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As I listened, I saw tears streaming down Wu Shuhau's mother's face. She trembled slightly, and outside the window, dark clouds had gathered, threatening a heavy rain. At that moment, I felt a similar heaviness in my heart, especially when I heard the last sentence; a chill ran through me, from the soles of my feet to the top of my head.
What does it mean to be human? Is life inherently good or bad? Are people born with a nature that is fundamentally good or evil? If you ask me, I believe in the latter. The nature of this profession exposes me to the darker side of humanity. When we are born, humans are not much different from other animals; we desire what we want and will go to great lengths to obtain it. Our only weapon at birth is our cries.
During my time working with files, I encountered numerous cases involving minors committing crimes, with the youngest being just six years old.
Over trivial matters, two thirteen or fourteen-year-old girls became enemies. One girl hid a razor blade in the texture of another girl's towel. When the girl used the towel to wipe her face, the blade cut deeply into her skin, leaving her disfigured.
Seven boys aged around ten got a girl drunk and then assaulted her. The oldest was only fourteen, while the youngest was just eleven. When the girl regained consciousness, they feared she would report them, so one boy picked up a rock and brutally killed her. When caught, the ringleader said, "We all participated; if we're caught, no one will escape responsibility. This way, no one can tell."
A six-year-old girl, fearing that her still-infant sister would take away her parents' love, quietly strangled her sister while their parents were distracted. Afterwards, she returned to her room as if nothing had happened and continued reading.
We teach children not to do this or that in hopes they will grow up to be kind and loving individuals. Yet often, many focus solely on their children's academic performance—whether they can play the piano or dance—forgetting to instill in them the most fundamental principles of being a good person. A person's kindness is far more precious than being first in an Olympiad competition!
Wu Shuhau's mother continued recounting the story from that time.
Afterwards, Zhang Zijian called for an ambulance, claiming that while playing at home, Wang Chaoyang had done something he shouldn't have and was now bleeding. He also called Wu Shuhau's mother. Throughout this process, there was not a hint of emotional fluctuation; Zhang Zijian handled everything like a little adult, methodically and calmly.
Zhang Zijian burned the DVD in the yard. When the ambulance arrived, he even got on the vehicle with the paramedics. Once at the hospital, they immediately contacted Wang Chaoyang's parents. By the time they arrived, Wang Chaoyang had already been taken into surgery.
At that time, Zhang Zijian explained to Wang Chaoyang's parents: "After school today, we all went to Wu Shuhau's house to play. In the middle of our fun, Wang Chaoyang suddenly wanted to show us something interesting. So he took off his pants and started messing around down there for everyone to see. The more he did it, the harder he pushed until suddenly he started bleeding. We were all shocked, so I quickly called for help."
Wang Chaoyang's parents were frantic and felt as if their world was collapsing. Yet through their tears, they still thanked Zhang Zijian. They had no idea that this seemingly innocent child before them was responsible for their son's condition; if they had known at that moment, who knows what might have happened to Zhang Zijian?
Fortunately, Wang Chaoyang did not face any life-threatening danger afterward; everyone breathed a sigh of relief. However, it was rumored that he might never be able to have children again. For a ten-year-old boy, he likely had no understanding of how profoundly this incident would affect him in the future.
Once Zhang Zijian left the hospital, he immediately gathered Wu Shuhau, Xu Rong, and Guo Wei together and sternly said: "None of you are allowed to say anything about this—no matter who you talk to! We all participated; it's not just my fault. If anyone says anything, we'll all go to jail!"
This incident became the deepest secret in the hearts of the four children, and they kept it to themselves, daring not to reveal it to anyone. During those days, Zhang Zijian visited Wang Chaoyang in the hospital every day. Everyone thought this child was incredibly considerate, so devoted to his classmate and concerned for him.
However, the five involved knew very well that Zhang Zijian was not being caring or supportive; he was there to monitor Wang Chaoyang. He needed to ensure that Wang Chaoyang wouldn’t disclose what had happened that day. During the times when Wang Chaoyang's parents were absent, he had been threatened by Zhang Zijian countless times.
