Chapter 35 "You did this on purpose?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he aimed at a figure in the crowd.
He patted his niece frantically with his little hands: "I saw him!"
Following the gaze of the junior senior inspector, Dr. Cheng saw a large, muscular man standing across the street, with a green dragon on his left and a white tiger on his right.
Cheng Xinglang: "Boyfriend?"
Shengfang raised her proud little face: "Impressive, right!"
Zhu Qing: "No..."
The three of them talked back and forth, and it's unclear how many times Dr. Cheng and Senior Inspector Fang Fang talked before they finally understood the matter.
"How could you spread rumors?" Sheng Fang said, "He's the suspect's boyfriend."
In the end, Dr. Cheng became the one who spread rumors, unable to defend himself.
He moved his lips, then closed them again. How could he possibly explain things to a three-year-old brat?
Zhu Qing said helplessly, "Sheng Fang, who said that someone with tattoos is her boyfriend?"
The muscular man Shengfang found was quite different from Dai Feng in the photo.
In the photo displayed in Li Ziyao's room, the once-loving couple appeared to be a perfect match, at least outwardly. The man had his arm around the woman's shoulder, his arm hanging down, and he had a tattoo on his wrist.
It's not a large tattoo of a green dragon on the left and a white tiger on the right at all.
Zhu Qing shook her head, glancing meaningfully at his Ninja Turtle ID card.
And yet he still wants to be a policeman.
"Completely different in appearance—"
“Qingzai!” Sheng Fang interrupted her, “I mean, her boyfriend went into that store!”
The direction the finger pointed was a videotape shop. A small blackboard at the entrance listed the movies playing that day, all of them the most popular Hong Kong films.
The burly man standing at the door was discussing quietly with the person next to him.
"The videotapes hidden in the inner room were truly erotic..."
"You have to be familiar with the boss before you can go in and choose."
"These are all good things, we don't usually let people see them!"
Zhu Qing lowered her voice: "I'll be right back."
How could a child spot a suspect's ex-boyfriend at a glance?
Zhu Qing seemed to believe it but was not entirely convinced. She took a few steps forward, pulled back the curtain, and entered the video store.
The children stayed with Dr. Cheng.
This is Lan Kwai Fong, a place where children are rarely seen. Since Cheng Xinglang couldn't buy any food or drinks to entertain the child, the two of them sat on the stone steps by the roadside, playing with the model the child had just acquired.
"What are good things?"
"This is a Ninja Turtle."
"And what are these sensual and alluring things?"
"It's probably fragrant and freshly fried."
"Like a fries burger?"
"The chicken nuggets in the hamburger don't need to be fried."
Dr. Cheng was talking nonsense with a straight face.
Fangfang nodded thoughtfully.
The child anxiously turned around repeatedly, wanting to know if his niece had solved the case successfully. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Cheng Xinglang, who looked calm and composed.
Dr. Cheng was never in a hurry. He slowly told the little boy that his family would come back once he was done with his work.
Shengfang sat on the stone steps, her short arms wrapped around her legs, her chin resting on her knees.
He sat there, and from a distance, he was just a lump, not to mention Dr. Cheng as a point of reference. But the little one, though small, was capable of thinking, and after thinking, he realized that Dr. Cheng was wrong.
It's not his parents.
He's the head of the household.
"No!" Fangfang said in her childish voice.
"You're back." Dr. Cheng gestured with his chin toward the video store, his gaze falling on her.
Seeing her energetic demeanor, Cheng Xinglang raised an eyebrow: "Is your niece always this driven?"
"Yes." Fangfang showed a look of disappointment at Fangfang's overconfidence.
Dr. Cheng propped himself up with one hand, casually picked up the child and handed him to Madam, saying nonchalantly, "Let's go."
Watching his departing figure, Sheng Fang pondered for a while.
Zhu Qing said, "So, Little Sir really did find Li Ziyao's boyfriend. I underestimated you."
The niece humbly admitted her mistake, but Fangfang's attention was elsewhere.
"Qingzai, really," said Xiaojiubao. "You should relax with your colleagues after work!"
Watching Dr. Cheng's retreating figure, the uncle felt a sense of admiration.
A good balance between work and rest—that's what other people's children are like.
...
Zhu Qing cornered Li Ziyao's ex-boyfriend, Dai Feng, in the dimly lit video store.
