Chapter Five: The Kindhearted Prisoner

When Zhao Zhijie arrived at the address written on the slip of paper to report to Haifeng, he felt somewhat confused. He couldn't understand why Haifeng wanted him to come to Mingcheng University, especially since it was summer break and the school gates were tightly shut. He began to wonder if Haifeng had truly meant for him to come here—could he have gotten the location wrong?

Shaking his head, Zhao Zhijie asked the gatekeeper about the address on the paper, confirming he hadn’t made a mistake. He followed the directions and entered the campus.

Haifeng was already waiting for Zhao Zhijie in the room. Seeing Zhao Zhijie standing before him, freshly shaven and neatly groomed in a white short-sleeved shirt, bright-eyed and alert, Haifeng gave a knowing smile. He patted Zhao Zhijie on the shoulder. “Now you look like yourself. I almost didn’t recognize you before, when you were so disheveled.”

Zhao Zhijie smiled sheepishly. “Team Leader Hai, I’m here to report and await your orders.”

Haifeng smiled slightly. “Come with me first, there’s somewhere we need to go.” With that, he walked outside, and Zhao Zhijie quickly followed.

When he saw where Haifeng was headed, Zhao Zhijie was filled with doubt. He couldn’t understand why Haifeng was going to a prison.

Facing the prison gates, Haifeng kept smiling, paying no mind to Zhao Zhijie’s confusion.

After a while, the prison gates opened, and a young man wearing black-rimmed glasses and sporting a buzz cut walked out.

Zhao Zhijie looked at the young man. His appearance was ordinary, his clothes unremarkable—someone who would disappear in a crowd. Yet he didn’t look like a criminal; he was refined, lacking any hint of malice. Zhao Zhijie could tell from Haifeng’s gaze that this was the person they were waiting for. Unsure of Haifeng’s relationship with this young man, Zhao Zhijie stood silently.

The young man walked up to Haifeng and said, “Thank you for coming to pick me up.”

Haifeng told the young man to get in the car and, as he drove, introduced him to Zhao Zhijie. “This is Li Mengyang, PhD in psychology, with a deep knowledge of criminal psychology. You two should exchange ideas often.”

Zhao Zhijie nodded and looked at Li Mengyang. “Hello, I’m Zhao Zhijie. Please take care of me in the future.”

Li Mengyang didn’t reply but nodded to Zhao Zhijie, then sat quietly, gazing out the window.

After a while, Li Mengyang spoke to Haifeng. “Thank you for what you did for my sister. She told me how much you’ve helped the family these past two years. I’m grateful.”

Haifeng kept his eyes on the road as he responded. “Don’t be so reckless in the future. You usually seem so polite and composed, but when you lose your temper, you’re fierce. You broke his nose and two ribs—he was in the hospital for over a month. Thankfully, we stopped you before you killed him, or your life would have been ruined.”

Li Mengyang continued to stare out the window. “He dared to bully my sister—he deserved to die. Scum like him is just a blight on society; I was ridding the world of a pest.”

Haifeng said, “You’ve read so much, yet you’re ignorant of the law. Even if he deserved to die, it’s up to the courts to decide. You claim it was self-defense, but the crime wasn’t ongoing. He was already restrained, the police were there, and you still attacked him. It wasn’t even excessive defense—it was assault in front of the police. Being charged with intentional injury is already lenient.”

Li Mengyang suddenly turned and looked at Haifeng, his voice tinged with anger. “So being a teacher means you can do whatever you want, molest female students and escape punishment? Shouldn’t he be properly punished? I went to prison, but if time could turn back, I’d still beat him. I don’t regret it at all.”

“Who said he wasn’t punished? Life imprisonment isn’t light. Do you really think the law is worthless? Are we police officers useless, then? Everyone is equal before the law—if he committed a crime, the law will punish him; if you committed a crime, it will punish you too. The law is ultimately fair.”

