Chapter 31 "Here!"
The younger relative looked at her niece with satisfaction, and the child thanked her in return.
That's very generous and straightforward, really great!
Such a solemn occasion left the colleagues looking at each other in bewilderment, but Zeng Yongshan was the first to burst out laughing.
"Don't thank me, we're all family."
Then everyone echoed his sentiment.
"Exactly, you're being too formal..."
"do not mention it!"
The abandoned dormitory at the police academy didn't even have an elevator, and cardboard boxes were piled up like mountains. If Zhu Qing were moving alone with a child, she might not be able to move into her new home until dark.
Now, with the help of my colleagues, the cardboard box seems to teleport; it was just sitting on the ground a moment ago, and in the blink of an eye, it's in the trunk of the car at the front gate.
Zeng Yongshan and Liang Qikai came over together just now, and they chatted about Shengfang on the way. The innocent and adorable child was a common topic they had finally found. They joked that when they moved, Shengfang would definitely be there to help, and accidentally knock over the luggage in the cardboard boxes or plastic bags, leaving her to innocently wait for her niece to unpack it all.
However, that wasn't actually the case. When the adults teased him, Shengfang waved his hand, unable to help, both because he was a child and because the young master had no intention of working up a sweat in the sweltering summer heat.
Liang Qikai carried the cardboard box back and forth, and when he went upstairs again, he brought Shengfang an ice cream: "I bought it from the store at the entrance. I don't know if you like this flavor."
There is no flavor of ice cream that one doesn't love.
He tore open the ice cream wrapper, sat on the lower bunk of the bunk bed, and while acting as a supervisor, squinted his eyes in blissful contentment.
At the Sheng family home, he had tasted many delicacies, many of which were things that ordinary children couldn't eat, but the young master had special privileges. With just a stomp of his foot, Marissa could conjure up anything he wanted, as if by magic.
But strangely enough, when he thinks back now, all Fangfang remembers is the scene of him eating ice cream in the pigeon coop.
In the cramped dormitory, he and his niece had to turn around carefully, afraid of accidentally bumping into each other. There was only one old electric fan in the house. If the two of them were in different corners of the pigeon coop, they had to turn the knob to make the fan swing. After waiting for a long time, the fan would finally turn to face them, only to blow out hot air, which always made him annoyed.
In such terrible weather and such a terrible environment, eating a cold and refreshing ice cream becomes a memorable and pleasant experience.
The child suddenly understood a remarkable truth: no wonder adults always remember the bitter past to appreciate the sweet present. After suffering, even the most ordinary ice cream becomes a pleasure.
There are fewer and fewer cardboard boxes in the dormitory.
The dormitory supervisor knocked on the door and asked if they needed any help. Zhu Qing left the small pot with her, and she smiled broadly, looking at it from left to right and praising how shiny the lid was.
The small cooking pot was a recent purchase by Zhu Qing. Sometimes when she came home late, she would cook a bag of instant noodles, but unlike Dr. Cheng, she wasn't particular about it. She would simply cook the noodles until they were done, unlike Cheng Xinglang, who would crack eggs and cut sausages with such care, and she would even wash the pot.
The new home in Yau Ma Tei is fully equipped with kitchen appliances.
The small cooking pot in the dormitory was no longer needed, but it found a new home with the dormitory supervisor. Zhu Qing squatted in front of the cardboard box, looking for anything else she could keep.
After the small appliances were almost finished, Shengfang finished the last bite of ice cream.
A tiny child, yet so deeply saddened.
"I can't bear to part with it," he said in a childish voice.
Zhu Qing's hand, which was tidying up the clutter, hung in mid-air.
In the original story, even when the minor villain was shot to death, it seemed as if he had already planned it all out, showing no emotion whatsoever. But now, he's saddened by the prospect of moving out of this dilapidated dormitory.
"After all, I've never lived in such a dilapidated place before." The young master shook his head and sighed, as if he were feeling sorry for himself.
Being an uncle is really not easy.
What kind of tough times did you experience with your niece?
Zhu Qing: ...
She glanced at the bedside table, where the young master of the Sheng family's treasures were displayed: "If you keep making noise, I'll throw the praying mantis into the trunk."
