Chapter 61 Moonlight.
The child angrily clutched the mobile phone.
He had never heard of any stories about exchanging lives, but he often heard about "shift changes".
He prepared for this performance for a whole month, and his niece Mingming had promised to come.
The little boy slammed down the phone, threw it back into his schoolbag, and looked up to see Qingzi staggering over, leaning on the railing.
Poor Qingzai, even the gentlest children's roller coaster couldn't handle it, let alone "Flying Dragon from the Sky," the park's most thrilling ride. A passerby just said it's more than ten times more exciting than a regular roller coaster.
"Qingzai." Fangfang ran over with her short legs and carefully helped her up.
Zhu Qing, her voice barely a whisper, said, each word distinct and deliberate: "You're finished."
The young master of the Sheng family stood there, thought for two seconds, and then let go of Qingzai's hand.
If you don't run now, when will you? The baby turned around and ran away in a flash.
Normally, the short-legged kid would be no match for the police academy's top students, but today, Madam's legs went weak.
As she ran, she kept looking back, stopping every now and then to wait for her. When she got close again, she immediately grabbed her little ears with both hands and made a funny face.
Let's go!
When they reached the bottom of the Ferris wheel, Shengfang finally couldn't hold on any longer. He bent over, his little hands supporting his knees as he gasped for breath. The park was huge, and running like this couldn't go on. Even his own baby police academy wasn't this strict. A wonderful weekend should be spent having fun.
So, when Zhu Qing stepped forward, she saw the child wave his hand—
"Okay, I'll play whatever you want from now on."
The disloyal child ran away a minute before the "Flying Dragon in the Sky" project was to start, leaving her alone to be thrown into the blue sky and suffer.
Now the baby is tilting his head with a look that says he's lost out, but in the end, he's the one who benefits.
Given Shengfang's height, there aren't many rides she can enjoy to begin with. The children's version of the roller coaster and the Flying Dragon are already her limit; the rest are either the carousel or the sightseeing train, which even babies can handle.
The pace of the itinerary slowed down noticeably afterward.
They strolled leisurely, always stopping at the game booths they passed. They tried every game—coin toss, ring toss—even though they'd seen amusement parks on TV, they'd never heard of so many fun games! Fangfang clutched the plush toy Qingzai had won, cherishing it terribly; she wouldn't even put it down on her chair during lunch, holding it tightly to her chest.
For Zhu Qing, the amusement park was her biggest childhood dream.
Now that her wish has come true, even though it is more than ten years late, she still cherishes every moment.
"It's a Ferris wheel!" Fangfang looked up at the blue sky.
The little one joined the queue and overheard a couple in front of him whispering intimately.
Do you know the legend of the Ferris wheel?
"I heard that if you make a wish at the highest point, it will definitely come true. Xiaomei told me that she wished to pass her exam last time, and she really did pass!"
"Really? Then I'll make a wish—to be with you forever!"
Fangfang glanced at Qingzai secretly, confirming that she had also heard this beautiful legend.
As they sat in the blue cabin, and the Ferris wheel slowly rose, at the moment it reached its highest point, he saw Qingzai closing her eyes and making a sincere wish.
Shengfang immediately followed suit, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes tightly.
He thought that Qingzai's wish must be the same as his—
I hope your surgery goes well!
As the Ferris wheel completed its rotation and slowly descended, Zhu Qing stepped out of the cabin first and turned to reach out her hand to Fang Fang.
The couple who were just being affectionate are now having a heated argument.
"I told you to listen to me on this matter, why are you so stubborn? You've been going on and on, ruining my good mood."
Why should we all have to listen to you?
"Making a wish on a Ferris wheel? That's a complete scam!"
They were arguing fiercely when they suddenly noticed two pretty faces, one big and one small, staring at them with displeasure.
"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!" Fang Fang muttered under his breath, mimicking Aunt Ping's mannerisms. "Good luck and prosperity!"
The highlight of the day was supposed to be riding the Ferris wheel.
The uncle and nephew had been looking forward to this for a long time, and had even prepared a cake decorated with strawberries, intending to share it at the top. Unfortunately, the strawberries were all devoured by the gluttonous baby last night. The remaining cake base and cream were then forced to be eaten by the niece at breakfast.
Fangfang is having a great time, but still feels a little regretful.
