Chapter 42 They're pushing themselves too hard!

Sometimes, Fangfang thinks that the concept of family hierarchy is the strangest thing. It seems like he's the oldest in the family, but when it comes to making decisions, he becomes the youngest.

My niece isn't home, so Aunt Ping was put in charge of keeping an eye on him. He's forbidden from doing this and that, and even though he's a small business owner on a payroll, there's no leniency. Now that my niece is here, she's even more controlling; she won't even let him buy a mobile phone!

The young master was not convinced at all, but his niece was a decisive madam, and her word was law. The little one could only obediently slap the cash on the counter and ask the boss to bring him a brand new mobile phone, just one.

"Hmph." Fangfang exhaled through her nostrils again.

Regarding the original plot, Zhu Qing had completely forgotten about any keywords related to cannon fodder female supporting characters, white moonlight, original female lead, or original male lead, because since she twice reversed the plot points, these characters had become completely irrelevant things of the past.

What's relevant to the future is the growth path of the minor villain.

My niece always remembers that she must not spoil the child too much and must discipline him properly whenever she has the chance.

"The Iron Man figurine you put in your pocket last time was lost the moment after you turned around. You might lose the cell phone you just bought."

"In full bloom, one must not squander it."

The child turned his head to the side and said, "I'd like to invite you to have some tea sometime!"

Fangfang has always mingled with adults.

Adults always talk about having tea when they have time, and he naturally picked it up. When his niece said she was going to kindergarten, the first thought that popped into his mind was "have tea when you have time."

But now, his niece has told him a serious truth.

Not a single child in the class owned a mobile phone.

Even if the young master of the Sheng family brought the latest mobile phone to the kindergarten, he would not get any response.

Fangfang was finally persuaded.

"They don't have any?" He pouted, his young face full of disdain.

When they got home, Aunt Ping heard about it and laughed so hard she almost fell over.

“Young master, you’re so unconventional—” she drawled, deliberately teasing the child, “you’ll be isolated.”

"I don't care." The little one said this, walked to the sofa, and like a diver preparing for a dive, he stood up straight and suddenly jumped onto it.

The child sank into the soft, fluffy sofa.

His head was tilted to one side, his short legs propped up on the edge of the sofa back, and he casually picked up the remote, randomly flipping through TV channels. He wasn't interested in any of the programs playing; even cartoons couldn't keep the young master occupied.

He was bored until he tuned to the last channel, pressed the standby button on the top of the remote, and tossed the remote onto the sofa.

It wasn't fun, so I went back to my room.

The figure in full bloom is small, with both hands in pockets.

He held his chin high, not even turning his head; he was a dashing young man.

Zhu Qing watched his retreating figure and carefully put away the Weston Kindergarten acceptance letter from the coffee table.

He might say he doesn't want to be friends with ordinary, naive kids, but deep down, he probably still has some expectations.

...

Sheng Fang listened to Aunt Ping's advice and said not to worry. Qingzai turned a page on the calendar, which meant it was next month. There was still a long time before he officially started school.

Of course he knew that the next page of the calendar was the next month, but at the time all his attention was occupied by the acceptance letter and he didn't notice it!

But no matter what, it's still a long way from kindergarten, and the young master, being carefree, banished the thought from his mind.

Aunt Ping, wearing her reading glasses, asked Zhu Qing for a piece of paper and made a list for Fang Fang.

It's the young master's first time starting kindergarten, and there's a lot to arrange. The young lady is good at solving cases, but asking her to manage these mundane daily tasks would be too much of a burden.

Aunt Ping then listed them one by one, calmly and meticulously.

"I need lightweight sneakers. I'm running and jumping all day, so comfort is the most important thing."

"Change a few handkerchiefs to new ones, and embroider the young master's name on them."

"School uniforms and backpacks, will the kindergarten provide them? Oh right, I need to order school uniforms—"

"Waterproof bibs are also needed, as the young master will get his clothes dirty while eating... Yes, we also need to bring spare clothes."

Zhu Qing never experienced being a "child" as a child; she had to handle everything herself. Now that she's grown up and started working, she's become the child in Aunt Ping's eyes, with Aunt Ping taking care of everything for her, big or small.

The niece and uncle each had a bowl of noodles in front of them, and even the poached eggs were the same size. They slurped their noodles and discussed their upcoming itinerary.

