Crimson Instinct

---

High court, Beijing

If the perpetrators had planned to trap Fu Ting further during the break, then Xin Nianzu wasn't dilly-dallying either.

In the case of child witnesses, the judge needed to know beforehand about such witnesses.

Xin Nianzu had already warned Fu Biyu yesterday that he might need to call Fu Jun for his testimony if the need arises. Naturally, he would try to avoid that as much as possible, considering Fu Jun's age and the effect on his mental health, but he knew the culprits in the shadows would stop at nothing.

They also had a discussion with Fu Jun with a child psychologist present with them.

*Flashback*

"Jun. Do you want your Daddy to come back to you again?" Xin Nianzu asked. 

Fu Jun's gaze brightened. He was on his mother's lap. "Daddy! Yes! I want him back! I am missing him. He did not give me a piggy-back ride for so long!" He pouted.

"En. So you have to help him."

Fu Jun tilted his head, knitting his cute brows. "Help Daddy?"

"Yes. This is like a fairy tale. Some bad uncles have taken your father away, and only a hero can save him."

Fu Jun's eyes teared up. "Bad uncles took Daddy away? L-like my sis?"

Xin Nianzu nodded. "Yes. Will you be your sister and Daddy's hero?"

Fu Jun furiously nodded. "Yes, I will! I will save sis and Daddy!"

He smiled and patted his head. "Fu Jun. To help him, you will have to say what you saw that day in the park when you got lost with your sister."

Fu Jun suddenly retreated a bit fearfully. The incident was still fresh in his mind.

"You remember how you said it to big brother Bai Li and big sister Xin Lei?"

Fu Jun slowly nodded.

"We want you to repeat everything in front of a very nice lady. She will give you lots of tasty candies. If you do that, then your father will be free from those bad uncles."

Fu Jun uncomfortably wiggled in Fu Biyu's lap. He blinked his big eyes and clutched his mother's hand. His small body was shivering, and tears fell. "Mommy...No mommy…"

Fu Biyu immediately cuddled and pacified him. She patted and repeatedly kissed his head to calm him down.

"Jun, baby, it's okay. Mommy is here."

The psychologist was a doctor in her early forties. She helped Xin Nianzu in talking to him and trying to make Fu Jun understand the importance of his testimony while also gauging his readiness to do that. She was also assessing his mental state.

Bai Li and Xin Lei also helped them through a video call and talked to Fu Jun.

Seeing their familiar faces, Fu Jun felt a bit relaxed. 

"I-I will help Daddy."

So with Fu Jun's agreement and the doctor's go ahead, Xin Nianzu, along with the psychologist, Fu Biyu, and Fu Jun, met the judge.

The judge gravely asked, "Why the child, Mr. Xin?"

Xin Nianzu said, "Because Fu Jun also saw what Fu Meili saw that day. He was there with her who luckily could escape from that place. He was too afraid of the whole incident, so he didn't come out with it earlier."

The judge then personally talked to Fu Jun too. She asked a few simple questions to understand his intellectual capacity to observe and if Fu Jun could understand and answer questions and his ability to recall things.

"What is your father's name?"

"Fu Ting."

"Where do you live?"

"Dongcheng."

"What do you remember before you came here?"

"There are lots of trees outside! There were so many people wearing black and white clothes. There are also people sitting on desks outside like in my school!"

She asked some more and was satisfied when Fu Jun could answer them. That meant that Fu Jun, as a child, was a reliable witness who remembered things.

She discussed with the doctor too about the implications on his mental health, but the doctor saw no issue. If he had all the support of adults, then Fu Jun cannot be traumatized.

The judge said, "Alright. I allow him to testify. But the questioning will be done privately with only me, the court reporter to record his statement, you, Mr. Wen, and Mrs. Fu's presence with Fu Jun."

It wasn't wise for a child to bring him in front of everyone. It could be intimidating.

*Flashback ends*

At present, Wen Guiren widened his eyes in shock.

Huh? Fu Jun?

Rodey was calmly observing everything. He silently but dangerously glanced at Fu Jun, who was playing with his mother's dress, unaware of his gaze.