"Qingzai!" Shengfang jumped up. "This is the Thunder Claw Armored Mantis. If you put it in the trunk, its blades will break."
This Thunder Claw Armored Mantis has a very long name, and Zhu Qing has heard it many times, but she has never been able to remember it.
This praying mantis is made entirely of mechanical joints, so kids would never leave it in the dark trunk.
Other toys have been temporarily relegated to the sidelines, but this praying mantis—
It has to sit on his lap!
Sheng Fang walked past her carrying the praying mantis, shaking his head meaningfully: "You don't know its value."
The clutter in the dormitory has finally been completely cleared out.
Zhu Qing did one last check, and looked back one last time before leaving. Her memory was still stuck when she was about to graduate, and she had applied layer by layer, finally being granted permission to continue living here as an exception. At that time, Zhu Qing had checked the information and knew that applications for disciplinary force dormitories would take at least several months to be approved, so she was prepared for a long commut.
Unexpectedly, she has moved out ahead of schedule.
"Qingzai." Shengfang stopped at the corner of the stairs, turned around and called out, "Let's go!"
With a click, Zhu Qing closed the dormitory door.
She quickened her pace to catch up with her uncle, who was running ahead with his short legs.
They're gone!
...
My colleagues drove two cars.
Xu Jiale and Haozai borrowed their cars from Mo Sir, while Liang Sir's car belonged to his father. The two cars sped off one after the other toward Zhu Qing and Sheng Fang's new home.
There's still so much to tidy up at home. It's a day off, after all. My colleagues are all very shrewd; they've already started making excuses while we're still standing at the elevator.
"I made plans to go to the theater with a friend."
"My girlfriend has been waiting for so long, we're really going to Ocean Park to ride the Ferris wheel today!"
"I'm going to go with Daddy and my older brother to choose paint. They said they'll paint it my favorite color this time, and I'll be there to supervise."
Only Liang Qikai intended to step into the elevator.
With so many trivial things to do, a three-year-old would just be sitting there with his legs crossed, enjoying the air conditioning. Can Zhu Qing manage all that by herself?
“I—” Liang Qikai stepped forward, wanting to stay and help.
"Back to the police station?" Zhu Qing suggested an excuse for him, "To write a report."
Liang Qikai could only cough awkwardly and say, "Yes."
If Fangfang's uncle sets a precedent, Zhu Qing should thank him even louder when she says thank you again.
Both uncle and nephew were sincere; after all, if it were just the two of them, they would have had to put in a lot more effort.
After seeing their colleagues off, Zhu Qing and Sheng Fang began moving miscellaneous items into the house.
The household items were scattered around, but organizing them wasn't as difficult as she had imagined. Zhu Qing's room had a large wardrobe. Standing in front of it, she acted like a commander, while her uncle became her errand boy, bringing her clothes back and forth. She took them, hung them on the hangers, and her efficiency improved, making the task twice as effective.
My niece is an undercover police officer; Shengfang had never seen her in uniform before.
Today, he saw the impressive police uniform for the first time, and his eyes lit up.
“PC…” Sheng Fang looked at the number on the police uniform, “This is—”
“PC33196,” Zhu Qing said. “That’s my badge number.”
Police sirens and the like are things Sheng Fang has only ever seen on television. But children know that they are strings of numbers that hold great significance.
"I want a police badge number too." Sheng Fang looked up at Zhu Qing expectantly.
This is a very small wish, and my niece has no reason not to grant it.
"Shall I make one up for you?"
Based on the numbering pattern of police badge numbers, the numbers next to Zhu Qing's probably also belong to their own owners.
She thought for a moment, then said to Shengfang, "Your name will be—"
"I've made up my mind." Sheng Fang raised her little hand, making an excited gesture, "PC8888!"
As expected of a young master from a wealthy family, he even chose an auspicious number for his police badge number.
"..."
"May I?"
"Alright."
When Zhu Qing first arrived at the new house, she was a little surprised that Sheng Fang was so well-behaved and cooperated fully with the cleaning work.
But this surprise didn't last long. By the time they started wiping the windows and cabinets, the child clearly didn't want to do it anymore.