"Qingzai, where are you going later?"

"Me? Of course I go to work."

Fangfang tilted her head and said in a cute way, "Me too."

It's been a while since Shengfang has gone to work with Zhu Qing. The elder knows his limits; when the child is busy to the point of exhaustion, he arranges other recreational activities for himself. Now that the case is nearing its end, he can finally go to the Yau Ma Tei Police Station with Qingzai.

As for the senior inspector in the high-ranking office, Fangfang didn't care at all. Madam had solved a major case and made great contributions; who would give her uncle a hard time?

Early in the morning, the hardworking old lady selling bowl cakes in the alley behind the Yau Ma Tei Police Station had already set up her stall. Fangfang chose a red bean flavored bowl cake and was about to turn around and leave when she suddenly pointed to her stall: "I'll take all of these."

The old woman's eyes suddenly lit up. She picked up bamboo skewers, skewered the pastries, and hurriedly began packing them up.

Before Zhu Qing knew it, the young master was going to treat everyone to bowl-shaped rice cakes.

"Qingzai, it's your turn to pay."

"I shared it with my colleagues."

The children are holding their own bowl-shaped rice cakes in one hand and their newly bought mobile phones in the other.

His niece hadn't even figured out the phone's functions yet, but he had already learned them, and he was showing off his newly upgraded gadget as he drove around.

Everyone took a bowl of rice cake and entered their own phone number into the child's mobile phone contacts.

Zhu Qing couldn't understand why she wanted Xu Jiale's or Haozai's home phone number. Did she want to call them regularly?

They probably don't understand it themselves, but since the young master of the Sheng family has spoken, they have to give him face.

Weng Zhaolin was the last person to be asked to enter his phone number.

The young master discovered that his quality of life was much higher because he also had a mobile phone!

However, Zhaolin's phone was not the latest model.

By the time Zhu Qing discovered that Inspector Weng had already added his number to his contacts, it was too late.

Where is your number?

Shengfang: "I'll type it in for you."

Despite all efforts to stop her, she actually exchanged contact information with Weng Zhaolin.

"That's terrible." Zeng Yongshan looked at him with sympathy. "If Inspector Yung needs anything in the future, he'll come to you first."

Zhu Qing's eyes widened: "Really?"

Not only Tsang Wing-shan, but all the officers in the Serious Crimes Unit B were seeing the cold-faced Madam with such a heartbroken expression for the first time.

Inspector Weng was exceptionally difficult to deal with. When faced with tricky cases, Mo Zhenbang would even sneak out of the police station through the back door after work just to avoid running into him. Now, he had Zhu Qing's mobile phone number, so he could contact her directly to inquire about the progress of the investigation.

This is truly heartbreaking news.

They sighed along with her, nodded solemnly, and said in unison—

"real."

Suddenly, Zhao Lin's loud voice came from the Senior Inspector's office.

"Why is it coconut-flavored bowl cake?"

Uncle Li whispered some inside information to everyone.

Mr. Ong hates anything coconut-flavored because his wife once bought a bottle of coconut-scented shower gel, covered in English, which he mistook for coconut juice and drank several mouthfuls of. He ended up in the hospital, luckily without serious injury, but unfortunately, he has refused to eat even coconut chicken ever since.

How do I buy coconut-flavored bowl-shaped rice cakes?

"I never eat this flavor."

Then the young master's aloof voice drifted out.

"It's good that we have something to eat."

...

Zhu Qing had mentioned to Mo Zhenbang that she wanted to meet Li Ziyao.

Mo Sir understood her feelings and, in accordance with regulations, applied for and granted them a private meeting.

“Fifteen minutes,” Mo Zhenbang said. “I’ve already given permission to use Interrogation Room Number Two.”

"Thank you, Officer Mo."

The door to the second interrogation room was ajar, and Li Ziyao was already sitting inside.

She combed her hair neatly, removed her makeup, and her eyes were soft and calm. She finally confessed to the crime, and she seemed more relaxed than ever.

With a "click," the iron gate closed behind them.

Zhu Qing sat down in front of her.

She was smiling, with a slight upturn at the corners of her lips.

