Chapter 98 "I'll teach you again next time."
"You're disturbing him."
"Quiet down, Mr. Wei is resting."
The words echoed lightly, as if drifting from a great distance, accompanied by the flames of burning paper, yet the resulting scene was far from harmonious.
Guan Xijiu's voice was peculiar, a sharp tone somewhere between a child's and an adult's, and as he spoke, there was a hint of dissatisfaction with the police in his voice. He raised his hands high, then lowered them again, picking up the ghost money.
Police surrounded Kwan Sai-kau, their hands on their service pistols, maintaining a safe distance.
Guan Xijiu tightly gripped the ghost money with his deformed fingers: "Let me burn it all, burn it all, there are only a few left."
Ashes drifted down, and the firelight reflected on his face.
The scene was extremely bizarre, and the police officers hesitated to take any further action until Mo Zhenbang shouted sharply.
"What are you waiting for? Take him away!"
Two officers stepped forward to restrain him, but as soon as they touched his shoulders, his small frame suddenly burst forth with strength. He twisted violently, his elbow slamming into Xu Jiale's ribs.
"Let me go! I haven't finished burning it yet!"
"Behave yourself!"
"I want to burn paper money!" Guan Xijiu struggled hysterically, spitting as he spoke, his face contorted in pain. "He's broke down there, please have mercy..."
Mo Zhenbang strode forward, grabbed Guan Xijiu's deformed hand with his right hand, twisted it in the opposite direction, gripped the back of his neck, and slammed his entire face against the cold wall of the mourning hall.
Guan Xijiu resisted fiercely, but was powerless to break free from the oppression. His cloudy eyes rolled, and his gaze met the portrait of the deceased.
Guan Xijiu stared intently at the photo.
Inside the coffin was only a black suit neatly arranged, the same one Mr. Wei wore in the portrait.
"Let me go... let me go..."
"I will keep vigil for him—he needs this paper money!"
...
In the interrogation room, Guan Xijiu huddled in a corner.
Under the blinding light, he kept backing away, like a mouse caught in the intense light with nowhere to hide, trembling all over.
This night should have been the moment when his wish came true.
He finally became Mr. Wei's "son," but everything was completely destroyed by the police who suddenly broke down the door. His sinister and obsessive gaze swept across the entire interrogation room, fixed on a certain wall, and then turned his head very slowly, raising his hand to gently straighten his mourning clothes.
In the adjacent observation room, officers watched everything through one-way glass, their faces grim. Their expressions showed no joy at solving the case, only barely suppressed anger.
The tragedy of this happy family filled them with rage, but looking at that figure through the glass, they felt only a sense of powerlessness with nowhere to vent their anger.
But now that the investigation has reached this point, the murderer has finally been apprehended. Even with the deepest resentment, the investigation must continue. This is to provide closure for the deceased and to bring justice to the living.
Tomorrow is Wei Huasheng's funeral, and the police hope to end all of this before the funeral so that the deceased can rest in peace.
"Mr. Mo," an officer said from outside, "everything is ready."
A moment later, Mo Zhenbang and Zhu Qing entered the interrogation room.
With a muffled click, the interrogation room door opened.
Guan Xijiu raised his head.
He was only 113 centimeters tall, his body sunk into the interrogation chair, his legs dangling in the air, like a five or six-year-old child. Zhu Qing's gaze slowly moved up from his trouser legs, finally meeting his eyes.
She opened the notebook and asked in a casual tone, "When did we start talking?"
“Let’s start from the first time you met Mr. Wei,” she continued. “You must remember that day very well.”
In fact, the police have not yet figured out the specific connection between Kwan Sai-kau and the victim.
But Zhu Qing's seemingly casual way of asking questions unexpectedly pried open the murderer's mouth. When that day was mentioned, Guan Xijiu's sparse eyebrows relaxed, and her eyes shone with a soft light.
Where did you meet?
"A general store."
Guan Xijiu slowly closed his eyes, as if sharing the most precious memory of his life with the police.