"Aunt Ping forgot to remind me to bring snacks," Fangfang said in a childish voice. "They're on the cabinet in the entryway."
"You have to remember your own things."
Shengfang tilted her little face up and looked intently at her niece.
Qingzai was always like this, lecturing him with many principles, as if she were the adult. But perhaps because the valiant Qingzai was too authoritative, he was willing to listen to her and, according to Qingzai's advice, slowly and little by little, correct his bad habits.
Zhu Qing told him to take responsibility for his own affairs, and he kept that in mind.
Many "three rules" flashed through my mind, and Fangfang remembered them all.
Be honest, be kind, be upright, be polite, and be responsible for your actions...
He suddenly remembered something important, and lowered his head, his shoulders slumped.
When Zhu Qing realized that Fang Fang hadn't kept up, he was already far behind.
She stopped and turned around.
"The police station called you." He lowered his head and shuffled his feet on the ground. "I hung up. They were really mean."
Fangfang Baby solemnly and earnestly apologized: "I'm sorry."
...
In a corner of the Yau Ma Tei Police Station's reporting room, an old-fashioned cassette player emitted static. The tape slowly turned, playing an off-key rendition of "Moonlight Sonata," the melody so distorted it was almost unrecognizable. Several young officers whispered among themselves, guessing that the tape had probably been rewound too many times, even the melody was distorted.
“This is a song we used to listen to all the time when we were kids. It was played on the radio every day, and it was always playing in the shops on the street.” The woman who reported the case spoke in a low voice, her fingers gripping the corner of the table so tightly that her fingertips turned white. “Ever since that incident… even the melody has changed.”
"It's a problem with the tape, just replace it." The officer on duty replied casually, glancing up to carefully examine the person reporting the case.
The woman was slightly plump, wearing a somewhat wrinkled floral shirt, and a pair of outdated thick-rimmed glasses perched on her nose.
Her short hair was casually tucked behind her ears, with no particular hairstyle to speak of. Her hands were folded on the table, and her nails were very short.
Her name was Rong Zimei, and she was twenty-seven years old, as written on the registration form.
The occupation field was filled in as "supermarket cashier".
"Officer, this is a life-or-death exchange, so there are some things you can't help but believe."
"Ms. Rong, are you here to report a crime or to chat about urban legends? We're very busy here."
From the moment she stepped into the police station, Ms. Rong began to chatter on and on about the mysterious matter of "changing one's life." Her rambling and repetitive narration even made Zeng Yongshan, who was always very curious, lose interest. Zeng Yongshan made an excuse to go downstairs to buy coffee and did not return for more than ten minutes.
"Can you turn off the tape recorder?" the officer asked, pointing to the noisy tape player.
With a "click," Rong Zimei reached out and pressed the stop button, and the alarm room instantly fell silent.
“This is my cousin.” After a moment of silence, she slowly pulled a bill from her wallet and pushed it in front of the police officer.
The photo shows the figure of a girl with shoulder-length hair.
That's obviously an old photo from more than ten years ago.
The girl in the photo has her head held high, the sunlight overly brightening her face and blurring her features, making only her stubbornly raised chin vaguely visible. Although she stands in front of a simple tin shack, her posture is like that of a proud peacock, completely out of place with the background.
“Her name is Kuang Xiaoyan.” Rong Zimei’s fingertip touched the upturned face. “She lived in a cage home and wore second-hand school uniforms, but she never accepted her fate.”
“Having high aspirations isn’t a bad thing,” the officer interrupted her reminiscence. “You could also call it having drive.”
“It’s not that she’s arrogant.” Rong Zimei shook her head and raised her voice. “She truly believes that she is someone else’s destiny. She always says that she was born to be a swan, but is just temporarily trapped in the shell of an ugly duckling.”
“Xiao Yan said to herself in the mirror every day, ‘It’ll be soon, it’ll be soon.’ Until that day, she met Lin Tingchao.”
"Who is Lin Tingchao?" The police officer finally put down his pen and leaned forward slightly.
"She started imitating a girl named Lin Tingchao at school, her walking posture, the rising intonation at the end of her speech, and the habit of using her right hand to touch her hair... Sir, you don't know, Xiao Yan is left-handed."
“Xiao Yan would even pick up Lin Tingchao’s discarded hair ties and used tissues. She said that this would bring her good fortune.”
