Chapter 49 A Lonely Journey.
The Weston Kindergarten school bus sped along the road, with Kimberly's mom driving her sports car in hot pursuit.
Ordinary people are not professionals and lack tracking skills. After two traffic lights, she lost track of the car and anxiously returned to the kindergarten, where she found Teacher Ji, who was about to leave work.
“Jinbao’s mother, don’t worry, sit down and tell me slowly.” Teacher Ji looked puzzled and helped Jinbao’s mother to sit down on the sofa in the reception room, still smiling gently. “You mean… the child abducted the child?”
"I arrived around this time as usual to pick up Jinbao and take him home."
“He knows that I always park my car across from the kindergarten. It’s a red sports car, very eye-catching. Last week, before school started, I even bought him a glowing Ultraman backpack, just so I could spot him at a glance.”
"Today was so strange. He came out of kindergarten and just followed another child onto the school bus."
“Jinbao doesn’t usually take the school bus home, so isn’t this a case of a child abducting another child? Luckily, I recognized him by his backpack, otherwise, since all the children’s backs look similar, Jinbao might have disappeared right under my nose!”
“Jinbao’s mom, please calm down. If what you say is true, Jinbao is on the school bus now and is safe,” Teacher Ji asked gently. “Do you remember what that child looked like?”
Jinbao's mother frowned as she recalled.
Teacher Ji sighed heavily in her heart.
Based on the students' parents' accounts, Teacher Ji quickly identified clues and focused the investigation on Sheng Fang.
Even without this detailed description, she had a vague feeling that this matter was mostly related to that young master. Because the target was clear, the subsequent search was less complicated. The driver couldn't conveniently stop to check the vehicle while driving, and Jinbao's mother couldn't wait a moment longer. As soon as she got the address, she went straight to Sheng Fang's house.
The roar of the sports car starting up echoed again at the kindergarten gate, the sound fading into the distance and disappearing in a whoosh.
Ms. Ji rubbed her temples and ran to the principal's office to report. This matter could be serious or minor, and she needed to keep a close eye on it and follow up on the whole process. She planned to contact the driver and Jinbao's mother later to confirm the outcome. In addition, she not only needed to notify Shengfang's parents, but also speak with him in person.
"Knock knock knock—"
After three knocks, Teacher Ji turned the doorknob and stepped into the principal's office.
...
It was already getting dark when the elevator stopped at her floor. Only then did Zhu Qing put away the notebook she had been reading the whole way.
Fortunately, her uncle wasn't there, otherwise he would have scolded her for thinking about work while walking, multitasking.
This child is always too controlling.
Perhaps because she used to live alone and no one ever waited for her at the door, Zhu Qing always had the habit of carrying a key.
She took out her key and opened the door, thinking to herself—
I reckon the kids will be just like before, fluttering their little arms and "flying" out like happy little birds.
However, things are different today.
The door opened, and the room was completely silent. Zhu Qing glanced inside and then backed out.
She closed the door and looked up at the door number again.
I didn't go to the wrong place, but I didn't recognize the people sitting inside.
"Thud—"
The door lock clicked softly, and Aunt Ping pushed the door open and cautiously waved to Zhu Qing.
She lowered her voice and whispered, "Qingqing, something's happened. The young master has kidnapped someone else's child."
Zhu Qing was stunned. She heard each word clearly, but when put together, she couldn't understand it for a moment.
What absurd things have the kids gotten into this time?
In the living room, Jinbao's mother was sitting upright on the sofa.
Her meticulously styled curly hair trembled slightly, her legs were crossed high, and her hands were clasped on her knees, three gold rings on her fingers sparkling brightly. In addition to the gold rings on her fingers, two gold chains around her neck swayed with her breath, making her look absolutely dazzling.
Zhu Qing observed silently.
Her face was tense, her eyes sharp, clearly indicating that she was in a bad mood.
At the dining table, Shengfang and Jinbao were sitting side by side, each holding a small spoon, engrossed in their meal.
Jinbao was completely oblivious to the awkward atmosphere.
“Blooming—” Jinbao’s mother began, her tone indifferent, but then she hesitated for a moment.
"To house my niece," the young master casually reminded him.
“My dear niece,” Jinbao’s mother said in a harsh tone, “you already know what happened today, don’t you?”
Zhu Qing didn't know.
