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To catch someone, relying solely on circumstantial evidence is useless, especially when the witness is unwilling to testify. Even if Xiao Xuanmiao admits to everything she has done, it would still be of no consequence. Xiao Xuanmiao is not yet an adult; even if the evidence were solid, the punishment would not be severe.
And what difference would it make? Those people are already dead. Under the pressure of so-called justice, in an environment where everyone calls for blood.
Old Shao is sixty years old this year, yet he still keeps up with the trends of the times. He has a Weibo account and often browses current events online. He frequently comes across videos similar to those of Xiao Xuanmiao being bullied. In the comments under these videos, Old Shao sees outraged netizens expressing their anger, using the most vulgar language to attack others.
Whenever faced with such moments, General Shao feels a sense of fear. Humans are easily swayed by others and too quick to trust their own eyes. The people in this society are too restless; they often lack the time and inclination to thoroughly understand a situation. They only seek to satisfy their sense of justice, indifferent to the actual truth.
This is precisely why there are so many news stories that flip on their heads; in just a short time, the narrative can completely change—good people can become bad, and bad people can become good. And what about those netizens who once hurled insults at others? They have vanished, chasing after the next hot topic.
"What should we do now?" Yuan Jun asked again.
Old Shao inquired, "Is Xiao Xuanmiao still in the hospital?"
Xu Yiman shook her head and pulled out her phone. "Xiao Xuanmiao just texted me; her mother has been discharged, and they have gone home."
"Let's go see her. Although it may be futile, there are still things we need to do," Old Shao said.
"By the way," Xu Yiman said while looking at her phone, "Xiao Xuanmiao has returned to her new home, not the old one. She just moved into a newly renovated place with furniture. It's in Azure Garden District, priced around two million."
Yuan Jun frowned and said, "Just yesterday she hadn't decided whether or not to buy a house. It hasn't been long since then, and now she's already moved in."
Shao the Elder remarked, "That indicates she had already set her sights on this house long ago; it wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision made today. Regardless, we should still check on her."
Azure Garden District may not be the best area in Dragon City, but it's still a decent neighborhood. For those striving in Dragon City, buying a house here might be a lifelong dream. Yet sixteen-year-old Xiao Xuanmiao has achieved it; she moved from a damp and dilapidated twenty-square-meter room into this spacious and bright one-hundred-twenty-square-meter apartment.
After pressing the doorbell, it was Xiao Xuanmiao's mother who opened the door. From her appearance, one could hardly tell that she had just undergone surgery; it was neither a complicated operation nor a life-threatening illness. Ten years ago, she could have been up and about without any issues.
Ten years ago, she couldn't do it because she couldn't afford the surgery that cost tens of thousands. With no one in the family capable of working and having to take care of Xiao Xuanmiao, how could she gather enough money for her own operation? For such a simple reason, she had not gotten out of bed for ten years. After all, it wasn't life-threatening; she could just endure it.
What a foolish thought it was, yet how helpless a decision it had become.
"You all are here! Come in!" Xiao Mother greeted them warmly, her smile genuine.
"Who is it?" Xiao Xuanmiao walked out of the bedroom, holding a clothes hanger in each hand. On the hangers were two beautiful dresses for young girls, vibrant in color and playful in style, perfect for someone like Xiao Xuanmiao.
"Oh, it's you!" Xiao Xuanmiao smiled brightly. "Sister Xu Yiman must have come because she saw my message."
At that moment, Xu Yiman didn't know how to face this girl with a smile on her face and cheeks as rosy as peach blossoms. Xu Yiman couldn't tell whether the smile on her face was feigned or sincere. Perhaps only she felt happy about being able to wear beautiful clothes.
"The dresses are lovely and very formal. Are you going out?" Xu Yiman asked.
Xiao Xuanmiao nodded excitedly, unable to contain her enthusiasm. "I'm going to the TV station to record a show soon! I was thinking about what to wear. This is my first time recording such a big program, and I want to look pretty. After we finish recording today, it will air at eight o'clock tonight on Long City Television Station. You must remember to watch!"
Xu Yiman approached her, helping Xiao Xuanmiao with the dresses while saying, "Xiao Xuanmiao, I know you're over the moon right now. Being an actress is your dream, and now you're taking a step toward it. You've been called by a director for an audition."
"In the future, you might have a fulfilling life, perhaps great wealth and many fans, living a life filled with flashing lights." As Xu Yiman led Xiao Xuanmiao into the room, she continued, "Once you enter the entertainment industry, you might have to play along with others; you may have to do things you don't want to do or say things insincerely. You're only sixteen this year; I hope you can keep a sincere heart."
