Chapter 67 If this doesn't count as murder—
The officers from Major Crimes Unit B sat in a circle in the conference room.
The anonymous letter was carefully laid out in the center of the table, and everyone stared at it with bated breath.
The letter begins by stating—
“Dear swan observers”.
The signature reads, "A witness who can no longer remain silent."
“I have witnessed real swans shine on the stage,” Zeng Yongshan murmured. “Every spin is imbued with an innate charm.”
"And a poor imitator, no matter how hard he tries, will always be a fake."
"If this doesn't count as murder, then what does? I look forward to your answers."
Uncle Li put on gloves and gently placed the letter into the evidence bag: "Xiao Sun, send it to the forensic department immediately."
The other officers continued their discussion, while Liang Qikai took out a detailed topographical map of the Lin family villa, with each entrance marked.
"Who exactly wrote the letter? Could it be someone like Kuang Xiaoyan before, observing from the courtyard..."
"Is it that neighbor who once heard a woman screaming and crying coming from the Lin family's basement?"
"This person knows... more than the neighbors. But why not just report them? Why play guessing games with us here? And it can't be just my imagination, can it? Their wording is extremely provocative."
"Witnesses who can no longer remain silent? What is this guiding us to?"
The letter was laced with sarcasm, making everyone uncomfortable. Mo Zhenbang temporarily handed the case over to the forensic department and then continued to analyze the case.
Everyone felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on their hearts. Despite having obtained a breakthrough clue, they only felt oppressed. Their minds were occupied by the same image—the handprint, drag marks, and traces of struggle revealed by the luminol reagent.
“Kwong Siu-yin’s motives are understandable,” Tsang Wing-shan suddenly said, “but what are Lam Ting-chao’s parents after?”
“I remember that the real Lin Tingchao was always troubled by an old ankle injury. How long can a ballerina’s golden period last? Ten years? Fifteen years? Did they foresee that their daughter would eventually have to leave the stage and couldn’t bear the thought of their carefully nurtured pearl for twenty years ending up as an ordinary person? So, they decided to plan ahead.”
"You mean, to protect the Lin family's honor and reputation? Impossible. The difference in quality between the genuine article and the fake is too great. Besides, they started contacting Kuang Xiaoyan seven years ago, when Lin Tingchao was at the height of his fame."
Everyone was silent for a moment.
"But everything else makes sense. Her parents are rich and powerful, and they are fully capable of raising a perfect substitute. Although plastic surgery is not widespread, don't forget that Mai Shuxian owns a beauty salon, and she has channels to contact overseas plastic surgery experts."
"Kwong Siu-yin already bore a striking resemblance to Lam Ting-chao, so it was easy for her parents to send her abroad in Lam Ting-chao's name. When she returned, she had undergone a complete transformation."
Inside the interrogation room, Lin Weizong, Mai Shuxian, and Kuang Xiaoyan were detained separately.
Lin Tingchao's parents do not acknowledge their actions.
Lin Weizong only said two sentences. The first was "I don't know," and the second was—
“I refuse to answer any questions until my lawyer arrives.”
Mak Suk-han said that she did not know Kwong Siu-yin at all, and that the so-called replacement of her daughter was nonsense.
"How could we possibly do that?" she asked, puzzled. "Officer, aren't you having a wild imagination?"
The couple remained tight-lipped during interrogation.
In the surveillance footage from the observation room, Lin's mother appeared to be sitting in a coffee shop, elegantly tidying the strands of hair that had fallen down her temples, while Lin's father closed his eyes to rest, occasionally raising his wrist to check his watch.
But irrefutable evidence is surfacing one by one.
"The results of the ear comparison are in." A police officer pushed open the door and entered. "Even plastic surgeons are helpless with this area. The curvature of Zhen Lintingchao's ear is completely different from that of Kuang Xiaoyan. The bone structure is what it is. Even if a god came, he couldn't turn the fake into the real."
"Of course Lin's parents knew this, but how could outsiders possibly look at their daughter's ears? So they let her get away with it."
"Now that you mention it, I just remembered... that imposter always deliberately covered his ears with his hair whenever he appeared."
