Freedom and Dust
Seven days later, in the largest criminal courtroom of the Intermediate People's Court of the city, the atmosphere was solemn and dignified. The national emblem hung high, shining brightly. Unlike the oppressive and eerie atmosphere during the first trial, the courtroom today, though still quiet, exuded a sense of solemnity and the clarity that the clouds were about to part.
The gallery was packed. In the front row were Lin Feng's parents, their hands clasped tightly together, their eyes filled with anticipation and trepidation. Beside them sat lawyer Zhou Wenyuan, his expression grave.
Behind them were reporters from several media outlets who had been vetted and allowed entry, as well as some National People's Congress deputies, members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and members of the public who were closely following the case's progress. All eyes were focused on the entrance to the defendant's dock and the judge's seat.
Seated in the dock was a middle-aged male judge with a resolute face and sharp, steady eyes, and two equally focused jurors. Their aura was completely different from that of the previous Presiding Judge He.
The court hearing began on time. The procedures remained the same, but the pace was brisk and the direction was clear.
As the prosecutor rose to read the indictment, his tone was calm, but his stance had shifted. "... Following supplementary investigation in accordance with the law, new evidence has been discovered, confirming that there are significant doubts regarding the facts alleged in the original indictment... This court, upholding an objective and impartial stance, requests the court to conduct a trial in accordance with the law..."
When the courtroom projector lit up and the technically restored key video played on the huge screen, the entire courtroom fell silent. The clear images and readily apparent actions presented the facts in a silent yet deafeningly powerful manner.
Lin Feng's focused and innocent demeanor, coupled with Sun Tingting's deliberate approach yet maintained distance, created an undeniable contrast. Anyone with a modicum of rationality could see that this was a meticulously planned frame-up.
Defense attorney Zhou Wenyuan's statement was concise and powerful. He did not dwell on emotional rhetoric, but directly pointed out:
"This case was originally a miscarriage of justice with extremely weak evidence, and should not have entered the litigation process at all. However, due to the abuse of power and favoritism of the case handler Zhang Qian, who had improper dealings with the original trial judge He, the judicial fairness was seriously interfered with, causing my client to suffer nearly two months of injustice, resulting in enormous physical and mental trauma and serious damage to his reputation!"
There is now irrefutable evidence that completely proves Lin Feng's innocence! We demand that the court declare Lin Feng innocent in accordance with the law and in a timely manner, and request that the judicial authorities severely punish the relevant responsible persons and hold them legally accountable! At the same time, we reserve the right to file a civil lawsuit against the accuser Sun Tingting and other responsible persons, demanding state compensation!
It is worth mentioning that neither Sun Tingting, the "victim," nor Li Jing, the counselor and an important witness, appeared in court for this trial. Their absence was a silent confession, and it completely eliminated the last suspense of the trial.
The panel of judges adjourned briefly for deliberation. Upon reconvening, the presiding judge stood up, his gaze sweeping across the entire courtroom before finally settling on Lin Feng's face. He then pronounced the verdict in a solemn and clear voice:
"After review, this court finds that the facts found in the original judgment that the appellant Lin Feng committed the crime of forced indecency were unclear and the evidence was insufficient. There is now new and sufficient objective evidence to prove that the facts of the crime charged in the original trial cannot be established."
The original judgment applied the law incorrectly and should be corrected according to law. In accordance with Article 236, Paragraph 1, Item (3) and Article 242 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China, the judgment is as follows:
I. The criminal judgment No. XXX of the XX District People's Court (XXXX) is hereby revoked.
II. The appellant (defendant in the first instance) Lin Feng is found not guilty.
III. This judgment is final.
"Innocent!"
These two words, clear and powerful, like the resounding toll of a bell, echoed in every corner of the courtroom and struck Lin Feng's heart heavily.
He stood quietly, listening to the verdict that was nearly two months overdue. There was no excited shouting as one might have expected, no tears of joy. He simply took a slow, deep breath and then slowly exhaled, as if trying to expel all the pent-up anger, injustice, and repression that had been building up in his chest.
The torment of nearly sixty days and nights, like a long and absurd nightmare, has finally ended. He feels a weariness that permeates from the depths of his soul, as well as a sense of relief and exhaustion.
The bailiff stepped forward and deftly removed the restraints that had been on his wrists for a long time. The clanging of metal echoed one last time before fading away. He moved his somewhat stiff wrist, where a faint mark remained.
