Chapter 47 Loyal Fans!
Weng Zhaolin and Sheng Fang almost became brothers despite their age difference.
Weng Zhaolin's rise to his current position was not easy; he must have endured countless sleepless nights and much suffering. Yet, his colleagues at the police station all seemed to think that all he needed to do was slick his hair back, put on a tie, and put on a smile for the media.
Only this young master of the Sheng family would keep an eye on his dark circles and remind him to get some rest.
Some of his unappreciated frustrations were actually seen through by a child. Now that the child needs help, he is naturally duty-bound to help.
"What the hell?" Zhu Qing pointed to her nose.
"Am I supposed to go?" Weng Zhaolin's stern gaze swept over her, and noticing that everyone was looking at him, he slammed his hand on the workstation next to him.
"Watching a show?"
Do you know how many days it has been?
"Haven't they identified a suspect yet? Have they thoroughly investigated the deceased's social connections?"
"Why are you all staring at me? Do I have clues written all over my face?"
Everyone got scolded, and the air in the office froze.
When Fangfang made eye contact with Weng Zhaolin, she received the only kind look from him at that moment.
The subordinates were used to Inspector Ong's thunderous rage, but Aunt Ping was terrified and almost had tinnitus.
“Young master, everyone is busy investigating the case, we should catch the school bus too.” Aunt Ping bent down and straightened his little bow tie.
Shengfang nodded in agreement and said goodbye to everyone before leaving.
The way his colleagues at the police station looked at him was completely different now.
This kid—even the most difficult Inspector Ong made an exception for him, is there anything he can't handle?
The child's small figure gradually faded into the distance, becoming a tiny black dot.
Suddenly, the black dot grew larger, and he turned around and sprinted back to Zhu Qing's side.
The uncle must not forget the important purpose of his trip.
He came to deliver a bracelet to Qingzai!
"for you."
Zhu Qing's palm was stuffed with a string of beads. She looked down and saw colorful plastic beads that were also sparkling.
"Wear it!" Shengfang said as she ran off, "It'll keep you safe!"
Zhu Qing held the plastic bracelet in her hand.
It's clear that the child carefully matched the colors of the beads; each color is distinct and transitions smoothly from light to dark, creating a charming and innocent effect.
She pursed her lips, trying to smile, as she studied how to put it on.
Meanwhile, the little girl with short legs had already stepped out of the police station building.
Aunt Ping said, "Young master, you're really amazing—that senior inspector is actually willing to listen to you?"
Shengfang waved her hand mysteriously: "It's a piece of cake."
A three-year-old doesn't have any ulterior motives.
He and Zhaolin became friends, of course, because they could truly understand each other!
Zhaolin understood that no one would pick him up from school, and agreed to let Qingzai finish work early...
As for him, he was well aware of the pressure that people in high positions endure.
After all, he would become a senior inspector in the future, and he and John would have a lot in common.
...
Zhu Qing's first piece of jewelry was a protective bracelet given to her by her uncle.
The presence of the plastic bracelet made her uncomfortable, and she unconsciously rotated her wrist.
However, whenever her gaze lowered and fell upon the bracelet filled with peace of mind, she would always stop and gently stroke the lovely little beads with her fingertips.
Veterans in this line of work are always incredibly resourceful. Zhu Qing had witnessed this before; Mo Zhenbang would either find informants to investigate the fire involving the Sheng family's driver in Wong Tai Sin Village years ago, or contact the reporter who had interviewed Fang Yayun to obtain clues…
Now, Uncle Li has also shown his prowess by taking a picture of the address on the workstation.
The deceased You Minmin's "boyfriend," Xie Donghui, was staying here.
Now, the young women in the team have learned to drive and are driving official vehicles to the scene with fast and steady driving skills.
Uncle Li closed his eyes and leaned back in the passenger seat for a nap, rubbing his temples.
"There's still no progress, it's really frustrating."
Zhu Qing: "I hope there will be new discoveries with Xie Donghui."
Just like the female clerk at the record store said, Xie Donghui was indeed a restless person. Recently, he went into hiding again, living with a woman from a complicated background. When the police found their residence, it was a subdivided flat in an old tenement building. They knocked on the door for a long time before someone came out.
When the door opened, the room was pitch black, without even a window. A metal bunk bed took up most of the space, dirty clothes were piled up at the head of the bed, and the small rented room was filled with the smell of boxed lunches.
