I paused this novel during a difficult time because the story felt too overwhelming. ? I’m sorry for keeping you waiting. I’ve started working on it again and promise to see it through. ? Thank you for your patience and support. ❤️

Chapter 41: He ‘Surrendered’ Himself

**Some things, even if you know deep down they may hurt others,still must be done by someone.

In Jiang Qi’s memory, the night Jiang Quan died was the shortest night of darkness.

Daylight seemed to come especially quickly, and before long, sunlight was already streaming through the window.

That was the most satisfying night in Jiang Qi’s heart.

He watched as Jiang Quan’s body gradually cooled down, the smile at the corner of his lips barely there. The dried blood clung to his slender fingers, playing with the knife in his hand.

Before long, the police arrived.

He ‘surrendered’ himself.

Inside the police station, Jiang Qi was like a mute gourd.

Whatever the police officer questioning him asked, he just nodded, looking soulless, like a puppet on strings.

It wasn’t until the police asked, “Why did you kill him?” that the boy hesitated for a moment, the light in his eyes dimming.

But after a moment of silence, he still raised his head, his voice slightly hoarse, saying, “He was the one who tried to kill me first.”

The few officers in the room were momentarily speechless because the bruises and purple marks on Jiang Qi’s neck, along with the numerous wounds on his body, were clear and obvious.

Logically, this case shouldn’t have been complicated after Jiang Qi’s confession. It should have been easily closed. But the forensic examination revealed a critical doubt — the wound on the deceased Jiang Quan was on his back.

According to the police and forensic experts’ reconstruction, Jiang Qi had been restrained and abused by Jiang Quan from the front. So how could he have stabbed someone from behind? The human arm simply can’t perform such a twisted movement.

But despite several rounds of questioning, asking if there were any other suspicious people involved, Jiang Qi only repeated one sentence: He was the one who killed him.

“No one else.” The boy lowered his eyes. “It was just me.”

Motive, fingerprints on the weapon, surrender, and an open confession — all the evidence was ironclad. The police could only close the case.

But why was Jiang Quan’s fatal wound on his back? And the messy footprints scattered on the ground after the fight remained an unsolved mystery.

The forensic examination of Jiang Qi’s injuries revealed a mix of old and new wounds, countless in number, some even dating back several years. It was clear that the boy had been subjected to long-term abuse.

Moreover, Jiang Qi was a minor, and Jiang Quan had a criminal record as a repeat offender. The boy also had a hospital-issued diagnosis of a mental disorder. In the end, with his lawyer’s defense, Jiang Qi was sentenced to three years in prison for ‘excessive self-defense leading to death.’

The ‘crime’ he committed was not severe, and with good behavior, he could have his sentence reduced.

But his actions in prison later made it fortunate that his sentence wasn’t increased — all thanks to the excuse of being a ‘minor.’

Everyone in this world thought Jiang Qi was the murderer, but only he knew that he wasn’t the one who killed Jiang Quan.

He once thought he would take this secret to his grave, never telling a soul… but now he had told Zhi Qi.

Under the flickering light of a dilapidated house, Zhi Qi stared at Jiang Qi in shock, her voice slightly hoarse, “So… so… you didn’t commit any crime at all?”

So Jiang Qi didn’t even deserve the charge of ‘excessive self-defense,’ yet he spent three years in prison?

Zhi Qi suddenly felt a little dizzy, her mind going blank, and she even staggered slightly — fortunately, Jiang Qi caught her by the arm.

“Why?” The girl’s dark eyes stared at him, almost gritting her teeth as she asked, “Why didn’t you say you were wronged?”

Seeing Zhi Qi’s expression, Jiang Qi closed his eyes and gave a faint, bitter smile.

He knew the thing he feared most had finally happened.

Why hadn’t he ever told Zhi Qi the so-called truth? It was because he feared she would think it was too absurd, that he was too irresponsibly willful, betraying their vow.

Jiang Qi was that kind of person.

He looked at the obviously unwilling girl in front of him and said calmly, “Because there was nothing unfair about it.”

Zhi Qi was stunned.

“Even if that old man next door hadn’t come, I would have killed him.” Jiang Qi sat on the wire bed, resting his elbows on his knees, murmuring as if talking to himself, “He kept my hands clean of blood, and I served a few years in prison for him. Fair enough.”

To be honest, it was truly fair.

Who would willingly become a true ‘murderer’ by killing someone with their own hands unless pushed to the brink?

He had once been just a step away from hell, but it was that old man who pulled him back.

Jiang Qi didn’t know the surname or full name of the old man who sold rice cakes next door, but he knew the man was already over seventy years old, and now he wasn’t even sure if he was still alive. So when he surrendered and went to prison, he did so willingly.

Besides, he wasn’t exactly ‘serving time for’ the old man — he was atoning for himself.

Because when he saw Jiang Quan’s body, Jiang Qi felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction — a thought born of a demon, and he needed to pay a price for it.

“But…” Zhi Qi was still confused, her head aching and chaotic. Her fingers instinctively rubbed her temples. “But why would that old man want to kill your father?”

Jiang Qi lowered his gaze to the ground, a trace of viciousness flashing in his eyes. “Because of Nan Nan.”

That was the name the old man kept muttering as he left after killing Jiang Quan.

Jiang Qi understood the reason.

When Jiang Quan was a minor, he had been imprisoned for manslaughter during a robbery — and the victim was that old man’s daughter.