"Qingzai, please call the maid!"
"Why should I do the work myself!"
"Didn't Aunt Ping come?"
"I'm not good at housework!"
The young master sat sullenly in the messy living room of the new house.
Just kidding, how could he possibly do a thorough cleaning? Back in the Sheng family, even the servants had to watch their step when doing chores. If they accidentally "cleaned up" his toys or made a "clattering" noise while he was drawing, the child would get upset.
“Shengfang,” Zhu Qing said. “A hero doesn’t dwell on past glories. You’re not in the Sheng family now.”
The child craned his neck and turned his head away.
"You are now—"
The uncle turned his face and glared at his niece with annoyance.
“Our home.” Zhu Qing picked up a broom and swept the nooks and crannies. “It’s difficult to manage since you don’t like doing housework.”
Anyway, she wouldn't follow around like a spoiled young master, picking up his socks and washing his clothes.
But living together in a garbage dump doesn't sound like a good idea either.
In any case, household chores must be clearly divided.
After spending some time together, Zhu Qing realized that you can't expect to explain things to a three-year-old in one go. She planned to influence the child subtly in daily life. She turned around and continued sweeping, but the broom was taken away from her hand.
The little boy was humming a nursery rhyme, waving a broom that was much taller than him, and cleaning happily.
My niece said this is their home!
Their home.
After moving out of the hillside, Sheng Fang has been staying by her niece's side.
But the first time, the children realized that this was not a temporary stay.
He has a family now!
...
Before moving here, Zhu Qing would often come over after get off work to do a quick cleaning.
Therefore, on the day of the move, they simply tidied up the odds and ends and books they had brought, swept and mopped the floor, and then laid out brand new sheets.
The new house immediately felt like a home.
After finishing everything, Qingzai and Fangfang's uncle threw themselves onto the soft sofa.
They both fell down, the sofa sank in, they looked at each other, stood up at the same time, and then lay down heavily again.
Zhu Qing discovered that the soft sofa felt like it could hug her!
What's the difference between having such a big TV and watching a movie in a theater?
The coffee table was still empty, but that didn't stop the uncle and niece from imagining the pleasant scene of going on a shopping spree in a few days and sitting in front of the TV eating snacks.
"Qingzai, buy lots of potato chips, we can watch the game together!"
"I don't want to..."
"Let's watch cartoons together!"
"Do you have Doraemon?"
"Qingzai, are you talking about Doraemon?"
No child can resist the temptation to step on the edge of the sofa back.
Shengfang stood barefoot on the log bridge, waiting for her niece to take a long time to select channels with the remote control, finally tuning to a channel that was playing Doraemon.
On television, the background music of cartoons brought Zhu Qing back to her childhood.
At that time, Xin Xin had not yet been adopted. When it was time, she would bring a small stool to urge Zhu Qing to hurry up. The two little girls would sit together in front of the television in the orphanage, staring intently at it.
This is the first time I've heard of Doraemon. Before his name was changed, he was called Ding Dang.
“The theme song is different too,” Zhu Qing said.
Shengfang's eyes widened: "Can you sing?"
Qingzai had no desire to sing, Shengfang thought to herself.
To my surprise, I heard her soft humming.
"Everyone's expectations can be met, and my happiness is higher than the sky."
"The bizarre and miraculous are beyond belief; you can obtain them simply by thinking about them."
"Ding-dong, everyone loves you, and the kitten is proud too."
Cartoons were still playing on TV.
The old and new theme songs share the same melody, echoing in Shengfang's ears.
Memories related to Dingdang are my niece's childhood memories.
The uncle's fond childhood memories lingered on this one night.
...
Children are children; no matter how energetic they are, there will be times when they suddenly become listless.
At first, he only said that he wanted to try out the new bed to see if it was soft enough. But after jumping on the bed for a while, the jumping became smaller and smaller, and his eyelids started to droop.
Zhu Qing placed the kindergarten interview materials on his desk in his room. She had just tidied them up when she turned around and found that he had fallen asleep.
The previous owner of this house specially created a fun-filled children's room for the family's children.
