The first priority was to help Lin Xiaoyue.
From a psychological perspective, Xiaoyue was exhibiting a compulsive ritualistic behavior triggered by trauma. If not corrected in time, this could evolve into kleptomania.
In her previous life, following her mother’s suicide, Lin Xiaoyue had made a living as a thief. This was the direct result of her compulsive behaviors; because her initial bell thefts went undiscovered, she repeated the act over and over again.
She was the very same “Sister Xiaoyue” Shen Xiaomei had spoken of—the woman who had taken Xiaomei in during her days on the streets and led her down the path of a professional thief. Shen Xiaomei worshipped Xiaoyue, and naturally, she inherited Xiaoyue’s hatred for bicycle bells.
When a bell becomes a trigger for traumatic memory, stealing it can be a way to escape or exert control over that trauma. In Xiaoyue’s mind, the shame of her mother selling her body to others would only dissipate if she stole those bells.
Lin Xiaoyue was thirteen this year. She had been only twelve when she discovered her mother’s infidelity, a time when her understanding of sexuality was still limited and confused.
Having witnessed her father rape and beat her mother as a child, she viewed “sex” as something filthy.
Upon discovering her mother’s relationship with Qian Jianshe, she felt a deep internal shame and projected it onto the bells. By stealing them, she was “cleansing” the symbolic filth—shifting her unmanageable emotions from an untouchable subject to a controllable object.
In psychology, this defense mechanism is known as displacement.
To correct this behavior, the first steps were to repair the mother-daughter relationship, provide proper sexual education, and alleviate her sense of guilt.
Like Jiang Ling, Li Zhenliang felt none of the excitement usually associated with cracking a case.
The fact that Lin Xiaoyue had stolen the bells proved that Jiang Ling’s psychological profile was 100% accurate. Ordinarily, Li Zhenliang should have been jumping for joy, calling Ying Songmao to shout, “Captain Ying, Xiao Jiang was right!”
But at this moment, Li Zhenliang’s eyes were moist, and he felt quite distressed.
This child, Lin Xiaoyue, had been through too much. She had strayed onto the wrong path, yes, but it was a desperate act of self-salvation born of unbearable pain. He sighed and turned to Jiang Ling, his eyes silently asking: What do we do next?
Jiang Ling thought for a moment, then looked at Lin Xiaoyue. “You aren’t a thief,” she said softly. “You’re just sick.”
Leaning in her mother’s arms, Xiaoyue looked up, her gaze vacant as she repeated, “Sick?”
Jiang Ling knew the most important thing right now was to remove the girl’s shame. She continued, “Yes. Because you grew up in a violent environment and were then triggered by the incident with Qian Jianshe, your mind became ill. The name of this illness is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).”
Xiaoyue slowly sat up straighter. “The mind can get sick too?”
Jiang Ling nodded. “Exactly. It’s not just our bodies that get sick; our minds do as well. Because mental illness is hidden deep inside, many people don’t realize it’s there. The reason you can’t sleep, can’t eat, and can’t stop yourself from wanting to steal those bells is all because your mind is unwell.”
Sick?
Lin Xiaoyue and Wen Xiufen felt as though a thousand-pound weight had been lifted from their shoulders. Kind-hearted people often shackle themselves with moral chains. Wen Xiufen felt that being raped by Qian Jianshe was her own fault; Lin Xiaoyue believed stealing bells made her a shameful criminal. Both felt this way because they were decent people raised with traditional values.
If it was an illness, then it wasn’t their fault, right?
Wen Xiufen asked, “Then… is there a way to treat this sickness?”
Xiaoyue looked at Jiang Ling with a glimmer of hope. If she could, she didn’t want to spend every night staring at the ceiling waiting for dawn. She didn’t want to feel nauseous at the sight of food. She didn’t want her whole body to tense up at the sound of a bell, gripped by an uncontrollable urge to tear it off.
Jiang Ling considered. “Did you keep the bells?”
Xiaoyue hesitated. “They’re under the bed.”
She didn’t dare take them out; she had used a pair of compasses to engrave the word “Dirty” onto every single one.
“Bring them back,” Jiang Ling said.
Xiaoyue’s face flushed deep red. She couldn’t meet Jiang Ling’s eyes. “The bells… I… I carved words on them.”