It was when I was nine years old, on an evening after a heavy rain.
Before this, his life was dark.
From as far back as he could remember, he had never seen his mother. His father was short-tempered and easily angered, often beating and verbally abusing him, his curses filled with insults like "good-for-nothing" and "monster," echoing in his ears. But these beatings and insults didn't happen every day. Sometimes his father would leave home for days at a time, completely indifferent to whether he lived or died. But for Guan Xijiu, these were the safest days. Young Guan Xijiu would always curl up in a corner, silently praying that this figure would never appear again.
"I count them every day..."
"Three days, five days... It would be best if he never came back, it would be best if he died out there."
In his early childhood, Guan Xijiu was developmentally delayed, but at least he could blend in with other children. However, as he grew older, the difference became strange. He clearly didn't look like a two or three-year-old; his features matured, but his height remained the same. Passersby initially cast puzzled glances, then avoided him in fear. Parents with children, upon seeing him, would act as if they had seen something evil, hurriedly pulling their children away to avoid him.
When his father was not home, his biggest problem was hunger.
Other children could easily gain pity, but his appearance made people want to avoid him.
No one was willing to help him.
"I can only try to take care of myself."
"Go steal?" Mo Zhenbang frowned.
That day, he slipped into the corner grocery store as usual.
As he stuffed the cookies into his tattered pocket, the shopkeeper suddenly jumped out, as if waiting to catch him, and grabbed his wrist tightly.
“He said he was going to take me to the police station and have my dad come to pick me up.” Guan Xijiu’s eyes turned fierce. “He also said, ‘You’re so young and you’re already behaving badly. See how your dad deals with you!’”
The memory made his voice suddenly sharp.
Guan Xijiu would never forget the helplessness and fear he felt at that moment. He knelt on the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy, his face streaked with tears and snot. But the boss only looked down at him with disgust, as if he were some kind of repulsive being.
"Then Mr. Wei arrived." Suddenly, Guan Xijiu's tone changed, and his speaking speed slowed down.
Mr. Wei stepped forward and gently helped him up.
Guan Xijiu seemed to have seen a savior and immediately hid behind him.
"His suit was impeccably tailored, and looked very expensive. When I hid behind him, my snot from my nose soaked his clothes, but Mr. Wei... he didn't seem bothered by me." Guan Xijiu drifted into a long, drawn-out recollection, as if recounting a heartwarming story. "He even handed me a handkerchief, a handkerchief—"
He laughed: "It's also very high-class."
That day, Guan Xijiu was stunned. He had never felt such kindness before. Overwhelmed with gratitude, he froze on the spot, even forgetting to accept the handkerchief.
Wei Huasheng sighed, squatted down, and gently wiped away the tears on his face with a clean handkerchief.
At that time, Wei Huasheng frowned and asked the boss why he was treating a child so harshly.
After hearing the whole story, he silently took out his wallet and not only paid for the cookies, but also bought a few other snacks to fill his stomach.
“The boss said my dad would pay the bill…” Guan Xijiu said, “but he paid for me. If he really were my dad, I would have asked him if he could take me with him.”
The scenes in my memory are exceptionally clear.
Guan Xijiu knelt down again, kneeling beside Wei Huasheng's polished leather shoes, kowtowing repeatedly, begging this kind man to take him in.
“I said, I’m very well-behaved… I’m very well-behaved…” Guan Xijiu repeated in a morbid manner, “I really am very well-behaved.”
But Wei Huasheng simply pried open the fingers that were gripping his trouser leg and shook his head.
“He said it was inconvenient.” Guan Xijiu’s shoulders slumped. “He didn’t want to.”
Mo Zhenbang felt a tightness in his chest without realizing it.
In that situation, anyone would have refused his request. Who would just adopt a complete stranger? Especially since the child was stealing on their first meeting.
After parting ways, Guan Xijiu returned to that violent home.
His father's clothes hanger continued to lash his frail body, leaving horrific marks. But strangely, he no longer felt pain; his mind was filled with Mr. Wei's gentle gaze.