A woman leaned against the doorframe, raising an eyebrow: "You look like a madam, what's the matter this time?"
She paused for a moment, then turned back and drawled out the word, teasingly asking, "A ghost call?"
Xie Donghui seemed to have expected the police to come, and with a nonchalant smile on his face, he told them to wait a moment while he put on his clothes and came over.
Uncle Li and Zhu Qing stood in the hallway waiting. After a while, Chui Shui Hui came out wearing a wrinkled floral shirt and jeans. His long hair was greasy and tied back, with stray hairs hanging down his forehead.
When the two policemen urged him on, Chui Shuihui deliberately buttoned his shirt slowly: "No need to rush, right? I'm not going to run away."
...
Inside the interrogation room of Yau Ma Tei Police Station, the glaring light fell on Tse Tung-fai's face.
He squinted instinctively, shielded his eyes from the light with his hand, crossed his legs, and spoke in a flippant tone.
“Sir, Madam…” Chui Shui Hui cut to the chase, “That woman’s affairs have nothing to do with me.”
"You guys don't really think I'm dating that idiot girl, do you?"
Xie Donghui and You Minmin met at the record store where she worked. At the time, he was hired by the boss to move goods. Every time he entered the record store, as long as the melody of a sad love song was playing, he knew it must be the girl who always kept her head down playing it.
Xie Donghui would then intentionally or unintentionally approach her, and while she was organizing goods, he would "casually" brush his hand against her wrist. At this point, the girl would blush and quickly withdraw her hand.
"You don't need to accuse me of being glib and using sweet talk to coax her. Actually, it was all just for fun at first—I didn't even use one-tenth of my strength. Who knew she would fall for it so easily?"
"He's such an honest man; he blushes just from having his wrist touched."
Zhu Qing said coldly, "So you choose to target honest people like this?"
“Madam, is it illegal to flirt a little? She just took it seriously.”
"Later, she actually brought a box of homemade cookies. She said—" Xie Donghui slumped in the interrogation chair, suddenly mimicking a woman's voice in a high-pitched voice, "Brother Hui, I don't know if they're good... If you don't like them, just throw them away."
He imitated her so perfectly, with a timid look in his eyes, and even the tone of his voice at the end of his words was exactly the same as You Minmin's voice during the live broadcast.
"I ate it all. It was neither sweet nor salty, and it tasted awful. It was really difficult for me."
"They have no self-awareness at all. They dare to give away food that tastes so bad."
Uncle Li: "And then you started 'borrowing money'?"
“She gave it to me willingly.” Xie Donghui smiled crookedly, shrugging his shoulders exaggeratedly. “She said she knew I was short on money lately and told me to take it and use it first… To thank her, I picked a wildflower by the roadside, and she treated it like a treasure.”
"Hey, she actually took the free flowers home! She even said she bought a vase and put them in there."
"What happened next was even more ridiculous... I never expected that she would actually think we were dating. She would pester me all day long, following me around, and she would believe whatever I said."
Xie Donghui said he gave her a key to his house.
From then on, You Minmin often went upstairs to tidy up his house, do his laundry, and cook for him.
"A free nanny is a must-have."
Ironically, he didn't even remember You Minmin's name clearly, thinking it was something like "Wenwen" or "Lili"... It wasn't until the news of the radio's paranormal broadcast spread that Xie Donghui realized she was dead and truly remembered her full name.
When asked about the events of the day of the incident, he said, "That day, Ah-Qiang, Ah-Jin, and I set up a folding table on Apliu Street to sell CDs. We had two big boxes of CDs, and the locals all saw it. You can check if you don't believe me."
When was the last time you saw the deceased?
"The last time? It was a few days ago, when she came to my house to collect the laundry. It should be—" He counted on his fingers, "...last week."
Xie Donghui's testimony matches what the female record store clerk said.
That happened three days before the incident. You Minmin went to his house before going to work to help him bring in the clothes that he had hung out to dry on the roof of the tenement building the day before. When she folded the clothes and put them in the closet, she accidentally found the IOU in the drawer next to it.
"She knows I borrowed money from someone and keeps talking about compound interest... It's such an unnecessary worry for her, she's not even anyone to me."
That night, Xie Donghui turned hostile on the spot, snatched the keys back, said some unpleasant things, and warned her not to bother him anymore.