However, it was not in accordance with regulations for her to act alone and complete the evidence collection by herself, so she found a phone booth on a neon-lit street corner and called Officer Mo.
To ensure the statement complies with regulations, Dai Feng could be brought back to the police station, a third-party professional could be hired, or a superior could grant temporary authorization, etc. Mo Zhenbang pondered for a moment on the other end of the phone and came up with the most efficient solution.
Five minutes later, Inspector Leung, whose residence was closest to Lan Kwai Fong, arrived.
Zhu Qing overturned the original plot's turning point, completely rewriting the fates of the cannon fodder female supporting character and the original female lead, ending the story prematurely. The words "original male lead" became merely a label; when it came to work, he was no different from any of his colleagues—everyone was there to solve the case.
When Liang Qikai ran over, the night wind ruffled the hair on his forehead. He brushed a handful of his medium-length hair aside and stepped forward, saying, "Have you found the suspect's ex-boyfriend?"
Afterwards, the children participated in the activity.
It was his first time entering a video store, and everything seemed new and exciting to him. His big, round eyes looked around curiously as he stood behind his niece, listening to her recite that classic line from the TV show to Dai Feng.
"Please come with us to the police station now to assist with the investigation."
When my niece said those words, she seemed to be glowing.
Madam is so cool! The little girl looked up at her with admiration and even secretly imitated her "lines".
Will he one day become such a shining police officer?
But the uncle was too happy too soon.
The next moment, Madam and Inspector Leung led their men back to the police station, while Aunt Ping waited at the station entrance to pick up the children.
"I was washing dishes when I received your call," Aunt Ping said with a smile. "I came right over."
"Aunt Ping, I don't know what time I can go back."
"Go ahead and get busy," Aunt Ping said with a kind smile. "I'll take care of the young master."
When Zhu Qing returned home that evening, she mentioned to Aunt Ping that she hoped Aunt Ping would occasionally stay overnight.
The specially prepared guest room was covered with brand-new sheets. Aunt Ping understood that whether the young lady was worried about missing work or wanted someone to look after the young master, she had accepted her, an outsider.
I remember when we first met, the sharp-tongued policewoman was cold to everyone. But ever since the young master came into her life, Aunt Ping watched as the coldness in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by an ever-growing warmth of human kindness…
Aunt Ping hopes to take care of not only the children, but also this adult who is working hard alone away from home.
"Aunt Ping, are you staying at our house tonight?" Sheng Fang asked, looking up.
"Yes," Aunt Ping said with a smile.
"You can't tell me what time I go to sleep."
Since Qingzai isn't home, Fangfang is going to be the king.
Nobody can control him; his uncle is planning to stay up all night until dawn!
...
In the interrogation room, Dai Feng gave a detailed account of his past with Li Ziyao.
"We got together about two years ago."
Two years ago, Dai Feng and Li Ziyao first met. At the time, he was a public relations professional, and she was a beer girl. Li Ziyao was drunk and being harassed when he stepped in and defused the situation with his professional smile. Later, they fell in love. During their most difficult time, they lived in a cramped subdivided flat where even breathing felt suffocating. One time, after receiving their paycheck, they splurged on a char siu rice bowl. Dai Feng put the char siu in his bowl and ate the rest of the rice with the sauce.
Perhaps their love amidst hardship was imbued with a poignant and tragic significance, as if the two were defying the entire world. Li Ziyao and Dai Feng had a very strong bond, so strong that they couldn't bear to be apart for even a minute, and they looked forward to the future together.
"As she gets older, Ziyao can't stay a beer girl forever. Things like singing in a karaoke bar, working as a waitress, or seating guests would be easier than being a beer girl."
"But Ziyao wanted to do some 'proper' work. She went to a hair salon to learn how to wash hair, and when she came back the first time, she excitedly told me that if she learned well, she could become a hairstylist or switch to the beauty industry. The beauty industry is very lucrative now, it's all about facials, you can even see them on TV—"
Dai Feng had drifted off into something, but Zhu Qing didn't interrupt him.
She also wanted to know how her older sister, Xin Xin, had fared in the years since she left the orphanage.
"I can't work in public relations forever. If we get married in the future, how will I take care of our family if I get off work so late every day?"
