Chapter 89 Bewitched by an adorable child!
Inside a dimly lit side hall of the Tin Hau Temple, police were methodically conducting on-site investigation and evidence collection. The air was thick with the somber smells of incense, mildew, and blood.
The footsteps of the forensic team echoed in the narrow space, occasionally punctuated by hushed conversations.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Ye skillfully put on rubber gloves and squatted down beside the deceased.
On the stone steps outside the side hall, Zhu Qing and Xu Jiale opened their notebooks.
The deceased was discovered by an elderly woman with gray hair, who was tightly embracing a boy who looked to be about ten years old. The two of them stood to the side, neither daring to look into the side hall, their faces pale.
"Grandma," Zhu Qing's voice was gentler than usual, "Did you find the body?"
"Yes, it was my grandson who saw it first." The old man was both angry and heartbroken. He gently patted the back of his grandson's head with his aged hand. "It's all because of this good-for-nothing boy. I asked him to come with me to burn incense, but he refused... I wasn't watching him while I was burning incense in the main hall, and in the blink of an eye, he sneaked out to play."
The boy shrank his neck.
"Luckily he didn't see clearly, otherwise he'd have nightmares tonight." The old man sighed, hugged his grandson tighter, and said, "Officers, please ask him quickly. I need to take him to see Granny Chen for a ritual to calm his spirit; I don't know if the child saw anything he shouldn't have..."
According to the boy's recollection, he only caught a glimpse of the body's back. Just as he was about to go inside to see what was going on, his grandmother, who had rushed over, stopped him.
Grandma first noticed a pool of blood on the floor of the side hall and screamed. Soon, a kind passerby covered her eyes.
At that moment, the boy was anxiously looking around, searching for the kind person.
"You mean, besides you and your grandson, there was a third person present at the time?" Xu Jiale's pen paused on the record paper.
"It's me."
A short-haired woman stepped forward.
She held a bottle of mineral water in her hand and took out a tissue from her bag, handing it to the boy: "I just went to buy you a bottle of water."
“Madam, sir.” She showed her press card. “I am Deng Yuyan, a reporter from Hong Kong Weekly, and I am doing a special report on the architectural changes of the ancient temples in Hong Kong.”
"Ms. Deng, please describe in detail how the body was discovered."
Deng Yuyan took a deep breath: "It was about 4:55. I came around from the side corridor to check the structure of the side hall. The side hall is completely different from the main hall. There were hardly any people here, and it was very quiet. Suddenly I heard the old lady screaming, so I quickly went over to help her."
"At first, when I saw someone kneeling, I thought they were devout pilgrims, but I soon realized something was wrong."
"What's wrong?"
"It was too quiet. Normal worshippers would usually make some movements or mutter to themselves, but he was completely still. I took a few steps forward before I noticed the bloodstains on his coat."
Xu Jiale quickly jotted down: "Have you been in contact with the body?"
"No, how could we dare touch it? The three of us stood far away."
Xu Jiale glanced at her bare neck: "Didn't you bring a camera?"
“Temples prohibit photography. I tried to persuade them before, but it was no use,” Deng Yuyan said. “So I didn’t bother bringing it.”
At that moment, Doctor Ye's voice came from inside the hall.
"Male, around fifty years old, with a sharp weapon wound to the back." He opened the deceased's collar to examine him. "The livor mortis is abnormal, and the time of death was around three o'clock in the afternoon."
"It was just over an hour ago." Mo Zhenbang stared at the bizarre posture. "Was the kneeling position placed after death?"
“Not sure.” Dr. Ye lifted the deceased’s wrist. “Judging from the stiffness of the joint… it might have been a position maintained by spasms before death.”
"In other words, it's possible that he was attacked while kneeling—" Mo Zhenbang pointed to the wound on the deceased's back.
"The specific details can only be confirmed after a detailed autopsy," Dr. Ye said.
...
The on-site investigation is still in full swing.
“The footprints on the ground are completely unrecognizable.” A police officer squatted on the ground, his gloved fingers lightly touching the incense ash. “This place has obviously not been cleaned for a long time. After the incense ash accumulated to nearly half an inch, all kinds of footprints, from men and women to the young and old, are mixed together.”
