Chapter 90 Even a tiger won't eat its cubs.
Within 24 hours of the incident, Major Crimes Unit B quickly deployed police forces and split into three groups to conduct the investigation.
The investigation team separately examined the financial situation of the deceased's company and its business rivals, investigated the child abuse case involving the deceased and his ex-wife, and focused on investigating the deceased's younger brother, Wei Xusheng.
At 9:45 a.m., Wei Xusheng was summoned to the police station's interrogation room.
"Didn't I give two statements yesterday? Officer, I didn't sleep well all night, and now you're calling me in early this morning to cooperate with the investigation. Don't you let a person get any sleep?" He slumped in a plastic chair, his eyes swollen with dark circles. "Can't you ask all the questions at once?"
"Didn't sleep well last night? Did you do something wrong and couldn't sleep?" Uncle Li chuckled, leaning forward. "Or were you too excited about inheriting the estate and went to Lan Kwai Fong to celebrate?"
Wei Xusheng sat up abruptly: "Sir, you can't just say things like that."
Zhu Qing pushed a photo in front of him; it was a photo that the police had developed from footage taken from a warehouse videotape.
"According to the investigation, an internal theft occurred in the 'Simei Toys' warehouse three years ago, and Wei Huasheng specially installed hidden surveillance cameras. Only a few senior executives and security personnel knew about this incident; most warehouse employees were unaware of it."
According to surveillance footage retrieved by the police, the brothers Wei Huasheng and Wei Xusheng were seen arguing in the warehouse of a children's toy factory.
The time is shown as 6 PM the day before the incident.
“Mr. Wei, you said you haven’t seen your older brother for three or four years.” Uncle Li tapped the photo. “But the surveillance footage shows that you not only just met, but you also had a huge argument.”
Wei Xusheng stared at the photo, his fingers clenching tightly: "I...I remembered wrong, I saw him the day before."
Why lie?
“I’m not lying, I just couldn’t remember for a moment.” Wei Xusheng raised his voice and shifted his body uneasily. “We did have a fight. He’s so rich, but he won’t give me a single penny.”
“He donates so much money to charities every year, books and clothes, he helps this child when he is sick, he helps that child who can’t afford to go to school… Why can’t he help his own brother?”
"If I had that money, I wouldn't be in such a sorry state now."
Zhu Qing opened the file: "As far as we know, your brother once arranged a job for you."
“Work?” Wei Xusheng sneered. “Have you ever looked into how much he pays me a month? He puts me in a sinecure at his company, where I have nothing to do all day long, and he even gets my salary docked if I leave early… He makes hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars himself, but here I get a few thousand a month. Is that how you treat a beggar?”
According to Wei Xusheng's confession, he had indeed not contacted his elder brother for several years. But what chilled him to the bone was that Wei Huasheng showed no regard for family ties and also ignored him.
“Later I figured it out, I can’t let him get away with this. Who told him to be my brother? He’s just unlucky to have me as his younger brother.” Wei Xusheng loosened his collar, speaking in a defiant tone, “The day before the incident, I went to ask for the money back.”
Wei Xusheng said sarcastically, "I caught up with my older brother at the toy company. He's really rich. He even had to check his watch when talking to his own brother, as if I was wasting his precious time and ruining his business worth millions."
"It's funny to think about it. If it weren't for making me happy when I was a kid, why would he have researched toys? Now, he's made his fortune from this, and he complains that I'm in his way. If you ask me, his toy company is all thanks to me."
"You went to ask for the money, but Wei Huasheng refused you?" Zhu Qing continued to record.
“He said, ‘If you have hands and feet, go earn your own money… help in an emergency, but don’t support a life of poverty.’ It’s one thing to say such things to outsiders, but to say them to your own brother?” Wei Xusheng paused, then continued, “But he didn’t refuse me. In the end, he relented and said it would only be this once, and there would be no next time. He just didn’t have any cash or checks with him at the time, and told me to come back in a few days to get them.”
Uncle Li carefully observed Wei Xusheng's expression.
As he said this, a flash of resentment crossed his eyes, as if the money was rightfully his.
"Your older brother really owes you something," Uncle Li sneered.
