wait for the trial. I also told her that I had found her a lawyer, a friend of mine, who would come to the detention center to meet her soon.
Wen Hong kept crying and told me that she would do whatever I arranged.
"Junhao, thank goodness for you, thank you..." She buried her head, choking back tears, unable to speak.
I offered her a few more words of comfort and advice, and the meeting ended amidst the sorrow. On the drive home, both girls were still crying in the car.
I told my mother about Wenhong's arrest, because she hadn't heard from Wenhong for over a month and couldn't contact her. She asked me what had happened. Seeing I couldn't hide it from her, I had no choice but to tell her the truth.
My mother was also very anxious, asking me how serious Wen Hong's crime was. I said it was hard to say right now, it depended on the trial. I had already hired a lawyer for her, and all I could do now was take care of and comfort the two girls. My mother said, "Not just two, but three including Xiao Qin, it'll be hard for you." I knew she was worried about me.
Finally, she told me not to worry about my son, to focus on helping Wen Hong with the case and taking care of the three girls. Ai Lei had her, and Qin Hao also liked the girl and often helped her take care of Ai Lei.
During this time, I and the Ji family divided Ji Ya Lei's estate. Although Ji Ya Lei's two houses were her premarital property and I had no inheritance rights, my son Chen Ai Lei was the first beneficiary of his mother's estate.
At my insistence, the welfare housing that Ji Ya Lei received from her workplace, as well as all her pension and funeral expenses, went to the Ji family, and the house I currently live in went to Chen Ai Lei. Although the Ji family was still unwilling, they had to accept it.
After Jiang Li went to the detention center to meet with Wen Hong, she also met with me. She told me that Wen Hong had indeed committed crimes, and a not-guilty plea was definitely not an option. The only recourse now was a guilty plea, aiming to mitigate Wen Hong's guilt to the greatest extent possible within the bounds of reason and law, and strive for a lenient sentence.
Jiang Li also told me that, to her knowledge, the prosecutor's office would prosecute Wen Hong for organized crime and harboring and forcing prostitution. The most crucial charges were organized crime and forced prostitution, which are serious crimes. The focus of the defense would be on these two points; only by clearing Wen Hong of the charges of organized crime and forced prostitution could she possibly receive a lenient sentence.
One day before the trial, I went to the funeral home to pay my respects to Ji Yalei, telling her about what had happened after her death, and hoping that her spirit in heaven would bless Wen Hong and protect me in taking good care of the three girls.
As I spoke, I began to cry. The person who had appeared so strong and composed in front of Wen Hong, my mother, and the three girls suddenly became vulnerable in front of Ji Yalei's urn.
On the day of the public trial for Wen Hong's case involving organized crime and harboring and forcing prostitution, Wen Xiaoting and I arrived early and sat in the courtroom's public gallery, waiting for the trial to begin. Although Wen Xiuxiu was already on vacation, considering she was only sixteen and still a minor, we didn't let her come with us because there might be some things she shouldn't hear during the proceedings. Sitting with
us in the public gallery were Hei Pi, A Jun, and Lao Xie. Since the nightclub was shut down, they had all left the industry, which I actually think wasn't a bad thing; it's always good to be out of the loop.
The three of them were very concerned about Wen Hong's situation, and after the date of the public trial was set, they arranged to come with me to observe the proceedings. Huang Mao was supposed to be there too, but he had something come up and couldn't come today.
As the trial time approached, many people had already taken their seats in the public gallery, and the judges on the bench took their places. The female lawyer Jiang Li and one of her female assistants also sat in the defense table, and she nodded subtly to me in the public gallery. Seeing her seemingly confident demeanor, I felt a little relieved.
Now, only the prosecutor's bench remained empty, waiting to be filled. I secretly wondered what kind of person the prosecution would send to handle this case.
In my anxious wait, I suddenly heard someone in the audience whisper, "That female prosecutor is so beautiful..."
I looked in the direction of the voice and saw three young prosecutors—one man and two women—uniformly dressed (blue short-sleeved shirts, red ties, and black trousers), wearing prosecutor's badges on their chests, enter the courtroom.
To my astonishment, the one walking at the front was none other than Sophie.

Eighty-four,
I hadn't expected that the prosecutor sent by the prosecution would be Sophie, meaning that Sophie would be prosecuting her own mother.