You Minmin ran away crying, asked the record store for leave that day, and went back to work the next day with her eyes red and swollen from crying.
The deceased, as described by Xie Donghui, was extremely lacking in love and had low self-esteem.
When she was mentioned, he was indifferent, his tone filled with contempt.
"To be honest, this kind of woman is the most boring. She's average-looking and has a dull personality. I would feel it would be impolite to take her out in public."
"She's always so gloomy and sullen. If she weren't so easy to fool, who would bother with her?"
“If the salary were high, I might be able to coax her… but she’s just a record store clerk, how much money could she possibly make?”
Xie Donghui, his hands resting on the interrogation table, his legs shaking, said, "On another note, you mean she wasn't killed by a water ghost?"
This wasn't the first time Chui Shui Hui had entered and exited the police station; he was familiar with police procedures.
“I don’t even know where she lives,” Chui Shui Hui said. “Her parents can come back anytime. What if I accidentally run into them if I go back with her? I’ve never thought about meeting her parents.”
Chui Shuihui knew that he had to explain this matter clearly in one go, otherwise the police would have to bring him back to "assist in the investigation" time and time again.
"Officer, these kinds of infatuated women are the most troublesome. I'm trying to avoid her as much as possible, how could I possibly go looking for her again?"
“I’ve dumped her, so be it. If it weren’t mentioned, I would have forgotten her long ago. Even if someone were to get entangled with me, it would be her getting entangled with me—” His voice trailed off.
"Feeling guilty?" Zhu Qing suddenly leaned forward. "Don't be afraid, she will come to ask you herself tonight."
As soon as she finished speaking, she raised her eyes, her gaze passing over his shoulder: "They're here."
The lights in the interrogation room suddenly flickered.
The madam looked so calm that her tone made her seem genuine.
Kiyoshi felt the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stand up instantly.
He stumbled backward, his body stiff and his throat dry: "Don't talk nonsense, what does that gossipy woman turning into a water ghost have to do with me!"
"Sit down!" Uncle Li slammed his hand on the table and shouted sternly.
The interrogation chair scraped against the floor with a screeching sound as Xie Donghui was pushed back into his seat.
According to regulations, how much longer will he be detained? Just as Chui Shuihui was about to ask, the two police officers got up and left.
With a bang, the interrogation room door slammed shut. Alone, he recalled Madam's parting words—
"Guess which foot she'll pull on first tonight, your left or your right?"
These words seemed to echo in the interrogation room, repeatedly striking his eardrums.
Chui Shuihui turned around and looked back, his whole body soaked in cold sweat, his floral shirt clinging to his back.
...
Before lunch, Zhu Qing and several colleagues returned to the crime scene.
No. 17 Mei Kok Street, Sai Wan, has been sealed off. The paper offering shop downstairs is still closed. It is said that the owner of the paper offering shop died suddenly in the shop last month. His children have not returned since the funeral. No one has taken over the shop.
The already quiet street is now even more deserted, and even the sound of footsteps seems abrupt.
Zeng Yongshan was always a bit sentimental, and sighed softly, "I'm afraid no one will live in this house in the future."
She continued, "The deceased's parents came back yesterday to get their documents, but they wouldn't even stay a minute longer."
The image of the deceased's parents weeping uncontrollably on the steps downstairs on the night of the incident is still vivid in my mind. Yesterday, they came back to get some documents and left too quickly, as if staying even a second longer would cause them to completely collapse in this house filled with their daughter's presence.
Uncle Li used the key to open the door.
They entered the room of the deceased, You Minmin.
On the dressing table were several magazines, a box of half-used hair clips, and a nearly empty bottle of moisturizer.
Opening the drawer, besides some odds and ends, there was also a high school graduation photo.
The girl, wearing thick-rimmed black glasses, stood in the corner of the last row; the photo frame was covered in dust.
"Is this a diary?" Zeng Yongshan suddenly reached out and took out a notebook.
I opened the first page of the diary and found a dried flower tucked inside.
This is the small flower that Chui Shuihui mentioned in his statement, which he picked casually by the roadside and gave to the deceased.
Zeng Yongshan lowered her eyes, looking at the handwriting in the diary.
"My sister-in-law complained that I took too long to shower."
"She said that my room has enough space and she can borrow Bobo to put her toys there. Does she just want to 'borrow' the room?"
