Tingjun Cao, 53, a Chinese national, is charged with the murder of Yanfei Bao on 19 July 2023, the day she went missing.
He has pleaded not guilty.
Bao went missing in July last year and her body was found in farmland near Christchurch just over a year later.
Bao's partner Paul Gooch was the second witness to give evidence in the trial.
Crown prosecutor Pip Currie asked Gooch when he realised Bao was missing.
Gooch said when he came home from the gym in the evening he was met by his neighbour who told him that someone from their daughter's afterschool care had been to the house as no one had gone to pick up their daughter.
He was told the afterschool care worker had then taken their daughter into the central police station.
Gooch said he then went inside to check the dishwasher.
Yanfei usually came home during the day for lunch and left her dishes in the dishwasher, he said.
On this occasion it was clear she had not put any dishes in the dishwasher.
Gooch became emotional as he said it was very unusual for her to not come home for lunch.
He was asked about Yanfei's departure from the house in the morning, as shown on cctv footage from the house.
He said she could be seen rushing out to her car, first with no shoes on, returning to the house, and then back to the car with shoes on and leaving.
With a slight laugh, Gooch said she was always running late.
Gooch said he didn't know much of her plans for the day, but she had mentioned she hoped to meet with a prospective client.
There was also a testy exchange between Gooch and the accused man's defence lawyer.
Eason repeated a question and referred to Bao as being missing.
Gooch angrily replied: "Her mother is not missing, she is dead."
Eason then asked Gooch if he intended that the child, who is not his biological daughter, would continue to live with him or return to live in China.
Gooch said he intended for her to keep living with him, but he did not have a crystal ball.
