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Everyone believed that Zhao Baoding had backed down, as he hadn’t bothered Wang Sanbao for several weeks. Gradually, the incident was forgotten. However, no one anticipated that Zhao Baoding's absence was not due to being intimidated by Wang Sanbao's words; rather, from that day on, Zhao Baoding had been plotting to kill Wang Sanbao's entire family.
Thus began the events that followed. One night, Zhao Baoding, armed only with a chopping knife, murdered four out of the five members of Wang Sanbao's family. The only survivor, Wang Xiaochuan, had been at a friend's house playing games and thus escaped.
Four lives taken with a single chopping knife. Sometimes, fate is incredibly fragile. Zhao Baoding's actions were heinous; he killed four people in broad daylight and targeted minors. This incident cast a dark shadow over the village, and even while in prison, Zhao Baoding showed no remorse or sympathy for the victims.
Naturally, Zhao Baoding was sentenced to death. The execution of the death penalty followed swiftly.
When I reached this point in the file, it ended abruptly. At that moment, I understood why Zhao Gen had reacted so impulsively when I mentioned the words "murderer." It was as if he suddenly snapped and fired his weapon. Now I realized why Zhao Gen acted that way.
It turned out that Zhao Gen’s father was indeed a murderer. At that time, Zhao Gen was just fifteen years old. For a fifteen-year-old child, unless they were exceptionally mature like Guo Guoqing, Zhao Gen was likely still naive. Perhaps it would be only later in life that he would come to understand how difficult it is to live with such a burden of identity.
However, the file did not mention what happened to Zhao Baoding's family after his death or what their state and living conditions were like. In the household registration documents, Zhao Lan was marked as deceased, but there were no details about how she died—whether from illness or an accident—nothing was written in the file.
Compared to his father, Zhao Gen seemed to be more concerned about his sister; otherwise, he wouldn’t have brought the pendant back or risked being caught to find her. I felt that although this case had concluded here, events outside of it were still unfolding.
Yes, the dead are gone, but those who live must continue their lives. When someone dies, there are only a few lines written on paper; yet between those lines lies the unspeakable sorrow of the deceased's relatives. With this thought in mind, I said to everyone, “The records contain too little information; I think we need to visit Dongguan Village.”
“Ten years can feel long or short; there are surely many people in Dongguan Village who know about this incident. Let’s go ask them.” I leaned against the table as I spoke.
Juan Juan nodded and walked outside while saying to us, “Behind every murder case lies some bittersweet reason. Often I feel that if everyone were like Guo Guoqing—a murderer without reason or regret—perhaps it would be less stressful.”
“Maybe such murderers make it seem less burdensome.”
From the files, we learned the location of Dongguan Village and set off by car. On the way, I kept pondering Juan Juan ’s last words; upon reflection, they held truth. Beyond the special cases encountered by the Special Investigation Team—those bizarre serial cases—there are countless unspoken tragedies occurring around us every day.
A wife suffering from long-term domestic abuse finally snapped one day and killed her husband. An elderly man riding a tricycle repeatedly harassed by local thugs eventually fought back and killed someone. Everyone understands that murder comes with consequences. Yet in that moment of killing, their lives had become so desperate and filled with bitterness.
When I was still in school, I once accompanied my teacher on a case that remains etched in my memory to this day.
This case also took place in a small village, and the protagonists were two elderly individuals in their fifties. I will never forget that day, July 25, 2004, which marked the wedding anniversary of this couple. Throughout their early lives, the two elderly people made a living by running a shoe repair stall and managed to raise two university students.
In the village, many envied them. Their children had already settled down and started families of their own, and it should have been a time for the couple to enjoy their golden years. However, sometimes fate enjoys playing tricks on people. In the year 2000, Xu Xiaohua's spouse began to have trouble with their legs; after all, they were both in their fifties and sixties, so it was normal for them to experience such issues.
Gradually, Xu Xiaohua's spouse's health deteriorated day by day, and before long, they became paralyzed and could only spend their days in bed. Thus, Xu Xiaohua began to care for her paralyzed partner. The doctors had said that with such paralysis, one could live at most five years, but under Xu Xiaohua's care, her spouse lived for eight years.