Not long after, Liang Qikai rushed into the office, looking exhausted, and threw the evidence on the table.
"This is an X-ray from a dental clinic. Kwong Siu-yin secretly had her teeth adjusted at this clinic, striving to perfectly replicate every detail."
"And this one is Zhen Lintingchao's medical record. The structure of his teeth is completely different, so it is obviously not the same person."
...
In the interrogation room, the evidence was placed in front of the "fake Lin Tingchao"—that is, Kuang Xiaoyan.
Unlike Lin's parents, she was the most direct participant in this case, and all the evidence pointed to her.
"Lin Weizong and Mai Shuxian have contacted their respective lawyers, and the top-notch legal team will provide them with the strongest defense."
"Kuang Xiaoyan, guess what? Did they hire a lawyer for you?"
“They’ll probably pin all the blame on you.” Haozai tapped the table. “If you’re smart, you should tell the truth now… otherwise, no one can save you.”
Clearly, if she continues to remain silent, she will become a "victim" in this case.
Therefore, Kuang Xiaoyan had to speak up.
After so many years, Kwong Siu-yin has fully integrated into her new identity.
Even if she admits at this moment that she is indeed "Kuang Xiaoyan", her speech and subtle movements still resemble those of a well-educated young lady.
She stared into the air, hesitating for a long time: "When should I begin?"
"Seven years ago," Haozai reminded him, "the day Mr. and Mrs. Lin officially approached you."
“Yes…” Kuang Xiaoyan nodded gently.
They first met in a dark alley.
At the time, Kuang Xiaoyan was having a heated argument with her mother. After Kuang's mother stormed off, Lin Weizong and Mai Shuxian appeared. The well-dressed couple told her that they had been observing her for a long time.
"They asked me, 'Do you want to become a real white swan?'"
"The secret training location was a red brick building without a house number in Kowloon Tong. The coach was a principal dancer from the Grand Theatre. Ballet is a dance style that requires extremely high physical skills and basic techniques. It usually requires learning from a young age, but I had no choice but to learn it... Even if my toes bled, I couldn't stop. This was the first hurdle to getting my new identity, the only ticket to the game."
"How can a real swan not know how to dance?"
“The coach only speaks Russian and yells at me all day long, but I never thought of giving up, never.” Her tone became erratic. “Someone like me, receiving one-on-one professional instruction… do I even have the right to complain?”
At this point, her recollection became fragmented.
She described how wonderful it was to be Lin Tingchao, such as being able to shop to her heart's content. An expensive cashmere shawl could make business partners bow their heads, and everyone looked up to her simply because of her status and wealth.
For more than three years, Kuang Xiaoyan became a puppet, but she did so willingly.
“You can’t even imagine how lowly and inferior my life used to be,” Kuang Xiaoyan said. “It was hard enough just to survive, how could I dare to dream of becoming a real heiress… Who would have thought that fate would be so kind to me?”
"Continue." Zhu Qing turned to the next page of the notebook. "During your secret training, even your parents didn't know?"
Kuang Xiaoyan's thoughts drifted back to seven years ago.
At that time, she had no idea what she was about to face. Lin Weizong and Mai Shuxian warned her that she must keep it a secret and not tell anyone, including her parents. But she couldn't contain her excitement and almost told everyone. Unfortunately, her parents didn't believe her at all and laughed at her for daydreaming, so she could only tell her older cousin who was the same age as her.
At that time, she wasn't ambitious; who doesn't yearn to be cherished? Her original environment was one of complete neglect; she dropped out of school when she couldn't keep up, and no one bothered her when she played until late at night. It was only after meeting the Lin family that she saw a whole new world—that people would invest so much energy and money in raising their daughters. Kuang Xiaoyan saw a completely new world, and when they said she could become the protagonist of that world, she staked all her dreams on it.
She desperately wanted to become the real Lin Tingchao; it almost became an obsession.
"They told me I had to obey."
"If you don't behave, you'll turn back into Kuang Xiaoyan."
This marks the beginning of the second phase, during which she becomes more obedient and actively cooperates with all arrangements.
