Chapter 60 The answer was actually quite simple.
Shengfang sat in the dean's office, her two little feet dangling over the edge of the chair.
Fangfang, who was used to finding everything new and exciting, didn't look around but quietly stared at Dean Luo's opening and closing mouth.
How could a three-and-a-half-year-old understand Dean Luo's medical terminology about brain damage and surgical risks? He could only sense the unease in Qingzai's solemn expression.
The niece's brow furrowed, while Dean Luo took a thick stack of documents from the filing cabinet behind him.
“We have indeed had successful cases where patients gradually regained their speech and mobility after surgery.” He placed the case reports in front of the two patients, one large and one small, and paused for a moment. “But there are also cases of failure, where postoperative brain damage worsened, or even…”
On Dean Luo's desk, two stacks of medical records presented a stark contrast.
Compared to the pile of failed cases on the left, the few successful cases on the right appear bleak.
Zhu Qing knew that this was not just cold data; behind the failed cases lay unspoken subtext from Dean Luo.
They were wheeled into the operating room and never came out again.
"Based on Ms. Sheng's current test results, all conditions meet the surgical criteria, and she is suitable for surgical intervention."
"The deadline for registration for the new treatment is the end of October, so you can still consider it."
Dean Luo opened the calendar and circled the date with a black pen: "Even if we decide to have surgery, we still need a three-week preoperative preparation period. We need to adjust the medication plan and improve nutritional indicators."
Dean Luo's explanation was professional and clear, but Zhu Qing could only extract two key pieces of information.
A decision must be made before the end of October, and then the surgery must be completed.
At most two months, they may be separated by death forever.
"As for conservative treatment, it can indeed maintain the current situation, but the brain damage will irreversibly worsen. At that point, there won't even be a 30% chance." Dean Luo's tone was gentle, but not without room for delay. "I suggest you give me an answer within two weeks, so that we can be fully prepared for either option."
The chasm between Zhu Qing and her mother was more than twenty years. When she finally stood in front of her mother's bedside, her mother was already asleep.
There were no warm hugs, no nagging, and she had never even heard her mother call her name...
Their "interaction" took place only in this ward of the sanatorium.
Strangely, every time she held her mother's hand, it was as if she were holding onto an invisible bond between mother and daughter.
Shengfang suddenly snuggled up to her. The child's warm little hand was placed into her cold palm.
He was completely bewildered while Dean Luo was saying those words. But even though he didn't understand what Dean Luo was babbling about, the clever child still caught the key point—
It's either live or die, Qingzai has to choose.
After leaving the office, they walked towards the ward area in tacit agreement.
Sheng Fang sat on a bench in the corridor, holding a comic book. Through the half-open door, he saw Qingzai sitting in front of the hospital bed.
Whispers drifted from the nurses' station.
"Is this a multiple-choice question? 30% live, 70% die, this is asking families to gamble with their own mother's life..."
"How could I dare sign it—"
Shengfang flipped through the comic book with a "rustling" sound, patiently waiting.
I wonder what my niece and older sister are talking about?
...
The next morning, Shengfang did not go to kindergarten.
He heard Qingzai call to ask for leave, but unusually, he didn't raise his little hand to cheer. Because Qingzai looked dejected; she tugged at the corners of her mouth, but still couldn't manage a smile.
Aunt Ping prepared a lot of things for them—roast goose, char siu, freshly baked egg tarts, red eggs, and rice wine, etc.
At first, Sheng Fang thought Qingzai was going to take him on a picnic, until the car slowly stopped in a place he had never been before.
Daddy, Mommy, and my brother-in-law all live here.
Zhu Qing held a brand-new family travel pass in her hand.
She was unaware of the existence of this private cemetery until then.
There are many rules to follow when entering this place. Even though Zhu Qing is a member of the Sheng family, she is not qualified to worship because her procedures are incomplete.
The Sheng family's lawyer explained that her case was extremely unique. DNA testing was required, the inheritance had been distributed, but her name had never appeared in any official documents. In other words, even if everyone knew her identity, she would remain excluded until the legal proceedings were complete.
It wasn't until three days ago, when the court officially ruled that her document as the guardian of the cemetery was in effect, that the cemetery management finally issued an admission permit.
Zhu Qing thought she should come and see her father.
And the little uncle should also come and visit his parents.