Remembering the bell that Shen Xiaomei had cherished, Jiang Ling understood instantly. “Don’t be afraid. We can polish those words away.” Each “Dirty” mark was a scar on Xiaoyue’s heart.
Xiaoyue looked up, surprised. “Really? Those words can be removed?”
Growing up unwanted by her father and grandparents, only her weak, pitiful mother had ever loved her. In such an environment, Xiaoyue had matured early; she wanted to grow up quickly to protect her mother.
But growth was too slow.
She felt a deep sense of helplessness. She believed sex was disgusting and hated the men who lusted after her mother, but she was powerless. Even their room in the apartment building had been bought with her mother’s body.
Xiaoyue hated her own weakness. On sleepless nights, she would rub her fingers over the engraved words again and again. Those words were a constant reminder: You are a thief. Your mother is a slut.
Jiang Ling saw that Xiaoyue’s guarded heart had opened. Now was the time to strike home. Looking at the mother and daughter, she said deliberately: “The engraved words can be removed. Mistakes can be corrected. Even if you’ve taken the wrong path, you can always turn back.”
A warm breeze seemed to blow through Xiaoyue’s frozen heart. Jiang Ling was telling her that some marks could be erased. That it was okay to turn back.
Xiaoyue stood up and bowed deeply to Jiang Ling. “I’m sorry. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have stolen those bells. I’ll go home right now and get them.”
Jiang Ling smiled. “Okay. I’ll go with you.”
She brought some sandpaper and polishing materials. “I’ll teach you how to polish them.”
…
Jiang Ling and Li Zhenliang accompanied them back to the apartment building. As Xiaoyue buried herself in the work of polishing those dozen-odd bells until they shone like new, the suffocating guilt in her chest began to ease.
After Jiang Ling collected the bells in evidence bags and had the pair sign and put their fingerprints on the official record, she spoke earnestly to Xiaoyue.
“Your mother has suffered a great deal; her life hasn’t been easy. When people are weak, it is only human nature to lean on the strong to survive. It’s just that the method she chose wasn’t quite right. Do you understand that?”
Lin Xiaoyue turned her face away, feeling awkward.
She still held a grudge about the matter with Qian Jianshe.
Jiang Ling looked at Wen Xiufen. “You’re single, and Qian Jianshe has a family. Your relationship with him is an improper one and must be ended completely.”
Wen Xiufen nodded repeatedly. “I know, I know. If he comes to me again, I definitely won’t go.”
Jiang Ling spoke firmly, “If he dares to come after you again, slap him immediately! If he gets aggressive, call the police to warn him. Understand?”
Wen Xiufen’s expression shifted several times before she quietly asked Jiang Ling, “Um… he said he secretly took photos of me, so I didn’t dare…”
At first, she had complied with Qian Jianshe because she needed something, but later he had used the photos to hold her over a barrel, leaving her no choice but to comply.
Jiang Ling asked, “Do you dare report him?”
Wen Xiufen’s voice trembled slightly. “Report… report what?”
Jiang Ling said in a low voice, “Using threats to force sexual relations against a woman’s will is rape.”
Although there were no biological traces, her daughter Lin Xiaoyue and colleagues could testify that the victim showed trauma responses after the incident. Statements could be obtained from Union Chairman Lu. There might be witnesses to the development and preservation of the photos… In short, as long as Wen Xiufen filed a report, the police station could escalate it to the Criminal Investigation Unit and open a case.
Wen Xiufen shook her head. “I… I don’t want anyone else to know about this.”
In cases like this, women usually care deeply about privacy and do not want the matter made public.
Jiang Ling nodded in understanding. “Alright, you report it first. I’ll talk to Qian Jianshe and make sure he stops harassing you. Don’t worry, no one else will know.”
For the first time, feeling the protection of the police, Wen Xiufen’s heart surged with emotion. She grabbed Jiang Ling’s hand and kept thanking her. “Thank you, thank you! You’re my savior!” Now that she had a job, a home, and a daughter, as long as Qian Jianshe stopped harassing her, she could finally live in peace.
Lin Xiaoyue listened attentively to every word Jiang Ling said. Her heart, once shattered from hating her own weakness, seemed to be slowly healing.
So, being weak wasn’t her fault—police would protect her!
If anyone bullied her again, she would call the police.
