Chapter 38 "Is it worth hating?"
Police verified Fang Yayun's alibi with the symphony orchestra members. Everyone was taking the upcoming international performance very seriously. To adjust to the time difference in advance, the orchestra members had been arriving at the rehearsal venue at 5 a.m. for nearly half a month, and even when there was a thunderstorm warning, everyone persevered regardless of the weather.
Arriving at 5 a.m. meant having to get up between 4 and 4:30 a.m. to prepare. Everyone was sleep-deprived, and the orchestra's progress was slowed down by someone being late. Everyone was waiting, and it was impossible not to complain. That's why Fang Ya-yun's one-hour absence on Wednesday morning was so memorable; one person's statement immediately confirmed the inconsistencies in her alibi.
That evening, Fang Yayun was taken to the Yau Ma Tei Police Station.
“Your father was murdered between 5 and 6 a.m. on Wednesday. You should know this better than any of us.”
"Where were you so early? What were you doing?"
Xu Jiale and Haozai were responsible for the questioning during this interrogation.
Two young detectives from the criminal investigation team kept a close eye on the suspect, not letting any clue slip by.
The lighting in the interrogation room made every tiny detail of her actions crystal clear.
Fang Yayun raised her head, and before she could even speak, she let out a cold laugh.
"Are you kidding me? After investigating this case for so long, they've actually started suspecting me?"
"Are they now trying to smear the deceased's own daughter?"
"Officer, is this how you waste taxpayers' money? Is this how your Major Crimes Unit explains things to the victims' families?!"
Fang Yayun's ear tips flushed slightly with excitement, but her back remained ramrod straight.
She crossed her long, slender hands on her knees, and after a moment of silence, she finally spoke reluctantly, her voice filled with obvious anger.
“It’s the same rehearsal every day, who would bother to remember these trivial things? If I have to report every single detail of my day’s schedule, then what’s the point of having you police officers?”
“That morning at five o’clock, I was supposed to go straight to the symphony orchestra rehearsal. But I went to Zhengyin Piano Shop instead.”
She took a business card out of her handbag and slapped it on the interrogation table.
“It takes 20 minutes to drive from my home to Zheng Yin Music School, and then it takes exactly one hour to get back to the rehearsal hall from Zheng Yin Music School.”
What are you going to Zhengyin Music Store for?
"Sir, of course I went to Zheng Yin Piano Shop to get the piano tuned. The day before, during rehearsal, I felt that the piano pedals were a bit stuck, but since rehearsal had just ended and I had made plans to have dinner with a friend, I forgot about it. It wasn't until I went out on Wednesday morning that I suddenly remembered it, so I made a detour to Zheng Yin Piano Shop to get a part from a tuner I know."
"Your family owns a music store, why would you go to another music store to find a tuner?"
“My family owns a music store, so of course I know best that we’re closed every Wednesday. Even if we weren’t closed, we wouldn’t be opening at five in the morning.” Fang Yayun raised her eyes. “The tuner at Zhengyin Music Store, who is also the owner of the store, lives behind the store. If you knock on the door too hard, you can wake him up.”
"If you don't believe me, you can check it out." Fang Yayun gestured with her chin toward the business card on the table. "Master Chen, just ask him. Don't bring him back specifically and interfere with his business."
"Do you think I need to teach a police officer how to do things?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Jiale got up and came out of the interrogation room. He stood by the door and made a gesture, and someone immediately stepped forward.
After Xu Jiale whispered something to him, he immediately nodded and jogged away.
In the interrogation room, Haozai mentioned the story of how Fang Yayun and her first love were broken up by Fang Songsheng.
Ye Xuelin, a reporter from the Hong Kong Morning Post, and Lü Qiyun happened to be friends for many years. Naturally, he wouldn't be as cautious in front of her as he was in front of Zhu Qing. At that time, through the telephone receiver, Mo Zhenbang vaguely heard Ye Xuelin say that when they broke up, Fang Yayun couldn't let go of the pianist's aloofness and pride on the surface, but she made a huge scene at home behind his back... She went on a hunger strike and overdosed on pills. The breakup almost took half her life.
This is what Mo Sir and the others said, but now, perhaps time has healed the wounds, and when she mentions what happened back then, her eyes show no emotion.
