Chapter 68 Witnesses Who Are No Longer Silent
Fangfang used to think that Ajuan was the most rigid child in the whole kindergarten.
Now I understand, no wonder A-Juan acted this way, because he was a student taught by Teacher Ji!
The little boy had practically worn his lips out, stomping his feet in frustration, on the verge of exploding. He kept turning from Dr. Cheng to Teacher Ji, his face flushed red, just as he was about to explode with anger—
Cheng Xinglang finally slowly took out his ID from his pocket.
Unlike Qingzai's police officer ID, the dark blue ID sleeve had the "Department of Health Forensic Medicine" stamp shining brightly in the sunlight under the photo section.
After carefully checking, Teacher Ji finally admitted, "So she's Miss Zhu's colleague."
The young master of the Sheng family stood arrogantly in front of Dr. Cheng, hands on his hips: "Why didn't you take it out sooner!"
Cheng Xinglang's lips curled up almost imperceptibly, then quickly flattened again.
If I had taken it out earlier, I wouldn't have seen this little devil yelling.
Aunt Ping finally arrived in a hurry, panting as she explained the situation to Teacher Ji.
The little boy turned his attention to Aunt Ping: "You're late!"
"I'm sorry," Teacher Ji said helplessly, "It's mainly due to the kindergarten's regulations..."
"I understand." Cheng Xinglang lifted Fangfang onto the back of the motorcycle with one hand, looking at his puffed-up face. "Are you a balloon?"
The little one didn't understand this sophisticated way of cursing. As he tilted his head, a children's helmet slammed down on him.
Cheng Xinglang was a responsible man; he neatly fastened the straps for him and told Aunt Ping not to worry. After finishing, he would take the kid home and then pat the windshield down with a "click".
The motorcycle engine roared to life, instantly igniting a frenzy at the kindergarten entrance. Amidst the children's envious exclamations, Fangfang's little chest puffed out involuntarily, and the corners of her mouth turned up in a wide grin.
Sunset, motorcycle, a handsome young man carrying a handsome young man—
Wow! That's so stylish!
Fangfang clung to Dr. Cheng's back, his short legs straining to spread wide, trying to strike a more imposing pose. A soft "Sit still" came from ahead, and he immediately became a well-behaved baby, though his cheerful little voice still carried the sound the whole way.
Aunt Ping watched the motorcycle disappear into the distance and couldn't help but smile.
Dr. Cheng understood children's minds perfectly, even deliberately circling the kindergarten entrance a couple of times. Until the traffic was completely jammed, all the children clung to the railings, watching with satisfied contentment, their little faces practically glowing with pride.
The motorcycle travels through the streets and alleys.
Cycling during the day is completely different from cycling at night. Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, the streetscape is crystal clear. They even encountered traffic police on patrol. Fangfang eagerly pushed open her helmet visor and greeted them in a childish voice, "Senior sister, still not done with your work?"
The female student from the Department of Transportation, who was riding a bicycle, thought she had misheard.
Which junior colleague did you just run into?
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a miniature rider.
At that time in Hong Kong, there were no explicit age restrictions for toddlers riding motorcycles. She glanced at the motorcycle—it was moving slowly, and the angle of its lean when turning was deliberately minimized, almost too gentle. The journey was short, it was wearing a helmet, and it was deliberately riding close to the alleyways, clearly trying to please the child. The senior colleague smiled and shook her head, letting it go and continuing to issue license plates.
For Shengfang, the most interesting thing is to wander through alleys.
Like a scene from a police thriller, Cheng Xinglang's driving skills were superb, as he weaved through the winding alleys. Fangfang clung tightly to Dr. Cheng's waist, his eyes sparkling, the scenery flashing by in his peripheral vision, completely unaware of where he was.
Teacher Ji said that children should be more vigilant when they come to unfamiliar places. However, Fangfang had completely forgotten about the "anti-abduction safety lesson" she had at kindergarten that afternoon.
A motorcycle! It's a motorcycle!
Who has time to think about those boring classes?
...
Attorney Li from Zhaoheng Law Firm provided the police with a long-sealed file that revealed the whereabouts of Lin Tingchao's biological mother, Feng Ningyun, who had been living under an alias in a mental health rehabilitation center for more than 20 years.
All of this was arranged by Mr. Feng. Back then, he placed Feng Ningyun in this secluded specialized sanatorium. All admission procedures were handled specially, and even the medical staff did not know her true identity.
