Chapter 28: The Culprit Was Her After All

"Mom, we have to hire a lawyer. We must hire the best one available. I don't believe my dad would kill anyone; he must have been framed."

Of the three, Wang Shanshan was undoubtedly the most heartbroken. After all, the fatherly love Wang Yifu had shown her was genuine, and the bond between them was real. As soon as they stepped out of the police station, Shanshan could no longer contain her emotions. She clung to Bai Jing’s arm, sobbing uncontrollably and pleading for them to hire a lawyer.

Bai Jing, meanwhile, appeared lost. Although she was Shanshan's mother, she had never encountered such a situation before. She had no idea where to start or even where to find a lawyer.

It was then that Cao Kun spoke up. "Shanshan, please stop crying. We definitely need a lawyer, and I don't believe Uncle Wang would commit murder either. But before that, I think there are more urgent matters to attend to."

Shanshan stopped crying at his words, and Bai Jing turned to look at Cao Kun. Could there really be anything more important than hiring a lawyer right now?

Facing their expectant gazes, Cao Kun explained, "Because the evidence for Uncle Wang’s crime is essentially solid, you two need to move out as soon as possible and come to my place. You certainly cannot return to your home in the near future."

Bai Jing gasped as the implication sank in. "Xiao Kun, are you saying the victim's family might retaliate against us?"

"It’s not impossible," Cao Kun nodded solemnly. "Having just lost a loved one, the family’s emotions will be volatile. There’s no guarantee they won’t vent their rage on you, and since you and Shanshan are women, you are vulnerable. We cannot gamble on their rationality or restraint. We must take precautions and prepare for the worst."

Looking into Cao Kun's serious eyes, Bai Jing nodded firmly. She turned to Shanshan and said, "Shanshan, Xiao Kun is right. Your father is already in custody, and his case won’t be resolved anytime soon. Whether we hire a lawyer today or tomorrow makes little difference. The immediate priority is to move." She paused, her voice trembling, "Your father is already in trouble; if something were to happen to you, I wouldn't be able to go on. We can't take that risk."

Though grief-stricken, Shanshan had not lost her senses. She agreed that Cao Kun’s reasoning was sound; if the victim's family targeted them, the two of them would be powerless to resist. Wiping her reddened eyes, she choked out, "Okay, then... let’s move."

***

Four o'clock in the afternoon.

After a long day of work, Cao Kun, Bai Jing, and Shanshan finally finished moving. They hadn’t brought everything—just clothes, cosmetics, and precious jewelry. Even so, these items filled Cao Kun’s small two-bedroom apartment to the brim.

"Aunt Bai, come here for a moment. I need to talk to you." While Shanshan was busy organizing their things, Cao Kun stood at his bedroom door and called out to Bai Jing.

Bai Jing glanced at him, left Shanshan to continue, and walked over. Shanshan assumed they were just discussing the lawyer and thought nothing of it. Once Bai Jing entered the room, Cao Kun locked the door behind her.

"Xiao Kun, what is it?" she asked, finding nothing strange about his behavior.

Cao Kun remained silent for a few seconds, then frowned and lit a cigarette. "Aunt Bai, I’m feeling so conflicted and torn."

Bai Jing was taken aback. What did he mean? She sat down beside him and asked tentatively, "What happened? It’s alright, tell me."

Cao Kun looked her in the eye. "Aunt Bai, do you really not know why Uncle Wang was driven to commit murder?"

Bai Jing stared at him, stunned. She shook her head. "I don't. Should I know?"

"You..." Cao Kun was speechless. He lowered his voice. "It’s all because of you, Aunt Bai. The reason Uncle Wang ended up this way is entirely your fault!"

"What?" Bai Jing’s eyes widened. "Xiao Kun, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't just say whatever you want. What does Wang Yifu’s crime have to do with me? Are you suggesting I ordered him to kill someone?"

Cao Kun took a few drags of his cigarette, his brow furrowed. "Even if you didn't order it, it was certainly triggered by you."

"Triggered by me?" Bai Jing looked at him in disbelief.

Cao Kun nodded heavily. "I went to drink with Uncle Wang yesterday. He told me why he suddenly turned on you: you cheated on him!"

Bai Jing’s eyes widened again. "I cheated?"

Cao Kun didn't answer. He opened his phone, found a video, and handed it to her. The moment Bai Jing saw the video, her expression froze. As the clip played, she watched, breathless. When it finally ended, she stared at the phone, swallowing hard. "So, Wang Yifu saw this video and turned into a madman?"

"When Uncle Wang gave me this video yesterday," Cao Kun continued, "he told me I must show it to Shanshan. He wanted her to know that it wasn't her father's fault, but her mother's. But when I got back yesterday, I couldn't bear to tell her, so I chose to hide it for a while. Yet, I never imagined that in just one night, Uncle Wang would go down this path of no return. Do you know who he killed?"

Bai Jing shook her head.

"It was the man with the yellow hair from the video."

Bai Jing gasped in horror. "Him?"

Cao Kun nodded firmly. "I caught a glimpse of Uncle Wang's file at the police station today. The victim is indeed that man. That’s why I’m so conflicted, Aunt Bai. I don't know if I should tell Shanshan the truth. Given her personality, if she finds out that you are the reason her father ruined his life, she will never forgive you. But the thought of keeping this secret from her... it’s tearing me apart."