“I scraped together some money and opened a video store with a friend. At first, business was so-so, and there weren’t many people at the midnight screenings, so the two of us would watch movies in the store by ourselves. We didn’t miss any of those classic films, romantic ones, thrillers…” At this point, Dai Feng paused for a long time, coming back to his senses from the beautiful memories. “We both thought life would gradually get better, until two months ago, she broke up with me.”
Dai Feng said that the video store was just starting to do well at that time. He and his friend agreed that he would not work the night shift, and Li Ziyao's work was also going more and more smoothly. As things were settling down, he and Li Ziyao were originally planning to get married.
Unfortunately, they ultimately failed to reach that point.
He suddenly twitched the corner of his mouth.
"She said she'd had enough of this kind of life. It's ridiculous, isn't it? She's only telling me now that she wants a better life."
"How many good days can that old hag have? She'll die eventually, and in the end, what will she have left?" Dai Feng suddenly pulled out a chair, the interrogation chair scraping against the floor with a harsh sound.
Liang Qikai lost his patience and slammed his hand on the table: "And then?"
Inspector Leung pointed to the date and time on the case file.
He wanted to know if Dai Feng and Li Ziyao were together at the time of the incident, and whether there were any witnesses present.
“There’s a phone in the video store, and customers usually call to make reservations. That day I answered the phone, and it turned out to be her.”
She asked me if I was free and if I could pick her up—
They met at the dessert shop downstairs from Li Ziyao's house at 11 p.m. on Tuesday.
Dai Feng took her to a hotel. After a long separation, their passion ignited, until she told him that she was getting married.
It was like a bucket of cold water being poured over it.
“There’s no way to play games like this.” Dai Feng’s tone was sarcastic. “Of course, since she’s come to me for help, I have no reason to refuse.”
They stayed together that night.
"Did you know that your name was listed as the beneficiary of her insurance policy?" Zhu Qing asked.
"I don't know," Dai Feng said. "What are you doing, trying to act all sentimental now? It doesn't look like it at all."
Liang Qikai suspected that Dai Feng killed Fang Songsheng for money. After all, Li Ziyao even listed his name as the beneficiary of the insurance policy, which showed how important he was to her. After Fang Songsheng's death, when Li Ziyao received the compensation, he could easily get his share of the money.
However, Dai Feng provided alibis for himself and Li Ziyao.
“The lobby and corridors of the Fulim Hotel have surveillance cameras, so it’s impossible that they didn’t capture us.”
"She said she couldn't sleep, so after she finished smoking, we went downstairs to buy some. The clerk at the 24-hour convenience store can testify to that. At that time, it was probably still dark."
"The TV station was showing Cantonese movies all night long, until dawn. In the movie 'True Love,' Ah Ling was breaking up with her boyfriend, and we were arguing too. Someone from next door came to complain."
"She didn't fall asleep until dawn. When the police called her and said the old man was dead, she hurriedly got dressed and left."
Dai Feng scoffed, saying that Li Ziyao's lifestyle and habits were terrible. She could stay up until 5 a.m. and still be full of energy; if they really got married, could the old man handle it?
“She—” he mocked Li Ziyao, saying many harsh things, but then lowered his eyes and murmured, “She has changed too much.”
He thought those tough days they endured together were touching memories, but when they broke up, Li Ziyao belittled those two years, calling them worthless.
"Does the tattoo on your wrist have any special meaning?" Zhu Qing pointed to his wrist.
“This? Her birthday.” Dai Feng raised his hand, his reddened eyes clearly visible under the glaring lights of the interrogation room. “Madam, never be foolish enough to get a tattoo for someone else, a tattoo that will stay with you for life.”
...
When Zhu Qing returned home that evening, she thought that Sheng Fang would be the king of the house.
However, when the door opened, the room was quiet.
My little one has recently had his sleep schedule regulated by his niece. When it's time, he rolls around on his bed and falls asleep without even realizing it.
A small lamp was lit in the hallway from the living room to Zhu Qing's bedroom.
Aunt Ping peeked out from the guest room and whispered, "Young Master left a light on for you, worried that you might be scared in the dark if you came back late."
Zhu Qing raised the corners of her lips: "Silly child."
"Qingqing, are you hungry? I'll cook you a bowl of noodles."
Zhu Qing shook her head.
But inside, something seemed to slowly melt away, a rare feeling of delicate tenderness.
