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Brother Wang felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead the moment Zhao Ying Jun walked in. He realized with a jolt that he’d been way too loud just now. So loud, in fact, that Zhao Ying Jun, who hadn’t even entered the room yet, overheard him talking about Lin Xian doing a paternity test with the young girl sitting on the couch.

To be fair, his reaction was understandable. His wife was the head of the testing department at Donghai Second Hospital, and he’d heard all sorts of bizarre stories over dinner, especially about paternity tests. He thought he was immune to surprises. But today, Lin Xian’s situation was so outrageous that he couldn’t help but shout.

If Lin Xian had come in with a baby, asking for a paternity test, Brother Wang wouldn’t have been surprised at all. After all, these days, young people sometimes act impulsively—it happens. Even if Lin Xian had brought in a five- or six-year-old child, it wouldn’t have shocked Brother Wang either. After all, Lin Xian was 25, so five or six years ago, he was just out of high school, at an age where mistakes could be made.

But today, what left Brother Wang speechless was the age of the girl on the couch! She looked to be about 15 or 16 years old—maybe 13 or 14 if she just looked mature for her age. Lin Xian was only 25 years old. Doing the math… that would mean Lin Xian had a child when he was only 11 or 12! It was absurd, beyond belief! That’s why he reacted the way he did.

But now, the bigger problem was that Zhao Ying Jun had overheard his outburst and caught Lin Xian red-handed. Brother Wang knew he had to save Lin Xian’s reputation somehow.

Clearing his throat, Brother Wang let out a hearty laugh.

“Zhao Ying Jun, you must’ve misheard! How could something that ridiculous be true? Let me introduce you.”

He walked over to the couch, putting on a knowing look as he pointed to Yu Xi.

“This young lady here is Lin Xian’s cousin from a distant relative in America!”

Zhao Ying Jun raised an eyebrow, squinting at Brother Wang.

“What did you say? Say that again?”

“It’s… uh, Lin Xian’s cousin… from a distant relative in America.”

“Ha!”

Zhao Ying Jun crossed her arms and couldn’t help but laugh. She turned her head to look out the window.

“I haven’t heard such a lame excuse in a long time.”

Lin Xian, sitting in the boss’s chair, twirled his pen, fully agreeing with Zhao Ying Jun’s words. Of course, he would have loved to join in the mockery if he wasn’t the one involved. The whole “distant cousin from America” line was something he had made up on the spot to tell the driver, Xiao Li. Who would’ve thought that the office gossip mill was so quick? Before long, Brother Wang had heard it and then loudly passed it on to Zhao Ying Jun. Now, the awkwardness was all on him.

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Zhao Ying Jun tilted her head and looked at Lin Xian.

“This girl looks like she’s in her teens. If she were your child, wouldn’t you already know? How could this even be possible? Did you ever have a girlfriend?”

“No,” Lin Xian replied honestly.

“Then what are you doing?” Zhao Ying Jun pressed on.

“Oh, it’s all just a misunderstanding! Lin Xian is just curious, that’s all!” Brother Wang quickly jumped between them.

“This is obviously impossible! Ten years ago, Lin Xian was just a kid playing in the dirt! You two are grown-ups; how can you not know basic biology?”

“Lin Xian! Say something! Tell Zhao Ying Jun it’s all a joke! Clear this up!”

Zhao Ying Jun chuckled softly, waving her hand at Brother Wang.

“You’re funny, Brother Wang. Lin Xian doesn’t need to explain anything to me. But if he wants to do a paternity test, and your wife happens to be the head of the testing department at Donghai Second Hospital, why not just go there? It’s close by, and with her help, we could even jump the queue.”

Lin Xian stopped twirling his pen. Brother Wang’s wife was the head of the testing department at Donghai Second Hospital? This was news to him. As Zhao Ying Jun suggested, having a connection there would make everything easier.

He turned to Brother Wang. “Brother Wang, is your wife really the head of the testing department?”

“Uh, well… yeah…”

Brother Wang wiped his sweat, looking at Zhao Ying Jun for confirmation, his eyes full of questions.

“Why are you looking at me? Everyone at the office knows. Don’t you always rely on your wife when you need something done at the hospital?”

“And anyway, if this girl isn’t your kid, why are you so worked up? If Lin Xian wants to go, take him. It’s no big deal, and the results will be ready in two or three hours.”

Brother Wang looked at Lin Xian again. “Are you sure you want to do this? Think it through!”

“Sure, why not.” Lin Xian shrugged. “No big deal.”