Li Ziyao said that since their reunion, they seem to have never spoken frankly to each other.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm actually fine, really," Li Ziyao said gently. "Just to be on the safe side, I've cut off contact with Ya Yun for a while, but I know she's thinking about the same thing as me. We're both wondering if there are other girls who have been victimized and are still living in the shadows, too afraid to speak out?"

"Perhaps they will never stand up. But he is dead, which is good. If they knew this good news, they would feel relieved."

"From now on... there will be no more new victims."

“Going to jail is fine, I think it’s worth it. At least we’re giving an explanation to all those who have been hurt in this way.”

For ten years after her parents' unexpected death, Li Ziyao had been unable to sleep soundly.

She kept asking why, whether she was questioning the heavens or herself.

But last night, she actually slept peacefully.

All the grudges and entanglements finally came to an end. She lost her freedom, and Fang Songsheng lost his life. In a way, it wasn't a loss.

"I need to confirm the statement with you again," Zhu Qing asked. "Here you said that no murder weapon was provided?"

“No,” Li Ziyao said firmly. “I’ve told them many times that I don’t know the specific details of the day the incident occurred.”

Zhu Qing repeatedly confirmed that Li Ziyao did not provide the murder weapon, did not assist in the murder, and did not handle the crime scene.

This means that the judge ruled that the possibility of her being an accomplice in the murder was not established; the nature of the crime is different, and the sentences will naturally be vastly different. From the police's perspective, Zhu Qing couldn't say much, but she already understood the situation.

She closed the notebook.

“Don’t worry about me,” Li Ziyao suddenly laughed. “It doesn’t matter how many years I get. I haven’t had a proper night’s sleep in ten years, going to Stanley will actually help me catch up on my sleep.”

Zhu Qing also smiled.

"Sister Xin Xin".

A very soft voice came from behind.

That call seemed to echo with the damp, musty smell and mottled brick walls of the childhood orphanage... That year, they were all still young, their thin arms wrapped around each other, huddled together in the cold winter night.

Li Ziyao paused for a moment, somewhat lost in thought, and subconsciously lowered her head to avoid her gaze, wiping her forehead with her hand.

But her hair was already combed so neatly that not a single stray hair could be found, and she couldn't help but chuckle.

When Li Ziyao first met Zhu Qing at the entrance of the music store, she saw surprise in Zhu Qing's eyes and wondered if she was still worthy of that title.

“That’s right, I didn’t contact Dean Guo. On the day Fang Songsheng died, Teacher Amy told me to go back to the music school. I saw you at the entrance of the music school and after learning that you were a policeman, I started asking someone to find your address. It was a private investigator that Ya Yun introduced to me before. I have his contact information.”

"Actually, we had planned everything out long ago, but we never expected that the person who would take on this case would be my best friend from childhood."

"After meeting you, I didn't know who to talk to, and there was no one I could talk to. Neither Luo Weiwei nor Dai Feng... I can't drag them down with me anymore. I only thought about ensuring that everything was foolproof for Grandma Yan's sake. So I approached you to gather information at any time."

“I’m sorry, I took advantage of your trust.” Li Ziyao paused for a moment, “But I was very happy to share the peach shortbread with you that day, that’s the truth.”

That day, she bought a whole box of peach shortbread.

They each ate only one, gently breaking it in half, just like when they were little, one half for each of them.

Even though the loudspeakers outside the bakeries are constantly playing the advertising slogan "secret recipe from the old days," the peach shortbread has long lost the taste of my childhood and is no longer as fragrant and crispy as I remember.

But for some reason, I felt that at that moment, even the air was filled with the scent of the past.

After leaving the orphanage, she also missed the past.

I never imagined that they would meet again, side by side, just like when they were children.

"terribly sorry."

“No need to apologize.” Zhu Qing gently shook her head and said, “What I meant was that the letter and photos your parents sent to Dean Guo are still with me.”

"Could you keep this for me temporarily?" Li Ziyao asked.

"Give it back to me when I get out." She paused abruptly, adding hastily, "If it's inconvenient, just leave it at the guardhouse—"

"I'll invite you for coffee then," Zhu Qing interrupted her. "I'll hand it to you personally."

Li Ziyao did not answer immediately.

She lowered her eyes, and suddenly her eyes welled up with tears. The tears fell onto the back of her hand, and her mottled, mostly peeling red fingernails dug deeply into her palm.