Because of his young age, Jiang Quan was sentenced to just over a decade in prison. But when he was released, he continued to indulge in drinking, gambling, and all kinds of misdeeds, living a carefree life, while the victim’s family could only live out their days in loneliness and suffering.

Jiang Qi had lived next door to the old man who sold rice cakes for more than ten years. He only knew that the old man was always silent, reclusive, and seemed to appear and disappear mysteriously.

It was by chance that he learned of the old man’s history with Jiang Quan.

For decades, the old man lived next to his sworn enemy, enduring silently, all for the sake of revenge.

That’s right, revenge — because the old man believed that the prison sentence Jiang Quan served was no real punishment. Why should someone who ruined another’s family get to live happily?

A mere ten-plus years? That was nowhere near enough.

The old man wanted Jiang Quan’s life.

Over the years, Jiang Qi had often received ‘warnings’ from the old man — for instance, that raspy cry of “Rice cakes—rice cakes—” was actually the old man’s way of telling him that Jiang Quan had returned.

That was why, the year Zhi Qi came looking for him after graduating from elementary school, he hurriedly chased her away upon hearing the old man’s warning.

For so many years, the old man had always been a benefactor to him.

Besides, revenge was a natural right, so Jiang Qi would never reveal it. He would let the old man live out his remaining years in peace, having fulfilled his wish.

After all, he was still young, still a minor who would receive a lighter sentence. Prison meant nothing to him.

The boy appeared cold and indifferent, but in reality, he was someone who deeply understood the principle of “repaying kindness a hundredfold for a single drop of help.” Perhaps because he had received too little kindness growing up, whenever someone treated him a little well, Jiang Qi always wanted to repay them tenfold.

That was why he was willing to act in “Jiao Si” for Shen Lei’s kindness in recognizing his talent.

That was why he gave money to Jiang Shi and Guan Yue after earning it.

But the only person Jiang Qi ever wronged was Zhi Qi.

The little girl was the one who treated him best in the entire world, yet he not only failed to repay her but also left her time and time again, even… leaving when he didn’t have to.

Slowly, he unveiled the mystery from years ago, revealing it in its most original, raw, and even bloody form.

The truth was like a hedgehog suddenly springing out, piercing the girl’s soft shell, leaving her covered in invisible wounds.

“Jiang Qi, what am I to you?” Zhi Qi’s eyes were tinged red, and she asked him unconsciously, “Have you ever thought about me?”

Four years ago, for her, it was just an ordinary school morning when she couldn’t see Jiang Qi. No matter how she searched, she couldn’t find him. Knowing about his mental health issues, she was terrified that he might harm himself, might not be able to think things through. The girl was anxious beyond measure.

It wasn’t until nearly a month later, after Zhi Qi’s already thin frame had lost another significant amount of weight, that she finally received news about Jiang Qi.

In the midst of ambiguous and unclear rumors, it was said that Jiang Qi had committed a crime and was imprisoned.

Of course, she didn’t believe it. As soon as she returned home, she begged Zhi Minglin, Mei Ran, and Zhi Yu to help her gather information. She even desperately sought help from Jiang Qi’s uncle and pleaded with her close classmates to help too…

But it was all in vain. Nothing worked.

Zhi Qi couldn’t see Jiang Shi, nor could she get any news about Jiang Qi.

Worse, Zhi Minglin and Mei Ran, afraid that she would be affected, forcefully transferred her to another school — No. 3 High School in the eastern district of Lin Lan, while Mei Ran transferred with her to the western district, accompanying the girl to study for her final year of high school and firmly cutting off all her connections to the outside world.

Even now, the sense of despair from that time was still vividly clear in her mind.

A person can be confused, but they cannot be helpless. But at that time, she was utterly helpless, besieged on all sides, so insignificant and powerless that even finding out a single piece of news about someone seemed as difficult as reaching the heavens.

Later, when she went to college, she grew older, a little more independent, a little more determined.

Zhi Qi found out where Jiang Shi sold vegetables, but she still couldn’t get a single word out of the silent, reserved man about where Jiang Qi was. All she learned, vaguely, was that Jiang Qi was indeed imprisoned, sentenced to three years.

It was only then that she finally, somewhat reluctantly, let go.

But letting go didn’t mean despair. Instead, she felt as if she now had a clear ‘hope.’

It was just three years, right? By then, one year had already passed. For the remaining time, she just had to wait.

Waiting wasn’t frightening. What was frightening was not knowing if the wait was worth it.

Yet it was only today that Zhi Qi’s unwavering ‘belief’ finally began to waver.

It turned out that Jiang Qi didn’t have to go to prison back then, didn’t have to be separated from her. But he left without even a word, just like when he had decisively walked away at the age of thirteen… So what was she to him?

“It’s me who wronged you.” Jiang Qi’s gaze shifted, avoiding her question. His Adam’s apple moved slightly, and his pale eyes were clouded. “Qiqi, you can break the promise.”

Although every time he felt like he couldn’t hold on any longer, the girl had always been his spiritual support, he wasn’t worthy of her.

The childish promise they made when they were young was always shallow and foolish, and he had let her down.

So, he would keep his promise — in this life, he would only love this little girl… But Zhi Qi could break her promise now.

Jiang Qi felt like someone who deserved to be punished, just like his name, his life was a mistake.

And if the girl were to become completely disappointed in him, that would be the cruelest ‘punishment’ of all.

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