DF Chapter 39

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That was the first time they realized what true darkness was. Sometimes, the inability to seek justice was more crushing than the injustice itself.

It was the final straw that broke the camel’s back. The once optimistic, kind, self-reliant, and confident older sister was gone. Tang Shang would cry under the covers, lashing out hysterically at anyone who came near her. Only Wu Zhe could calm her down. That’s when they found the lawyer, Zhen Yi. She agreed to take on their case and did a remarkable job—gathering evidence, tracking down leads, convincing witnesses, and interrogating the defendant. She did it all flawlessly.

But then, the media began their relentless pursuit, claiming to expose the darkness while ruthlessly digging into the Tang family’s privacy and sensationalizing the tragedy.

Zhen Yi had said, “They aren’t righteous journalists; they’re parasites who feed on the suffering of victims.”

Each time they were harassed, the wounds were reopened, bleeding afresh.

Zhen Yi stayed with Tang Shang 24/7, confiscating her phone and forbidding her from interacting with the media, telling her that she didn’t need to answer to anyone. Tang Yu knew Zhen Yi was handling an overwhelming amount of work while also trying to keep Tang Shang’s spirits up. It was exhausting. But Zhen Yi was a remarkable woman, managing to eat heartily through it all, saying that staying strong was the only way to survive.

Those days were tense and filled with pressure, but there was a small glimmer of hope. They clung tightly to that ray of light, slowly tearing it open bit by bit.

After the first trial, victory seemed within reach. But one day, whether due to internet trolls or the public’s boredom with the prolonged coverage, people stopped condemning Lin Ziyi and instead turned their focus to “exposing the real Tang Shang.” So-called “insiders” came forward, accusing Tang Shang of using every dirty trick to climb to the top, seducing rich and powerful men to indulge in SM games.

These people, often overlooked in their daily lives, relished the false sense of superiority that came with the attention they received online.

Tang Yu was so furious she nearly coughed up blood, wanting to sue the slanderers. But Tang Shang remained eerily calm, as if nothing had happened.

Before the second trial, the defendant found witnesses—“friends” of Tang Shang, models from the lower echelons. Zhen Yi and the prosecutor had already planned how to cross-examine them, but the opposing lawyer was likely to attack from the angle of “consent.” Zhen Yi wanted to run through the simulation with Tang Shang. They made plans, but Tang Shang never showed up.

By the time Tang Yu reached the hospital, Tang Shang’s body was shattered. She had jumped from such a high building.

Wu Zhe was covered in Tang Shang’s blood, cradling her broken body, mumbling incoherently, holding on to her like a patchwork doll. No matter how hard the doctors tried, they couldn’t pry her from his grip. Tang Yu vomited in the hallway until there was nothing left but stomach acid, and her tears flowed uncontrollably.

A few days later, Zhen Yi received an invitation from the defendant’s lawyer to negotiate. She refused, wanting to continue the fight for Tang Shang. But Tang Yu opposed it—she needed the money. They had a fierce argument, and in the end, Zhen Yi gave in.

After getting the money for her parents, Tang Yu’s hatred didn’t diminish in the slightest. Standing by Tang Shang’s grave, Song Yi’s words, “You chose money, I chose to pay with my life,” united them.

Song Yi was a smart killer. The moment Tang Shang died, she had already decided to kill Lin Ziyi and meticulously planned it out.

She told them that Wu Zhe, as Tang Shang’s boyfriend, would be the first suspect, so she used the “Room 31” from her movie to mess with his mind, making people believe he had been at the scene. Tang Yu worried about Wu Zhe, but Song Yi assured her that he would be safely locked away in the psychiatric hospital, unable to commit the murder and therefore safe from danger. With his illness, even if the police tried to frame him, he wouldn’t be convicted.

Song Yi’s plan was brilliant. She tricked the police into wasting valuable time investigating whether Wu Zhe was faking his illness or had escaped from the psychiatric hospital. She had the authorities running in circles.

Song Yi also said she wouldn’t scout Ecstasy herself to avoid suspicion and needed Tang Yu’s help. Tang Yu provided all the information about Ecstasy. Suo Lei wasn’t informed in advance.

On the day of the murder, Tang Yu, disguised as a waitress, drugged Lin Ziyi’s drink. He wouldn’t suspect a waitress serving him alcohol. She seduced him into going upstairs. Then, Song Yi followed. Song Yi intentionally passed by the surveillance cameras, ensuring that she would be seen.

As for Tang Yu, she didn’t just want to assist Song Yi; she wanted to personally take part in the revenge.

After Song Yi went upstairs, Tang Yu sneaked out to the club’s back entrance and climbed the fire escape, intending to enter through the emergency door. She had stolen the key from Suo Lei’s place. She knew the surveillance on the emergency door was only turned on once a week, on Mondays, so by altering the date on the footage, they could make it look like it was recording seven days a week.

