Reborn to Outshine My Ex and His White Moonlight novel Chapter 943

Chapter 943: Chapter 943: Mental Illness

Perpetrator?

Xia Wan never thought this term would apply to her sister.

She glanced at last year’s documents but still couldn’t bring herself to pick them up.

Ren Xiya opened them herself, placing the photos one by one in front of Xia Wan.

The first dozen photos were of Shirley after being abused.

Lin Zhiyi stood by, watching in horror.

The frail Shirley, with despair in her eyes, posed mechanically for the camera, without any resistance.

Like a puppet on strings.

"These are photos from the police station."

"Enough!" Xia Wan turned her head forcefully, "It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t let my sister be adopted, she wouldn’t have to endure any of this. I just wanted her to have a better environment."

"As her sister, you wanted a better life for her; there’s no fault in that. The blame lies with those who hurt your sister, which is why they ended up like this..."

Ren Xiya took out two photos.

In the photos, two people were curled up on the ground, so burnt that it was impossible to tell if they were male or female.

Lin Zhiyi glanced at them and instinctively felt a fear of fire, taking a step back.

Ren Xiya explained, "The police said that when they were beating your sister, she accidentally knocked over a candle while escaping. Since she was already injured and passed out, she didn’t report the fire in time, which led to the blaze getting out of control."

Is that so?

Lin Zhiyi questioned, "Even if Shirley passed out, both her adoptive parents were adults. It’s impossible they wouldn’t have called for help or tried to save themselves. How could they both end up together like that?"

Ren Xiya looked at Xia Wan and continued, "The police also found it odd, but Shirley had a stress response and forgot many details. Also, this couple lived in a secluded area to hide their child abuse, so by the time the fire was discovered, it was too late to control it. Eventually, the police hastily concluded it was an accident."

Xia Wan laughed coldly, "Whatever they did to Shirley, dying a thousand times would not be enough. It’s divine retribution for them."

Ren Xiya asked, "Do you really believe in divine retribution? Look at how they died. Aside from their burnt, curled-up bodies, they had no signs of resistance. Do you think that’s normal?"

Xia Wan pursed her lips, unwilling to look at the photos.

"Unless they were already unconscious when the fire started, who do you think did it?" Ren Xiya questioned.

Xia Wan instinctively defended her sister.

"No matter who did it, they deserved it."

"Yes, you’re right. But what about them?"

Ren Xiya produced more photos, showing children around Shirley’s age.

Xia Wan looked at the unfamiliar faces, feeling lost.

Ren Xiya explained, "After Shirley’s adoptive parents died, she moved from one foster home to another. These are her classmates from different schools. Two of them broke their legs, one is paralyzed, and one died."

Xia Wan’s expression faltered.

"What do you mean?"

"They all had some conflicts with Shirley. On the surface, Shirley was the weak one, bullied and harassed. No one linked these incidents to her. But some noticed her odd behavior. In fact, some so-called bullying was initiated by her. She allowed others to provoke her, then found opportunities to retaliate. Does that sound familiar?" Ren Xiya asked.

Xia Wan remained silent.

Lin Zhiyi came to her senses, "Just like her adoptive parents. They hurt Shirley; she appeared to be the victim but secretly killed them. Then she calmly moved on, with others even comforting and caring for her."

"Yes," Li Huan stepped forward, "I asked my psychology friend. Shirley’s situation is very severe. She craves attention and enjoys the thrill of revenge, so she repeats this pattern until she finds a new thrill. That’s why Second Madam and the children are in tremendous danger."

In the end, only Xia Wan and the old man remained in the hospital room.

Their eyes met, a myriad of complex emotions connecting them.

The old man wanted to move closer, but Xia Wan raised her hand to stop him. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Don’t come near me! Just because you speak affectionately doesn’t make you a romantic soul. Whether in the past or now, you never knew how to respect others or love others. Everything you did was for your own purpose; you only love yourself!"

Xia Wan dropped the ring and turned to leave.

...

Paradise.

When Lin Zhiyi and Gong Chen arrived, Chen Jin and Zhou Zhao were negotiating with the construction team.

Chen Jin quickly approached and handed safety helmets to the others.

"Most of the structures here have been demolished. Only one haunted house remains, but it’s shaky and could collapse at any moment."

"The construction team said no one has entered, but I had someone check the area and found a section of the fence had already been pried open, likely a hole left by local students seeking excitement."

"Shirley must have heard other students talking about this place and brought the others here."

Zhou Zhao added, "The haunted house is intricately arranged, and the power’s been shut off. We don’t dare rush in, for fear of alarming her."

Thinking of the danger Liu He and the children were in, Lin Zhiyi nearly rushed inside.

It was Gong Chen who held her back.

"Shirley’s mental state is unstable; you won’t be able to persuade her. She might even hurt your mother and the children right in front of you. Only one person can persuade her."

"Xia Wan!"