Ballet, etiquette classes, English training… In the throes of puberty, she strictly controlled her diet to maintain a figure identical to Lin Tingchao's. During that time, Lin's father even gave her a school uniform. To ensure she could naturally discuss school life in the future, they arranged for her to sneak into the school for a firsthand experience, but strictly forbade her from getting close to the real Lin Tingchao.
Kuang Xiaoyan entered that school.
But she was completely unable to resist the urge to get close to Lin Tingchao.
“On my first day at school, I followed her around. In the cafeteria, I noticed how picky she was about what she ate… So this is what a real rich girl is like, she won’t eat this or touch that. And to maintain my figure, I just halved or even reduced the portions of cheap food to a third.”
“Oh, right, Lin Tingchao even took the initiative to talk to me. She said that she felt we looked a bit alike, and asked me which class I was in and what my name was. I really wanted to tell her that my name is ‘Lin Tingchao’…” As she said this, Kuang Xiaoyan’s lips curled up into a carefully crafted smile, “But if I actually opened my mouth, it would probably scare her.”
“I stared into her eyes and tried to imitate her gaze…that clear, unadulterated look was the hardest part to imitate.”
"But soon, Lin Tingchao noticed something was wrong."
“She and her boyfriend both discovered that I was secretly collecting her hair ties and coats… Lin Tingchao told her father.” Kuang Xiaoyan frowned. “Dad was very angry. He said I was disobedient and broke my promise. For a long time afterward, my parents didn’t come to see me.”
Zhu Qing and Hao Zai exchanged a glance.
Kuang Xiaoyan has completely immersed herself in the role, and even after the truth comes out, she still uses the terms "Dad" and "Mom".
"I thought everything was over, that there was no hope left."
"Are they lying to me? But why would they lie to me..."
Kuang Xiaoyan was in agony every day, fearing that her beautiful dream would be shattered.
Fortunately, after a while, everything returned to normal, and she was relieved.
"All those years, they just let you live in cage homes? They didn't arrange any decent accommodations for you?" Haozai's pen paused, and he looked up. "You even had to work in a clothing store to make a living... You didn't get any benefits at all, so how did you manage to be so obedient?"
“I don’t know, they don’t show up often. They give money, but not much. They come to check on the progress every month, and then… they stop caring. At that time, I thought maybe they were still considering, hesitating whether to let me really replace her. But that was my only, last chance, what could I do? There was nothing I could do but wait.”
"Even in a clothing store, I practice my posture and adjust my expression in front of the mirror. I really hope that one day, good luck will really come my way."
"Later, good fortune still came!" Her eyes suddenly lit up with joy.
The real replacement happened when I was close to my twentieth birthday.
She received a notification that she could finally move into the Lin family's house openly and legitimately.
At that time, Lin Tingchao had just undergone a bone marrow transplant and was extremely weak. Lin Weizong and his wife imprisoned her in the basement. When she tried to escape, Kuang Xiaoyan pushed her against the wall.
Kuang Xiaoyan frankly admitted that she hated Lin Tingchao.
It was Lin Tingchao who kept her living in a dreamlike illusion. The nearly four years of waiting made this hatred concrete and profound.
"Was it you who tormented Lin Tingchao?" Zhu Qing asked.
Kuang Xiaoyan neither confirmed nor denied it.
She told the police that Lin Weizong rarely went to the basement, perhaps because he was afraid to face his daughter's grief-stricken eyes.
“Mom doesn’t mind,” Kuang Xiaoyan continued.
"Why?"
As soon as the question was asked, Haozai guessed the answer.
Lin Tingchao is very likely not Mai Shuxian's biological daughter.
Sure enough, that's what Kuang Xiaoyan said too.
How did you know?
"I don't know," Kuang Xiaoyan shrugged indifferently. "I'm just guessing."
At this moment, the image of "Kwong Siu-yin" finally flashed in her eyes, instead of Lin Ting-chao.
“Even my own mother would kick me out when she was a prostitute,” she said. “If Mai Shuxian is Lin Tingchao’s biological mother, how could she possibly turn a blind eye to all of this?”
At that time, Kuang Xiaoyan's biological father, Kuang Wei, had died drunk on the roadside, and her mother, Gan Chunlan, had found a new source of support.