Another officer examined the deceased's clothing: "The pants around the knees were covered in dust, and even the prayer mat and altar were covered in a thick layer of dust, indicating that no one had used them for a long time."
"There are absolutely no signs of struggle. Was this a single, fatal blow?"
Haozai unconsciously glanced at the statue in the abandoned side hall and rubbed the goosebumps on his arms.
“Mo sir.” Liang Qikai straightened up from beside the body, holding a wallet in his hand. “An ID card was found in the deceased’s pocket. His name is Wei Huasheng. There is also a mobile phone here.”
“It’s a new model.” Xiao Sun leaned over and glanced at it. “I’ve seen it in an electronics store in Mong Kok. They lock it in the display case and don’t even take it out to show it off… It seems the deceased was well-off.”
The forensic team carefully sealed the note with the childish handwriting.
"'A remarkable father'... Do you think this note belonged to the deceased, or was it left behind by other worshippers in the past?"
"The paper looks wrinkled, but it doesn't fade or yellow."
"Let's take it back first and then talk about it."
Xiao Sun skillfully opened the call log on his mobile phone: "The last call was from his younger brother, and the call log shows it was at 2 pm today."
"This mobile phone must have been bought recently, but after scrolling through the call history for almost ten days, I haven't seen any calls from this younger brother."
"The deceased died around 3 p.m., and his brother happened to call him at 2 p.m. What a coincidence!"
The officers focused intently on collecting every possible piece of evidence, with reports occasionally escaping from the corners.
Before they knew it, it had completely darkened. After completing the initial on-site investigation, the body was transported to the temporary mortuary of the Yau Ma Tei Police Station.
The officers were already very familiar with the entire process, but the sudden overtime work still left everyone scrambling.
Upon returning to the police station, the officers immediately rushed to the restaurant.
"Sister Xiao! Help!"
"We're starving! Quickly, make us something to eat..."
"Anything is fine!"
Sister Xiao quickly stopped the kitchen staff who were about to leave work.
Uncle Ming sighed, put his apron back on, and the familiar sound of tossing the wok immediately filled the kitchen.
Everyone sat around the dining table, waiting for dinner.
"Is it because we haven't worked together for too long? I feel particularly awkward when I'm working with Dr. Ye."
"You think so too? There's absolutely no teamwork!"
When will Dr. Cheng be back?
All eyes turned to Zhu Qing.
"You two know each other best, you know that?"
Then came another round of teasing.
The report was waiting for her to urge them back; now, are we expecting her to urge them to come back?
"I estimate it will take a long time."
"He didn't even mention how long he'd be gone..."
"The schedule was too sudden. I ran into Ben in the cafeteria last time, and he said he only found out on the last day as well."
Zhu Qing looked up.
She recalled that Dr. Cheng's continuing education course would last for six months.
It has only been a little over a month.
Before Zhu Qing could reply, Sister Xiao had already come over with a tray.
Uncle Ming was still quick and efficient. In no time, a large pot of fragrant fried rice was served.
Inside the restaurant, the sounds of people shoveling rice filled the air. Some complained about their plans to go home and have sweet soup, while others were worried about their promise to go shopping with their girlfriends. This sudden incident disrupted all their peaceful moments.
"Inspector Mo has spoken." Hao Zai slumped on the table. "From now on, we need to be on high alert. The good days are over, and we're in for a lot of work."
My colleagues sighed and made fun of me.
I miss home—
"If I had known the police station would be in turmoil starting today, I should have drunk two more bowls of my mother's soup yesterday!"
Zhu Qing ate her fried rice silently.
She didn't want to go home.
Just now, Sheng Peirong was wailing on the phone that Fangfang had invited a group of children to have a party at her house, and the noise was deafening. She didn't have any earplugs at home, so she could only plug her ears with tissues.
If we were still living in the old place, the neighbors would probably have complained long ago.
Zhu Qing still remembers that when Jinbao and Yesibao came to her house, they held onto her, their "niece toy," and wouldn't let go.
Imagine what it would be like to have a dozen or so sparrows in your house these days! I can't even imagine.