The wallpaper in the room was specially chosen, a light blue, like a clear sky. The most delightful surprise is the glow-in-the-dark stars adorning the ceiling; when the lights are turned off, the bedroom transforms into a starry night.
The young master always liked to imitate adults, pretending to be dashing. But now he was asleep, curled up in a small ball. Zhu Qing gently pulled the blanket off him, and the little boy rolled over and lay on the pillow, his little face rosy from sleeping.
Zhu Qing helped him cover himself with the blanket, and left the door slightly ajar as she went.
Her own room was right next to her uncle's.
Whether in the welfare home or the police academy dormitory, she had never experienced a spacious sleeping area. Before, when she lay flat on the iron bunk bed, there wasn't always an arm's length of space on either side, and she would easily bump into the railings.
But at this moment, she has a super big double bed, where she can stretch out her limbs into a starfish shape.
Moving requires buying a lot of things, like bed sheets, which was Aunt Ping's idea.
Aunt Ping didn't know Zhu Qing's preferences, but the style and color of the bed sheets were not the cool, hard tones she usually chose. The color was soft, the fabric was soft, and they were washed on a sunny day, still smelling pleasantly of sunshine.
Zhu Qing lifted the blanket and buried herself in it, then came out again after a while.
She tossed and turned in bed, then opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. It all felt so unreal; how could she possibly fall asleep?
This time, she wasn't losing sleep over the criminal's motives. Overwhelmed by joy, she closed her eyes, felt a slight ache in her lips, and decided to get up again and wander around the room.
As Zhu Qing passed by the room where the flowers were blooming, she peeked inside.
She used the living room light to look at her sleeping uncle.
He looks kind of cute when he's asleep.
Her little face was flat, like a pancake.
...
The uncle and niece spent their first night in their beautiful new home.
The next morning, sunlight streamed into the children's room. The child reached out and touched the Thunder Claw Scyther beside his pillow, then contentedly stayed in bed.
After lingering for a while, I still didn't hear any movement.
You should know that when Fangfang was in the police academy dormitory, she would be woken up every morning by the "banging" noise of her niece getting ready to leave. Even if she was grumpy when she woke up, she had to hold it in and dared not say anything.
Has Qingzai already gone to work?
Shengfang rolled over, climbed off the crib, and went barefoot to knock on Zhu Qing's door.
When Zhu Qing opened her eyes and sat up, two strands of hair stuck up on the top of her head.
She covered her face with her hands, rubbed it, and then opened her eyes.
It's not a dream at all.
"I didn't fall asleep until almost dawn."
"Why?"
Zhu Qing, still a little sleepy, hugged her pillow and said, "I've never lived in such a big house before."
I'm so excited.
When she said this, Zhu Qing had not fully opened her eyes and had no recollection of her two short stays at the hillside mansion.
She couldn't sleep last night, so she wandered around their new house for a long time until dawn before finally lying down.
She looked at her niece with a mixture of joy and tenderness.
The new house is only 1,500 square feet. I'm living with my uncle. The good days are yet to come.
The vendor waved his hand dismissively, saying, "It's just a little watering."
Have you reviewed the interview materials?
Shengfang immediately realized what was happening.
My niece said that Inspector Mok approved her taking two consecutive days off. Yesterday was the move, and today is—
I'm going for a kindergarten interview!
Shengfang never liked tutoring before; his week was packed with classes, many of which were tedious and boring. Now that he finally has some free time, his niece has arranged heavy academic workload for him again, and all the little guy wants to do is run away.
"Niece, you sleep a little longer, I'll go first..."
Shengfang turned and ran away.
A command came from behind.
"PC8888!"
The little one stood at attention, his face tense: "Here!"
...
The kindergarten that Zhu Qing has her eye on is in Kowloon City.
It was an international kindergarten, and the interview process alone was quite complex. Aunt Ping helped Zhu Qing a lot. It was her first time raising a child, and she hadn't considered many details. For example, the little master was dressed in a white shirt and dark gray vest suitable for an interview, along with a bow tie, looking like a little gentleman. Aunt Ping had helped prepare all of this.
Several yellow school buses were parked in front of the kindergarten.
Zhu Qing told Sheng Fang that if he could enroll in kindergarten smoothly, he would go downstairs with her every morning when she went to work, wait for the bus on the roadside, just like the other children in the kindergarten.
