Light Beyond the Reed Episode 11 Recap
> Light Beyond the Reed Recap
Fan Jiancheng arrived at the Nancheng People's Court, visibly anxious for his trial. Ye Sibei's brother, Nianwen, reassured his sister not to worry. Ye Sibei, in turn, expressed her conviction, stating to Nianwen that "This trial affects not only my life, but also Qin Nan's. He might spend his whole life trapped in that lonely youth, questioning the laws of this world. Only if we win this case can he find the answer he seeks."
Nianwen urged her to trust the prosecution. Qin Nan, also present, asked Captain Zhang if their case would succeed. Captain Zhang explained that cases only reach the court if the procuratorate believes the defendant is guilty. If the court rules not guilty, then all their efforts "did all that for nothing." Qin Nan pressed for a guarantee of victory, to which Captain Zhang replied, "Keep going," and promised, "You won't be disappointed. That's all I can say."
Qin Nan silently acknowledged the immense difficulty of persistence and the heavy burden Ye Sibei had already carried. Before the trial officially began, Zhao Shuhui caused a commotion by splashing water on Ye Sibei and amplifying a clipped audio recording from a USB drive for the public to hear. Ye Sibei, hearing the audio, became distraught and disoriented.
Her mother, Huang Guifen, seeing her daughter's panic, slapped her, reprimanding her for persisting with the police report against her mother's advice, which had now brought shame upon the family. Despite her mother's harsh words, Qin Nan offered unwavering encouragement to Ye Sibei, urging her to persevere and ensure the perpetrator received their just punishment. In court, Fan Jiancheng testified about the night of April 9.
He recalled Mr. Zheng of Wanfu Properties calling him for a cooperation discussion, and because Mr. Zheng "loves a lively crowd," Fan Jiancheng invited his employees to join them. During the dinner, Mr. Zheng felt offended by Ye Sibei, stating, "Your employee is disrespectful to me." Fan Jiancheng tried to explain that Ye Sibei was new and not accustomed to drinking. Ye Sibei later asked him to drive her home.
However, as they neared her house, she changed her mind, expressing distress about her husband wanting a divorce and asking to be taken to a canola field. Fan Jiancheng drove her there, where he claimed she hugged him, declared her affection, and produced a condom from her bag. He admitted to losing control and having sexual intercourse with her. Fan Jiancheng stated he filmed the act on his phone, and Ye Sibei "didn't object."
After the incident, he became scared due to their respective families and told her it was "just this once, never again." However, he claimed she demanded "100,000 yuan, or else she'd tell people what happened." Feeling "furious" and believing she was "scamming" him, he drove away, leaving her in the field. The next day, Ye Sibei called him, informing him she had reported to the police but suggested "there was still room for maneuver" if he reconsidered.
Fan Jiancheng, believing he had committed no crime, refused. When questioned why he hadn't submitted the photos and video earlier, he responded, "Unless it's unavoidable, who'd show something like that publicly?" He also stated he didn't record subsequent threats because "I'm a man, after all," acknowledging some personal responsibility but not wanting to sue her. Qin Nan reflected on his initial disappointment with Ye Sibei for being "too weak" to report the assault.
He realized, after hearing her in a video, the unknown hardships she faced, and his own ignorance in telling her to be stronger without understanding her plight. He acknowledged that even knowing the difficulties ahead, Ye Sibei courageously reported the crime. Detective Lin Feng, a witness, described Ye Sibei as a quiet employee whose husband usually picked her up.
Lin Feng recounted overhearing that Ye Sibei's husband was angry and considering divorce because she had secretly lent money to her younger brother, Nianwen, for a house. Lin Feng also recalled accidentally knocking over Ye Sibei's bag, revealing a condom inside, which made her feel embarrassed. An employee present at the dinner testified that while Fan Jiancheng initially tried to help Ye Sibei, Mr. Zheng's attitude was "strong" in forcing drinks.
Mr. Zheng then asserted his drinking style and claimed Ye Sibei "cunningly tried to dodge the drinks," which he saw as disrespect. He estimated she drank "about ten" glasses. Lin Feng then detailed the 911 call at 5:49 AM on April 10, where Ye Sibei reported being "trapped in a field" and needing "a coat."