She crouched down, brushed the dust off the tombstone with her fingertips, and pulled out a few weeds that had sprouted from the cracks in the stone.
Fangfang is Qingzai's spokesperson.
When his niece was silent, he would always speak up for her in a childish voice.
"Brother-in-law, we've come to see you." He stood on tiptoe and patted the cold tombstone with his little hand. "Coco is a big kid now, can you still recognize her?"
The young master of the Sheng family had no recollection of his brother-in-law, and even staring at the photo, he felt like a stranger.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed that Qingzai's eyebrows and eyes resembled her mother's, while her nose resembled her father's.
They spread out newspapers in front of the grave and opened the lunch boxes one by one.
Aunt Ping specially prepared these, saying that her late husband loved to eat them.
“Let my brother-in-law smell it three times first.” Sheng Fang solemnly held up the char siu and approached the tombstone. “That’s what Aunt Ping said.”
This was Zhu Qing's first time paying respects to her father, but it presented him with a difficult problem—
Should we have surgery?
The man in the photo has a gentle smile, as if he is quietly watching her.
Zhu Qing lowered her eyes, her throat tightening slightly.
In recent years, almost no one has come to visit him.
"I'll come here often from now on," she said softly, her voice carried away by the breeze.
After a long while, she picked up Shengfang and turned to the tombstone on the other side.
"Daddy, Mommy!" The little one perked up immediately, as if finally seeing "familiar faces." "I'm here!"
“I’ve moved out of Mid-Levels. We recently moved to a new house and invited the police officers and Wing Shan to visit.”
Zhu Qing reminded her, "It's not recent, it's been several months."
"Time flies!" Fangfang exclaimed like a little adult. "It turns out that was several months ago."
“I was very good. I got a ‘eat everything’ certificate at kindergarten! Qingzai stuck the certificate on her bedroom wall and can’t take it down, so I can’t show it to you.”
“Qingzai was hospitalized a couple of days ago, and they measured my height while they were there. I’ve grown taller again. Aunt Ping said that as long as I eat well and drink milk every day, I’ll soon be as tall as Qingzai.”
Sheng Fang glanced at Qingzai and suddenly had a belatedly realized expression.
He was almost fooled; Aunt Ping was wrong, it shouldn't be soon...
"Oh right, Daddy and Mommy, we haven't formally introduced you yet." He tugged at Zhu Qing's sleeve, speaking in a serious tone, "This is Qingzai, your granddaughter, and my niece."
The child couldn't understand that he and his older sister were half-siblings.
It doesn't matter anyway, we're all family. His mother, Qingzai should call her "grandmother".
Zhu Qing was squatting down arranging lunch boxes, and she stood on tiptoe, her little hand resting on her shoulder.
The uncle, acting like a true elder, urged, "Qingzai, call your grandpa and grandma!"
"Grandpa and Grandma..."
On a clear autumn morning, soft, golden sunlight streamed into the quiet cemetery.
They shared roast goose and egg tarts according to custom, as if they were really on a picnic in the countryside. Every now and then, they would casually utter a childlike remark, as if the cold tombstones were imbued with warmth.
Suddenly, Shengfang looked up and asked, "Do people really become ghosts after they die?"
Zhu Qing answered this question when handling the "ghost call" case.
At this moment, her answer remained unchanged.
There are no ghosts in this world.
“But even if it’s true…” Sheng Fang leaned closer to her, “I’m not afraid.”
He wasn't afraid because his family lived there.
My dearest, closest family members.
Even if they're gone, they'll surely bless him and Qingzai—
May Fangfang grow up quickly and be blessed... and may Qingzai make a decision she won't regret.
...
Zhu Qing told Fang Fang that this was the last time they would ask for leave.
He must get back into the swing of things and go back to kindergarten, otherwise what if his studies fall behind?
Shengfang puffed out her cheeks.
Kindergarten is clearly a place to play with building blocks and eat snacks, so why would it need to "settle down"?
However, seeing his niece's tired expression, he decided not to argue.
As elders, we should give children some face, enjoy their happiness, and there's no need to argue with the younger generation about these things.
In the afternoon, Zhu Qing took Sheng Fang back to Banshan.
Aunt Ping goes to the villa halfway up the mountain once a week to tidy up, and she goes back with them, reminiscing about the past on the way.
"When this house was being renovated, the second son-in-law personally supervised the entire process. By the time they moved in, the eldest daughter and her husband had already moved out and only came back to have a meal with the master during holidays."