As for Kwong Siu-yin herself, she finally began a new life.
"During that time, there were no servants in the house, only my father, mother and I."
“I would sneak into the basement, trying to learn to be more like them.”
Initially, Mr. Lin opposed Kuang Xiaoyan's actions against his biological daughter.
But later he seemed to compromise. He began to tacitly accept her actions, turning a blind eye and gradually forgetting the figure in the basement.
Even if I'm fake...
“But they told me that from now on there will only be one Lin Tingchao in the world, which is me.”
The two officers fell into a brief silence.
They couldn't imagine the despair Lin Tingchao experienced while imprisoned in the basement.
Why did Lin Weizong and Mai Shuxian do this?
"How would I know? They won't tell me."
"But I love it. I love calling them Mom and Dad. I love it so much that I even believed it myself, and they believed it too. It's a flawless deception. In private, we are a loving family."
Kuang Xiaoyan's face showed reluctance, because she was about to say goodbye to this identity.
When asked if anyone had seen through her over the years, she shook her head. Wu Ma, who had cared for Lin Tingchao since childhood, returned after two years away from her hometown without arousing any suspicion. Another person who might have exposed her was probably Lin Tingchao's boyfriend; to be on the safe side, Lin Weizong advised her to break up with him. As for others, such as her close friend from school, Su Leyi… they hadn't discovered anything.
Kuang Xiaoyan said that she is not a dancer, but more like an actress.
He played only one role in his life, yet it was his greatest work.
"Where is Lin Tingchao now?" Haozai pressed. "Dead? Did you take care of him?"
“I don’t know,” Kuang Xiaoyan said. “She ran away three years ago; the basement door wasn’t locked properly.”
This matches the water and electricity usage records of the Lin family villa. At that time, they thoroughly cleaned the basement and erased all traces.
"It's good that he ran away. After all, we need servants at home, and it's always inconvenient to have an outsider living in the basement."
"Actually, apart from not letting her contact the outside world, what's wrong with Lin Tingchao's life? She has food and drink, and she lives better than I did before. She's living a normal life..."
Kuang Xiaoyan still doesn't know how she was exposed.
It wasn't until Zhu Qing reminded her that she realized she had said that—
Instead of being jealous, take their place.
“Jealous? Su Leyi is the one who’s jealous of me. Her family has fallen on hard times, and she even had to borrow money from me for the initial investment in the dance center.”
“Rong Zimei is the one who’s jealous of me. She’s jealous that I’m pretty, tall, and that I’ll become a dancer in the future.”
"Some people are just like that; they can't stand to see others doing well."
At this moment, in the observation room next door, Mo Zhenbang turned his gaze away from the one-way glass.
"Check whether Lin Tingchao's parents are actually his biological parents."
Who is this 'witness' who no longer wants to remain silent?
Where is Lin Tingchao? Is she still alive?
...
The police were skeptical of Kwong Siu-yin's testimony.
Did Lin Tingchao really escape, or was he secretly moved by the Lin family, or perhaps he has already met with misfortune? Is the severed toe discarded at the garbage dump the irrefutable evidence of the so-called "life-swapping"? Two days ago, the police summoned the fortune teller from the Lin family to assist in the investigation, but he insisted that he had never heard Lin Weizong and his wife mention such crooked practices.
Of course, this doesn't prove anything.
There are more than one fortune teller in Hong Kong, and besides, who knows if this fortune teller is lying?
Similarly, Kwong Siu-yin's testimony may not be entirely true, and there is a high possibility that she has concealed some information.
After all, the sentencing for unlawful detention and intentional homicide is vastly different. These heartless people will say anything to escape punishment.
Suspicion lingered in Zhu Qing's mind, refusing to dissipate.
It wasn't until I stepped into my home that I temporarily put it aside.
Aunt Ping had left some food for Zhu Qing's dinner, which was served on a separate porcelain plate and soup bowl. When she saw Zhu Qing return, she busied herself heating up the food.
In Zhu Qing's heart, this is what the warmth of home is like: chatting idly, and enjoying three hot meals a day on the table...
The little boy sat down next to her and asked in a childish voice, "Qingzai, is it too salty?"