In truth, she longed to cherish this rare warmth in her memories.

But at that time, she was barely able to protect herself.

“Okay.” She looked up. “On that day, I’ll treat you to peach shortbread again, if that old shop is still open.”

"It must still be there." Zhu Qing's tone was soft but firm. "It's an old brand."

...

When Zhu Qing came out of the No. 2 interrogation room, her other colleagues immediately surrounded her.

"So? What did she say?"

"Do you regret it—?"

Last night, the lamp in Zeng Yongshan's room stayed on until the early hours of the morning.

She repeatedly studied the relevant legal provisions and cases regarding the jury system, and we were just discussing this topic with everyone.

In fact, everyone could see that Fang Yayun and Li Ziyao showed no remorse whatsoever. Everything they did was not an impulsive decision, but a well-considered choice.

“During yesterday’s interrogation, Fang Yayun said she didn’t regret it. At least, they helped Ni Fangrun and Zhou Lingyi get justice. She doesn’t know how many shady things her father has done in private over the years, but they can all guess…”

"For Fang Songsheng, his last moments were the closest he ever came to happiness. His daughter was on a global tour and would thank her father for his guidance during the curtain call; his fiancée was gentle and young; his good days were just beginning. But because of Yan Fengying, his 'good days' came to an abrupt end..."

"Fang Songsheng's good days are over, but at the same time, the new life that Li Ziyao, Fang Yayun and Yan Fengying were about to begin also came to an end."

When talking about the case, the police officers still felt somewhat saddened and emotional.

Fang Yayun and Henry finally reconciled, and the lovers were finally united, but now they have to face separation again. During the days when the police were tracking her, they were always together. Was it because Fang Yayun was afraid that this day would come sooner or later, so she cherished their time together all the more?

Li Ziyao had previously worked at a hair salon, while Dai Feng's video arcade business gradually stabilized. They longed for a bright future, hoping to build a small family of their own… However, she couldn't let go of her obsession and ultimately chose revenge. When Dai Feng mistakenly thought everything was settled and waited downstairs at her house, what was Li Ziyao thinking? Was her refusal because she knew a broken relationship was hard to mend, or did she know the police would eventually uncover the truth?

"Do you think Henry and Dai Feng will wait for them to come out?"

“Yongshan… your focus is always so romantic.”

"It's such a pity. They had clearly planned a new life. I heard from Luo Weiwei that Li Ziyao is going to rent a new apartment, and Fang Yayun is going to start over..."

"It's no use saying all this now; we don't know how the judge will ultimately decide."

The children sat in the high-end swivel chairs in Zhaolin's office.

He shifted his position, barely managing to touch the ground with his toes, and slid out of the office like rowing a boat to listen to everyone talking.

“Fang Yayun and Li Ziyao did not directly participate in the murder, so they cannot be considered accomplices in the murder. At most, they were guilty of withholding information and fabricating alibis to protect Yan Fengying... This constitutes obstruction of justice.”

"The law is not without human sentiment. The judge should take into full consideration the special circumstances of the case. Fang Yayun and Li Ziyao's mother are both victims, so they may be given a reduced sentence. The sentence is estimated to be two to three years, or even probation."

"Yan Fengying's case is a bit more complicated. If her lawyer can prove that she suffered from long-term depression due to her daughter's death and was emotionally unstable at the time of the crime, the murder charge might be downgraded to manslaughter, resulting in a much lower sentence. However, she did kill someone after all—"

“Based on some similar cases in the past, juries do have considerations of human sentiment and sometimes soften their stance... But no matter what, judicial fairness will always take precedence over personal feelings.”

"Fang Songsheng's crimes are heinous, but if we condone vigilante justice, are we encouraging everyone to resort to violence to combat violence?"

After finishing her bowl-shaped rice cake, Shengfang still felt empty and lonely in her little mouth.

Weng Zhaolin gave him his coconut-flavored rice cake, saying, "You got a good deal."

The young master of the Sheng family looked at the strange person in front of him, his little hand still on the armrest of the other person's swivel chair, looking relaxed and carefree.

He looked at the crack in the rice cake, then turned his gaze to Weng Zhaolin: "You took a bite."

