Chapter 33 "Will you be sad?"
Shengfang suddenly appeared from behind Zhu Qing, startling her so much that she quickly averted her gaze from Sister Xinxin.
Turning her head, she saw the child standing with his hands on his hips, looking aggressive.
In front of so many people, the uncle gritted his teeth; this was a big deal.
How come this kid appears and disappears so mysteriously?
Zhu Qing was caught red-handed by her uncle and was immediately speechless. Just then, the shop assistant brought out the packed food. The niece coughed lightly and said guiltily, "I'll talk about it when we get home."
Shengfang is like a righteous little warrior in a cartoon, hands still on hips, chin held high, all that's missing is a majestic cape and a fan effect.
It was Mo Zhenbang's wife, Lü Qiyun, who stepped forward and interrupted the child's questioning gaze.
"I knew they hadn't had lunch yet, and the kids would be starving by the time I cooked at home, so I brought them here," Lü Qiyun said with a smile to Sheng Fang. "Once you've eaten, you can go now, you—"
She continued, "Your niece is busy investigating a case."
The story of a three-year-old uncle and a CID agent niece is so absurd it seems unbelievable.
Zhu Qing felt really apologetic towards her sister-in-law.
Nannan was there too, wiping her mouth with a tissue and thoughtfully handing one to Shengfang. In contrast, Zaizai's mouth had a ring of cream of mushroom soup stains around it, making her look like a little kitten or a white-bearded grandpa.
Compared to him, Nannan is simply a little angel!
"Thank you for your trouble, sister-in-law," Zhu Qing said.
Zeng Yongshan, as always, was a little ray of sunshine, with a sweet tongue: "It's okay, sister-in-law is beautiful and kind-hearted, she won't mind, you don't need to be embarrassed."
"Don't flatter me," Lü Qiyun chuckled, saying to Zhu Qing, "I'm really fine. I just happen to have a day off today, so I don't have to work this afternoon. Taking care of one is the same as taking care of two, and they can play together."
The little girl, standing behind Lü Qiyun, gently tugged at her mother's clothes and shook her.
Can I not play with such a small baby? We don't have anything in common to talk about.
When Zhu Qing and Zeng Yongshan were carrying everyone's lunch back, Lü Qiyun led the two children in the opposite direction.
The young master's voice is very distinctive.
It has a childlike voice and a sticky texture.
"Sister-in-law, where do you live?"
"Sister-in-law, do you have a Thor model at home?"
Lu Qiyun patiently said, "There's no Thor model, but there are other toys. You'll have to ask your older sister, Nannan, if she'd like to lend them to you. But if you go back now, you'll need to take a nap first."
"Sister-in-law, I don't take naps at home either. You guys go to sleep, I'll take good care of myself."
The three black lines on Zhu Qing's forehead are going to come back.
She muttered to herself, "Shouldn't Sheng Fang call Lü Qiyun 'Auntie'? What a ridiculous way to address someone!"
Upon hearing this, Zeng Yongshan immediately tattled, "He even called me 'Yongshan'! It was the first time I heard him call me that, I thought he was some kind of uncle, and I didn't realize it for a long time!"
"Inspector Leung also said that when your kids see him, they call him Qi Kai."
Young Sheng Fang is well aware of his high seniority; he considers every young person in the police station to be his junior.
The baby isn't being disrespectful; he's just been brainwashed by himself!
Zhu Qing was at a loss as to how to correct this, and she was completely stumped.
“I’ll go back and talk to him,” Zhu Qing said. “If this continues, one day when he runs into Inspector Mo, he’ll call Zhenbang.”
Also, when encountering a senior inspector, Fang Fang will call Zhao Lin.
Tsang Wing-shan: "Don't mention that I complained! He'll think I'm a traitor!"
...
While waiting for the traffic light across the street, Zhu Qing noticed that her older sister, Xin Xin, was already cooperating with the police in giving their statement.
Zeng Yongshan followed Zhu Qing's gaze.
She was dressed lightly, her long, white, and straight legs were visible beneath her short skirt, her long, curly hair was loose, and she wore heavy makeup.
Zeng Yongshan: "Could this be the deceased's fiancée? — She's so young! And so trendy, even using the latest eyeshadow colors from magazines..."