At that moment, I cried out in my heart, "God, you really know how to play tricks on people!" If Sister Hong saw that it was her daughter who was accusing her of crimes in court, I wondered if she could bear it? I became worried.
Sophie saw me too. She was surprised to see me there, but quickly looked away and, with her two assistants, went to the prosecutor's bench.
I watched her quietly, my heart filled with mixed emotions. The presiding judge's opening remarks echoed in my ears; he solemnly announced the start of the trial and ordered the bailiffs to bring the defendant into the courtroom.
"She's here, she's here..." With a murmur of discussion, Wen Hong was escorted into the courtroom by two female bailiffs.
She was handcuffed, dressed in prison clothes, her hair cut short, and her face looked extremely haggard. The five of us looked at her, our eyes filled with concern and pity. Wen Xiaoting was almost in tears.
Wen Hong also saw us, a flicker of excitement in her eyes, then she gently shook her head at us, signaling us to calm down, before quickly looking away and continuing to be escorted by the bailiffs to the report stand.
Nearby, people whispered among themselves, "Hey, the defendant's pretty."
"Yeah! Such a beautiful woman, doing something illegal and criminal."
"I heard she was arrested for running a brothel; maybe she was a prostitute before?"
The words were quite harsh. I saw Wen Xiaoting's brow furrow, and I quickly squeezed her hand to comfort her. The moment Wen Hong stepped into the defendant's dock, Wen Xiaoting couldn't help but call out, "Mom..."
Wen Hong turned around, tears streaming down her face. Mother and daughter looked at each other through tearful eyes.
"Mom..." Wen Xiaoting called out again through her tears. Wen Hong's expression became very uneasy, and she shook her head several times at her daughter.
I tightened my grip on Wen Xiaoting's shoulders, signaling her to calm down. At that moment, I noticed Sophie looking at me with considerable surprise. When our eyes met, she immediately turned her face away.
Whispers arose from the vicinity, "Oh! Is that her daughter? She's quite pretty too."
"Of course, if the mother is so beautiful, the daughter must be just as beautiful."
"Sigh! Her daughter is so grown up, and she's still doing this kind of thing..."
Hearing these comments, Wen Xiaoting lowered her head and silently shed tears.
After Wen Hong took her place in the defendant's dock, the presiding judge announced that the prosecution would read the indictment, and Su Fei stood up from the prosecutor's seat.
Only then did Wen Hong realize that the presiding prosecutor was actually her daughter, whom she had been separated from for many years, recently found, but found difficult to reunite with. At that moment, tears streamed down her face as she stared blankly at her daughter.
"According to the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China, we hereby file a public prosecution against the following criminal suspects..."
Su Fei's clear yet solemn voice echoed in the courtroom. I saw Wen Hong staring at her, tears streaming down her face, her eyes filled with relief and love.
I knew that in her heart, she had finally reunited with her daughter, whom she had been separated from for twenty-seven years. Seeing her daughter had grown so outstanding, she was naturally overjoyed. If she could, she would rush to the other side right now and hug her daughter tightly as the indictment against her is read aloud.
But the distance of a dozen meters between her and her daughter is an insurmountable chasm. On this side of the chasm is her, the criminal suspect; on the other side is her daughter, representing the law and justice in fighting crime. At this moment, mother and daughter are worlds apart.
"Defendant Wen Hong, female, born on May 9, 1975, currently 44 years old, from Dazhou City, Sichuan Province..."
The charges in the indictment are roughly the same as what Jiang Li told me before. After the indictment was read, the trial entered the debate between the prosecution and the defense. The prosecutor first questioned the defendant.
Su Fei left the prosecutor's seat and walked to the defendant's seat, saying in a deep voice, "Defendant, I have a few questions for you. You must answer truthfully, simply answer yes or no, do you understand?"
At this moment, Wen Hong stared at Su Fei with tears in her eyes, unable to say a word. Su Fei felt strange and said again, "Defendant, did you hear what I said?"
Wen Hong's lips twitched slightly before she whispered, "I...I heard you clearly..."
Sophie began her questioning, her questions all pointing directly to the crimes Wen Hong was suspected of committing. Following Jiang Li's instructions, Wen Hong admitted to some of the allegations while denying others, generally downplaying her involvement.