"Otherwise what?" Wei Xusheng retorted. "My parents are gone, and before they died, they entrusted him to take good care of me. As brothers, we only have this life, who else would he help if not me?"
Looking at his self-righteous expression, Uncle Li shrugged and said, "Continue."
“The next day I called again to urge him to pay up. It was the same call you mentioned,” Wei Xusheng said. “He said he was busy and had to go somewhere, and told me to contact him again in a few days. Did he think I wouldn’t realize? He was just giving me the runaround!”
"The call log shows you ended the call at 2:30 PM." Zhu Qing looked up. "Where did you go after that?"
According to Dr. Ye from the forensic department, the time of death of the deceased, Wei Huasheng, was 3 p.m., and the phone call was likely to arrange a meeting place.
"I went to sleep after hanging up the phone."
Are there any witnesses?
"What witness? My wife and daughter have both run away, I'm all alone at home, who's going to testify for me?" Wei Xusheng said irritably, then suddenly widened his eyes. "You don't suspect me, do you?"
The police did not give a direct answer and continued to press for answers.
"We notified you to identify the body at five o'clock, why did you only arrive at almost nine o'clock?"
"I only slept for a little over an hour before my mahjong friends woke me up..." Wei Xusheng suddenly remembered, "That's right! I was out playing mahjong at that time, and the mahjong parlor downstairs was short one player. They can all vouch for me!"
"What are the specific times, from what time to what time?"
"I received a call from a mahjong player around 3:30. I washed my face and went downstairs. The call center has a record of it. You can check it if you don't believe me."
Zhu Qing noted down this weak alibi.
According to the address registered in the documents, it only takes fifteen minutes to get from Wei Xusheng's residence to the crime scene, which is more than enough time for him to return to the mahjong parlor after committing the crime.
"The police don't need your guidance in handling cases." Uncle Li flipped to another file, then changed the subject, "How was your brother's relationship with his wife back then?"
Wei Xusheng's expression became subtle.
"That woman?" He scoffed. "She's vicious enough to harm even her own child."
"I don't know what my older brother's taste is like."
...
Police interviewed employees of the toy company about the deceased's relationship status.
However, that was ten years ago. Now, the company's employees are generally young and not very clear about the specifics.
Therefore, Wei Xusheng, as the closest relative, should be the one who knows the inside story best regarding the deceased's long-term ended marriage.
“When I was a child, my family was dirt poor,” Wei Xusheng recalled. “Back then, my older brother was focused on his business and was busy building his career. He always said that he should establish his career before starting a family, and he didn’t get married until he was almost forty.”
“He wasn’t that rich back then, but the company was already starting to do well.”
"What kind of person is your sister-in-law?" Uncle Li asked.
"She was very virtuous at first, seemed gentle and refined, and treated me very well. Back then, she often invited me over for meals."
Recalling this point, he pursed his lips: "Later, she changed."
"I was fine during pregnancy, but after giving birth, I was completely different, like I became a different person."
"She was always nitpicking and finding fault with everything. My older brother was busy with his business, so she quit her job to stay home. At that time, there was only one maid in the house, and they took care of the children together. My sister-in-law always had something to criticize."
“I’ve heard my older brother complain that he was overwhelmed at the factory during the day, and when he came home he would get a lecture from her. It was from that time that they started arguing frequently, and my sister-in-law would cry all the time.”
“I often advise my older brother to be more patient…”
What happened next?
Wei Xusheng frowned.
"That day, the maid was off work, and as soon as my brother got home, he heard the child crying his heart out."
"The neighbors rushed over too. The child had fallen down the stairs and was covered in blood... Their stairs are really high; a fall could be fatal..."
The child was taken to the hospital by ambulance, and the neighbors immediately called the police.
"The police arrived while the child was still in the hospital. How could a one-year-old child, who can't even walk yet, possibly fall down the stairs by himself?"
"Later, my older brother divorced her."
“Even tigers don’t eat their cubs, who would have thought a mother would harm her own child? I heard that my older brother never went to see her again, but he did hire a lawyer for her when the trial went to court. In the end, he was just too soft-hearted.”