Brother Wang bit his lip, realizing that Zhao Ying Jun and Lin Xian hadn’t spoken directly to each other since the paternity test was mentioned. They seemed to be using him as a go-between, a buffer of sorts. Zhao Ying Jun might claim she doesn’t care, but she was the one who brought up that Brother Wang’s wife worked at the hospital. It was as if she was pushing him to make Lin Xian do the test. And Lin Xian, for his part, looked calm and unbothered. Brother Wang just couldn’t figure out what these two were up to. Usually, if someone wasn’t guilty, they wouldn’t even consider doing a DNA paternity test, right?

Brother Wang initially wanted to protect Lin Xian, but given the current situation… it seemed unlikely he could do that. Zhao Ying Jun clearly wanted them to do the paternity test, and Lin Xian seemed eager to go through with it too. So, was the whole “distant cousin from America” thing just a cover-up?

Sighing, Brother Wang decided to go along with it.

“Alright then. Lin Xian, let’s head out. Donghai Second Hospital is nearby. I’ll call my wife to get us in quickly.”

“I’ll call Xiao Li to get the car ready,” Lin Xian said, patting Yu Xi on the shoulder to get her off the couch, following Brother Wang out the door.

Suddenly, Brother Wang felt a chilling gaze on his back, like an icy sword stabbing through him, freezing him in place. Trembling, he turned around and saw that the terrifying stare was indeed from Zhao Ying Jun!

“Uh, Zhao Ying Jun? Would you like to come with us?” he asked nervously.

Zhao Ying Jun casually smiled. “Sure, why not?”

Brother Wang smiled inwardly—he knew Zhao Ying Jun wanted to go but just needed an excuse.

“Come on, it’s not like there’s much work to do right now. Besides, my wife has been wanting to thank you for helping out with my daughter’s schooling.”

“Alright then,” Zhao Ying Jun said, putting her hands back in her coat pockets and walking forward, her high heels clicking on the floor as she followed them.

On the way, Driver Xiao Li felt like the car was unusually heavy, like it was harder to drive today. In the back were four passengers—Lin Xian and his “cousin” in the front seats, Zhao Ying Jun and Brother Wang in the back. Normally, they were all quite familiar with each other, but today, no one spoke, making the atmosphere strangely tense. It felt like he was driving a clunky tanker or an overloaded truck instead of a top-of-the-line Alphard.

Fortunately, Donghai Second Hospital was close to the twin towers where Rhine Company and MX Company were located, so there was no need to get on the highway. After a few turns, they arrived.

“We’re here,” Driver Xiao Li announced briefly, sensing the mood and knowing better than to say more.

Brother Wang led the way straight to his wife’s department, followed by what looked like a family of three—no, wait, they weren’t a family. They were just three unrelated people who happened to look the part.

Not to brag, but being a department head, Brother Wang’s wife was well-prepared for anything. When she heard Lin Xian wanted to do a paternity test with a teenage girl, she wasn’t surprised at all. In her line of work, she’d seen all kinds of crazy situations. This was nothing. She quickly arranged for the blood samples to be drawn—one from Lin Xian, then one from Yu Xi.

Lin Xian noted that Yu Xi’s blood looked just like anyone else’s, which he had already confirmed while treating her wounds before.

“Does all that future-tech stuff you took, like gene editing, affect DNA tests?” Lin Xian whispered to Yu Xi while they were alone in the blood draw room.

“I don’t know,” Yu Xi replied, shaking her head.

“Why did you suddenly want to do a paternity test with me? I didn’t say anything earlier, but why would you think of something so crazy? Do you think you’re my ancestor or something, and that’s why I’m here to protect you?”

“Partly,” Lin Xian admitted, “but there are other reasons too… It’s hard to say. Since you don’t know who your parents are, logically speaking, anyone could be your parent.”

“What kind of logic is that?” Yu Xi asked, holding a cotton swab over her puncture wound.

Lin Xian did the same.

“Considering that the cryogenic pods are about to go into mass production, your parents could very well be from our time. I don’t know how far in the future you were born, but those pods can keep someone alive for centuries, allowing them to wake up far in the future.”

“So theoretically, it’s possible that we are related. Even though I’m dead set against using those cryogenic pods, people change. Who’s to say I won’t someday feel like taking a nap for a few hundred years and then wake up and have a kid with some woman?”

Yu Xi couldn’t help but laugh, looking down at her arm where the needle mark was almost healed.

“Do you really think we look alike? I don’t think we look alike at all.”

