Chapter 6 "Hey, help me."
After suffering several defeats in her confrontations with the policewoman, Sheng Fang finally figured out the secret to victory: bluffing with a small handkerchief.
The child tried to act mature, but he was still young. How could one expect him to be shrewd? Zhu Qing felt three classic cartoon-style black lines creep down her forehead, like the speechless expression in an old comic book.
It wasn't until the tutor arrived on time that the Filipino maid, Marissa, returned from the kitchen and discovered that the young master had disappeared in broad daylight. While she frantically searched for him, Sheng Peishan and Chen Chaosheng had already witnessed the commotion.
Seeing her second son-in-law's gloomy face, Marissa knew something was wrong and wisely turned to her second daughter to beg for mercy.
The unexpected death of her puppy had already made Sheng Peishan cry her eyes out. She began to worry that her husband's car brakes had failed unexpectedly a few days earlier, and now that her younger brother had suddenly disappeared, she connected these events with the case of the skeleton in the fireplace.
"Chaosheng." Sheng Peishan grasped Chen Chaosheng's hand. "It's the murderer, it must be the murderer!"
The servants gasped.
Who would be foolish enough to kill someone and hide the body right under their nose? Everyone thought the old case was committed by the construction workers from back then, but now the second young lady says the killer might be right next to them...
Chen Chaosheng comforted his wife, who was trembling, with his hand on her slender shoulder. He looked up and said sternly, "How could a perfectly healthy person just disappear into thin air? What are you standing there for? Go find her now!"
"Peishan, the police are here, don't panic..."
Sheng Peishan then realized what was happening and was about to ask the police for help when she saw Butler Cui leading Sheng Fang back from the garden.
"Second Miss," the old butler said with a kind smile, "the young master is here, he just ran off to play."
Sheng Peishan seemed a little dazed, but visibly relaxed. Chen Chaosheng apologized, saying that too many things had happened recently, and his wife had lost her composure due to excessive tension.
The little boy was brought back, and the second young lady only felt at ease after pulling her younger brother to her side.
Zhu Qing had barely stepped inside when she heard the instructions from above.
Mo Zhenbang's gaze lingered on Chen Chaosheng's face for a moment: "Take a statement from Mr. Chen regarding the brake failure."
...
The skeleton in the fireplace needs to be investigated, the mysterious death of the puppy needs to be investigated, the brake failure also needs to be investigated... At present, the three pieces of information are not fully related. Zeng Yongshan couldn't hold back her words, took a statement from Chen Chaosheng, and as soon as he left, she immediately nudged Zhu Qing's arm.
"This Mr. Chen is not quite what I imagined."
"Everyone says he's a gentle and refined gentleman, but I never expected him to be so decisive and efficient."
"No wonder. If the second son-in-law didn't have some ruthless methods, someone as gentle as the second young lady would have been devoured by those wolves in the board of directors long ago."
I originally thought that the Sheng family business was just a dispute between the eldest and second daughters, with at most a three-year-old child added.
But now it seems that neither Sheng Peirong nor Sheng Peishan cares about the family fortune, and Chen Chaosheng has become the only choice to take charge of the group.
Zeng Yongshan looked up at the sky and said, "It's so lucky to be a rich girl. When she was young, she had her father to protect her from the wind and rain. Now that Mr. Sheng has passed away, the sky won't fall. There will always be someone to support her. When Mr. Chen was young, he fell in love with the second young lady at first sight. When they were dating, he took the initiative to suggest that their future children take the mother's surname. Mr. Sheng was so happy at the time!"
Zhu Qing asked, "Who told you that?"
Zeng Yongshan's eyes widened instantly, and she frantically slapped Zhu Qing's arm: "You actually gossiped with me!"
“It was something Butler Cui mentioned casually when she was making tea.” She put her hand into Zhu Qing’s arm and took it. “Butler Cui said that the second young lady used to want to be childless like avant-garde people in order to develop her career in the entertainment industry, and Mr. Chen let her be. Later, the car accident damaged her health, but Mr. Chen still stayed by her side and cherished her.”
The passionate physical contact made Zhu Qing stiffen and try to back away, but she was held even tighter.
Mo Zhenbang had already walked into the garden, a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers, listening to his forensic expert brother who had come with Zhu Qing report on the progress of the evidence testing.
"After soaking in the solution, letter imprints appeared on the inner wall of the ring, but the high-temperature burning time was too long, and the pattern was not clearly distinguishable. Inspector Ge will have to carry out a second treatment."