"My sister-in-law bought two lipsticks today, and she actually gave me the one that wasn't the right color. But I'm so dark-skinned... does that mean it's suitable? She's just using me as a dumping ground."
According to You Minmin's parents, when her eldest brother first got married, the whole family lived under one roof. Later, it became too crowded, so the young family moved out.
This diary doesn't record my feelings every day; the dates are sporadic.
The first half of the diary is mostly filled with such trivial matters in her life. She seems to never have a direct conflict with her family, and the complaints hidden in the diary seem insignificant and trivial.
Later, my brother and sister-in-law moved away with my nephew.
As I continued flipping through the diary, a long-lost joy resurfaced between the lines.
"Brother Hui from the record store helped me move the goods. He took the items from the highest shelf with a single reach and brought them downstairs. I said thank you, and he just smiled. He had a very faint scent of cologne on him; I don't know what brand it was, but it smelled very nice."
"Brother Hui complimented my earrings as very cute."
"Today I sewed the buttons off Hui-ge's shirt. The stitches were crooked and uneven, and he patted my head..."
For some reason, the officers' gazes once again fell on the graduation photo on the corner of the table.
This may be one of the few photos of Yu Minmin taken during her lifetime. Standing in the last row, she slightly raised her chin, clearly standing on tiptoe to show her entire face.
You Minmin tried to raise the corners of her mouth, but her smile was stiff.
The camera wasn't even pointed at her face.
Zhu Qing gently closed the diary: "Should I take this back?"
...
At 2 p.m., Zhu Qing and Zeng Yongshan arrived at the old building where the deceased's brother and sister-in-law lived.
Outside the door, Mrs. You was holding her child. She was probably getting ready to go out, dressed neatly in a fuchsia shirt that made her skin look even whiter.
Their son is two years old this year, an age when he is curious about everything. He nestled in his mother's arms, stretching out his little hand to reach the colorful beads on his mother's wrist.
Zhu Qing withdrew her hand.
This was given to her by her uncle.
"Ah Kang," Mrs. You called towards the bathroom, "the police are here, again because of Minmin."
A noise came from the kitchen, and soon after, Mr. and Mrs. You came out.
Something happened at home these past two days, and You Minmin's older brother asked for leave from work.
At this moment, he came out of the bathroom, took the son from his wife's arms, and the whole family blocked the doorway, making the already not small house feel cramped.
Zeng Yongshan suddenly understood the sense of loss expressed in the diary of the deceased You Minmin.
When her older brother, sister-in-law, nephew, and parents lived together like a close-knit family, she was once again overlooked.
When Mrs. You heard that the police were looking for her, she was clearly surprised: "Looking for me?"
She invited the two policewomen into her bedroom.
A wedding photo hangs on the wall; Mr. You is impeccably dressed in a suit, while Mrs. You's makeup was much more refined and beautiful than it is now.
"When we were dating, I never imagined that their family had so many problems."
"Actually, I don't want to say anything harsh... but Minmin is really strange."
Last year, I gave her a floral dress. After looking at the price tag, she actually asked me if I gave it to her because I didn't like it after wearing it.
"I meant well! No normal person would ask that, right?"
You Yikang, holding his son, leaned against the door: "Minmin is sensitive and perceptive. We explained it to her, and she's fine. Death is a serious matter. I could forgive your past criticisms of her, but now—"
"Is Madam asking you or me?" Mrs. You frowned, got up, and slammed the door shut.
With a loud "bang," even the wedding photos on the wall were shaken and tilted slightly.
"The floral dress is brand new, it's a gift I gave her, and it wasn't cheap, it even still has the tags on it."
"To put it bluntly, with such a dark mind and constant suspicion, it's not surprising that she's haunted by a water ghost."
Mrs. You finished speaking, still angry, and said, "I even bought a hair clip in the same color as her floral dress, intending to put it on her when she changed into the dress."
She turned around, opened the bedside table drawer, took out a small velvet box, and placed it in Madam's hand.
Zeng Yongshan opened the box, inside which lay a light purple hair clip adorned with pearls.
Anyway, I really didn't get along with her.
"But there's no need to make things unpleasant. We can just reduce contact... So our family moved out. Later, the two elderly people came to take care of the child, but it was too much trouble for them to come and go, so they stayed temporarily. The child is young and needs help right now."