It is hard for us to imagine what Wang Chaoyang felt during this ordeal, how much he suffered and how tormenting it was for him. Yet, Wang Chaoyang was weak and timid; he looked at Zhang Zijian's hypocritical smiling face and grew increasingly fearful. Even after being discharged from the hospital, Wang Chaoyang might never have revealed the truth about that day. After a long time had passed, Wang Chaoyang's parents never approached Zhang Zijian's family; they probably believed everything was as Zhang Zijian had described.
After this incident, the already reticent Wang Chaoyang became even more withdrawn and peculiar. He often broke down during class, shouting and crying uncontrollably, wanting to leave. The more he acted this way, the more his classmates regarded him as a fool with a problem.
The students' parents frequently complained to the teachers, saying their children mentioned there was a fool in class who often went crazy. They worried about their children's safety and unanimously agreed that Wang Chaoyang should be expelled to protect the other students. Eventually, Wang Chaoyang was taken away by his parents.
In the second half of third grade, Wang Chaoyang transferred to another school, but no one knew where.
This story ends here, leaving my emotions unsettled for a long time. It is difficult for someone who has been treated so unfairly and inhumanely to maintain a healthy mindset. But is it Wang Chaoyang's fault? Is being weak a fault? We are strong because the strong protect the weak, not bully them.
"This incident?" I tried to calm my emotions before asking, "How did you find out about it? And know so many details?"
Wu Shuhau's mother wiped her tears and replied, "When we got home, we learned about what had happened. At first, we believed everything was as Zhang Zijian said. However, later I noticed my son becoming increasingly withdrawn. He used to be an outgoing person, but during that time he became extremely silent."
"We thought that perhaps it was because we hadn’t been home for a long time that our son felt unloved and thus became quiet. But then one time I discovered this secret. If a girl writes in her diary often and locks it away, that's not surprising. But when a boy mysteriously writes something in a notebook and locks it up every time, that's quite strange."
"Moreover, with his personality becoming introverted, we wanted to know what had really happened. So after our son went to school one day, we pried open the lock and read his diary. The contents shocked us deeply; it included how our son found the DVD and everything Zhang Zijian did—how he lied to them and so on—all written in that diary."
I stared at her intently and asked, "Didn’t you report it to the police at that time?"
Wu Shuhau's mother shook her head sadly and said, "No. By then Wang Chaoyang had already transferred schools; we didn’t know where he went. My husband and I discussed it and decided that it would be better not to stir up trouble. Initially, we considered transferring Shuhao as well but thought it might lead to worse outcomes, so we dropped it."
"What about the other parents?" I rubbed my temples with my fingers and asked, "Did any of them know about this incident?"
Wu Shuhau's mother pondered for a moment before saying, "I don't know if the parents of those two girls are aware, but I do know that with Zhang Zijian's character and cunning, he definitely didn't tell his family. During the parent-teacher meeting, I subtly asked Zhang Zijian's mother about this matter, but she didn't respond. I suppose she doesn't know."
People tend to seek benefits and avoid harm. If it weren't for Wu Shuhau and Wu Jianye's incident, I might never have heard this story in my lifetime. Perhaps Zhang Zijian would have remained the well-behaved child in the teacher's eyes, while Wang Chaoyang would have lived his life branded as the "crazy" kid.
I sighed lightly and then asked seriously, "Since that's the case, do you still have contact information for the parents of the other three children or for them personally?"
"No!" Wu Shuhau's mother shook her head repeatedly. "Back then, elementary school was a five-year program under eight years of compulsory education. After Shuhao finished elementary school, we completely severed ties with everyone from that school. We wanted our son to have a new environment, a fresh start..."
I nodded and raised a finger. "One last question: do you think Wang Chaoyang could be responsible for this case?"
Wu Shuhau's mother nodded and then shook her head before saying, "I don't know. I think it could be him, but so many years have passed. But Officer, think about it: at the time of the incident, he was only ** years old. What did he understand back then? So it's normal that he didn't tell his parents."
"But as he grows older, a man loses the most important mark of being a man," Wu Shuhau's mother said softly, looking down. "He lost his ability to reproduce; he can't do such things anymore. A boy might not understand this yet, but when he grows into a man, seeking revenge on whoever did this to him becomes a very normal thing..."
"There were four children involved at that time; I've heard that Xu Rong from back then also died." Wu Shuhau's mother lifted her head. "My son and husband are also dead. No matter who did it, I just hope the police can catch the killer soon and give me an explanation for my deceased husband and son..."
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