The officer regained his interest and wrote a few words in his notebook—
Suspected stalking behavior.
"Sounds like fan behavior? Many people are obsessed with idols these days, but she's obsessed with the people around her."
“It’s a life-for-life exchange, Sir,” Rong Zimei insisted in a low voice.
“I now suspect that Lin Tingchao deliberately approached her. Once, Xiaoyan came back and said that Lin Tingchao took the initiative to talk to her.”
"Rich people seek to exchange their lives with poor people, demanding birth dates and times, exchanging personal belongings, and most importantly, the other person must be willing. The elders in my family say the most sinister aspect of this kind of life-exchange ritual is..."
The rustling sounds in the reporting room subsided, and the police officers perked up their ears.
Only then did Rong Zimei get back to the point: "My cousin has been missing for three years."
"So it's a missing persons case?" The officer rubbed his temples.
Every day I encounter many people who report crimes like this, but they can't get to the point.
He pushed a form over: "Please fill in the relevant information: name, date of birth, last place of appearance..."
Rong Zimei lowered her head, her ballpoint pen pausing on the paper.
She began to write slowly, each stroke written with great effort.
“Tell me,” she looked up, “who would willingly give up their life?”
...
Shengfang finally apologized to her niece, her voice soft, tinged with grievance and annoyance.
The baby did something wrong.
Zhu Qing squatted down to his eye level and patiently listened to him finish speaking.
Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on her face. She reached out and gently touched the tip of her baby's nose.
This affectionate gesture made little Fangfang breathe a sigh of relief.
Qingzai said, "It's good to admit your mistakes and correct them."
"It's okay," Zhu Qing said. "I'll call it back."
While waiting for the police station to answer the phone, she looked at Fangfang.
Actually, he was a very, very good kid. Just how much harm did he suffer in the original storyline that made him uncontrollably turn to the path of villainy?
The call connected, and a noisy background noise came from the other end.
“It’s a new case.” After hanging up the phone, Zhu Qing explained to Fang Fang, who was staring at her expectantly, “But don’t worry, the officer on duty will follow the procedures.”
In other words, Qingzai doesn't need to rush back!
Fangfang's eyes lit up instantly, and she excitedly grabbed her hand, continuing to wander around the amusement park.
Suddenly, he stopped again.
"But what about the performance, Ching-jai?"
During the phone call just now, Zeng Yongshan was busy and didn't explain the case in detail. I only vaguely heard that it was a missing person case, and the person who reported it was talking incoherently, so it might be a prank.
But since Zhu Qing wasn't present, it was uncertain whether this case would suddenly keep them busy.
She shouldn't have been fooled by Fangfang's cute face and made a promise to him so easily.
Zhu Qing has never been a parent, but she has been a child and knows how terrible it is to have hope and then be disappointed.
Fangfang waited for a moment, and when her niece did not answer immediately, she turned away as if she didn't care.
He put his little hands into his overalls pockets and said in a deliberately nonchalant tone, "Just buy a DV camera."
Anyway, he had reminded Aunt Ping before he left to go to the electronics store to buy the latest DV camera, with no budget limit.
Even if my niece really can't come, it's okay.
It's just a pity that she can only see his smug side on TV!
Fangfang was like a deflated balloon, listless, but she was quickly drawn back to the novelties of the amusement park.
Since they rarely get to visit an amusement park, the uncle and nephew shared the same goal: to experience every ride available and only go home after they had gotten their money's worth.
There were popcorn stalls at Liyuan Amusement Park, and the sweet aroma filled the air. Shengfang bought a large bucket, the golden popcorn piled up like a small mountain. He carefully picked out a kernel with the most caramel and, standing on tiptoe, handed it to Zhu Qing.
The next moment, he witnessed his niece's wonderful performance.
She can actually throw popcorn into her mouth like she's shooting a basketball!
Wow, Qingzai actually has a hidden talent!
"Qingzai, Qingzai!"
Whenever Fangfang gets excited, she always jumps around and shouts her name twice.
At this moment, he got into position, and the tiny little guy squatted down, transforming into a human basketball shooting machine, opening his little mouth.
"ah--"
Zhu Qing could almost see Fang Fang's throat.
In the sunlight, his face looked like a freshly baked custard bun, soft and fluffy. The little one had her eyes tightly closed, her long eyelashes casting shadows beneath them, eagerly anticipating the moment her niece would make a successful basket.