"Although using eyeshadow like this isn't exactly pretty, at least someone who's into fashion shouldn't be able to stand outdated things. How could she possibly stand a sixty-year-old fiancé?"
"I..." Zhu Qing hesitated for a moment, then shook her head, "I don't know either."
Zhu Qing was too young to remember the days and nights she spent with her older sister Xin Xin at the orphanage. Even now, looking back, she can't quite describe what kind of person Xin Xin was. She only remembers her as gentle and timid, but courageous enough to protect her little sister.
At first, it was Sister Xin Xin who protected Zhu Qing. But at some point, Zhu Qing realized that reasoning with her was useless. She taught Sister Xin Xin to make a fist, so that those who bullied the weak and feared the strong wouldn't dare to face a fist as hard as a rock. Sister Xin Xin just laughed and said she couldn't learn it.
As for aspirations for the future—
At the time, they didn't think that far ahead.
For the two little girls, the future is not important; they haven't even fully grasped the present.
“Of course.” Zeng Yongshan smiled, her tone cheerful. “If you could tell what the victim’s family is thinking just by looking at them, you wouldn’t need to be a policeman. You’d be better off becoming a fortune teller in Temple Street.”
As they spoke, they had already crossed the road, and the closer they got to Ya Yun Piano Shop, the clearer the voice of the deceased's fiancée became.
"Li Ziyao, twenty-seven years old."
“Songsheng usually likes to handle things at the music store himself, but he wasn’t feeling well yesterday and wanted to go home early, so I stayed to help him with his work.”
"I can't play the piano, and I don't know anything about the courses. I'm usually responsible for some trivial things at the front desk, like reception, printing, and so on."
“I got home around 10 p.m. There were a few employees at the music store at the time. We took a taxi together, and they gave me a ride. When I got home, I bought a bowl of sweet soup, ate it upstairs, and then went to sleep.”
"You remember buying a bowl of sweet soup so clearly?"
“I go to buy it every night. The old man at the dessert shop is very generous and will add extra ingredients. So I often patronize his business.”
Liang Qikai, holding the notebook, asked, "Where is Fang Songsheng? When you got home, was there anything unusual about him? Also, what time did he leave this morning?"
“I don’t know, we don’t live together, we live separately,” Li Ziyao said. “Anyway, we’re getting married next week, so it doesn’t matter if we wait a little longer. The wedding room is already prepared, and he always says that I can just move in with my bags when the time comes… Officers, please catch the murderer as soon as possible, Song Sheng died so unjustly.”
Up close, it becomes even more apparent that Li Ziyao's makeup is very heavy; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it garish.
Tears would ruin her makeup, so even when she arrived at the music store and stood at the door of room number six, she didn't cry. She just gently wiped the corner of her eyes with a tissue.
"By the way, does your music store have CCTV footage?"
“The surveillance camera is just for show; it’s been broken for a long time. I kept urging Songsheng to find a repairman to see what was wrong, but he said it didn’t matter, since no one was coming to check anyway.”
Liang Qikai: "Where were you between five and six o'clock this morning? Is there anyone who can testify for you?"
“It’s so early, you must be sleeping at home. I’m a night owl, I don’t have the habit of waking up early.” At this point, Li Ziyao frowned slightly. “Officer, are you suspicious of me?”
“No.” Liang Qikai continued taking notes. “Just asking as a routine.”
Li Ziyao nodded.
It was at this moment that Liang Qikai caught a glimpse of Zhu Qing and Zeng Yongshan returning.
"Finally back. We were all so hungry we were about to go on strike," he said, noticing the drink Zhu Qing was carrying. "Wait a minute, isn't that a salted lemon soda? It looks like it spilled."
Zhu Qing quickly looked down and saw that the food was packed up carelessly in the kitchen of the tea restaurant. The lid of the salted lemon soda wasn't even properly closed. She was walking unsteadily and spilled half of the cup.
She quickly put the drinks on the table and looked for tissues to wipe them.
"We can't put it down now, or the whole cup will spill out—"
"Wait, be careful, Zhu Qing!"
It was at this moment that Li Ziyao raised her head.
Her gaze remained calm, only lingering on Zhu Qing's face.
His gaze lingered there for a long time, and he didn't look away.
...
Before the police officers had finished their meal, the deceased Fang Songsheng's daughter arrived.
