Epilogue 2
I went to see Iris. I tried to explain to the police.
“Will she be sentenced heavily? Doesn’t she have the circumstance of turning herself in? Can’t she be given a lighter sentence?”
Iris disagreed, “I did kidnap her. I did it on purpose, with premeditation. I even tricked Ava out… I committed a heinous crime… I
must be severely punished…”
The police officer looked at us both with a complex expression, “This is the first time I’ve seen a victim defending the perpetrator, and the perpetrator disagreeing.”
The police told me to go home and think it over, to be clear before coming back to sign the forgiveness letter.
Later, Iris was sentenced to five years. Later, I went to see her.
She smiled, “Senior, thank you. I’m doing quite well now. Actually, I’ve wanted to leave the crowd for a long time. People gather in groups, talking about money, talking about power, talking about the future. Every word they say affects me. I’m anxious, I reflect, I’m in a hurry, I’m afraid.
“Back then, I was so afraid of not fitting in, always uneasy. But my initial dream was to go to my outer space. I wanted to build my own utopia alone. Goodbye, senior. I’m tired and need to rest. When I wake up someday, I’ll come find you to chat again.”
Every few months, I would think of sending some things to Iris.
In March of the second year, she wrote me a letter.
In very neat handwriting, she said she had learned many things recently. She learned embroidery and paper–cutting.
She said she was still working hard to learn, and when she became more proficient, she would send some to me.
At the end of the letter, she said that day she originally wanted to die with me.
But that day, standing on the high–rise, she regretted it. Why kill me?
She smiled, “Senior, thank you. I’m doing quite well now. Actually, I’ve wanted to leave the crowd for a long time. People gather in groups, talking about money, talking about power, talking about the future. Every word they say affects me. I’m anxious, I reflect, I’m in a hurry, I’m afraid.
“Back then, I was so afraid of not fitting in, always uneasy. But my initial dream was to go to my outer space. I wanted to build my own utopia alone. Goodbye, senior. I’m tired and need to rest. When I wake up someday, I’ll come find you to chat again.”
Every few months, I would think of sending some things to Iris.
In March of the second year, she wrote me a letter.
In very neat handwriting, she said she had learned many things recently. She learned embroidery and paper–cutting.
She said she was still working hard to learn, and when she became more proficient, she would send some to me.
At the end of the letter, she said that day she originally wanted to die with me.
But that day, standing on the high–rise, she regretted it. Why kill me?
To make Caleb sad? Caleb had already had an affair. It was ridiculous to talk about me being his true love.
If I had known, I would have taken Caleb up there. Then he would definitely regret it.
Also, senior, your scolding actually didn’t hurt at all, because when I was very young, I had heard much dirtier insults.