Lin Feng, the first officer to arrive, found Ye Sibei "pale-faced, shaking all over, unable to speak clearly," prompting her to alert forensics and take Ye Sibei for a medical examination. Lin Feng confirmed Ye Sibei's initial request was for a coat, not a direct report of rape. She identified the purple condom presented in court as similar to the one she had accidentally seen in Ye Sibei's bag.
Lin Feng also corroborated Ye Sibei's request for Fan Jiancheng, the only sober person, to drive her and Chuchu home safely. She explained that a blood test wasn't initially performed as the extent of the assault wasn't clear until Ye Sibei explicitly requested a DNA test, confirming sexual assault. When asked by Mr. Meng if she had pre-judged Fan Jiancheng as guilty, Lin Feng affirmed, "Yes," adding, "Because I couldn't lie to my conscience."
Captain Zhang shared an anecdote with Qin Nan about a serial rapist who operated for years with "almost zero cost" because no victims dared to resist or report. He emphasized that "You can't expect a bad man to suddenly repent one day. . . Such people will only sharpen that knife if not stopped."
He cited a recent online case of a missing girl who, once found, "said nothing," "didn't dare to speak or report it," and whose case "just faded away." Captain Zhang praised Ye Sibei's "truly brave" act of reporting and persisting, calling it "the greatest warning to those hiding in the dark. . . thinking they never have to pay a price." He reassured Qin Nan that their efforts "truly isn't meaningless."
Ye Sibei took the stand, identifying herself as a 28-year-old accountant. She described Fan Jiancheng's unexpected return to the office that night, ordering everyone to a dinner party. After the dinner, he drove her home. She recounted being "blindfolded" and abandoned from the car by him. She stated he commanded her to "walk forward, counting to 1,000," threatening to kill her if she looked back. Terrified, she complied.
After counting and removing the blindfold, she found herself alone in a canola field. During cross-examination, Mr. Meng questioned why, as a "well-behaved" girl aware of the dangers of drinking at night, she still went. Ye Sibei countered by asking if he implied a girl drinking at night was "guilty." She explained she felt immense "pressure" at the dinner, with everyone watching, and feared losing the business deal, thus jeopardizing everyone's efforts.
She also felt safe surrounded by "many colleagues I trusted." She explained her initial denial of assault to the police was because her mother advised "not reporting it would hurt me less." She called Fan Jiancheng later to "ask for leave" as he was her superior. She denied habitually carrying condoms and stated that her colleague, Chuchu, had put one in her bag, suggesting it could "increase survival odds" if attacked.
She emphatically denied giving the condom to Fan Jiancheng, saying, "When I woke up, it was already happening." She asserted she "never" saw his face, as she was "blindfolded the whole time." Mr. Meng then presented a photograph showing Ye Sibei with her eyes open, looking at the camera. Ye Sibei reacted with shock and distress, exclaiming, "Impossible. This can't be. That's not me. . . There's no way it's me!" She stated she didn't remember being unblindfolded or photographed.
Mr. Meng pressed, claiming she was "conscious" and looking at the camera. She denied being hit by Fan Jiancheng, but claimed she "resisted," "scratched him," and "cried for help." When asked if she screamed, she confirmed, "Yes, he forced me to scream! He said he'd kill me if I didn't!" Mr. Meng then inquired if she "enjoyed it," a question the presiding judge deemed irrelevant and disallowed.
Mr. Meng concluded his questioning by scrutinizing Ye Sibei's financial situation: a monthly salary of 3,500 yuan, a 100,000 yuan credit loan for her brother's house, a monthly repayment of 2,400 yuan, leaving only 1,100 yuan for living expenses, and an outstanding mortgage on her own home. He questioned if she truly considered her future with her husband or if she had "another plan."
As Ye Sibei concluded her testimony and the judge asked her to leave, she looked around in disbelief, gazing helplessly, even at her brother Nianwen. Chuchu was called as a witness, introducing herself as a sales employee at Fuqiang Real Estate. She described the night, confirming she got off the car before Ye Sibei and told her to call once she arrived home safely. Mr. Meng confirmed Chuchu's engagement to Nianwen, Ye Sibei's brother.