When Mr. Feng was alive, he did not want his daughter to become the subject of gossip...
If it weren't for the necessity of cooperating with the police investigation, this secret would have been buried forever.
There was a photograph tucked inside the file.
In old photos, Feng Ningyun was a dancer radiating dazzling light on stage, but what became of her afterward is unknown. As arranged by the old man, no one bothered her again...
This is a hereditary mental illness, and it seems that every woman is trapped in this nightmare.
According to records, Lin Tingchao's maternal grandmother suddenly suffered a mental breakdown at the age of twenty-five and hanged herself on a rainy night. Her mother, once an elegant swan on stage, gradually collapsed after giving birth to Lin Tingchao. And now, it was Lin Tingchao's turn. But this time, she didn't even have the chance to be sent to a sanatorium; instead, she vanished completely.
Lin Tingchao's whereabouts are unknown, and any clues that may be related to her could be the key to unlocking the truth.
After waiting, the transfer order was finally approved. At this moment, Zhu Qing stood at the entrance of the Saigon Specialist Sanatorium of the Mingde Mental Health Center, looking up at the gray and white building.
This place seems to be isolated from the world.
Contrary to Zhu Qing's expectations, upon entering the iron gate, there was no cold and dampness, no pungent smell of disinfectant, and no frantic crying...
On the contrary, it was even quiet and warm here, with sunlight shining on the lawn and a few patients in hospital gowns taking a walk. Everything outside was completely irrelevant to them.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting dappled patterns of light in the corridor.
Dr. Cheng signed the visitor registration form, took the visitor card, and handed it to Zhu Qing.
Cheng Xinglang had been to this place countless times.
He always stood alone outside the iron gate, gazing at the neat buildings and well-manicured lawns inside. Sometimes he would stand there for hours until a guard came over and politely asked him to leave.
The head nurse was a woman in her forties with her hair neatly styled in a bun.
After hearing their purpose, he frowned slightly.
"A ballet dancer?" She shook her head. "We don't have any patients here who can dance. We do have someone who acts in plays, though, is that the person you're looking for?"
“Her surname is Pan,” Zhu Qing added.
“Pan Meng in bed number nine?” The nurse paused as she flipped through the files, then looked up at the lawn outside the window. “She should be in the activity area; she usually sunbathes there at this time.”
She turned to the young nurse beside her and said, "Xiao Dong, take them over there."
Xiao Dong nodded, took a set of keys from the drawer, and led them through the corridor.
At the end was a locked glass door. She said "Wait a moment" and opened the door with her key.
"Do we have to lock up the lawn too?" Zhu Qing couldn't help but ask.
“It has to be locked. There was an incident over a decade ago where a patient escaped and caused a death. So later… look at that wall over there, it’s higher than Stanley Prison, there’s no way to escape by climbing over it.” Xiao Dong lowered his voice, “It’s that case that was in the newspapers, the indiscriminate killing, and he was eventually hit by a car…”
Zhu Qing subconsciously looked at Cheng Xinglang.
It was already early November, but the sunlight was unusually warm, gently shining on his sharply defined profile.
“It’s not indiscriminate killing,” Cheng Xinglang said in a low voice. “It’s just that the pattern hasn’t been discovered yet.”
A homeless man with a history of mental illness committed several murders, cases that Cheng Xinglang repeatedly recalled.
He compared each victim's family background, occupation, address, and even their activity patterns.
He firmly believes that nothing is accidental, but what is the pattern?
Nurse Dong continued to lead them across the lawn, explaining things as they went.
“The Saigon Specialist Sanatorium is completely different from the main sanatorium. In addition to critically ill patients, it also admits some special prisoners.”
“Mental patients commit crimes, so they are different from normal people.” The nurse’s tone was subtle, and she didn’t say anything more, but her eyes said it all. These people seemed to be holding a get-out-of-jail-free card.
"Strange, it was just there a moment ago..." The nurse stood at the edge of the lawn, squinting in the sunlight.
Suddenly, a figure stumbled and bumped into them.
Cheng Xinglang reacted quickly, instinctively stepping in front of Zhu Qing and firmly supporting his arm just as she was about to fall.
The middle-aged man looked up, revealing a childlike, innocent smile: "Thank you, brother!"