As the morning light streamed through the gaps in the curtains the next day, Zhu Qing grabbed the breakfast prepared by Aunt Ping and headed out to work.
After the morning meeting, Zhu Qing received a formal notification to participate in the interrogation of Li Ziyao.
The wedding house was bought for her and registered in her name. After Fang Songsheng's death, the house, worth millions, will be hers.
As for the policy beneficiary—
“I’ve checked. If the beneficiary of the policy is the mastermind behind a murder, the insurance company can refuse to pay out,” Li Ziyao said. “Why would I do something so thankless?”
"Maybe he just didn't want to marry the deceased, but couldn't get rid of his entanglement?" Uncle Li said calmly. "When the murderer committed the crime, he certainly planned to get away with it."
Li Ziyao remained silent.
It wasn't until Zhu Qing took out the letter that Director Guo from the welfare home had given her that she understood.
It was upon seeing this letter that Li Ziyao's expression finally changed.
"This is what the letter said," Zhu Qing read aloud, holding the letter. "Xin Xin is a well-behaved child. Everything is fine in her new family. She quickly changed her address to call us Mom and Dad. We thank Dean Guo for raising such a sensible and kind daughter for us."
This is a letter that Xin Xin's adoptive family sent to the welfare home after Xin Xin was adopted.
The letter also included a photo of her sitting between her adoptive parents, relaxed and with a warm, hopeful smile on her face.
Zhu Qing only read the beginning of the letter; in reality, the letter was quite long, spanning two full pages.
In the letter, her adoptive mother said that she would take Xin Xin to live abroad and change her name so that she could completely leave behind the unpleasant memories. They had even thought of a new name for the child. A new life was about to begin, so they would no longer have any contact with the orphanage.
Dean Guo deeply regretted it, believing that the letter and the photo were the adoptive family's last act.
They pretend to be kind to the children, but who knows what they actually do to them afterward?
“Li Zi…” Uncle Li pointed to the ink-blurred penmanship in the letter, “Li Zi what? It doesn’t seem to be Yao.”
“Li Ziyao,” Li Ziyao said. “My adoptive mother originally wanted to name me this, but because the pronunciation is the same, she made a mistake in registering it.”
When the police asked Li Ziyao what happened in her adoptive family, she calmly shook her head.
"You need to tell us so we can help you."
“How so?” she said gently. “They are dead.”
Li Ziyao's adoptive parents have passed away.
She skipped that topic and started talking about her first encounter with Fang Songsheng.
"Working in a hair salon is too hard. Every day I wash people's hair, and my hands are soaked in shampoo until my fingers are wrinkled and peeling."
“I happened to be passing through Wan Chai that day and saw a job posting at the entrance of Ya Yun Music Store, so I went in to try my luck.”
"The job was for a receptionist. You didn't need to know how to play the piano, just have a good appearance. Song Sheng interviewed me personally. He kept staring at me, and I knew then that it was going to work out."
"But I never expected that things would develop to that point. They say older people are more caring, and when we were together, he really did listen to everything I said."
Li Ziyao continued, "He is a good man. His ex-wife passed away early, and for the sake of his daughter, he has never considered remarrying."
Uncle Li: "Did Fang Songsheng raise Fang Yayun all by himself?"
“No, that’s not it,” Li Ziyao said. “He lives with his mother, and Fang Yayun was raised by her grandmother.”
“That’s why I’ve never moved in with Songsheng,” she said. “The old lady dotes on Ya Yun the most, and if Ya Yun doesn’t accept something, the old lady will listen to her.”
"This future mother-in-law, just like her granddaughter, doesn't like me."
"I was originally planning to find an opportunity to coax the old lady properly."
"Song Sheng is the most filial son, he can't possibly abandon the old lady. I've already made up my mind, I'll be a ninja's wife from now on..."
"However, none of that is needed now."
As for the alibi for the period from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Li Ziyao and Dai Feng gave completely identical testimonies.
Perhaps they conspired together, or perhaps this is simply the truth.
"After all, it was with my ex-boyfriend, which isn't exactly something to be proud of, which is why I didn't want to bring it up last time."
As the interrogation drew to a close, Zhu Qing flipped through the transcript: "Is there anything else to add? If not, please sign here—"
"Are you alright?" Li Ziyao asked.