"If only he were my father," Guan Xijiu said.
When he was eighteen, Guan Xijiu escaped from that hellish home when his father raised the bottle of liquor once again.
During his time wandering the streets, he unexpectedly met Wei Huasheng again.
That year, Wei Huasheng was even more glamorous, standing in the center of the red carpet in a sharp suit, cutting the ribbon for a children's charity. He was surrounded by enthusiastic applause, and people respectfully addressed him as "Mr. Wei."
Guan Xijiu hid in the shadows, watching Wei Huasheng interact warmly with the healthy children.
Why is Mr. Wei willing to help so many people, but unwilling to accept him?
"So, he also disliked me because of my disability," Guan Xijiu said.
This idea was planted in his heart, just like the seed that took root when he was nine years old, spreading, growing wildly...
From that day on, Guan Xijiu began to follow Wei Huasheng and record his every move.
He witnessed the entire process of Wei Huasheng falling in love, getting married, and buying a new house.
During the house renovation, Guan Xijiu sneaked into the house at night when the workers had left, and found a safe place to live for the first time.
However, one night, the sound of footsteps suddenly shattered his sweet dream.
Wei Huasheng actually brought his newlywed wife, Huang Qiulian, to see the house ahead of time.
In his panic, Guan Xijiu quickly hid in the wardrobe. While hiding, his elbow accidentally bumped into the wall behind the wardrobe, producing a hollow echo. So he began to feel his way along the seams of the wardrobe's back panel, using the most primitive method to probe every possible gap.
Just as a mouse is born knowing how to burrow, Guan Xijiu found this hiding place with an almost animalistic instinct.
"Mr. Wei came in with his arm around Huang Qiulian's waist, and they were gesturing happily," Guan Xijiu said, imitating Huang Qiulian's tone. "Here's the crib, here's the toy cabinet..."
At that time, Guan Xijiu listened to them planning for the future and unknowingly became engrossed in it as well.
At that time, he couldn't find a job and survived by stealing and scavenging leftovers. Listening to Mr. Wei and Huang Qiulian's wonderful dreams, he felt as if he had become a part of this family.
Everyone else has a family, but I don't... I've never had one since I was little.
"I also want to be a part of their family."
“I have a ‘room’ all I need right now,” he grinned. “I won’t bother them.”
Guan Xijiu had already been living in this house before Wei Huasheng and his family moved in.
Later, when they moved into their new home, Guan Xijiu stayed in his "room" with the back panel slightly ajar, watching the faint light streaming in from outside.
Guan Xijiu said that was the light of home.
Not long after, Huang Qiulian became pregnant. When Guan Xijiu mentioned this, a morbid longing flickered in his eyes.
It was as if he so wished he could be the child in her womb.
Guan Xijiu continued to live in this mezzanine. Items were added to the nursery one by one, and whenever Mrs. Wei hung baby clothes in the closet, he could always hear the soft rustling sounds through the back panel.
He would secretly open and use the baby diapers prepared at home. For the wealthy Wei family, the absence of a bag of diapers would go unnoticed.
In the dead of night, he would sneak into the kitchen like a mouse searching for food. His father's long-term abuse had made him accustomed to hunger; a few bites of leftovers, half a piece of fruit, and a small glass of milk were enough to sustain him for a whole day. But as he gradually began to live a "better life" in the Wei family, his appetite unknowingly doubled, and he could only barely restrain himself.
Zhu Qing continued to record.
Because he ate so little, the maid, Sister E, never noticed anything amiss. Wei Huasheng, who was in charge of purchasing, although he vaguely sensed the unusual way the food was being consumed, simply assumed that the maid's appetite had increased and never considered that there was an extra mouth to feed in the house.
“Those days were better than any time before,” Guan Xijiu said.
"The baby was born and named 'Yangyang'."
“There are always children who are unfortunate, and there are always children who are lucky. Mr. Wei and Huang Qiulian said that Yangyang is like the sunshine, illuminating their lives.”