The next step was the necessary procedure. He was taken back to the detention center to complete the release formalities.
After verifying his identity, he signed a thick stack of documents and pressed his red fingerprint. The police officers at the detention center then returned all his personal belongings that had been taken from him upon arrival.
An old wallet, containing his ID card and bank cards; a cell phone that had long since died and was switched off; a set of cold Key; and a few crumpled bills. Touching these familiar yet unfamiliar objects, Lin Feng truly felt that freedom, this ordinary yet incredibly precious thing, had really returned.
When he took off the detention center uniform he had worn for nearly two months and changed back into his civilian clothes that smelled faintly of mothballs, a feeling of being in another world welled up inside him.
Step by step, he walked out of the iron gate that had imprisoned his freedom and symbolized humiliation and suffering.
Outside, the sunlight was blinding, causing him to squint instinctively.
"Xiao Feng! My son--!"
Suddenly, Zhang Fen's heart-wrenching cries, filled with so much pain and longing, rang out. She practically scrambled over and clung to him with all her might, as if trying to push her son back into her body to protect him.
Her tears welled up instantly, soaking Lin Feng's shoulder with their scalding heat. Her frail body trembled violently from the extreme emotion, and she sobbed uncontrollably.
The father, Lin Jianguo, a man who was always taciturn and carried the burden of his family on his back, also stepped forward and stood beside his wife and son.
He didn't speak, but simply stretched out his rough, calloused hand and patted his son's back forcefully and repeatedly. His eyes were red-rimmed, and his lips were tightly pressed together as he tried hard not to lose his composure. But his slightly hunched back and trembling arms betrayed the equally turbulent emotions within him.
Lin Feng hugged his mother tightly, feeling the warmth of this lost and regained love, tinged with tears. He gently patted his mother's back, his voice a little hoarse but unusually steady. "Mom, it's okay, it's really okay, I'm out, it's all over."
He didn't say much, didn't complain about the cruel twist of fate, and didn't condemn the wickedness of the bad guys. At this moment, any words seemed pale. He simply let his parents vent their long-suppressed emotions.
After a long while, his mother's emotions calmed down slightly, but she still clung tightly to his arm, as if afraid he would disappear. Lin Feng put his arm around his mother's thin shoulders, then turned to look at his father. Meeting his father's reddened eyes, filled with concern and relief, he nodded and said firmly, "Dad, let's go home."
The family of three, supporting each other, slowly but resolutely left the place that had brought them endless nightmares, leaving the gray, cold wall behind.
Standing beside the bustling street, I breathed in fresh air again, free of the smell of disinfectant, mixed with car exhaust and city dust. Looking up at the long-lost, vast and blue sky, the warm sunlight shone down on me without obstruction, dispelling the chill in the detention center.
However, Lin Feng's mood was not as bright and open as the sky; instead, it was as if it were covered with a layer of ashes.
He possessed Daredevil System and a top-tier lawyer like Zhou Wenyuan. In some ways, he could even be considered "lucky," a very special case among countless wrongfully convicted individuals.
Even so, he was still deprived of his freedom for nearly two months, endured both physical and mental torture, experienced the brutal storm of cyberbullying, and caused his parents to be exhausted and lose all dignity.
So what about the millions of ordinary people who lack systems, resources, and the ability to afford good lawyers, or even lawyers at all?
If they encounter injustice and are imprisoned, what can they rely on to defend themselves?
What terrible price must be paid, and how long must it take, to finally see a "vindication" that may never come?
Perhaps many more people will succumb to this cold procedure and unfair treatment, never to see this seemingly ordinary yet hard-won blue sky of freedom again.
Thinking of this, a chilling feeling, heavier and colder than the injustice itself, spread from the depths of his heart, almost suffocating him. This was not just his personal experience, but a deep fear of some kind of great uncertainty and potential injustice.
He shook his head vigorously, as if trying to shake off these heavy and complicated thoughts from his mind for the time being. Now was not the time to think about these things deeply; he needed to comfort his traumatized parents first.
He took another deep breath, trying to suppress the gloom, and, supporting his mother, walked side by side with his father towards the other end of the street, towards the safe haven that could be temporarily called "home".
The high wall and shadows behind us gradually shrank, while the road ahead, stretching out in the sunlight, seemed to be shrouded in more unknown mists and challenges.