His voice was hoarse, but his tone was light and rising. After he finished speaking, he skipped away barefoot, the hem of his hospital gown covered with grass clippings, swaying in the wind.
“He…” Zhu Qing stared at that retreating figure.
"He makes us call him Dongdong, he's schizophrenic," the nurse said matter-of-factly. "I heard he had to take care of five younger siblings when he was little, and he never acted like a child himself. Now, he's always chasing after people calling them 'brother' or 'sister,' living like a three-year-old."
In the middle of the lawn, Dongdong was squatting on the ground, intently talking to a line of ants.
He carefully crouched down, picked up a lost ant with his palm, and carried it back to the hole he had dug himself. After completing this action, he clapped his hands in satisfaction.
What about his younger siblings?
The nurse gave a forced smile: "None of them have come. I heard that from the first day he officially moved in, no family member has ever visited him."
Suddenly, Cheng Xinglang stopped in his tracks.
Following his gaze, Zhu Qing noticed a bulky figure sitting on a bench by the lake.
“That’s Pan Meng.” The nurse also looked in the direction of the bench. “How did she get there? I didn’t even notice her. You police officers have such good eyesight.”
The figure by the lake is Lin Tingchao's biological mother, now known as Feng Ningyun under the pseudonym Pan Meng.
Zhu Qing asked, "Who does she usually get close to?"
"She rarely speaks, and I've never really seen her interact with anyone. She's always sitting alone, sometimes for the whole day, and I don't know what she's thinking about."
"You say she dances? I've worked here for two years and I've never seen her dance. Perhaps dancing isn't a pleasant memory for her. But looking at her now, it's hard to imagine that she used to be a dancer."
Zhu Qing and Cheng Xinglang slowly approached her.
The ballet dancers who once twirled freely on stage no longer have slender waists, pointed toes, or elegant necks that have become swollen. They bear no resemblance to their former selves. Only their drooping eyes, when they look up, still retain a faint trace of liveliness.
"Do you still remember your daughter?" Zhu Qing asked softly, standing a step away.
The woman continued to gaze into the distance, seemingly oblivious to the question, her eyes vacant as she stared into the distance.
Just when Zhu Qing thought she wouldn't answer anymore, a muffled whisper came from behind her.
“She…” She turned her head, smiled at Zhu Qing, put her finger to her lips in a shushing gesture, and said in a whisper, “She will no longer suffer.”
After saying that, she ignored Zhu Qing and leaned back on the bench, humming a song softly.
"Moonlight shines...on the ground...Little Shrimp, you should go to bed quietly."
The swan observer who is no longer silent, the witness—could it be her?
Did she know that Lin Tingchao had been murdered, which is why she said that "he will no longer suffer"?
They returned to the nurses' station, where the head nurse checked the records and stated clearly: "For a full twenty-two years and six months, this lady has never left the Mingde Mental Health Rehabilitation Center, not even for a single day."
"In the beginning, Ms. Pan's father and husband would come to visit her together."
“No one has come since her father passed away. Her husband settles the bills regularly every year.”
"Daughter? To protect the child, the family probably won't mention that her mother lives here..."
“Madam, there’s really no need to pay too much attention to what the patients are saying. They’re sick and their words are incoherent. It’s not worth delving into.”
The leads regarding the Lin Tingchao case suddenly went cold.
Dr. Cheng also had another purpose for this trip.
His gaze slowly swept over the calm lake, the tidy corridors, and the tightly closed ward doors... measuring every corner of the Saigon Specialist Sanatorium with his eyes. Occasionally, Cheng Xinglang would stop and confirm something.
Zhu Qing stood not far away, her hands in her trench coat pockets, unusually not urging him on.
Because she knew what the past case meant to Dr. Cheng.
After an unknown amount of time, Cheng Xinglang finally withdrew his gaze and said, "Let's go."
"Let's go." Zhu Qing nodded.
Their figures gradually disappeared into the distance.
Lin Tingchao's mother was still sitting on the bench, gently humming that old lullaby.
"Moonlight shines...on the ground...Little Shrimp, you should go to bed quietly."
...
The Major Crimes Unit B never stopped its investigation, scrutinizing every clue repeatedly.
When Zhu Qing rushed back to the police station, her colleagues had already laid out all the documents in the conference room.
The file pages were laid out, and photos of Rong Zimei and her mother were pasted on the whiteboard.