She looked distracted, clearly wanting to ask the police about her father's cause of death, but dared not ask. She clutched the hem of her clothes, her breathing heavy.
Zeng Yongshan looked at her and shook her head: "How pitiful."
At first, when Fang Yayun received the call, she thought it was just a malicious prank. No matter the reason, she shouldn't joke about something like this, so she immediately started cursing on the phone. However, a moment later, she heard the voice of Amy, the music school teacher. Fang Yayun recognized Amy's voice and knew that even if she were given the courage, Amy wouldn't dare to curse Fang Songsheng. Only then did she realize the seriousness of the situation.
“I heard that Fang Yayun even ran a red light on her way to the music store,” Zeng Yongshan said softly. “But when she parked her car at the entrance, the senior student in charge of sealing off the scene didn’t recognize her. He asked her to move the car and knocked on the door several times, but she just sat there blankly without any reaction.”
In the music store named after herself, Fang Yayun finally confirmed the news of her father's death.
"Excuse me, could you please leave me alone for a moment?" she said. "I can't right now..."
The music store had a rest area, so she sat on the sofa with the door ajar.
Nearly half an hour later, she finally composed herself and accepted the police's questioning.
Zhu Qing: "Miss Fang, may we begin?"
Fang Yayun nodded.
Most of the time, she would purse her lips and ponder for a long time when asked questions by the police.
“My father runs a business by opening the door, and he doesn’t easily offend people.”
"He was known for being easy to talk to. Some parents, after taking his classes for a while, would come and plead with him to lower the tuition fees... To be honest, usually the tuition fees would increase, I've never heard of anyone asking for a reduction. But my father always considered the students' families' difficult circumstances and didn't want to delay a promising student for a little money, so tuition discounts were common."
"However—"
Fang Yayun frowned.
The Ya Yun Music Store was quite large, and the rest area was located near the glass doors. The glass doors were open, and wafts of unpleasant smoke drifted in. Impatiently, she pinched her nose, got up, and slammed the rest area door shut.
"I just heard that sergeant say he suspects the murderer was a robber?" Fang Yayun sneered. "Whether it was robbery or not, I can't be sure. But look, someone's smoking one cigarette after another, such a heavy addiction, I wonder what bad things they've done."
The person standing at the entrance of the music store smoking is Sister Xin Xin.
That is, the current Li Ziyao.
"Do you have a conflict with your father's fiancée?" Zhu Qing asked.
“Madam, I actually suspect that Li Ziyao killed Dad,” Fang Yayun said.
"Li Ziyao is really well-behaved. Even a dog wouldn't be as obedient as her."
“Every day, he would pinch his throat and draw out his voice. I don’t know how happy that voice made my dad.”
“They don’t live together, but she often goes to my dad’s place. My dad is a man, and he’s been single for so many years, so he doesn’t know how to take care of himself. This Li Ziyao does his laundry and cooks for him. The last time I went home, I saw that all the shirts in my dad’s closet were ironed by her. Every single one of them was ironed perfectly flat, without a single wrinkle. And the socks were neatly sorted by color and material.”
Fang Yayun said these words only to vent her anger.
She couldn't accept her young stepmother, but she couldn't explain her motive for murder.
As Zhu Qing was taking notes, her pen paused, and she looked up to ask, "Does your father often wear shirts?"
Fang Yayun didn't understand the policewoman's purpose in asking that question, and paused for a moment before replying, "No, it's not that. He said he's getting old and just wants comfortable clothes. I don't know why, but he chose a white shirt today."
At this point, she lowered her eyes: "When he left home, the old man must have dressed himself up carefully. He never imagined that when he returned to the music store he knew so well, his white shirt would be stained with his own blood... So many cuts, how much pain must he have felt?"
The victim, Fang Songsheng, died in music room number six with multiple stab wounds, but the most fatal was a stab wound to his left chest that affected his heart.
Fang Yayun lowered her eyes and clenched her hands.
Zhu Qing then noticed what Zeng Yongshan had said—
Her hands are long and beautiful, like those of a pianist.
Now, those beautiful hands are blocking their eyes.
As if she had exhausted all her strength, Fang Yayun stopped speaking.