Chuchu stated she was not drunk, but Ye Sibei was. However, she clarified that while Ye Sibei was "rambling non-stop," she could still "recognize people" and "make phone calls clearly," leading Chuchu to feel safe leaving her in the car. This contradicted Chuchu's earlier statement that Ye Sibei was "semi-conscious." Chuchu denied Ye Sibei's drunkenness worsened, explaining that after vomiting, Ye Sibei "was more clear-headed" and tended to say "things she never said before" when drunk.
Chuchu estimated Ye Sibei usually drank "about two liang" (approx. 100ml) and had "less than two liang" on the night of the incident, stating she didn't know if that amount would cause loss of consciousness. Mr. Meng then asked if Chuchu had given Ye Sibei the condom and advised her about increasing survival odds during an attack. Chuchu flatly denied this, stating, "No. I never gave it to her, nor did I say anything like that."
Nianwen interjected, urging Chuchu to "tell the truth," but was quickly silenced by the judge. The prosecutor later questioned Chuchu about the discrepancy in her testimonies, asking why she changed her account from Ye Sibei being "dazed" to being able to "recognize people and make phone calls clearly." Chuchu explained, "I thought it meant she was dazed if she kept talking," clarifying that Ye Sibei had talked extensively about "her family and how upset she felt."
During the final arguments, Mr. Meng, the defense attorney, used the photo of scratches on Fan Jiancheng's body to suggest an "intimate posture" and "voluntary cooperation" by Ye Sibei, challenging her claim of not seeing the defendant's face. The prosecutor countered that the presence of "deep and messy" scratches, even after a time gap, proved a "desperate struggle" and that any claim of "sexual pleasure" was "pure speculation."
He argued that a single photograph, a mere "captured expression," was insufficient and unreliable evidence, especially given Ye Sibei's lack of "instinctive shame" or "reaction to avoid the flash," which he argued indicated she "had already lost consciousness." Mr. Meng maintained that Ye Sibei's alcohol tolerance and Chuchu's updated testimony that Ye Sibei was conscious when they parted contradicted the unconsciousness claim.
He also highlighted the contradictory statements regarding the condom and Ye Sibei's omission of it in her testimony, suggesting inconsistencies in her account. The prosecutor reiterated that Ye Sibei's unconsciousness was a "fact," supported by previously submitted evidence, including hotel surveillance footage showing her being "helped into the car" and unable to walk, clearly indicating she was "drunk and dazed."
He also pointed to a recording where Fan Jiancheng both accused Ye Sibei of extortion and offered a bribe through his company to change her statement, arguing this proved Fan Jiancheng's guilt and attempt to cover up his crime. Mr. Meng, in turn, suggested that Ye Sibei's act of recording Fan Jiancheng indicated "strong legal awareness," implying she intended to "threaten the accused."
The prosecutor defended Ye Sibei's recording as a "legal right," not extortion, and reiterated that alcohol tolerance alone was not the sole standard for judging awareness. Mr. Meng concluded by re-emphasizing Chuchu's latest testimony and the contradictions regarding the condom. Nianwen, acting as the litigation agent, delivered an impassioned closing statement.
He described his sister, Ye Sibei, as a cautious woman who "lived her life with great caution," "never dared to bare her arms," and "never wore bright, bold colors" in her makeup. He emphasized her modesty, explaining that she wore "company uniform" and "a coat" even in summer. He clarified that her initial request to the police for a coat was "her way of asking for help" because "that coat was a kind of sexual protection for her."
He admitted that he and their mother initially tried to dissuade her from reporting due to the "secondary harm" such cases inflict. However, Nianwen stressed that his sister's decision to report again was "not for money, nor to extort anyone," but because "She just wanted justice." He concluded by asserting, "As a victim and a woman, facing something like this and choosing to report it already takes great courage. I believe justice shouldn't erase her courage. She deserves justice." The court debate then concluded, with the presiding judge announcing that the panel would deliberate and deliver a verdict after thorough discussion. The court was adjourned.