Zhu Qing was stunned for a moment, then looked up.
This question wasn't asked by Li Ziyao.
It's a greeting from Sister Xin Xin that's thirteen years late.
...
Long after leaving the interrogation room, Zhu Qing was still reviewing Li Ziyao and Dai Feng's statements.
She always felt that there was a problem somewhere, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Zhu Qing kept her head down, the only sound she heard was the rustling of the confession papers being flipped through, until someone stopped her.
"Dr. Cheng?"
She noticed that Cheng Xinglang came out of Mo Sir's office.
"Is there any new development?" Zhu Qing closed the file in her hand.
Dr. Cheng smiled slightly.
Every time I saw this Madam, she was busy with official business, so busy that she was the only one left in the CID office after lunchtime.
"As mentioned last time, the deceased had multiple stab wounds but showed almost no signs of struggle," Cheng Xinglang said. "Due to technical limitations, the toxicology report has only just come out, and sleeping pills were detected in the deceased's body."
At the time, police suspected that the killer stabbed the victim in a vital spot with a single blow, rendering him unable to resist. The subsequent stabs, however, did not cause fatal injuries and were merely acts of venting anger.
But now, Dr. Cheng has proposed a new possibility: perhaps all of this is due to the effects of the medication.
Zhu Qing: "How can we prove that the deceased took sleeping pills at the time of death? Is it possible that the sleeping pills were taken the night before before going to bed?"
“Impossible,” Cheng Xinglang said. “Based on the degree of digestion, the time it takes for the stomach to empty, and the time when the blood drug concentration peaks, we can infer that the time of administration was closer to the time of death.”
"The murderer premeditated the crime, luring the victim to the Ya Yun Piano Shop or knowing the victim would go there, and waiting there beforehand—" Zhu Qing said, "waiting to strike?"
Just like being suddenly called upon by an examiner, Dr. Cheng pointed to the tip of his nose: "Ask me?"
“No.” Zhu Qing took the report from his hand. “I was talking to myself.”
So, if a victim is drugged, they won't completely lose consciousness, but they will lose the ability to resist.
This was a new discovery. Zhu Qing's eyes lit up. She took the two statements she had just received and walked towards the office, her ponytail swaying lightly with each step.
Dr. Cheng: "Wait a moment."
Zhu Qing turned back.
"The ingredients in the sleeping pills are a bit strange, and they need to be sent to the government laboratory for further testing."
"Understood." Zhu Qing gave an "OK" sign. "Thank you!"
Dr. Cheng stared at the gesture and suddenly chuckled.
Yesterday, the little rascal also made this gesture with his short fingers.
So who copied whom?
...
While the investigation has not made any major breakthroughs, it has at least not been stagnant.
Before heading home after work, Zhu Qing hitched a ride with a colleague who lived near Wan Chai and went to Ya Yun Music Store.
It's easy to guess that the murderer wouldn't be foolish enough to leave behind evidence of drugging the victim.
But what if?
After Fang Songsheng's death, Ya Yun Music Store closed for two days.
It wasn't until today that the store reopened for business, but the huge music store only had a few employees sitting there, staring at each other.
"After all, Teacher Fang had an accident in the music school. It's all over the place. This is a music school where someone died, and it's the sixth music room where someone died... No one is willing to come to the classes that were scheduled before."
"Throughout the day, only Ranran's mother came once, hoping we could refund her tuition. Actually, she's being really unreasonable; it's almost time to renew the fees, and suddenly she wants a refund!"
“We didn’t know what to do either, so we called Sister Ya Yun. She said that as long as it’s a refund, we shouldn’t ask any more questions, just process it directly.”
"Sister Ya Yun is an artist, and she has never bothered to waste her breath on them."
Several employees had a worried look on their faces.
If things continue like this, the music store will go out of business sooner or later, and I'll have to find a job again.
When Zhu Qing asked about the important matter, everyone looked puzzled.
"cup?"
“We use disposable cups here. There was a mix-up before, with students and teachers often taking the wrong cups. So, Ms. Fang had someone purchase a batch of disposable cups.”
"Even our internal staff are used to using disposable cups. They just throw them away after use, without having to wash them at all, which is very convenient."
The trash cans in the tea room have been filled with trash countless times.
Even if the victim was drugged by the murderer at the music store, the evidence has long since disappeared without a trace.