Zhu Qing recalled seeing Fang Songsheng at the music store entrance around 3 PM yesterday. He was wearing a gray short-sleeved shirt and didn't look much more energetic than other people his age. But the deceased she had just seen was lying beside the piano, wearing a well-tailored white long-sleeved shirt with a crisp collar, only the expensive fabric was stained crimson with blood…
Zhu Qing closed the notebook: "That's about it, Ms. Fang. If there's anything else that needs to be added, the police will contact you."
She paused, then said, "If you recall any details—"
"I know." Fang Yayun nodded. "That officer just gave me his business card."
After leaving the lounge, Zhu Qing found Uncle Li and reported her discovery.
Uncle Li's eyes narrowed: "Bring Amy back."
...
The first person to discover the body was the piano teacher Amy, whose real name was Cai Huimin.
When she was called back for questioning, she remained as cooperative as before.
"The deceased, Fang Songsheng, was wearing a long-sleeved shirt. How did you notice he wasn't wearing a watch at first glance?" Uncle Li asked.
Zhu Qing was also there. The young police officer was observant, but the veteran was experienced. She stood next to Uncle Li, learning from him and paying attention to Cai Huimin's micro-expressions.
At the time, teacher Amy said she noticed the deceased wasn't wearing a watch, and the students' tuition fees were missing from the drawer. Therefore, the police initially suspected that Fang Songsheng opened the music store door early that morning, and someone passing by was tempted by greed, only to be discovered and subsequently murdered to cover it up.
"Given the unique design of the shirt cuffs Fang Songsheng is wearing today, even if he's wearing a watch, it would be hidden inside the cuffs. Unless, he pulls open his cuffs and takes off that expensive watch."
Cai Huimin was still clutching a large bunch of keys to the music store in her hand.
"I didn't—" Her expression changed slightly, but before she could finish speaking, Uncle Li interrupted her again.
"When the finance department receives student tuition fees, even if they don't have time to deposit them in the bank, they should at least lock the drawer, right? This time, nine thousand yuan in cash was taken, but there were no signs of forced entry into the drawer. It shouldn't be that the finance department was too careless and forgot to lock it. You opened the drawer with the key, didn't you?"
"How could I—"
Uncle Li said sternly, "So, you're the one who killed him."
With a "clang," the entire bunch of keys in Cai Huimin's hand fell to the ground, making a crisp sound.
Her expression changed drastically: "I didn't kill anyone!"
After a long time, Amy, a teacher at Ya Yun Piano Studio, finally confessed.
"I admit, I'm really short of money."
“I arrived on time this morning to open the store. I checked the cleanliness of the music school first, then turned on the lights. As I passed by the sixth music school, I found Mr. Fang lying there. He scared me... I got closer and realized he was dead. When I turned to run, I accidentally tripped over his arm. I fell down next to him. It was terrifying. I hurriedly pressed my hand to the ground to get up, and accidentally touched his watch. That's when I noticed that Mr. Fang had a gold watch hidden in the cuff of his shirt.”
“Teacher Fang has a habit of wearing a watch. I’ve heard that his watches are very expensive. And that money… nine thousand yuan, that’s a lot. It was in the drawer. I hesitated for a while, but in the end I took it.”
Cai Huimin was refined and gentle, speaking softly. She took out her watch and a wad of cash from her locker, her expression embarrassed: "They're all here."
Outside the door, Mo Zhenbang whispered to the police officer beside him.
"Check her financial situation to see if she has any debts."
"She was in charge of that student's class every Wednesday when the store was closed?"
"Investigate the motive again. Did the perpetrator have a conflict with the victim? To become a piano teacher at Ya Yun Piano School, she certainly didn't come from some crash course. Cultivating such an artistic talent at home is very expensive. To kill someone for nine thousand yuan and a luxury watch? Unless this teacher Amy is out of her mind."
...
Zeng Yongshan paused in the corridor of the music store, gazing at the photos, and couldn't help but sigh.
Photos of Fang Yayun from childhood to adulthood have always been displayed in the most prominent position in the corridor of the music store. Her father, Fang Songsheng, has inscribed the words in the lower right corner of each photo.
At the age of six, the little girl, wearing a tutu, stepped onto the stage for the first time, looking at the camera with a bewildered shyness. Then, at the age of twenty, she gracefully took her final bow on the international stage, having shed her naivety and become a dazzling pianist.
Each photo is a record of Fang Yayun's growth, and the most eye-catching one is the one that Fang Songsheng specially framed.