But the good times didn't last long, and arguments began to break out frequently at home.
"Huang Qiulian is truly ungrateful. Mr. Wei works so hard for this family, yet she always makes unreasonable demands."
Watching Mr. Wei frantically trying to soothe his wife, his disgust for Mrs. Wei grew day by day, and he even began to hate the baby who was always crying.
Why is it that this noisy child gets all of Mr. Wei's love, while the well-behaved and sensible child is turned away because of her disability?
To avoid being discovered when he first broke into the house, Guan Xijiu prepared gloves and shoe covers.
On the day he decided to kill Yangyang, he carefully put on these pieces of equipment.
“Sister E takes two days off every month,” Guan Xijiu suddenly said, his tone as familiar as if he were talking about an old acquaintance.
He patiently waited for the maid, Sister E, to have her day off, and finally found an opportunity to make his move.
That day, Huang Qiulian was washing up in the bathroom, the sound of the water masking his movements. Guan Xijiu laboriously tiptoed, picked up the sleeping baby in the crib, and threw him downstairs as fast as he could.
Guan Xijiu, who had long lived in the mezzanine, had exceptionally keen hearing. Upon hearing the sound of a key being inserted into the lock, he immediately retreated to his hiding place. Chaos ensued, with the baby's heart-wrenching cries, frantic footsteps, and the sounds of police searching for evidence. Yet, he remained safely hidden in the mezzanine.
He only walked out confidently after the police left.
After that incident, the number of people in the family gradually decreased.
The superfluous Yangyang, the always-tempered Huang Qiulian, the troublesome Sister E... they all disappeared.
“It’s just the two of us, father and son, left.” Guan Xijiu grinned, revealing yellow teeth, his distorted facial expression nauseating.
Later, just as the police suspected, Mr. Wei, who lived alone, became aware of his presence.
With more and more free time, Guan Xijiu inevitably became careless. Sometimes the TV remote was out of position, sometimes there were creases in the sheets, or water stains on the sink...
Wei Huasheng finally noticed something was wrong.
Wei Huasheng started having trouble sleeping. He would wake up in the middle of the night and check his surroundings, only to find that it was the sound of the wind outside the window. He would close the window, but then he would be unable to fall back asleep.
Guan Xijiu also keenly perceived this, and he wanted to protect his "right of residence".
"Mr. Wei bought some bread and put it on the table." He had a mischievous smile on his face. "I'll secretly take one piece first, and then quietly put it back the next day."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Qing paused, her pen still.
No wonder the deceased suspected it was the work of a ghost.
“It’s like a cat-and-mouse game.” He said excitedly, “Mr. Wei will never catch me.”
However, Wei Huasheng suddenly started packing his bags and preparing to move out.
When Guan Xijiu heard the sound of the suitcase wheels sliding on the floor, he could hardly believe it. They were getting along so well!
In the end, Mr. Wei moved out. The empty house was never stocked with food again. What Guan Xijiu found even more unbearable was that this once "warm" home was now empty except for him.
Guan Xijiu was unwilling to stay alone, and was also unsure whether Mr. Wei would sell the house, so he had no choice but to leave.
After that, he worked odd jobs in various places, occasionally lurking downstairs at toy companies.
He was overjoyed when he heard the news of Yangyang's death.
"He's finally dead." Guan Xijiu sneered. "He should have died long ago."
Zhu Qing realized that Guan Xijiu was completely unaware of Wei Ansheng's existence.
This is not surprising. Sacred Heart Estate is located in the North District of the New Territories, and every time Wai Wah-sing visits his son, he drives there alone. Kwan Sai-kau, on the other hand, can only keep up on foot, and the constantly rolling wheels always leave him far behind.
Guan Xijiu worked intermittently.
Sometimes when he finds a job, he disappears for a while, but sometimes he also finds an opportunity to visit. In Guan Xijiu's mind, his relationship with Mr. Wei is so close that it's like that of family members without blood ties. Even a long period of time and distance cannot sever the bond between them.