Jiang Ling looked at the hand Wen Xiufen was holding.
The warmth of her skin and the pressure of the embrace didn’t make her feel uncomfortable for the first time.
After expressing her thanks for a while, Wen Xiufen could no longer contain her joy and excitement. She let go of Jiang Ling’s hand and hugged her daughter tightly again. Feeling supported, her eyes sparkled, and her face radiated a newfound vitality.
“Xiaoyue, no one will bully Mom anymore. Don’t be afraid!”
“Xiaoyue, Mom is so happy!”
“Xiaoyue, it was Mom’s fault before. Now that the police protect me, I’m not afraid of anything. We can sleep well, eat well—just the two of us. Isn’t that wonderful?”
Wen Xiufen smiled like a child, talking non-stop, her joy overflowing.
Lin Xiaoyue went from feeling lost to gently patting her mother’s back, her eyes gradually lighting up.
No one would bully them anymore; she could finally sleep peacefully.
A smile appeared on Jiang Ling’s face as well.
With Lin Xiaoyue’s emotional burden lifted, she would naturally eat and sleep better. Her malnutrition could be controlled, and she would no longer die from tuberculosis as in her previous life.
Similarly, Wen Xiufen would no longer attempt suicide.
The fate of the mother and daughter had been reversed—and it felt wonderful.
After leaving Wen Xiufen’s home, Jiang Ling went after Qian Jianshe.
Qian Jianshe was suspended and at home reflecting on his actions, already on edge. Seeing Jiang Ling arrive, he stammered in fear. “I don’t have her photos! That day I only brought a camera for show. There wasn’t even a roll of film in it. I don’t know how to develop photos—where would I take them? I just wanted to scare her. Wen Xiufen’s timid, she believes anything I say.”
Seeing Jiang Ling’s cold expression, Qian Jianshe became even more panicked.
To be honest, he was genuinely afraid of Jiang Ling.
He had been doing well at the textile factory, with a good chance of becoming the factory director in a few years. But over a dispute involving his son fighting a classmate, he had to go to the police station for mediation—and it turned into a nightmare.
Previously, Officer Wei handled such matters well, but this new young police officer, Jiang Ling, refused to let him off. Not only did he pay a large sum, his son was sent to juvenile detention, and he himself was investigated by the disciplinary committee. He had never been so nervous in his life.
Last night, upon learning that Zhao Yanhong went to Wen Xiufen’s house and ran into Jiang Ling, Qian Jianshe’s right eyebrow twitched, and he barely slept a wink. His left eye twitched for money, right eye for disaster—he feared something terrible would happen.
Now, seeing Jiang Ling again, he wished he could kneel.
Before his corruption was even investigated, the police might accuse him of rape first.
Jiang Ling seemed to read his thoughts. “Zhao Yanhong came to cause trouble, saying Wen Xiufen had an improper relationship with you. Her reputation is harmed, so she reports you for rape.”
Qian Jianshe fell to his knees, begging, “Officer Jiang, please, I beg you, show mercy and spare me. I promise I’ll never harass her again. My wife has mental issues, and I’ll compensate for all damages caused. Yes! I’ll pay her three thousand yuan—just don’t let her report me. I’m suspended and waiting for the factory’s investigation. I really don’t have the energy to deal with a lawsuit too.”
Jiang Ling stood and said, “Come with us.”
With that, Jiang Ling and Li Zhenliang led the pale-faced Qian Jianshe out of the textile factory residential area.
Back at the police station, Qian Jianshe was taken to the interrogation room.
Li Zhenliang and Liu Haoran went to record the statement. Standing in the corridor, they couldn’t help but spit in disdain. “What a person! Only bullies the weak—truly despicable!”
Jiang Ling looked up at the sun hanging high in the sky.
Its cold white light offered little warmth, yet it was still blinding when stared at directly.
In her previous life, Jiang Ling liked reading crime novels and remembered a line from Keigo Higashino’s Journey Under the Midnight Sun: “There are two things in the world that cannot be looked at directly: the sun and the human heart.”
As expected, only the human heart and the sun cannot be looked at directly.
Qian Jianshe was shameless, Zhao Yanhong was unscrupulous, and together this couple raised Qian Darong, who at a young age already exhibited antisocial tendencies.