After leaving Ya Yun Piano Shop, Zhu Qing turned into the familiar bookstore on the street corner.
She stood in the medical section, her fingertips brushing across the spines of the books, finally stopping at a few books about rehabilitation treatment for vegetative state patients.
Only after learning about her relationship with Sheng Peirong did Zhu Qing begin to pay attention to this kind of medical knowledge. Although she couldn't understand the professional terminology, she wanted to learn about it.
Then, she casually picked up a few financial magazines and business case studies. The nurse had mentioned chatting with the patient about topics that interested her… Someone who was once invincible at the negotiating table should know these things best.
"How do I get to the children's picture book area?" Zhu Qing asked.
"Go to the end of this row of bookshelves and turn left," the clerk told her.
The child in the story treats everyone as an elder; this is a bad habit that needs to be corrected.
Zhu Qing chose a picture book for early childhood education, which uses simple pictures and stories to show preschool children the relationships between family members.
When will this little kid realize that he's not really an adult?
After paying the bill, Zhu Qing quickened her pace to go home.
This busy day at work is finally over.
...
The real estate agent wasn't exaggerating; you really can see the sunset from the terrace of Qingzai and her uncle's house.
As the sun sets, looking down from the high-rise building, pedestrians and vehicles hurry by.
In the kitchen, Aunt Ping was busily preparing dinner, making a lively "clattering" sound.
The clinking of bowls and plates, the stirring of food with spatulas, and the serving of dish after dish... these sounds intertwine to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
The children strolled onto the terrace.
My niece and uncle have many rules and regulations, and since moving to their new house, they've added even more. For example, he can't go to the balcony when she's not home. My niece is afraid he might peek out and fall off, and she even said she'd find someone to seal up the balcony windows.
The young boy thought to himself, "My niece really underestimates me. I've seen the scenery halfway up the mountain, so the scenery of Yau Ma Tei is nothing to me."
At the same time, she underestimated Aunt Ping. Aunt Ping was very attentive to the child's needs, always keeping a close eye on everything and never leaving him alone.
But no matter what, now that Zhu Qing is at home, Sheng Fang can come and play on the terrace.
"Whoosh—" My uncle pushed open the glass door and came out. "It's so hot!"
On such a hot evening, sitting on the terrace, there wasn't even a breeze.
Qingzai said that if you stay in an air-conditioned room all day, your brain will rust. It's more comfortable to come out and enjoy the warm air.
“My brain is very sharp,” Sheng Fang said, pointing to her forehead.
Zhu Qing took out the picture book she had prepared for him from the bookstore's plastic bag: "Really?"
The little one sat on the terrace on a summer evening, feeling the warm breeze.
However, he preferred to spend time with his niece, so he reluctantly climbed onto the lounge chair next to her and started reading.
“Daddy’s mom is called grandma.” Sheng Fang pointed to the words in the picture book with her little finger, “It’s like mama, I know.”
Fangfang said that this was common sense, and of course he knew it.
Unfortunately, the uncle never met his grandmother.
“Because my daddy is too old,” Sheng Fang sighed.
He turned the page again: "Mom's older brother is called uncle, and her younger brother is called little uncle."
The little one saw something that interested him and exclaimed, "I know that too, it's my uncle!"
"Qingzai, what is an aunt? An uncle's mother should be his maternal grandmother."
"We don't need this for now," Zhu Qing said.
These complex kinship charts and titles are no challenge for Shengfang at all.
He had done his homework ever since he first heard the term "niece" from his second sister. He wasn't just a playful child; he wouldn't let any question linger overnight, and he would get to the bottom of anything he didn't understand.
“Okay, now that you know everything, let’s expand on that,” Zhu Qing said.
The subsequent learning session resembled a police station case analysis meeting.
Knowing that children are most susceptible to this, Zhu Qing had him go to his room and get a large sheet of white paper, then write on it with a marker, pretending it was a whiteboard in a meeting room.
She wrote down her colleagues' names on a piece of white paper: "This is Inspector Mo, you can call him—"
Blooming: "Zhenbang".
"It's Uncle Mo!"
"This is Uncle Li, you can call him—"
"Old Li." Sheng Fang sat cross-legged upright, her two little hands holding her toes.
"Uncle Li!"