Mrs. You pressed her forehead wearily.
Her husband, You Yikang, opened the door again and came in carrying the child: "A Qiu, don't go too far with your words. Mom can hear everything from the kitchen."
Mrs. You sneered, "You have to consider your mother's feelings, and you have to consider your sister's feelings... Who will consider mine?"
Zhu Qing finished taking the statement, her pen pausing at the last period, and asked, "Ms. Wen, where were you between nine and ten o'clock on Tuesday night?"
“The child was asleep, and so was I. Later, my parents received a phone call saying that Minmin had an accident, which woke me up.” Mrs. You said, her brow furrowing and her voice rising, “Do you suspect me?”
She stood up in disbelief.
"You mean, I killed Minmin?" She was both angry and aggrieved, her eyes suddenly reddening. "They're such a troublemaker! I couldn't be bothered to get involved with their family!"
Zeng Yongshan said gently, "Miss Wen, it's just a routine procedure."
That's all for now. Please feel free to contact us if you need anything additional.
You Yikang, carrying the child, saw the guest to the entrance.
There was no sound from the kitchen; clearly, the two elderly people were listening intently.
Their child, Bobo, twisted his body and reached out, crying for his mother to hold him.
Mrs. You was in a bad mood and ignored her son, turning around and going back into the house.
This time, however, she seemed exhausted, and the door closed much softer.
You Yikang looked helpless, hugged his son and patted him gently: "Mommy is tired, let her rest for a while, okay?"
Mr. You comforted the child, skillfully bouncing him in his arms, and Bobo immediately calmed down.
It's clear that this is a father who frequently takes care of his children.
You Yikang, who had been coaxing the child the whole way, stood at the door and said, "Thank you both, madams."
Before leaving, Zhu Qing stopped and took one last look inside the house.
Suddenly, his gaze stopped on his son's shoes.
The child has only been walking for a few months and is still wearing walking shoes indoors.
Zhu Qing had heard Aunt Ping say that children this young rarely wear lace-up shoes; most of them have Velcro closures.
Her gaze swept over Bobo, noticing his clothes and matching socks.
It seems that Mrs. You is very particular about dressing her son; the shoes were a carefully chosen style.
Zhu Qing stared at the shoes for a long time.
The shoelaces were tied in a neat, reverse double loop knot.
The nylon ropes used to bind the wrists and ankles of the deceased, You Minmin, were tied in the same way.
"Mr. You, where were you at the time of the incident, between 9 pm and 11 pm on Tuesday night?" Zhu Qing asked.
The police asked that question at the time.
At that time, You Yikang was busy with social engagements and arrived very late, drunk and reeking of alcohol.
“I was with clients,” You Yikang said. “I drank all night.”
"Which bar?" Zhu Qing asked, her head down as she took notes. After a long silence, she looked up. "Or a restaurant?"
You Yikang paused for a moment before answering again.
Zhu Qing put away her notebook and exchanged a knowing glance with Zeng Yongshan.
His ears were clearly bright red.
...
The children in the blooming garden became Teacher Ji's main focus, as did the little coconut flakes.
But Little Coconut wasn't a stupid child. After spending most of the day, she figured out a pattern.
Whenever she gets a little further away from her new friend Fangfang, the teacher lets her go; whenever she gets closer to Fangfang, the teacher keeps a closer eye on her.
Little Coconut suddenly realized.
So the teacher was actually focused on Fangfang!
"Fangfang, the teacher is looking at you again," said Little Coconut.
He couldn't let the blooming flowers affect the little coconut flakes, so he lowered his voice and said, "You go first!"
Just like the police officer in a crime film who stands in front of his partner—
He's no different from a lone hero!
Little Coconut seemed to understand but not quite, and skipped happily to find others to play with: "I'm going to the slide!"
The little girl, Shengfang, stayed behind by herself, tilting her head and waving her little hand at Teacher Ji.
Bring it on!
When Ms. Ji's gaze was caught, she briefly tried to escape, but quickly regained her composure.
Wait, what is she feeling guilty about? She's a teacher!
Aunt Ping mentioned this when she took Shengfang to catch the school bus this morning.
He should spend more time with people; how can one little coconut be enough? So the patrol officer Fangfang started wandering around the classroom again, selecting children who were suitable to become his friends.
Before Fang Sir could even make a selection, he was completely drawn to the noisy noise.
