i i did not expect the police to co knocking on her door for a case like the theft of a plushie. She had been reading her novel when six police officers showed up to investigate.
The royal agents that were passing off as ordinary bodyguards stopped them outside the house and invited i i out to talk to them.
Her eyes widened when she saw them. "Er, hello. Can I help you officers?"
The lead officer Sui Sui explained why they were there and who made the call.
"Mingzhu." i i looked over her shoulder and called her daughter loudly.
She heard footsteps coming from the living room, human and animal. Then, her daughter, a dog and a tiger cub, a wolf cub and a cat appeared.
The police officers took a few steps back. They knew the Jun’s liked to keep pets but tigers and wolves!!! What was wrong with these people?
"Uncle police, you are here." Mingzhu sighed dramatically. "A man stole my toy, you have to find him and take him to the jail."
Officer Sui Sui laughed and got out her note book to take notes. "I am so sorry this happened to you. What kind of toy and do you know how much it cost? I also need to know if you saw the man or rember his face."
While such a report would have been dismissed imdiately, this was a wealthy neighborhood and the theft had happened in the ho of Jun ilin. Her uncle was the CEO of Phoenix toys. For all they knew the value of the toy was in the millions so they had to take the case very seriously.
"I am so sorry." i i whispered to Officer Sui Sui.
Officer Sui Sui was a mother herself so she smiled and nodded in understanding. Kids would be kids.
"It was not stolen, it was borrowed." i i told the officer. "If Mingzhu had asked , I would have explained this. I am so sorry for wasting your ti."
Mingzhu grabbed i i’s skirt. "Mom, you know the thief!" She clenched her fists, "Mingzhu would like to have a word with them."
"I bet you would." i i mumbled. What peaceful word was she going to have with her small fists. She was looking for a fight.
Officer Sui Sui put away her notepad and said, "I guess we won’t be needing to take notes or arresting anyone." She looked back and gestured to the other officers that they should start retreating. "Miss Jun...." she said with hesitation, "Please help us pass this this card to the emperor." She had a dium sized envelope in her hands that she gave to i i. "It is just a prayer card signed by officers from our station."
i i accepted the card. "I will pass it along. Thank you so much for your prayers."
Officer Sui Sui sighed sadly. "It is such a pity, she was so young."
i i nodded. It was a pity indeed that she did not die sooner. An empress without morals was a sha to the empire.
"Have they found out what caused the explosion?" Officer Sui Sui asked her.
That was a question i i did not expect to hear. She was an ordinary citizen, the police officer in front of her was in law enforcent. Between the two of them, she was the one supposed to be asking the question.
"I have no clue." She answered with a shrug.
Officer Sui Sui looked at i i with doubt. She thought that with i i being so close to the royal family and her brother being the lead investigator on the case then she ought to have heard sothing.
Agent Wei Qing cleared his throat and showed Officer Sui Sui his badge that identified him as a royal agent. "Ti to go." He told her.
The officer’s eyes widened. She smiled nervously and turned around after murmuring an apology to i i. As she left, she wondered why royal agents were protecting Jun ilin. Yes, she was noble but royal agents did not not typically protect nobles.
i i looked down at her daughter with curiosity. "You called the police for a lost plushie!"
Mingzhu hugged her mother instead, "Mommy....is it true that Princess Wen’s mommy died?"
i i nodded. "It is true. She must be very sad right now so be nice to her."
Mingzhu slowly twisted from side to side, showing signs of nervousness. "Mommy, what happens when soone dies?"
i i squatted down, pushing the tiger cub away as it was trying to climb up her skirt. She had never heard a conversation about death with her daughter. "Baby, why are you asking about that?"
Mingzhu’s eyes filled as if she was about to cry. "I heard the Empress Mother telling Long Wen that her mommy lives in the sky now. I am scared that you will die and go live in the sky too."
i i stretched her hands out and drew Mingzhu in for a hug. "Baby, I honestly don’t know what happens when people die. So say they go to the sky and live in heaven. Others say that they are born again and live as soone new. To so, they just beco air...nothing." She backed out of the hug slowly and smiled at her daughter. "Do you know what I believe?"
Mingzhu shook her head.
i i tilted her head. "I believe that people only die when we forget them. Just because the body is not there does not an the mories are gone. Instead of looking for them in other places, we should look for them in here." She placed her hand over i i’s heart. "Rember their voice, their laughter, their love, their kindness. Things like that stay with us forever."
Mingzhu tilted her head as well. "But the person is not there anymore. Where are they?"
"All around us, in the mories they left behind." i i told her. "It is not the sa because they are not here physically but a part of them remains. Long Wen’s mother will always be with her even though she cannot co back."
Mingzhu looked down. She was confused and she did not understand her mother’s explanation.
i i sighed and took Mingzhu’s hands. "Baby, death is confusing even for grown ups like ."
Mingzhu looked up, understanding this more than anything her mother had said so far. "You told to be nice to Long Wen. Does it an I should be nice to Long Shuang too?"
i i nodded. "It is a sad ti for both of them. Right now, they are confused, sad and maybe even angry. You don’t have to force yourself to be nice but just let them talk if they want to. Sit with them as watch television or read a book. Allow them to play with your plushies or give them hugs if you see them crying. You don’t have to do anything special, just be there for them and show that you care."
Mingzhu hugged her mother, leaning her head against her shoulder. "Mommy, you are not allowed to die. You have to stay here with forever."
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