Going back now would be like walking into a trap.
Zhu Qing volunteered to work overtime.
"The deceased's brother has arrived." A voice suddenly came from the restaurant entrance, muttering, "What time is it? He's only arriving now."
...
The deceased's younger brother, Wei Xusheng, sat in a chair in the interrogation room, his face solemn.
He kept rubbing his knees with his hands, and several times he tried to speak but then stopped himself.
“My brother… he owns a toy company, quite a large one. I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, it’s called ‘Simiao Toys’,” he said in a low voice. “He’s loved researching these things since he was a child.”
"Tell me more about it."
“When I was little, my family was poor and we couldn’t afford toys. So he built me little houses out of cardboard.” He gestured with his finger to indicate the size of the “house.” “We would hide inside and play. When my parents weren’t home, he would bring in the food he had prepared. This was our favorite game when we were little.”
“And slingshots, we never bought any, my older brother made them all by hand. I was little then, always following him around, playing ‘going hunting.’” Recalling the past, Wei Xusheng sighed deeply, “I really never imagined something like this would happen…”
His voice choked up slightly: "He's been taking care of me since I was a child. He's more like a father than an older brother."
When was the last time you met?
“Three years ago? Maybe four years ago.” Wei Xusheng’s gaze drifted into the distance. “After our parents passed away, we were all busy. He was especially a workaholic. Actually, many families are like this; after the siblings get married, they lose touch.”
"You called him at 2 p.m. this afternoon."
“I did call him,” Wei Xusheng nodded. “I was watching a TV series at the time, and when I saw a scene of deep brotherhood, I suddenly missed my older brother, so I called him and asked him to meet me.”
What did he say?
"He said he's been too busy at work lately and can't get away. Next month is the anniversary of my parents' death, so we'll go together then..."
Zhu Qing didn't look up: "What TV series are you watching?"
Wei Xusheng was stunned for a moment: "W-what?"
"Didn't you say you were moved by the scenes depicting deep brotherhood?" Zhu Qing stopped writing. "What drama was it?"
"I just happened to see it when I randomly flipped through the channels. Madam, now that you've asked so suddenly, I can't remember it right now."
He couldn't recall the name of the TV series, nor could he even recall the names of the characters, actors, or the plot.
Mo Zhenbang glanced at his watch.
“If you’re ready,” Zhu Qing looked up, her gaze lingering on his shifty expression for a moment, “you can identify the body.”
The corridor lights were blindingly bright. The police led the way, and Wei Xusheng followed their steps, but his pace grew heavier and heavier.
He didn't continue forward until he was reminded.
The door to the temporary mortuary was pushed open, and he held his breath.
The forensic doctor lifted a corner of the white sheet.
The body's fatal wounds were covered, leaving only a deathly pale face exposed.
Wei Xusheng abruptly turned his head away.
"It's him...it's my older brother..."
"Who did this?"
Mo Zhenbang's sharp eyes took in every subtle expression of his.
Turning to Zhu Qing, he said, "Give the deceased's family a detailed statement."
...
Shengfang and the children got completely soaked from playing. They rolled and splashed around in the ball pit, looking like little fish that had just been pulled out of the water.
No child can resist the magic of the colorful balls in the ball pit. They tumbled around, playing a game of emergency rescue after being buried in the balls. The children were so engrossed in their fun that they completely forgot about the passing of time until 8:30 when the doorbell rang. Only then did Shengfang lift her flushed, excited face from the ball pit.
His eyes widened.
What's going on?!
Aunt Ping called out from the entrance hall, "Jinbao, your dad's here to pick you up."
Jinbao's father, dressed in a suit and tie, handed Sheng Peirong a business card with gold lettering.
"Ms. Sheng, if you need to purchase gold, you are welcome to visit our gold shop at any time."
"Friends in Kampar are my friends, and discounts are negotiable."
Sheng Peirong gracefully accepted the business card and smiled, "You're too kind."
Next up is Coconut Mom.
She knelt down and wiped her daughter's sweaty forehead with a handkerchief: "Your hair is all stuck to your face. You were playing so wildly!"
Coconut Baby threw herself into her mother's arms: "Mommy, I want to come again tomorrow."