It's playtime before afternoon snack time, and two little boys are wrestling.
"You stole my building blocks!"
"You took mine first!"
Fang Sir has a strong sense of social responsibility; he feels obligated to address such matters.
When she reached the two boys, Teacher Ji had already arrived. She patiently and gently separated them and spoke to them kindly.
"No fighting."
"Toys belong to everyone. If you want to play with them, you can line up. Or you should politely say to the children—what should you say?"
Shengfang answered for them, "Can we play together?"
"Great job," said Teacher Ji.
Shengfang, slightly proud, raised her chin and turned to leave.
The two little boys were left standing there, staring at his inexplicable back with bewildered expressions.
...
Zhu Qing and Zeng Yongshan returned to the Yau Ma Tei Police Station with doubts.
They walked briskly through the police station corridor, their footsteps echoing in the stairwell.
"What's wrong with drinking with clients?" Zeng Yongshan frowned. "You Yikang can't even make up a bar name."
Zhu Qing pushed open the door to the criminal investigation team's office: "What's even stranger is that he said that client—"
Before he could finish speaking, his colleagues from the forensic department walked towards him.
He waved the newly released report in his hand: "DNA has been found in the wine bottle!"
Colleagues immediately gathered around.
"A major discovery." Forensic scientist A-Jie opened the report. "Two sets of saliva were extracted from the mouth of the bottle, one set from the deceased, and the other set is unknown."
"So, the deceased wasn't the only one who drank that bottle of red wine?"
"As long as the DNA is matched, the suspect can be identified!"
Mo Zhenbang strode out: "Can we compare them?"
Haozai said, "According to procedure, everyone who has recently been in contact with the deceased should be compared, right?"
“It’s already being arranged,” A-Jie said, “including my boyfriend, colleagues…”
"The lab will be working overtime tonight, and the results should be available by tomorrow morning at the earliest."
“And family members,” Zhu Qing said, “especially the deceased’s brother, You Yikang, whose alibi is too vague.”
A few rays of sunlight shone through the gaps in the blinds, and Liang Qikai's gaze shifted from the documents to her face.
"It's almost four o'clock?" He suddenly glanced at his watch and reminded her, "Zhu Qing, didn't Inspector Weng tell you to finish work early this morning?"
...
Kindergarten teachers don't extend class time; sometimes the children can finish their snacks early and leave earlier.
Before the bell rang, the young master of the Sheng family slung his schoolbag over his shoulder and left the classroom with the crowd.
Zhaolin promised that Qingzai would come to pick him up!
The little one was full of anticipation and waited all day.
He stood on tiptoe, pressed his face against the windowpane, and muttered to himself, "Aren't we there yet?"
Little Coconut skipped and hopped onto the school bus, the strawberry hair clip on her braid trembling with her movements.
The other children were like a string of cheerful popping candy, each grabbing the handrail and finding a seat on the bus.
After waiting for a while, Shengfang turned around and sat alone on the small sofa in the waiting area.
The childcare worker stood beside him, watching the school gate with him.
Ten minutes passed, and the young master stretched his neck longer and longer, but Qingzi's figure still did not appear around the corner.
Several parents were surrounding Teacher Ji, asking her all sorts of questions.
“Enen’s mom, Enen has been taking a nap every day lately, but she’s a picky eater. Yesterday she secretly gave a carrot to Jiahao again.”
"Grandma Xinyue, Xinyue has great social skills... However, today she insisted on sharing her snacks with the other children, and as a result, she didn't get any herself. She might go hungry. We should keep an eye on her."
"Ethan's dad, please try to make sure Ethan arrives at school on time next time. We'll try our best to cultivate good habits in our child so he won't be late."
Shengfang stood up and leaned against the glass wall of the hall.
The childcare worker asked, "Could it be that we didn't explain things clearly this morning?"
"Should we double-check? If we can't reach the parents, we'll arrange for the school bus—"
"They'll come!" Sheng Fang interrupted her, her little face falling.
Qingzai will definitely come.
His little hands gripped the zipper of his jacket, pulling it up and down like he was driving a little train.
Enen's mother took Enen away.
Ethan's father took Ethan away.
Grandma Xinyue also took Xinyue home.
Shengfang slowly lowered his head until he suddenly heard a series of hurried footsteps.