"No, it'll get stuck in your trachea." Zhu Qing ruthlessly rejected this dangerous game.
Shengfang immediately transformed back into an elder, following behind her niece with her hands behind her back, constantly muttering to herself.
"Qingzai, being so cautious will make you miss out on a lot of fun."
"Relax! Do you understand?"
He spoke in a childish voice like an adult, completely unaware that Zhu Qing had suddenly produced a huge cotton candy.
The cotton candy looked like fluffy, soft clouds. Taking advantage of his inattention, Zhu Qing stuffed the cotton candy into his little mouth.
The sweet taste melted on her tongue, and Fangfang opened her eyes wide in surprise.
“Now I’m not careful anymore, I’m very relaxed,” Zhu Qing said, mimicking his tone from before.
This is the first time Shengfang has ever eaten cotton candy.
When the baby was at the Sheng family's, he had a personal nutritionist, and this kind of "junk food" would definitely have been on the "absolutely forbidden" list. But how could any child resist such a sweet temptation!
The marshmallows melted in my mouth, and I ate them with great relish, my lips soon covered in sugar stains.
She was all sticky, yet she rubbed against her niece with a blissful expression.
"It's dirty." Zhu Qing pressed her hand against his forehead, pushing him back a meter.
Unexpectedly, the child turned around nimbly and launched an attack from another direction.
He pressed his face against Qingzai's clothes and said matter-of-factly, "Let's all get dirty together!"
See? I told you my niece should learn to relax a bit.
If you're always so restrained, how much fun will you miss out on!
"So annoying!" Zhu Qing complained.
This was the first time Fangfang had heard Zhu Qing say something like that.
He blinked and immediately mimicked her expression and tone: "So annoying!"
Zhu Qing stood still, squinting her eyes to warn him, but to no avail.
Sunlight danced on the child's hair and smile. The young master who once sneaked out of the Sheng family villa halfway up the mountain at night to go on adventures alone now had a companion on every journey.
He doesn't have to be so obedient, and he can be a little mischievous, because after several months of getting along, Xiao Shengfang is certain that no matter what, Qingzai will not abandon him.
Qingzai will not abandon him.
This discovery is sweeter than cotton candy.
"Qingzai, I want to ride the carousel one more time," he pleaded softly.
This trip to the amusement park finally ended with the melodious and childlike music of the carousel.
They carefully put away the paper tickets for Liyuan Amusement Park and placed them in a lining of their backpacks.
The thin ticket seemed to still carry the sweet aroma of popcorn and the stickiness of cotton candy.
These are wonderful memories; I will cherish them.
The children held their schoolbags tightly to their chests.
“Let’s go to the sanatorium,” Zhu Qing said, taking his little hand.
...
Dean Luo gave Zhu Qing two weeks to consider, with Monday being the final deadline.
For families, this is never an easy decision. He has seen too many cases where patients have been in a coma for years, and their families have long since accepted reality, only to be suddenly told one day that there is a new treatment option.
Hope that comes too late becomes another kind of torment.
The Sheng family could certainly afford the high medical expenses; going abroad for treatment would at most require going through some cumbersome procedures.
But there are too many troubles to come, and the most realistic problem is that it is very likely that in the end it will all come to nothing.
In past cases, few families actually opted for surgery; very few were willing to personally sign the consent form that could lead to death.
Dean Luo thought that Zhu Qing's long silence had already given him the answer. But to his surprise, the office door was pushed open on Sunday evening.
"We've decided to have the surgery."
Zhu Qing signed the consent form, while little Fangfang cheered her on from the side.
This time, Zhu Qing did not hesitate.
Even though they had never really spent time together, she was convinced that her mother would make this choice.
Dean Luo said they would contact leading overseas neurosurgeons to discuss the feasibility of the new treatment. Right now, their priority is to adjust Sheng Peirong's nutritional levels and medication. Once everything is ready, they will arrange for her to have surgery abroad.
When Zhu Qing returned to the police station, more than ten hours had passed since she made the decision to undergo surgery.
Yet, the cool touch of the pen still seemed to linger on my fingertips when I signed it.
In the criminal investigation team's office, Haozai tossed the documents that the household registration department had just delivered onto the table.
