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Xie Tingsi resumed filming as usual the next day. He had taken the lead early on, and his eldest brother had handled everything that followed. He had nothing to worry about.

Cheng Hui's sentence was announced soon after. For attempted murder, he was sentenced to nine years in prison, effective immediately.

The moment the verdict came out, Cheng Hui's family cut ties with him. His parents had other children. Losing one to a crime hurt, but they felt it was better to make a clean break.

They could not repay the enormous gambling debt Cheng Hui had run up. To avoid his creditors, the whole family moved out of their old home.

Before Cheng Hui was transferred to prison, Xie Tingsi went to see him.

Cheng Hui had never dreamed Xie Tingsi would visit him again. Tears streamed down his face.

"I'm sorry, Tingsi. I had no choice. I... I only wanted you to break your leg. I didn't want you to die. You were so good to me. How could I want you dead..."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I deserve to die. I deserve it!"

As he spoke, Cheng Hui slapped himself hard enough to leave palm prints across his face.

Xie Tingsi watched the performance in silence. Cheng Hui stopped after more than a dozen slaps, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

Visiting time was limited. Xie Tingsi had no desire to hear more lies, so he stood to leave.

Before coming, he had had plenty of questions for Cheng Hui. Now that he had seen him, none seemed worth asking.

Cheng Hui was still lying. How could he have known that a broken Safety Harness would only break Xie Tingsi's leg and not kill him?

Nothing but lies. Perhaps Cheng Hui had been rotten