Wen Guiren exclaimed. "Fu Jun?"

The judge said, "Yes, Mr. Wen. I have assessed him, and I have decided that he is a competent witness. The court orders everyone to leave the courtroom until ordered to come back."

The bailiff started to disperse the crowd until only the five remained.

Fu Biyu took Fu Jun with her. He innocently looked between Xin Nianzu and the judge and felt a bit shy.

Xin Nianzu ruffled his head, and affectionately smiled at him. "Hey, champ. Can you say what happened once again?"

Fu Jun nervously but exactly repeated the same things as he said to Bai Li and Xin Lei.

Wen Guiren was stunned.

They had no idea that Fu Jun was with her too!

Xin Nianzu said, "Your Honor, the woman who Fu Meili and Fu Jun saw that time getting beaten up waa none other than Liao Chuntao."

He took out some photos from his file and showed it to Fu Jun.

"Jun. Do you recognize her?"

He showed some of Liao Chuntao's photos. They were normal photos, not of crime scenes.

Fu Jun nodded. "She was the same lady! The b-bad uncles were beating her. Sis and I saw it! And t-then they caught sis when we ran!"

Xin Nianzu said, "This proves everything, Your Honor. Fu Ting didn't kill Fu Meili. She saw Liao Chuntao's murder, and the culprits caught her to prevent her from exposing it to anybody. They didn't know that Fu Jun was there too or else…"

Fu Biyu hugged her son hard.

Fu Jun too…No...

The judge asked, "Mr. Wen. Do you want to ask Fu Jun any questions? Mind you. You have to be sensitive."

But Wen Guiren was stumped. He had no questions at all.

So Xin Nianzu already had this trump card, but he wanted to prevent the child from testifying and recalling that horrific incident.

"If nobody has any questions, then Fu Jun's testimony is over."

She warmly smiled at the boy. "You did a great job, child."

Fu Jun was happy with her praise. 

"Come here."

Fu Jun trotted to her side, and the judge gave him a bar of big chocolate. "Here is your reward for being a brave boy."

His eyes sparkled in delight. He slowly forgot the fear and uneasiness he had to bear while telling the truth.

She looked at the bailiff. "Call everybody inside."

Soon, everyone was seated.

Xin Nianzu said, "Your Honor, The prosecutor has failed to give any concrete evidence. They were all assumptions and hearsays. Nobody saw my client meeting Rodey, no CCTV in the bar, nobody saw Fu Ting running away with a bloody knife in the park, the presence of the knife in his room, and no CCTV to prove that he threatened the jeweler owner. Fu Ting's wish to have a son was twisted wrongfully to say that he never loved his daughter. These all were the traps laid to put an innocent man behind bars."

He took out one report. "This is the Miss King's audio confession report, which I just received. The voice and recording are genuine. Nothing is tampered with. With this, it is proved that Miss Ming told the truth. Fu Ting indeed went back to his room. And she was killed because she was ready, to tell the truth. I am sure that the gift was also thrown away."

He paused.

"The culprit is not my client. The culprits are those who have kidnapped and killed all those innocent victims in Natural Park. Fu Meili and Fu Jun saw Liao Chuntao's murder. And then they kidnapped me because they found Fu Ting as the perfect scapegoat. They didn't want any lawyer to defend my client and pin all the blame on him. The defense rests, Your Honor."

Wen Guiren broke out in sweat.

Silence.

Fu Biyu prayed in her heart.

Please save my husband, God. Please…

The judge made some notes. She finally looked at everyone.

"Listening to the sides of both defense and prosecution and analyzing the evidence and testimonies of all witnesses, this court has come to a conclusion that…"

Fu Biyu shut her eyes.

"Mr. Fu Ting is innocent. Miss Ming's confession and Fu Jun's testimony proves that Mr. Fu Ting didn't kill Fu Meili. This court orders that Mr. Fu Ting's case will not be moved onto the trial. This court orders the cops to restart the investigation of this case and find the true culprits."

"The court declares Mr. Fu Ting free of all charges."