Chapter 1: Prologue

The winter morning was exceptionally cold, with dewdrops clinging to the grass and trees, and sunlight spreading from afar, shining on the city without a hint of warmth.

Crowds gathered at the courthouse entrance, standing in the sunlight, hoping to find some warmth in its golden glow.

After numerous media reports, the sexual assault case involving Ye Sibei finally reached its final judgment day.

Due to privacy concerns, the trial was not open to the public, and reporters and family members were kept outside the courthouse. However, this did not dampen everyone’s enthusiasm.

Some hosts were putting on makeup, some self-media hosts were narrating the backstory, and there was a lively atmosphere, all waiting for the final outcome.

“In April 2018, this sexual assault case that occurred in the southern city has finally reached the final judgment stage. After the defendant was acquitted and released in the first trial, the moral integrity of the plaintiff, Ms. Ye, once again became a social focus. Is it a case of workplace sexual assault, or a scandal involving sexual transactions? Today, the court will give us the final answer.”

Some reporters provided a brief summary from the official perspective.

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In stark contrast, the courtroom was solemn and serious.

In the courtroom, the judge and clerk sat above, with the prosecutor and defense attorney sitting on opposite sides.

The spectator seats were empty, with not even family members present.

“Judge, I have no further questions.”

After the defendant answered the prosecutor’s final question, the prosecutor nodded at the judge and then sat down.

The defendant breathed a sigh of relief, and another prosecutor sitting at the prosecutor’s table stood up. “Judge, we would like to request the victim to take the stand.”

“Please bring in the victim.”

The judge nodded towards a small door on the side.

Escorted by the court police, the defendant walked out of the courtroom. As he exited and the door closed behind him, everyone heard the “creak” of the door from the side.

Turning their heads, they saw the figure of a young woman standing at the doorway.

She wore a light-colored dress, her soft hair tied into a low ponytail with a pearl hairpin, falling behind her. Her face was lightly made up, and she wore a fresh scent of perfume.

She stood tall, facing everyone, so calm, so composed, with a surge of strength, like tender grass breaking through the earth in spring, like a plum blossom slowly blooming in the cold wind.

She quietly looked at everyone.

This was the first time in nearly a year that she wore a dress.

The first time she wore makeup.

The first time she wore perfume.

The first time she chose a hairpin with decoration to tie her hair.

And it was her first time in her life to lift her head, stride confidently, and walk in this world.

She walked to the spot where the defendant had stood moments ago and calmly introduced herself.

“My name is Ye Sibei, 28 years old, originally from the southern city. I used to work in the finance department of Fuqiang Real Estate as an accountant.”

Her voice was gentle yet firm as she recounted the experiences she had recounted countless times before.

She performed exceptionally well, without crying or losing control, just objective, like an outsider narrating everything.

After her testimony, she underwent cross-examination from both sides, and she had to begin proving that she had not lied.

The defense attorney questioned her, pointing out one flaw after another, until finally, he posed a question.

“Miss Ye, you have consistently claimed that you were not willing, and that you had no private contact with the suspect before. Can you tell me, then, what reason prompted you to remain silent after experiencing such a significant trauma, and then suddenly decide to press charges?”

All eyes were on her, especially the sharp gaze of the defense attorney, which fell directly on her eyes. “Why didn’t you report the incident at the beginning?”

Why didn’t she choose to report the incident at the very outset of the harm?

As Ye Sibei listened to the questions, she couldn’t help but turn her head slowly.

The spectator seats were empty, yet she felt as though someone was sitting there.

He should be around twenty-eight or twenty-nine, wearing a dark blue jacket. His hair was unkempt, scattered around his ears, with stubble growing on his face. Combined with his wheat-colored skin and handsome features, he exuded a rugged yet handsome charm that was quite different from the delicate and exquisite beauty popular nowadays.

He would probably be looking at her, with calm and resolute eyes, like a boat floating in the vast sea, illuminated by the light in the dark night.