During this process, Jiang Li, as the defense attorney, repeatedly stood up to interrupt Sophie, pointing out that the prosecution's questions were irrelevant to the case and requesting the court to agree that the defendant did not need to answer them. Jiang Li's approach, besides protecting the defendant's rights, was also a strategy to disrupt the opposing side's rhythm.
The presiding judge, naturally, sometimes sided with the defendant, agreeing that the defendant did not need to answer, and sometimes sided with the prosecution, requiring the defendant to answer the prosecution's questions.
This was my first time attending a trial, and the scene was similar to what I'd seen in movies and on television, only less dramatic. Of course, movies and television are artistic embellishments.
After the prosecution finished questioning, it was the defense attorney's turn to question the defendant, and the trial proceeded in sequence. Time flew by, and before we knew it, it was time for a temporary recess. As Wen Hong was led away from the defendant's
dock, Wen Xiaoting couldn't help but call out "Mom" again, tears streaming down her face. Wen Hong, still weeping, shook her head at her. In the corridor outside the courtroom, Hei Pi, A Jun, and Lao Xie sat chatting on a public bench. Wen Xiaoting, Jiang Li, and I sat on a nearby bench discussing the trial.
Su Fei walked over and went straight to me. Jiang Li and Wen Xiaoting looked at her in surprise, and Hei Pi and the others also looked our way.
"I have something to say to you," Su Fei said coldly, her face full of arrogance.
I stood up and followed Su Fei away amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd. They were probably all wondering why I knew the prosecutor. And why she even spoke to me during the recess?
In the stairwell, Su Fei bluntly asked, "What is your relationship with the defendant?"
Her voice was still cold, and her gaze was sharp. Actually, on the day of Ji Yalei's funeral, Sister Hong was also there when she came to the funeral hall, but she hadn't noticed at the time.
“A friend,” I replied.
“What kind of friend?”
“She’s like my sister.”
“Heh, sister?” Sophie sneered, staring at me. “Let me say it for you? She’s the owner of a nightclub, the madam. You used to work in that line of work, so naturally you were one of her gigolos! Am I right?”
“Say what you will.”
She stared at me for a moment, then said sternly, “Chen Junhao, do you spend all your time hanging out with these social scum?”
“What are you saying?” With a shout, Wen Xiaoting appeared before us, glaring angrily at Sophie. “Who are you calling a scumbag?”
“Who are you? Do I know you?” Sophie looked coldly at Wen Xiaoting. Standing at 1.72 meters tall and exuding the authority of a prosecutor, she naturally overwhelmed the 1.65-meter-tall Wen Xiaoting in terms of presence.
“Who do you care who I am? I won’t allow you to talk about my mother like that!” Wen Xiaoting shouted angrily.
Sophie casually wiped away a spittle that Wen Xiaoting had splashed on her face with her finger, and said coldly, "Little sister, don't you think it's very impolite to suddenly interrupt someone's conversation and yell at a complete stranger like that? Didn't your mother teach you that?"
A hint of contempt appeared on her face as she looked away disdainfully. "No wonder, growing up in that kind of family..."
"You...you say that again?" Wen Xiaoting roared.
Sophie didn't back down. "What do you want? I'm warning you, this is a courthouse, not a place for you to throw a tantrum."
They were both Wen Hong's daughters, and the fact that the sisters were so hostile towards each other made me sigh at the irony of fate.
"Tingting, calm down." I pulled Wen Xiaoting to my side, but the little girl was still glaring at Sophie.
I said to Sophie, "As a prosecutor, shouldn't you at least watch your words?"
"This isn't a courtroom, I can't just say whatever I want. Go ahead and sue me!"
Sophie chuckled. Suddenly, her face turned cold. She tilted her head back, bringing her face very close to mine, her delicate nose almost touching mine. Wen Xiaoting, watching us with utter astonishment, said in a low, clenched voice, "You wait, Chen Junhao, I'll definitely send your sister to prison and make sure she faces the full force of the law!"
She finished speaking, glared at me fiercely, and turned to leave. Looking at her tall, graceful back, I understood that she hadn't truly let go of what happened back then. Seeing my close relationship with Wen Hong, a criminal suspect, had reignited her anger.
"Brother, how did you meet her? How did you two meet?" Wen Xiaoting asked beside me.
I put my arm around her shoulder and said calmly, "It's a long story, I'll tell you later."