“Rong Zimei’s mother, Chen Yulan, used to be a nurse at Queen Mary Hospital, and her husband was a surgeon. She originally worked in the obstetrics and gynecology department. Twenty-five years ago, when her daughter was born, the hospital was undergoing restructuring, and the workload increased dramatically. She was forced to transfer to a less demanding position.”
"Even after the job transfer, her husband was still dissatisfied. He wanted an obedient 'doctor's wife,' not a 'nurse's wife' who constantly worked night shifts. According to former colleagues at Queen Mary Hospital, her husband gave Chen Yulan an ultimatum: either resign or get a divorce. Everyone thought she would choose the former, but unexpectedly..."
"Chen Yulan chose to divorce and raise her daughter alone. But life as a single mother is not easy. Her health deteriorated and she eventually lost her job, struggling to raise her daughter... As for Rong Zimei, she had no stable income after growing up and did odd jobs everywhere. Later, she found a job at a supermarket, but was fired because she offended the manager... The mother and daughter always struggled to make ends meet."
Because of Chen Yulan's background as a nurse, the police initially suspected that the precise cutting of the severed toe was related to her. However, the medical records on the table at that moment extinguished this possibility.
“She had a stroke a month ago.” Inspector Leung’s pen traced the date on the medical record. “Lam Ting-chao’s toe was severed after her stroke. At that time, she couldn’t even hold a spoon, how could she possibly hold a scalpel?”
"Her ex-husband? The records show that her ex-husband is a surgeon at Queen Mary Hospital, right?"
“He immigrated a long time ago and hasn’t returned to China for over a decade.”
"What about Rong Zimei?"
“Children who grow up in hospitals may indeed be familiar with medical equipment, but to directly amputate a toe? That’s too far-fetched.”
The discussion gradually heated up.
In this case, what role did Rong Zimei play?
"If Kuang Xiaoyan is jealous of Lin Tingchao, then what about Rong Zimei?"
"Could it be, as Kuang Xiaoyan said, that she's jealous of this imposter? If she already knew that Kuang Xiaoyan was impersonating Lin Tingchao, then she orchestrated all of this to expose the deception?"
"Or perhaps she accidentally met the real Lam Ting-chiu, and she knew that only by hurting Lam Ting-chiu and calling the police could she force them to investigate further. This was the only way to tear down Kwong Siu-yin's mask."
"But Rong Zimei reported the case to the Cheung Sha Wan Police Station six months ago. If it was really a setup, would it have started so early? With her? It doesn't seem likely."
"You don't allow honest people to play dumb and outsmart others? The most unassuming people are often the ones who deliver the most fatal blows."
The sounds of debate echoed in the conference room.
Everyone was incredibly anxious. They knew that there must be some crucial clue that had been overlooked, and if they could find that clue, they could piece together all the scattered pieces of information.
But where exactly is the breakthrough?
Just then, Mr. and Mrs. Lin Weizong, accompanied by their lawyer, arrived at the Major Crimes Unit office to complete the bail procedures.
"Bail has been granted for health reasons, but he/she is required to surrender all travel documents and report to the police station regularly."
After signing the documents, Lin Weizong stood in front of Mo Zhenbang, his expression filled with grief and indignation.
“You’re saying she’s not our daughter? That’s absurd. She looks exactly like Tingchao. Even her manner of speaking and how she acts affectionately towards her parents are exactly the same. How could she be an imposter?”
"Officer, have you investigated this thoroughly?"
"Okay, even if she really isn't our daughter, then where is our daughter? You police have raised questions, but haven't given me any solutions. This is outrageous. Please give us an explanation as soon as possible."
“Don’t worry, the police are investigating.” Mai Shuxian held her husband’s arm tightly. “It’s all our fault for being too busy and neglecting to take care of Tingchao. Tingchao had just had surgery, and the doctor warned that having too many people at home could cause infection. We originally only left Wu Ma as a maid… but even Wu Ma had to go back to her hometown to take care of her grandson. You’re saying Tingchao is being held captive in the basement? We had no idea.”
“This child is so pitiful. Thinking about what she might have gone through back then… it’s heartbreaking. At that time, she had just undergone a bone marrow transplant, and her body hadn’t fully recovered yet. She needed to rest and recuperate. Why treat Tingchao like this?”
This explanation is riddled with flaws and doesn't even match the most basic timeline.