“His family wasn’t well-off, and my dad was worried that I would suffer if I stayed with him, so he intervened and made me leave him. When you’re young, you might not understand and think that love is everything, but you gradually realize that your dad had good intentions.”
“My father said something very true: how old was I back then? My career was just starting out, and I foolishly got married and stayed home to be a wife and mother. It’s not like love can sustain you forever.”
"You mean I killed my father because of what happened back then?"
Fang Yayun chuckled, glanced at them with disdain, and shook her head.
The two officers looked at each other.
They did not believe that this was Fang Yayun's motive for murder, but neither the overturned alibi nor the phone call at the North Point phone booth could rule out her suspicion.
"Officers, haven't you found out yet? Henry and I are getting engaged soon." She paused deliberately, implying, "It's that first love you mentioned."
Fang Yayun said that back then, she and Henry were both young and blinded by love. Their suicidal act only hurt themselves. Fang Songsheng did indeed look down on Henry's family background, believing he had no future, and forcibly broke them up. But now, Henry has finally made it. After graduating, he started from the bottom, working hard and persevering, finally establishing himself in the catering industry. That Western restaurant in Causeway Bay, popular with celebrities, is just one of his businesses. When he confidently asked to reconcile with her, what could his father say?
Xu Jiale asked in surprise, "Isn't Henry engaged?"
"They got engaged, but then he couldn't forget me, so they broke up." Fang Yayun asked in surprise, "Is that illegal?"
She gave a disdainful smirk, leaned back, and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Back then, my dad was worried that he couldn’t bring me happiness, but now that Henry is doing so well, he’s very pleased.”
"Both sets of parents met at Gaosheng Seafood Restaurant. Should we check the surveillance footage again?"
Xu Jiale opened the file and pulled out a photo.
That was a surveillance video that the police had copied with a camera.
“At 8:32 pm on Tuesday, you made a phone call to Fong Chung-sing from a phone booth on King’s Road in North Point.”
After the police finished speaking, Fang Yayun completely lost her patience.
"Your serious crimes unit solves cases based on photos where you can't even make out facial features?"
“I haven’t called my dad. Besides, we have a phone at home, why would I go to a phone booth to make a call?”
"Officer, I'm of average build, it's just a back view, do you think it looks like me?"
At this point, she retorted, "As a family member of the deceased, I am also a victim. Why are you police still doing meaningless things until now? I've said it many times, Li Ziyao is the murderer, when are you going to arrest her?"
"Knock knock—"
Xu Jiale went to open the door.
The police officer who was responsible for verifying the testimony of the tuner at Zheng Yin Piano Shop has returned.
Fang Yayun's alibi was verified within just forty minutes.
She gave the only genuine smile of the night: "Can I go now?"
...
As a child, Zhu Qing hated evil and wickedness, and now Sheng Fang is just as upright and incorruptible.
"Qingzai, there's no mango in the shaved ice. Let's call the police!"
"This is not under the jurisdiction of the police."
"Who's in charge?"
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.
The shaved ice shop owner looked flustered.
Everyone's just opening their doors to do business and trying to save costs, why does it have to involve the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department!
Fortunately, Madam had no intention of getting entangled with him over this matter.
For Zhu Qing, the fact that Shengfang didn't have an allergic reaction is a huge blessing.
As she turned to leave, Fangfang made a face at the shaved ice shop owner.
Luckily, the shaved ice was delicious, so I didn't hold it against him. Congratulations to him!
During her subsequent trip to the night market, Zhu Qing became much more cautious.
Before each payment, Zhu Qing would ask a question—
Are you allergic?
"Won't!"
Shengfang ate with relish, her mouth stuffed full, like a little squirrel.
Before you can even swallow the first bite, the next bite is already at your lips.
Are you allergic?
"Won't."
Are you allergic to this?
"No, no, no!"
Qingzai is so long-winded, can't you be like usual?
Be cool!
"If you have another allergic reaction in any area next time, remember to tell me as soon as possible."
Zhu Qing gave him one last check of his eyes and lips.
It seems normal; she can refocus her attention on that tricky case.
So, my niece became distracted after that.
"Qingzai, roasted chestnuts!" Shengfang stood in front of the large iron pot, her eyes shining.
She recalled the mocking tone her roommate Luo Weiwei used when mentioning Li Ziyao.