Sheng Fang frowned and asked, "Qingzai, doesn't their family have a driver?"
Several gazes fell upon her, but Zhu Qing remained unfazed, covering the child's mouth with one hand.
She smiled demurely.
Okay, shut up.
The interview took place in the kindergarten principal's office.
A special rest area for parents has been set up outside the gate. This kindergarten, which charges a high tuition fee, has done its best in every detail. Even the rest area is decorated in a childlike and fun way, like a children's playground.
Most of the people waiting in the lounge were parents of children. When they made eye contact, they would politely smile and nod. If they hit it off, they would start chatting over a few words.
It was at this moment that the child's parents occasionally cast scrutinizing glances at Zhu Qing's face; she was so young, she didn't look like a child's mother.
Some people whispered among themselves, guessing that this was the child's older sister or the tutor.
Zhu Qing sat up straight, pretending not to hear, and refused to make eye contact with them again.
If she were caught by accident, she would only be able to say that she came with her uncle, which would be very embarrassing.
The rustling sounds of conversation echoed; they had changed the subject.
"I don't know what the principal will ask. My Kelly has been preparing for days, and she was even answering questions in her sleep."
"Besides the interview questions, it seems there were also tasks. Like building blocks, recognizing picture cards, and a color sorting game."
"I heard that the principal loves listening to symphony concerts, so I took my child to catch up last week."
"Oh no, I forgot to bring my daughter a handkerchief! They said the teaching assistants might give students a small piece of cake, and they should use a handkerchief to cover their mouths while eating, and even children should pay attention to manners..."
Zhu Qing: ?
Parents who brought their children to the interview also said that this kindergarten in Kowloon City is known for its low acceptance rate.
Everyone else had done their homework, but Zhu Qing just stumbled upon this place by accident. The only homework she did was print out an interview document, which her child was too lazy to even look at.
Raising children is so complicated! This interview was like an elite selection competition, and every parent came prepared.
They privately speculated about the questions the principal might ask.
"If he asks why I chose this kindergarten, how should I answer?"
"This is the easiest question. If you must answer, say that you admire their aristocratic education."
"They said we place great emphasis on cultivating children's character and international perspective."
"In short, never say that you can catch the school bus just by going downstairs."
Zhu Qing let out a sigh upon hearing this.
Oh no, Shengfang will definitely say that the school bus is just downstairs, because she just mentioned it...
"And, the principal will suddenly switch to English midway through the conversation!"
Are you ready?
"My English is terrible, only good enough for everyday conversation—"
Zhu Qing only realized now that parents also needed to be interviewed.
Do the younger generation need it?
On this day off, Zhu Qing spent most of the day at kindergarten.
When the principal's office door opened, the children emerged like happy little fish swimming out, while the young master strolled out leisurely, looking calm and composed.
"Next week is the parent interview stage," Sheng Fang said. "The week after next is the results announcement day!"
"A three-year-old child, still waiting for the results to be released?"
Even when Inspector Mok took the supervisor promotion exam, there wasn't such a big fuss.
Fangfang is a meticulous child.
He held up three fingers, then his shortest little finger, and corrected, "It's three and a half years old."
...
After leaving kindergarten, Shengfang was about to take her niece to prepare food for tonight's housewarming party.
"Is it tonight?"
"Did I forget to tell you?" The young master tilted his head.
This kid not only agreed to invite everyone to the housewarming party without consulting her in advance... but what's even worse is that she only received the notification at the last minute regarding the specific date of the party.
"Buy more food." Sheng Fang took out a small piece of paper from her pocket. "Aunt Ping said there's a supermarket here."
The housewarming party tonight will definitely involve eating and having fun with friends. Back when Sheng Wenchang and Qin Lizhu were still alive, they often hosted guests at home. Aunt Ping was very experienced and would prepare all the necessary dinner ingredients in advance.
As for her niece and uncle, all she needs to do is go to the supermarket to buy some snacks and drinks, since Aunt Ping is getting old and doesn't understand the preferences of young people these days.