After the real Lam Ting-chao's surgery, Kwong Siu-yin should have gone abroad for cosmetic surgery before returning to the Lam family. At that time, when she was tormenting Lam Ting-chao in the basement, her face must have been wrapped in thick bandages…
Mo Zhenbang watched the couple's performance with a cold eye until they left, at which point he took a deep breath.
He turned to his subordinates and said in a deep voice, "Keep looking for evidence. They can't get away with it forever."
...
While having breakfast this morning, Fangfang heard Qingzai mention that the owner of the dance center had been arrested.
This means that Fang Sir will no longer be assigned to the ballet studio as an undercover agent.
You can visit the Yau Ma Tei Police Station now!
After several days of bargaining, the extracurricular classes were reduced to two per week. At 7 p.m., Fangfang had just finished class and couldn't wait to run to the police station.
Aunt Ping kept running behind the young master.
Since she started taking care of this little darling, her cardiopulmonary function must have improved a lot.
Fangfang, a young boy, cornered his niece who had just gotten off work: "Take me to buy a stargazing guide!"
Shengfang, a child, said that the stargazing guide has illustrations that light up, and he saw the teacher take it out in astronomy class.
The child pouted, his eyes glistening with tears, feigning grievance: "You haven't taken me out to play for days. If you don't even buy a stargazing guide, I'll..."
"You're going to tell the teacher?" Zhu Qing teased him.
"I'll call John right now!"
Fangfang raised her chin slightly.
He's not some silly kid. The teacher can't control Qingzai, but her boss can.
Where can I buy it?
As they spoke, they had already reached the car.
Fangfang blinked, his eyes shining even brighter in the night, showing how much his niece loved him.
Fangfang winked at Aunt Ping and waved, signaling her to go back.
Then he climbed into the back seat of the car: "Space Museum Gift Shop, let's go!"
Shengfang had just finished her astronomy class, and her little head was full of stories about stars. Sitting in the back seat, she counted the streetlights while telling Qingzai what she had just learned.
"Polaris is not actually a single star... it is composed of three stars!"
"Qingzai, Qingzai, have you heard the story of Altair and Vega? Legend has it that a long, long time ago—"
The child's voice was soft and sweet, even sweeter than glutinous rice candy. Just as Fangfang said, it was like giving a "massage" to a tired brain...
Zhu Qing answered Zai Zai's questions in a casual manner, and followed the traffic to cross the road at the traffic lights.
After passing the traffic light, she realized she should have turned right onto Nathan Road: "I think I made a mistake."
Originally, the young master wouldn't have cared if Qingzai had taken the wrong turn; he would have just treated it as a drive.
However, as the car slowly drove along Kwun Tong Road, suddenly, the niece stepped on the brakes.
The little one curiously peered out the car window: "Where is this?"
Zhu Qing's gaze fell on the deep alley entrance.
"I'm thinking..."
"The reaction of the fake 'Lin Tingchao' when he saw the photo of the severed toe."
In her confession, Kwong Siu-yin said that she was an actress and that she would only play one great role in her life.
But was the fear and astonishment in her eyes that day, the sudden contraction of her pupils... also an act?
"Lin Tingchao's severed toe...why would it appear in Kwun Tong?" Zhu Qing looked into the deep alley. "Let's go in and take a look."
Upon hearing about the severed toe, Sheng Fang didn't even lift her eyelids.
But now, as Qingzai led him into the alley, his expression finally showed some change.
"It stinks! Qingzai, I will absolutely not pick up trash with you!"
The young officer is very picky about his duties. He doesn't even need to think about doing anything that's hard and tiring, and he crosses his arms in front of his chest.
He wouldn't do it; he refused.
"Then go back to the car and wait," Zhu Qing said. "Or should Aunt Ping pick you up and take you home?"
Fangfang thought for a moment, pinched her nose, and followed after them with a look of disgust.
This is a back alley in Kwun Tong. That day, the police received a call reporting that someone had found a severed toe in a pile of garbage.
It was on her way, but at that moment, Zhu Qing found herself walking into the alley, knowing full well that after extensive investigation there would be no surveillance cameras, she still couldn't give up.
"Are you...?"
A helper peeked out from the kitchen of the tea restaurant.
A handsome police officer always makes a good impression. He asked, "You're that Madam, aren't you?"