Aunt Ping couldn't help but sigh when she mentioned the eldest daughter, eldest son-in-law, and second son-in-law.
Passing by the restaurant, she vaguely remembered the scene of the entire Sheng family sitting around, but now everything had changed.
"It was only after the second young lady was in a car accident that the eldest young lady started coming more often, urging the second young lady to take her medicine."
"At that time, the second young lady was very depressed. She didn't even want to open the curtains. She always said that when the sunlight shone in, she would see her crippled leg."
"She would always smash the bowl of Chinese medicine and throw a tantrum in her room. But as long as the young lady came over and sat down next to her to comfort her, she would obediently finish her medicine."
“We used to say that the two sisters had a really good relationship. The second young lady didn’t even listen to her husband, but as soon as the eldest young lady came, she would…” Aunt Ping shook her head and stopped reminiscing.
Despite their supposed sisterly bond, all of Sheng Peirong's suffering was brought about by Sheng Peishan.
Even now, Aunt Ping still can't figure out whether Sheng Peishan's obedience to her sister back then stemmed from innate dependence or simply from guilt.
"Although the young lady is not staying here, the master still asked us to reserve a room for her."
Zhu Qing stood in front of a bedroom door, her finger hovering over the doorknob.
After a moment's pause, she slowly pushed it away.
This was the room that Old Master Sheng prepared for his eldest daughter. At that time, her condition had not yet reached the point of no return, and the old man always held onto hope that one morning when she woke up, she would have regained her senses and calmly taken over the heavy responsibility of Shengshi Group.
The room perfectly replicated the layout of the old house, the bed was always kept tidy, and the sheets, changed weekly, smelled of sunshine. The dressing table and walk-in closet, however, were completely empty—Sheng Peirong had lost all interest in dressing up since Coco left.
There was a bookmark tucked inside the original novel on the bedside table.
Zhu Qing opened the book and heard Aunt Ping sigh.
"This was brought back by the old man from the old house a few years ago."
"Back when you weren't even born yet, the young lady always said this book was obscure, but the eldest son-in-law loved reading it."
"Later, her husband made a bet with her that she definitely wouldn't be able to finish reading the book."
At this point, Aunt Ping laughed, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothing out: "The young lady is not one to back down. She secretly told me that she just couldn't get into these sentimental sentences, and every few days she would secretly move the bookmark a few pages to the back."
Zhu Qing stroked the bookmark tucked between the pages of the book.
The events of twenty years ago are still faintly visible on the pages. She seems to see her mother childishly moving the bookmarks when her father isn't looking.
It turns out that my parents were once young and playful; that's evidence of their vibrant existence.
“Many of the items in this room are old things from the old house, which have been moved here intact.” Aunt Ping finished speaking and glanced outside. “Qingqing, I’ll go see what the young master is doing. This little rascal—if he’s quiet, nothing good is sure to happen.”
Aunt Ping has worked as a maid in the Sheng family for twenty-three years. She has always been sensible and never oversteps her bounds.
She didn't realize at the time that she had started complaining about her boss.
Aunt Ping went up the spiral staircase to the third floor.
The children's room at the far end of the third floor is the territory of the young master of the Sheng family. At this moment, he is rolling around on the carpet, throwing toys up at the ceiling and nimbly dodging them. This is his self-designed training course for the children's police academy.
The room was spotless, but the toy box was getting emptier and emptier.
They have all been gradually moved back to their new homes in Yau Ma Tei.
When Zhu Qing arrived, she leaned against the door frame and watched Fang Fang raise her short legs to climb onto the bay window.
She suddenly remembered that the young master had wanted to erect a tombstone for Ultraman that day. The rude child tossed her a box of crayons, raised his chin, and ordered her to write the inscription.
He can't even write, yet he's so self-righteous in ordering others around.
Several months have passed, and in the blink of an eye, Fangfang seems to have changed a lot.
At this moment, his little head was hanging upside down on the bay window: "Qingzai, Jinbao and Yesi don't want to play here."
The three children were fighting over the slide at kindergarten. Shengfang remembered that the slide at her home in the mountains was much bigger, so she invited them over, but they declined.
"Why?"
“I told them this is a haunted house!”
"They even know about 'haunted houses'?"
This word is too profound; Jinbao and Yesi definitely wouldn't understand it.