“This cousin is not on Kwong Siu-yin’s kinship registration form at all. To file a case, we need to get special permission from the court first.”
"A search of missing persons records from the past ten years revealed no reports of 'Kuang Xiaoyan' being reported missing. In other words, no one reported her missing at all; it's likely just a hoax."
"Nonsense, the biological parents didn't report it, but a cousin suddenly appeared? And she's spouting nonsense about willingly exchanging lives, what a load of rubbish. I bet it's a family dispute."
“Like last time someone came to report that their friend was missing, all they wanted was for the police to help them find their old friend who owed them money! It was a complete waste of police resources.”
“Last week, I encountered a ridiculous case while I was on duty. A girl came in crying and reported that her boyfriend had gone missing, only to find out that he had broken up with her and refused to answer her calls. People these days… treat relationship disputes like criminal cases.”
At first glance, this missing person case, with its melody of "Moonlight Sonata" and the neurotic tone of the person reporting it, immediately grabs everyone's attention. But looking back now, in calmer terms, the case itself isn't particularly unusual. The police have already launched their investigation according to procedure, and everything is proceeding as usual.
Zeng Yongshan glanced at her colleagues briefly before her gaze returned to Zhu Qing.
"So you're leaving in three weeks?"
"We need to see the report after adjusting the nutritional structure. It will take at most three weeks, and if things go well, it may only take two weeks," Zhu Qing said. "I just informed Mo Sir that I have taken a long leave, and the paperwork has been approved."
Mo Zhenbang is a rare good boss. When she submitted her application for extended leave, he signed the application form without saying a word.
She will take Sheng Peirong overseas alone for surgery, while Fangfang will stay in Hong Kong and be taken care of by Aunt Ping.
After returning home last night, she thoroughly researched the charter flight process and precautions for medical evacuation, and also prepared notarized English medical records, doctor's guarantee letters, etc. This is not a trip that can be taken on a whim; every step must be ensured to be foolproof.
Zeng Yongshan looked at the official referral letter from the sanatorium spread out on Zhu Qing's workstation.
When I first met her, I thought she was a lone wolf. Now that I know her better, I realize how brave she is. She can handle everything on her own, but she never flaunts it.
"That's amazing," Zeng Yongshan exclaimed softly. "If it were me—"
Liang Qikai looked up from behind the filing cabinet, his smile as gentle as the afternoon sun: "It's better not to be brave."
“Because the one who perseveres is always the one who suffers the most.” His gaze lingered on Zeng Yongshan’s face for a moment, and he casually said, “You’re cuter when you’re carefree.”
Zeng Yongshan was stunned. When she looked back with a probing gaze, the other person had already casually looked away.
He's always like this, saying things that are ambiguous, taking one step forward and then two steps back, remaining distant and unapproachable, making it hard to tell if he's joking or being sincere.
"Zhu Qing," Zeng Yongshan whispered, "what exactly does he want?"
"I'm just bored," Zhu Qing said.
This concise and powerful comment instantly eased the tension between Zeng Yongshan's brows.
She chuckled and asked, "And what about you?"
"I'm so busy." Zhu Qing grabbed her car keys, a rare smile playing on her lips. "Kindergarten performance, gotta go now."
...
In the classroom of Weston Kindergarten's toddler class, the children have already finished their makeup.
He sat on a small stool, his face covered with a thin layer of glitter, making his eyes, nose, and cheekbones sparkle like they were sprinkled with stars.
The teacher just applied pink blush to his cheeks and put a small gold crown on his forehead.
This is stage makeup that Teacher Ji did for the children according to her own aesthetic. It emphasizes childlike innocence, not too heavy, but it must be sparkly enough.
This way, when the lights are on, the children's faces can be clearly seen by the audience.
Shengfang touched the little crown on her forehead.
"Fangfang, are you having a family visit?" a little girl with a bow in her hair asked.
Shengfang twisted her neck and said in a nonchalant tone, "Whatever."
Less than three seconds after he finished speaking, his eyes couldn't help but dart towards the classroom door.
Aunt Ping had just arrived, fiddling with the DV camera, and it was unclear whether it was turned on or not; her brow was furrowed in a deep frown.
When she saw him, Aunt Ping raised her hand and waved to greet the young master.
"Young master, look this way."
"Smile at the camera."