The kitchen helper at the tea restaurant was named Ah Jie. A few days ago, when the severed toe was discovered, he was slacking off and smoking in an alley.
"At first I thought it was a pig bone, but then I found out it was a toe... It was really scary, I had nightmares for several days after I got back."
"That's me. I was standing right here when your colleague with glasses took my statement. Don't you remember?"
“I remember now,” Zhu Qing said. “You heard the auntie who was rummaging through the trash scream, so you went over to see what was going on, cigarette in your mouth.”
"Madam has a good memory!" A-Jie said with a smile. "That's right."
"Was anything unusual discovered at the time?"
Ah Jie recalled the situation at that time.
"That Aunt Zhong—" Zhu Qing asked, "when does she usually come over?"
"Aunt Zhong? She probably won't be coming."
"Why?"
“Madam, you asked me earlier if anything was unusual, and now I know. Before finding the toe, nothing seemed strange, but after that… they all say that encountering an evil spirit brings bad luck, but I never expected Aunt Zhong to actually win the lottery.”
"Did you win the lottery?" Zhu Qing pressed.
“They said Aunt Zhong has been picking up trash on this street for at least several years, but recently she hasn’t been seen at all.”
"Qiang, the kitchen helper at that restaurant, is kind-hearted. He would save her a boxed lunch every day, but he hasn't come to pick it up lately."
Zhu Qing remembered that Aunt Zhong had mentioned that the kitchen helper at the restaurant was kind and always saved hot meals for her because she was old.
"We were just joking," Ah Jie said, scratching the back of his head. "I bet she's really lucky and is probably enjoying herself somewhere."
The children noticed that Qingzai's expression had changed.
He pinched his nose and mumbled, "Can't we go now...?"
Once they were in the car, Qingzai's fingers tapped out a light rhythm to the music playing on the radio.
"The case is solved?" Sheng Fang asked.
It's clear that Qingzai is in a good mood.
But he wasn't in a good mood.
Because Zhu Qing said, "I seem to remember, isn't the space museum closed at night?"
The young master of the Sheng family opened his eyes wide.
No way, this is absolutely terrible news.
...
The next morning, Zhu Qing placed Aunt Zhong's testimony record back on the table.
“Didn’t that kitchen helper say she screamed like she’d seen a ghost? But when we got there, she didn’t even flinch.” Xu Jiale bit the cap of his ballpoint pen, his brow furrowed. “Looking back now, Aunt Zhong was indeed too calm. But it’s understandable, since we only found some scraps of tissue, not a bloodied human head, so we didn’t think too much about it…”
The officers began trying to recall the details of that day.
That day, the Kwun Tong garbage station reeked of decay, and Aunt Chung kept rambling on and on, just like a dedicated extra.
"He picked up trash without fail for several years, and then suddenly vanished... Could it be that he was paid to stage a scene, pretending to have discovered the severed toe?"
“I remember she even brought up the rumors of ‘swapping lives’ herself. Could Rong Zimei be the mastermind behind it all?”
Mo Zhenbang tapped his fingertips on the table: "Find Aunt Zhong first."
Finding Aunt Zhong was not an easy task.
She had made a living by collecting garbage for many years and had no fixed place of work. The police visited half of Kwun Tong before piecing together clues from the fragmented memories of the neighbors.
"Aunt Zhong? She came to my place to collect cardboard last month. I haven't seen her lately... I haven't seen her recently."
"She often complained of back pain. When I advised her to see a doctor, she said that all the doctors in the hospital were liars and that applying plasters would make it better. By the way, Aunt Zhong seems to often go to that liniment clinic at the end of the street. The young men there are kind-hearted and will give her plasters for free."
"She's always picking up rotten vegetable leaves at the market! My neighbor, Ah Feng, who sells vegetables next door, hates her the most—"
Police tried their luck in the Kwun Tong area, from laundries and used clothing recycling stations to traditional Chinese medicine clinics and wet markets... At 4 p.m., they finally caught Aunt Chung in the seafood section of the wet market. However, this time she was not there to rummage through rotten vegetables, but rather standing in front of the fish stalls, waiting for live fish to die so she could buy them at a low price to make fish soup.
Under the bright lights of the interrogation room, Aunt Zhong huddled up. She glanced cautiously at the police officer opposite her, and shook her head with difficulty, her wrinkles deepening.