My roommate said that Li Ziyao had hooked up with a rich guy and was willing to cook and do housework for him, acting all cute and virtuous, just to coax him... Zhu Qing didn't know Luo Weiwei well and couldn't tell whether those were genuine words or an act, but one thing was certain.
"It smells so good!" Fangfang stood on tiptoe.
Zhu Qing: "Don't make a fuss."
It's certain that today, when Luo Weiwei mentions the time she spent with him in Lan Kwai Fong after she turned seventeen... there's a hint of reluctance in her eyes.
The timid girl, afraid to speak loudly, was always bullied. That was also the Xin Xin sister in Zhu Qing's memory; it was Luo Weiwei who had always taken care of her, shaping her into who she is today. There was no good or bad; at least, she could finally protect herself.
“Roasted chestnuts…” Sheng Fang said again.
"Shut up!"
Fang Fang grinned and stomped around in place: "Stir-fried! It's done!
My niece has started focusing on solving the case again.
He understood that solving the case was incredibly rewarding.
As long as my niece obediently pays for roasted chestnuts—
Fangfang will definitely forgive her easily!
...
On the way home, the streetlights cast long shadows of Zhu Qing and Sheng Fang.
When Fangfang was peeling chestnuts, she used all her strength in her chin, and the flesh on her cheeks trembled slightly as the chestnuts were peeled open.
The baby quietly feeds himself, gently nibbling at the millet with his teeth.
My niece said that he is still very young and cannot eat a whole chestnut in one big bite, as it could get stuck in his trachea and be very dangerous.
While Shengfang was immersed in her own world of happiness, Zhu Qing was recalling Li Ziyao's expression when she first mentioned her adoptive parents.
Li Ziyao said that no one could help her; they had all passed away.
Looking back, that letter and that photo actually show how much the adoptive parents valued Xin Xin.
If Li Ziyao committed murder because of her "happy childhood," then by fabricating a family background that she was abused, her motive for murder would be invalid, and thus, she could be cleared of suspicion.
Following this line of thought, Zhu Qing suspected that the deaths of Li Ziyao's adoptive parents were related to Fang Songsheng.
"Don't eat so much," Zhu Qing said. "It will cause indigestion."
They strolled downstairs to their apartment building, and even after entering and exiting the elevator, Fangfang was still peeling chestnuts.
Zhu Qing reminded him to eat less, but suddenly, he reached into his pocket.
I've been peeling chestnuts all the way here, and they're all in my bag.
"Qingzai, this is tastier than peach shortbread."
Zhu Qing was taken aback: "What?"
"I'll treat you to chestnuts, we won't have peach shortbread!"
Shengfang has no friends and doesn't understand the friendship between adults.
He himself can no longer remember things from his childhood, but Aunt Ping said that Qingzai remembers them and cares about them a lot.
The peach shortbread in the old-fashioned pastry box in my memory is the taste of Qingzai's childhood.
She cherishes her childhood memories.
The containers held the roasted chestnuts that the children pulled out of their pockets.
His smile was innocent and pure, like he was showing off a treasure, making people unconsciously overlook whether his pockets were clean or not.
Shengfang didn't know how to comfort her niece, so she could only peel some roasted chestnuts for her.
Zhu Qing didn't know how to express her feelings, so she could only eat roasted chestnuts.
They got out of the elevator, turned into the stairwell, and sat on the stairs, eating and chatting.
"Fangfang, what have you been carrying in your pockets?"
"Ultraman's poop."
Zhu Qing: ?
"Just kidding! Ultraman is a toy, he doesn't poop."
Zhu Qing, like her uncle, ate herself into a little hamster.
Her nose stung, and her voice was muffled: "Are you sure you won't have an allergic reaction? Aunt Ping isn't strong enough to carry you to the hospital."
"No," Sheng Fang assured Qingzi. "You go investigate the case!"
Zhu Qing sent the blooming flowers back.
Aunt Ping was waiting inside the house, which was brightly lit. They waved to her so she could go to work without worry.
That night, Zhu Qing didn't know what time she would be able to get home.
Upon arriving at the Yau Ma Tei Police Station, the CID office was also brightly lit.
The sounds of rushing around, the rustling of turning pages in case files, the repeated playback of surveillance footage...
These voices intertwined, accompanying the passing of time. No one was discouraged or disheartened; every officer remained focused on their work.
Suddenly, Xiao Sun rushed back from outside.