"I don't know how you investigated, you actually suspected me of murder. If you ask me, you should investigate her! I heard she's already out of prison, someone who could even kill her own son—"
“She has a criminal record, while my older brother is riding high, doing charity work on TV. Who wouldn’t feel resentful?”
Uncle Li and Zhu Qing's gazes lingered on Wei Xusheng's face before they turned away in unison.
The interrogation room was quiet for a long time, with only the sound of pens writing on paper.
...
At 3 p.m. in the CID office, officers were reviewing newly retrieved case files related to child abuse.
“Postpartum depression?” Liang Qikai flipped through the medical records. “The doctor diagnosed it as emotional instability, but at the time, it caused a huge uproar. The media said it was a violent tendency, and the headlines all said it was a ‘vicious mother’.”
Tucked inside the case file was a shocking photograph. The baby's injuries silenced everyone present. Xiao Sun couldn't help but look away and gently placed the photograph on the table.
“He was sentenced to ten years and was just released last year.” Xiao Sun quickly flipped through the judgment. “Wei Huasheng later calmed down and even wrote a letter of understanding to plead with the judge, saying that the couple were enthusiastic about public welfare. But the judge didn’t buy it and thought that this was using charity to influence the judiciary.”
"The defense lawyer also said that the child is so young and needs the mother's care..."
"What kind of lawyer is this? With the child in this situation because of his mother, who would believe that this mother would be able to take good care of him?"
“In short, every single one of them was rejected in court. A one-year-old child is inherently vulnerable, and neither the judge nor the jury can side with the abuser.”
"That poor child..."
The office was completely silent; everyone was staring intently at the photograph.
“There should be social workers following up on her release from prison,” Mo Zhenbang said. “The Social Welfare Department definitely has records of released prisoners; they should check her current address.”
"Oh right, I found this." Xu Jiale pulled a document out of the file bag. "I just got this information from the toy company. They issued an obituary internally eight years ago."
Zeng Yongshan took the document and read softly, "Young Wei Feiyang died of illness despite medical treatment..."
“The case file of the child abuse case mentioned that the child was seriously injured and hospitalized,” Haozai said. “I thought he couldn’t be saved at the time… but it turns out that this child held on for two years before passing away.”
A murmur rippled through the office.
Someone murmured, "If that's the case, isn't that 'Amazing Dad' photo very ominous?"
“What’s so strange about it? Do you really think he wrote the note? The child was so young back then, he couldn’t even write back then.”
“I heard that in the past, people would bring clothes to that side hall to pray for the souls of children who died young. My son died, and the murderer just happened to choose that place to commit the crime… Do you think the deceased was also there to pray for the souls of his child? Or was he tricked into going there?” Haozai rubbed his goosebumps. “It’s terrifying just thinking about it.”
Xu Jiale casually picked up the file and slapped him on the back of the head: "You still say that? Be careful you don't get scolded."
Mo Sir gave Hao Zai a disgruntled look: "What did the forensic department say?"
"The report arrived this morning." Zhu Qing handed the forensic report to Mo Sir. "The handwriting is new, and the ink was tested less than a month ago. The strokes are heavy, the lines are unstable, and the spacing and structure of the characters are consistent with the writing characteristics of a five- to seven-year-old child."
Mo Zhenbang reviewed the appraisal results and began assigning tasks.
"Focus on investigating in three directions and try to contact the deceased's ex-wife."
"We must continue to follow up on the clues regarding the deceased's brother."
"Also, check if there are any children of that age around Wei Huasheng, including relatives, friends, and neighbors—don't miss a single one."
Mo Zhenbang glanced at the deceased's brother's statement again and added, "The deceased's brother, Wei Xusheng, has a daughter. Check her age and do a handwriting comparison."
...
Afternoon sunlight streamed into the toddler classroom of Weston Kindergarten. The children, just awakened from their nap, were unusually quiet, like a flock of daydreaming little sparrows, their hair sticking up in a mess, their little hands rubbing their sleepy eyes.
"My mommy said I can't rub my eyes!" Xiaomei suddenly exclaimed.
As the daughter of an ophthalmologist, she has become a little doctor in her class: "She can bring bacteria into the eyes and may even damage the cornea."