"Do you know that obstructing justice is a crime punishable by imprisonment?" Uncle Li slammed his hand on the interrogation table. "Taking money to give a false confession is enough to get you eighteen months in prison!"
"Officer! I'm such an old man..." Aunt Zhong said in a panic, "I'll talk, I'll tell you everything..."
She finally relented, her lips trembling.
“A man gave me money and told me to wait at the garbage dump.” She swallowed hard. “He said it wouldn’t be difficult… just scream when you see something…”
Zhu Qing raised an eyebrow: "A man?"
She wasn't the Eiko Mi I had imagined.
Or perhaps, they were her accomplices?
Uncle Li: "Did he teach you to tell the 'life-swapping' rumor?"
"I've definitely heard that before! That's what the elders in my family have always said since I was little..."
Zhu Qing reviewed her previous statement.
Wrapping one's birth date and time in animal blood prevents the wronged spirits from finding their enemies, thus preventing them from seeking revenge.
This is actually different from Rong Zimei's "life-swapping" explanation.
"What did that man look like?"
"Tall and thin." Aunt Zhong gestured, stretching her withered arm upwards as far as she could. "She's this tall."
"Wearing a mask and hat, he didn't talk much."
"When I handed over the money, he said that as long as I behaved well, he would give me another sum of money later."
Aunt Zhong twisted the hem of her clothes as she explained to the police that she was unaware of the seriousness of the situation.
It's just a severed toe, not a corpse. If it were a corpse, she wouldn't dare do that even if she had ten times the courage.
"Did you give it to them?"
"A whole stack... bound together with rubber bands."
"How much money did you collect in total?"
The pen recorded every detail on the paper.
As the interrogation progressed, the text on the transcript filled the entire page.
It turns out that on the day the severed toe was discovered, while the police were conducting a full-scale investigation, a pair of eyes were hiding in the shadows.
He calmly observed the police's every move.
"Officer, I've told you everything, I've confessed to everything..." Aunt Zhong suddenly grabbed Zhu Qing's wrist, "Can you please stop—"
Zhu Qing withdrew her hand: "If you see that man again, will you recognize him?"
...
In the meeting room, the police fell silent once again.
Each discovery seemed crucial, but as the investigation continued, the trail suddenly went cold.
Who exactly is the mysterious man Aunt Zhong is talking about?
Could he be one of Lin Weizong and Mai Shuxian's people? If he had never come to the police's attention before, then what should be done?
Zeng Yongshan: "In any case, at least there has been a breakthrough in the case so far. We have stopped Lin Weizong's plan. It has been confirmed that 'Lin Tingchao' is a fake, and they will not be able to get that money."
The enormous inheritance left by Mr. Feng was enough to make a father sacrifice his own daughter.
Lin Weizong spent several years finding a girl who resembled his daughter, but he hesitated to make the final substitution. It wasn't until Lin Tingchao underwent surgery that he finally crossed that line. Perhaps she had experienced a major upheaval and suffered mental health issues during that time, or perhaps time was running out and there wouldn't be enough time for the recovery period after the plastic surgery—in any case, he finally crossed that line.
"Fortunately, they didn't get that money."
"It was just a little bit short. Lin Tingchao is 24 years old now, and the inheritance clause stipulates that a mental health certificate must be submitted when he or she turns 25."
"Lin Weizong and Mai Shuxian were originally confident of winning. They were only one year away from inheriting the wealth through the counterfeit."
“It’s not a year,” Mo Zhenbang suddenly looked up from the file. “It’s a month.”
"Next month, Lin Tingchao will turn twenty-five."
The air seemed to freeze.
"It feels like..."
"It seems like someone is deliberately sabotaging their plans, using professional methods."
Xu Jiale suddenly remembered something: "Aren't wood carvers also good at using knives?"
“I remember Lin Tingchao’s ex-boyfriend; he had several handmade wood carvings in his studio.”
"Uncle Li, did he carve those wood carvings himself?"
At this moment, Liang Qikai pushed open the door and came in, holding the report that the forensic department had just issued.
“That anonymous letter—” Inspector Leung held up the evidence bag, “canvas fibers were found on the paper.”
"Is it an oil canvas?"
"Her ex-boyfriend gave Aunt Zhong a sum of money to pretend she found a severed toe?"
All eyes were on the anonymous letter.
A letter from those who are no longer silent witnesses to the swans…
If the other party deliberately uses a severed toe as the first piece of "evidence," what will be the next one?