"Found it!" He rushed back to the police station, leaning against the office door frame, his shirt soaked with sweat, panting heavily. "Finally found it!"
...
There are too many suspicious points. We know that Li Ziyao cannot be innocent, but she does have an alibi.
The hotel lobby and corridor surveillance videos clearly show the time, the convenience store clerk's testimony, and even the complaint from the guest in the next room. With such a perfect alibi, where exactly did things go wrong?
In addition to Li Ziyao, the police are also investigating her roommate Luo Weiwei.
Luo Weiwei works at a bar, so she has even more witnesses at night. At five o'clock on Wednesday morning, while others are still asleep, she has only just finished work.
That day, she was so drunk she could barely stand, swaying as she walked home in her high heels. According to witness testimony, Luo Weiwei left Lan Kwai Fong at 4 PM, and arrived home after 4 AM, just as the owner of her breakfast cart was leaving her building downstairs. At that moment, she was seen vomiting while leaning against a streetlight. Given her state of intoxication, it was impossible for Luo Weiwei to sober up in such a short time and then go to the Wan Chai music store to commit murder.
More logically, Luo Weiwei was merely cooperating with Li Ziyao in an act. Whether it was her whereabouts or the subtle clues she deliberately left behind, everything was orchestrated by Li Ziyao to guide the police investigation.
What she was trying to hide was clearly her family background.
"Fang Songsheng was already a piano teacher before he opened the music store. This is a photo of him when he was young."
The crowd gathered around Fang Songsheng's old photograph, examining it closely.
"Long hair? He really looks like a dashing artist."
“I estimate that Li Ziyao wasn’t even born when he took this photo.”
"Fang Yayun is twenty-six, and Li Ziyao is twenty-seven. Who could accept someone their own age as their stepmother?"
"Wait a minute." Someone pulled out a file. "And who is this Ni Fangrun?"
Mo Zhenbang spread the information that Xiao Sun had found out on the conference table: "Li Ziyao's adoptive mother comes from a wealthy family. Back then, her family hired a piano teacher for her..."
“Li Ziyao’s adoptive mother, Ni Fangrun, was once Fang Songsheng’s student.”
...
It was 11 p.m. when Li Ziyao had just stepped into her home.
Her hair was still a little damp, and her face, without heavy makeup, looked exceptionally clean. When she heard the knock on the door, she came out and, the moment she saw Zhu Qing, a smile appeared in her eyes and the corners of her lips unconsciously turned up.
"How did you get here..."
Her words abruptly stopped as she noticed the other police officers around Zhu Qing.
In the brief silence, everyone's gaze was fixed on Li Ziyao's face.
She was without makeup and completely unguarded, which made her eyes appear even brighter.
However, Li Ziyao herself didn't seem to be used to it, and raised her hand to tuck a strand of wet hair behind her ear.
Luo Weiwei's affectionate, laughing voice came from inside the house. She had just come out of her room and poked her head out to ask, "Yaoyao, which shop's white sugar cake did you bring back yesterday? The filling from that shop is really—"
Luo Weiwei suddenly froze.
She didn't hear the knocking and then realized that there were so many police officers standing outside the door.
"Ms. Li, we now suspect you are involved in a murder case. Please come with us to the police station to assist with the investigation."
Li Ziyao lowered her eyes.
Zhu Qing was all too familiar with that expression.
One time, I stood at her door with pastries in my arms; the other time, I took the initiative to invite her to a coffee shop to catch up.
When rejected, Li Ziyao's eyes would dim like this.
"Do you still doubt me?" Li Ziyao stared into Zhu Qing's eyes and asked softly.
There was no reply for a long time.
After Li Ziyao changed her clothes and left with the police, she suddenly heard Zhu Qing's voice.
“I have never given my address to Dean Guo.”
Li Ziyao's silhouette suddenly froze.
When Li Ziyao visited her that day, she said that she had found out her address from Dean Guo.
But Zhu Qing always knew that it was just an excuse.
Zhu Qing knew that she had long been a part of Li Ziyao's plan.
but……
What exactly is her role?
...
Everyone is working overtime, even the clerical staff member Sister Zhen is very busy, staying at the police station to organize files and documents for everyone.
Hearing footsteps, she looked up and saw Zhu Qing, saying, "You're back just in time. Your kid called you."
Just a few hours after they parted, her uncle called to check on Qingzai.
