Volume 1 Chapter 18: Fingerprints on the Blade

"I heard the child was always raised by the nanny," Zhuang Jie said.

Yang Chenxu continued to scroll down as he asked, "Even if a nanny is raising the child, they wouldn't live apart, would they?"

Zhuang Jie paused, "That is true..."

"I always felt there was something fishy about this," Yang Chenxu said. "Under normal circumstances, a mother wouldn't live separately from her child, especially when the child is so young."

"Now that you mention it, it does seem abnormal," Zhuang Jie agreed.

Yang Chenxu smiled. "You aren't a mother yet; you'll understand once you are. Things like this are basically impossible..."

"Look at you, talking as if you've been a mother yourself!" Zhuang Jie retorted, annoyed.

Just as Yang Chenxu was about to say something, his gaze suddenly fixed on the screen. He rewound the video to watch it again, his voice dropping while his alertness clearly sharpened. "Zhuang Jie, look..."

Zhuang Jie leaned in, holding her breath, her eyes locked onto the screen without a single blink.

The video had been filmed at night. The stairwell lights were off, but a dark shadow could clearly be seen descending the stairs. The movement was very slow, as if the person were being hindered by something...

"Who is this?" Zhuang Jie asked. "Is she holding something in her hand?"

Yang Chenxu didn't answer; he rewound the clip again and played it once more.

"Does that look like a suitcase?" Yang Chenxu asked.

"It's too dark to tell," Zhuang Jie said, eyes wide. "But one thing is certain: whatever she is carrying is quite large and heavy..."

After watching it together, they rewound the footage once more.

Only after watching it again did Yang Chenxu look up at Zhuang Jie. "Come on, let's make a bet. Could it be him?"

Yang Chenxu had expected Zhuang Jie to nod immediately and say "It must be."

Unexpectedly, Zhuang Jie fell silent. She frowned and pondered for a long time before saying, "Fifty percent, I'd say."

"What do you mean?" Yang Chenxu was surprised. "A fifty percent chance?"

"Yes," Zhuang Jie nodded.

"So cautious this time?" Yang Chenxu laughed. "I thought you would immediately conclude it was him."

Zhuang Jie smiled at this. "Brother Xu, is this person a man or a woman?"

Yang Chenxu stared at the frozen frame for a moment before replying, "A woman."

"I think it looks like a woman, too," Zhuang Jie said. After a brief pause, she added, "However... it doesn't really look like Xu Yao."

"It's too dark to judge accurately," Yang Chenxu said.

"But, as a preliminary judgment, it seems to rule out Fang Yi," Zhuang Jie mused.

Yang Chenxu smiled and said nothing more.

...

During this time, apart from busily searching for news of Lin Xiaoyang, Lin Xiaobing spent her days running to the hospital.

She had been diagnosed with depression and suffered from poor sleep. The psychiatric medication prescribed by her doctor did not seem to be having a significant effect.

Lin Hai and his wife, not wanting to see Lin Xiaobing suffer like this, brought her home, hoping her condition would improve.

Shortly after Lin Xiaobing returned to her parents' home, she heard new information about Lin Xiaoyang: the police had discovered a kitchen knife by the Dongjiang River. Forensic testing confirmed that the blood on the knife matched Lin Xiaoyang's DNA... and the fingerprints on the knife were a perfect match for Kong Huahua, the family's nanny.

Upon hearing this news, Lin Xiaobing contacted the police to confirm its authenticity.

Once she was certain it was true, the person who had been unable to remain calm suddenly became eerily composed.

She immediately rushed from her parents' home to the Guangnan Municipal Public Security Bureau and provided Zhuang Jie with information regarding Kong Huahua.

Kong Huahua was from Qingxi Village, about a two-hour drive from Guangnan City. Five years ago, because Fang Yi and Lin Xiaoyang were too busy with company affairs to manage their household, they had hired Kong Huahua from a domestic agency.

At first, Kong Huahua’s role was strictly that of a nanny, but later, her status began to shift...

As for what kind of shift it was, Lin Xiaobing danced around the subject for a long time, always appearing hesitant to speak.

Just as Lin Xiaobing tried to skip the topic to discuss other matters, Zhuang Jie interrupted her.

"As a nanny," Zhuang Jie asked, "what other status could Kong Huahua possibly have had?"

Lin Xiaobing froze, still stuttering.

"Lin Xiaobing," Zhuang Jie said, "you have always been concerned about your sister's whereabouts. If you have any information, just tell us directly. We will keep it confidential."

Lin Xiaobing seemed to have reservations; she moved her lips but couldn't summon the courage to say it.

Zhuang Jie waited a moment, and seeing she still wouldn't speak, added, "Lin Xiaobing, although we found Kong Huahua's fingerprints on that knife, we cannot conclude she is the killer based on that single piece of evidence alone. After all, in a murder case, one cannot close the investigation so easily without conclusive evidence."

Lin Xiaobing paused, stunned. "Is that not enough? It's obviously Kong Huahua! That knife must be the weapon she used to kill my sister..."

As she said this, Lin Xiaobing became agitated, the muscles in her face tightening.

"I can only say that everything is not entirely clear yet," Zhuang Jie said. "Tell us everything you know. It might be helpful for further investigation."

Only then did Lin Xiaobing’s attitude begin to soften. She steadied herself and spoke again: "Fangfang and Yuanyuan... were born to Kong Huahua."

Zhuang Jie was taken aback. "You mean... Fang Yi's children were birthed by Kong Huahua?"

Lin Xiaobing bit her lip, as if making a difficult decision.

"How could Lin Xiaoyang ever tolerate such a thing?" Zhuang Jie asked.

Lin Xiaobing pondered for a moment before revealing the truth.

Initially, Lin Xiaoyang had hired Kong Huahua because she seemed simple, kind, and clever; she understood tasks immediately, requiring little supervision. But because of Kong Huahua's arrival, Lin Xiaoyang was freed from all housework. Later, as the company’s operations stabilized, she found herself with much more free time. She spent her days shopping, visiting beauty salons, or going to the gym. Though her life was colorful, she always felt something was missing. Especially after seeing her peers starting families, she longed to have a child of her own.

When Lin Xiaoyang shared this with Fang Yi, he agreed immediately, and the two began trying for a baby.

However, months passed, and Lin Xiaoyang’s belly remained flat, with no signs of pregnancy. She was forced to go to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with ovulation disorders. After the diagnosis, she quickly underwent surgery.

The problem was that even after the surgery, she still did not conceive. The doctor’s conclusion was that due to her physical condition, it would be difficult for her to conceive, and even if she did, it would be difficult to carry the fetus to term. In her desperation, Lin Xiaoyang considered asking Kong Huahua to act as a surrogate. At first, Kong Huahua was hesitant, but after much deliberation, she agreed.