Chapter 471 Atonement
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CHAPTER 471
"What's wrong exactly with the engine? Did it overheat perhaps?"
Not to his surprise, Liu Xueyi watched Judge Lie hands stiffen neither did he respond to his questions.
Immediately his cold eyes relaxed a bit as he strode over to stand by his side. "Let me have a go at it."
Ignoring his silence and whatever guilty conscience stuff going on with him, Liu Xueyi took hold of the spanner and working equipment with him, slightly pushing him out of the way with his body to get a good spot to work.
Soon, seconds turned to minutes and before long, thirty minutes had gone by while Liu Xueyi worked tirelessly on the car.
His plans earlier had been to question him, call for a mechanical engineer to check it and drive off. However, when he saw the tear fall onto the car, his heart moved and he chose to help.
Down to changing the spare tires, everything was done as quickly as he could.
At the same time, Andromeda strode over to where they were when Liu Xueyi came around to meet Judge Lie.
"Umm, why didn't you call for the repairer?" Liu Xueyi inquired while cleaning his hands on his white handkerchief, the black stains smearing the pure material.
"I ran out of battery on my phone and I seemed to have left my phone charger where I went to dine," Lie Junjie finally explained.
"I see." He cast a side glance at Andromeda and then darted his eyes to Judge Lie. "Hmm, It seems your wicked days haven't ended," Liu Xueyi pointed out.
The shock in the Judge's eyes told him there was something else. Rather than argue, he lowered his head, too ashamed to speak.
"Someone had deliberately tampered with your car. I fixed a plug and it was good. Also, your tires were punctured. This was planned. I have to assume so many people have it out for you as a corruptible judge."
"I…" Lie Junjie paused. Lifting his head, he bit back the urge to cry. "I'm not a judge anymore. Apparently, my last case was yours and that ruined my career. I didn't hurt anyone since then."
"You do not need to hurt more people. Obviously, not everyone is as forgiving as Liu Xueyi and I, to not go after your life. The seed's been sown. You are reaping the harvest now," Andromeda spat out.
Her eyes darkened, her lips pulling upwards and closed. She was holding back quite hard, Liu Xueyi could tell.
"Andy," he voiced, hoping to calm her down but before he could get any more words out, Lie Junjie beat him to it.
"No. She is right. I thought losing my job and status was the worst that could happen and my punishment. I guess I still have more to atone for."
He took a deep breath, trying to muster up his remaining dignity. His eyes drifted to Andromeda where she stood tall and proud in her beautiful red body-fitted long-sleeved dress.
"I... I wanted to apologize. I never imagined the ramifications of my wrong judgments until I lost everything. My job, my respect in society... all gone."
Liu Xueyi's tone was icy, "You believed lies, took bribes, and shattered our reputations. You became a puppet in Beatrice Zhang and Wu Bai's hands, and you expect us to feel pity for you?"
Andromeda, though seething, tried to maintain her composure and not let her emotions get the better of her.
"It's not about pity, Xueyi because I wouldn't feel such for the likes of him. He got what he sowed. It's about justice. And justice has been served."
She paused, looking directly into Judge Lie's weary eyes. "However, Judge Lie, redemption is a long journey, and it begins with true repentance," she stated firmly, her words laden with an unspoken challenge. "For your sake, let's hope you can attain that."
Under the weight of Andromeda's piercing stern gaze and words, Judge Lie Junjie's voice trembled, "I can never undo what I've done. But I wanted both of you to know, from the depths of my heart... I'm truly, deeply sorry."
There was a moment of silence. The weight of their past, the torment they faced due to a man's greed and another man's corruption, hung between them.
Finally, Andromeda spoke, her voice soft but firm. "Your apologies won't change the past, Judge Lie."
"Please, I am not a Judge anymore. Kindly remove the title."
Andromeda snickered. "Hmm. Anyways, remember this—every choice you make from now on will define your future. Choose wisely."
Liu Xueyi nodded to her words and added, "Maybe one day, you can atone for your mistakes. Until then, live with the knowledge of what you've done. My help today changes nothing between us nor has our anger been appeased."
Left with no arguments, Judge Lie nodded slowly, tears forming in his eyes. "Thank you for giving me a chance to apologize. It may not mean much to you, but it's a start for me."
With those final words, Andromeda and Liu Xueyi turned around and returned to their car and their journey home.
As they drove away, the wind carried with it a sense of finality, leaving behind a broken man to reflect upon his misdeeds and, hopefully, embark on a path of redemption.
Whether or not he did, there was no telling if he would survive his next attackers and they couldn't care.
After all, actions have consequences.
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On the other hand, the moment they arrived at Liu Xueyi's house, he attacked Andromeda's lips in the living room, not giving her a moment to relax.
She didn't mind though as she kissed him back eagerly before pushing herself against him again while she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.
He smiled down at her lovingly, wrapping his around her waist and back.
"You were so hot today in every state. Zheng Ying, my family dinner and even with Judge Lie. I'm proud of the woman you are Andromeda," Liu Xueyi praised, earning a soft blush from her.
"Thanks, hun, I'm glad you think that way but I had you by my side all the way supporting me. I'm glad, thanks." She grinned up at him playfully.
"Hmm... Shouldn't I be thanked another way?"
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