At this point, Guan Xijiu leaned back in his chair, completely satisfied.
In the observation room next door, the police officers looked grave.
How can ordinary people protect themselves if they encounter such stalkers?
A stalker of child size is easy to hide; who would think a "child" is stalking an adult?
This situation seems to be an unsolvable problem.
"The deceased was unlucky enough," Uncle Li shook his head.
The officers all lowered their heads and sighed.
When you encounter this kind of person, are you just out of luck?
...
It was nearly midnight, but Mo Zhenbang and Zhu Qing showed no signs of fatigue as they stared at Guan Xijiu.
"For the past eight years, ever since you moved out of that old tenement building, you've been stalking him," Mo Zhenbang said coldly. "And five years ago, you were also responsible for Xiang Binbin's car accident?"
A strange smile appeared on Guan Xijiu's lips.
That boy... a car accident left him paralyzed from the waist down.
This result clearly brought Guan Xijiu immense satisfaction.
"Didn't Mr. Wei say he wouldn't acknowledge his son?" His voice was filled with resentment. "But he visits that child often, and even the neighbors say they're like father and son. Why is he so good to Xiang Binbin?"
Creating some "accidents" for a teenager crossing the street alone isn't that difficult; it just requires enough patience.
Guan Xijiu always waited on Xiang Binbin's way to and from school. He stood on the other side of the road, creating disturbances, such as rolling soda cans, sudden strange noises, tossed coins, or blinding light refracted by a magnifying glass... After trying again and again, he finally succeeded, and the car hit the boy and sent him flying.
“He’s also become disabled.” Guan Xijiu tilted his head. “Mr. Wei really didn’t want him anymore.”
In Guan Xijiu's mind, Xiang Binbin had become disabled, and Mr. Wei no longer recognized him.
In reality, however, Wei Huasheng was simply worried that the "ghost" stalking him would continue to harm Xiang Binbin, so he deliberately kept his distance, protecting the child just as he had protected Wei Ansheng. It was from that moment that Wei Huasheng became consumed by guilt and stopped his one-on-one personal donations.
"Huang Qiulian was released from prison a year ago." Zhu Qing flipped through the documents. "Was it you who spread the news of her imprisonment at the tea restaurant?"
"I hate that woman," Guan Xijiu said bitterly. "What if they get back together? What if they have another child?"
Guan Xijiu had no interest in Huang Qiulian's whereabouts and did not follow her; he only spread the news, causing Huang Qiulian to lose her job.
Before he could even consider what to do next, Mr. Wei broke off all contact with his ex-wife.
This point can also be compared with Huang Qiulian's testimony.
In an effort to "protect" his ex-wife, the deceased Wei Huasheng once again distanced himself from her, and the two never had any contact again.
Why kill him in the end?
"He's looking for me."
"I have never hurt him, but what does he take me for? Why is he so eager to drag me out of the picture?"
It turns out that over the past month, Wei Huasheng had been investigating the truth.
A week before the incident, he finally encountered the ghostly figure near the Tin Hau Temple. But he didn't know that this encounter was a trap set by the other party.
"In that case, let's end it." Guan Xijiu's expression suddenly calmed down. "He's tired, and I'm tired too."
Guan Xijiu stole the young novice monk's robe. When Wei Huasheng chased him into the side hall that day, he thought he was a child from the temple.
“I gave him one last chance.”
Guan Xijiu made Wei Huasheng kneel on the faded prayer mat and personally lit three incense sticks.
In that abandoned side hall, once dedicated to performing rituals for the souls of stillborn infants, he spoke again—
"Would you be willing to accept me as your son?"
Just like twenty years ago in front of the grocery store, Wei Huasheng shook his head in confusion and refused him.
“He didn’t recognize me,” Guan Xijiu said. “And his eyes were filled with fear… as if I were some kind of monster.”
And so the knife hidden under the monk's robe brought an end to this long nightmare.
Silence fell over the interrogation room; the confession had come to an end.
