Chapter 62: Blindly
Yao Zhao sat on the sofa. Hearing a noise behind her, she turned and instinctively tried to stand up. You Ruxu said, “Sit.”
She obediently sat back down.
Her hands gripped the edges of her pants, her head lowered, her expression anxious. This wasn’t the first time she had defied her stepfather, but it was the first time she had made such a big fuss, involving the police and reporters, people she had always considered untouchable, yet now they were right here beside her.
Yao Zhao’s heart pounded in her chest.
She kept her head down.
Zhou Tianzui said, “Come to the hospital tomorrow for an injury assessment.”
You Ruxu was surprised: “Didn’t she already have one?”
Yao Zhao nodded, “I did.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “You had it done at the clinic, their equipment isn’t as comprehensive. If you want to sue your stepfather, it’s best to have another one done.”
Yao Zhao looked at You Ruxu.
You Ruxu said, “Alright, I’ll accompany you after school tomorrow?”
Yao Zhao gave a small “mm-hmm,” her fingers twisting together nervously. Her face was pale, her lips bloodless, the telltale signs of long-term malnutrition. You Ruxu asked, “Have you had dinner yet?”
Yao Zhao said, “Not yet.”
You Ruxu said, “I’ll make something.”
She looked at Zhou Tianzui.
Zhou Tianzui said, “What about me?”
You Ruxu smiled, a slight parting of her lips.
She went to the kitchen. Zhou Tianzui stayed with Yao Zhao, asking, “Going out with your friends this weekend?”
Yao Zhao shook her head.
Zhou Tianzui glanced at her, handed her the TV remote, and said, “I’ll go wash some fruit.”
Yao Zhao took the remote, but didn’t dare change the channel. When Zhou Tianzui returned with two apples, it was still the same channel, the evening news. Zhou Tianzui handed an apple to Yao Zhao and said, “You’re very brave.”
Yao Zhao froze, looking at Zhou Tianzui.
She didn’t dare look Zhou Tianzui in the eye. It felt different from You Ruxu. She was afraid of Zhou Tianzui, afraid of her profession, her eyes, everything about her. Talking to her, Yao Zhao had to force herself to focus, not daring to relax for even a moment.
She knew she wasn’t brave at all.
So, hearing Zhou Tianzui’s words, her first reaction wasn’t gratitude or being moved, but shame. She lowered her head and took a bite of the apple, “No, I’m not brave.”
The apple was crisp and sweet, its juice filling her mouth. Zhou Tianzui said, “You are brave, many girls your age would just endure it in silence.”
Yao Zhao chewed on the apple.
Zhou Tianzui asked, “Are you still in contact with your mother?”
Yao Zhao’s chewing paused. She shook her head, “No.”
She had searched everywhere, made countless calls, but there was no trace of her mother. Sometimes, she hated her mother for abandoning her, just leaving her like that. Sometimes, she told herself that her mother had struggled to raise her for so many years, that she must have left because she couldn’t take it anymore, that she shouldn’t look for her, shouldn’t disturb her.
Her thoughts were a constant battle.
Zhou Tianzui said, “Have you thought about what you’ll do after this?”
Yao Zhao said, “I have.”
Worst case scenario, she would live alone. She was almost an adult, she could be independent. She wasn’t afraid, even preferred living alone. Zhou Tianzui nodded, hearing noises from the kitchen, “Reporter You is very professional, if you have any questions, you can tell her, she’ll help you.”
Yao Zhao said, “Okay.”
She looked at Zhou Tianzui timidly and said, “Thank you.”
“Thank you both.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “You’re welcome.”
“Don’t worry about the hospital checkup tomorrow, my colleagues are very nice.”
Yao Zhao swallowed the apple, not yet fully chewed, her throat scratching slightly, but she didn’t mind, “I understand.”
Zhou Tianzui continued, “I saw your previous injury assessment report in Reporter You’s files, you have many injuries, some quite old, is that right?”
Yao Zhao said, “I was afraid to tell anyone at first.”
Zhou Tianzui paused: “The injury on your waist, what caused that?”
Yao Zhao followed her gaze and looked down. After talking to Zhou Tianzui for about ten minutes, she wasn’t as nervous anymore, her face regaining some color. Seeing Zhou Tianzui’s curiosity, she didn’t hesitate, “I don’t remember exactly.”
She said, “There was a time when he would hit me whenever he was unhappy, it was probably during that time.”
Zhou Tianzui nodded, “Dinner’s almost ready, I’ll go help.”
Yao Zhao also stood up, “I’ll help too.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “You should rest.”
Yao Zhao bit her lip and stood there. You Ruxu, just as she finished serving the soup, saw Zhou Tianzui enter. She touched Zhou Tianzui’s earlobe with her slightly burned finger and, seeing Zhou Tianzui look over, smiled, “When are you going back?”
“After dinner.” Zhou Tianzui said, “I’ll have some soup first.”
She didn’t have much of an appetite, so she poured the rice back into the pot and filled a bowl with soup. You Ruxu was always exasperated by her picky eating habits. They took the soup to the living room. You Ruxu called Yao Zhao over for dinner.
Yao Zhao was very reserved, sitting there trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. You Ruxu, seeing this, felt a pang of sympathy, placed some food in front of her, and told her to eat more.
You Ruxu asked, “Does it suit your taste?”
Yao Zhao said, “It’s delicious.”