Upon hearing this, the children obediently put their hands back on their knees.
They were incredibly well-behaved, just woken up, their little faces still showing a bewildered expression, each one more obedient than the last. Teacher Ji stood to the side, the corners of her mouth unable to help but turn up in a smile.
Such tranquility, of course, will not last long.
Soon, the classroom returned to its usual lively atmosphere.
The classroom play area has teaching aids made by the teachers. The children wandered around for a while and picked up a flashcard.
"Don't move!" Sheng Fang held up the card. "CID Senior Inspector!"
Ah Juan followed suit, picking up a card and saying, "CIC!"
"You idiot, Juan!"
In the past, when the word "idiot" was uttered, A-Juan would definitely rush to Teacher Ji and raise his little hand. But I don't know when it started, he stopped tattled.
“You’re a fool, Shengfang,” he retorted.
Shengfang: "It's ICAC!"
A-Juan adjusted his glasses and corrected himself, saying, "ICAC!"
Although Ah Juan still doesn't know what the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is responsible for, he asked his parents when he got home last night, and they both said that this line of work is suitable for him.
Ah Juan has become a child with ideals, her small eyes shining brightly behind her glasses.
Two children sat on the floor of the play area, playing the game of showing their ID cards over and over again.
The other children chattered amongst themselves about the party that had taken place at Shengfang's house the day before.
"We had fries, hamburgers, and crispy chicken legs! Aunt Ping can cook everything, and it's super delicious!"
"Fangfang's house also has a whole wall of Transformers!"
"His Ultraman character really can talk..."
"It's a pity Fangfang doesn't have a Barbie doll at home." Xiaoyesi sighed, tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said seriously, "Next time, I should make my niece go home earlier."
My niece is more interesting than any Barbie doll; she's played with her!
Hearing these words, several children who missed the party because of their extracurricular classes almost burst into tears.
“You can go again next time!” Coconut quickly reassured us, “Big Sister welcomes us very much.”
The children immediately started chattering and vying to sign up for the next party.
Ms. Ji was also caught up in the atmosphere and asked with a smile, "Would you like to join us next time, Ms. Ji?"
The air froze for a few seconds.
The kids brainstormed: Does anyone really enjoy playing with their teacher?
They looked at each other, then shook their heads in unison.
"not good."
Teacher Ji didn't take it to heart and turned to prepare some snacks.
Just as she was placing the pastries and milk on the plates, a few little ones quietly gathered around.
"Teacher, don't be upset," said Coconut Baby softly.
Jinbao wasn't good at saying nice things; he just nodded vigorously.
The little girl, Shengfang, comforted her in her childish voice, saying, "Teacher can play with her good friends."
Teacher Ji patted their little heads.
These kids are always like that; one second they make you laugh and cry, and the next they warm your heart.
...
For adults, promises made casually are often fleeting, lost in the mundane routines of daily life.
But children are different; their world is small.
Zhu Qing occupies a large place in Fang Fang's little world. The promise to take him to eat Typhoon Shelter Crab that day had already taken root in the child's heart. It was a precious promise that he had probably been looking forward to for a long, long time.
Therefore, we cannot let Fangfang's expectations be disappointed.
Zhu Qing wasn't sure what time she could finish work, but based on today's progress, it wouldn't be necessary to work overtime until late at night. She had mentioned the typhoon shelter-style stir-fried crab to Zeng Yongshan, and unexpectedly, the news spread like wildfire. As soon as it was time to eat, her colleagues all gathered around with great enthusiasm.
"I want to go too!" Haozai said. "I only ate a few bites of fried rice last night, and the food at noon today was even worse. I just ate a sandwich while I was visiting. You have to take me with you to the Typhoon Shelter Crab!"
Count me in too—
"I'm going too!"
"I know a long-established restaurant that's particularly authentic, so I'll call the owner now to make a reservation."
The office suddenly became lively.
Weng Zhaolin came out to "patrol," acting like a homeroom teacher, and stood at the CID room door listening for a while.
At that moment, he strolled in with his hands behind his back, his face stern as he scanned the room.