Xiao Xuanmiao sensed Xu Yiman's underlying message. She looked outside the bedroom; no one else had followed them in. She closed the bedroom door and sat on the bedside, asking, "Sister Xu Yiman, is there something you want to tell me?"
Xu Yiman paused for a moment before laying the clothes on the bed and turning to Xiao Xuanmiao. "There are some things I want to say upfront so you don't need to worry. You're sixteen this year and still a minor; whatever happens will be treated lightly. Especially actions like bullying classmates will only result in criticism and education. No matter what happens, it's all in the past. What I want from now on is simply to be myself and not represent anyone else."
Xiao Xuanmiao looked at Xu Yiman earnestly, waiting for her next words.
Xu Yiman also looked at Xiao Xuanmiao, her hands gently clasped together. "Do you know that Li Liangcai likes to wear girls' clothes?"
Xiao Xuanmiao appeared shocked. "Wearing girls' clothes? I didn't know that."
Xu Yiman's heart sank, but she pressed on. "In the video, the light yellow dress you were wearing actually belongs to Li Liangcai. You took Li Liangcai's clothes first, which is why Li Liangcai retaliated by having someone strip you of your clothes. It's just that when you bullied Li Liangcai, no one happened to capture it on video. Have you ever thought that it might not be Li Liangcai who would end up taking their own life, but rather..."
She didn't finish the sentence, but the implication was clear. If the video showed Xiao Xuanmiao bullying Li Liangcai, then it was very likely that Xiao Xuanmiao would be the one to take such a drastic step.
Xiao Xuanmiao frowned, shaking her head as she said, " Xu Yiman, where did you hear all this? Those are just baseless rumors. You shouldn't judge Li Liangcai; he may seem kind and popular, but in reality, he's quite insidious!"
Xu Yiman sighed, sitting up straight and speaking earnestly. "Three months ago, right before summer vacation, everyone was under a lot of pressure with final exams approaching. This determined what classes we would be in next semester."
"During evening study sessions, many students chose to take leave or simply skip class. The teachers understood the pressure we were under and turned a blind eye. You were feeling frustrated and had Li Liangcai accompany you outside; you made him wear a girl's dress and then hit and kick him to vent your stress."
"In the end, just like in the video where Ge Dongyun confronted you, you stripped Li Liangcai down and forced him to leave bare."
"Isn't that right?" Xu Yiman looked into Xiao Xuanmiao's eyes.
Xu Yiman had laid everything out plainly without any subtlety because she wanted to understand Xiao Xuanmiao's true feelings about the situation.
Xiao Xuanmiao fell silent. Xu Yiman gazed into her eyes and sensed a coldness there. Xiao Xuanmiao looked back at Xu Yiman, a smirk suddenly appearing on her lips.
"This whole thing is completely fabricated," she said.
Xu Yiman replied, "It's just the two of us here now. I’ve already said it; even if you admit it, it won't affect you at all. This isn't a grave sin; it's just an older sister wanting to have an honest conversation with her younger sister."
The members of the project team all understood. Even if Xiao Xuanmiao admitted it, what difference would it make? Could they arrest her, or bring the others back to life? They just wanted an answer, a stance, the sincerity of a sixteen-year-old girl. Otherwise, after all this time spent, had they truly helped the good or merely aided the wicked?
Xu Yiman needed an answer, and so did Xiao Xuanmiao. In this world, not all mistakes would lead to being caught by the police, but every mistake would gradually erode one's conscience.
Finally, Xiao Xuanmiao spoke up, smiling cheerfully as she said, "Sister Yiman, I didn’t know any of this. That dress was indeed borrowed from Ge Dongyun. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Ge Dongyun yourself."
With that, Xiao Xuanmiao left Xu Yiman with a sweet smile.
But looking at that smile, Xu Yiman felt her heart sink. Xiao Xuanmiao clearly knew that Ge Dongyun was already dead, yet she deliberately said it to make Xu Yiman uncomfortable. She truly had a personality that would never allow herself to be at a disadvantage; just as her classmates had commented, Xiao Xuanmiao was very strong-willed.
Then, Xiao Xuanmiao stood up and said, "Sister Yiman, I have to go record a show now, so I won’t keep chatting with you here. I think this outfit looks great; it will definitely be photogenic on TV. Could you step out for a moment? I need to change clothes. Oh, and please close the door behind you."
Xu Yiman stood up and silently walked out of the bedroom.
As she closed the door, she saw Xiao Xuanmiao sitting on the bed—beautiful and pure.
In that moment, she seemed to see a star about to rise. Yet at that moment, she also sensed something within Xiao Xuanmiao wilting away.
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