But five minutes later, she found out.
Normally, it would be fine if Teacher Ji complained about it privately. Zhu Qing knew that the child was young and not yet used to the rules and regulations of kindergarten, so guidance and encouragement were the main approaches.
But this time, it actually escalated to the point that the parents personally came to the door to demand an explanation!
"Fangfang, your food is so delicious!" Jinbao said, holding a spoon and puffing out his cheeks with satisfied dimples. "I want to poach one of your maids to be my chef!"
"What maid?" little Sheng Fang corrected, frowning. "She's Aunt Ping!"
Aunt Ping stood to the side, a kind smile on her lips, serving soup to the two children.
As Sheng Fang bent down to scoop up some soup, his peripheral vision inevitably swept over Zhu Qing's face.
It's rare to see Qingzai looking so pale. The baby tilted her head, looking at her curiously.
Big news—
Qingzai got the short end of the stick!
Aunt Ping subtly helped him turn his head back.
At a time like this, the young master still has the mind to watch a show? He probably has no idea what he's going to face later. In the current situation, it's better to behave himself.
Shengfang turned her head back and continued eating.
The two children were having their own social time, chatting leisurely.
They started talking about English class, naturally continuing the conversation they hadn't finished in kindergarten.
"Our family is nouveau riche," Jinbao proudly announced. "My parents own a gold shop."
"Next time I'll secretly get you a big gold bar."
"Fangfang, what about you?"
After a moment of silence, Jinbao got his answer.
At the same time, Jinbao's mother's voice suddenly rose: "Bringing someone else's child home without permission, shouldn't you at least get the parents' consent? If I hadn't seen Jinbao get on the school bus with my own eyes today..."
"Mommy, don't be so loud!" Jinbao shouted towards the living room, rice still stuck to the corner of his mouth. "Their family are jewelry tycoons!"
Jinbao's mother was speechless for a moment.
A jewelry tycoon? But then I thought, even a jewelry tycoon can't just kidnap children!
This matter could be minor or serious; it wouldn't be unreasonable for her to call the police!
"No." Zhu Qing waved her hand. "Just an ordinary police officer."
Shengfang straightened her small back and said, "A distinguished family."
Jinbao's mother was stunned again.
Are they the police again?
Aunt Ping suppressed a laugh.
The uncle and nephew didn't take inheriting billions of dollars seriously at all.
In contrast, they were more proud to be police officers and madams.
"Mommy," Jinbao called again, "if you're rude to my friend, I'm not going back with you today, I'm staying here."
Zhu Qing: ? No.
...
Shengfang only found out after she lured Golden home that his real name was Jinbao.
The clues in the case came together at this moment, and Inspector Fang suddenly realized—
No wonder his mother chased after the car.
Zhu Qing knew that this matter still needed to be dealt with seriously.
In front of Jinbao's mother, she gave Shengfang a good talking-to. Shengfang was a smart child, and he listened thoughtfully.
"Why are you coming with me?" Sheng Fang asked.
Jinbao scratched his head: "You treated me."
The young master regained control: "Next time, ask your mommy first."
Fangfang was criticized by her niece, but she couldn't just bury her head and take the scolding.
With his head down, he explained his reason for bringing Jinbao home with a pitiful expression.
Fangfang's family has been rich for three generations. His dad is a tycoon, he is a middle-class tycoon, and Qingzai is a little tycoon.
Therefore, he is not a nouveau riche.
"Qingzai, this is the real nouveau riche."
The air seemed to freeze.
Zhu Qing gasped, her lips twitched, but she ultimately gave up struggling.
Aunt Ping was so embarrassed that her scalp tingled: "Young master, don't say that in front of people."
"Speaking behind someone's back?"
"No, maybe not..."
Fortunately, Jinbao has a carefree personality, just like his mother; neither of them is petty. After his niece, Shengfang, sincerely apologized and clearly stated that "what she did was indeed wrong," the matter was considered closed by Jinbao's mother. After all, her child had only been in kindergarten for a short time and had already made friends, and she didn't want the friendship between the children to become too strained.
Jinbao was having a blast at Shengfang's house. All the novel toys from the Sheng family in the mountains had already been transported over, and the two little ones were completely immersed in the sea of toys, forgetting all about home.