"Liang Qikai, Zeng Yongshan, Cheng Xinglang..."
Shengfang asked, "Qingzai, who is Cheng Xinglang?"
“Dr. Cheng,” Zhu Qing said.
"Oh." Sheng Fang suddenly realized, "So his name is Alang!"
Zhu Qing is about to explode.
The original storyline portrays him as a genius villain.
Whose little genius can't understand human speech?
"Shengfang, did you do this on purpose?" Zhu Qing narrowed her eyes.
Fangfang tilted her head, grinned, and showed her tiny teeth: "No."
...
For Aunt Ping, cooking has never been a chore. On the contrary, when the aroma of food fills the house, she feels a sense of satisfaction and contentment.
A table full of delicious food satisfied the picky young master and Zhu Qing, who always ate whatever she wanted.
After dinner, Aunt Ping was about to clear the dishes when Zhu Qing firmly stopped her.
"Let him do it himself."
The niece insisted on cultivating good habits in her uncle, hoping to pull him back from the path of becoming a villain.
In the kitchen, Sheng Fang stood on a small stool, washing and scrubbing.
For such a young child, washing dishes is not a troublesome task; he likes to hold the bubbles in his little hands and blow them gently.
"Blooming, please don't let the wind blow on me!" Zhu Qing said.
The young master's cheeks puffed out even more, and he aimed directly at his niece: "Whoosh!"
Laughter came from the kitchen, making Aunt Ping, who was sitting on the sofa, feel extremely uncomfortable.
How can someone sit and rest while washing dishes at their employer's house?
Aunt Ping stood up and walked around the living room several times.
It's so clean that it's hard to find something to do.
After washing the dishes, the children tugged at Zhu Qing's clothes, asking for a reward.
What reward should I ask for for washing a few dishes? That's what Zhu Qing was thinking, but the little one's clear, blinking eyes were just too heart-melting.
What reward do you want?
"Pineapple popsicles!"
"We don't have any at home, we'll do it another day—"
With a playful laugh, the children opened the refrigerator.
The freezer compartment of the refrigerator was filled to the brim with ice cream and popsicles.
Aunt Ping quickly came over to explain: "Young Master said that in the middle of summer, we definitely need to have some ice cream and popsicles at home... so I bought them."
His niece smiled slightly, shook her head, and looked like she couldn't do anything about it.
The child was so prescient, he can even predict things now—
Time to eat popsicles!
...
A pineapple popsicle was enough to make Fangfang's little uncle cheer in the living room.
His footsteps echoed, his little voice clear and cute, while Zhu Qing went into the room and placed the letter that Director Guo of the welfare home had given her on the desk.
There are too many mysteries surrounding Li Ziyao.
She and her former sister Xin Xin had completely different personalities, and perhaps the starting point for all the changes and turning points was this letter.
Zhu Qing's gaze fell once again on the old photograph that had been sent along with the letter.
Fourteen-year-old Xin Xin was embraced by her adoptive parents, her smile as clean and bright as Zhu Qing remembered.
And now, Li Ziyao smiles often.
In front of Fang Songsheng, she smiled ingratiatingly and charmingly; when facing the police, she smiled nonchalantly; and when she reunited with old friends from the welfare home, she gently curled the corners of her lips with a hint of casual banter.
Was it her adoptive parents who shattered her once pure smile?
What exactly did they do to her?
A strange intuition welled up in Zhu Qing's heart again; she felt that this letter could be the key to solving the case.
"Qingzai!" Shengfang's sweet little voice rang out from outside the door, "The popsicles are melting!"
The pineapple popsicle in Zhu Qing's hand almost melted.
She quickly destroyed it and handed the stick to the errand boy: "Throw it in the trash can."
The child took the gift and sat down next to his niece.
"Are you unhappy?" he asked.
Fangfang is still young, but she has a very delicate mind.
My niece was slumped over her desk, her back looking so forlorn, and her uncle saw right through her at a glance.
Before Zhu Qing could answer, her uncle turned and ran away.
A moment later, he kicked his short legs and ran back.
Zhu Qing turned around and saw Fang Fang holding his own cartoon water cup.
The two leftover popsicle sticks were placed in the cup.
“Qingzai, shake it and it will fly out.”
The child put the cartoon water bottle in her hand and taught her to hold it with both hands.
