Chapter 12: Getting rid of the old (3)

After ending the call with Qin Yuechuan and settling Jiang Rong and Qian Manman in a hotel, Zhang Mo drove Zhou Mei to find Zhou Jing.

Before going to the National Security Bureau, Zhang Mo found a high-end restaurant in the city center and ordered a takeout dinner.

It was almost lunchtime, and it wouldn't be appropriate to go empty-handed, so she asked Qin Yuechuan what Bai Tianjin liked to eat.

Without a second's hesitation, Qin Yuechuan sent over a screenshot of the document.

There were more than a dozen dishes listed densely, with even the taste preferences clearly marked. As an adopted son, he was indeed a filial child.

While waiting at the restaurant, Zhang Mo quickly reviewed the information Qin Yuechuan had sent her and Zhou Jing's live stream replay.

The Fang family is simple, nothing special. The father, Fang Deshun, left home decades ago for an affair and has not been seen since. Now only the mother, Ma Qiuhe (81 years old), and the daughter, Fang Yurong (57 years old), remain.

Although many people say that the father, Fang Deshun, is dead, the mother, Ma Qiuhe, remains faithful and continues to wait for her husband's return after so many years.

The replay of Zhou Jing's live stream also perfectly illustrates this point.

In order to show the audience the most original appearance of this house, Zhou Jing usually starts the live broadcast before entering the house, and this time was no exception.

As the courtyard gate creaked open, this old-fashioned courtyard house appeared on the screen. In the courtyard paved with blue bricks, weeds sprouting from the cracks of the bricks were covered with morning dew. Dry morning glory vines climbed on the pillars of the east and west wing rooms, and a faded blue cloth shirt hung on the clothesline under the eaves of the north room.

Just then, the door to the north room was pushed open, and Ma Qiuhe came out to greet her, leaning on a jujube wood cane. The old lady's blue cloth jacket was faded from washing, her steps were unsteady, and her cane tapped on the bluestone slab. Her cloudy eyes stared straight at the doorway, and she made a muffled sound in her throat: "Is...is Deshun back?"

"Mom, this is Miss Zhou, whom I hired to clean our house." Fang Yurong quickly stepped forward and took her mother's arm.

As Zhou Jing approached, the camera zoomed in, revealing a five-centimeter-long scar on the right side of the old man's forehead, resembling a centipede.

Ma Qiuhe suddenly grabbed Fang Yurong's hand and wouldn't let go, her cane thumping on the ground: "We can't clean it up! If we clean it up, Deshun won't recognize his home when he comes back."

Once he's had enough fun outside, he'll go home, and he will.

That short sentence contains a lot of information.

Zhou Jing stopped in her tracks, feeling embarrassed.

"Mom, he's been gone for over fifty years!" Fang Yurong's voice suddenly rose half an octave, a hint of restrained helplessness flashing in her eyes, before softening her voice again, "Never mind, never mind, your memory's getting fuzzy again. Didn't we already agree last week that we'd get our hair cut today? You kept saying your hair was blocking your eyes, didn't you?"

Ma Qiuhe shook her head slowly, the movement so small it was almost imperceptible. Her grip on Fang Yurong's arm loosened slightly, and her eyes began to glaze over again. "I'm not going. If I cut my hair, he won't recognize me..." She shrank back, murmuring, "I don't blame him anymore. He'll be back soon."

"Mom, I know." Fang Yurong took a deep breath, her voice filled with suppressed helplessness. "I'll take you to get a haircut. You'll look so clean and refreshed afterward, and he... he'll be happy to see you when he comes back. Don't you think so?"

"Really?" Hearing this, the old man's expression softened slightly.

Fang Yurong quickly gave Zhou Jing a wink, her eyes filled with guilt and exhaustion.

After much persuasion, Fang Yurong finally managed to trick her mother into leaving the house, and Zhou Jing was finally able to start cleaning properly.

Then, under the watchful eyes of 280,000 spectators, Zhou Jing, this little genius, found a complete skull wrapped in old newspapers in the dusty attic...

.

Upon arriving at the National Security Bureau lobby, Qin Yuechuan was already waiting for them at the security checkpoint.

When Zhang Mo and Zhou Mei, who was carrying an insulated bag, passed through the security checkpoint, Qin Yuechuan took a few extra glances at them.

Fortunately, the security screening machine was very quiet this time and did not make any noise.

Zhang Mo raised her hand to adjust the buttons on her cuffs and said coldly, "Dr. Qin, there should be more trust between people."

Qin Yuechuan politely replied, "Yes, between people. But the problem is, I don't know when Mr. Zhang is a person and when he isn't."

Zhang Mo: "Heh."

Zhou Mei couldn't understand what they were saying at all. Her voice was trembling with tears as she worried only about her best friend, Zhou Jing: "Where is Jingjing? Is she alright? Has she been wronged? Did those people beat her?"

Zhang Mo and Qin Yuechuan looked at her with strange expressions: Who can beat you?

"Ahem, Miss Zhou is in the guard area upstairs, being well-fed and cared for. She'll be fine. I'll take you up there to have a look." Then Qin Yuechuan took the bag from Zhou Mei's hand. "This can't be taken to the guard area. Leave it on the first floor for now... Wait, how many groceries did you buy? It's so heavy!"

"Never mind." Zhang Mo didn't even turn her head, already walking confidently towards the elevator, her voice carrying a hint of nonchalant arrogance, "I'm rich."

The three of them took the elevator upstairs to the guard area.

The mirror in the elevator reflected three faces, each lost in their own thoughts. Zhou Mei kept rubbing her fingers together, Qin Yuechuan stared at the fluctuating numbers, and Zhang Mo gazed thoughtfully at her reflection in the mirror.

It must be said that the benefits at the National Security Bureau are much better than those at ordinary police stations.

The small room was fully equipped with a table, chairs, benches, and a single bed, and even a few magazines were provided for Zhou Jing to pass the time.

"Jingjing, are you alright? Waaah!" But Zhou Mei was still very excited and rushed over. Through the small window by the door, she looked at Zhou Jing inside with tears in her eyes.

Zhou Jing was also very excited: "I'm fine, sob sob sob."

As Zhou Mei turned the doorknob to go in, the staff member at the door immediately said, "Miss, you can't go in!" The voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority.

Zhang Mo: "If she doesn't go in, can she just find a stool by the door and sit with her sister?"

Although she said "Is it okay?", the look in her eyes when she looked at Qin Yuechuan was "Get him sorted out".

"..." Qin Yuechuan had no choice but to go over and whisper a few words to the staff member.

The staff member listened with a frown, glanced at Zhou Mei's red eyes, then at Zhang Mo, and finally nodded. He then turned and brought a plastic stool from the duty room.

Zhang Mo patted Zhou Mei on the back, feeling her rapid heartbeat in her palm: "You two stay here and be careful. I'll go check on the progress. Don't worry, we'll be home soon."

Monitoring progress?

Qin Yuechuan knew without needing to be told who and where they were being watched.

Qin Yuechuan: "Let's go, the forensic laboratory is on the third basement level."