Mr. Weng choked and threw away the bowl-shaped rice cakes, which were still in the bag.

"What a waste." The young master shook his head in disagreement.

Inspector Weng: ...

Suddenly, Weng Zhaolin belatedly realized what was happening.

Strange, why is this child in his office being waited on by him?

"Zhu Qing!" Inspector Weng called out towards the office door, "Take her away!"

...

The case of Fang Songsheng's murder has finally been closed.

For several days in a row, Weng Zhaolin was all smiles, his steps were light, and even the sound of his leather shoes hitting the ground became pleasant.

Inspector Weng is stingy; there's no way he'll throw them a celebratory banquet. But afternoon tea is all you can eat—just a few boxes of egg tarts and egg waffles, it won't cost much.

As for Zhu Qing, she was constantly urged by Sheng Fang to go to driving lessons from morning till night.

He couldn't understand how his niece could tolerate not having a car at home; it was really inconvenient!

The tuition for driving lessons has already been paid, and this time the young master has upgraded her to an intensive learning class.

It used to take three to five months to get a driver's license, but with expedited processing, it now only takes one month.

The shortened time means that Zhu Qing will have to focus more on getting her driver's license.

She leaves early and returns late every day, practicing driving before and after get off work. Fang Fang said that the top female police academy graduate should show the same fighting spirit as before, and get the license plate as soon as possible!

Zhu Qing was completely drained of energy; she was either lying on her desk at the police station or collapsed on the sofa at home.

It's just learning to drive, why bother?

"You're working too hard!" Sheng Fang massaged her niece's shoulders.

In addition to the road test, there is also a written test.

Sheng Fang held the "Road Users' Code of Conduct" and, just as strictly as Mo Sir, tapped the whiteboard with the spine of the book.

The child wanted to give his niece a question. He knew the words, but being lazy and wanting to save time, he would never copy the question onto the whiteboard.

What the little one wrote on the whiteboard was—

A, B, C, D.

"Multiple choice," Sheng Fang said in a childish voice, "What should you do if your vehicle suddenly stalls while driving in a tunnel?"

"It suddenly went out of service." Aunt Ping was also sitting below listening to the lesson.

This child doesn't want to be a student in kindergarten, but is happy to be a little teacher.

He underlined the options on the whiteboard with his marker: “A. Get out of the car and push the cart.”

Aunt Ping: "It's definitely not about getting off the bus and pushing; how could anyone choose A?"

"Choose B."

"Qingzai's answer is correct! How did you remember answer B?!"

Zhu Qing: "Turn on the hazard lights and stay in the car to wait for rescue."

Let's flip through the little notebook.

It seems that Qingzai has been studying very hard lately, even memorizing the answers.

Teacher Sheng was very rude to his students, and didn't even arrange reasonable break times between classes.

Zhu Qing was so tired that her whole body ached, so she lay lazily on the sofa answering questions.

Sheng Fang nodded in satisfaction: "Next question."

What should you do if an ambulance arrives with its siren blaring?

When the children give four options, Aunt Ping will answer them all at once.

"Of course, we should clear the way."

"What should you do if you are blinded by the high beams of an oncoming vehicle while driving at night? A. You should also turn on your high beams in response..."

This question is ridiculous.

Aunt Ping shook her head and clicked her tongue twice: "The driving test questions are so easy? Even I could pass them."

"No, the pass rate for the written test is 50%, and the pass rate for the road test is even more exaggerated, only 30%," Sheng Fang said seriously.

Zhu Qing and Aunt Ping stared at each other, wide-eyed.

Where did he get the data?

"Hua Ge told me." Sheng Fang made a "no problem" gesture.

Every night, Qingzai goes to practice driving.

Nighttime driving lessons cost extra, and when my uncle went to pay, he also kept an eye on my niece to see if she was learning properly. The instructor wasn't in the car every minute; sometimes he'd get out to get some fresh air, and the little one would sit beside him and chat.

Even now, when Zhu Qing meets her coach, she still calls him Master Wang. Little Sheng Fang, however, has already become friends with him and calls him "Brother Hua."

Aunt Ping gasped, "It's this difficult to pass!"

"So you have to work hard," Uncle Fang urged his niece. "Try to pass the test on your first try and get your driver's license."

...

Aunt Ping ordered school uniforms for him according to the size of the container for the child.