Wen Xiufen, feeling helpless, submitted herself to Qian Jianshe to improve her living conditions, and behind her stood Lin Xiaoyue, quietly crying, nearly driven to a life of theft.
Jiang Ling called Ying Songmao: “Captain Ying, the case is solved.”
Ying Songmao, who had planned to go to the station that evening to get the details, couldn’t help but feel a lift in his mood when he heard her voice. “Confirmed it was Lin Xiaoyue?”
“Yes.” Jiang Ling gave a brief report of the events.
After hearing how the case was solved, Ying Songmao fell silent.
Solving the case in a single day—Jiang Ling’s criminal profiling skills were simply amazing!
After a moment of silence, Ying Songmao made a request: “Could you take some time to compile all the files and materials and bring them to the municipal bureau? I have experiments to run and can’t come over myself.”
As if fearing Jiang Ling might refuse, he gave a reason she couldn’t reject: “I’ll organize the data and write a paper for submission—you’ll be the first author.”
Jiang Ling hadn’t expected such a benefit and immediately agreed. “Fine. Make sure to include Li Zhenliang, Liu Haoran, and Zhou Wei’s names as well.”
“Got it,” Ying Songmao replied readily. “Come directly to the Technical Division and see me.”
Jiang Ling seized the chance to make a condition: “Captain Ying, could you help me contact the Third Division? I have a case here. Although it’s technically a sexual assault case, the victim doesn’t want it made public, so it will probably end up being filed as an embezzlement case.”
Ying Songmao asked, “Wen Xiufen wants to report Qian Jianshe? What’s the evidence for embezzlement?”
Jiang Ling nodded. “Exactly! Zhao Yanhong, the textile factory union committee member and Qian Jianshe’s wife, once embezzled hardship allowances meant for the Liang siblings. Although the amount wasn’t large, it can serve as a starting point. Qian Jianshe and his family’s embezzlement and bribery can be uncovered quickly.”
Although Ying Songmao was in the Technical Division, he had participated in many cases, big and small, and his logical thinking was meticulous. “You have a plan?”
Jiang Ling’s lips curved slightly. “Zhao Yanhong is in detention. If we can drive a wedge between the couple, Qian Jianshe’s embezzlement will soon be exposed.”
Last night, when Liu Haoran and Zhou Wei took Zhao Yanhong to the detention center, Jiang Ling had instructed them to carefully select her cellmates—women who were divorced, deceived by men, or entangled in family disputes.
Having worked in a women’s prison for five or six years, Jiang Ling had seen many female inmates. Some committed violent crimes due to long-term abuse or deception by their partners, while others were driven into crime by emotional manipulation, threats, or deceit from their partners.
In summary, a significant proportion of female crimes were connected to their “partners.”
Once these women entered prison, their responses fell into three categories:
One was guilt and remorse:
“How could I have trusted him?”
“If only I had seen his true nature earlier…”
“It’s all my fault. I ruined myself and harmed my family.”
Another was anger toward their partners:
“He ruined my life. I hate him!”
“Why is he free while I’m in prison?”
“I want to kill him, but it’s too late…”
The third was concern for their families:
“What will happen to the children? Will they hate me?”
“My parents will never hold their heads high again…”
Every word was steeped in regret, a reflection on life.
Zhao Yanhong, however, had never heard such truths.
She had married into the city from the countryside, and it could be said she had risen with her husband’s fortune—surrounded by flattery, she had grown somewhat arrogant.
Now, by putting her in a room with women who had been hurt by men, letting her hear things like “If a man is reliable, even a sow can climb a tree!” or “Listen to me, men are never to be trusted,” she would deeply understand the consequences of men’s ruthlessness. A seed of doubt and conflict would be planted in her heart, intensifying the friction between her and Qian Jianshe.
Jiang Ling clearly remembered the first time she visited the Qian family with Li Zhenliang. Qian Jianshe had fought with Zhao Yanhong, and Zhao Yanhong had shouted: “If you dare divorce me, don’t blame me for making it a bloodbath! These past years…”
So now, Jiang Ling’s task was to drive a wedge between Zhao Yanhong and Qian Jianshe—to make them turn on each other.
“Alright. I’ll have Lei Junyue from the Third Division come over. You can coordinate directly with him.” Ying Songmao agreed without hesitation.
This young Jiang really was smart and perceptive—perfect for a police officer.