“You don’t need to keep vigil for him.” Mo Zhenbang closed the case file. “He has a biological son.”
Guan Xijiu's expression suddenly froze: "What do you mean?"
“Yangyang is not dead, he has been well protected.” Zhu Qing stood up and leaned forward slightly. “You’re right, Mr. Wei will always be a wonderful father.”
A painful scream suddenly erupted in the interrogation room.
The handcuffs clanged against the edge of the table, and Guan Xijiu questioned them relentlessly.
"Why?"
"Why—I could do it too!"
The police turned and left, the last thing they saw was a distorted face.
Guan Xijiu's lips twitched uncontrollably, and a chilling venom surged in his eyes.
He's like a venomous snake.
It silently infiltrates happy families, completely eroding and destroying their happiness.
In the end, this perpetrator even dared to ask "why".
The person who should really be asking why is lying in the cold morgue.
He did nothing wrong, so why did he end up like this?
...
The officers arrived home after 3 a.m. that night.
Before wrapping up, Mo Zhenbang granted special permission for everyone in Group B to sleep in the next day. This "privilege" finally allowed their tense nerves to relax.
Zhu Qing snuggled into the soft bedding and fell asleep immediately.
As the morning sun streamed into the Kadoorie Villa, the children were unaware that their good days had begun again.
He waited patiently for a long time, even eating a full breakfast, and with his round little belly sticking out, he quietly slipped into Qingzai's room.
"Qingzai, Qingzai." Little Shengfang poked her cheek with his chubby fingers. "Aren't you going to work today?"
Zhu Qing mumbled something, then rolled over to the side, making room for him.
Fangfang immediately turned around and ran off to get the toy. After returning, she climbed onto the bed and played freely with the toy beside her.
Two tiny feet, like blooming flowers, clapped rhythmically in mid-air.
The Autobot model in his hand was "flying" at low altitude, while he himself rolled around like a restless glutinous rice ball.
As Aunt Ping passed by, she couldn't help but stop and ask, "Miss, Qingqing left a note last night saying not to prepare breakfast for her. But the young master has to go to school, should we wake him up?"
"It's alright if it's a little later," Sheng Peirong said with a smile. "This little uncle really misses his niece."
This special uncle and nephew, though they hadn't been "dependent on each other" for long, found warmth in each other during their most vulnerable and lonely times. That was the warmest imprint in their hearts, making their bond even deeper than ordinary kinship.
Sheng Peirong's footsteps gradually faded at the end of the corridor.
She dialed Teacher Ji's number to let her know that her younger brother might be a little late this morning.
Zhu Qing slept exceptionally well that night.
When she woke up, she was surprised to find Fangfang sitting quietly on the carpet by the bed, playing with his toys. He didn't make a sound, and he didn't even bring his talking Ultraman toy, for fear of waking her up to catch up on her sleep.
"I have good news for you," Zhu Qing said, leaning against the edge of the bed. "The case has been solved."
Shengfang's eyes immediately lit up, but then she remembered the sadness of being left alone in the ball pit last night.
"Take me with you next time you're investigating a case." Fangfang looked up at him with her little face. "Otherwise, I won't teach you how to solve cases anymore."
"That won't do!" Zhu Qing said quickly. "Can the police station function without you?"
The innocent baby didn't catch the teasing in the words and nodded with a smile.
"Okay," Fangfang said in a childish voice, "I'll teach you how to solve cases next time."
...
On the day of Wei Huasheng's funeral, a light rain was falling.
Several police officers carrying document bags slowly walked into the mourning hall.
Ostensibly, they came to return the belongings that had been temporarily sealed away for the investigation, but in reality, they just wanted to send the unfortunate victim off on his final journey.
The area outside the mourning hall was crowded with reporters and mourners.
Impoverished students whom Wei Huasheng had sponsored during his lifetime, colleagues from charitable organizations, and even some strangers whom he had simply helped in small ways... they all came.
Wei Huasheng, who always kept to himself during his life, received so many farewells after his death.