Chapter 85:
The trial continues. The prosecution called several witnesses, all of whom were detained gang members. They all knew Wen Hong and had close ties with her; I even recognized one of them. Their testimonies would be detrimental to clearing Wen Hong of the gang charges.
"Your Honor, I have another very important witness. Please allow me to call him to court," Sophie said.
The presiding judge granted Sophie's request, and Sophie called out to a corner of the courtroom, "Please have the witness appear to testify."
Everyone looked in the direction of her voice and saw a young man with blond hair stand up from the corner and walk towards the courtroom. As he approached, Blackie blurted out, "Blonde Hair?"
We were all stunned. We never expected that Blonde Hair would actually be in court and become a prosecution witness. Since he was a prosecution witness, his testimony would naturally be detrimental to Wen Hong; he was one of Wen Hong's men! Why would he do this? I was completely baffled.
"Blonde Hair, what are you doing here?" Old Xie asked in surprise.
Upon seeing us, Huang Mao looked uneasy and ashamed, ignoring us and walking towards the witness stand with his head down.
After he sat down, Sophie asked, "What's your name?"
"Huang Mao..." Huang Mao answered without hesitation.
"I'm asking for your full name," Sophie reminded him.
Laughter erupted from the audience. Huang Mao continued, "My name is Huang Mao!"
Laughter broke out again. Sophie rolled her eyes and said seriously, "Witness, I must remind you, this is a courtroom."
Huang Mao looked at Sophie innocently, "I, I, my surname is Huang, and my given name is Mao, the Mao from Maoshan Taoist priests. That's the name my parents gave me!"
I've known Huang Mao for many years, and this was the first time I'd heard his real name. The audience burst into laughter, making it feel like a stand-up comedy show.
"Please keep quiet in the gallery." The presiding judge, forced to maintain order, then said to Sophie, "Prosecution, you may begin your questions!"
Sophie asked the blond-haired man, "What's your profession?"
"Male escort."
"Can you be more specific? What does a male escort do?"
"Male escort... well... just a male escort!" the blond-haired man stammered.
Sophie said in a low voice, "Fine, then let me speak for you..."
She looked at the judge's bench and said loudly, "Your Honor, esteemed judges, the 'male escort' that Mr. Huang Mao mentioned is actually a male prostitute. In other words, he is a sex worker who provides paid sexual services to female clients, what people usually call a 'gigolo'..."
A murmur rippled through the audience. Sophie then stared at Huang Mao, "Witness, am I right?"
Huang Mao nodded, head bowed. Jiang Li, on the defense panel, suddenly stood up and said, "I object. The witness's profession is irrelevant to this case. Please, prosecution, don't waste your time."
The presiding judge said, "Prosecution, please do not continue with topics unrelated to this case."
Sophie nodded to the presiding judge, pointed to Wen Hong in the defendant's dock, and asked Huang Mao, "Do you know the defendant?"
Huang Mao didn't dare look up at Wen Hong, but simply nodded. Sophie shouted, "Please answer, do you know the defendant?"
Huang Mao had no choice but to say, "Yes."
Sophie continued, "What is your relationship with the defendant?"
Huang Mao lowered his head and said, "She...she's our boss and madam."
"Then, please tell the court what kind of person the defendant is?"
Jiang Li stood up again. "I object. The prosecution is making meaningless questions that are not helpful to the case."
Sophie immediately said, "Your Honor, as a witness closely related to the defendant, describing the defendant's character to the court is crucial to ascertaining the truth of the case."
The presiding judge nodded and said, "Witness, please answer the prosecution's questions."
Huang Mao said, "Hong...Sister Hong..."
Sophie suddenly interrupted him, "Why do you call her Sister Hong?" "
...That's what people in the underworld call her."
"Continue."
"Sister Hong is the boss of our nightclub. She's usually very strict. We...we're all afraid of her..."
"We? Who do you mean by 'we'?" "
...The girls and gigolos at the nightclub..."
"All of them?"
"Yes, all of them..."
"Why are you afraid of her? Because she's your boss?"
“Because she’s very ruthless, she has gangsters acting as her thugs. They beat and verbally abuse us constantly, and we don’t dare to fight back…”
Hearing this, Blackie couldn’t take it anymore and stood up, shouting, “Yellow Hair, you’re lying!”