Fangfang nodded, but the corners of her mouth did not turn up. Her gaze passed over Aunt Ping and looked toward the corridor outside the classroom until the small bow tie of her performance costume suddenly felt like it was choking her. Only then did she slowly turn her gaze back.
While adjusting the music, Teacher Ji walked aside and whispered to Aunt Ping, "Will Miss Zhu come?"
Aunt Ping's fingers were still tightly gripping the DV camera, and she said firmly, "It definitely will."
In the corner of the classroom, a little boy was crying because his little bow tie had suddenly gone missing; his face was flushed red. His parents frantically searched under the piano bench and behind the curtains.
Teacher Ji's gaze was drawn to the sound of crying, but she inadvertently caught a glimpse of the unusually quiet blooming flowers not far away.
True anxiety doesn't usually manifest in loud crying or screaming.
Instead, like Fangfang, even though she knows her family has promised countless times that they will come, she still can't help but steal glances at the door again and again, only to lower her eyes sadly each time.
The little hands in the cup turn the drumsticks.
He knew Zhu Qing was very busy, and he was more aware than anyone else that Madam's work could be complicated by unexpected situations at any time. Catching bad guys and saving lives were, of course, more important than attending the kindergarten's performance.
Shengfang also knew that he wouldn't be abandoned by Qingzai, as his niece liked him very much.
But compared to him, official duties are definitely more important.
Police officers? How can they be so idle?
Even kindergarten children understand this principle.
Aunt Ping came over and helped the young master straighten his shirt and hair, her fingers gently stroking his hair.
Fang Sir's ears were like little radars, and his peripheral vision was like searchlights, scanning every corner of the classroom, not missing a single person.
All the students' parents have arrived.
Little Coconut's parents surrounded her.
They had the baby lift the hem of her dance dress and spin around. Just as the baby finished spinning and hadn't even stood up properly, Mommy pulled a champagne-colored shoebox tied with a ribbon from her handbag.
All her teachers, classmates, and family members knew that Xiao Yesi's dream was to become a model and walk the runway in beautiful high heels every day. Yesi's mother searched all the shopping malls in Hong Kong and finally found these specially made children's shoes.
These were silver flat dance shoes, the toes adorned with tiny sequins. She knelt down and told her daughter with a smile, "Baby, you're still little. High heels can affect a child's bone development."
"So, how about we make do?"
Coconut Baby's smile overflowed from her beautiful big eyes.
She doesn't compromise at all; she really likes it.
"Thank you, Mommy!"
"Where's Daddy?" Coconut Daddy pretended to be jealous.
"Thank you too, Daddy!"
Shengfang turned her gaze back to Jinbao's family.
Like Jinbao, their parents were also dressed in "golden splendor".
Jinbao's father was wearing a crisply pressed suit, and Jinbao's mother was wearing a pearl necklace. They were all smiles as they handed out business cards to the other parents.
"Everyone, come to our gold shop for tea when you have time. We have a new batch of pure gold jewelry. As long as you are Jinbao, you will get a special price."
They even pulled Jinbao to the front and introduced him to everyone—
"My son is an amazing drummer, he's a future drum king!"
The children were also spinning their drumsticks.
These are mahogany drumsticks that he specially asked Aunt Ping to buy. They have a warm and smooth texture, and the wood feels much better than the plastic drumsticks from kindergarten. They spin powerfully.
A-Juan leaned closer: "Didn't your flying niece come?"
Sheng Fang glared at him: "If you make another sound, I'll slap you away."
A-Juan raised her hand: "Teacher, Sheng-Fang is going to slap me away!"
Teacher Ji glanced at them helplessly. She was busy at the moment and had no time to deal with the children's little quarrel.
Shengfang pouted and reached out to rub off the glitter on her face—
How childish! Who would want to wear something so shiny?
But just as her fingertips touched her cheek, suddenly—
"Wow! It's Madam who can fly!"
...
Fangfang looked up, her eyes wide open, like sparkling gems.
He dashed off in a flash, heading straight for his niece.
Fangfang was so happy that he forgot all about himself, completely forgetting his usual aloof persona from kindergarten.
With a muffled thud, the baby bumped into Qingzai's arms.
The sudden hug stunned Zhu Qing.
She could clearly sense how surprised Fangfang was, burying her little face in her arms.