But Sheng Fang's cryptic expression when she mentioned the words "haunted house" scared them away.
"Let's play then," Zhu Qing said.
In the courtyard of the Sheng family in Banshan, there is a giant slide that Grandpa Sheng specially customized for his youngest son.
It takes a long time to climb the stairs to reach the top.
At this moment, Shengfang slowly climbed up like a little sloth, demonstrating for Zhu Qing.
Zhu Qing stood at the bottom and touched the slide: "It's covered in dust!"
Aunt Ping forgot to clean the outdoor playground equipment.
The slide is exposed to wind, sun and rain every day, and has accumulated a thick layer of dust.
"It's alright," the young master waved his hand dismissively.
He was already sitting at the top, his two little hands crossed in front of his chest, lying flat and sliding down.
"Qingzai, come play!"
With a long "whoosh," the young master Shengfang opened his arms and slid all the way to the bottom.
He was the broom man, and now it's clean.
...
After the seven-day holiday, Zhu Qing returned to work at the police station.
When she first started her vacation, she would pinch Fangfang's little cheeks from time to time and always looked forward to him coming home from school early. But last night, she was already having a headache from the little guy's constant chattering. She covered his little mouth with both hands and begged him to be quiet.
The little girl, Shengfang, was very hurt, pouting as she said—
"Distance really does make the heart grow fonder, Qingzi!"
Just then, Zhu Qing entered the CID office, and Sister Clerk Zhen handed her a letter.
“It was sent by Lin Xiyin,” she said. “I’ve been keeping it safe for you.”
The case has been officially closed, and the banner presented by the kindergarten is hanging high in the office.
When several senior students from Group A passed by, they would always turn their heads away with a sour look, pretending not to see them.
Zhu Qing sat back down at her workstation and opened the envelope Lin Xiyin had sent.
The letter, written in neat and strong handwriting, detailed the school's serious handling of the bullying incident. The perpetrators were either disciplined or expelled. Even more encouraging was the growing number of previously silent victims who bravely came forward. The girl wrote in her letter that she finally understood the importance of seeking help when faced with injustice.
Next, Lin Xiyin will strive to get into the Department of Psychology at the University of Hong Kong. Through Xu Mingyuan, she deeply realized that psychologists bear such a heavy responsibility, and sometimes a single thought can determine a person's life or death.
Following the creases of the letter, Zhu Qing folded the letter neatly, placed it in the envelope, and carefully kept it safe.
At the same time, a reprimand from Inspector Ong suddenly came from Mo Zhenbang's office.
Even across the corridor, you could feel the tense atmosphere.
Clearly, it's about upgrading the test again.
Mo Zhenbang's calm, almost dejected response made the reprimand feel like a heavy punch hitting cotton.
“If I hadn’t suggested switching shifts back then, A-Cheng wouldn’t have died.”
On the corner of his desk sat a heartwarming family photo.
Mo Zhenbang, Lü Qiyun, and Nannan smiled brightly at the camera. But every time he saw Nannan's innocent face, it reminded him that this lovely child should have the love of her biological father.
This is a knot in Mo Zhenbang's heart.
No one but himself can help him solve it.
Outside the office, colleagues exchanged glances.
“I heard that the higher-ups are transferring a new inspector. If Ah-tou doesn’t get promoted to oversee us—” Hao-zai paused deliberately, then raised his voice as if to say, “the new one is going to be very difficult. If he’s really transferred to our side, we won’t have any good days ahead.”
Weng Zhaolin had not heard of this rumor. He strolled out and raised his eyebrows.
Haozai continued, "Everyone says the new guy is stingy. Last time he treated us to afternoon tea, he only bought pineapple buns and wouldn't even spend a cup of milk tea, making his subordinates go to the break room to get water."
Weng Zhaolin stopped in his tracks: ?
Tsang Wing-shan added, "He's a bootlicker, all he knows is how to flatter! He goes to the Chief Superintendent's office every day, and even washes the Chief Superintendent's teacup. He's very proactive."
Weng Zhaolin frowned and stepped closer.
"And they don't care about their subordinates," Xu Jiale continued. "When they call people back to work overtime, they don't even reimburse their taxi fares."
"Is there really such an inspector, or is he just making a veiled attack?" Weng Zhaolin's leather shoes landed on the office floor with a dull thud.