"This is fortune telling," Sheng Fang said, waving his hand to his niece.
I shook it for a long time, but it still didn't fly out.
The uncle frowned in annoyance until his niece cooperated and poured out the small water cup.
With a "thud," the leftover popsicle stick fell to the ground.
Fangfang squatted down, picked it up, and held it high: "Congratulations, it's a very auspicious fortune!"
Zhu Qing laughed.
Which TV station did this kid learn from? They went to such lengths to make her happy.
Zhu Qing took the popsicle stick.
"It's been washed!" Sheng Fang said proudly. "Even Aunt Ping praised me for being clean!"
It seems that very few people truly care about her feelings.
Zhu Qing tightened her grip on the popsicle stick, then raised her other hand to rub Sheng Fang's head.
Its little head is fluffy and feels nice to the touch.
"Thank you," she said.
Let the little one's eyes look like Ultraman's—
It shines instantly.
Qingzai really likes him!
...
"Qingqing," Aunt Ping called from outside the door, "was your pager ringing?"
When Zhu Qing got home, she changed into comfortable pajamas, threw her clothes into the laundry basket, and forgot that her pager was in there too.
When the pager goes off at this hour, you know without asking that there's a situation at the police station.
She was about to go downstairs when Sheng Fang stopped her.
"There's a phone at home!" the child said mysteriously, keeping the situation a secret.
While his niece was out there fighting on the front lines, Fangfang took care of all the logistical work at home. He noted down what was missing at home and instructed Aunt Ping to make up for it.
Besides the popsicles, the newly installed telephone at home was also thanks to him.
Before Zhu Qing could react, Fang Fang pushed her in front of the telephone.
It was Zeng Yongshan leaving a message on her pager. As soon as the call connected, a clear and pleasant voice came through.
"Zhu Qing, Li Ziyao is indeed not a suspect."
“We retrieved the surveillance footage from the lobby and corridors of the Fulim Hotel, which clearly captured her coming and going. A 24-hour convenience store employee can also testify that he saw Li Ziyao and Dai Feng come to buy cigarettes at 5:30 in the morning, right after he changed shifts, and that they even had an argument. There are also hotel guest complaint records, which also date between 5 and 6 a.m..”
"I know you two used to be friends, and I was afraid you'd worry, so I'm telling you this on purpose."
Zeng Yongshan knew that Sister Xinxin had once been Zhu Qing's friend.
They were more than just childhood playmates.
"Has Li Ziyao gone back yet?" Zhu Qing asked.
Zeng Yongshan said on the other end of the phone, "We sent her back. After detaining her for so long, it was all for nothing in the end... Inspector Mo told us to go to the deceased's house tomorrow."
"You just went there, didn't you?" Zhu Qing asked.
"When I went there this morning, Fang Songsheng's mother wasn't there. She said Fang Yayun accompanied her to the hospital for a checkup. She should be home tomorrow; maybe the old lady can provide some clues?"
Zhu Qing agreed, her mind flashing back to the clues in the case file.
What exactly is wrong?
"Ding-dong—"
The crisp sound of the doorbell interrupted Zhu Qing's thoughts.
Shengfang ran to open the door.
She was making a phone call at the corner of the living room, a position that was blocked by a display cabinet, creating a blind spot where she could only vaguely see the light from outside the door.
"Who is it?" Zhu Qing asked.
...
Shengfang opened the door and saw Li Ziyao standing outside.
"Call Dean Guo and ask for Zhu Qing's current address."
"I'm sorry to bother you."
She was also carrying a box of pastries.
The pastry box is printed with the words "a famous old-established pastry shop in Hong Kong".
The child remained silent, observing the situation.
Li Ziyao stood there somewhat awkwardly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear: "I saw you at the entrance of the music store last time too."
Even in full bloom, she is remembered.
They are suspects, and they even helped her find a boyfriend.
"Little friend," Li Ziyao asked, "Are you Zhu Qing's—"
A subtle stalemate hung in the air.
Sheng Fang watched the TV series "Police Report," where her uncle, a police officer, was always able to spot danger immediately.
The primary task is to remain calm and composed; secondly, avoid alerting the enemy.
He must not let the other party know about his relationship with Qingzai.
With a tense and cautious little face, Fangfang called out into the house, "Pretty lady! Someone's looking for you!"
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