Zhu Qing teased him, "What if it's too salty?"
Fangfang rested her chin on her hand and thought seriously: "Let's add some water!"
Zhu Qing chuckled: "Not salty at all, just right."
Aunt Ping took the opportunity to complain, saying that this little devil had actually encouraged her to learn to ride a motorcycle.
Although the shop owner was just being persistent and coaxing, Aunt Ping's legs went weak just from seeing the motorcycle, let alone riding it through the alley. If she were to actually learn to ride a motorcycle, her old bones would surely be terrified and give her high blood pressure.
"Why are you learning to ride a motorcycle?" Zhu Qing pinched Fang Fang's chubby cheeks. "Don't bother Aunt Ping."
This little brat, knowing he couldn't persuade her, actually set his sights on Aunt Ping.
"But I want a motorcycle to pick me up from school..." Fangfang pouted, her voice soft and dejected.
"Not all wishes can come true." Zhu Qing patted his little shoulder. "Take it easy."
The young master was heartbroken.
He sighed, dragging out the sound, lamenting that he was too young and wished he could grow up overnight and get a driver's license.
Seeing his motorcycle dream shattered, Shengfang came up with a new idea: "How about playing a fried rice game?"
Zhu Qing had no idea when the number of Lego sets in her home started to increase.
She always told her uncle not to pile up a bunch of toys at home, since their current house couldn't compare to the size of the hillside villa. If he brought all the toys from the hillside toy room back, soon the two of them, uncle and nephew, plus Aunt Ping, might not even have enough room to turn around. Fangfang sincerely agreed, but didn't follow through. In a corner she wasn't looking at, a Lego castle appeared.
What shocked Zhu Qing even more now was that the Lego castle had been demolished.
They become tiny, fragmented parts, which are all ingredients for the little chef.
Fangfang held up the frying pan given to her by Aunt Ping and began to stir-fry with great seriousness.
Zhu Qing lay on the sofa, listening to his earnest explanation.
Among these LEGO pieces, the white ones are white rice, the red ones are carrots, the green ones are scallions, and the yellow ones are the soul of the egg...
The little chef stir-fries rice over high heat, each grain distinct, coated with egg, while the rice parts clatter and clatter all over the floor.
Zhu Qing guessed that he was playing house at kindergarten again.
"Qingzai, try this." Fangfang scooped up a spoonful of "fried rice".
Zhu Qing opened her mouth perfunctorily: "But this is Lego."
"Hey, this is Shengji Fried Rice!"
Aunt Ping squatted down and hurriedly picked up the fried rice ingredients scattered all over the ground.
In the end, Zhu Qing stopped her and told her to let Fangfang tidy up with a small broom after he had finished playing.
But clearly, the children are still having a great time.
He dashed away in a flash, and Zhu Qing immediately followed behind like a traffic cop, raising her hand to shout "Stop!"
"don't want!"
Fangfang frowned and turned around: "Why?"
“Because…” Zhu Qing said, “the food will spill.”
That night, she played house with Fangfang the whole time.
He didn't know how much time had passed before he finally fell into a deep sleep, clutching the plush toy he had won in the ring toss game at the amusement park.
Long eyelashes cast two small shadows under the soft light of the desk lamp.
Zhu Qing lay down when she had a chance, but something was poking her back. She reached out and looked at it.
It seems she's been influenced by her uncle.
My first reaction upon seeing the black LEGO pieces was, "Is this a black truffle?"
...
The police launched an in-depth investigation from multiple angles.
During her interrogation, Kwong Siu-yin revealed that she suspected the real Lam Ting-chiu and Mak Suk-han might not be related by blood.
Although this is just her personal speculation, it is undeniable that she has been the closest person to the couple over the years, and her observations cannot be ignored.
In her supplementary statement, Kuang Xiaoyan expressed the same confusion: what were they afraid of? Were they feeling guilty, or were they simply too immersed in their roles? During her time at the Lin family home, the couple truly treated her like their own daughter. Over time, she almost forgot that she had once been "Kuang Xiaoyan."
Now that the Lin couple is keeping quiet, the police can only look for a breakthrough in Kwong Siu-yin's testimony.