"Of course there are such rumors. I heard them from people in the police station cafeteria." Haozai said confidently, then quickly hid behind Zhu Qing. "If you don't believe me, ask Zhu Qing. She won't lie."
All eyes in the office instantly turned to Zhu Qing.
Under Inspector Weng's threatening gaze, Zhu Qing nodded solemnly and forcefully.
Mo Zhenbang finally couldn't hold back his laughter and it came from the office.
These guys know how to protect their boss.
...
Finally, the scheduled follow-up appointment time arrived. Zhu Qing sat in the examination room cubicle as the nurse carefully unwrapped the snow-white bandages.
The doctor held up the X-ray film and examined it carefully under the light: "The recovery is quite ideal. The joint space is clear, and the soft tissue swelling has completely subsided."
"Logically, a bone fracture should take at least six weeks to heal, but yours has already fully healed in such a short time."
"Young people have a strong ability to recover."
Zhu Qing stretched her shoulders, which were finally freed.
This isn't thanks to youthful health at all; it's clearly Aunt Ping's unwavering lotus root and pork bone soup and fish maw and chicken soup that have had the effect.
These days, she dreams about eating pork and chicken bones every day.
"Although the recovery is going very well, you still need to be extra careful for the next three months. Try to avoid things like carrying heavy objects on one shoulder..."
“I know you police officers like to show off, but grappling techniques must be avoided.”
"Oh, and don't hold the baby either."
The doctor recalled the child who ordered the patient to be hospitalized immediately, and pointed to a spot on the X-ray, saying, "Especially the kind of child who can leap and pounce."
At this moment, the little girl, Shengfang, was completely unaware that the doctor was secretly...
Talk bad about him!
The young master is already in a terrible mood; he has encountered a major setback in his life.
With the kindergarten performance approaching, rehearsals for the original program went smoothly, and Teacher Ji suggested that the children add an extra performance. Xiao Yesi raised her hand to sign up for the three-person morning exercise routine and pulled Jinbao and Shengfang to rehearse together. However, during the dress rehearsal, Jinbao and Yesi kept making mistakes, and their mistakes were so synchronized that it looked as if Shengfang was the only one who had made a mistake.
When they were supposed to raise their hands, they didn't; when they were supposed to lift their legs, they squatted down. Sheng Fang angrily told the teacher, but in the end, Teacher Ji still decided to replace him.
The young master of the Sheng family was eliminated and sat in the audience watching their rehearsal with a dark face.
The children were all busy, so only he and A-Juan sat together.
His little mouth was never still; he nudged A-Juan with his elbow: "Aren't you going to perform?"
"I can't do anything."
Fangfang Baby pouted and said, "Tsk tsk."
Ah Juan also asked, "Is that flying madam your niece?"
"certainly."
"Can you fly too?"
This is a difficult question to answer.
He had promised his niece he wouldn't lie, but if he answered honestly, it would make him seem like a less imposing police officer.
"Ah Juan," Sheng Fang said aloofly, turning her head away. "Don't try to get close to me."
...
Zhu Qing spends every day contemplating whether or not to sign the surgical consent form.
Two weeks passed quickly, and she had to make a decision as soon as possible.
That computer was originally moved to Aunt Ping's room as a decoration...
Now, Zhu Qing has moved it into her bedroom. Countless nights, Aunt Ping can hear the sound of keyboard typing coming from her room.
Zhu Qing has almost become a semi-expert in neurology, poring over countless similar cases from home and abroad, searching for that faint glimmer of hope.
With the deadline approaching, Zhu Qing was still hesitant.
Aunt Ping had a lot of advice to give, but after rehearsing it several times, she swallowed it back. She knew that whatever advice she offered would be inappropriate.
The children, unusually, also became quiet and composed.
He then realized that even as an "elder," he couldn't make such a momentous decision. Some burdens are too heavy for a young person to bear. This wasn't a simple choice between milk candy and fruit candy; it was a life-or-death decision that would keep even adults up all night.
There is a 70% chance that the sleeping figure on the hospital bed will disappear forever.
The bedroom door was ajar, and the desk lamp illuminated the medical terminology in the books.
Zhu Qing copied down the key points of the cases in her notes, and used her pen to highlight the "surgical complications" section.
She wasn't afraid of taking responsibility, but rather worried that she would lose even the chance to quietly stay together like this.
"Qingzai!"