"Come the day after tomorrow, and the day after that." Her vocabulary only went up to "the day after that," but she quickly had a flash of inspiration: "Come for a hundred days!"
Coconut Mom chuckled: "This child..."
Looking at the little girl's innocent and sweet smile, Sheng Peirong couldn't help but wonder if Coco was just as adorable when she was little.
She said gently, "You're welcome anytime."
Coconut bounced up, its little hand tugging at its mother's clothes: "Big sister said you're welcome!"
After seeing off each of the little guests, the buzzing sound in Sheng Peirong's ears gradually subsided.
Only A-Juan and Sheng-Fang remained, still playing in the ball pit. They cherished every minute of their playtime, tossing colorful balls up and down, accompanied by their cheerful laughter.
It's common knowledge that the children in the preschool class have their own dreams.
Inspector Fang always proudly tells everyone that the Yau Ma Tei Police Station will definitely have its own place in the future. At this moment, the surroundings quieted down, and only he and Ah Juan were in the ball pit, and the two children's conversation became more sincere.
"Ah Juan." Sheng Fang tilted her head and gently tossed a bubble ball onto his head. "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I never thought of that." A-Juan used her forehead to push the ball away with a "thud," and successfully pushed it aside, grinning with satisfaction.
How could a child not have thought about what they would do when they grow up!
"You can go to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department!"
What are you going to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department for?
“That mango shaved ice shop on Temple Street—” Sheng Fang said mysteriously, “doesn’t put real mangoes in it! That falls under the jurisdiction of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.”
The sound of children's childish conversation drifted from outside, leaving Sheng Peirong completely bewildered: "What do you mean by real mangoes and fake mangoes?"
Aunt Ping explained with a smile, "A few months ago, Qingqing took the young master to the Temple Street Night Market and discovered this 'shocking secret.' It was the young master who solved the case himself."
Sheng Peirong looked at her younger brother's smug expression.
It seems she's missed many of these fun moments lately.
"Going to ICAC is fine too, we'll be colleagues then."
What is ICAC?
"The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC)." Fangfang shook her head. "You don't even know that? You're such a kid."
The two children were talking about their life goals and almost forgot to play in the ball pit.
Until a "thud," Fangfang resumed the battle.
"I hope your daddy and mommy come later." Sheng Fang clasped her hands together.
"Hope." Ah Juan followed suit and clasped her little hands together.
The doorbell never rang.
Sheng Peirong also made a silent wish in her heart—
Let these two kids play a little longer.
...
At 9 p.m., the meeting room of Major Crimes Unit B was brightly lit.
The whiteboard is still empty, waiting to be filled with clues.
Mo Zhenbang stood in front of the whiteboard, holding a marker. The police officers returned one after another and began to report on the progress of the investigation.
“Wei Huasheng, 51, is the founder of ‘Simei Toys’. The company is quite large. According to the testimonies of employees and his younger brother Wei Xusheng, he is a typical workaholic who spends most of his time at the company.”
"He's not just a businessman, he's also a philanthropist," Xiao Sun added. "Since he started his business, he has been sponsoring impoverished students. His alma mater has a 'Wei Huasheng Education and Teaching Fund.' He also regularly donates money and goods to welfare homes. Everyone in the company speaks highly of him."
Mo Zhenbang flipped through Wei Huasheng's younger brother's statement: "What's the situation with Wei Xusheng?"
“These two brothers are worlds apart. The older brother is hardworking and reliable, while the younger brother is lazy and good-for-nothing. Wei Huasheng has always been the one cleaning up his brother’s messes.”
“In his early years, Wei Xusheng held a sinecure at his brother’s company, but was later fired for embezzling funds. The finance department recalled that this happened about three or four years ago.”
“Three or four years ago?” Mo Zhenbang raised an eyebrow. “Wei Xusheng said they had no contact during that time. But on the day of the incident, he suddenly called and hesitated when asked about it.”
Uncle Li tapped the documents on the table: "What's even more suspicious is that Wei Huasheng is all alone. If something happens to him, the entire company will naturally go to his younger brother."
Are you sure you're single?
