Chapter 471: The Killer’s Confession

Song Yuwen’s mother glared at Mrs. Song, demanding, “Did you really kill my son? Give me back my son! Give me back my son!” She lunged forward, seemingly ready to exact revenge.

Chen Shi quickly stepped between the two families to prevent any physical altercation. Mrs. Song broke down, screaming, “You want me to give you back your son? Then who will give me back my daughter? Your son’s death is retribution—an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, blood for blood. I don’t regret killing him at all!”

Song Yuwen’s mother wailed even louder, and the rest of the relatives started crying as well. Only Chen Shi and Lin Dongxue remained composed, being the outsiders in this scenario. Chen Shi had anticipated Mrs. Song’s confession. Under such immense pressure and after years of deceit, admitting the truth must have felt like a relief for her.

Taking the tissue Lin Dongxue handed her, Mrs. Song wiped her tears and addressed Song Yuwen’s parents. “Do you know what your son did to my daughter twelve years ago? She was only thirteen! We were so busy we didn’t notice anything was wrong with her. One day, I came home to find her lying in the bathroom with her right hand submerged in a basin of water, the water completely red with blood. Her face was as white as a sheet…

“She left us a note saying she didn’t know how to face us after what happened, didn’t know how to face our relatives, and could only escape through death.” Mrs. Song’s tears flowed freely again. “That night, my husband and I cried for hours over our daughter. We blamed each other and argued about what to do. He even suggested taking legal action. But how? Our daughter committed suicide. Could we accuse Song Yuwen of rape? Would the court believe us based on a single note? If the truth got out, our daughter’s reputation would be ruined, and it wouldn’t affect your family at all… And how would we interact with our relatives after that?

“Moreover, your family had helped us so much. You lent us money to buy a house without asking for interest. You helped pay for my mother’s surgery. You supported us with your old clothes, food, and other necessities. We could never repay your kindness. On the day my daughter committed suicide, you even called me over to your house to give me some extra food you couldn’t finish. While my daughter was bleeding out in the bathroom, I was sitting in your yard peeling chestnuts. If only I had come home sooner…”

Mrs. Song buried her face in her hands. The room was silent except for her sobs. Then she continued, “Every time you helped us or when we begged for your help, I hated myself for being so useless. I hated being born into a poor family. But what could I do? I spent my life flattering and pleasing others. After my daughter’s death, we couldn’t even hold a proper funeral. How could we explain her death? If people knew the truth, they’d call us ungrateful. So we started lying, one lie after another, until we said she was studying abroad. For ten years, I kept up this charade, even though my daughter was dead. Why was I doing this? Who was I trying to protect? Was it the people who caused her death?”

Mrs. Song pointed accusingly at Song Yuwen’s father, who looked devastated. Then she withdrew her hand and said, “I’m sorry. It wasn’t you. It was Song Yuwen… No, no one killed her. She took her own life. For ten years, I’ve been haunted by her memory. My husband fell ill from the stress. Our home is no longer a home. I dream of her often. In my dreams, she’s still thirteen, bright and cheerful.

“I was at my breaking point when a gun appeared at my door. I thought someone was secretly helping me, someone kind-hearted. It was a real gun, with a silencer. I tested it by shooting a dog. One shot, and it was dead. I thought, after twelve years, no one but my husband knew the truth. I could kill him and no one would find out. The police aren’t omnipotent. How would they trace it back to me?

“Originally, I planned to kill him that day, but I didn’t manage to. Yuqiang came, and it gave me time to think. There were cameras and guards in the neighborhood. If I got caught on camera, the police would come after me. I thought about it for a long time and even dreamt of my daughter showing me a sewer route that avoided the cameras. Early in the morning, I checked it out. Sure enough, there was a sewer. I asked my daughter if I should kill him, and she said yes. She said he had enjoyed twelve years of freedom, but now it was time for him to pay. It was near his birthday, the perfect time for revenge.

“My daughter also told me she hated seeing me groveling to your family and being so restrained at your house. She said I should kill him on her behalf. She even guided my hand when I shot Yuqiang. When the police came, she told me what to say to deflect suspicion. Right now, she’s here, standing right behind you!”

Mrs. Song pointed ahead, her tear-streaked face twisted into a deranged smile. Everyone turned to look, but there was nothing there but air.