Aunt Ping thought the child was going to urge him, so she quickly pulled him back: "Young master, let her think about it some more."
"Shall we go to the amusement park?"
Unexpectedly, Sheng Fang asked a question unrelated to the surgery.
Zhu Qing turned around: "Amusement park?"
Shengfang is a little massage therapist, proficient in the "massage" technique.
He needs to help Qingzai relax her tense mind, which also happens to benefit himself.
Tomorrow is the weekend, and it's Qingzai's turn to take a day off.
Although Fangfang couldn't make the decision about her older sister's surgery, it was a piece of cake for her to order her niece to take her to the amusement park.
Aunt Ping helped prepare the delicious food and drinks, but Fangfang still dragged Qingzai downstairs.
He's a spiritual massage therapist, someone who enjoys the evening breeze.
The evening breeze eased Zhu Qing's brow, temporarily putting aside her anxiety.
"Qingzai, the performance is on Monday."
Shengfang eagerly awaited it.
He heard that Jinbao's parents and Yesi's parents would be bringing invitations to the kindergarten... He really hoped that Qingzai could also participate in this event.
"Can you come?"
The police station has indeed been quite quiet lately.
Fang Fang's big, bright eyes blinked so easily they could melt anyone's heart. Zhu Qing accidentally made him a promise.
"no problem."
When the flowers bloom and people cheer, they jump high and rush into the newly opened bakery downstairs, where everything they see makes them hungry.
The strawberries on the cream were piled up like a small mountain; we'll share them on the Ferris wheel tomorrow.
However, that night, Zhu Qing heard the sound of Xiaobudian going in and out of the room barefoot.
Many times!
"Shengfang, no more eating allowed."
"Okay—" the baby said, drawing out the last syllable.
When the footsteps rang out for the tenth time, Zhu Qing turned around again: "Where's Little Ears?"
"Let's go to the room," Sheng Fang said. "Lock it in the safe."
When Zhu Qing came out, she saw the young master make a funny face and then run into the children's room.
On the dining table, the strawberries in the strawberry cake had vanished without a trace.
It turned into a bumpy, pure cream plain.
From the children's room came the baby's triumphant taunt: "It's delicious."
...
The long-awaited trip to the amusement park is finally on the agenda.
This was the deadline, and Zhu Qing knew that after today, she had to give Dean Luo an answer.
It was as if two little people were playing tug-of-war in her mind, one listing the data on the success of the surgery, and the other repeating "what if".
The sounds that can be contained always intrude at the most inopportune times.
"Qingzai, Qingzai!"
"I want to eat ice cream."
At the roadside convenience store, Zhu Qing picked up the smallest box of ice cream.
In the few months she's been raising her child, she's discovered that her child has an unexpectedly strong digestive system, which saves her the trouble of having to avoid certain foods.
However, we still can't be too indulgent with this three-year-old.
The box of ice cream was about the size of his palm. He scooped it out with a small spoon while muttering complaints.
"It's so small, it's not even big enough to fill a gap between teeth."
"But it's so delicious!"
"It feels like I have an air conditioner in my mouth!"
Zhu Qing gripped the steering wheel and drove towards Liyuan Amusement Park.
While waiting at a red light, she took the CD out of the handrail.
A few days ago, I ran into Cheng Xinglang at the police station cafeteria. He handed her this disc, the cover of which had a simple message written on it in black marker:
Specially formulated for stress relief.
The CD was inserted into the player, and the intro immediately blasted throughout the entire carriage.
"Dr. Cheng said this is a wildly popular hit song."
Fangfang was still enjoying the mini ice cream, the sweet taste melting between her lips and teeth.
The car was going quite fast, and a cool breeze blew in, making his little face feel like it was being slapped by his own soft hair.
By the third time the song was played, the young master of the Sheng family already knew how to sing it.
He rested his chubby chin against the car window frame and hummed a wildly popular song recommended by Dr. Cheng.
Even if fate is turbulent and unpredictable...
"Don't shed tears or feel sad, and don't give up. I wish to stay with you for the rest of my life."
"Qingzai, Qingzai." Shengfang's little hands gripped the driver's seat headrest, her little face leaning forward, "I will always be with you."
"Great! So cheesy!"
...
The uncle and nephew worked together: Zhu Qing parked the car, while Sheng Fang craned her neck to find where she could get a map of the amusement park.