"The household registration information shows that he is unmarried, but the specific situation still needs further verification." Xiao Sun glanced at the time and added, "After all, the relevant departments have already closed for the day, and there is no time to investigate clearly."
A brief silence fell over the meeting room, broken only by the sound of files being turned over.
Mo Zhenbang wrote the three characters "Wei Xusheng" on the whiteboard and drew a prominent question mark.
...
The clock struck 9:15, and the last little guest was picked up by his/her parents.
Shengfang clung to the doorframe, waving her little hand reluctantly: "Come play again next time!"
It's winter now, and the children are covered in sweat as if they've just come back from a battle while playing.
Sheng Peirong pinched her nose and urged her younger brother to hurry up and take a shower.
The baby ran to her side, pressed his little face against her, and gave her a bear hug.
He deliberately rubbed against her, leaving small watermarks: "Big sister, don't go overboard."
Sheng Peirong spun her wheelchair, but couldn't avoid the wet, mischievous child. She was both annoyed and amused: "I'll tell Coco in a bit!"
“I’m going to tell Qingzai too.” Sheng Fang mimicked her tone and swaggered up to the bathroom. “She doesn’t care if I’m dirty.”
When he turned around, he leaned on the railing and made a face at his older sister.
Sheng Peirong turned to Aunt Ping and said, "Aunt Ping, look at him..."
“He used to be much more mischievous,” Aunt Ping chuckled. “Now he’s considered well-behaved. But the young master certainly doesn’t remember… If he were to rush into Qingqing’s arms like this, covered in sweat, he would be picked up and carried away in disgust.”
Because Shengfang insisted on "gender differences," Aunt Ping could only stand at the bathroom door and gently knock on it after preparing a change of pajamas for him.
The sound of Fangfang rubbing her tummy could be heard coming from the bathroom.
Not long after, he opened the door a crack and stretched out his chubby, lotus-root-like arms.
His short arms were covered in foam.
"Young master, remember to rinse off the bubbles!"
"Don't play for too long, be careful not to catch a cold..."
Cheerful singing echoed in the bathroom.
The children performed songs and dances solo, with the splashing water serving as their accompaniment.
He had a cotton candy-like bubble on his head, and he held one in his hand. He puffed out his cheeks and blew hard, then suddenly realized—
They didn't buy him marshmallows at yesterday's BBQ!
"Mom, I'm home!"
The children, bobbing their heads and shaking their heads with bubbles on their heads, suddenly opened their eyes wide upon hearing this sound, not even bothering to wipe the bubble water splashing on their faces.
Qingzai is back!
The shower that followed was as fast as a rollercoaster ride.
Baby Fangfang quickly put on her bathrobe, and before she even finished putting on the sleeves, she rushed out barefoot. The bathrobe straps fluttered in the air, and Fangfang ran so fast it seemed like she was flying, waving her jubilant little hands on the second floor.
Like a happy caveman.
He leaned on the second-floor railing, gazing longingly downstairs.
Zhu Qing just got off work at this time. She bent down to pick up the scattered ocean balls, kicking one every few steps.
"This is a ball pit that Miss specially prepared for the young master," Aunt Ping said with a smile. "The children went crazy playing in it last night."
Zhu Qing picked up the ball again, flicked her wrist, and the ball traced a beautiful parabola in mid-air before falling back into the ball pit.
"Is Shengfang asleep?" Zhu Qing asked. "Let him clean up himself."
With a "whoosh," Shengfang retracted its little head that had been sticking out.
It's so late, and he's still just a little kid, of course he's asleep.
The sound of footsteps rang out, and Shengfang dashed back to her room, slamming the door shut behind her.
Fangfang quickly lay down in bed.
Not long after, his ears twitched; someone had opened the door.
Shengfang lay obediently on her side, her little hands nervously clutching the ears of her teddy bear, her round back facing the door—
This Qingzai, coming in without knocking, that's outrageous!
Are you asleep?
Shengfang, using her hearing to pinpoint the location, continued to pretend to be asleep with her eyes closed.
Only when the footsteps seemed to fade into the distance did he secretly turn his head.
I spotted Zhu Qing leaning against the door at a glance.