“Look at the small print above—” Zeng Yongshan said to her colleague, “Ya Yun is three years old, and I am her first teacher.”
In the photo, Fang Yayun is still very young, sitting at the piano with her feet not yet touching the ground. Fang Songsheng holds her wrist, correcting her fingering with a focused and stern expression.
It's clear that this pianist's success today is inseparable from his father's rigorous training.
It was his foresight that propelled her onto the international stage.
Zeng Yongshan turned around again and looked at Li Ziyao, who was sitting in the corner of the music store.
When the police officers approached, Li Ziyao looked up and said, "I called Songsheng before I got off work at 10 p.m. last night. He wanted me to come over, but I said I was too tired and didn't want to go... It's my fault. If I had been by his side and with him this morning, this might not have happened."
Tsang Wing-shan and Leung Sir exchanged glances.
Li Ziyao's bright red nail polish was peeling, her perfume mingled with the smell of smoke, and her clothes appeared revealing due to the angle of her body as she leaned forward, making her seem out of place in this elegant world.
"Doesn't it feel a bit—" Haozai walked over and said in a low voice, "...tacky. So the piano teacher likes this type?"
Compared to Li Ziyao, Fang Yayun's voice and tone were much cooler.
“I know that Dad often stays at the music school after it closes and plays a piece by himself. He always says that if he doesn’t touch the piano keys for a long time, he will feel itchy and his hands will become rusty. You know, he has always been a fan of art.”
“But I didn’t know that he had a habit of going to the music store in the morning. You said it was around five or six o’clock, when it was just getting light—sir, did someone specifically invite him there?”
The police then asked, "When was the last time you saw Fong Chung-sing?"
“Last week, we arranged to meet at a Western restaurant, and he brought Li Ziyao with him.”
"They decided to get married and sent me wedding cakes. Dad said the invitations haven't been printed yet—"
What's your relationship with Li Ziyao like?
“Not very good.” Fang Yayun was very frank. “I’ve had dinner with her a few times, and my father was always there, but I’ve never spoken a word to her on my own initiative.”
"And her?"
"I knew it. To marry into the Fang family, she would do everything she could to please me. But what could I possibly talk to her about? Cheap, pungent perfume, or tasteless blue eyeshadow?"
Fang Yayun's tone clearly conveyed a sense of superiority.
As she spoke, she glanced at Li Ziyao, then looked away expressionlessly.
Mo Zhenbang continued, "So, you object to their marriage?"
“It’s understandable that Dad feels lonely after being single for so long; I can understand him.”
"He wants to find someone to take care of him, and I don't object, as long as he's happy."
"But it shouldn't be Li Ziyao; they are from completely different worlds."
...
The third day of her holiday was ruined. Zhu Qing left home at noon and didn't leave the police station until 6 p.m.
After working most of the day, she followed Mr. Mo to his house to pick up her child.
"The one who cooked yesterday—" Mo Sir recalled, "was her name Aunt Ping? Doesn't she live with you?"
"I was off today, so I didn't ask her to come over. I didn't expect there to be a case suddenly."
Mo Zhenbang joked, "Blame your pager, it follows me everywhere I go."
Actually, it was agreed from the beginning that Aunt Ping was not a live-in nanny.
Initially, in the police academy dormitory, the space was too cramped. The uncle and niece could not even turn around when standing side by side. Therefore, every day before Zhu Qing went to work, Aunt Ping would arrive to take care of the child all day. When Zhu Qing got off work, Aunt Ping would also get off work, and they would keep running back and forth like this.
But in reality, another reason was that even in the orphanage, Zhu Qing never integrated into the group, always keeping to herself, and later becoming accustomed to living alone. Until, a younger uncle suddenly entered her life, and after a long time of adjustment, she didn't want another stranger.
Zhu Qing was unwilling to compromise or back down any longer.
Moreover, she always felt that the minor villains in the original story should no longer be pampered like before.
He should learn to do things he is capable of doing himself.
However, the situation is different now.
The new home was spacious enough, and she and Aunt Ping were gradually getting to know each other. Perhaps as work progressed, unexpected situations like today's would become more frequent, and it was time to discuss with Aunt Ping the possibility of letting her stay overnight occasionally, just in case.
At noon, the uncle and nephew were busy in the kitchen, but their precious time alone together was truly precious.