Everyone in the gallery looked at Blackie, and I quickly pulled him down to sit. The presiding judge said, “Everyone in the gallery, please keep quiet, or I will have the bailiffs remove you.”
“On August 15, 2015, a fourteen-year-old girl was beaten in public by the defendant’s men because she refused to work as a prostitute. Is that true?”
“Yes…”
“Did you witness it yourself?”
“Yes, at that time, Sister Hong…” Yellow Hair began to speak with great conviction.
He was lying through his teeth. Although I didn’t know who was instructing him, I understood that the purpose of his testimony was to solidify the charge that Wen Hong forced women into prostitution.
“No, I didn’t. He’s lying. I didn’t do any of these things…” Wen Hong stood up in the defendant’s dock, shaking her head in panic.
Two female bailiffs behind her immediately pushed her back into her seat and warned, "Behave yourself."
Blackie was furious, stood up, pointed at Yellow Hair, and shouted, "Yellow Hair, you bastard! Have you forgotten how Sister Hong treated you? Why are you lying?"
"Bailiffs, remove this man immediately!" the presiding judge said firmly.
Two male police officers quickly pounced on Blackie, one on each arm, and dragged him out of the courtroom. As Blackie was being escorted, he turned back and cursed, "Yellow Hair, don't let me catch you, I'll fucking kill you!"
After the courtroom quieted down, Sophie continued her cross-examination. Yellow Hair testified to several more incidents of Wen Hong forcing women into prostitution, all of which were, of course, fabricated.
After Sophie finished questioning, Jiang Li, the defendant's lawyer, continued the cross-examination, aiming to find loopholes in Yellow Hair's previous statements and question their veracity. But Yellow Hair answered fluently and without any flaws.
I inwardly groaned. Not only was Huang Mao acting under orders, but he'd also rehearsed beforehand. It seemed someone was determined to get Wen Hong imprisoned. I wondered who this person was.
After Huang Mao finished his testimony, he said to the presiding judge, "I request court protection because my personal safety is seriously threatened here."
The presiding judge called to the bailiffs, "Please escort the witness out of the courtroom."
As Huang Mao walked past us with his head down, Lao Xie cursed, "Huang Mao, are you even human?"
Huang Mao, his face full of shame, left without a word. Because this case involved many people and was relatively complex, the court decided to adjourn today and reschedule for another day.
When Wen Hong was escorted out of the courtroom, Wen Xiaoting broke down in tears again, crying out for her mother. I had to hold her to prevent her from rushing towards her mother.
Wen Hong kept turning back to me, calling out, "Junhao, take good care of Tingting, take good care of Xiuxiu..."
Watching her mother being taken away, Wen Xiaoting cried her heart out in my arms.
Wen Xiaoting and I returned to my building. As soon as we got out of the car, a man approached us and said, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Chen Junhao?"
The man looked to be in his late fifties, but not yet sixty. He was handsome and well-dressed. I didn't recognize him, so I asked, "Yes, and who are you...?"
The older man smiled and said, "My surname is He, He Jianguo. May I speak with you privately, Mr. Chen?"
Completely bewildered, I said to the astonished Wen Xiaoting, "Tingting, you go upstairs first, I'll be right back."
"Then be careful," she said. She had been crying in the car, her tears still wet on her face. She glanced at He Jianguo and walked towards the building entrance.
"Mr. Chen, this way please," He Jianguo gestured for me to follow. I followed him out of the complex.
He Jianguo's manners were very polite, and his Mandarin had the distinctive accent of an overseas Chinese, unlike someone who had lived in mainland China for a long time.
After walking a short distance, I said, "Mr. He, let's talk here."
We were complete strangers, and I didn't know where he was taking me. I had to be extra cautious.
"Let's find a teahouse outside to discuss this in detail," He Jianguo said with a smile.
"Mr. He, what exactly do you want with me?" I stared at him, demanding an answer.
He paused for a moment. "Then let's sit down and talk!"
We sat down on a public bench in the residential area, and He Jianguo got straight to the point: "Xiao Chen, I won't beat around the bush. Actually, I'm He Zhengming and He Xiaoqin's father."
I was immediately stunned. I never expected that He Jianguo, the one who abandoned my adoptive mother, Zhengming, and Xiaoqin—the mother and her two children—years ago, would suddenly appear before me like this.

(To be continued)

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Beautiful mother and pretty daughter (78-85)

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