It wasn't until it was getting late that Jinbao's mother urged him repeatedly, finally promising to take him downstairs to buy ice cream, which finally managed to coax the wildly playing baby away.
As she was leaving, Shengfang stood on tiptoe, reluctant to part, looking back with lingering affection.
Come again next time!
Jinbao: "I'll come again next time!"
The door closed, and my niece waited on the sofa.
"Shengfang, tidy up your toys yourself."
The incident involving the abduction of children has come to an end, and Zhu Qing will no longer repeat the same old道理 (principles/truths).
However, cultivating good habits in future villains still starts with small things in daily life.
Of course, he has to tidy up the messy toys himself. Otherwise, should Aunt Ping bend over and slowly pick them up and put them back in the storage box for him?
Her little mouth was pouting so high it was almost higher than her nose.
Even though she pitifully said she was so tired, her niece didn't lift her eyelids at all... The young master of the Sheng family angrily picked up the toy, and when he was about to throw it into the storage box, he grinned and gently put it down.
Although he was very unhappy, he would get scolded if he hit him hard.
Getting scolded is one thing, but who knows if he'll get beaten up one day if he angers his niece. Qingzai is a first-class honors student at the police academy, with a perfect score in grappling techniques; her punches must really hurt.
"Don't come to Jinbao next time," he muttered to himself.
The young master has a strong temper, but it comes and goes quickly.
After tidying up the toys, his anger had subsided, and like a sprinting rocket, he rushed onto the sofa and nestled next to his niece.
"Qingzai, tomorrow's a holiday, shall we play together?"
Fangfang's soft, chubby face was magnified in Qingzai's eyes.
"I have to go to work," Zhu Qing said.
"Let's go to work together!" Sheng Fang used the same trick again, putting her two chubby little hands together and raising them above her head. "Please."
Zhu Qing held the TV remote and changed channels, her expression completely unchanged: "How can we go to work together? Let Aunt Ping take you out to play."
The little boy looked at his niece in disbelief.
Even John falls for this, but Qingzai doesn't!
It lay listlessly on the sofa.
I don't know what Qingzai wanted to watch; the TV channels kept switching and never stopped.
"Qingzai!" Suddenly, Shengfang sat up straight. "Buzz buzz buzz, can you hear that?"
What a startled baby!
Zhu Qing looked at him, puzzled: "All I heard was you buzzing."
The little hand, blooming brightly, waved wildly near her ear: "There are mosquitoes!"
My poor niece, so young...
How can you be hard of hearing!
...
My uncle's life revolves around two points: home and kindergarten.
My niece's life also revolves around two points: home and the police station.
When Zhu Qing left home in the early morning, Fang Fang was still in bed, so she tried to walk quietly, took her breakfast, and closed the door behind her.
Back at the police station, after continuing to work through the case files, she and her colleagues went into the conference room.
Mo Zhenbang held the marker next to the photo of the deceased's elder brother, You Yikang, and then drew a question mark heavily.
The pen ran out of ink, and the ink was fading. Frustrated, he frowned and used another pen.
He tapped the whiteboard: "Go through it all from the beginning, You Yikang's alibi."
Below is the rustling sound of flipping through documents.
After interrogating Yau Yat-hong early yesterday morning, the police officers immediately launched an investigation into him.
However, the fact that he met with the company's major clients privately was verified indirectly. It's just an investigation of a suspect; there's no need for him to lose his job because of it.
“The rented apartment wasn’t cheap, even with a monthly salary. My sister just had an accident, my parents have no income, and my child is still just learning to speak… It’s not easy carrying such a heavy burden.” Liang Qikai continued gently, “We learned that the client surnamed Chen did meet with You Yikang that night, but left Hong Kong early the next morning.”
"I made four or five international calls, but I couldn't get through at all."
"However, we found the bar he mentioned. The bar owner and the staff both remembered him and said that he first drank with a boss to discuss business that night, but the boss left first, and he drank alone to drown his sorrows. Unfortunately, there was no CCTV footage, so they couldn't determine the exact time."
Xu Jiale also stood up and handed the hospital medical records to Mo Sir.
"This kid is really unlucky. Emergency room records show that he went to the hospital multiple times for severe allergies. But it was only last year that the real allergen was found to be sulfites in red wine."
"But how do you explain the DNA found on the neck of the wine bottle?"