By this time, however, speaking had become difficult for her spouse. Over those eight years, Xu Xiaohua also aged into her sixties while their children had established their own families. Although the children suggested that the elderly couple move to the city to live with them, they could only stay for a day or two; it was impractical for them to rely on their children's home year-round. Therefore, most of the time, it was Xu Xiaohua who took care of her spouse.
After eight years of caregiving, Xu Xiaohua herself had become an elderly woman in her sixties. At this age, she needed care herself but still had to look after her bedridden partner. Over those seven years, her spouse developed severe bedsores but did not emit any unpleasant odors.
Xu Xiaohua would help bathe her spouse every three days. However, after seven years of constant labor, she too began experiencing leg problems. During this time, she visited doctors many times; during her last visit, the doctor told her: "I’ve told you before not to overexert yourself. If you don’t listen anymore, don’t come back."
By 2004, Xu Xiaohua's leg condition worsened significantly until she could no longer walk. Now both elderly individuals required care; Xu Xiaohua could no longer look after her spouse. Their children repeatedly took Xu Xiaohua to see doctors, but her condition was due to exhaustion—essentially an accumulation of strain that was difficult to treat—and she also suffered from a herniated disc. Without surgery, she risked paralysis as well.
However, the combined medical expenses for surgery would amount to over a hundred thousand yuan—an amount neither of them could afford. Although their children were working now, how could the elderly couple bear to use their children's money for treatment? Even if she recovered from surgery, she would still be unable to perform strenuous activities.
Yet tasks like turning her spouse or bathing him required physical strength. Xu Xiaohua contemplated suicide multiple times but refrained from acting on it due to her children's pleas.
Then on July 25, 2004, Xu Xiaohua made a decision. She spoke to her nearly immobile husband: "Old man, I don't ask for us to be born on the same day of the same month of the same year; let us die together today." After cleaning the house and putting on new clothes for him and feeding him his last meal, she proceeded with her plan.
Xu Xiaohua used a rope to strangle her husband—her partner whom she had cared for over eight years—and after he passed away, she slashed her wrist with a kitchen knife. Fortunately, a neighbor who came by discovered her in time and rushed her to the hospital; miraculously, she was saved.
However, Xu Xiaohua's husband left this world forever.
When our teacher introduced us to this case initially, I didn’t know what to say. It was indeed a case of intentional homicide and quite straightforward to resolve. But that wasn’t the end; seven days later we learned that Xu Xiaohua had jumped from the hospital building and died instantly.
It’s important to note that at that time Xu Xiaohua’s leg condition was already severe and compounded by a herniated disc; climbing out of a window would have been nearly impossible for her—not to mention painful even just walking. Yet somehow she managed to climb up onto the window when the nurse stepped away and then jumped out.
The doctor remarked: "In just two meters of distance, she must have endured immense pain."
This was the first case I encountered during my school days, and when it was finally resolved, I found myself unable to write for a long time. An elderly woman, who had cared for her paralyzed husband for eight years, chose to take his life just as she was on the brink of paralysis herself. We can only imagine how conflicted, helpless, and lost Xu Xiaohua must have felt when making this decision.
Yet, in order not to burden her children, the elderly woman resolutely chose this path. What could be more cruel than personally killing the partner she deeply loved? Yet, what could be more genuine than caring for a paralyzed spouse for eight years?
The world often operates this way; good and evil, right and wrong—who can easily clarify these distinctions? Perhaps some are forced into situations beyond their control, while others may feel utterly disheartened. However, taking a life means one must bear the consequences of their actions.
Zhao Baoding's case may be similar. Once a life is taken, there is no room for negotiation. We do not know the extent of the psychological trauma this incident inflicted on Zhao Gen, but perhaps once we reach Dongguan Village, we will find answers.
Maybe we can uncover what common traits Guo Guoqing, Zhao Gen, and Angel share that brought them together. If we can understand this connection, we will be one step closer to the core of Guo Guoqing's conspiracy.
"Up ahead is Dongguan Village," Dezi said as he drove.
I looked up and indeed saw the endless mountains in the distance, towering trees growing atop them. Most of the leaves had fallen from the branches, leaving only a few resilient ones still clinging on. It seemed like the result of previous reforestation efforts.
"Let's go!" I said. "First stop is the Village Committee."
The Beautiful Landlady came to collect rent, yet she was bare-skinned, with waves of curves and long snowy legs. It was only then that I realized...
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