Extra Chapter 105: Xia Anran Sentenced to Ten Years

After Wen Shuang woke, she cried hysterically for a while, then fell into an uncanny calm.

She stared blankly at her legs, encased in thick plaster.

She looked for a very long time.

Word of the accident reached the company.

They gave Wen Shuang an indefinite leave of absence.

They said that once she recovered, she would be welcome back at any time.

Feeling the legs beneath the cast, still numb and unresponsive even now, Wen Shuang knew with perfect clarity that she would never go back.

Never again.

When Tang Yan heard the news, she rushed over at once.

Seeing Wen Shuang lying in that dazed, broken state on the hospital bed, her eyes reddened despite herself.

How had this child’s life been so full of hardship from the very beginning? Her mother had died young, and she had that heartless stepmother and sister scheming against her at every turn.

Only not long ago, after Wen Fanhai was sent to prison, she had fought through countless obstacles and pleaded with everyone she could, finally clearing her name and entering the dance troupe she had always longed to join. And then, just one step away from her dream, this had happened.

Tang Yan forced back her tears. "Shuangshuang, who the hell was that bastard who hit you? I'll go dig up his ancestors this very second!"

Wen Shuang said numbly, "I don't know who it was. I didn't even see his face clearly before he slammed into me..."

Tang Yan looked at her legs wrapped in thick plaster.

She could not help choking up. "Shuangshuang, you will get better. You’ll stand onstage again. Officer Ji will stand up for you and get that damned bastard arrested!"

Wen Shuang looked out the window. By now, she could not even cry anymore. It only felt as if the world before her eyes had lost all hope in an instant.

"Even if he’s caught, so what? Can he give me back a pair of legs?"

Tang Yan burst into tears.

"Shuangshuang, cry. You’ll feel better once you let it out!"

But Wen Shuang could not cry. Her tears had dried up the moment she first learned the truth.

In the afternoon, Ji Shen strode into the ward in his police uniform, bringing a gust of wind with him.

His uniform was crisp and proper, and every time he wore it he looked upright and formidable.

His refined features were shadowed by exhaustion, and his eyes were bloodshot. Since Wen Shuang’s accident, Ji Shen had not closed his eyes.

"Shuangshuang, how are you feeling today? Have you eaten?" He shed his usual cold severity and sat beside her.

Tang Yan shook her head. "Shuangshuang doesn't have much appetite. She can't manage much of anything."

Ji Shen said in a low voice, "Even if you have no appetite, you should still eat a little. You can't let yourself starve."

But Wen Shuang turned her head away. She did not want to eat.

So Ji Shen took the porridge and patiently fed it to her mouth, spoonful after spoonful.

Wen Shuang sat there, mute and empty.

Ji Shen said, "I’ve already caught the person who hurt you!"

Wen Shuang looked up. "Who was it?"

"The man who hit you was called Li Hua. But the one behind him was Xia Anran."

"I... I knew it!" At last, emotion stirred in Wen Shuang’s voice. She clenched the corner of the blanket in hatred. "I knew it was her!"

Since waking from the coma, she had thought it through from beginning to end, trying to figure out who would want to harm her. No matter how she thought about it, only Xia Anran came to mind. If her legs were ruined, then Xia Anran would be the one who benefited most.

Tang Yan suddenly stood up, furious, ready to storm straight to the Xia family to demand justice for Wen Shuang.

Ji Shen said, "She’s already been taken into custody. I won’t go easy on her."

Wen Shuang closed her eyes.

"Brother Shen, tell me. How many years will Xia Anran be sentenced to?"

"At most ten."

Ten years.

Wen Shuang gave a self-mocking laugh. Ten years, and all it cost was her two legs. It wasn’t even life imprisonment.

"I want to see her." She even wanted to slap Xia Anran across the face, hard.

"Fine. But your body still hasn't recovered. Once you're better, and we know it's safe for you to get around, we’ll go. Then we’ll make sure she understands that everything she did was for nothing."

Ji Shen kissed her gently at the corner of her forehead in an attempt to comfort her. "I’ve already contacted the world’s top specialists in leg injuries. They may arrive as early as tonight. They’ll definitely be able to treat your legs and help you step back onto the stage."

"I hope so..."

During the day and night that Xia Anran was held at the police station, the Xia family used every connection they could to try to get her out.

But no one dared help.

This time Ji Shen was truly serious. He had already made it clear: if anyone dared speak up for Xia Anran, then from that day on, the Ji family would sever all ties with them.

When Madam Ji heard the news, she called immediately. "A Shen, have you lost your mind? You had the young lady of the Xia family arrested over one woman. Let her go at once! The Xia family came to our house first thing this morning making a scene!"

"Fine. I’ll send people now and arrest them all for illegally harassing a civilian residence," Ji Shen said coldly.

Madam Ji hurriedly stopped him. "Why are you so full of hostility all of a sudden? The Xia family and our family have had business dealings over the years, and your sister is even related to them by marriage. With a connection like that, if you push things this far, the two families will be completely at odds. I’m telling you, enough is enough. Find someone to take the fall and let Anran go."

"Mom, that sounds more and more criminal every time I hear it," Ji Shen said without the slightest courtesy. "Xia Anran instigated others to commit assault. That is a crime. Whether by reason or by law, I will never release her."

"I think you’ve been bewitched by that vixen!" Madam Ji snapped, seeing that nothing she said made any difference.

Ji Shen said, "Wen Shuang is indeed someone I care about. I won’t deny that. But even if this had happened to someone else, I would still handle it impartially. I wouldn’t spare her just because the Xia family is related to us or because they’re some business partner."

Madam Ji thought back to all the times Ji Shen had been so selfless and upright.

She could not help wondering whether, if her son ever discovered that the Ji family had committed a crime, he might well send them all to prison too.

Xia Anran had originally refused to confess no matter what. Even with the evidence laid out in front of her, she kept her teeth clenched and said nothing, insisting on bringing a lawyer to argue her case.

Ji Shen locked her in solitary for three days and three nights.

When she was finally brought out, Xia Anran was completely drained, her legs weak beneath her.

There was no trace left of the spoiled young heiress she had once been. Sweat had soaked her hair, and her whole body stank.

Ji Shen stood before her. "Xia Anran, are you still planning to cling to this and refuse to speak?"

Xia Anran shook weakly. "It wasn’t me... It really wasn’t me..."

Ji Shen slammed the table. Xia Anran shuddered violently at once, looking as if she were on the verge of collapse. Compared with the earlier interrogation, this was even more terrifying.

"If you still won’t tell the truth, then go back into solitary for another seven days!"

Xia Anran nearly went mad.

Seven days.

In that little black room, no matter how she cried out, no one answered. No matter how she called, nothing responded. There was only darkness before her eyes, empty and horrifying.

"No! Don’t! I don’t want to go back in there!"

She cried and screamed, hysterical.

Ji Shen could see that her psychological defenses had been utterly shattered.

His voice turned icy. "I’ll ask you one last time. Do you admit that you hired Li Hua to run down Wen Shuang and break her legs?"

A note from the author: If you're reading, please take a moment to leave a five-star review in the comments. It means a lot to me and gives me even more motivation. Sending love to all of you! We have another bonus update today, so let’s see if the number of readers asking for more can reach five hundred. Come on!