The investigation seems to have come full circle.
A long silence fell over the meeting room. If You Yikang was truly innocent, why did all the evidence point to him?
Is it just a coincidence?
“The scene will speak for itself,” Mo Zhenbang said in a deep voice. “We’ll re-examine the timeline.”
With the new tasks assigned, Zhu Qing opened her notebook and carefully recorded the timeline she had compiled over the past few days.
I could hear my colleagues whispering among themselves.
"It's pitiful that the brother was dragged into this because of his sister's stubbornness. He's involved in his sister's murder case and can't defend himself because of that diary. Who can You Yikang turn to for justice?"
"If he's unlucky, You Yikang might lose his job because of this. Who will support his family then?"
"When I saw their parents last night, they looked extremely thin, as if they had aged more than ten years overnight."
Liang Qikai sighed helplessly: "In the end, it's still You Minmin's psychological problem. If she doesn't seek help herself, how can others save her?"
...
At 10 a.m., Mo Zhenbang assigned a new task to all officers of the Serious Crimes Unit B.
Each detective must make the scene "speak," retracing the deceased's movements exactly as they did that day.
This is a process of overthrowing and rebuilding, with the aim of finding new breakthroughs.
Because of the flexible survey method, Zhu Qing went home to pick up Sheng Fang.
As soon as the door opened, the child was rolling around on the floor.
"It's so boring."
"It's so stuffy!"
Aunt Ping was giving him advice from the side.
"How about we go to the park to feed the pigeons? Didn't the young master say he wanted to name that little gray pigeon last time?"
"Should I go buy strawberries? This morning at the market, I heard the housewives say that the supermarket downstairs has a new batch of strawberries that were air-freighted in, and they're big and sweet."
"Or how about going to the department store? I heard the toy store just got a new batch of Transformers, the Tyrannosaurus Rex can transform into a car, and there are only three sets left in all of Hong Kong!"
Sheng Fang covered her head and refused, "It's even more stifling!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the young master heard his niece's footsteps.
"Do you want to be with me—"
He didn't even let her finish speaking before he jumped up from the floor.
"want!"
"Let's go out and have some fun this weekend!"
Zhu Qing hung the water bottle on his little shoulder: "It's for investigating a case."
This special task force was thus established, with only Zhu Qing and her "little assistant" Fang Sir as its members.
While fastening her seatbelt, Zhu Qing suddenly remembered something: "There really were mosquitoes last night."
Last night, Fangfang insisted she heard mosquitoes, but she didn't believe her. Her uncle got so angry he put his hands on his hips, but in the end, she dragged him back to his room to sleep.
To everyone's surprise, when Zhu Qing finished washing up and returned to her bedroom to rest, she noticed something was wrong. That annoying mosquito was indeed buzzing around her ear; she couldn't find it when she turned on the light, but it reappeared when she turned it off…
After battling for almost the entire night, the mighty Madam was defeated by a mosquito. Finally, Zhu Qing could no longer bear it and buried her head under the covers before she could finally fall asleep.
"I knew it!" Sheng Fang said smugly, "You're hard of hearing."
The walls of Fangfang's children's room are already covered with glow-in-the-dark star stickers.
It was a bit dazzling, but because Qingzai kept his word, he stopped calling her "Cheerful Qing".
The nickname has now been upgraded and changed to "Hearing-Impaired."
"Did you finish your milk this morning? Aunt Ping reminded you several times," Zhu Qing retorted. "You're hard of hearing."
Fang Fang patted the seat in an old-fashioned manner: "You have no manners."
When the car stopped at 17 Tai Kok Street, Sai Wan, Zhu Qing stood at the bottom of the stairs with Sheng Fang by her hand.
She raised her head and looked up at the former residence of You Minmin.
“Now, let’s assume I’m You Minmin—” Zhu Qing said.
"What about me?" Sheng Fang blinked.
"Assuming you didn't come."
She pursed her little lips tightly.
Something felt off, but a three-year-old couldn't possibly argue with a woman in her fifties, so he could only shut up obediently.
The niece began to reconstruct the details of the case.
Her uncle followed behind her like a matching little pendant. He needed to be quiet so he could play with Qingzai all day.
Zhu Qing opened the file records.
On Tuesday morning at 10 a.m., You Minmin went out wearing black trousers and an old beige shirt, with her hair tied in a simple ponytail and thick black-rimmed glasses.