Hearing that Ying Songmao would send the Third Division’s deputy captain directly, Jiang Ling’s eyes curved in a small smile. With the Criminal Investigation Unit involved, neither Qian Jianshe nor his wife could escape!
Lei Junyue soon arrived at the Jinwu Road Police Station with his team.
The moment Qian Jianshe saw the criminal investigators, his legs went weak.
Under Jiang Ling’s guidance, Qian Jianshe obediently signed a guarantee, promising never to harass Wen Xiufen again, and compensated her 3,000 yuan for emotional distress.
Thinking he could escape, Qian Jianshe was surprised when Jiang Ling produced the records from the Qian Darong case, combined with Liang Jiushan’s report. Lei Junyue then filed a case against Zhao Yanhong for embezzlement and took Qian Jianshe to the Criminal Investigation Unit for further investigation.
Lei Junyue, experienced in economic crimes, clasped Li Zhenliang’s hand before leaving and repeatedly assured Jiang Ling: “Anyone who embezzles even 200 yuan in hardship allowance over a year has a dirty record. Don’t worry—we have professional auditors who will check the couple’s bank statements, transfer records, and search their residence. They won’t escape justice.”
Earlier, Lei Junyue had actually wanted to shake Jiang Ling’s hand. After all, it was rare for Ying Songmao to speak up, and this time he came to the station to follow Jiang Ling’s instructions.
But Li Zhenliang moved faster, taking his hand first.
Lei Junyue had no choice but to suppress his curiosity and focus on the case.
From the moment Jiang Ling mentioned Liang Jiushan’s report and the Criminal Investigation Unit took over the embezzlement case, Qian Jianshe knew it was over.
Since becoming the deputy director of the textile factory in charge of infrastructure, he had lost count of how many construction teams’ money he had taken, or how many acts of corruption he had committed. Beyond the hundred thousand yuan in the bank, there were tens of thousands more in cash and gold hidden in his cabinets and drawers at home.
Earlier, when his unit conducted an internal investigation, he wasn’t afraid at all. With practiced ease, he slipped tens of thousands to the factory director and the leaders of the auditing office. Seeing things were almost settled, he never expected that Jiang Ling had such influence—enough to have the Criminal Investigation Unit take over his case.
The Third Division of the criminal investigation team was notorious for its swift and ruthless handling of economic crimes! Rumor had it that once a search warrant was issued, even the floor tiles would be pried up. How could any gold bars or cash he’d hidden possibly stay safe?
The thought that a mere two hundred yuan in hardship allowance could land him in this deadlock filled Qian Jianshe with rage. In his mind, he cursed Zhao Yanhong, who was still in detention, over and over—wishing he could tear her apart limb by limb.
That woman had harmed not only their son but also him!
Meanwhile, Zhao Yanhong, endlessly cursed by Qian Jianshe, sat dazed on the wooden chair in the detention cell, her world crumbling around her.
“Strike first to avoid suffering later.”
“Men only behave when hung on the wall.”
“Couples are birds of the same forest; in disaster, they fly separately.”
…
Her ears filled with such words, and coupled with the sorrowful stories told by the two fellow inmates beside her, Zhao Yanhong felt truly panicked.
What had Qian Jianshe said when he signed yesterday?
“If you want to die, that’s your business—don’t drag me into it!”
Ah, yes, exactly that. If anything happened to her, Qian Jianshe would probably, like his brother and sister-in-law, want to immediately sever all ties with her.
The more Zhao Yanhong thought about it, the more terrified she became. When she was brought into the interrogation room and saw the six words on the wall—“Leniency for confession, severity for resistance”—and then faced Lei Junyue’s stern expression, her mental defenses collapsed entirely.
Before Lei Junyue even spoke, Zhao Yanhong was already crying and sniffling, her whole body pressed onto the table as she wailed, “I want to report him! Report Qian Jianshe for corruption and bribery!”
Strike first to gain the upper hand—if she could become a key witness, maybe she’d still have a way to survive.
As for Qian Jianshe… that man, constantly chasing after other women, could just go to hell!
After the interrogation, Lei Junyue felt a little dizzy.
He hadn’t expected it to go so smoothly.
Corruption and bribery of hundreds of thousands! This was a major economic case—what a ready-made achievement. Jiang Ling was truly remarkable.
…
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