They retrieved Lin Tingchao's birth certificate, hospital records, and household registration file, and also reviewed Mai Shuxian's pregnancy check-up records, carefully verifying every detail...
Ultimately, during the investigation into Lin Weizong's rise to power, something suspicious was discovered.
He was actually remarried.
This is a story from more than 20 years ago. In the 1970s, the registration system was lax, and the records were buried at the very bottom of a stack of immigration documents. Finding them was already considered a good thing.
Zeng Yongshan raised an eyebrow and asked, "An assistant at an arts foundation?"
This is an arts development fund established more than 20 years ago, and HSBC was chosen as the custodian bank.
Zhu Qing and Zeng Yongshan left the police station in a hurry.
As she boarded the bus, Zhu Qing dialed Dr. Cheng's number: "Has the DNA been confirmed? When will the comparison results with Mai Shuxian be available?"
Cheng Xinglang spoke with a smile on his face on the other end of the phone.
This madam now finds even a trip to the forensic department too time-consuming and directly calls to urge them on.
He became his immediate superior.
"The results aren't out yet," Cheng Xinglang said. "They won't be out until this afternoon at the earliest."
"Notify me immediately if there is any news."
The sound of Cheng Xinglang flipping through documents came from the other end of the line.
"Yes, madam."
Zhu Qing was taken aback, her eyes curving into a beautiful smile, and her tense lips finally relaxed.
After hanging up the phone, the two immediately began their pursuit.
Before Mai Shuxian, Lin Weizong's first wife was a gifted ballerina. In an era before widespread media access, the only available assessment of her was "extremely talented." It's also worth noting that this dancer's father, Lin Tingchao's maternal grandfather, was key to Lin Weizong's rise to wealth.
Initially, Lin Weizong was just an ordinary assistant at the art foundation, but after climbing up to his ex-wife's family, he was promoted to vice president within three months.
Later, he switched careers and started his own business, and the timeline shows that he relied on his in-laws' influence. However, because it happened so long ago, everyone mistakenly believed that he started from scratch.
They had intended to visit this grandfather, but upon investigation, they learned that the old man had already passed away.
However, the art foundation he established is still operating, managed by a law firm.
At noon, Zhu Qing and Zeng Yongshan arrived at the Siu Hang Law Firm located in Western Market, Sheung Wan.
They were received by Li Heng, a senior partner at the firm.
"What pains my client the most is the loss of her daughter," Attorney Li said gently, with regret. "From the wife to the daughter, it seems that the women in this family can never escape misfortune."
Zeng Yongshan astutely grasped the key point: "You mean mental illness?"
“To be precise, it’s schizophrenia.” Attorney Li took a document out of the safe. “The terms of this arts fund… were revised by the old gentleman after his daughter’s first episode.”
“The initial trust terms were simple: as long as my granddaughter turned 25, she could inherit the entire estate.”
"However, the revised terms clearly stipulate that the heirs must provide mental health certificates issued by three designated medical institutions."
"The old man could not accept until his death why his proudest daughter had suddenly gone mad. He added the new clause himself: if his granddaughter is diagnosed with a mental illness, all the funds will automatically be converted into a ballet scholarship to help other children with dance talent."
Did Lin Weizong know about this?
"This is no secret. Back then, modifying a trust required filing with the notary office, and all stakeholders would be notified."
Zhu Qing's gaze lingered on the last amendment date of the terms.
In April 1986, nine years ago, Lin Weizong spent two years finally finding a girl who resembled his daughter and began his scheme.
This hypothesis finally connected the scattered clues into a coherent line.
Why did this replacement plan last for seven years? Why was Kuang Xiaoyan always in an awkward position of being neither here nor there? Why did Lin Weizong and his wife hesitate to make a decision?
Lin Weizong and Mai Shuxian are waiting for a result.
They couldn't be sure if Lin Tingchao was ill, and they didn't know whether they should take the risk.
If she remains mentally healthy, that would be ideal, but if her mental state deteriorates, he must find someone to replace her.
Did Lin Tingchao exhibit any unusual behavior after the bone marrow transplant that ultimately led them to make their choice?