The address on the note Aunt Ping wrote clearly indicated that the supermarket was nearby. But the uncle and niece walked around Kowloon City again and again without seeing it. After asking passersby, they learned that the supermarket had moved, but it wasn't far, only two blocks away.
The pace of blossoming slows down, becoming slower and slower.
When they finally saw the supermarket door, he said, "Qingzai, you're following us so closely, it's terrible."
On his first time hosting guests at the new house, Shengfang patted his chest and promised that he would make his friends feel right at home.
Ten minutes later, the shopping cart was full. Zhu Qing was wondering how the two of them were going to carry all these bags back when the young master gave the cashier a sweet smile and asked, "Sister, can you arrange for someone to deliver the goods?"
"Of course, you're buying so much," the cashier said with a smile. "Just leave an address."
As they walked out of the supermarket, their hands were empty; they hadn't brought anything with them.
The topic of "Blooming" has returned to what it was before.
"We weren't finished talking just now."
"What do you want to talk about?"
"My feet are in terrible shape!"
It was all foreshadowed; his feet were in a terrible state, being stepped on every day...
Be nicer to them.
The uncle and nephew are just too busy.
There are so many things to arrange, I'm so busy I barely have time to breathe, arranging one thing after another.
"Qingzai, let's go sign up for driving lessons."
This time, my niece was very obedient.
In the police station, if there is an emergency, having police cars readily available but not knowing how to drive them can really slow down efficiency.
Zhu Qing and Sheng Fang came and went in a hurry. They hadn't known where to register for driving lessons beforehand, but fortunately, the taxi driver took them directly to the Transport Department office in Wan Chai.
At the supermarket checkout, you count your money with a "swish, swish, swish" sound; now that you're getting out of the car, you "swish, swish, swish" again; and when it comes to paying to register for your driver's license test, it's all "swish, swish, swish" again...
The younger elder smiled with satisfaction.
The cashier tossed me a copy of the "Road User Code": "Here you go, memorize it when you have time."
After receiving the receipt and submitting the registration form, Zhu Qing and Sheng Fang left the Transport Department.
The little boy was much more excited than his niece. Once Qingzai learns to drive and the family gets a car, he'll have his own driver, and Qingzai will have his own ride. It will make solving cases and conducting investigations much easier in the future.
"You can still drive to work!"
Zhu Qing also carefully considered this issue.
It's a three-minute walk to the police station, but how many minutes would it take by car?
...
It was still early, and since we had come all the way to Wan Chai, the kids didn't want to go back.
That day, the iced lemon tea served at the real estate store was so refreshing and cool as it slid down my throat that my tummy felt like it had been frozen.
Iced lemon tea without tea is just lemon water with sugar, right? It's sour and astringent, how delicious can it be? What the young master likes is actually the feeling of casually holding the cup and pretending to be an adult.
"Let's go buy some iced lemon tea!" Sheng Fang savored the taste and pulled Zhu Qing to find a tea restaurant.
Although she had never raised a child before, Zhu Qing knew that she couldn't just listen to him completely when it came to raising a child.
After all, in the original story, everyone listened to the minor villain, and his eventual fate serves as a cautionary tale.
Zhu Qing looked up and saw a shop on the street corner: "Over there."
The smiling old lady greeted the customers, asking, "To go or—"
"Drink it now!" Sheng Fang stood on tiptoe, looking forward to it, when a strange smell wafted past her nose.
Zhu Qing paid the money and handed him the tea that the old woman had made.
The child holds it in both hands, takes a sip, and his whole face scrunches up.
"Hey! What is this?!"
Is it that bitter? It turns out that children have a particularly sensitive sense of taste.
Zhu Qing replied guiltily, "It's herbal tea."
The old lady was still smiling: "It's refreshing and helps to cool you down. If you like it, come again next time!"
Blooming with plump cheeks.
I won't do it again next time.
The day Zhu Qing first met the young master of the Sheng family, she never imagined that one day they would be strolling together on the streets of Wan Chai.
The child has seen a lot of the world, but still finds everything new and interesting.
They passed through a secondhand market where vendors sold toys they had never seen before.
When they went to the bookstore, Zhu Qing stood in front of the shelf of professional books, while a child squatted beside her, holding an unopened comic book for people to preview.