It truly was delicious. Her mother rarely cooked, they often ordered takeout, or just had instant noodles and fried rice. There was never a shortage of instant noodles at her house. There was a time when she couldn’t even stomach those, so she learned to cook herself. Now, she was the one cooking at home. She came home late, so dinner was always late, which made the man angry.
Yao Zhao’s face paled, her shoulders slumping slightly, she continued eating.
You Ruxu said, “Let’s talk after dinner?”
Her tone was gentle. Yao Zhao’s lips moved slightly. She looked at You Ruxu and nodded.
You Ruxu smiled.
Zhou Tianzui left before finishing her meal. You Ruxu walked her downstairs and said, “I want Yao Zhao to stay here tonight.”
Zhou Tianzui frowned: “Aren’t the police coming over?”
“They are, but they didn’t say they would arrange accommodation for her.” You Ruxu said, “I want her to stay here.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “A Ran…”
“She reminds me of my mom.” You Ruxu’s voice was low, “It’s a little ridiculous, she’s just a middle school student, how could she be like my mom?”
You Ruxu and Zhou Tianzui stood downstairs, the surroundings dark, the wind cold. They were bundled up in their down jackets, walking along the stone path, their shadows elongated by the dim streetlights. You Ruxu said, “When I was young, my mom was also often beaten. There were times when she would lie in bed and look at me, and I always felt she wanted to say something.”
But she never did, just endured it, day after day.
Later, after the man started hitting her as well, her mother finally took her and left.
Zhou Tianzui said, “She’s not your mother.”
Her tone was firm and certain.
You Ruxu chuckled, “Of course I know that.”
Zhou Tianzui lowered her head.
They reached the entrance, the wind biting at their faces. Zhou Tianzui said, “Let’s go back inside, I’ll take a taxi.”
You Ruxu said, “Really don’t need me to drive you back?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “If you drive me back, I’ll have to drive you back as well, it’s too much trouble.”
You Ruxu muttered, “It’s not any trouble at all.”
Zhou Tianzui, hearing her mutter, chuckled, “What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Go back early.”
You Ruxu nodded.
She stood at the entrance while Zhou Tianzui hailed a taxi. The night was dark, the wind whipping their hair around their faces. Zhou Tianzui said, “A Ran, do you know what kind of interviews my dad used to say he was most afraid of?”
You Ruxu’s expression turned serious.
Zhou Tianzui’s calm tone as she mentioned her father was like a sudden clap of thunder, yet her demeanor was so casual, as if she was just talking about everyday matters.
You Ruxu paused for a few seconds before asking, “What kind of interviews?”
“Interviews where he had to empathize.” Zhou Tianzui said, “He used to say he was most afraid of those, empathizing. Although it could help him connect with the victims faster, it could also make him biased.”
You Ruxu pursed her lips.
Zhou Tianzui continued, “Bias can lead to mistakes.”
You Ruxu asked, “Did he ever make any mistakes?”
Zhou Tianzui, thinking of her father’s expression when he spoke to her, chuckled, “Perhaps, I don’t know.”
She only knew that these were things her father had experienced.
Perhaps, they were also things You Ruxu needed to experience.
You Ruxu gave a small “mm-hmm” and watched as Zhou Tianzui got into the taxi. She stood there for a while, then went back upstairs. Yao Zhao stood up from the sofa, her hands at her sides, looking at You Ruxu. One eye was covered with a small bandage, the other clear and bright, still carrying a hint of fear, her expression carrying the naivety and immaturity of a child her age. You Ruxu, remembering how Yao Zhao had flinched instinctively when her stepfather raised his hand, her expression softening slightly, asked, “Would you like some water?”
Yao Zhao said, “Has Dr. Zhou gone back?”
You Ruxu nodded, “Yes, you seem a little scared of her.”
Yao Zhao said, “I’ve always been afraid of doctors, since I was young.”
You Ruxu chuckled, “Why? Doctors don’t bite.”
Yao Zhao said, “But they give injections.”
Such a child. You Ruxu smiled and handed Yao Zhao a glass of water, then went into her bedroom, “You’re sleeping here tonight.”
Yao Zhao said, “Can I sleep on the sofa?”
Her tone was sincere and earnest, “The sofa is really nice and comfortable, I like sleeping on sofas.”
You Ruxu said, “No, you have school tomorrow, you need to rest properly. I’ll accompany you to the hospital after work tomorrow.”
Yao Zhao said, “I can go by myself.”
You Ruxu said, “I’ll still go with you.”
Just as Yao Zhao was about to speak, the doorbell rang. You Ruxu went to answer the door. Captain Zhou came to ask about the situation. You Ruxu excused herself and went to her room, sitting at her desk, thinking about Zhou Tianzui’s words. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, unable to type.
After a while, her phone lit up. You Ruxu looked over; it was a message from Chen Xiang.
[Teacher You, I’ve sent you tomorrow’s script.]
You Ruxu opened the document, but the words blurred into Yao Zhao’s name. She twirled her pen between her fingers, then tapped it lightly on the desk.
Once, twice, three times.
After a few minutes, as if having made up her mind, she closed the document, opened the one about Yao Zhao, and started editing.
Name: Yao Zhao.
Age: Fourteen.
Case: Long-term domestic violence.
…
Zhou Tianzui: Teacher You, I can give injections, are you scared?
You Ruxu: Scared of what? You’re not giving me an injection.
Zhou Tianzui: Maybe I should give you a few more.
You Ruxu: …
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