Fangfang opened her eyes wide with surprise and waved vigorously—
"Teacher Ji, Fangfang's niece is here!"
...
Zhu Qing arrived right on time.
The bracelet on her wrist jingled as she ran; it was a gift Fangfang had given her herself.
How could she forget such an important agreement?
She planned to go back to the police station, drop off the documents, and then set off again.
Unexpectedly, her colleagues were all reminding her to pick up her child and go home.
Many people love Shengfang, and no one wants to disappoint him.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, Zhu Qing arrived at the kindergarten gate on time, but she didn't expect to be dismissed early today.
As soon as Fangfang saw her, her eyes lit up like stars, and she ran over.
With a breakthrough in the case, Zhu Qing still wanted to return to the police station to discuss things with the children.
"I'll take you home, I'll head back first—"
Fangfang: "I'm going back to the police station too!"
Things are different now; Shengfang has become John's confidant.
Zhao Lin had a permanent pass to enter and exit the police station.
John was absolutely certain that he wouldn't turn his back on someone.
Fangfang is like Zhu Qing's little tail, with the little tail baby placing two chubby, short fingers next to its ears.
He said he would keep quiet once he got to the police station and would not disturb anyone.
Zhu Qing closed his little hands.
"You can still swear oaths?"
"Of course! I can do everything!"
From now on, you are only allowed to watch cartoons on TV.
Shengfang frowned slightly: "Qingzai, you're meddling too much."
I don't know when it started, but my niece has been taking care of her uncle all the time.
He was unwilling and grumbled, but he had no choice but to obey.
Qingzai came to pick him up in her car. Fangfang sat in the back seat, gesturing excitedly as she talked about what happened at kindergarten.
After chatting about kindergarten, they moved on to their day's activities—
"Qingzai, what are we having for dinner tonight?"
"Don't eat at home!"
"Can you take me to Causeway Bay to buy glow-in-the-dark star stickers after I finish working overtime?"
Despite having spent the whole day at school, Fangfang is still full of energy.
I heard he still hasn't taken a nap. How come he doesn't seem tired at all?
The investigation finally had a direction. Zhu Qing wasn't sure what time she would get off work, but she should be able to make it before the children's mall closed.
"Okay, I'll go buy some glow-in-the-dark stars after get off work," Zhu Qing asked. "What do you want to eat?"
Blooming and blinking.
Since Qingzai asked, he wouldn't hold back.
"hamburger!"
Zhu Qing looked up and saw Sheng Fang in the rearview mirror inside the carriage.
He swallowed hard as he spoke, waiting for her reply, his hands clasped to his chest, his cheeks puffed out.
It looks like a human-shaped hamburger.
"Okay?" The human-shaped hamburger blinked. "Please."
The young master successfully charmed his niece, who then called Aunt Ping in front of him.
"Aunt Ping, Aunt Ping—" Fangfang exclaimed, "We're not going home for dinner today!"
Fangfang's sweet, childlike voice lingered in Zhu Qing's ears.
This child knew that being cute worked, so when ordering, he went further, touching his little tummy and pitifully saying that he wasn't full, and added an ice cream cone, pineapple pie, fries, milkshake, and a bunch of snacks.
"Qingzai, how about the Happy Meal? We'd like another one!"
"Give away toys!"
The children returned home laden with their treats, clutching the toys that came with the meal. The ice cream cone in their right hand was slightly melted, and the milky white ice cream stuck to the tip of their noses. They could vaguely see it, but when they lowered their eyes, they couldn't see it clearly, and they stared with crossed eyes.
Hearing the distinctive sound of her son's tiny footsteps, Zeng Yongshan put down her file and smiled, "What brings you here?"
Xu Jiale: "We'll be staying up very late tonight, kids, can you wait?"
"Okay." Sheng Fang nodded vigorously. "We're going to Causeway Bay!"
As soon as he finished speaking, his muttering uncle tugged at Zhu Qing's sleeve: "Glow-in-the-dark star stickers!"
"Okay," Zhu Qing agreed and sat back down at her workstation.
The evidence brought back from the deceased's home this morning is piled on my desk.
She picked up the deceased's diary again, somewhat hesitant.
The diary's cover was worn, and cartoon stickers were stuck to the corners. This should have been the girl's most private thoughts, but now it had become a clue to solving the case.
You Minmin never imagined that one day her secrets would be read by strangers.
