Chapter 382: Pity The Hearts Of Parents (1/2)

The driver's right prosthetic hand fell off, throwing Xiaotao for a loop since I hadn’t mentioned the previous incident to her.

”Don't be impulsive, let me try!” I said.

I walked over and waved my hand in front of the driver's eyes but still he showed no response. Then, I leaned in.

Last time we were on the bus, I didn't get a good look at his appearance. But this time, I was standing close enough to him to realize he seemed a little familiar. When I compared him to the photo of the driver who committed suicide ten years ago, realization dawned upon me.

Although their features were slightly different, the bone structure was similar. I noticed that there was a contrast between the color of the skin around his neck and his face.

”He’s the man in the photo!” I shouted. “He was disfigured by the accident ten years ago. Later on, he underwent skin grafting and plastic surgery!”

”Didn't the driver commit suicide?” Xiaotao asked in surprise.

I shook my head, ”It was probably faked!”

Right then, a car drove up from behind and stopped beside the bus. A stout old man alighted, knocked on the door, and folded his hands in a pleading gesture.

Xiaotao and I exchanged a questioning look, not quite fathoming what he meant. Xiaotao proceeded to put the key back into the ignition and pressed the open button.

As soon as the old man got on the bus, he desperately begged, ”Please be kind and let my son go. He’s got problems here!” the old man pointed to his skull.

”Sir, you’ve got it all wrong.” I explained, “We’re not trying to hurt him!”

Xiaotao flashed her badge which seemed to draw the old man’s unease. ”Did my son crash into someone?” He shifted his gaze.

”No,” Xiaotao shook her head. “But he’s been wandering around the city late at night, seriously affecting law and order, which is why we’re investigating the matter.”

The old man breathed a sigh of relief, ”Please get down from the bus and I’ll explain everything.”

The old man sighed and began to tell his story.

His son, Su Junting, was the driver in the accident from ten years ago, and the old man was the stationmaster at the time. In his early years, he had also driven buses. Mrs. Su passed away early on, leaving son and father behind so he often brought his son on his bus trips.

Exposed to buses since childhood, Su Junting had a passion for buses and strived to be a bus driver when he grew up.

When the old man eventually became the stationmaster, his son was already a young lad. At the age of nineteen, Su Junting got his Class A driver's license. When he begged his father to let him experience driving a bus, the old man agreed!

Then came the horrific accident. When the bus burst up in flames, Su Junting was the only one who escaped by breaking the window and crawling out...

After the accident, Su Junting was subjected to endless criticism and insults from the victims’ families. Due to his disfigurement from the fire, he suffered mental trauma and hid himself at home, refusing to go outside. But hide as he did, the crime of manslaughter couldn’t be avoided. What he faced was at least ten years in prison.

Unable to bear the pressure, Su Junting attempted to commit suicide by jumping off a hospital building. Fortunately, his fall was broken by a tree and he survived. As a result, the comminuted fracture in his right arm and open injuries meant amputation.