This idea sends chills down one's spine.
"Escape...only to fall into the next fire pit?"
Mo Zhenbang suddenly stood up.
"Uncle Li, immediately take men to thoroughly investigate all information about that man."
"Don't overlook any of them: address, workplace, bank records, and communication records."
"The rest of you come with me to the studio."
Time slipped away silently. Several days had passed since the shocking traces in the Lin family's basement were discovered.
Aside from Kwong Siu-yin's dubious testimonies, the exact time of Lam Ting-chiu's disappearance remains a vague mystery.
The only certainty is that every day Lin Tingchao remains missing increases the danger he faces.
The police car screeched to a halt in front of the art studio on Hollywood Road.
The moment I burst through the door, dust floated in the sunlight, and in the very center of the studio stood an easel.
It was a painting covered with a white cloth.
"Something's not right." Xu Jiale glanced around warily. "Last time I came here, this place was full of picture frames and unfinished products. Now it's all been cleared out, except for this one."
"Even the award-winning works on the wall are gone."
The painting, covered by a snow-white canvas, looked particularly out of place in the empty studio.
Zhu Qing raised her hand and abruptly ripped open the canvas—
A gasp came from behind me.
In the painting, Lin Tingchao stands barefoot on the beach at dusk.
In the afterglow of the setting sun, the sea breeze tousled her long hair, making every eyelash and strand of hair appear realistically distinct. But even more realistic was her right foot; Lin Tingchao's right foot was missing a toe, and the wound was covered with a dark brown scab.
In the lower right corner of the canvas, there are two words written.
free.
A police officer managed to speak with difficulty: "Lin Tingchao, to the very end..."
"Is he dead or alive?"
...
Little Fangfang arrived at an inopportune time; when he arrived at the Yau Ma Tei Police Station, the CID room was empty.
There wasn't a soul in sight.
With her hands behind her back, Shengfang walked steadily until she stopped in front of John's office.
After knocking twice on the door, he poked half his head in and asked, "What's going on?"
Weng Zhaolin put down the documents in his hand.
He told his confidant that Team B had discovered a crucial clue and was now splitting up to take action.
Halfway through his speech, Weng Zhaolin suddenly realized something.
Why should I report my work to a child?
Inspector Weng asked sternly, "Is there something you need?"
Fangfang waved her hand like a junior police superintendent: "It's alright, you can continue with your work."
As the children turned around, their sneakers made a light, cheerful sound as they walked down the corridor.
Weng Zhaolin: ...
Aunt Ping was waiting at the end of the corridor, wringing her hands anxiously, urging the young master to hurry back with her.
As if nothing could be seen or heard while in full bloom.
He was like a kite with a broken string, a wild horse galloping away, continuing to wander silently.
Just then, he suddenly noticed a strange figure.
Someone was standing at the door of the CID office, frowning and looking impatient.
"Madam Yu?" Clerk Zhen stopped writing and looked up. "Uncle Li is out on a field assignment. He should be back soon."
Fangfang leaned close to Sister Zhen's ear, covered her mouth with her little hand, and whispered, "Is she also our colleague?"
"..." Sister Zhen said, "It's from O-Division."
Just as the OTC Madam was about to leave, the office door was suddenly pushed open.
Uncle Li returned with his team, carrying a thick stack of documents.
He looked up and saw the other person, and froze for a moment.
The office fell silent instantly; all the officers lowered their heads, pretending to be busy, as quiet as quails.
But their ears were all perked up.
Fangfang sat down next to Zeng Yongshan.
Who is this aunt?
“She’s Uncle Li’s ex-wife!” Zeng Yongshan explained softly, “Children shouldn’t ask too much about adult matters.”
Zeng Yongshan put her finger to her lips, signaling Fangfang not to make a sound.
Before she could even shake her head in acknowledgment, he had already nimbly run to Uncle Li's side, kicking his short legs.
"What exactly do you mean?" Madam Yu raised her chin, her face ashen. "It's all clearly written in black and white in the agreement back then!"
Even the sound of breathing became clearly audible.
As the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, someone had to break the silence.
Sheng Fang tugged at Uncle Li's sleeve: "Ex-husband, say something."
Uncle Li turned to the other side with a dark face and remained silent.
Fangfang looked up with her little face and said sincerely, "He is very introverted."
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