When Zhu Qing brought the phone receiver to her ear, she heard the child's familiar voice.
"Qingzai, are you going home tonight?"
Back at the police station, Li Ziyao was detained in the interrogation room. She seemed to cooperate, but still couldn't say anything meaningful.
Zhu Qing is still searching for any missing clues by reviewing the previous statements.
"Going home." Zhu Qing held the receiver between her ear and shoulder, turning a page of the transcript. "But I don't know what time it will be. You guys go to sleep first."
After she finished speaking, she reached out to hang up the receiver, when suddenly the child on the other end of the line shouted sharply in a cute but fierce tone—
"Zhu Qing! Don't hang it!"
The children had already anticipated this.
My niece hung up the phone immediately after saying what she wanted to say, without even saying goodbye, which is very impolite.
“You should say goodbye first, and you should ask me like this first—” the uncle said earnestly, drawing out the words, “Fangfang, are you done talking? I’m going to hang up now, goodbye!”
"Let it go."
The uncle replied with satisfaction, "Yes."
"It's already past eleven o'clock, why aren't you asleep yet?" Zhu Qing squinted her eyes.
"..." Sheng Fang was silent for three seconds, then said, "Goodbye!"
Just as Sister Zhen put down her teacup, she saw that Zhu Qing had already ended the call.
She laughed and said, "So fast? I thought you were going to chat for a long time."
"One sentence was enough to scare him into hanging up the phone."
"You're the only one who can handle him," Haozai said, leaning against his desk as he passed by. "After all, she's your own niece."
Before Zhu Qing could reply, her expression suddenly hardened, and she quickly opened the notebook.
Lines of text became clear before my eyes...
She finally understood why her older sister, Xin Xin, had a birthday.
...
A knock sounded on the interrogation room door, and Zhu Qing stood in the doorway.
“Mr. Mo,” she said, “I want to give it a try.”
The interrogation continued in the interrogation room, and Uncle Li was losing patience.
"The sleeping pills found in the deceased's body were prescription drugs from overseas. Did you provide them?"
"The deceased, Fang Songsheng, had a connection with your adoptive mother, didn't he?"
"When you were seventeen, your adoptive parents died. Was it related to Fang Songsheng? Fang Songsheng killed them, and you approached him and killed him in revenge!"
“Officer, your imagination is too vivid,” Li Ziyao said.
Zhu Qing stood by the door and suddenly asked, "Your adoptive parents—"
Li Ziyao looked up.
Are they your biological parents?
With a "thud," Li Ziyao knocked over the disposable water cup on the table.
The cup contained lukewarm water. She was clearly at a loss, wiping her clothes and the interrogation table with her hands.
Zhu Qing had found the answer in her heart.
Most children raised in orphanages don't have a precise birthdate. Unless they were found with a red paper bearing their birth date and time on their person when abandoned, the orphanage has no way of knowing their true birth date. Director Guo has never cared about such trivial matters, let alone had the leisure to organize any group birthday parties for them. When registering their identity documents back then, the date of birth was arbitrarily written as January 1st, purely to fulfill the registration requirements.
However, Dai Feng had Li Ziyao's birthday tattooed on his wrist, and the way he looked with red eyes at the time didn't seem like he was faking his affection.
Li Ziyao has a birthday.
It was her parents' gift, her real birthday.
Uncle Li has been searching for so long, but he hasn't even gotten a decent clue.
He went out to get some tissues, and when he came back, he said to Zhu Qing, "I'm leaving this to you. I'm going out for some fresh air."
"Zhu Qing." Mo Zhenbang gestured for her to sit down next to him.
"Dean Guo said that the couple wanted to adopt a well-behaved and beautiful girl. As is customary, she showed them information on children under seven years old."
“But they were very picky. They looked at many welfare homes, and finally they took a liking to you at our welfare home. That year, you were fourteen years old.”
"Li Ziyao, they have a target."
“The fourteen-year-old girl refers to their biological daughter.” Zhu Qing looked at her and said with certainty, “From the very beginning, they were after you.”
“You have a strong motive to kill.”
"From fourteen to seventeen, those three years were the happiest time of your life. Until the deceased Fang Songsheng suddenly appeared and destroyed everything."
“Is that right?” she asked.
After a long silence, a smile appeared on Li Ziyao's lips.