Zhu Qing wondered if she should buy him some children's books.
"Qingzai, I can't read." Sheng Fang closed the comic book and waved the cover in front of her. "I can only read comics."
My niece had made quite a few purchases after leaving the bookstore.
Her uncle kept urging her on, and whenever she hesitated, he would pat his bulging little pockets.
Zhu Qing knew that if she hesitated for even a second longer, the young master would once again publicly declare himself to be the wealthy uncle!
Even after leaving the bookstore, they continued to stroll around.
Shengfang stood in front of a timeshare hotel, looking at the promotional text above.
"Qingzai," he turned around and asked, "what does 200 yuan for a 'Mandarin Duck Room' mean?"
"I meant this room cost two hundred yuan," Zhu Qing said evasively.
"What about the couple's room?" the little one pressed. "You didn't explain."
How should I put this...?
"..." Zhu Qing pointed in the opposite direction, "Since you can read, go back and buy children's books to read."
The child slipped away faster than anything else.
The children are full of energy and run as fast as little cheetahs, weaving through the crowd.
Zhu Qing was afraid he would get lost, so she quickly chased after him.
With a "ding-a-ling" sound, the glass door of the music store was pushed open, and two people came out, one in front and one behind.
With a "thud," the child bumped into someone and fell to the ground.
He covered his little nose; his nose wasn't damaged, and he could still smell the strong perfume.
The child was so small that even if he bumped into them, he wouldn't be a threat. The other person used their hand to block him, but didn't pay much attention to him. The glass doors of the music store slowly closed, and they continued walking out.
"You can go back now. Leave this to me." The woman's voice was sweet, with a drawn-out ending.
"Do you even know what class you booked?"
"Oh dear, don't you trust me?"
A man and a woman were talking at the entrance of the music store.
The woman had a slender figure, wearing an exaggeratedly padded-shoulder blazer and a short skirt. Her hair was pulled back with a hair clip, and a few stray hairs fell by her ears.
The man was quite old, at least sixty. He smiled as he handed over the affairs of the music store to her, and pinched her cheek as he turned away.
"How annoying—" she said coquettishly as she turned around, but stopped after the man left and reached into her pocket.
The flower had fallen to the ground and had been there for quite a while.
Fortunately, his niece was kind and helped him up.
"Does it hurt?" As Zhu Qing spoke, her peripheral vision inadvertently caught the face of the woman at the entrance of the music store, and her gaze became fixed on her.
Her face was heavily made up, her nails were strikingly red, and she held a cigarette she had just taken out of her pocket between her fingers as she bent down to light it.
As they exhaled smoke, she and Zhu Qing locked eyes.
"Sister Xin Xin?"
Sister Xin Xin is Zhu Qing's only friend in the orphanage.
When she sees starlight, she says, "Qingqing, the stars in the sky are your mom and dad missing you." When she sits in front of the television at the orphanage and other children try to take her place, she whispers, "No, Qingqing wants to sit here."
Later, Xin Xin was adopted by a family that was very well-off and treated her like their own daughter.
They never saw each other again.
In my memory, she was a timid, soft-spoken older sister.
But now, with smoke swirling in front of her, she raised an eyebrow and flicked off some cigarette ash: "What, Sister Xin Xin? You've mistaken me for someone else."
After taking a few puffs, she threw the cigarette butt on the ground.
Without extinguishing it, she turned and swayed her hips as she entered the music store.
Zhu Qing was urged on by Sheng Fang, a little boy, and walked a long way, but she still looked back.
How could you admit you were wrong?
...
As soon as Zhu Qing and Sheng Fang stepped into the house, Aunt Ping followed closely behind, carrying a vegetable basket.
She had just returned from the market, her face beaming with smiles, chattering about today's vegetable prices. For Aunt Ping, receiving a generous salary while doing easy work made her feel uneasy. But now, being able to prepare dinner for a house full of people, she was full of energy, listing the menu she had prepared for Zhu Qing.
"This is a joyous occasion for the young master and young lady as they move into their new home!" Aunt Ping said happily, feeling a bit of good luck herself. As soon as she entered the house, she wandered around, examining the orientation and layout of the house, nodding in approval.