The day the school uniform arrived, the aloof young master didn't even bother to look at it, let alone try it on.

During this period, Aunt Ping did not stay with them very often.

The villa on the hillside had been uninhabited for a long time and was covered in dust, so it needed to be cleaned. Since there weren't any major cases at the police station recently, Zhu Qing wasn't busy, so sometimes when she was cleaning late, she would just stay there.

After Zhu Qing and Aunt Ping became familiar with each other, Zhu Qing would occasionally joke with her.

Two people and a dog have died in the Mid-Levels mansion, yet Aunt Ping is bolder than any CID agent, living alone without feeling uneasy.

Shengfang gives a thumbs up.

As expected of Aunt Ping from a family of police officers!

Their lives returned to their original rhythm.

During the day, Aunt Ping takes care of Sheng Fang, and when Zhu Qing gets off work, she takes a car to Banshan. She thinks that the uncle and nephew should also need some private space.

Only Shengfang and Zhuqing remained at home, and they began to learn how to cook their terrible meals.

Fangfang and Qingzai's cooking skills have improved, and sometimes, if they're lucky, they can even manage to make an edible dinner.

"Qingzai, this meat pie is edible!"

"Is it tasty?"

"Qingzai, it's just edible..."

Zhu Qing has always been indifferent to food.

Nowadays, even pampered young masters have become less picky; they're happy as long as they can eat something.

When you're unlucky, the dishes you cook look bad and are hard to swallow.

They went downstairs together to buy roast goose with crispy skin as a snack.

Once, when they were buying roast goose, they ran into Tsang Wing-shan and Leung Kei-kai.

Fangfang leaned close to Zhu Qing's ear and whispered, "Why did these two have to meet at the dessert shop alone? They should have invited everyone!"

Zhu Qing thought that perhaps the main storyline of the original plot would not be changed.

As the original female and male leads, they would inevitably be attracted to each other sooner or later.

Since they had already run into each other, Inspector Leung invited them to sit down and have a meal together.

"Things have been really nice lately," Liang Qikai said with a satisfied smile. "If only things could stay this peaceful, without any new cases—"

Zhu Qing and Zeng Yongshan spoke up simultaneously to stop them, their tone carrying a warning: "Hey!"

The children were even more furious, pounding their chests and stamping their feet: "Don't jinx it!"

...

Zhu Qing was too busy recently. Every time she went to the sanatorium to visit Sheng Peirong, she could only squeeze out a little time to sit in the ward for a short while before having to leave.

Now that Fang Songsheng's murder case has been officially closed, she has more time, even able to sneak away during her lunch break. This sneaking technique, known as "the golden cicada shedding its shell," was secretly taught to her by Zeng Yongshan.

Zeng Yongshan said that during her lunch break, she can spread out several files at her workstation and leave one personal item, such as a jacket draped over the back of her chair.

If Ah Tou comes out to check on things, her colleagues can help cover for her by saying that she just went out to do something and will be back soon.

Zhu Qing learned it and actually did it.

As lunch break approached, I quietly slipped out of the criminal investigation team's office.

After a while, Mo Sir came out of his office.

Where is Zhu Qing?

"Mr. Mo, she's gone to print it, she'll be right back."

Mo Zhenbang: "Have her make an extra copy of the case closure report later, just say I need it."

Zeng Yongshan naturally covered for Zhu Qing, and as soon as he left, she picked up the phone to inform him.

When the cell phone rang, she remained silent for a few seconds.

Having Zhu Qing leave some personal belongings at her workstation was meant to make her "temporary departure" seem more authentic.

But why did she put down the phone?

How am I supposed to notify her?

Zeng Yongshan hung up the phone and helped Zhu Qing keep her cell phone safe.

Where's the brave and skilled detective we were promised? Now all we have is courage, and we're just being silly!

Zhu Qing was already in the car with Sheng Fang on their way to the sanatorium, completely unaware that Mo Sir was looking for her.

On such a hot day, there's absolutely no way Fangfang would squeeze onto a minibus with his niece.

In fact, he was even reluctant to take a taxi, as his elders kept nagging and urging him to speed up her driving test.

My niece retorted, saying that last time she said we should have a happy education and a balance between work and rest.

Fangfang: "Isn't going for a drive fun?"