The little girl who always said she wanted to be a policewoman when she was little grew up to become one. She was very perceptive and only one step away from the truth.
“You’re right.” Li Ziyao thought for a long time, then shook her head. “But you’re also not right.”
Afterwards, Zhu Qing and Mo Zhenbang heard a story.
A story from a long time ago.
...
Twenty-eight years ago on Repulse Bay Road in Hong Kong, the villas of the Ni and Li families were only a few hundred meters apart. Ni Fangrun and Li Xueren were well-matched in terms of social standing and were childhood sweethearts, a couple tacitly approved by their parents.
That year, they were still very young, inexperienced and naive, and their elders had planned out their future for them.
Go abroad to study first, and then consider marriage after you return.
However, when Ni Fangrun received her admission notice from the art academy, she encountered an unexpected problem. The compulsory piano course posed a challenge for Ni Fangrun. Accustomed to holding a paintbrush, her fingers seemed particularly clumsy when touching the piano keys. If she participated in the assessment with such a level of skill, she would not only fail to pass the exam, but she would also be unable to meet even the basic performance requirements.
Therefore, piano teacher Fang Songsheng came to her home.
That year, Fang Songsheng was thirty-two years old, and Ni Fangrun was nineteen.
"You tell me, isn't coercion through a combination of coaxing and deception a crime?" Li Ziyao said calmly. "She was trembling with fear, but Fang Songsheng told her it was normal. He even said, 'It's not the first time, why pretend to be innocent?'"
During that period, Ni Fangrun spent her days in tears and suffered from insomnia night after night. The most painful time was when she had to pretend that nothing had happened in front of the gentle and considerate Li Xueren, so she proposed breaking up.
Li Xueren tried everything to persuade her to stay, but her mind was made up.
"A month later, as planned, he had to leave Hong Kong to pursue his studies alone."
"At that time, she was on the verge of collapse and could no longer continue her studies, so she asked someone to arrange for her to take a leave of absence and recuperate at home."
Ni Fangrun knew she was pregnant during the dead of winter, but she kept it a secret until she had to ask her parents for help. By then, she was already over four months pregnant. Her piano teacher, Fang Songsheng, said he was willing to marry her and give her a proper status. Ni's parents were furious and would never allow them to have any further involvement, but for their daughter's reputation, they never publicized the matter. They took her to a private hospital for a checkup, where the doctor determined that the risks and difficulties of miscarriage were significantly higher than in early pregnancy. Given her physical condition, surgery was not advisable, as it could lead to severe bleeding—too risky.
The doctor advised her to give birth to the child.
"She gave birth to a baby girl in a private hospital, and the child, who didn't even have a name, was taken away that same day."
Not long after, she boarded a flight and left this place of sorrow.
"But in their sixth year abroad, Ni Fangrun and Li Xueren unexpectedly reunited, and he still had her breakup letter from back then."
Li Ziyao continued, "They got back together."
They had been married for many years but had no children.
Ni Fangrun had a secret hidden in her heart, and on that day, she finally mustered up the courage to confide in him.
Only then did Li Xueren learn the truth about their breakup years ago.
He said that the one who was wrong was never her, but the beastly Fang Songsheng.
"If I had known it would be like this, Dad would never have let Mom face it alone." Li Ziyao's eyes softened.
Ni Fangrun's parents sent her to an orphanage after she was born, but fourteen years later, the orphanage had moved and they had lost contact with her.
After returning to Hong Kong, Ni Fangrun and Li Xueren visited welfare homes all over the country. They had suspected that the child had been adopted long ago, until the day they saw Xin Xin.
They met Xin Xin, a fourteen-year-old girl from the welfare home.
She bears a striking resemblance to Ni Fangrun, with a small mole behind her ear.
Ni Fangrun knew that she had found her daughter.
“I didn’t know anything at that time,” Li Ziyao said. “After living with my new parents for a few months, one day my mother suddenly cupped my face, looked at it from left to right, and then called my father over in surprise.”
“They say my earlobes are almost identical to my dad’s, and even the curve of our smiles is similar.”
"It wasn't until much later that I understood why they were happy."
In 1982, DNA paternity testing technology was first introduced, attracting global attention.
Therefore, thirteen years ago, Li Ziyao went abroad with her adoptive parents for the first time.
After the test results came out, Li Xueren and Ni Fangrun cried uncontrollably.