Therefore, Lin Weizong's real motive was neither superstition nor to control his daughter.
Instead, they stole this huge arts fund.
Zeng Yongshan: "Lin Tingchao's biological mother is now..."
"The official record says he died of illness," Attorney Li said in a low voice. "In reality, he lived at the Mingde Mental Health Rehabilitation Center for over twenty years under a pseudonym."
After leaving Zhaoheng Law Firm, Zhu Qing received a call from Cheng Xinglang.
"DNA comparison results show that the basement sample matches the severed toe perfectly."
"As for her parents' DNA, the forensic department just collected and sent it over, it won't be here so soon."
Even without hands-free mode on a mobile phone, conversations can be heard clearly inside the enclosed carriage.
Zeng Yongshan, fastening her seatbelt, interjected, "Dr. Cheng, you're too late. We've pieced together all the clues and are now heading to the next crucial location."
"What's the next stop?"
“Mingde Mental Health Rehabilitation Center.” Zhu Qing turned the steering wheel. “Saigon Specialist Sanatorium.”
The mental health rehabilitation facility is structured in tiers, and unlike the open wards of the main hospital, the Saigon Specialist Sanatorium has much tighter security.
Cheng Xinglang warned over the phone, "You can't get in."
As expected, they were turned away at the Saigon Specialist Sanatorium and had no choice but to return to the police station.
Zhu Qing arrived at the forensic department.
“Everyone said we weren’t allowed in,” Cheng Xinglang chuckled. “But you still didn’t believe it.”
Even after the case involving the Cheng family was closed more than a decade ago, Cheng Xinglang continued to investigate the truth.
The murderer who escaped from the Ming Tak Mental Health Center had been briefly taken in by the Saigon Specialist Sanatorium. He tried to investigate him many times, but was thwarted because he did not have a transfer order.
"Go and apply for a transfer order?"
When the past was mentioned, Cheng Xinglang said in a relaxed tone: "Do me a favor, and take me with you."
Zhu Qing was about to turn around when she stopped: "You can help me out too."
Last night she also said that not all wishes can come true.
Now they're asking Dr. Cheng when he'll be free so they can pick Fangfang up on their motorcycle...
This fulfills the young master of the Yuansheng family's beautiful dream.
Cheng Xinglang put down his pen: "Now?"
Zhu Qing glanced at the time, her eyes lighting up: "Are you free now?"
His home is not far from the police station, so he has plenty of time to go back and forth to pick up his car.
In Dr. Cheng's eyes, the cute little devil and his niece together have an immense amount of face.
"available."
Cheng Xinglang once took the uncle and nephew to a kindergarten interview and still remembers the address.
Zhu Qing told him what time Fangfang would be dismissed from school and what time the school bus would depart, so that he could stop the child before the school bus left.
Give the baby a surprise.
Aren't you coming along?
"I don't have time, I have to go back to investigate the case." Zhu Qing thought for a moment, then added, "How about this, I'll have Aunt Ping accompany you."
Cheng Xinglang: ...
...
The windows of the toddler class at Weston Kindergarten are covered with the children's adorable and innocent drawings.
Sunlight filters through the colorful paint, casting dreamy shadows on the floor. Children sit cross-legged in a circle, their little faces tilted back, their eyes full of anticipation.
They had just finished a role-playing course and were about to begin a special safety education class.
"Children, look here." Teacher Ji held up a cartoon board, her voice light and cheerful. "What should you do if a stranger says they'll take you to find your mom and dad?"
The children used their newly learned skills and exclaimed in unison—
"I'm not going!"
"Remember, even if you know someone, you absolutely cannot go with them unless your parents have personally said 'yes'."
"Actually, bad guys often pretend to be acquaintances."
Just then, the classroom door was suddenly pushed open, and the school janitor, who was playing the "bad guy," walked in with a smile.
He squatted down in front of Jinbao and took out a handful of colorful candies from his pocket.
"You must be Xiao Jinbao, right? I'm an employee of your mommy's gold shop. She sent me to pick you up."
"Take your delicious candy and come with your uncle."
Jinbao immediately put her little hands behind her back and pursed her lips tightly.
The school janitor turned to Shengfang and reached out to touch his head.