After getting off the bus, by the time Qingzai bought the tickets, the baby had already stood on tiptoe.
He pointed to the winding tracks in the distance, his eyes shining like they were filled with stars: "Dare to ride a roller coaster?"
"Of course I dare." Zhu Qing raised an eyebrow. "What about you?"
The young master looked proud and patted his little chest loudly.
"I'm sure!"
Zhu Qing had never been to an amusement park. During her only school field trip, she ultimately didn't ask Director Guo of the orphanage for a fee.
Sheng Fang had never been here before. Before his parents' accident, his existence was a closely guarded secret of the Sheng family. Paparazzi were everywhere, and the baby had never even attended kindergarten, let alone gone to such a conspicuous place.
The two amusement park novices tried to appear calm, but their pace quickened, and the gleam in their eyes was impossible to hide.
Since the rides were still small and had height restrictions, they chose the brightly colored mini roller coaster.
"I've seen it on TV so many times, what's there to be afraid of?"
"that is!"
However, when the roller coaster reached its highest point and suddenly plunged down, the uncle and nephew closed their eyes tightly.
I can no longer pretend to be calm.
In that instant of weightlessness, the two of them screamed simultaneously—
"ah!!!"
Zhu Qing wanted to ask Sheng Fang if she was afraid, but the strong wind filled her throat, choking her so she couldn't make a sound.
Fangfang wanted to ask his niece how much longer... but he kept his lips tightly pursed, afraid that if he opened his mouth, the wind would blow his little teeth away.
After three agonizing minutes, Qingzai and her uncle finally ended their thrilling journey. The little master finally discovered the cool madam's weakness. It was her first time at an amusement park, and she had absolutely no experience; even the children's roller coaster scared her. Turns out, she wasn't so timid after all.
They helped each other off the roller coaster, their legs trembling.
A tall, thin man in a floral shirt stopped them and handed them two candid photos.
During the slow-moving section of the roller coaster, Fangfang smiled, revealing deep dimples, while Zhu Qing's eyes curved into crescent moons.
"You two are very good-looking. Would you be interested in auditioning at our film company?" The man handed over a gold-embossed business card.
I've heard of talent scouts, but this is the first time I've seen one.
Before Zhu Qing could refuse, Sheng Fang held up his chubby hand and said, "Sorry, we are police officers."
The young master was probably quite pleased with himself for being the first to politely decline.
With his little hands behind his back, he waddled like a little penguin as he walked.
"You're so cute." Zhu Qing couldn't help but pinch his little face.
"Really?" The young master wrinkled his nose. "He's quite handsome, isn't he?"
"Oh, right," Zhu Qing said, "your second sister's case goes to trial next Wednesday."
Several months have passed, and Sheng Peishan's case is finally about to go to trial.
The little boy, however, didn't seem to care at all, pointing to the distance and exclaiming, "Qingzai! It's a pirate ship!"
Shengfang grabbed her niece and ran wildly.
The children were full of energy, but Madam was no pushover either. The two of them, one big and one small, ran around without batting an eye, eagerly venturing into the pirate ship.
Then, they screamed in the rocking pirate ship.
Actually, this project wasn't dangerous at all, it was just really dizzying, my head was spinning—
Qingzai and Fangfang are like a silly adult and a silly child.
"Qingzai!" Sheng Fang had just steadied himself when he grabbed her sleeve again, pointing to the equipment that gleamed silver in the sunlight, "Play that!"
The sign read "Flying Dragon from Outer Space," and below it was a line of text—
There is no height restriction, but it is recommended for those with a high level of courage.
The queuing area was almost empty, with a few staff members chatting idly.
Tourists passing by quickly quickened their pace.
"This is ten times more thrilling than a roller coaster!"
"I saw someone play with their wig until it flew off..."
"Last time my friend and I sat here, we were all throwing up like crazy!"
Zhu Qing: "Is it really that exaggerated?"
It's hard to believe, but their Qingzai actually started chatting with a stranger.
When did you become so talkative?
"Hey beautiful, I'm not exaggerating, but this is impossible to do. The 360-degree spiral inversion is one thing, but that final vertical dive... ugh, even if you're brave enough, don't try it!"
"I'm about to vomit bile—I'm definitely not going to do it a second time."
My uncle's eyes shone even brighter.
So exciting!
"Qingzai, I want to play that."