Li Mengyang sneered at Haifeng’s words. “Fair? Was it fair to those female students he molested? How many lives did he ruin? He wasn’t some street thug; he was a teacher, a mentor—someone responsible for education, yet he did such things. He could die ten thousand deaths without injustice. Life imprisonment? With sentence reductions, how long will he really stay inside? Maybe thirteen years at minimum and he’ll get out, to harm others again?”

Haifeng’s tone remained calm. “The law is just. If he never repents, life imprisonment can become a death sentence. If he reforms, you can’t demand his life. I heard he committed suicide in prison—you should feel some relief. You and your sister have a long road ahead; there’s no need to be haunted by this. Forget what should be forgotten.”

Li Mengyang, still angry, retorted, “Can spilled water be gathered again? Can a broken mirror be made whole? If I choose to forget, does that mean it never happened? Will the damage my sister and those students suffered just vanish?”

“He has paid for his crimes. If you can’t let go, the one who gets hurt will be you—and those around you. He’s dead, but you’re alive. Your life is long; you have your family. You should have love in your heart, not hatred. I don’t want you to become Hannibal, nor do I want to have to arrest you myself one day.”

Li Mengyang was silent for a moment after Haifeng spoke, then said, “Don’t worry, I won’t commit any more crimes. I have family—I can’t go back to prison. I’ll be a decent person. But honestly, if I really became Hannibal, you wouldn’t have the ability to catch me.”

Haifeng burst out laughing, then quickly grew serious as he stopped the car. “The law’s net is vast and unyielding; no matter what, you will be caught if you commit a crime. Have you ever seen an ant defeat an elephant?”

Seeing Li Mengyang remain silent, Haifeng continued, “Now that you’re out, you need a job. I have a position that suits you. Will you help me? You like fighting injustice, right? I’m giving you the chance now. Are you willing?”

“I have a criminal record. You’re a police officer. What help can I give you?”

“I know about your record, and you know I don’t care about it. I only know you’re talented, and talent should be put to use. Realizing your potential benefits both you and society. I hope you’ll do something for this country, something you’re capable of.”

Haifeng took a slip of paper from the car and handed it to Li Mengyang. “Go home first—your family is waiting for you. Think about what I said. If you’re willing, come to this place tomorrow and find me. If not, I won’t force you.”

After dropping Li Mengyang off at home, Haifeng and Zhao Zhijie drove back toward Mingcheng University. Unable to resist, Zhao Zhijie asked, “Team Leader Hai, is it really appropriate to have Li Mengyang join the special unit? He has a criminal record, just got out of prison. We have regulations—criminals can’t join the police force. He has a history of violence; he’s an unstable factor. Isn’t this a bit unwise?”

Haifeng looked at Zhao Zhijie. “You think he’s a bad person and shouldn’t join the special unit, right?”

Zhao Zhijie nodded.

Haifeng continued, “Let me tell you his story, and you can decide for yourself whether he’s a bad person or a good one.” He then recounted Li Mengyang’s story to Zhao Zhijie.

“Li Mengyang, a student at Mingcheng University’s School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, a doctoral candidate specializing in applied psychology, with a focus on criminal psychology. He’s deeply versed in personality and cognitive psychology, and is an accomplished hypnotist.”

“His family is ordinary; his parents worked at the Mingcheng Smelting Plant. His father died in a workplace accident. He has a younger sister, Li Mengxin, and the three of them depended on each other. He excelled academically from a young age, always attending key schools. When it came time for university, he didn’t want to go far from home and, driven by his passion for psychology, chose Mingcheng University’s School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, a top department in a lesser-known university. He went on to pursue a combined master’s and doctorate, earning his PhD.”

“During his studies, Li Mengyang often assisted his advisor in collaborating with the Mingcheng City Bureau on investigations. Many major cases were solved with his help. His reputation in Mingcheng’s criminal investigation circles is legendary, and he was frequently invited to lecture at other police departments.”