The funeral ceremony proceeded in a solemn atmosphere; no one would have imagined that an absurd confrontation had taken place here the night before.
At this moment, the crowd parted slightly.
A wheelchair slowly drove in. It was Xiang Binbin. He was unable to bow, so he was pushed by staff from the charity foundation and stopped in front of the coffin.
Xiang Binbin gazed quietly at Wei Huasheng's portrait.
He once had a bright future, but now he can only spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. It wasn't until the police asked him to give supplementary testimony that Xiang Binbin learned that the car accident was never an accident.
Xiang Binbin recalled how Mr. Wei's warm hand had patted his shoulder countless times, but he didn't know that at those moments, there was always a pair of eyes watching from the shadows.
Even so, he still chose to come and say goodbye.
Beside the donation table, Wei Xusheng kept collecting the money.
He'll probably use that money to pay off his gambling debts, but nobody cares about that anymore.
Not long after, a woman approached, leading a little girl.
Zhu Qing asked softly, "What is this?"
“My ex-sister-in-law,” Haozai said in a low voice, “I got a statement from her last time.”
The little girl bowed to her uncle's portrait, guided by her mother.
When Wei Xusheng came in and tried to touch the child's head, she suddenly hid behind her mother.
The mother and daughter left quickly, leaving Wei Xusheng standing there awkwardly.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside the door.
The police officers looked out in the direction of the noise and saw Huang Qiulian leading Wei Ansheng step by step into the mourning hall.
The real culprit was caught last night.
Early in the morning, after receiving a call from the police, Huang Qiulian sat quietly in front of Wei Ansheng before leaving home.
Huang Qiulian knew that hiding the truth would only prevent the wound from healing. An Sheng had grown up; rather than letting the child live in lies, it was better to give him the truth.
At this moment, accompanied by his mother, Wei Ansheng walked step by step toward his father's portrait.
He tilted his head back, his only remaining eye as clear as if it had been washed with water. He didn't cry, but simply walked closer and closer.
In a daze, the police officers standing nearby seemed to hear the mute child uttering broken syllables very softly.
"dad……"
Huang Qiulian could no longer hold back her tears.
Outside the door, reporters were still whispering among themselves.
"I heard the police have issued a new report."
"The real culprit in the child abuse case is not Huang Qiulian at all!"
"So these past ten years have been so pitiful for this family..."
He had suffered a ten-year injustice, and only now was he cleared of his name.
Huang Qiulian trembled as she gently placed her hands on the child's shoulders.
She gazed at her smiling ex-husband in the portrait and murmured softly, "Huasheng, can you see this?"
"The truth has come out."
The truth came out, but their lives were already shattered.
The only thing the living can do is carry this pain and keep moving forward in the sunlight.
...
The case has finally been closed, but the atmosphere in the police station remains heavy.
The officers from Major Crimes Unit B were still immersed in the shadow of the case and found it difficult to detach themselves from it.
Xiao Sun said in a low voice, "That day I also said... I've handled too many cases, and nine out of ten philanthropists have problems."
He apologized for such preconceived prejudice, and he wasn't the only officer with this thought. This case also taught everyone a lesson: as Ah Tou said, it's crucial to avoid subjective assumptions when handling cases.
Just when the atmosphere was at its most oppressive, the door to the CID office was suddenly pushed open.
Weng Zhaolin walked in carrying two large bags of afternoon tea, generously treating everyone, which was a rare occurrence for him.
With refreshments laid out on the conference table, Inspector Ong brought up the upcoming inspector interview.
Mo Zhenbang suddenly slapped his forehead.
During this period, he was so focused on solving the case that he completely forgot about preparing for the exam.
"Boss, how can you do this?" Several police officers jeering and pushing Mo Zhenbang into Inspector Weng's office, and thoughtfully closed the door behind them.
"Officer, you need to teach our boss a lesson!"
"Accompany him through a mock job interview!"
"Mr. Mo, pay attention. You can only get out after you've learned it."
Before leaving get off work, Zhu Qing left the police station.