When can we expect a result at the earliest?
Zeng Yongshan stood on tiptoe to look at Chen Chaosheng, who had quickly gone into the house to take care of his wife after finishing his statement.
"That's wonderful..." Zeng Yongshan said, "When will I meet my Prince Charming!"
Zhu Qing's thoughts were all on the deceased's ring. She stared at the evidence bag from a distance and said, "Tomorrow, at the earliest tomorrow."
"Really?" Zeng Yongshan's face immediately lit up with a smile, her almond-shaped eyes curving into crescents.
Zhu Qing turned her head blankly: "What?"
"I'm going to take this seriously!" She skipped around in a circle, humming an unknown Cantonese tune as she walked briskly to meet up with her colleagues.
...
Police are continuing their evidence collection efforts. Several officers knelt on the lawn, collecting samples of Bobo's sleeping mat fibers, food residue, and other evidence, which they then placed in evidence bags, awaiting further testing at the police station.
As dusk settled and a gentle breeze began to stir, Chen Chaosheng wrapped Sheng Peishan's shawl tighter around her shoulders.
“My sister loved Bobo the most,” Sheng Peishan said. “If she had known Bobo would die such a tragic death…”
The CID routinely investigated the whereabouts of the Sheng family members at the villa during the period in which the incident occurred.
During that period, Sheng Peirong and her husband Cheng Zhaoqian were not in the country and were not suspects. Therefore, the police had never met this eldest daughter of the Sheng family.
Now, however, the police officers are increasingly unable to understand the feuds between the wealthy families.
It is said that Sheng Peirong and her father, Sheng Wenchang, never spoke to each other again, and she was not even willing to offer incense for his death. But now it seems that she is not a heartless person.
Sheng Peishan gently wiped away her tears with her fingertips, and said uneasily, "Inspector Mo, I know you are all very busy, but could it be tonight...?"
Sheng Peishan meant that she hoped the detectives could stay overnight and keep watch until the true cause of Bobo's death was determined.
The CID is primarily responsible for criminal investigations and does not assume routine personal protection duties. She knew the police were in a difficult position, but with so many things happening in just two days, the second young lady of the Sheng family felt that the murderer was hiding in the shadows of the Sheng family, and their personal safety could be threatened at any time.
“Peishan.” Chen Chaosheng shook his head and said gently, “This is not in accordance with the procedure.”
“What if we get special permission from Inspector Di of the Regional Criminal Investigation Department?” Sheng Peishan gripped her husband’s sleeve tightly. “I have mobility issues, and my younger brother is still young. If that murderer… the child is innocent!”
"If your people stay, at least the murderer won't dare to make any rash moves."
Chen Chaosheng's Adam's apple bobbed: "This—"
“It’s only natural,” Mo Sir pondered. “How about this, Jia Le and…”
The air froze, and the officers exchanged bewildered glances.
This is completely against protocol; a specialized department should be involved. But everyone knows that their boss only cares about solving cases and never follows the rules. Besides, even if the Sheng family actually calls the Chief Superintendent's office, the final result will still be the same.
Zhu Qing: "I'll stay."
Although there are few bus services from Banshan back to Huangzhukeng, the journey is only a dozen kilometers long, and it will take Zhu Qing a maximum of forty minutes to get back.
It would be better to stay at the Sheng family and expedite the investigation to uncover the truth.
After all, the Sheng family has too many secrets.
...
The Sheng family arranged two guest rooms for Zhu Qing and Xu Jiale.
"The key lies in the engraving on the ring, but after matching He Jia'er's surgical records, the identity of the skeleton is most likely already clear," Mo Zhenbang said before leaving. "Let's put our minds at ease and wait for Lao Ge to do a second treatment on the marks on the inner wall of the ring."
"Keep a close eye on things tonight, don't let Inspector Ong find fault again."
Xu Jiale saw Mo Sir out: "But He Jiaer's connection with this villa..."
Before he could finish speaking, Mo Zhenbang had already gotten into the car, and the door slammed shut.
The officer's question was interrupted, the last words fading into the roar of the car engine.
Meanwhile, in a guest room on the second floor of the villa, the maid, Sister Zhang, smoothed out the bedspread: "Madam, all the toiletries in the bathroom are new, and the pajamas are here—"
"No need."
As night deepened, the servants returned to their quarters.