But those shy, aggrieved, and humble monologues might be the key to catching the murderer.
They had to turn it over.
Colleagues were still discussing the case.
"Judging from the scene, the deceased actually knew how to enjoy life. She was taking a bath and reading. That collection of essays... had very careful annotations and comments written on it, and it looked like she had read it many times."
"But why was she wearing a bathrobe in the bath? The bathrobe was completely soaked at the time, either she stood up halfway through the bath, or—someone pushed her back down."
Suddenly, they exchanged glances and lowered their voices in unison.
I almost forgot, there are children in the police station.
In the corner, Fangfang was holding a hamburger bigger than her face, dipping it in tartar sauce and taking a big bite.
Sauce smeared on the corners of his mouth, and he swung his short legs contentedly.
Wow, this tastes so much better than dinner at home!
Zhu Qing opened her diary again.
It's still the same old mundane, everyday stuff.
“My parents blame me for wasting water when I take baths, but they often fill the tub with water so that Bobo can ‘swim’.”
"Brother Hui was smoking really heavily today, so I gave him my salary."
“Brother Hui complimented my new hairstyle, but Ah Rou said he said the same thing to the convenience store girl.”
"Ah Rou always complains about him, but how good is her own boyfriend?"
Zhu Qing thought for a moment and then remembered that Arou was the female clerk at the record store.
The densely packed words in the diary reveal the deceased's untold feelings.
Through those neat and tidy handwritings, one can see You Minmin's careful anticipation and longing.
Zhu Qing flipped through the pages one by one, and the originally neat handwriting gradually became messy.
The ink on the last few pages was almost seeping through the paper.
Suddenly, her fingertips stopped.
After the page with the heaviest ink stains, the pages that should have been connected are missing, leaving barely visible paper fibers along the binding line.
"Do you have any pencils?" Zhu Qing asked.
Mr. Leung immediately went back to his workstation, retrieved his pen holder, and found a pencil.
Zhu Qing held her diary up to the light.
On the next blank page, deep writing marks remain.
Zhu Qing took the pencil, tilted it slightly, and began to draw on the paper.
As the pencil ash lightly brushed across the paper, the words appeared faintly.
Everyone remained silent, their gazes fixed on them.
Shengfang, with a hamburger in her mouth, also took a pencil from the pen holder.
Fangfang, like Zhu Qing, doodled on a blank page of her workstation notebook.
He was just as serious as Qingzai, but the clean paper remained unchanged.
The young master tilted his head back, his eyes filled with innocent amazement.
He can even perform magic tricks; he'll always be Qingzai's loyal fan!
Her colleagues tried their best not to block the light around Zhu Qing.
"The entire page is covered in handwriting."
As the pencil moves, dense, indented marks gradually appear.
But the handwriting was illegible, so they focused their attention on the last line.
"Is this... the character 'he'?"
Is the second word "want"?
Liang Qikai: "These words were written not long ago, and the marks are still very deep. If they had been written ten days or half a month ago, the marks would probably have been covered up long ago."
"The ink is so dark, could it have been written before he died?"
Zhu Qing leaned closer to the paper, her nose almost touching it: "He...want...to...kill—"
"He's trying to kill me?!"
Who tore up this piece of paper?
Zeng Yongshan's eyes widened: "Are they the deceased's parents? They just came to pick up their documents yesterday!"
Shengfang was enjoying her meal when she noticed the adults getting busy.
Hao Zai quickly put away the evidence bag, while Liang Sir had already grabbed the car keys.
"Qingzai, Qingzai!" the little boy murmured, chewing, "Come back soon!"
Asking the deceased's parents to return to the police station to assist with the investigation doesn't require the entire team to be mobilized.
Zhu Qing wanted to stay at the police station to take care of the children and had no intention of going out.
"We're going to buy glow-in-the-dark star stickers!"
How can Fangfang be so persistent?
"Okay, okay." Zhu Qing rubbed her calloused ears. "I've said it three times already."
After finishing the whole hamburger, Shengfang ran off to throw the wrapper into the trash can.
When they returned, the child happened to hear Qingzai's long sigh.
"I'm getting old, I'm getting old," the little boy's sad, childlike voice rang out.
Fangfang turned around, her round back hunched over, her chubby little hands supporting her waist as she pounded it.
"My uncle is getting senile."
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