"I caught you?"
"What kind of hero lies with a child!" Little Fangfang sat up abruptly, her little face puffed up with anger.
"I'm not a hero, I'm just a niece."
Shengfang couldn't win the argument with her niece, so she could only express her protest with a series of "humphs".
As she turned to leave, the little girl pouted and leaned forward, her small body almost hanging off the edge of the bed.
Not long after, Zhu Qing returned.
She pulled Fangfang to sit down, plugged in the hairdryer, and started drying the little one's hair.
A warm breeze brushed against the wet little head.
Shengfang comfortably squinted her eyes, then opened them again, her chubby little face coming closer, tilting her head to act cute.
Zhu Qing was captivated by the adorable child and racked her brains to recall—
What bad thing did he just do?
She couldn't remember at all.
...
We've been living in Kadoorie Hill for a week now, and the whole family has gotten used to it, except for Shengfang, who always wakes up early because he's excited.
For him, this new home is of extraordinary significance. The child explores every corner of the house, and always rolls out of bed without hesitation when the first ray of sunlight shines into the room in the morning.
Winter is the best time to sleep, but this little kid not only doesn't sleep himself, he also drags his niece to sleep with him.
"Knock knock—"
"Knock knock knock—"
“I knocked on the door.” Sheng Fang said to Zhu Qing’s door.
Their daughter, Qingzai, didn't say a word in the bedroom.
Since that's the case, let's assume she agreed.
"I'm coming in!"
The little girl tiptoed through the door and skipped in with cheerful steps.
Zhu Qing buried herself completely in the blankets, with only the back of her head showing, and her hands tightly covering her ears.
The alarm clock on the bedside table was mercilessly turned upside down.
The alarm clock hadn't gone off yet, but nothing beat Fangfang's sweet, childlike voice calling out. He grabbed her finger and shook it: "Get up!"
"I don't want to."
"Get up—"
Zhu Qing reached out to reach the alarm clock on the bedside table.
The child immediately moved the alarm clock further away.
"It's too early to bloom!"
Let's play together.
"don't want……"
The young master of the Sheng family had plenty of patience. He pressed his soft, chubby face against Qingzai's face, but when that didn't work, he climbed onto the bed with both hands and feet, lay on her back, and swung his short legs back and forth.
"Qingzai!" Shengfang exclaimed in surprise, "We look like hamburgers!"
If you sandwich "Uncle Bear" between them, that's the most authentic hamburger.
But he was too lazy to go, and just kept muttering to himself.
Zhu Qing finally reached her breaking point.
She suddenly rolled over, and the little one immediately tumbled off her back and sank into the soft blankets.
Fangfang lay on her stomach, blinking her round eyes: "Good morning."
Zhu Qing sat up with messy hair, her face full of morning grumpiness.
The child's head came closer again.
Is being cute really a magic bullet?
At least for Zhu Qing, the answer is yes.
She pinched his chubby cheeks in an annoyed tone: "Get up!"
Downstairs in the kitchen, Aunt Ping had already prepared a sumptuous breakfast, and the aroma wafted through the air.
Sheng Peirong had already washed and dressed and was sitting at the dining table. She wasn't going to work or school, but she still got up early to have breakfast with her family. For her now, the regained family affection transformed every simple breakfast into a reunion meal.
These days, Sheng Peirong sometimes sits in a wheelchair, and sometimes she takes a slow walk around the courtyard by herself.
She never missed her twice-weekly rehabilitation sessions. Her steps became more steady each day, and she even looked forward to taking Coco and her little brother to the department store in the near future.
Shengfang is always a top eater, and the breakfast placed in front of her was eaten clean.
Finally, he slowly finished drinking the milk, and didn't forget to wipe his little mouth with a tissue.
Zhu Qing put her arm around his little shoulder: "Finished eating?"
The little girl, Shengfang, is very perceptive. Sensing Qingzai's gentle tone, her smile blossomed.
"I'm done eating!"
"Then go and tidy up the bubble balls in the yard."
What is Qingzai saying? Shengfang looked at her in shock, reasonably suspecting that she was taking revenge.