Once inside the kitchen, Aunt Ping felt like she was on her own turf.
Not long after, the supermarket deliveryman brought the groceries. Zhu Qing put the soda in the refrigerator while calculating what else she was missing.
"Aunt Ping! Did you buy the game console?" Sheng Fang asked.
"I placed the order this morning! The young man at the electronics store said it would be delivered at four o'clock."
Buying game consoles to entertain guests?
This is entirely a selfish act to indulge the child's desires.
Zhu Qing checked the refrigerator and called out a few times in the kitchen, but the child didn't hear her.
"PC8888——"
"Where's the lychee soda?"
"Here!" Sheng Fang saluted with her chubby little hand by her ear.
No wonder he comes from a family of police officers; Fangfang is extremely familiar with and perceptive of the procedures for receiving orders in disciplined forces, and he is very cooperative.
"Qingzai, Nannan doesn't drink iced soda."
"You even know this?"
Blooming proudly, chest puffed out: "The net of heaven is vast and inescapable—"
Aunt Ping laughed out loud: "Young master misuses idioms, actually he overheard them chatting."
When the game console arrived at the electronics store, the uncle urged his niece to install it quickly.
The game's opening animation finally appeared on the TV screen, his mouth agape in a small circle, his hands gripping the game controller tightly.
"I'll give it a try too." Zhu Qing sat down.
Aunt Ping was busy in the kitchen. When she first came out, she saw the young master lounging on the sofa playing video games. When she came out a second time, Zhu Qing was snuggled up with him, both of them leaning forward, looking focused.
When they came out for the third time, Zhu Qing and the young master moved to different positions, sitting cross-legged and almost touching the TV screen, looking completely absorbed.
Aunt Ping smiled and shook her head.
Both are children.
"Ding-dong..."
When the doorbell rang, Aunt Ping turned around with a spatula in hand and shouted, "Open the door, my hands are covered in oil!"
The kitchen was filled with delicious aromas.
Aunt Ping held the spatula, flipped the soy sauce chicken over, and stir-fried it until the sauce thickened.
"They're here!" Zhu Qing put down the handle to open the door, still guessing the guest list for today.
People like Xu Jiale, Haozai, and Xiao Sun from the Major Crimes Unit... Zhu Qing wasn't particularly close to them, but they were still her own people.
The door opened, and one of their own people entered the room with gifts.
"Mr. Mo will be there soon."
"He's on his way home to pick up his wife and daughter..."
At the same time, before the room door could be closed, the sound of the elevator door opening with a "ding" came from the hallway.
When Zhu Qing saw Inspector Chung and Xiao Bai from the forensic department standing at the door, her vision went black.
Immediately afterwards, Dr. Cheng from the forensic department arrived.
Finally, even that senior from the Ministry of Transportation whose name I can't remember showed up.
Unfamiliar faces arrived, and even less familiar faces followed.
Zhu Qing stood alone in the entryway, while the others stood at the door, staring at each other in disbelief. She managed a stiff smile.
Fortunately, the younger elders in the family know best how to handle this kind of situation.
She took a step back, invited the guests in, and calmly said, "Blooming."
I didn't hear any "tap tap tap" footsteps.
Has he forgotten that he organized this whole thing?
“This room is decorated so exquisitely…” Inspector Chung tried to break the ice.
Others joined the conversation.
"Was it specially designed by a designer?"
"The house has really good natural light."
"This orientation—"
"Yes..." Zhu Qing followed up with pleasantries, then turned back for help again, "Sheng Fang!"
Dr. Cheng's lips curled up slightly.
"The living room is so grand, it's big enough to fit two mahjong tables!"
"Receiving a red envelope is a small token of my appreciation; consider it as adding a money tree to my new home!"
"And mine too..."
Red envelopes were handed over one after another.
The usually composed Madam was at a loss and couldn't hold back any longer, so she turned around to find her son for help.
Zhu Qing: "PC8888?"
Shengfang is intently holding the game console controller.
His eyes were bright, and small dimples appeared at the corners of his mouth.
But the baby's uncle is so heartless; he didn't even look up when he replied.
"Not here!"
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