However, work couldn't be neglected either. Zhu Qing made up her mind that after considering the accommodation arrangements, she would have to discuss her work scope with Aunt Ping again.
"At noon, Shengfang and I were working on making steaks," Zhu Qing said. "It was like playing house."
Inspector Mo chuckled.
Should the child cook it, or should she cook it?
It seems they can't handle it.
"It's just ahead." Mo Zhenbang pointed to an apartment building. "Wait for me downstairs, or come up to pick me up?"
"I'll go up."
Mo Sir's house is also in Yau Ma Tei. After going around the back alley and upstairs, Nannan seemed to have anticipated that her father would come back at this time, and happily opened the door to greet him. In her own home, Nannan was not so reserved. She looked at Zhu Qing, then turned around and called out "Mommy".
The little boy was lying on the floor of his niece's house, working on her puzzle. The box said it was for ages eight and up. The little boy was working on it very quickly, but he seemed bored. When he heard his niece coming to pick him up, he propped his head up, and without finishing the rest of the puzzle, he dashed off towards Qingzai.
As the uncle and nephew were leaving, Mo Zhenbang's wife slipped Zhu Qing a document. It was a list of kindergarten parent interview questions that she had asked a colleague to print out earlier that morning. Zhu Qing accepted it with both hands, thanked her, and left with her little one.
Watching their retreating figures, Lü Qiyun couldn't help but sigh, "They're so young, and they already have to raise a child. It's not easy."
Mo Zhenbang put his arm around his wife's shoulder, his palm tightening slightly.
He wanted to say that she was the same, not prepared to take care of a child, so she and he took Nannan home together.
Lu Qiyun shook her head to stop him, and said with a smile, "The children are listening. Nannan is waiting for me to correct her homework."
The sounds behind me gradually faded into the distance.
Zhu Qing and her uncle went downstairs. Now that they had bought a house in a good location, they no longer needed to take a minibus; they could walk home.
However, during their walk, Sheng Fang brought up the moment when she had personally grabbed the bag and swore at the tea restaurant at noon.
"Let's reflect on this."
Zhu Qing: ...
She was never disciplined when she was a child, but now that she's grown up, she suddenly has a younger uncle who points fingers at her.
Putting aside the fact that she was just repeating the deceased's daughter's words, even if she did use profanity, so what?
In my mind, she was an adult.
But when it came time to speak, Qingzai obediently admitted defeat in front of her uncle.
He was definitely right this time.
As a junior, one must obediently accept the scolding and not make excuses.
After having dinner at Mr. Mo's house, the child licked his lips, savoring the meat soup made by his sister-in-law.
"Shengfang, you should call her Auntie."
"Zhu Qing, you should call him Uncle."
Madam Zhu almost laughed out of anger, and again, she couldn't refute it.
This child will definitely be able to join their school's debate team after starting kindergarten.
Now, Zhu Qing and her friends have a new home.
They opened the door and went inside, turning on the lights. The whole room was brightly lit. They had opened the bag of potato chips and eaten half of it, forgetting to seal it with a clip. Small crumbs were scattered on the coffee table, a glimpse into the warmth of their life together.
The children immediately turned on the TV.
Zhu Qing took the interview questions, sat down next to him, and flipped through them.
I was supposed to study, but the materials were wrong.
She read the prompt aloud: "Take the item and say thank you with both hands."
"Understand the colors and their corresponding shapes."
"When you hear the instruction 'Don't talk,' you must remain quiet immediately."
Zhu Qing placed the interview questions on the coffee table.
Lü Qiyun's colleague printed the wrong document; this is not a parent interview question.
Zhu Qing stood up again, went back to her bedroom to get her notebook, and then went around to the kitchen to get a bag of toast.
She sat cross-legged on a cushion, opened her notebook, jotted down known clues about the case, and casually ate a slice of toast.
Shengfang's attention shifted from the television back to her niece.
"Qingzai! You're eating bread for a meal again! How can you do that!"
Zhu Qing glanced at the kindergarten interview questions out of the corner of her eye.
My niece became a kindergarten teacher and made a "shh" gesture.
"Small mouth, don't speak."
The little boy has a good ability to accept kindergarten instructions, and he covers his mouth with his two little hands.
Don't speak!
Incidentally, he shook his head, not quite agreeing.