Next time, Qingzai should take the motorcycle license test while she's at it.

Then he can wear a helmet and sit in the back seat of his niece's car, how impressive!

"Buzz buzz buzz—" Sheng Fang clenched her little fists and pretended to twist the motorcycle handlebars, "Boom!"

...

Zhu Qing brought several books that she had carefully selected for Sheng Peirong at the Wan Chai Bookstore on this trip.

The little one wasn't idle either; when passing by a flower shop, he bought a bouquet of fresh lilies. As soon as he entered the ward, the little one took the empty vase to the nurses' station, tilting his little face up and asking the nurse to help him put the lilies in the vase.

In no time, the once quiet ward came alive.

On the bedside table, Zhu Qing had placed several financial magazines and business case studies, while Sheng Fang had placed a vase of fresh flowers in a prominent position.

With its simple furnishings, the ward felt as warm and welcoming as home.

"Big sister, good afternoon." Sheng Fang waved.

Every time he called her "Big Sister," Zhu Qing wanted to laugh.

Fangfang and his older sister have a huge age gap, but he speaks very naturally, which makes people laugh.

"Big sister, Coco is here too," Sheng Fang continued. "Coco recently solved a major case and caught the murderer!"

Before Zhu Qing could say anything, her uncle started showing off on her behalf.

The child has solved another major case; he definitely deserves praise.

Zhu Qing sat down by the hospital bed and softly read articles from financial magazines to Sheng Peirong.

Before going to bed, she would usually flip through these magazines. These types of magazines were like a sleep aid; she would get sleepy after reading only a few pages and fall asleep within ten minutes.

She always wondered what kind of person her mother really was. Was she as cold and unapproachable as the outside world said? But Aunt Ping said that Sheng Peirong used to hold her as a baby, humming sweet lullabies over and over again…

Fangfang also moved a small stool and sat next to his niece. At first, he was very patient, observing his older sister's reaction. Later, when the baby realized that his older sister was not reacting, he started to find other things to do.

The little child's toes dangled in mid-air, his face pressed against Qingzai's slender arm as he listened to the boring financial reports.

“Qingzai,” Sheng Fang interrupted her, “it’s useless for you to read these things.”

"Why?"

"Who wants to do business while they're unconscious?!"

Zhu Qing pondered for a moment, and it seemed to make some sense.

Even if the mother was a strong woman in the past, when she is sick, is she really interested in continuing to listen to these boring analyses?

The little boy, holding his chin in a serious manner, looked like a little adult.

Zhu Qing humbly asked for advice: "Then what do you think she might want to hear?"

The little boy tilted his head and thought for a long time.

"You should call her Mom!"

Fangfang thinks that what the eldest sister most wants to hear is Coco calling "Mom".

I wonder if she'll be startled, since when she was lost she couldn't even speak. Suddenly she reappears, and she's already a grown child of several decades old!

"Call me...Mom?" Zhu Qing was taken aback.

The children in the display area are directing the children like little coaches.

He said that Qingzai should sit next to Sheng Peirong, closer to her.

Like a parrot repeating the same thing—

"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy! Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!"

"don't want……"

Don't be shy!

Zhu Qing moved her lips: "No."

The title was too unfamiliar to her; she couldn't bring herself to say it.

Is changing your address to "Mom" harder than catching a thief?

The ward door wasn't fully closed, and the child's innocent voice and hesitant response echoed in the corridor outside. The nurses at the nurses' station stopped what they were doing, feeling both amused and heartbroken. They already knew that one of the children was Ms. Sheng's younger brother, and the other was her daughter. The three-year-old uncle urged his niece to call him "Mommy," and the niece, her ears red, didn't know how to respond—a heartwarming and adorable scene… but upon reflection, it was also heartbreaking. Even the doctors said that Ms. Sheng's condition had been so severe back then; now, she was only being kept alive with exorbitant medical bills, and for her to wake up was nothing short of a miracle.

But her family was waiting for this miracle.

Several nurses sighed and looked away.

At this moment, in the ward, Shengfang, the little girl, had decided to back down.

He should consider Qingzai's feelings more; if the child doesn't want to, he shouldn't force her.

"Okay," he said, "we'll call her when she wakes up!"