For the past few months, she would meticulously dress herself up for Chui Shuihui. She'd style her hair cutely, wear pretty and delicate earrings, and change into her most beautiful dress. But now, they've broken up. Chui Shuihui says he never truly cared for her; it was just a fling. He feels it's impolite to even take such an ordinary girl out in public.
"She cried for a long time," Zhu Qing said softly. "It was the third day after the breakup, and her eyes were probably still swollen."
Although the little one is quite clever, he doesn't understand the complicated love and relationships between adults.
He bounced around Qingzai, urging her to keep going.
The anticipation in the children's eyes was almost overflowing.
They were playing a game of chess, moving forward one, two, three squares... until they finally won the game!
"Qingzai, where's our next stop?"
Zhu Qing recalls.
The deceased's diary mentions a special place.
Zhu Qing and Sheng Fang walked all the way to that abandoned dock.
The rusty iron chain was half-submerged in the seawater, swaying gently with the rise and fall of the tide, making a clanging sound. Fangfang didn't approach, but stood on tiptoe watching from a distance. Her uncle was very afraid of losing his life and was afraid he would fall in.
The uncle and nephew sat side by side on the seawall.
In early autumn, all you need is a light shirt; the breeze brushing your cheeks is refreshing. Shengfang leans back on the bench, her little face turned towards the sky, her eyes half-closed, greeting the clouds.
Zhu Qing was observing her surroundings closely.
Occasionally, an elderly person would pass by, walking slowly with their dog. Couples would hold hands, sharing a box of egg waffles, their laughter carried away by the sea breeze.
The children chattered away, saying things that didn't really matter.
"Qingzai, are we enjoying the sea breeze?"
"I should have brought ingredients and marshmallows like last time and had a BBQ here."
"No, there's not enough space here, they definitely won't allow BBQ."
The child swallowed hard.
He remembered the pork belly that Dr. Cheng had grilled last time; it was perfectly marbled with fat and lean meat, and every bite was incredibly fragrant.
Whenever he's with his niece, Shengfang becomes a chatterbox. His mind is filled with all sorts of wild ideas, and he talks about them casually, then looks up at the sky and says, "The clouds from before are gone."
The clouds were playing hide-and-seek with the young master of the Sheng family.
He searched but couldn't find the cloud. He spread out his little hands and said, "I didn't say I wanted to play with you."
Zhu Qing gazed at the calm sea, sitting quietly, occasionally turning her head to look at the self-satisfied child.
Silly kid.
They stayed at the abandoned dock until noon, Fangfang patting his little belly.
"Qingzai, I'm hungry."
I'm hungry, but I'm still round and chubby.
The little boy said confidently, "This is full of internal organs."
"Although my uncle is young, he has all the vital organs," Sheng Fang said in a serious tone.
Zhu Qing led Sheng Fang into the teahouse that You Minmin used to frequent.
She took out a photo of the deceased: "Do you remember her?"
“Madam, you came here to ask about this a couple of days ago.” The hostess recognized the deceased and said, “She was a regular at the teahouse. Every time she would order a basket of shrimp dumplings, a sticky rice chicken, and a cup of warm water.”
“Look—” the hostess pointed to a corner, “He’s been huddled there, like he’s afraid of being seen.”
At this point, Fangfang took the snack cards and ticked them off.
He selected almost every kind of snack, but Qingzai would confirm before placing the order.
“Waste is shameful.” Zhu Qing said, then picked up her pen.
Cross it out, cross it out, cross it out.
She held her chubby little face in her two little hands.
I really don't know who the elder is.
...
After leaving the teahouse that You Minmin frequented and passing through two secluded alleys, you arrived at Xie Donghui's residence.
Holding Shengfang's little hand, Zhu Qing climbed the old stairs one floor at a time, following the address Chui Shuihui had left at the police station.
Finally, they arrived at the rooftop.
This was where You Minmin had quietly devoted herself. She would patiently wash Chui Shuihui's clothes and carefully hang them out to dry in the sun. If she didn't come to collect them, the clothes would just hang there, exposed to the wind and sun.
Even so, she never complained, but simply took care of his life day after day, helping him keep the house in good order.
Zhu Qing stood on the edge of the rooftop, looking down at Chui Shuihui's house.
