BLESS（To be continued）

Two hours before the execution, I went into the cell to give the condemned man psychological counseling before his execution.

The condemned man said, "Soon I will be shot, and everything will be settled. This is not an interesting ending. But I want to struggle one more time -- how can I reverse this boring ending?"

"Why don't I tell you a story, Dr. Lu?"

His incomprehensible smile made me shudder. In the last two hours, does he still want to overturn the case?

1

After graduating from college in 2005, I was assigned to the education reform department of a men's prison in the mountainous southwest of China and became a psychological counselor. Daily work is to give prisoners psychological education, help them correct bad psychology, in order to better participate in the reform.

There was a prisoner named Chen Yuan, who wasn't my primary focus. He has served more than a year on a suspended death sentence for voluntary manslaughter; Behaved properly, not actively, but always followed orders and never had a confrontation with others; Not much to say on a daily basis, not much to be felt in a crowd of complicated prisoners.

Just a few more months, Chen Yuan will be able to pass the probation period, reduced to life imprisonment.

But something changed.

Some time ago, Chen Yuan suddenly attacked his roommate, unilateral violence, boxing to the fatal place, ten seconds to beat people seriously died. The police on duty did not respond.

A year of clever performance, let people almost forget that Chen Yuan is a killing and dividing the devil, just because the defender can get a two-year reprieve grace.

Now Chen Yuan still ushered in his deserved ending. Death sentence probation period intentional crime, the circumstances are egregious, naturally need not be delayed, the death penalty has become a certainty.

When the verdict came down, we gave the prisoner a day's notice. Chen Yuan learned that the last 24 hours of his life had been arranged clearly.

Tomorrow, he can meet his relatives, take a good bath, eat a good meal, receive psychological counseling, and then identify himself and deliver.

Chen Yuan showed a strange expression and did not speak.

"Do you have any questions?" I asked.

"No."

2

The next day, Chen Yuan was taken to the death penalty prison, and I, as a psychological counselor, also had to accompany him.

Family members can be arranged to meet before execution, but Chen Yuan is an orphan and has no family. No one had visited him before, and no one was saying goodbye to him now.

The only person Chen Yuan has ever contacted is a male friend named He Wenxi. They write to each other every two months.

Prisoners' letters must be reviewed and checked before they can be delivered. Chen Yuan letter is to greet each other and family how is the situation, the other party to answer in detail. There was nothing wrong with the content of the letter, but there was something faintly odd in the lines.

The mailroom colleagues thought about it a few times and found a subtle intimacy that didn't seem like ordinary friends. And they came to a surprising conclusion.

But this close friend, Hovench, never showed up in the visiting room.

The last letter was special. It was from Howench's wife. She found the clue, the letter questioned who is Chen Yuan.

It turns out that Hovensch got married some time ago. We surmised that this was the reason for Chen Yuan's sudden madness.

Now Chen Yuan fell to the ground wearing handcuffs and shackles, by dictating to He Wenxi wrote the last letter, is still an ordinary greeting, added a sentence "do not reply."

The execution is two hours away. I'll give Chen Yuan psychological counseling.

Chen Yuan's appearance is classy, like a scholar, but the scar and burn marks on his face added a few Yin ruthless.

He sat in the middle of his cell, looking unusually calm.

Then the tough prisoner to this link, often will regret and cry, and Chen Yuan gave me the feeling as if he would not die.

I said: "Chen Yuan, there are two hours left, you have to prepare yourself psychologically, what else would you like to say?"

Chen Yuan said: "I'm dying, but you still care about my mental health. It's unnecessary."

"This is necessary humanitarian care." But I don't think he needs it.

"Dr. Lu, I heard that you are a top student in criminal psychology, and now you are doing this, isn't it a bit of a talent?"

I was at a loss for words.

Chen Yuan continued: "I also studied psychology, and real psychology is not as useless as this."

I took over and said, "So what are you using your psychology for?"

"Want to know?" He paused and said meaningfully, "Soon I'm going to be shot, and it's all going to be settled, and that's not a very interesting ending. But I want to struggle -- how can I reverse this boring ending?"

"Do you still want to overturn the case?"

"Why don't I tell you a story, Dr. Lu?"

I nodded. "That's your right. I'm all ears. But time is running out."