"What are you eating?" he asked. "Has the case been solved?"
A series of wails echoed from in front of the workstations.
"Officer, even if the case isn't solved, are we not allowed to eat?"
"Not eating makes you lack energy and affects your efficiency."
"Man is made of iron, food is made of steel..."
Weng Zhaolin rolled his eyes: "Don't give me that."
"Officer Weng," Zhu Qing suddenly asked, "Are you going?"
Weng Zhaolin's words of reprimand, which were about to come out, suddenly stopped.
As a boss, wouldn't it be a waste of money to treat everyone to a meal if I went?
He coughed lightly: "I'm busy."
After saying that, he turned and left, his back view appearing somewhat hurried.
Her colleagues all looked at Zhu Qing with admiration.
Uncle Li couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle; these guys were really leading the newcomers astray.
The officers from Major Crimes Unit B, with their stomachs rumbling, didn't finish their work until 7:40 p.m.
Xu Jiale had already thoughtfully reserved a table.
"Zhu Qing, I'll hitch a ride with you," Zeng Yongshan said with a smile. "Let's go pick up your little police officer together."
What was originally just Zhu Qing fulfilling a promise to her uncle has now turned into a gathering of the Major Crimes Unit B.
Xu Jiale and Haozai squeezed into Zhu Qing's car with Zeng Yongshan, while the others decided to go home first to take a shower and change their clothes before going to the meeting.
A black SUV slowly drove out of the Yau Ma Tei Police Station.
Zhu Qing was already extremely familiar with the way home.
But the street scenes along the way became even more vivid and lively because of the laughter and chatter that rose and fell in the carriage.
...
With nothing else to do, Sheng Peirong devised a study plan for her younger brother.
Now that her little brother is four years old, she can't let him waste his time. She studied the timetable and planned to enroll him in a few more classes. But as soon as she opened her mouth, she was met with fierce opposition from Shengfang.
Since he didn't want to go out to class, Sheng Peirong arranged some home lessons. She specially asked Aunt Ping to buy all kinds of chess sets, but her younger brother only took a fancy to the brightly colored Ludo.
At this moment, in the living room, Sheng Fang was shaking dice, engaging in a silent contest with Sheng Peirong.
At first, Shengfang was having a lot of fun, but he gradually discovered that he couldn't even beat his older sister at the simplest game of Ludo.
"That's not fair!" Sheng Fang puffed up her cheeks and lay down on the carpet like an inflatable pufferfish. "Big sister cheated."
Sheng Peirong reached out and poked his chubby cheeks: "Aunt Ping, you be the judge, who's cheating?"
"Aunt Ping will definitely help you." Sheng Fang sat up abruptly, crossed her arms, and angrily put away the chessboard.
Hide it where your older sister can't find it!
Shengfang returned after hiding the Ludo game and sat down in front of her: "Poor Fangfang."
This little boy looked aggrieved, but he still managed to act cute.
Sheng Peirong burst out laughing.
The sound of a car engine came from the courtyard.
Fangfang blinked and looked outside.
"Shengfang," Zhu Qing's voice came, "I'll take you out for a late-night snack."
Her bright eyes instantly lit up like little light bulbs, and before she could even react, her short legs had already dashed off.
Smiling faces peered out of the car windows, greeting Sheng Peirong and Aunt Ping.
Aunt Ping smiled with satisfaction.
She had met Zhu Qing at the beginning, a true cold-faced Madam, but now she had gradually become more humane and was able to get along well with her colleagues.
"Is Fangfang still pitiful now?" Sheng Peirong asked with a smile.
Aunt Ping watched the young master's cheerful figure as he walked away, saying, "Now Fangfang is living a happy life."
This late-night snack was a spontaneous idea from the police station colleagues after working overtime. This gathering was for letting the kids relax.
After more than ten minutes, I finally sat down at the food stall, with a fragrant plate of stir-fried crab in front of me, and Fang Fang's smiling face was almost melting my heart.
The aroma of stir-fried crab is irresistible, and a variety of delicious dishes are served.
Fangfang kept eating, her little mouth stuffed full, while the sounds of police officers discussing the case filled her ears.
