readytorunbook Chapter 219: Perseverance for Love
Chapter 219: Perseverance for Love
In that era, the thirty-year deadline seemed like an invisible boundary that divided the past and the present, causing many long-standing unsolved cases to gradually fade from people's sight in the dust of time.
The so-called thirty years is not an exact day on the calendar, but a symbolic node. That is, when a case spans thirty years, eleven months and thirty days, even those criminals who have been under the strict surveillance of the Dali Temple or the Ministry of Justice will escape the due punishment because of the law's forgiveness.
It is these rules that become the key to changing Sheng Junwei's life trajectory.
After she studied "Sheng Lu" in depth, the truths forgotten by time and the cries of innocent victims struck her heart like a heavy hammer.
She realized that revealing these dusty secrets and seeking justice for those wronged souls was her unshirkable responsibility and her commitment to the greater good of the world.
About forty miles away from the bustling Shengjing City, there is a quiet and peaceful small county town. A breakfast shop is quietly located in the morning light, becoming a warm harbor for local residents to start a new day.
Although this shop serves common snacks such as fried dough sticks, tofu pudding, hot soy milk and tea eggs, each one is full of ingenuity.
The tofu pudding is delicate and tender, as if it can melt on the tip of your tongue; the hot soy milk is mellow and rich, and every bite is the ultimate temptation to the taste buds; the fried dough sticks are golden and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the perfect taste is unforgettable.
Tea eggs are soaked in the essence of spices, and each one is a careful care for the taste buds.
Uncle Shun, the owner of the shop, is over 40 years old, but still maintains the demeanor of his youth. Not only is he tall and straight, but his face is also handsome and elegant. The traces left by the years on his face have not made him look older, but have instead given him a mature and steady charm.
Uncle Shun enjoys a very high reputation in the small town, which is not only due to his outstanding appearance and gentle temperament, but also because of his unswerving loyalty in emotion.
Although his wife had been bedridden for many years, the family burden was heavy, and he had no children, he always kept his promise to his wife and never wavered. This deep friendship is particularly precious in this era of restlessness.
The occasional melancholy that Uncle Shun reveals adds a bit of mystery and charm to him, attracting many girls to fall in love with him and even willing to become his partner at all costs.
However, in that feudal society with strict ethics, women often had no say in their own marriages. Even if there were brave women willing to stick to their love, it was difficult for them to overcome the many obstacles from family and society.
Among this group of infatuated women, there is only one orphan. Although her family is not wealthy, she is independent because her parents died early, and her love for Uncle Shun is unwavering.
She didn't mind that Uncle Shun was already married, and was even willing to accept the role of stepmother to his daughter, just hoping to spend the rest of her life with her lover.
However, year after year, Uncle Shun always kept his distance and never gave her any response.
One morning, the orphan girl silently gazed at the busy Uncle Shun, feeling mixed emotions.
During that chance encounter ten years ago, she fell in love with this gentle middle-aged man at first sight, but Uncle Shun seemed to only open his heart to his wife on her sickbed.
Uncle Shun's wife has been ill for a long time and is haggard and unable to take care of herself, which is in stark contrast to Uncle Shun's demeanor. The orphan girl can't help but wonder why Uncle Shun would stick with such a partner?
Uncle Shun silently endured the criticism from the outside world and the contempt from his parents-in-law, but his love and care for his wife never diminished.
As time passed, fate seemed to favor Uncle Shun. The passing of his parents-in-law lightened the burden on his shoulders a little, and his wife's worsening condition gave the orphan a glimmer of hope.
Just as the orphan girl was immersed in complicated thoughts, Uncle Shun's gentle voice suddenly sounded, interrupting her reverie.
Facing Uncle Shun’s eyes full of pity, the orphan girl’s heartbeat instantly accelerated and her cheeks were flushed with shyness.
Uncle Shun's words seemed to contain some deep meaning, which gave the orphan girl unprecedented courage. She summoned up all her strength and confessed her years of love to Uncle Shun.
In the orphan girl's passionate and firm confession, a complex emotion flashed in the depths of Uncle Shun's eyes, and finally turned into a faint smile, and he responded with a word "good child".
And the words "I will go to find you tonight at midnight" are like the brightest star in the night sky, illuminating the orphan girl's world and filling her heart with anticipation and anxiety, not knowing what kind of turn the coming night will take.
There was a hint of provocation in Zhang Yuanshun's smile, as if he was enjoying this game of intelligence. Even in the face of desperation, he wanted to show his last bit of pride.
"You calculated the thirty-year retrospective period accurately, but you overlooked the most important point."
Sheng Junwei's voice was calm and firm, and her eyes penetrated Zhang Yuanshun's disguise and went straight to his heart.
"The law is not just cold words. Behind it is justice and fairness. The crime you committed has far-reaching consequences and countless victims. How could you escape punishment so easily?"
Sheng Junwei's words were like torches in the cold wind, illuminating a ray of light in the darkness.
The atmosphere in the room froze instantly. The orphan girl stood aside. Although she did not quite understand the complicated legal provisions and profound conversations, she could feel the tension and atmosphere of confrontation in the air.
She clutched the corner of her clothes tightly, her eyes moving back and forth between Sheng Junwei and Zhang Yuanshun, her heart filled with anxiety about the unknown outcome.
"The 30-year retrospective period you mentioned applies to ordinary cases."
Sheng Junwei continued, her tone revealing unquestionable authority, "For serious crimes involving national security and social stability, there is no limit to the statute of limitations. What you have done has long surpassed the scope of ordinary crimes."
Zhang Yuanshun's face turned extremely ugly at this moment. His self-righteous smile gradually froze, and for the first time, his eyes wavered. He looked around, trying to find a way to escape, but found that the encirclement of the detectives was impenetrable, and every pair of eyes was staring at him, not giving him any chance.
"You...you are twisting the law!"
There was a hint of desperate struggle in Zhang Yuanshun's voice.
"No, I'm just enforcing the law."
Sheng Junwei's response was concise and powerful. She slowly approached Zhang Yuanshun, her eyes showing hatred for evil and a firm belief that justice will prevail. "No matter how you argue or how you plot, you cannot change the fact that you must be responsible for your actions."
The orphan girl witnessed this scene, with mixed emotions in her heart.
She had never seen such a shocking scene, nor had she ever imagined that the confrontation between justice and evil would be so fierce.
She looked at Sheng Junwei, her eyes flashing with admiration and gratitude.
As Sheng Junwei finished her words, the detectives rushed forward and firmly controlled Zhang Yuanshun.