Did You Minmin stand blankly in front of the door like this that day? Afraid to knock, afraid of being rejected again.
Chui Shui Hui has already taken the key that was made for her, and that door will never be open to her again.
Perhaps at that time, You Minmin could only stand there helplessly, and it took her a long time to leave.
"Let's go," Zhu Qing said.
For Shengfang, this was nothing short of a wondrous urban adventure.
He followed behind Qingzai, his excitement palpable. As they passed the record store, he recognized it as the place where they had investigated the case a few days earlier.
"Qingzai, why isn't the door open?"
"This record store is only open at night."
In fact, the police did not have a complete grasp of You Minmin's whereabouts on the day she was murdered.
An ordinary, almost invisible girl, her whereabouts were never noticed. The detectives could only piece together the story from scattered clues: convenience store receipts, handwritten bills from teahouses, vague memories of Chi Shui-hui's neighbor, and occasional glimpses from the clerk next door to the record store…
According to a shop assistant next door, Yu Minmin seemed to have just passed by the record store, stopped for a moment, and then turned and left.
"Madam, didn't we already ask that before?"
"I feel like I've seen her before, but I also feel like I haven't. She always wears similar clothes, all dusty and drab, and she always walks with her head down, never greeting anyone."
"It's Saturday already, who remembers what happened on Tuesday?"
"Besides," the shop assistant suddenly raised her voice, "this is Causeway Bay, a bustling downtown area! So many people pass through here every day! Even if she were really wandering around here, it wouldn't be surprising, would it?"
After the shop assistant next door finished speaking, he pursed his lips and turned to walk inside.
He kept muttering to himself, "That record store owner has terrible taste. Hiring such a gloomy girl to run the store, always with a long face, not even greeting customers when they come in. Isn't he deliberately trying to drive them away?"
Zhu Qing turned her gaze away from the shop assistant.
At that time, the record store was not yet open.
Even if the door is open, the store won't play sad love songs when You Minmin isn't working.
When the record store stopped playing music, the children volunteered to become human jukeboxes.
A sweet, childlike voice accompanied by a cheerful melody drifted into Zhu Qing's ears.
"Everyone hopes to have it, and my happiness is higher than the sky."
"May everyone be happy and joyful, leaping into a beautiful dream to find happiness."
Zhu Qing rubbed his little head: "All you can sing is 'Ding Dong'."
Fangfang said earnestly, "Qingzai, it's Doraemon!"
The child's innocent and sweet singing voice lingered, refusing to dissipate.
Just then, Zeng Yongshan called.
Their friendship seems to have started when Zhu Qing saved the original female lead's family.
From then on, Zeng Yongshan grew closer to her, and she enjoyed sharing her emotional discoveries while handling cases with Zhu Qing.
“Zhu Qing, last time You Minmin’s parents said that his grandparents had passed away.”
"I just found out that her grandfather passed away not long ago."
You Minmin's grandparents took care of her until she was ten years old, after which her parents took her home.
The police only knew that the two elderly people had passed away, but they did not expect that her grandfather had passed away last year.
"Actually, You Minmin's parents and older brother don't care much. After all, everyone is born, grows old, gets sick and dies, and the two elders are getting old, which is normal."
"But You Minmin has a very deep bond with her grandparents..."
“Last year at Grandpa’s funeral, she had an argument with You Yikang, which was witnessed by all the relatives. She accused her brother of being cold-blooded, saying that he hadn’t shed a single tear when Grandpa passed away.”
"Yongshan," Zhu Qing suddenly asked, "can you find out the exact date of the deceased's grandfather's death?"
“I haven’t asked about that yet,” Zeng Yongshan said on the other end of the phone. “I’ll check it out.”
After hanging up the phone, Zeng Yongshan returned to her workstation and belatedly realized—
She forgot to mention her most important discovery.
If You Minmin had already embarrassed You Yikang in public at his grandfather's funeral, does that mean he had a stronger motive for committing the crime?
This thought made Zeng Yongshan restless, but unfortunately, the office was empty at the moment.
Everyone was still not back, and she had no one to talk to.
...
Zhu Qing led Fang Fang along the way, wandering through the city's streets and alleys.
She gradually realized that You Minmin actually had nowhere to go.
