"Going back to the previous question, why didn't I confess the true motive in court?" Chen Yuan explained, "Because the one who was sexually assaulted was He Wenxi, and I, Chen Yuan, had no grievances or conflicts with Zhou Hongxing.

　　Naturally, I had to come up with a reason to pass it off casually, otherwise it would contradict my background." "Anyway, it's a death penalty case, and the motive doesn't matter.

　　I had prepared for death a year ago.

　　Who would have known that He Wenxi hired an experienced lawyer at a high price to defend me and managed to get a commuted sentence."

　　"Death row is not so bad.

　　I can correspond with my mother and keep up with her well-being, as long as she doesn't find out.

　　This is the only thing in this world that I desire.

　　If only his wife hadn't discovered our affair recently, I wouldn't have resorted to this plan.

　　It's all unfortunate for Ma Ming." After finishing the story, I still couldn't snap out of it.

　　Chen Yuan glanced at the time.

　　"It's about time for me to leave," he calmly got up.

　　"Is it true?" I quickly asked, "Are all the things you just said true?" "Bring out Chen Yuan!" a colleague outside the door shouted loudly, "It's time, get ready to verify his identity!" Chen Yuan said, "Whether it is true or not is no longer important.

　　The reason why I only say it now before my execution is because it's no longer important.

　　There's nothing significant about speaking before dying." Two prison guards took Chen Yuan away.

　　I sat there for a moment, then chased after them.

　　At the end of the dim corridor, it was still dawn.

　　The sound of the heavy shackles grew distant.

　　"Wait a minute—" I called out, about to chase after them.

　　Someone tapped my shoulder from behind.

　　"Xiao Lu, what are you doing?" I was startled and turned around to see my senior.

　　He would be responsible for verifying the identity later.

　　I quickly grabbed my senior and incoherently explained Chen Yuan's situation, but I was too anxious, causing my words to be disjointed.

　　After a moment of silence, my senior spoke two sentences that silenced me, "Did he commit the crime? Did he kill those two people?" "Yes," my senior answered his own questions, "I don't know what he used to be called or why he changed his name to Chen Yuan, whether he voluntarily switched names with someone or was impersonated during the college entrance examination.

　　But no matter the reason, the fact is that he committed the crime.

　　Will it affect the verification of his identity? No.

　　Will it affect the outcome? No.

　　He's just making up stories, don't think too much about it, Xiao Lu.

　　You're still too young.

　　Let's go." After listening to my senior's words, I gradually calmed down, shook my head, and followed slowly.

　　Identity verification, execution, everything proceeded according to the procedure.

　　Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, the entire execution ground was enveloped in a dim morning light.

　　The mountain breeze carried fog and was damp and cold.

　　I shivered and suddenly realized that I had followed them to the execution ground.

　　This was my first time coming to the execution ground.

　　And the scene before me was so similar to what Chen Yuan described.

　　Whether Chen Yuan's story was true or false, it wouldn't affect his outcome.

　　But was his story true or false in the end? Chen Yuan walked onto the empty grass field, stood still for a moment, and then kneeled down.

　　From the moment the verdict was handed down until now, he remained calm, without any worries or desires.

　　The moment the gun was loaded, he jerked and suddenly looked up, gazing into the distance.

　　I also instantly remembered something and followed his gaze.

　　In one glance, I saw the dormitory building on the western side of Xishan Second Mechanical Factory.

　　Because it had been abandoned for too long, the walls were covered in cracks and the windows were broken.

　　Amidst the foliage, there was a flower rack that seemed out of place.

　　On top of it was a red clay flower pot, overrun with weeds.

　　Suddenly, I saw a woman leaning out, her head lowered as she watered the plants.

　　My heartbeat skipped a beat, and I hastily averted my gaze, looking at Chen Yuan in confusion.

　　"Time's up!"

　　"Time was up, and the barrel was aimed at the back of his head—his pupils suddenly dilated, his dying gaze fixed on a distant windowsill.

　　His trembling lips quivered and exhaled air, without inhaling any— the police officer reminded him, 'Open your mouth wide!' He knelt on the ground, tilted his head back, and desperately opened his mouth wide, crying out, 'Mother!—Mother!—' The sound of a gunshot echoed, and only a few startled birds flew away.

　　The mountains and wilderness returned to tranquility.

　　I think the answer to that question has become self-evident.

　　The end."