Few people told Zhu Qing that Sheng Peirong would wake up. Even Aunt Ping, who was usually optimistic, stopped mentioning it after visiting her not long ago.

As everyone knows, for Zhu Qing, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

Only Fangfang remained steadfast in his belief that his eldest sister would wake up.

Qingzai didn't have a mother when she was little, but God will make up for this regret when she grows up.

Will that day really come?

"certainly!"

When the child nodded, the chubby cheeks jiggled.

Zhu Qing suddenly reached out and wanted to pinch the baby's cheek.

The child was very agile, dodging left and right, skillfully avoiding her "sneak attack".

When did you learn this move?

"John taught me that—"

"Which one is John?"

"Who told you not to let me call him Zhaolin..."

"Shengfang! How did you even find out Inspector Weng's English name?!"

Seeing that the situation was not going well, Sheng Fang made a quick escape.

His niece wouldn't play games with him like running around the hospital bed for a long time; almost instantly, she reached out and grabbed him.

Fangfang's back hem was grabbed again, and no matter how hard she struggled with her short legs, it was no use.

He turned around angrily, how could Qingzai bully the younger one!

The angry protests of Sheng Fang and Zhu Qing's laughter mingled and echoed in the ward.

Nobody noticed—

On the hospital bed, Sheng Peirong's pale fingertips suddenly trembled slightly.

...

Days go by one by one, and blooming is the happiest child.

"Shengfang! Come and organize your schoolbag!"

The happy child froze, sat on the floor, and rubbed his ears.

Did I hear that right?

For about a month, Qingzai had a lot of free time.

She goes to work on time and leaves on time, leading a regular and comfortable life. Fangfang is living a good life with her, and they even made a promise to go to the amusement park together.

Neither the uncle nor his niece had ever been to an amusement park before. They had done their research and were eagerly anticipating the agreed-upon day. Before they knew it, the date circled on the calendar had arrived.

He had almost forgotten about this annoying thing, and now he was actually going to kindergarten.

It's tomorrow!

Before Aunt Ping returned to Mid-Levels, she was going to pack the young master's schoolbag and put it in the entryway. She was very meticulous; she had even prepared a small water bottle with a strap. Fangfang had specifically mentioned that he didn't want a cartoon water bottle, but a more mature one.

She was about to start when Zhu Qing shook her head to stop her. The child was about to start school; chores like packing his schoolbag were, of course, his own responsibility.

The flower, with its little mouth pursed, reluctantly tidied itself up.

Qingzai is so cruel!

It was from this moment that he slowly lay down on the floor, clutching his schoolbag, looking listless.

Tomorrow is Monday, the big day for the first day of school for kindergarten's toddler class.

But starting Sunday night, Shengfang became unusually quiet, becoming a child who spoke very little.

Zhu Qing initially thought it was just a protest from children who didn't want to go to kindergarten, so she didn't pay much attention.

Until she was about to go to bed that night, she rubbed Fangfang's head, her fingertips inadvertently brushing against his forehead, and suddenly stopped.

"Why do you have a fever?" Zhu Qing's heart tightened, and she quickly went to get the thermometer.

Having raised Fangfang for so long, she has always been full of energy and vitality. Zhu Qing has never dealt with a situation like this before.

With Aunt Ping not around, she panicked.

Should we take him to the hospital first, or give him medicine first?

Zhu Qing handed Sheng Fang a thermometer and took out the family's first-aid kit.

Looking at the instructions on the medicine box, she was in a dilemma; she couldn't just feed medicine to a three-year-old child haphazardly.

The little boy, Fangfang, slumped weakly on his pillow, a thermometer dangling from his mouth.

Zhu Qing gently helped him lie down, and suddenly remembered that when she went to Kowloon City for an interview last time, she seemed to have left Cheng Xinglang's mobile phone number.

She searched the bedroom and living room, and finally found the crumpled note in the tucked compartment of her notebook. She immediately called him.

"Dr. Cheng? I wanted to ask..."

On the bed in the children's room, Fangfang's little face was flushed red from the fever.

He gripped the corner of the blanket with his fingers, straining to lift his head to listen to the sounds outside, his round eyes wide open with difficulty.

“Qingzai—” The baby reached out and struggled toward the bedside, her little voice hoarse, “He is a forensic doctor.”