After being so busy for so long, I can finally pick up my child from school.
At the entrance of Weston Kindergarten, Shengfang, the little girl, no longer chased people away like a celebrity's assistant, but instead led Zhu Qing around, showing off all the way.
"Let's go home and play in the ball pit!"
"Play for three hours straight!"
The other children immediately gathered around.
"I want to play in the ball pit too."
"Fangfang, can I come to your house?"
"Is it okay? Is it really okay?"
She waved her hand like a little adult.
Who makes a last-minute appointment like this? He's not free today.
"I'm home," Fangfang said mysteriously. "It's a private trip, so I can't disturb you."
Coconut Baby stood in the middle of the crowd, watching their departing figures, and ran to her mother's side.
"Mommy, Mommy!" she tugged at her mother's clothes, "Can you give me a niece too?"
"My dear girl, your niece isn't Mommy's biological daughter."
Coconut Baby stood there sadly.
This is terrible.
...
Zhu Qing returned home before dawn, which was unusual for her, but she didn't go inside for a long time.
She and Shengfang were in the ball pit, watching him revel, and she even had to cheer him on.
Those colorful bubble balls seem to have magic, making Fangfang so happy that she dances with joy.
Zhu Qing lay on her back in the ball pit, letting the balls fall on her. All she had to do was occasionally peek out and make an exaggerated "grand entrance."
"Wow……"
"Wow."
These exclamations of surprise became increasingly perfunctory.
Shengfang keenly sensed this and shook her head vigorously: "This won't do, we need to get more excited."
"..." Zhu Qing took a deep breath, "Wow!"
Several times she tried to climb out to catch her breath, but Zaizai pushed her back down.
"We agreed on three hours." Sheng Fang said sternly, like a strict little supervisor, "A person should keep their word."
It's perfectly reasonable for an elder to teach a younger person "how to be a person." The niece couldn't argue with that, so she moved her lips and obediently nodded.
Zhu Qing had no choice but to continue the ball pit battle.
She had to keep the promise she made; she didn't want to be called "Chatterbox" anymore.
It wasn't until Aunt Ping came to urge them to have dinner that the uncle and nephew finally left the ball pit.
Shengfang dashed back to the children's room, glanced at the time, and carefully wrote it down in her little notebook.
"Qingzai, Qingzai." He pulled out his notebook. "You still owe me fifty minutes."
It's really not a good thing that kids can tell time and write!
During dinner, Sheng Peirong mentioned tomorrow's board meeting.
Zhu Qing then remembered this important matter that she had forgotten.
In the words of Shengfang, the eldest sister has been away from the business world for many years and is about to make a comeback.
"Coco and Fangfang haven't been to the company yet," Sheng Peirong said with a smile. "Want to come along tomorrow?"
She has been away from the Sheng family for far too long.
Upon her return, Sheng Peirong wanted to proudly introduce her daughter and younger brother to everyone.
"I want to go, I want to go!" Fangfang raised her chubby little hand, like the most enthusiastic student in class.
Zhu Qing pinched his chubby cheeks: "Where don't you want to go?"
The young master of the Sheng family tilted his head and thought for a long time before finally saying in a deep voice, "Kindergarten."
Laughter rose and fell.
This time of reunion finally made Sheng Peirong understand why her younger brother always hoped that his niece would be able to close her case and return home as soon as possible.
That's great, the pace of life can finally slow down.
After dinner, Aunt Ping led the new driver candidate toward the glass greenhouse outside the courtyard.
This was what Sheng Peirong instructed, and Aunt Ping always handled everything perfectly. Her forte used to be cooking, then she learned to take care of the young masters, and now, after her "promotion," she is even more like a competent housekeeper managing the household.
Sheng Peirong was in charge of the interview process, while Sheng Fang pulled Zhu Qing along and ran outside.
"Qingzai, Qingzai, let's continue our parent-child time!"
Zhu Qing: ...
Judging from this matter-of-fact tone, there's no doubt—
He is the "parent," and she is the "child."
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