Fangfang looked pitifully at Aunt Ping, then stared at her eldest sister with a wronged expression.
They immediately turned to talk about the weather, pretending not to have seen or heard anything.
This was ordered by his niece; no one else would interfere.
Fangfang could only stand up dejectedly and drag her heavy steps into the courtyard.
There are designated parking spaces for bicycles in the yard.
This is where the little bicycle comes in handy, allowing the children to begin their morning patrol.
The morning sun was warm and gentle, and through the French windows, you could see a small figure riding his bicycle around the yard, panting and groaning. Every time he picked up a ball, he carefully placed it in the small basket on the front of his bicycle.
When Fangfang inadvertently met Zhu Qing's gaze by the window, she immediately turned her head away, saying, "I'm ignoring you."
Zhu Qing leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window and mouthed, "Oh."
...
After cleaning up the ball pit that filled the yard, Fangfang looked like a little old man, rubbing his back.
Zhu Qing had previously made a promise with Sheng Fang that when she wasn't busy, she could drop him off at kindergarten on her way.
But now she's been assigned a new case with a multitude of clues, so she needs to get back to the police station as soon as possible to organize the information.
The school bus also has a stop at Kadoorie Hill, but the person refused and insisted on going with her.
Sheng Fang came up with a good idea: first, take her niece's car to Yau Ma Tei, and then transfer to the school bus.
"This is unnecessary." Zhu Qing pinched his little nose, but still opened the car door.
On my way to work, I heard the announcer's clear voice coming from the car radio.
"It's 8:00 AM now. We're bringing you today's morning news."
"Yesterday, an incident occurred at Tin Hau Temple in Yau Ma Tei..."
Shengfang, sitting in the back seat, was holding her little schoolbag, her face pressed against the car window, watching the fleeting street scene with a smug smile on her face, though it was unclear what she was happy about.
Kadoorie Hill is not far from Yau Ma Tei Police Station. After a short drive, Zhu Qing parked the car at the Yau Ma Tei school bus stop.
When they got off the bus, Fangfang naturally slipped her chubby little hand into Zhu Qing's palm, completely forgetting the feud between the uncle and nephew at home.
"Qingzai, can you invite the kids over to play again next time?"
"sure."
"I'm going to make them pick up the popcorn themselves!"
"Then how can we tell who threw it?"
Shengfang quickly came up with a solution.
The pink ball went to Xiaomei, the yellow ball went to Jinbao, and the purple ball went to...
"And you?"
"I choose blue!"
Shengfang tilted her little face up and pointed to the clear blue sky: "This is the kind of blue."
The uncle and niece always have endless whispered conversations.
Fangfang secretly hoped that the school bus would come later.
“That’s right! Qingzai!” Sheng Fang stood on tiptoe, about to say something, but was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Zhu Qing?"
Mo Zhenbang's voice came from behind.
He lived in the back alley, and at that moment he was chewing on half a slice of toast, his jacket casually draped over his shoulder.
"Uncle Li has made a new discovery." He swallowed the bread in a few bites.
Zhu Qing immediately perked up her ears.
"The household registration information is incomplete; the deceased was not unmarried, but divorced."
"Ten years ago, the deceased and his wife were suspected of a child abuse case."
"The victim was their own son."
Shengfang tugged at Zhu Qing's clothes and called out in a soft voice, "Qingzai, Qingzai!"
"Do you remember that note under the cushion? It said 'Amazing Dad'..."
"It is said that in the past, parents would often bring clothes of their deceased children to that abandoned side hall to perform rituals."
"That is the Hall of Atonement, which is specifically used to help children find peace."
The little boy was so anxious that he kept spinning around in circles, but Zhu Qing listened attentively to the case details.
She didn't come to her senses until the school bus stopped by the roadside, and then she helped the little one onto the bus.
"What were you trying to say?" she finally remembered and asked.
The school bus doors slowly closed.
Through the car window, two chubby little hands made a scissor gesture, opening and closing as they moved sideways in the carriage.
Mo Sir looked puzzled: "What is he talking about?"
“Maybe…” Zhu Qing translated, “Don’t forget to take him out for Typhoon Shelter Crab tonight.”
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