Occasionally, when she went to her older brother's house for a meal, she would quietly curl up in the corner of the table, gently handling the bowls and chopsticks, carefully observing everyone's expressions to make sure that her arrival was welcomed.
Even when she tries to get close to her nephew Bobo, the child twists his body and avoids her. The family always says that Bobo is shy, but she is clearly the child's aunt.
She had almost no friends in her life.
In her graduation photo from her school days, she stood on the very edge, her shoulders slightly hunched, as if afraid of bumping into someone. Her colleague Arou at the record store was friendly to her, but because of Chui Shui Hui's incident, she was unwilling to get close to Arou and deliberately distanced herself from her. Even when eating her lunch during lunch break, she would hide alone in the warehouse.
Her only loving grandparents have also passed away one after another.
As the sun set, Zhu Qing and Sheng Fang returned to Wei Kok Street in Sai Wan.
They randomly picked a roadside stall at the alley entrance. The folding table wobbled, and the young master frowned as he repeatedly wiped the greasy tabletop with a tissue.
The young master pouted in disgust: "It's so dirty."
They each ordered a bowl of fish ball noodles.
Two steaming bowls of fish ball noodles were served, and Zhu Qing added a generous spoonful of chili sauce to hers.
Dr. Cheng mentioned that this was the last undigested food in You Minmin's stomach.
Her last dinner.
"I want chili peppers too!" Fangfang said.
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw that Qingzai's face was contorted from the spiciness.
The owner hurried over with a teapot, apologizing, "I was too busy and forgot to mention, my chili sauce is a secret recipe, it's very potent, you can only use half a spoonful at most."
"Would you like a pineapple ice to cool down after the spiciness?"
Seeing that her niece was too sore to speak, Sheng Fang seized the opportunity to hold up two fingers: "Two cups!"
On her way home, Zhu Qing remembered the collection of essays she had found at the crime scene.
Underneath each prose poem, she would occasionally leave annotations and reflections. For example, next to an article related to seashells, she wrote in delicate handwriting—Many years ago, my grandfather took me to the dock to collect seashells.
Grandpa is You Minmin's grandfather.
For some reason, the words of You Minmin's sister-in-law, Wen Qiu, suddenly echoed in Zhu Qing's ears—
"We were planning to sell the house after Minmin got married, since renting all the time isn't a long-term solution. Now it's become a haunted house, how can we possibly sell it?"
Eldest brother You Yikang, boyfriend Xie Donghui, record store owner, Arou, sister-in-law, parents...
The faces of these people flashed through Zhu Qing's mind one by one.
In a dejected tone, You Yikang told the police that he also suspected his sister had paranoia and advised her to see a doctor.
Yu Minmin only responded with sarcasm, saying that doctors would be bribed by him and would even make people sick when they weren't.
But in reality, there were antidepressants next to the bathtub when You Minmin died.
In fact, she always knew that she was sick and was willing to cooperate with the treatment.
A lonely journey, a life devoid of love.
Does You Minmin hate him?
Zhu Qing couldn't explain it.
She took out her mobile phone and found Dr. Cheng's number.
The deep, pleasant voice soon came through the receiver.
"Dr. Cheng, if a person hasn't been drinking, what other ways are there to leave DNA on a wine bottle?"
...
While Qingzai was on the phone, Shengfang was mouthing reminders to her.
Remember to ask Dr. Cheng to take him for a ride on a motorcycle!
But Qingzai covered his mouth, pressed down on his head, and continued talking about work.
The young master of the Sheng family was furious.
That's very disrespectful!
The uncle and nephew stood at the door of their house.
He couldn't be bothered with Qingzai and knocked on the door with his round little finger.
The door opened in response, and Aunt Ping appeared, wearing an apron and a warm smile on her face.
A sweet aroma wafted from the kitchen and reached my nose.
"You've come back just in time," Aunt Ping said, taking the small kettle of water. "This is freshly made snow fungus and papaya sweet soup; it's the most nourishing to eat now."
She bent down and gently stroked the child's face: "Young master, did you have fun going out today?"
Shengfang raised her chin and glanced at Qingzai: "It's fine as it is."
That wretched Qingzai, she has no idea that the young master is unhappy.
She had no idea how important riding a motorcycle was to him!
On the other end of the phone, Dr. Cheng was focused on conducting a follow-up autopsy.