This Qingzai is getting more and more rebellious lately.
...
The next morning, the officers from Major Crimes Unit B went straight to the conference room to report for duty as soon as they arrived at their posts.
The multi-faceted investigation is still ongoing, and everyone is reporting on their investigation progress.
"Since Fang Yayun's career has been booming, the students' parents believe that it must be because of a good teacher that the students are outstanding, and they trust Fang Songsheng's Yayun Piano School. Fang Songsheng's financial situation is good, he has not developed any bad habits, and he is unlikely to have any conflicts with people because of money."
"The relationship between Fang Songsheng and Li Ziyao is still under further investigation. However, almost everyone says that they have a good relationship. People certainly won't say anything unpleasant in front of Fang Songsheng, but who knows what they'll say in private?"
"As for that teacher Amy, also known as Cai Huimin, she was indeed very short of money. Some people say that two days before Fang Songsheng died, she was still talking to him about a raise. It's unclear whether it was because the victim refused her request for a raise, so—"
Zeng Yongshan collected magazine reports of Fang Yayun's media interviews.
"This section mentions Fang Yayun's childhood experiences. Her mother died early, and her father raised her. The two were very close and could talk about anything."
"besides……"
"So she's that famous?" Xu Jiale took a magazine. "I should have asked her for an autograph yesterday."
Zeng Yongshan laughed and said, "I told you long ago, only true artists like us have heard of her."
Xu Jiale clicked his tongue twice: "An artist, my foot! What art do you specialize in?"
Mo Zhenbang tapped the corner of their table with the documents in his hand: "Let's get down to business."
Zhu Qing then produced background information about Li Ziyao.
The investigation revealed that she came from a poor family, dropped out of school at a young age, and made a living by working odd jobs.
Zhu Qing posted Li Ziyao's photo on the whiteboard and simply wrote down the numbers below: "When I was seventeen, I worked as a beer girl."
Several police officers frowned as they listened.
"A family of pianists and a beer girl... no wonder the deceased's daughter couldn't accept her."
"Besides, isn't Li Ziyao younger than the deceased's daughter? Does anyone really think she married the deceased because of true love?"
During the investigation, Zhu Qing was particularly impressed by one thing.
Listening to other people's descriptions, she felt as if she had experienced it herself and witnessed it with her own eyes.
Not yet twenty years old, Li Ziyao was selling beer from table to table in her uniform when she somehow offended a customer. The customer smashed a beer bottle on the corner of the table, and the incident almost escalated to the point of involving the police. In the end, Li Ziyao had to swallow her pride and drink three bottles of beer with red eyes to finally appease the customer.
“Looking at her now…” Liang Qikai shrugged. “I can’t believe it.”
"I don't know how she got through it all to live the life she has now," Uncle Li said. "Her fiancé, who was in his sixties, died a week before her wedding. Should I say she was lucky or unlucky?"
The crowd remained silent for a long time.
Inspector Mo continued to assign tasks.
"The case needs to be investigated further, and all leads must be thoroughly investigated."
"Verify Cai Huimin's motive for the crime, and check her bank statements and debt situation."
"During the several times when her salary increase was rejected, did Cai Huimin enter the deceased's office alone and have any arguments with him?"
"Have you investigated Li Ziyao's movements? If she approached the deceased for money, then since the deceased suddenly passed away before the wedding, did she not gain anything at all?"
"In addition, we will continue to interview Fang's family and the music store staff to collect their private opinions about Li Ziyao."
Zhu Qing kept her head down, still flipping through Li Ziyao's information.
In the past, when Zhu Qing was still young, she only knew that the family that adopted Sister Xin Xin was well-off, and she was genuinely happy for her.
But now, as the investigation deepens, she notices a detail. Xin Xin's older sister wasn't adopted until she was fourteen, but children that age already have memories and are usually not the first choice for adoptive families.
Considering what happened to her later, was she not having a good time in her adoptive parents' home?
Have you ever received genuine care?
...
Every officer in the Major Crimes Unit B is like a tightly wound spring, operating with high efficiency.
Mo Shazhan joked that after only two days of rest, they were already back to full strength. What could Team A possibly use to compete with them? Their case-solving rate was probably going to increase again.
"Inspector Mo, don't flatter us. You can give the case-solving rate to Team A. We just want a break."
