Free Web NovelChapter 479: Chapter 450 Nanny_1
Momo Xia rolled her eyes.
"Don’t you trust me?"
Faced with such a loaded question, Zhou Ning shook his head very quickly.
"Of course I trust you, I’m just surprised, that’s all. Besides, you study face recognition every day, so naturally you’re more professional than I am. I’m just expressing my amazement. Still, we should try searching with the previous sketch as well, just in case, I mean just in case, someone has changed their appearance and applied for a new ID, right?"
Liu Yongxin couldn’t help but laugh as he leaned in.
"Got any other info?"
Xia Momo shook her head. freewёbnoνel.com
"Just the height and weight, along with their style of dress. No other information."
Zhou Ning waved his fingers.
"Not true; I think with this height and weight, the likelihood of being a model is high. Plus, do you remember the photo from Zhang Bo’s screensaver? The woman in the group photo had the same height and build. I think Zhang Bo is into that type. His current girlfriend might also be a model and could very well know Zhang Manli."
"Know her?"
Zhou Ning nodded.
"Let’s just search and see for now."
Xia Momo quickly opened the search box and began with the previously drawn beautiful picture, but as expected, it returned no matching results.
She then used the restored image to conduct a quick search again, and this time four results popped up. Zhou Ning hurriedly moved closer to the screen. As he examined each of the search results, none seemed even remotely related to the long-legged girl previously sketched.
Each identity card photo was rather pitiable, but after all, these were photos for an ID card. No glasses allowed, ears must be shown; basically, they were as unflattering as possible. Thinking about it, he waved the idea away.
The only connection was that three of them were aged between 19 and 24. There was one who was 14, who could be directly ruled out.
"Screenshot these three and send them directly to Liu Yufei. That concludes our work for today."
Xia Momo quickly took screenshots and forwarded them, and then Zhou Ning called Liu Yufei to explain their side of the story, the source of the three people’s information, and of course, he also mentioned that they couldn’t find anyone after they had a description from the neighbors.
After hanging up the phone, Mr. Zhao walked in, and his eyes lit up when he saw Zhou Ning.
"You’re back, the lab has some of the results."
"The DNA results?"
Mr. Zhao nodded and handed a stack of reports to Zhou Ning.
"Zhang Ruixue and Zhang Yangrui are the biological children of Zhang Bo and Chen Meilin. The fingerprints collected at the scene have all been matched to the parents of the Zhang family, Zhang Bo, Zhang Bo’s aunt, the two children, and the nanny. As for..."
Zhou Ning wasn’t particularly struck by the relatives’ information, but the word ’nanny’ took him aback; he hadn’t seen any nanny at the Zhang home during their previous visit!
"A nanny? They had a nanny?"
Zhao Xinli nodded.
"I just asked Liu Yufei, and the Zhang Family mentioned during the interrogation that they had hired several nannies before. They only worked a few days before quitting. The last one stayed the longest, a total of twenty days, but she also resigned ten days ago.
Liu Yufei has found this nanny and enquired about the Zhang Family’s situation and her reasons for resigning. The nanny said though the kids were a handful, she could take care of them, but there was too much drama in the Zhang household. Taking care of one child involved three people with three different methods, each wanting to command.
From nappies to baby formula and bath intervals, everyone thought they knew best, paying no mind to whether these rules suited their own child, except perhaps the old lady, who was more amenable but also insisted on traditional child-rearing methods."
Liu Yongxin had an epiphany.
"I guess she probably wanted to use old cotton undergarments as diapers."
Mr. Zhao waved his hand.
"The nanny said she could accept whatever they used for diapers and could meet any requirements for milk powder or supplementary food. But their prescriptions were too frightening—either squeezing the child’s fontanelle or shaving a patch of hair if the child so much as coughed, even drinking ash water.
The poor child’s head was patchy with bald spots. They would play with chicks when holding the baby; if the child cried, they wouldn’t soothe or hold him, claiming they needed to teach the child discipline. Especially Zhang Bo, he’s crazy. When his own mother came to visit the children, he’d immediately start gagging the child, frightening the nanny enough to quit."
Liu Yongxin was shocked. This went beyond ignorance; this family was outright abnormal.
"If that’s true, that’s considerably eccentric. But didn’t you say the Zhang family matriarch seemed to really love the children?"
Zhou Ning sighed.
"Those aren’t things outsiders could easily notice. However, according to the lady in apartment 1402, this family was always causing a ruckus. When Liu Yufei asked, Chen Meilin also mentioned that after the birth of Zhang Yangrui, she went back to her parents’ house thinking of divorcing Zhang Bo.
Zhang Bo set a condition: she could divorce him as long as Zhang Yangrui stayed with him; otherwise, she shouldn’t even think about the word ’divorce.’ To minimize losses for their daughter, the Chen Family persuaded Chen Meilin to give up the child and proceed with the divorce proceedings. Chen Meilin left without a penny, after all, her family had paid for half of the house."
Liu Yongxin sighed. Now that the two children were gone, it was too late for regrets. Glancing at the sky, he simply waved his hand.
"Alright, hurry back and rest. We’re all tired today, and there are still fingerprints on the clothes to check, plus isn’t there a second autopsy tomorrow?"
Zhou Ning nodded; he was indeed tired, and it seemed as if he had overdone it with hunger, eating too quickly and now feeling a faint pain in his stomach, with sweat starting to break out on his forehead.
