Chapter 16 — I Overturned My Own Sentence

Reporter. News channel. Old classmate. Even strangers I never knew. I didn't receive any calls. Except for one. By Liu Sisi.

“Liu Sisi.”

“I… I also want to confess.”

"It's late."

I replied coldly.

"Phuong Tieu Linh has told her entire story."

"The prosecutor will come soon. You just need to wait."

“Lam Van… sorry… that year I…”

“How much money did Tran Duyet give you that year?”

The other end of the line was silent.

“Five thousand yuan.”

I laughed softly.

“When you stuffed the cheating device into my uniform pocket…”

“What is on your mind?”

“Think that with fifty thousand your family will be able to change to a new car, right?”

Liu Si Si burst into tears. I hung up. Everyone is saying sorry. Phuong Tieu Linh apologized. Liu Si Si apologized. Truong Vy also apologized. But my mother's life... Those late nights facing four iron walls, that fear, loneliness and despair... Who can pay? No one can pay. I turned off the phone and walked to the window. At night, Hac Thanh is still brightly lit. Three years ago, when I was taken out of this city, I was still wearing my school uniform, and my pocket was stuffed with equipment that did not belong to me. Three years later… I stand here. In front of us is a giant chess game that has come to an end. I only won half of it. The other half… On the court. The date the retrial reopens. The auditorium was empty. The media rushed to report the news. Reporters stood tightly in front of the court gate. I put on that black suit, tied my hair up, and walked step by step into the courtroom. Opposite me is the prosecutor. Next to him is Ton Minh. And on the defendant's bench— It's Tran Duyet. Three years ago, in that trial, I was the defendant. And she sat in the audience, watching me being sentenced. Three years later… The position has reversed. Tran Duyet was much more haggard than the day he was at the chamber of commerce banquet. No more well-groomed wavy hair. No more Patek Philippe watches. No more that arrogant red dress. She was wearing a gray detention camp outfit, her face completely bare. The trial begins. The prosecutor presented the entire development of the case. Truong Vy appeared as a witness. She stood on the witness stand, her voice very low. But every word is clear.

“At the end of May 2019, Tran Duyet contacted me through an intermediary.”

"She gave me twenty thousand yuan and asked me to use Lam Van's exam notice and ID to take the exam for her."

“She said Lam Van herself knew about it…”

"Then I was arrested. The Tran family's lawyer came to the detention center and told me to confirm that Lam Van paid for me."

Next is Phuong Tieu Linh.

"Tran Duyet told me to take advantage of Lam Van's sleep to take the exam notice and ID from her bag."

“After that, Tran Duyet promised to help me arrange my work.”

Liu Si Si did not appear in court. But her written statement was read at trial.

"Tran Duyet gave me fifty thousand yuan and told me to put the cheating device in Lam Van's uniform pocket on the morning of the college exam."

Three statements. Both refer to the same person. Tran Duyet's lawyer stood up to defend.

“These statements were all collected after three years, witness memories are likely to be biased.”

"Furthermore, Phuong Tieu Linh and Liu Tu Tu were also accomplices, so they had a motive to reduce their own responsibility..."

Ton Minh stood up.

“About the validity and reliability of the evidence just…”

“We also have decisive evidence.”

He handed a stack of documents to the judge.

“This is the June 2019 financial profile of Hoa Kien Real Estate.”

"There was an expense of twenty thousand yuan, the recipient was Truong Vy's personal account."

“The person who approved this payment…”

“It's Tran Kien Hoa himself.”

He turned to the next page.

“At the same time, we also obtained the exit report of Hac Thanh Police dated June 6, 2019.”

“According to records, the denunciation call was made at nine to three in the morning.”

“The complaint phone number after verification…”

“Registered in the name of Hua Jian's administrative department.”

The whole auditorium was buzzing. The denunciation call... Was made by Hoa Kien. In other words— The Tran family has set a trap for themselves. Then call and report the case yourself. Tran Duyet clenched his fists on the defendant's chair. The judge looked at her.

“Defendant Tran Duyet, do you have any opinion on the above evidence?”

Tran Duyet bit his lip. Not a word was said. She slowly raised her head. There was hatred in those eyes. There is unwillingness. But more than anything... It's the despair of someone who has no way back.

“I plead not guilty.”

The judge nodded.

“The trial is temporarily over.”

“The sentencing date will be announced later.”

When I walked out of the courthouse, I stood on the steps for a long time. The sunshine today is very beautiful. Ton Minh walked next to me.

“There is almost no doubt about this case.”

“The court will annul the old sentence and restore your innocence.”

“Then there is national compensation…”

“Let's talk about compensation later.”

I said softly.

“What do you want to do now?”

“Go see my mother.”

It was three o'clock in the afternoon when I arrived at the cemetery. The last bouquet of wildflowers I placed in front of the grave has withered. I picked another bunch and placed it in front of the stone stele.

“Almost done.”

I squatted in front of the grave, my fingertips gently caressing the three words "Truong Tu Lan" on the stele.