The crisp sound of metal instruments colliding came through the receiver.
As he demonstrated, he explained, "There are many ways to leave DNA on the bottle neck."
"Indirect contact transfer, secondary pollution..."
It was clear that Dr. Cheng was very busy.
Zhu Qing didn't want to disturb her, so she hung up the phone first.
"You go ahead with your work, we'll talk when we get back to the police station."
Aunt Ping brought over two bowls of crystal-clear sugar water.
"You must be tired after a long day," she said with a smile. "Drink the sugar water, take a hot bath, and get some rest."
Shengfang raised her little face: "I still need to swat mosquitoes."
Last night, Zhu Qing had a fierce battle with that stubborn mosquito, and she had to bury her whole head under the covers to fall asleep.
Fangfang has taken note. Although Qingzai has annoyed him now, he hasn't neglected any of the things he needs to worry about.
"The mosquitoes are still around?" Zhu Qing asked with a surprised expression.
"Of course," Aunt Ping couldn't help but chuckle. "You didn't kill it last night, so did you expect it to fly away on its own—"
Fangfang, like a little sulky child, retorted in her tender voice, "Do mosquitoes commit suicide?"
Zhu Qing didn't pay attention to her uncle's sarcastic remarks.
She suddenly paused, startled.
What did you just say?
"The mosquito committed suicide!"
“Children speak without restraint, and childhood is carefree!” Aunt Ping quickly said.
The little boy lay on the table, swinging his short legs.
I don't understand why this word is taboo at all.
The word "suicide" echoed in Zhu Qing's ears and resonated in her heart, stirring up ripples.
A key question has resurfaced.
If You Minmin was truly being coerced, why didn't she directly ask for help during the radio interview?
Unless, of course, it was all her own choice.
Zhu Qing focused her mind, and all the clues flashed through her thoughts.
Why was You Yikang's DNA found on the bottle neck? With so much evidence pointing directly to him, is it purely a coincidence?
The scenes in my memory gradually became clearer.
That seemingly harmonious family appeared to be keeping You Minmin out at every turn. In the kitchen that morning, the aroma of milk and porridge mingled. Her sister-in-law, Wen Qiu, was busy preparing formula for Bobo when the sound of running water came from the bathroom. You Yikang was washing up, and his mother hurriedly brought him a new toothbrush.
It's a toothbrush.
When brushing your teeth, the toothbrush picks up cells shed from the oral mucosa, and saliva DNA can remain in the gaps between the toothbrush bristles.
Wen Qiu scolded her husband for not being able to do even the smallest thing right, probably because You Yikang didn't realize his toothbrush was missing until the early morning. After all, the whole family used the same brand of toothbrushes, just different colors. This forgetful husband had probably been grabbing any of the family's toothbrushes to use these past few days, which is why he got scolded by his wife.
But how could the toothbrush just disappear for no reason?
A hypothesis has finally surfaced—
You Minmin may have committed suicide. She stole her older brother's toothbrush and transferred the DNA from the toothbrush to the mouth of a wine bottle. The elaborate setup was a setup to frame someone; You Minmin wanted revenge on You Yikang and all her family.
Calling the paranormal radio station was a way to die a spectacular death. You Minmin had never been noticed before; that was her only and final stage.
Wearing a bathrobe is to maintain a sense of propriety.
The deep marks on her ankles contrasted sharply with the loose knots on her wrists, because she had tied the nylon ropes herself.
Zhu Qing initially became suspicious of You Yikang because of the unusual knot on his son's shoelaces.
But having lived under the same roof, how could the younger sister not know how to tie a knot if her brother knew how?
She was neglected by her family, betrayed by her lover, and even her beloved grandparents had passed away...
This paranoid and extreme girl, who had always been forgotten, wanted to retaliate against them with her own death.
She wanted all those who had wronged her to live with guilt forever.
With a creak—
Shengfang pushed open the door to Qingzai's bedroom.
"Don't be afraid, tell me where you are?" he said in a childish voice.
Zhu Qing suddenly realized: "Who is he talking to?"
"Shh," Aunt Ping said seriously, "Young Master tells us to keep quiet."
The young master needs to coax the mosquitoes out.
He leaned against the doorframe with one hand, a nonchalant expression on his face, pretending to befriend a mosquito: "Buzz buzz buzz?"
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