When she looked down at him, she noticed that the corners of his mouth were curved into a sad, aggrieved line.
Zhu Qing unconsciously softened her voice: "I said I would come."
Zhu Qing's explanation echoed in the uncle's ears.
"I had just driven out and crossed only one street when the car broke down on the spot."
"We couldn't just leave the car in the middle of the road, so it took a little time."
The little girl asked wistfully, "Is it going to be a TVB production?"
"It's even more coincidental than filming a TVB drama."
But Zhu Qing must emphasize that she was not actually late.
It's just that the other children's parents arrived a little too early.
Shengfang leaned against her niece's lap and rubbed her eyes haphazardly with the back of her hand.
Zhu Qing cupped his little face in her hands.
Seeing the young master's awkward expression, she laughed and said, "Someone got sand in their eyes."
Other children crowded around, their little faces getting closer and closer, their adorable features magnified before Zhu Qing's eyes.
They had only seen Superman on TV and in stores, but they never expected to see a real Madam Superman in person!
"Teacher, I want to take a picture with Superman Madam!"
"I want one too! I want one too!"
A cacophony of childish voices erupted in the classroom.
“Ask the teacher, it’s no use.” Sheng Fang peeked out from Qingzai’s arms, her little expression smug. “You should ask me!”
Aunt Ping stood to the side, feeling both like laughing and with tears welling up in her eyes.
She struggled to steady her hands, aiming the DV camera at this precious moment, afraid of missing any detail.
...
The children were led to the auditorium in a line by Teacher Ji.
The backstage area instantly transformed into a duck farm, with children making a ruckus.
When it was Shengfang's turn to go on stage, Zhu Qing unconsciously straightened her back, while Aunt Ping held up the DV camera with great concentration, not wanting to miss the young master's wonderful performance.
In the corner of the stage, a drumstick, filled with children's drumsticks, twirled beautifully between their fingertips.
Finally, it landed steadily back in his small palm.
Unlike when rehearsing at home, Fangfang's movements on stage this time were much more skillful.
The kindergarten performance was no challenge for him. He could easily handle everything from the rhythm and movements to the occasional mistakes made by other children.
The little figure shone brightly on the stage.
While feeling proud, Zhu Qing realized a problem: she couldn't let her previous extracurricular classes go to waste.
The child is idle at home all day, and his only fun is waiting for her to come home from work. It would be better to enroll him in more classes to let him release his excess energy. For example, the horseback riding, fencing, and tennis lessons that Grandpa Sheng arranged before need to be put back on the agenda.
On stage, the performance ended, and the children bowed to take their bows in thanks.
The audience erupted in applause.
During the awards ceremony, the principal of the main campus went on stage and presented each class with certificates and trophies in a "split-the-pork" style, such as the Best Stage Award, the Best Teamwork Award, and even the Best Smile Award.
But the children didn't understand any of that; all they knew was that they had won an honor, and their childish cheers rose and fell.
Even though A-Juan didn't participate in any performances, the little stick-up baby still had a strong sense of collective honor and jumped around happily.
As he was jumping around, he suddenly made eye contact with Fangfang.
The two turned their heads at the same time and quickly faced back to back.
Sheng Fang thought he didn't want to celebrate with A Juan.
After stepping off the stage, Aunt Ping took a wet towel, moistened it with warm water, and wiped off Fangfang's stage makeup.
He covered the sticker on his forehead with his little hand, frowning. When the blush and eyeshadow were wiped off, revealing his originally fair and tender skin, Fangfang suddenly grabbed Aunt Ping's hand.
"Save the glitter!"
Under the lamplight, Fangfang's little face still shimmered with tiny sparkles.
Parents in twos and threes washed their children's faces and changed them out of their performance costumes while discussing parenting tips.
"It must have been tough, I've lost weight over the years!"
"You've lost weight, I've gained weight from overwork!"
"Since Jinbao was born, my wife and I have never had a full night's sleep."
The parents offered words of comfort to each other.
Zhu Qing looked down and fiddled with the DV camera, trying to find its playback function. She couldn't join the conversation at all; in fact, Aunt Ping had been taking care of most of the childcare chores these days.
“Last week, my son woke me up at three in the morning, saying he dreamed that he was eaten by a monster. I comforted him for a bit, and he fell asleep, but I stayed awake until dawn.”