"Uncle Li just said that we're destined to be busy and won't get a few days of rest..."
When it was time to leave work, Zhu Qing rubbed her sore neck and stepped out of the police station. As soon as she looked up, she saw a familiar figure.
Shengfang came to pick up her niece from work again. The walk from their new house to the police station, though slow, was still only a five-minute walk. The little one was very happy with their new house; the only slight regret was that they couldn't see the Yau Ma Tei Police Station from their balcony.
He has already reminded Aunt Ping to bring the binoculars he keeps on the hillside when she comes tomorrow.
"You're finally off work." Aunt Ping smiled and stepped forward to Zhu Qing. "We timed it perfectly, knowing that this time would be just right so as not to disturb you."
"By the way, I have plenty of fresh food in my fridge. I also made some soup to bring over; it'll just need to be heated up in the microwave." She continued, "and I also made some soup to eat with me."
The young master paid Aunt Ping a very high salary. The child didn't understand market prices, and she didn't take advantage of the uncle and nephew. The extra salary was used to subsidize the cost of groceries.
Just then, Aunt Ping saw the back of the minibus, told Zhu Qing, and hurriedly went to catch the bus.
The future villain, reminded by his niece, politely waved and said, "Bye-bye."
After counting on his fingers, he began to draft the menu.
For a child, going into the kitchen isn't a hassle, it's fun. He tilted his little face up, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"How about we make stir-fried spare ribs with black bean sauce and chili? We can't put in too much chili."
"There's also steamed pork patty with preserved mustard greens. Aunt Ping said even a fool could make it."
"Braised chicken wings with potatoes..."
The aroma of braised chicken wings with potatoes lingers in the mouth of the children.
I can't think about this anymore, or my saliva might start to flow uncontrollably.
"Add another dish of steamed egg custard!" He raised his little hand. "I've already learned how to make it; I can add dried scallops and dried shrimp."
Just as he was speaking, his niece squatted down.
She placed her hands on his small shoulders and looked at him straight in the eye.
The young master blinked and paused the process of creating the menu.
"Shengfang, would you like to go somewhere with me?"
"want!"
Fangfang's little uncle unconditionally becomes Qingzai's little follower.
Before she even said where she was going, her uncle immediately agreed.
Aren't you going to ask me where I'm going?
Where are we going?
"It's where I grew up."
This time, Sheng Fang didn't answer immediately, looking at Qingzai with a blank expression: "It's an orphanage."
There are many orphans in the welfare home.
Upon first hearing that Qingzai grew up there, the young master of the Sheng family, unable to be tactful, sighed and said, "Qingzai is so pitiful."
Now, in order to investigate the case, Qingzai has to go back to the welfare home.
The child's first reaction was—
Will you be sad?
In that orphanage, Qingzai grew up alone and helpless, which must have left her with many unpleasant memories.
Will she be sad to revisit this place now?
Zhu Qing was taken aback by the concern in her uncle's eyes.
A piercing horn blared, interrupting their conversation.
A car drove out of the police station's underground parking garage. Zhu Qing had heard Zeng Yongshan say that it was Weng Sir's car.
The car stopped beside Zhu Qing and Sheng Fang.
Senior Inspector Weng Zhaolin leaned out of the car window and lightly tapped the steering wheel with his fingers.
"Where is Inspector Mo?"
Zhu Qing thought about it and realized that as soon as she got off work, Mo Sir seemed to slip away through the back door.
From the eye-rolls, complaints, and gossip of her colleagues, Zhu Qing had already gained some understanding of Weng Zhaolin.
As for where Mo Sir is going, that's just an appetizer; the main event is yet to come.
"It's already the second day, why haven't they identified a suspect yet?"
"Have you thoroughly investigated the deceased's social relationships? Whether it's enemies or economic disputes, you need to determine a direction."
"Also, wasn't it said that the piano teacher stole the deceased's watch? The clues are very clear, so why..."
Generally speaking, as long as Inspector Ong is speaking, no one can get a word in edgewise.
Suddenly, however, a knocking sound rang out.
It was the young master of the Sheng family who poked his head out and gently tapped the driver's side window frame with his chubby little hand.
He placed his short index finger against his lips.
It carried a condemnatory tone.
Shengfang, standing on tiptoe, clung to the window frame with both hands: "Little mouth—"
Senior Inspector: ?
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