“Actually, my dad didn’t care. He’s been loving towards me ever since the day he took me home. But when the DNA report came out, it was like unwrapping a gift, and he was overjoyed.”
“My mother said that she calculated the time and I should be Fang Songsheng’s daughter, but maybe I was born prematurely or misremembered my period. Anyway, the final result is that I have nothing to do with that scumbag.”
“They were both happy and guilty, blaming themselves for making me suffer for fourteen years for no reason… But I know that it’s not their fault, it’s Fang Songsheng’s fault.”
As for the cause of death of Li Ziyao's parents, it had nothing to do with Fang Songsheng.
They were expanding their business overseas when a sudden traffic accident left them forever on a foreign highway.
"Because of Fang Songsheng, you only had three short years to spend with your parents," Mo Zhenbang said. "So, that's your reason for taking action?"
“Officer,” Li Ziyao raised her head and said slowly, “If you had evidence, we should be in court right now, shouldn’t we?”
...
Li Ziyao set up so many obstacles, one after another, to guide the police investigation into everything she wanted them to know.
However, she did not expect that they would find out about her relationship with her parents.
Li Ziyao had a very strong motive for murder, but she had an alibi.
Could it be a case of hiring someone to commit murder?
Even if it was a case of hiring someone to commit murder, evidence still needs to be found, such as the absence of any unusual fund flows in her accounts.
There's another point that Zhu Qing still can't understand.
Why did Li Ziyao come to her house?
What role did she play in this case?
Zhu Qing arrived home at 2 a.m.
On the shoe-changing bench in the entryway, Aunt Ping had left a note reminding her that the soup in the pot in the kitchen had just been made that evening. Next to Aunt Ping's note, the child had drawn a thumbs-up and written "Delicious" in English.
Zhu Qing went into the kitchen and served herself a bowl of soup.
When the pager went off, she quickly reached out to press it down, afraid of waking the child and Aunt Ping.
Zhu Qing walked to the phone and called back: "Yongshan?"
"I have great news for you! We've found the CCTV footage from North Point!"
"It was a jewelry store, a whole street away from that old-fashioned phone booth where you make calls. Inspector Leung and I asked door to door before we finally found it. Do you know how cautious she was? She sat in a taxi; she didn't even drive her own car!"
"The security camera at the entrance of the jewelry store captured a taxi speeding by. She was sitting in the back seat, wearing a baseball cap and a black trench coat, but the camera captured her face clearly."
Zeng Yongshan and Liang Qikai spent the entire night reviewing the surveillance footage.
Seeing the bloodshot eyes and aching shoulders, I suddenly fixed my gaze on a familiar face inside the taxi.
They found solid evidence.
Zhu Qing: "Is that Fang Yayun?"
"That's right, it's Fang Yayun."
Fang Yayun was already engaged to her first love and was preparing for the wedding, but it was postponed due to the passing of her father, Fang Songsheng.
According to Haozai, when she left the police station after providing her alibi, her boyfriend Henry was waiting patiently by the entrance of the police station, leaning against his sports car.
There must be a motive for murder, especially since Fang Songsheng is her biological father.
“Killing Fang Songsheng because of a breakup is a very unreasonable motive. How depraved would it be to kill one’s own father for a man?” Zeng Yongshan continued. “Could it be because she… was too tired from playing the piano? A three or four-year-old child is at the age where she is playful. I remember Fang Yayun mentioning in an interview that when she was a child, her father hit her palms with a ruler more than once while she was practicing the piano.”
Liang Qikai hadn't gone back yet either; his gentle voice came through the phone.
“I’ve also read those old reports. Fang Yayun said that once, Fang Songsheng hit her so hard that her palm bled.”
"Years later, when she stood under the spotlight for an interview, she brought up these past events as if they were nothing more than lighthearted jokes. But tell me, is a father who locks his daughter in the music room and won't let her eat if she doesn't play well worth hating?"
"Yongshan," Zhu Qing pondered for a moment, then asked, "Do you know how Fang Yayun's mother died?"
...
It's 2 a.m., and I still have to work tomorrow.
The case is riddled with doubts, but at this point, no one is immune to exhaustion. Investigating in this state will only lead to more confusion.
Zhu Qing finished the last sip of soup and prepared to go to the bathroom to wash up.