Just as she inserted the key into the lock, someone grabbed her. It was Suo Lei. He had seen her flirting with Lin Ziyi in her waitress disguise and felt something was off. When he saw her sneaking up the fire escape, he quickly figured it out.

“Xiao Yu, what are you doing?” He tried to take the key from her, but she roughly pushed him away.

“What do you think? I’m going to kill him!”

“Xiao Yu!” He desperately tried to stop her. “Even if you kill him, it won’t bring Tang Shang back.”

“Yeah, she won’t come back,” she said with a bitter laugh. “Does that mean the pain of losing her has no meaning? Suo Lei, when I found out what Tang Shang went through, I wanted to kill Lin Ziyi that very moment. You told me to wait, that someone would bring him to justice, and I listened. I waited.”

Her eyes were full of tears, her sorrow cutting through the darkness of the night. “And what did I get? Tang Shang is dead, and Lin Ziyi walks free. There are rumors everywhere, even calling her a high-end prostitute trying to rise to the top.”

“I…” She clung to the door, retching with disgust. “Just thinking about the humiliation Tang Shang suffered—just one mention of it in the papers—and I want to die.”

The night wind howled, whipping her long hair into a frenzy. “I try not to think about it, but the thoughts are always there, tangled in my mind. They tied Wu Zhe up and made him watch. Do you know how much that must have broken her heart? Those beasts made him watch!”

She screamed, staring at him with wild eyes. “What do you think was going through Tang Shang’s mind when she jumped from the 51st floor? How could she have jumped from so high?”

Tears welled up in Suo Lei’s eyes as he hugged her tightly. “Xiao Yu, throwing your life away to kill him isn’t worth it.”

“Suo Lei…” She tried to hold back her sobs, her voice choked with emotion. “It’s not your sister. You wouldn’t understand the pain.”

“No one will ever care about your sister the way you do.” She clutched her chest, as if trying to tear her heart out. “People mock her, pity her, and then move on. They forget. But I can’t forget! The pain only gets worse with every day that Lin Ziyi and those beasts are alive! No matter how much you sympathize, how much you try to understand, you can never feel the pain I feel!”

“The situation is simple. Either he dies, or I do,” her tear-streaked face twisted with bitterness and venom. “It’s not about whether it’s worth it. Nothing matters if he’s alive. I just want to give my sister justice.”

She turned the key and opened the emergency door, just in time to see Lin Ziyi, naked and covered in stab wounds, staggering out of Room 36. His body was horrifyingly mutilated, blood pouring from between his legs as he desperately tried to crawl toward the end of the hallway.

Song Yi had changed into the waitress uniform Tang Yu had prepared for her. Her expression was cold and ruthless.

Lin Ziyi tried to run, but Tang Yu kicked him into Room 31 with a cold expression. She went to grab a knife to finish him herself, but Song Yi was faster. She yanked Lin Ziyi’s head back and slit his throat with one swift motion, saying, “Tang Shang wouldn’t want you to become a murderer.”

They dragged the carpet out of the hallway, tossed Lin Ziyi onto the bed, tying his body into the most humiliating position. Tang Yu, still furious, severed the arteries in his wrists and legs, letting the blood pour onto the sheets before finally leaving.

Song Yi changed her clothes while Tang Yu confronted Suo Lei. She smiled bitterly, “I’m Song Yi’s accomplice. If you want to report me, go ahead.” With that, she went to clean up the blood in Room 36. Suo Lei stopped her, “Go downstairs. I’ll handle this. You’ve been gone from the bar for too long. People will start to get suspicious.”

Tang Yu was stunned, her vision blurred with tears once more.

Suo Lei sighed helplessly. “I told you, throwing your life away for someone like him isn’t worth it, especially not you.”

Now that Lin Ziyi was dead, all the hatred and resentment that had burned so fiercely for so long vanished, leaving only sorrowful memories of Tang Shang and Song Yi. Standing in front of Song Yi’s photograph, Tang Yu felt grateful—grateful that Suo Lei had stopped her, grateful that Song Yi had saved her. Grateful that she hadn’t been consumed by the black vortex that had lasted nearly half a year.

The lilies in her hand, wet with rain, looked even more beautiful. She bent down and placed the bouquet among Song Yi’s flowers, whispering softly, “Song Yi, thank you. I will live well.”

Before the words left her lips, a gust of wind blew, scattering the colorful petals into the air, as if someone was responding, as if someone was saying goodbye.

Someone once said that on the seventh day, the soul returns home and finally rests in peace.

In that moment, tears streamed down her face.

But who would ever know that in her final moments, Song Yi had softly said to Zhen Yi over the phone, “I like you, I…”

Who would ever know that she had wanted to say “love” but before the word could leave her lips, a powerful, unstoppable force overwhelmed her, both behind her and in her heart…

And who would ever know that in the moment she fell, she had wanted to cry: I’m sorry, Zhen Yi. I’m sorry for jumping in front of you. I’m sorry for leaving a scar on your heart. I’m sorry that I’ll never have the chance to explain…