"Xin Yue only seems well-behaved. Last time, she was playing a wrestling game on the bed and bumped into me headfirst, making a loud 'crack' on my nose. Later, when I went to the hospital for an X-ray, the doctor subtly reminded me that if I got injured during an argument with my husband, I should call the police instead of pretending that my daughter bumped into me—"
"Anyway, I'm exhausted..."
The young master of the Sheng family walked by carrying a glass of juice: "I think taking care of children is quite easy."
Zhu Qing responded with an "Mmm".
She felt the same way.
The little girl looked at her with bright, sincere eyes, as if she had found a kindred spirit.
"?" Zhu Qing understood his look. "I know what you want to say, shh."
Fangfang: "I've been taking care of her for several months, and everything is fine."
Zhu Qing: ...
...
When they came out of kindergarten, the little feet of the children seemed to be fitted with springs, jumping and hopping.
The stage glitter on his face shimmered golden in the sunset, and the drumsticks, having gloriously fulfilled their mission, were generously given to Jinbao by the young master.
Fangfang stepped onto the marble steps of the kindergarten, then suddenly leaped down, nimbly skipping the last three steps. Aunt Ping watched in alarm, glancing at Zhu Qing, who remained unfazed, making no attempt to warn the child about safety.
In their family of police officers, this is not considered a dangerous move at all.
"Qingzai, where did you park the car?"
Shengfang looked around but didn't see her own car.
It turns out that the car breakdown that Ching-jai mentioned wasn't a plot point from a TVB drama.
An accident has really happened.
"I borrowed Dr. Cheng's car," she said.
She was in a hurry to get to the kindergarten and time was tight. She opened her contacts and saw Cheng Xinglang at the top of the list.
He received the call and drove over immediately to make the exchange.
Aunt Ping, holding a DV camera, came closer and asked curiously, "Is that the handsome doctor who's always available?"
Fangfang corrected: "He's a forensic doctor!"
Aunt Ping rubbed his little head.
My little darling, that's not the point.
When Zhu Qing drove the car back to the police station to return it, she left him a message a few minutes in advance.
Cheng Xinglang came downstairs to wait for her and took the car keys: "I had a familiar car dealership tow your car away. The driveshaft is faulty, and you can pick it up tomorrow."
Just as Zhu Qing was about to thank him, she saw Mo Zhenbang stride out of the police station.
"Go to the scene," Inspector Mo said succinctly. "Someone reported finding a severed toe."
Uncle Li and his team are already on the scene, and the initial information is unsettling.
Mo Zhenbang spoke with a stern face.
"Do you remember that cousin who reported herself missing? Rong Zimei."
She said her sister was willing to trade her life for someone else's.
Uncle Li told Mo Zhenbang over the phone—
The severed toe was wrapped in yellow paper with two lines of neat calligraphy written on it.
The first line is the date of birth.
The second line contains the complete birth date and time.
"The birth date on the birth chart..." Mo Zhenbang pondered, "is exactly the same as Kuang Xiaoyan's personal information."
While they were discussing the case, little Fangfang had already snuggled up next to Cheng Xinglang.
"Kid, nobody wants to play with you anymore?"
Although Cheng Xinglang still didn't change his mind, Fangfang no longer minded.
Especially now, he's chuckling softly as he ruffles the baby's hair.
"I'll play with you."
They talked about everything from Tetris to Monopoly, and Cheng Xinglang was very familiar with all the hidden gameplay elements.
"Using Madam Qian can trigger a hidden map."
"Press two buttons before drawing a card to skip one 'misfortune'."
"besides……"
"Dr. Cheng," Mo Zhenbang opened the car door, "Want a ride to the scene?"
Fangfang's face immediately fell.
Seriously? Even Dr. Cheng has to go and get busy!
After the car door closed, Fangfang and Aunt Ping stood there amidst the exhaust fumes.
After a lively day, it suddenly became quiet.
The young master sighed—
It's so lonely.
"I'm leaving too." He lowered his head, and as he turned, his shadow stretched long in the setting sun.
"Young master, where are you going!" Aunt Ping called from behind.
"Wandering." A mournful, childlike voice rang out.
Aunt Ping gazed in the direction where the young master had left, looking lost and dejected.
A smart child, even when wandering, will choose a safe route so he won't get lost.
He went home.
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