Passing by the terrace, she noticed a whiteboard there.
The words on the whiteboard were written by Aunt Ping.
Shengfang also participated; the little figure drawn next to it is clearly his work.
Zhu Qing couldn't help but laugh.
One can imagine a future senior inspector standing in front of a whiteboard taller than himself, holding a marker, and conducting a case analysis meeting for the toys.
Why hasn't the second round of kindergarten interviews arrived yet?
I can't stand seeing him so idle; I really want to send him to school.
Zhu Qing closed the glass door to the terrace, and the latch made a soft "click" sound.
She turned and tiptoed through the corridor, afraid of waking her sleeping family.
"Qingzai—"
The sound was soft and gentle.
He was holding a pillow, a tuft of his soft hair sticking up, standing by the door of the children's room, half asleep, but still remembering that he was a little elder.
Zhu Qing turned around, took his pillow with one hand, and led Fang Fang back with the other.
"Were you asleep just now?"
"She's asleep."
"Did you sleep well?"
"I can't smell it."
The little girl, Shengfang, with her indistinct voice, returned to her room and climbed back onto the bed with her short legs.
The blanket was soft and fluffy, like a cloud. He crawled into the blanket and slowly opened his eyes wide like saucers.
Aren't you going to sleep?
Fangfang lay flat on her back, her little face chubby: "I'm awake."
Zhu Qing has accumulated some more experience in raising children.
Don't assume that you can chat with a child just because they're half asleep; you'll wake them up.
Shengfang woke up, and although he was still obediently nestled in bed, he was full of energy. If his niece agreed, he could even get up and play right away.
Of course, Qingzai wouldn't allow that, so he could only whine and act cute—
"Qingzai, can you tell me a story?"
"Can."
"Okay..." Sheng Fang suddenly realized, "Oh!"
What did Qingzai just say?
She said, "Tell him a story!"
Shengfang jumped out of bed in a flash: "It really works!"
"Aren't you sleepy?" Fangfang asked.
Zhu Qing shook her head.
Every nerve in her mind was taut because of the case; she was incredibly clear-headed.
"You can only tell one story." Sheng Fang held up a short finger. "You must go to sleep!"
Zhu Qing glanced at him sideways.
It was as if she had begged to tell the story.
Fangfang's children's room is not just filled with toys.
He has now added a small bookshelf, some of which contain children's picture books that he bought when he went out to play with Aunt Ping during the day, and others that Aunt Ping brought from the hillside.
Shengfang doesn't like looking at picture books, but he likes listening to Qingzai read to him.
The mushroom-shaped lamp on the bedside table casts a soft, warm glow.
Zhu Qing picked out a book and sat by the bed to tell him a story.
Fangfang held the blanket with her two little hands, her clear eyes blinking.
His niece told the story in a flat and stiff tone, but he listened with great interest.
"A long, long time ago, there was a farmer who worked from sunrise to sunset. He could barely make ends meet by farming every day, and he wanted to improve his life."
My uncle shared the sentiment: "The economy is sluggish."
Zhu Qing looked up.
Does the young master of the Sheng family even understand the economic downturn?
No one's economy is more prosperous than his!
"But he's lazy and timid, and always wants to get something for nothing." Zhu Qing read aloud from the book.
Shengfang shook her little hand holding the blanket: "You can't expect something for nothing."
Madam's storytelling was constantly interrupted, and so was her emotional state during the storytelling.
She put down the book.
The little one pulled the blanket up high, covered his little mouth, and looked completely innocent.
Zhu Qing picked up the book and continued: "One day, a miracle finally happened."
"The little rabbit ran headfirst into a tree stump and accidentally died."
"He found this rabbit."
Zhu Qing casually flipped through a children's book, which told the idiom story of waiting for a rabbit to bump into a tree stump.
The story wasn't finished yet; it had only just begun, but Shengfang already had an expression of understanding on her face.
"Impossible," he questioned. "A rabbit running into a car and dying? I don't believe it."
"What? He was killed in a crash?"
Shengfang scoffed, "Is the rabbit an idiot?"
"It really crashed to death..."
Is this the key point?
Zhu Qing couldn't get through to the child.
He's the idiot!
"Don't lie to me." The little uncle sat up from under the covers.
He knew that justice would never be absent.
Inspector Fang's soft voice was firm: "Tell me, who is the murderer!"
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