Chapter 4 — My Alibi

In this lifetime, when the timeline failed to align, he still had the audacity to utter those nonchalant words, "Perhaps it was someone else"? I stared straight at him, the corners of my mouth curving into a bitter, derisive sneer.

Tran Tieu, if my memory serves me correctly, today it was your childhood sweetheart, Lieu Thanh Thanh, who actively volunteered to drive the children, wasn’t it? Even Officer Truong was scolded by her simply for taking the same route home.

My gaze grew piercingly cold.

Now that a disaster has occurred, you shift the blame entirely onto my shoulders and expect me to serve as your scapegoat?

Were you perhaps not expecting this? I deliberately crashed into the traffic signal precisely to deny you that opportunity.

Tran Tieu’s expression shifted instantly, his eyes locked onto me in disbelief.

You, you did this on purpose?

I remained silent. Officer Jiang turned his attention toward Lieu Thanh Thanh.

Was it you who was driving the school shuttle involved in the accident with license plate number 33889?

Lieu Thanh Thanh’s entire body began to tremble violently.

It wasn’t me...

She shook her head frantically, her voice rising to a shrill shriek like fingernails scraping across glass.

I am merely a teacher; I have no qualification whatsoever to drive the student shuttle. It was Lam Vi who framed me, she is the one who caused the accident!

She has harbored a deep grudge because she saw how close Mr. Tieu and I are. Are there not witnesses? An An saw with her own eyes that Lam Vi was the one driving the vehicle!

Tran Tieu grasped at this immediately like a drowning man clutching a straw, a spark of hope reigniting in his eyes.

That is correct, there is a witness! An An saw it, Lam Vi was the one driving!

Officer Jiang lowered his gaze to the transcript, speaking in a low, solemn tone.

Very well, summon the witness immediately.

An An was the only child among the four who had her seatbelt fastened and was seated in the back, resulting in only minor injuries. When she walked in, her tiny frame bore traces of dried blood, her complexion deathly pale, and her eyes hollow as if her soul had been frightened out of her. Upon catching sight of Tran Tieu and Lieu Thanh Thanh, her eyes darted away, and she hurriedly lowered her head. Officer Jiang squatted down before her, softening his tone as much as possible, yet An An could not stop trembling, tears streaming down her face in unbroken chains.

An An, do not be afraid; Uncle is merely going to ask you a few questions. Are you certain that the person driving the car today was Principal Lam?

An An cast a timid glance in my direction before quickly lowering her head once more, her voice no louder than a mosquito’s buzz. Yes... Lieu Thanh Thanh and Tran Tieu instantly exhaled in collective relief. I looked at the child calmly, an indescribably complex storm of emotions churning within my chest. In the past life, it was this very same child who insisted with unyielding certainty that I was the driver. No matter how gently I coaxed her or how passionately I questioned her, she refused to budge from her claim that it was me. In the end, her testimony became the pivotal evidence used to convict me. I was sentenced to twenty years and ordered to pay three million seven hundred thousand yuan in restitution. Tran Tieu filed for a division of our assets, and my parents had to sell our home and borrow money from every relative and acquaintance they knew just to scrape together the settlement. Yet, I had never once wronged this child. An An’s family background was difficult, and upon her entry to the school, I personally assisted her in applying for exemptions for every single fee possible. When she was routinely isolated by the other children, it was I who repeatedly took her by the hand and integrated her into the group so she could slowly fit in. There was once when she fell ill, and her parents were entirely consumed by work and unable to leave; it was I who carried her upon my back all the way to the hospital and kept vigil by her side through the entire night. When An An’s mother finally rushed in and thrust a handful of crumpled, sweat-drenched bills at me for the medical fees, I refused to take them. As I departed, I quietly slipped a thousand yuan into the pocket of An An’s jacket. Overwhelmed with gratitude, An An’s mother seized my hands and declared, Principal Lam, you are truly a wonderful person; it is my daughter’s greatest blessing to have crossed paths with you. Yet now, the very child whom she claimed was so blessed was using the faintest of whispers to frame the person who had once shown her such profound kindness.

An An, look at me.

I dropped into a squat, my voice carrying a calmness that startled even myself.

Tell Uncle the police officer, was I truly the one driving the car?

An An stared at me, then suddenly burst into tears with a loud wail. An An’s mother hurriedly pulled the child into her arms, shoving me away with all her might.

What are you trying to do? The child has already stated it repeatedly, it was you. You have committed a guilty deed, do not come here and pressure my daughter!

Lieu Thanh Thanh rushed forward as well, shielding An An with her body while her tone dripped with a smug sense of triumph.

Lam Vi, enough is enough. Look at what you have reduced this child to with your intimidation! Children do not lie; you were the one driving, so confess already.

I was shoved backward onto the ground, my palms scraping against the concrete floor with a piercing ache. Tran Tieu stepped forward, looming over me from above without the slightest intention of offering a hand to help me up.

Lam Vi, stop fighting a lost cause.

His voice was gentle, yet it felt like a blade plunging directly into my heart.

Just confess; it is better for you, and better for everyone. No matter how many years you are sentenced to, I will wait for you to be released. You must redeem yourself for the wrongs you have committed.

Wait for me to be released? In my past life, it was precisely these words of his that deceived me into willingly pleading guilty. Yet the moment I stepped foot inside the prison gates, he immediately filed for divorce. Less than a month later, he married Lieu Thanh Thanh and moved straight into my home. In this lifetime, I would never fall for his demonic lies again. Slowly, I pushed myself up from the ground, brushed the dust from my hands, and cast a gaze past Tran Tieu directly onto An An’s mother.