"Let’s call it a day. Mr. Zhao, please take my master home."
Zhao Xinli helped Liu Yongxin away. The weather had been fluctuating wildly these past few days, and Liu Yongxin’s leg was acting up again, making him limp. He was also worried about Zhou Ning, so he had rushed over from Qin University. Zhou Ning understood the affection.
As he was thinking this, Xia Momo tugged at his arm, her face full of concern.
"Let’s go. I’ll take you to see Mr. He, you have stomach pain, right?"
Zhou Ning smiled and poked Xia Momo’s soft cheek.
"A little, but it’s not a big deal. I’ll just have some hot soup and rest when I get back. I just ate too fast, that’s all. I’ve already told Mr. He, and they’re all worried. Besides, Xiaoyu is about to give birth, don’t scare them."
Xia Momo huffed.
"Come on, let’s go straight to my place. I’ve made you chicken soup with mushrooms. You can go back after you eat and feel better."
Zhou Ning didn’t refuse. They went downstairs, Xia Momo drove, and took Zhou Ning back to her apartment in Building 7. After changing shoes and freshening up, Zhou Ning lay down on the sofa. Xia Momo poured him a glass of water, he covered himself with a blanket and dozed off.
By the time Xia Momo finished cooking and came out, she saw Zhou Ning sweaty and clenching the blanket, his brows furrowed although he was sleeping, muttering something. Xia Momo leaned in to listen carefully.
Zhou Ning seemed to be saying, "Stop!"
She instantly thought of something, but at that moment she didn’t know whether to wake him or not and squatted next to the sofa, hands gently resting on Zhou Ning’s hands, looking worried. After what felt like a long time, Zhou Ning slowly opened his eyes.
Meeting Xia Momo’s anxious gaze, Zhou Ning tried to muster a smile.
"I’ve made you worry. I’m fine, probably just tired, so I fell asleep."
Xia Momo leaned in, hugging Zhou Ning’s neck with a tender face, indifferent to the sweat on his face sticking to her own as she nuzzled into the crook of his neck.
"Zhou Ning, you don’t need to wear a mask around me. Whether you’re happy or not, I’m here for you, and I’ll be by your side. Besides, we’re meant to spend a lifetime together. Are you going to keep hiding things like this? Did you have a dream just now?"
Zhou Ning nodded and rubbed Xia Momo’s hair.
"Don’t worry. I did dream just now, and it was the scene of my parents’ death. I guess I dreamed about it because of seeing the two kids fall from the building today. But this time, it didn’t hurt as much. It wasn’t from my perspective either; it was like I was a bystander, watching everything from above."
Xia Momo let go of Zhou Ning a bit and held his face, as if to confirm the truth of his words. Holding such tender, fragrant warmth, all his earlier sorrows vanished. Zhou Ning felt as though he could see her pale pink lips shimmering with moisture. He reached out, grabbed the back of Xia Momo’s head, and kissed her directly.
After an indefinite time, Xia Momo broke free, only to find they were both lying on the carpet. She pulled up her pajama collar, fastened the buttons, and bounced up from the floor.
"Get up quickly, I’ve made soup; it might be burnt by now."
Zhou Ning laughed but didn’t expose Xia Momo’s embarrassment. They went to the kitchen together, the savory aroma of the chicken soup filling the air – just smelling it seemed to relieve much of his stomach discomfort. Xia Momo turned off the heat, ladled the soup into bowls, and Zhou Ning went to help, their eyes meeting with a touch of intimacy.
"Does it taste good?"
"It’s delicious. I didn’t know your cooking was this good."
Xia Momo tilted her head up slightly, revealing her pale neck, the kiss mark on it starkly conspicuous. Zhou Ning stared fixedly at it, feeling a rising heat, and changed his sitting position with a cough.
"I’ve finished the soup. I should go back, shower, and get some sleep. I’m really tired today."
Xia Momo picked up the dishes, glancing at Zhou Ning.
"Why are you in such a hurry to leave today?"
Zhou Ning gritted his teeth, one arm wrapping around Xia Momo’s waist and his hand on her chin.
"I’m an adult male. After being so close just now, if I keep looking at you, how am I supposed to control myself? Do you want me to do something to you right now?"
Xia Momo was stunned, then quickly caught on, her eyelashes dropping. Zhou Ning hastened to cover her eyes. Such an unthinking gesture from her was making it hard for him to bear. He gripped Xia Momo’s wrist tightly, his eyes beginning to redden.
"I’m leaving!"
With that, Zhou Ning turned and dashed out as if fleeing, with Xia Momo’s stifled laughter trailing behind him.
As he rushed downstairs, Zhou Ning looked up at the window where Xia Momo was already standing at the kitchen window, waving at him.
"Close the window, it’s a bit cold outside. I’m heading back now; remember to lock the door behind me."
Xia Momo waved and nodded, and Zhou Ning kept looking back as he hurried to his building. On the way, he saw that person running at night with a hat again, still just passing by without a fuss. Zhou Ning glanced but didn’t pay much attention, assuming they must live nearby to be running at night here.
Back at his building, as he entered the door, he saw He Shancun dressed in pajamas and a down jacket as if about to rush out, the attire and the anxious look making Zhou Ning shudder.
"What’s the matter, is Xiaoyu giving birth?"