"Actually, the deceased's younger brother and ex-wife are both suspects. Wei Huasheng is dead, and Wei Xusheng is the biggest beneficiary. Normally, he wouldn't even bother with borrowing tens or hundreds of thousands of yuan, but now he has directly inherited his elder brother's estate, which is an entire company. For the sake of profit, he has sufficient motive to kill."
"And then there's the deceased's ex-wife. She was able to do something so cruel to a one-year-old baby back then—that was her own flesh and blood! Now that she's out of prison, with a criminal record and getting old, she's probably struggling financially. Compared to her ex-husband's success, it's not impossible that she might have targeted him."
The stir-fried crab was incredibly fragrant, and even the shells were crispy.
"Serve it in a bowl, but don't eat the crab shell."
"I've already eaten." Fangfang pointed to her tummy. "It's right here."
The children were seen biting into the crab shells, making a "crunch" sound.
He listened intently to the adults' conversation, as if he were watching the most exciting crime thriller. His chubby little hands clumsily pried open the crab claws, shook the sweet crab meat, and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Qingzai, it's been a long time since I solved a case!" Inspector Fang held up his greasy little hands. "Can you assign me a task?"
Everyone laughed.
"Young officer, is your direct supervisor your niece?"
"Our head officer is Mo Sir, and the junior officer's head officer is Zhu Qing..."
When the topic turned to the long-awaited forensic report, Shengfang's little head turned around and around.
"Dr. Ye was really too slow this time."
"I heard it's because his daughter had a fever, and there was nothing he could do."
"I really miss the days when I would get the forensic report the morning after the crime happened..."
Babies can participate in every topic.
He gnawed on a crab leg and let out a sigh like a little adult: "I miss Dr. Cheng too."
...
The next morning, Zhu Qing had just arrived at the police station when she received the latest information about the ex-wife of the deceased, Wei Huasheng.
She and Uncle Li immediately drove to the Social Welfare Department and met Ms. Lu, the social worker in charge of Huang Qiulian's case.
“Officers,” Ms. Lu said, pulling out a file. “Huang Qiulian is currently working as a cleaner at the community center. I can take you there.”
Five minutes later, Ms. Lu got into the police car and was directed in the right direction.
The car slowly drove to the perimeter of the community center and stopped.
"That's Huang Qiulian, the one in the gray work clothes," Miss Lu said, pointing to a figure sweeping fallen leaves in the distance.
"The Social Welfare Department's principle of assistance is to both provide them with opportunities to reform and help them reintegrate into society, and to ensure community safety."
“Huang Qiulian’s situation is indeed difficult; she is 41 years old and has a criminal record.”
“We contacted many job applicants. When she was released from prison last year, she was washing dishes at a tea restaurant. Later, someone spread the word that she had been to prison.”
Ms. Lu continued, "We only helped her find a job at this community center this July. The salary is relatively low, but it includes room and board. We follow up with her every month, and the person in charge says she's doing a good job."
Through the car window, they looked in the direction of Huang Qiulian.
Just then, a ball rolled to her feet.
The boy chasing the ball had clear eyes and ran excitedly, but was suddenly stopped by the caregiver.
Huang Qiulian immediately took a few steps back, awkwardly averted her gaze, and lowered her head even further.
"This is an event co-organized by the community and the Letong Development Center, and all the participants are children with special needs."
Zhu Qing then noticed the details: the boy was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with an unusual purity and focus in his eyes.
"Huang Qiulian is very self-aware and will not take the initiative to approach them."
"Of course, the community and development center wouldn't let her interact with the participants either, given her child abuse record is too sensitive. If this activity had been scheduled earlier, the community center probably wouldn't have agreed to let her stay."
The boy who was chasing the ball was being led back by the caregiver.
He would occasionally look back, his face filled with innocent confusion.
There was a moment of silence in the carriage.
“She was released on a reduced sentence because of good behavior,” Ms. Lu said, then trailed off, “but we’ve seen many cases like this… Many people can’t adapt, and they get back to prison after a short time…”
She couldn't help but ask, "Has Huang Qiulian committed a crime?"
Miss Lu felt a little regretful, but she wasn't surprised.