“Though still a student, everyone saw him as a brilliant professor of psychology—his advisor called him a prodigy. Everyone expected he would become a master of psychology, a leader in the field. No one could have predicted he would end up in prison.”

Haifeng continued, “I handled his case, so I know the details well. At the time, he had just graduated with his doctorate, had just been hired by Mingcheng University, and was helping the city bureau with a criminal case. His sister, Li Mengxin, was a junior in Mingcheng High School and a classmate of my daughter. Unlike Li Mengyang, whose appearance is unremarkable, Li Mengxin was the school beauty, admired by many, but she focused solely on her studies, wanting to be as outstanding as her brother.”

“At that time, Mingcheng High had a new director of discipline, named Jia Zhengdao. His name suggested uprightness and seriousness, but he was actually a deeply twisted individual. Only later did I learn that at his previous school, he was caught molesting students; parents nearly broke his legs. Unable to stay there, he used connections to transfer to Mingcheng High. He didn’t change—he continued to molest students under the guise of discipline. Female students dreaded being called to his office.”

“On the day of the incident, the weather was hot, and Li Mengxin felt ill from heatstroke. She got permission from her homeroom teacher to leave and rest. On the playground, she encountered Jia Zhengdao, who called her to his office. Once inside, he started to grope her. Li Mengxin, just a child, was terrified. He pulled her onto the nap bed, intent on assaulting her.”

“Just then, a mischievous student skipping class heard Li Mengxin’s cries and followed the sound. Kicking open the office door, he saw Li Mengxin’s pants pulled down, Jia Zhengdao atop her. The student shouted and rushed to attack Jia Zhengdao, drawing the attention of many teachers and students, who, enraged, beat Jia Zhengdao black and blue. Someone called the police.”

“Li Mengyang was at the bureau when someone told him his sister was in trouble. He rushed to Mingcheng High, arriving as police were dispersing the angry crowd and preparing to take the suspect away. Seeing his sister in disarray, crying, and Jia Zhengdao cowering beside the police, Li Mengyang, furious, attacked Jia Zhengdao. After the beatings by the crowd, Jia Zhengdao was already battered, but Li Mengyang’s assault was intense, leaving him coughing blood.”

“Police on the scene tried to stop Li Mengyang, but he was uncontrollable, raining blows on Jia Zhengdao. When they finally restrained him, Jia Zhengdao was limp on the ground. Forensic reports showed the students’ attacks left only minor injuries, but Li Mengyang broke his nose and two ribs. Without the police intervening, Jia Zhengdao might have been killed.”

“Jia Zhengdao had sexually assaulted students; even killing him would not be excessive. But Li Mengyang attacked him after he was subdued and the police were about to take him away—it wasn’t during the commission of the crime. His violence was excessive, and no one could protect him. Jia Zhengdao’s family tried to negotiate, hoping Li Mengyang would sign a statement of forgiveness in exchange for leniency, but Li Mengyang refused, preferring prison over forgiveness.”

“Jia Zhengdao’s family had connections, trying to get my superiors to classify it as forcible molestation rather than rape. I ignored them and pursued the case as rape, ensuring the evidence was ironclad, preventing manipulation at the prosecution. I also leaked some information to media contacts, though I protected Li Mengxin’s identity—her life was just beginning, she couldn’t suffer further harm.”

“You’ve probably heard about what happened next. The investigation revealed Jia Zhengdao had assaulted several female students. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, and Mingcheng’s education system underwent a major overhaul. Officials who tried to intervene were themselves prosecuted for abuse of power. But Li Mengyang was also imprisoned for intentional injury.”

Haifeng looked at Zhao Zhijie. “Do you still think he’s a bad person?”

Zhao Zhijie shook his head. “He’s much braver than I am. His crime is a fact, but I admire him.”

Haifeng stared ahead, muttering, “It’s time for him to return to where he belongs…”