Zhu Qing went to the kitchen to pour a glass of water, holding the glass as she walked through the long corridor that connected the two villas.
There was once a skeleton hidden in the fireplace. She clearly remembered the tremor in her heart when she saw the skeleton, but she was not afraid.
I just want to know what the victims wanted to say through their remains.
Who's there?
A figure moved, and Butler Cui came out: "Madam."
Everyone avoided this fireplace like the plague; even when passing through the corridor, they held their breath and hurried along without looking back.
Butler Cui stared for a long time: "When the master was alive, he loved to play chess with the young lady in front of the fireplace..."
"It seems that Butler Cui misses Mr. Sheng very much."
"There used to be a Christmas tree here, and a photo of the master and young lady in front of it is still displayed in his study." Butler Cui sighed softly, lost in thought. "It's getting late, Madam, you should rest too."
The guest room that the Sheng family arranged for Zhu Qing was at the far end of the second floor.
Bypassing the spiral staircase at the end, you can directly access the children's room.
Only Shengfang lives on the third floor, next to Marisa's room.
Upon seeing Zhu Qing, the young master of the Sheng family poked his fluffy head out and said, "Female sir."
She corrected, "It's 'madam,' not 'female sir.'"
"Who doesn't know?" The young master raised his chin. "I have a private tutor."
The three-and-a-half-year-old young master is not illiterate.
The door to the children's room was open, and the terrace was sealed off, but the adults had forgotten about the drainpipe. This was the young master's secret hideout, where he would usually slide to the garden and slip out the door.
Zhu Qing leaned against the railing beside the terrace: "After the disappearance this afternoon, this secret passage will also have to be locked."
The pretentious young master, unusually, sighed like an innocent child.
Zhu Qing bent down and suddenly made a new discovery: "From this angle, you can see Bobo's toy house."
“Of course.” The little one, wrapped in silk pajamas like a proud short-legged corgi, said, “Bobo will catch my rainbow frisbee right here!”
"Did you notice anything unusual between this morning and noon?"
Zhu Qing thought she must be out of her mind to ask a child for evidence...
The child sat cross-legged on the ground, his hands supporting his chubby cheeks: "Bobo barked 'woof woof woof' at him—"
he?
Zhu Qing squatted down in confusion. When her gaze dropped to a child's level, she realized that through the window of Bobo's toy house, she could see the figure next to the doghouse.
Chen Chaosheng accompanied his wife, gently wiping the edges of the photo frame before placing it next to the doghouse.
The night wind rustled her shawl, revealing Sheng Peishan's thin and fragile figure.
"I heard my second brother-in-law say that he wants to erect a tombstone for Bobo," the curly-haired dumpling asked. "What's a tombstone?"
Zhu Qing paused for a moment, then turned her gaze to see Sheng Fang looking up at the starry sky.
Starlight shone into the child's clear eyes.
According to Zeng Yongshan's gossip, the Sheng family is still keeping the news of his parents' deaths in the plane crash from Sheng Fang. Whether it's to protect the child's young heart or they simply don't care about his feelings, the police have no intention of delving into the secrets of the wealthy family.
Can a three-and-a-half-year-old child understand the true meaning of death?
Zhu Qing only remembers that when she was this age, she was negotiating with the older children at the welfare home. They exchanged plush toys given to her by volunteer sisters and were willing to befriend her. They coaxed her to get out of bed with her little pillow. Then her bed was taken over, her toys were taken back, and she was forced to sit by the drafty window.
It turns out that warmth has to be fought for.
The wind was too cold on winter nights, and afterwards, Zhu Qing stopped playing with toys and never made any friends.
"Hey, help me."
The mischievous young master was still not very polite, but perhaps it was through this sight of his little feet kicking as he walked alone back to his room—
She saw the lonely little girl in the orphanage.
"How can I help?" Zhu Qing followed his steps.
"Erect a tombstone."
Marissa tidies up the children's room more than three times a day, and now the desk is a mess again.
Shengfang found some cardstock and art scissors, sat on the bay window, her short fingers gripping the round-tipped art scissors tightly, clumsily opening and closing them to cut the cardstock into crooked rectangles. She then ran around the children's room, finding her flattened "corpse" from the ruins of the toy kingdom during her battle with Marissa.
The young master threw a box of crayons at me with a "clatter".
Inside the tin box, the chubby, colorful crayon stubs rolled to Zhu Qing's feet.
"Inscription," Young Master Sheng solemnly said, "The Tomb of Ultraman."
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