"But they said it was terrible."
"But I want to try, you have to come with me." Fangfang's ability to charm is getting better and better. Now she doesn't even need to use her little hands to make gestures; she can make her niece surrender just by blinking her eyes.
It's rare for a child to make a request... so as her niece, of course she had to fulfill it.
Zhu Qing steeled her resolve: "Let's go."
This seemingly ordinary amusement park ride made the uncle and nephew's hearts race instantly.
Fangfang and Qingzai's palms were sweating. The rules were unknown, and the level of danger was unclear, but curiosity still overcame fear.
The steel frame made a cracking sound when the staff fastened their seat belts.
At this tense moment, Fangfang suddenly turned her face, her dark, grape-like eyes staring straight at Zhu Qing.
"Should my older sister have the surgery?"
Zhu Qing remained silent for a long time.
For the past two weeks, she has been tossing and turning at night, consulting countless experts. Some say conservative treatment is safer, others say the success rate is too low... She even dug out her father's notes, wondering what he would choose if he were still alive.
At that moment, the seat beneath me vibrated slightly, and the machine buzzed.
In such a tense moment, Zhu Qing's thoughts became clearer.
She suddenly understood.
A mother has more right to make decisions than anyone else.
"What if we let her choose for herself?" Zhu Qing said softly.
That ruthless businesswoman, known for her decisive actions, faces a choice between a 30% chance of survival and a 70% chance of failure—
Is it risky?
"She will," Zhu Qing murmured to herself, her tense shoulders finally relaxing.
She will.
Sheng Peirong would say it's worth a shot.
The answer was so simple: the only one who was truly afraid was oneself.
Even if there's only a 10% chance, let alone a 30% chance, Sheng Peirong would definitely seize this opportunity to make up for her regrets.
"Do it."
Shengfang raised her little hand and cheered, "Yay!"
The little hand was raised high, and the seat belt made a "clunk" sound.
"I want to go down," Shengfang said, raising her hand. "I'm so scared."
"Do you want to go down? I'll untie you."
A staff member came forward and helped Shengfang unbuckle his seatbelt. The dragon-shaped seat on the facility was very high, and the staff member supported the little boy's body and lifted him down.
Zhu Qing sat alone in the swaying chair.
The seatbelt was fastened tightly, and I was completely dazed.
"?"
"Shengfang, let me stay with you!"
The young master of the Sheng family ran away with his short legs, running very fast.
He ran back to the safe zone, stood still, and waited patiently.
The gears made a "clattering" sound, and the seat suddenly lifted into the air. Before Zhu Qing could react, the facility was already high in the sky.
Their daughter, Qingzai, did not let out a shrill scream.
She maintained her cold expression, her lips tightly pursed.
It's just like being thrown into a washing machine—
After spinning around in a circle, with his hair standing on end and before he could recover, he was tossed even higher.
"Qingzai is so great!" Shengfang jumped up and down below, blowing kisses.
The next second, Zhu Qing disappeared again.
Qingzai didn't catch that flying kiss just now, so it's not a new one.
Fangfang put her chubby little hand to her mouth, gave a "pop," and flew it to her niece as she spun around and came back.
It's piping hot!
The niece did not respond and was once again thrown into the blue sky.
Fangfang tilted her head, leaning on the railing as she silently reflected on her actions.
Sorry, I wasn't very loyal.
Just then, the cell phone in the bag suddenly rang with the police station's special ringtone.
Fangfang came with her schoolbag, while Qingzai kept her cell phone in her side pocket; they had agreed on this before leaving home.
He was in charge of keeping the phone.
Shengfang wrinkled her chubby face.
The police station called Ching-tsai, it's definitely not good news, there's a baby show at the kindergarten tomorrow!
Shengfang pressed the answer button, and Zeng Yongshan's excited voice immediately came out.
"An interesting case has come in."
"I'll stretch out the phone line so you can listen."
The young master of the Sheng family pressed his face against the glass railing, making him look like a croissant, a new type of bread recently released by a bakery.
Flat Croissant.
On the other end of the phone, a distorted children's rhyme came on.
"Moonlight shines...on the ground...Little Shrimp, you should go to bed quietly."
The voice of the stranger who called the police seeped through the receiver—
Have you ever heard of exchanging one's life for another?
"Never heard of it." Fang Sir's sweet voice was stern. "It's incredibly annoying."
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