> [Name]Wen Yuqing
[Age]52
[Occupation before judgment]Principal and founder of "Home of Qingyu" – a private boarding school for children with cognitive, emotional, or developmental challenges.
[Judgment Trigger]Three former students publicly accused the institution of inhumane control and "benevolent tyranny," leading to social uproar.
[Initial Plea]Not guilty.
[Primary Argument]"The world doesn't show mercy to these children. I gave them structure, so they could survive it."
As the eleventh defendant stepped forward, the courtroom grew still.
She was not young, nor frail—rather, her presence radiated the unmistakable calm of someone who had long convinced herself she was right.
Wen Yuqing stood with impeccable posture. The hem of her long, dark coat nearly touched the ground, reminiscent of a school uniform's strict formality. On her chest, a faded brooch carved in the shape of a willow leaf—a symbol once used by her school to represent "gentle guidance."
Shen Yan looked at her and immediately sensed it: this was not a woman who used violence.
Her methods were subtle. And perhaps more terrifying.
The system's voice resounded:
> [Welcome, Wen Yuqing. You are now subject to open testimony and philosophical evaluation.]
[Your actions shall be measured not by law, but by moral gravity.]
She nodded. "Understood."
The system initiated questioning:
> [Did you, Wen Yuqing, authorize the use of physical restraints on students who exhibited emotional outbursts or erratic behavior within "Home of Qingyu"?]
"Yes," she answered with no hesitation. "To prevent harm—to themselves, and others."
> [Did you create and enforce a system where children who cried, screamed, or self-talked frequently were flagged as "emotionally unstable," and consequently lost privileges such as outdoor time or contact with family?]
"I did," she replied. "Emotions can be trained. I wanted them to become socially acceptable—not eternal outcasts."
> [Do you acknowledge that three former students were later diagnosed with PTSD, one of whom attempted self-harm as an adult, claiming to still hear your voice in nightmares?]
Wen Yuqing fell silent for a few seconds.
Then she said, softly, "I acknowledge that. But it was never my intention."
The room dimmed again, lights fading until only she and Shen Yan remained in the center.
He spoke slowly: "Do you think you're innocent?"
Wen Yuqing's expression softened, almost like a sad smile. "I don't care about innocence," she said. "I just want to know—did those children end up better than if they had been left to rot in alleyways and foster homes?"
"But you never asked them." Shen Yan's voice was steady. "You decided for them what was best. You took away their right to choose."
"And you never asked what the world would've done to them," she said in return.
Two silences clashed.
The system's voice returned, neutral and absolute:
> [Judgment concluded.]
[Defendant No.11 – Wen Yuqing]
[Final Verdict: Guilty]
[Moral Offense: Benevolent Oppressor, Emotional Manipulator]
[Sentence: Indefinite introspective imprisonment in the Psychological Echo Zone.]
A beam of pale light descended.
Wen Yuqing's figure dissolved soundlessly into it, vanishing as though she had never existed.
沈砚 remained still, but his hand subtly curled into a fist.
A memory surfaced, unbidden:
A teacher once looked at him kindly and said, "You're the most mature one here. So no crying, no anger, no fear, okay?"
He had nodded back then.
But today, he knew:
Maturity can also be a form of violence.
He lowered his gaze.
"Next," he whispered.