Why didn’t she report the incident?

She had been asked this question countless times.

However, if one wanted to find the answer to this question, how could it be explained in just a few words?

Perhaps one needed to dissect the bloody past and future from that chaotic mess to truly explore the origins of this silence.

Ye Sibei, why didn’t you report the incident?

And who helped you regain the courage to embark on this thorny path?

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The Author has something to say:

PS: The reason the male lead is not directly mentioned here is that without a public trial, even family members cannot enter. The ending of this article is HE (Happily Ever After).

And a few words to say:

1. This article was conceived between 2017 and 2018, scheduled for release in 2019. The story inspiration comes from the evaluation of women in daily trivial matters. There is no prototype, no reflection of reality, and no analogy. If there are similar events, it is purely coincidental. Please do not associate it with any real cases to avoid causing secondary harm.

2. All the professional content in this article has been consulted with criminal police, lawyers, and doctors. However, to some extent, for the sake of the story’s rhythm, it may differ from common cases, and any differences will be noted in the text. I am not a professional in the relevant field. Although I try my best to avoid bugs, there may still be omissions. Your corrections and understanding are appreciated.

3. The portrayal of victims in this article comes mostly from observations and collections of victims’ narratives online over the past two years, as well as personal simulations of feelings generated during sexual harassment. However, everyone’s perception of the issue, the psychological structure generated, and their worldview are closely related to their personality and past experiences. Each person is a unique individual. In the story, Ye Sibei is just Ye Sibei. Do not bring methods to heal Ye Sibei or Ye Sibei’s thoughts into reality.

Everyone is unique, and so are the characters.

4. The viewpoints of the characters in the story do not represent my personal views; they are just the thoughts of that character from his or her perspective. I have created this work with the utmost sincerity, and I hold the greatest goodwill towards all kind-hearted individuals, without any intent of judgment or defamation. If there are any expression errors causing deviations in understanding for the readers, I ask for your forgiveness.

5. Although the story involves romantic relationships, it does not convey the idea that love can solve everything. Ye Sibei is a woman who appears weak on the surface but is extremely resilient at heart. The key decisions in this article are actually driven by Ye Sibei’s inner motivations. Qin Nan exists more as a companion. Do not ignore the core driving force within her just because Ye Sibei appears weak on the outside. Whether it’s the protagonist or my personal viewpoint, the most important thing in one’s life is still determined by oneself.

6. The reason why this article chose a rather unlikeable female character, one who appears weak, numb, and somewhat dependent, is not to highlight the greatness of the male lead. Instead, it’s because I believe that, when depicting this subject matter, most women trapped in such situations are not the decisive and heroic female protagonists typically seen in light novels.

So, I wanted to attempt to understand why the weak are weak, why the frantic are frantic. The entire text is an exploration of why they don’t report to the authorities. From the origins of their personalities to societal pressures, I delve into every aspect to seek this answer.

Once we understand the root causes, we can make more efforts in the future to change the situation so that future women won’t have to face this question anymore.

Personally, I feel that simply telling victims to be strong is not of much use. As observers, what’s more important for us is to understand why they’re not strong, to seek the root of this “weakness,” and then try to offer help. This was the original intention behind my attempt to write on this subject matter.

Thus, I tried to explore the inner value of a character who appears weak, easily vulnerable, and prone to being attacked and disliked, by digging into her intrinsic worth and providing her with positive growth through uncovering inner motivations. I hope that one day, if anyone encounters such individuals in real life, they will offer more encouragement and care to these drowning souls.

Initially, it may be difficult for some readers to empathize due to significant differences in personalities, and I ask for your understanding regarding my choice of this character. If, at first, you find it hard to comprehend her and think that I’m simply writing about a weak female lead being saved by a male lead, please believe me, this is not my intention at all.

Finally, I wish you all a pleasant reading experience.