Uncle Li flipped through the Social Welfare Department's files: "How has she been doing here?"
“She’s very well-behaved,” she asked. “Should I call her over?”
Zhu Qing and Uncle Li exchanged a glance.
Following Mo Sir's instructions, they were absolutely not to alert the target.
“Not for now,” Zhu Qing said. “Could you provide her work schedule for the past three months?”
In the distance, Huang Qiulian was sweeping the floor with her head down, completely unaware of the police car parked in the corner.
As the police gazed at the solitary figure, they couldn't help but think of the injuries on the infants in the child abuse case files, and remained silent for a long time.
...
Zhu Qing returned to the police station in the afternoon.
She sat at her workstation, flipping through the case files again.
The clippings from that child abuse case are yellowed with age, but the anger and shock conveyed between the lines remain vivid.
Huang Qiulian, a 31-year-old middle school teacher, had been teaching for six years. No one could have imagined that she would push her one-year-old son down the stairs.
The case progressed incredibly quickly from filing to sentencing, and public opinion was almost unanimously critical.
In a corner of the newspaper clippings, a parent expressed strong anger during an interview.
How can we entrust our children to a teacher like that?
The accompanying text was a strongly worded statement from the school.
Zhu Qing's fingertip stopped at a paragraph in the middle.
The child's father, Wei Huasheng, was also investigated by the police, but was eventually cleared of suspicion.
I could hear the intermittent chatter of my colleagues.
“Wei Huasheng’s younger brother did go to play cards in the afternoon of the incident, which can be confirmed by his mahjong friends and is also recorded by the call machine. However, this alibi is not true… He started playing cards at 3:30 pm, but the deceased died at 3 pm.”
"On the other hand, he was quite happy last night. He acted so grief-stricken when identifying the body, and after leaving the police station, he went straight to Portland Street and drank until dawn before going home."
"How could I not be happy? With his brother dead, the entire inheritance will be his."
Zhu Qing's finger stopped on one of the pages of the case file, her brows furrowing slightly.
Just then, the office door was pushed open, and Zeng Yongshan and Xiao Sun walked in quickly.
Xiao Sun was holding up a document.
"The deceased had made a will before his death."
Everyone looked up.
“All the property…” Zeng Yongshan paused, “was left to his son.”
"son?"
"Isn't his son dead?"
...
Sheng Peirong did not use a wheelchair today.
She never missed her twice-weekly rehabilitation therapy sessions. Having left the nursing home and seeing that it was still early, she went directly to Weston Kindergarten in Kowloon Tong.
Sheng Peirong got out of the car and looked in the direction of the kindergarten gate.
They walked slowly, but their steps were steady.
"Does your younger brother go to school there?"
"The young master will be very happy if he knows you're here to pick him up."
Aunt Ping's hands were loosely placed on either side of Sheng Peirong's body, as if she were ready to catch her at any moment.
It must be admitted that Sheng Peirong's recovery was astonishingly fast. Aunt Ping both hoped that she would return to the Sheng family to be the children's strongest support, and also hoped that she would recuperate for a longer period of time.
The kindergarten gate was crowded with parents picking up their children.
From afar, Sheng Peirong saw her younger brother.
It was tiny, carrying a big backpack, standing in the middle of the line looking around.
Then, his gaze fixed on it with surprise.
"Big sister!!!"
Everyone at the kindergarten entrance turned their heads.
The little girl's voice was tender yet loud, and her short legs moved swiftly as she rushed into the crowd.
Aunt Ping gasped.
His older sister can barely walk; how could she withstand a child running around like that?
"Young master! No way!"
Aunt Ping gasped in surprise, her voice almost cracking.
However, before she could finish speaking, Fangfang had already stopped and came to a steady stop.
He didn't rush over, but looked up with his well-behaved little face and said, "Big sister, this is the first time you've come to pick me up."
Before Sheng Peirong could answer, little Sheng Fang had already turned around.
He shouted loudly to every child and parent who passed by, and even called out to the school bus drivers parked on the side of the street.
"She is my eldest sister."
"Do you want to come and see my eldest sister?"
The baby in full bloom bowed warmly: "Welcome!"
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