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墨書 Inktalez
I lifted the hammer.
In that moment, fifteen years of pain, humiliation, and despair surged within me.
"This is for my daughters," I silently told myself.
As the hammer came crashing down, I felt an unprecedented sense of liberation. It was as if something inside my heart had shattered, and yet something else had finally been set free.
Liu Jun didn’t even let out a sound before he closed his eyes forever.
I set the hammer down and looked at him calmly.
After fifteen years, I no longer had to fear him. My daughters no longer had to fear him either.
After killing Liu Jun, I didn’t run away.
I sat quietly in the living room, waiting for dawn. My two daughters were still fast asleep, unaware that our home was finally safe.
The next morning, I voluntarily went to the police station to turn myself in.
"Officer, I killed a man," I told the officer on duty.
The young officer initially didn’t believe me until he followed me back home and saw Liu Jun’s body.
The news quickly spread throughout the village.
I thought the villagers would condemn me, calling me ruthless for having taken a life. After all, I had killed someone.
However, their reactions were completely unexpected.
The first to come see me was my neighbor, Sister Wang. She took my hand and tears streamed down her face:
"Xue Ying, you’ve suffered."
"Sister Wang, I killed a man; I am a sinner," I replied.
"What sinner?" Sister Wang exclaimed passionately. "That man should have died long ago! You’ve rid us of a menace!"
Next came Uncle Li from the east side of the village. He was usually quiet, but that day he slammed his hand on the table and said:
"Liu Jun is not human! Xue Ying was forced into this!"
What shocked me even more was that even Aunt Zhang, who usually loved to gossip, spoke up for me:
"I couldn't stand it any longer! Liu Jun beat Xue Ying like that, and we all saw it!"
The elders, the young people, and even the children in the village were all speaking out for me.
"Sister Xue Ying is usually so kind; she never argues with anyone."
"It's all Liu Jun's fault; anyone would have a breaking point."
"It was about time someone took action; Xue Ying has endured for too long."
As I listened to these words, tears streamed down my face.
All these years, I thought no one cared about me or understood my pain. But in reality, everyone had been watching, knowing that I was suffering.
It was just that in those times, in the countryside, no one knew how to help a woman suffering from domestic violence.
Months later, my case went to trial.
In the courtroom, the prosecutor read the indictment: "Defendant Wang Xueying, charged with intentional homicide..."
Hearing those legal terms, I felt a strange calmness inside. I knew I had to take responsibility for my actions.
But what happened next would be etched in my memory forever.
The judge asked, "Is there anyone willing to testify for the defendant?"
I thought no one would stand up. After all, who would want to testify for a murderer?
However, suddenly a large group of people stood up in the courtroom.
Dozens of villagers had come forward, all willing to testify for me.
The first to speak was Sister Wang:
"Your Honor, I want to testify for Xue Ying. I saw Liu Jun hit her with my own eyes; it wasn't just once or twice but countless times!"
"There was one time when Liu Jun beat Xue Ying so badly that her head was bleeding and there was blood everywhere. I wanted to call the police then, but Xue Ying wouldn't let me; she was afraid it would implicate her children."
The second was Uncle Li:
"I live next door and often hear Liu Jun cursing at Xue Ying and hitting her. Every time, it was Xue Ying crying and begging for mercy."
"There were several times when I wanted to step in and mediate, but that Liu Jun was too fierce. Even as an old man, I was afraid of him."
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