It allows for a nimble dodge, easily avoiding the attack.
Sir's head isn't something just anyone can touch!
"You're Fangfang, right?" The school janitor persisted. "Your niece asked me to pick you up and even bought you a new Transformers toy. Let's go."
Fangfang turned her little head away.
Qingzai would never buy him a Transformers toy; she can't even tell which one is the latest model.
After one round of drills, not a single child was fooled.
Teacher Ji clapped her hands with satisfaction: "You all did a fantastic job!"
She continued to show various small cards with enticing phrases drawn on them.
"These are common tricks used by bad people."
"Like offering you candy and ice cream, letting you play video games, providing toys, showing you puppies, and helping you find your mother..."
The children engaged in a lively discussion.
Fangfang said that they should watch more "Police Training" because they know that bad guys on TV are portrayed this way.
If you're not careful, your child could be kidnapped.
Therefore, the subsequent exercises went extremely smoothly.
The children shook their heads like rattles.
"No, no, I don't want to!"
A gentle light shone in Teacher Ji's eyes.
Such a class is a rare find; every child is so bright and clever.
Like a group of little angels.
...
As soon as Zhu Qing stepped into the CID office, she dialed her home phone using the landline.
"Aunt Ping, I'll have to trouble you to make a trip to the kindergarten."
"Dr. Cheng is going to pick up Fangfang now, but the kindergarten requires that a family member accompany her when picking her up."
After hanging up the phone, Zhu Qing turned to the whiteboard and joined the discussion about the case.
"So the real purpose is that art fund, the amount of which is enough for them to cultivate a perfect substitute."
"The added terms are not strict. The stunt double does not need to maintain Lin Tingchao's dance level at all. As long as there are no obvious flaws on the surface, he can pass the medical test. After all, medical institutions only conduct psychological evaluations and mental examinations, and they would never test DNA."
"If a blood test is needed to check for genetic diseases... then the deception will be exposed. But if, by the time he turns twenty-five, the fake Lin Tingchao doesn't show any symptoms that require further examination, he can still get away with it smoothly."
"For Lin Weizong, this is also a good thing. After all, the real daughter may be able to independently control the funds, while a stand-in is easier to control."
On the whiteboard, below Lin Tingchao's photo was a close-up of the severed toe wrapped in red thread.
A top ballet dancer had her toes severed, rendering her unable to dance ever again.
"Where exactly is Lin Tingchao...? We need to know whether he's dead or alive."
"Isn't it said that wound cutting is very professional? It's definitely the technique of medical professionals."
"Mai Shuxian, who owns a beauty salon?"
"Beauty treatments and plastic surgery are two different things; she doesn't have surgery."
Zhu Qing reread Rong Zimei's information.
This girl, who grew up relying on her nurse mother...
What role did they play in this case?
...
Meanwhile, Aunt Ping was jogging along with a shopping basket in hand, several live fish she had just bought still thrashing about in the plastic bag.
As she ran, she craned her neck to look in the direction of the kindergarten. It was all the fishmonger's fault at the market; he insisted that the special offer wouldn't start until 3:30, making her wait an extra ten minutes.
Now things are really messed up; if it delays picking up the young boss...
Aunt Ping ran breathlessly, and as she turned the corner, she finally saw the rainbow gate of the kindergarten.
And there's that dashing figure at the entrance.
Cheng Xinglang was surrounded by children with starry eyes.
Shengfang was explaining to the teacher with great enthusiasm, gesturing wildly.
"Teacher Ji, he really is Qingzai's friend!"
"He brought me candy..."
"He came to take me for a drive."
The younger elder shook his head and sighed, "This—"
Cheng Xinglang chimed in tacitly, "This Qingzai..."
"You didn't explain what you did!" Sheng Fang said, tugging at the teacher's clothes.
"Teacher, please let me go with him." Fangfang looked up at the sky.
The babies' sweet, innocent voices rose and fell in waves.
"Teacher! Teacher! We want to go with him too..."
"My daddy has such a cool friend too!"
"My older sister knows real gangsters!"
Teacher Ji's shoulders slumped helplessly—
Today's safety education has completely collapsed.
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