“Neither do I,” Lin Xian agreed, seeing that his needle wound was still bleeding slightly, so he pressed the cotton swab back on it.

“That’s why we’re here to find out.”

“I know it sounds crazy, and it might seem like I’m just eager to play dad. But… isn’t this world already crazy enough?”

“With time travelers, time-space particles, and laws of physics that can turn the tables on innocent people, not to mention the mysterious genius clubs hidden throughout history and the digital life forms that are more advanced than AI… There’s already so much absurdity. Compared to all that, a paternity test between someone from the future and someone from the present seems pretty normal.”

“Okay,” Yu Xi said, tossing the barely-bloodied cotton swab in the trash, rolling down her sleeve, and turning to Lin Xian.

“So, if you’re so confident you might be my father or some other relative… then who’s my mother? Do you have a girlfriend?”

“Why do so many people like to ask obvious questions?” Lin Xian felt a bit mocked.

“No,” he said.

“Do you have any female friends you’re close to? Or anyone you suspect might be my mother?” Yu Xi pressed on.

This time, Lin Xian fell silent.

A suspect? Of course, there was someone. To be honest, the person who should be doing the DNA test with Yu Xi was Yellow Finch. She was the most likely candidate. Lin Xian was just a stand-in, a secondary suspect. It’s easy to find out who a mother is—just figure out who gave birth to the kid. But finding the father is another story.

Lin Xian suspected that in some timeline, he and Yellow Finch were married. But that was just a guess. What if he was wrong? It’s very possible that Yu Xi is Yellow Finch’s child and has no relation to him at all.

Suddenly, Lin Xian had a thought.

He looked over at Brother Wang’s wife, who was tidying up after the blood draw.

“Sister Wang,” he asked, “I was wondering—does gene mutation or gene editing affect the accuracy of DNA paternity tests?”

Sister Wang, still wearing her mask, smiled with her eyes.

“No, Lin Xian, you’re overthinking it.”

“DNA tests don’t just compare a small segment of genes or a few gene combinations; they compare large sections for overlaps. Gene editing is still in its infancy… But remember that hospital director who got jailed for editing a baby’s genes a few years ago?”

“So don’t worry about it—when this girl was born, gene editing wasn’t even a thing. Even if it were, gene editing wouldn’t affect the paternity test results because you’d only be editing a few good genes, getting rid of bad or diseased ones.”

“But genetic information is vast and complex. Editing just a tiny part is like a drop in the ocean, insignificant. So you don’t have to worry about gene editing messing up the test results… And as for gene mutation, that’s even less of a concern. Mutations are common in biology and won’t affect the test results at all.”

“Alright, you’re done here. You can wait outside. I’ve put a rush on it, but there are still procedures to follow, and to ensure accuracy, the results have to go through multiple checks and signatures. So, the soonest you’ll get the results is in about two hours.”

“I suggest you go grab something to eat. It’s lunchtime anyway, and the testing department stays open late. You can pick up the results from the front desk in a couple of hours.”

Lin Xian nodded, removing the cotton swab from his wound and seeing that the bleeding had stopped. He threw the swab away, put on his coat, and stood up.

“Thanks, Sister Wang. We’ll head out now.”

…

As Lin Xian and Yu Xi, wearing oversized sunglasses, stepped out of the blood draw room, Brother Wang sprang up from his chair, looking anxious.

“So? How’d it go?”

“It’s not that fast,” Lin Xian replied, closing the door behind Yu Xi.

“It’ll be at least two hours. There’s a lot of paperwork.”

He then noticed that Zhao Ying Jun had also stood up with Brother Wang. For a moment, her expression seemed… concerned.

It reminded him of Yellow Finch. There was no doubt that Zhao Ying Jun and Yellow Finch were the same person, just from different timelines. Yellow Finch used to be Zhao Ying Jun, but Zhao Ying Jun’s future might not necessarily lead to becoming Yellow Finch. It all depended on how her life played out.

But regardless of which future she ended up in, her DNA wouldn’t change, meaning it would match Yellow Finch’s.

So…

Lin Xian looked at Zhao Ying Jun, their eyes meeting.

If he could get Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi to do a DNA test, that would be the safest bet, even more reliable than his own test. After all, it was still uncertain who Yu Xi’s father was, though he was the most likely candidate. But there was no doubt that the possibility of Yellow Finch, or Zhao Ying Jun, being Yu Xi’s mother was much higher than any other.

But… how could he ask for such a thing?

“What’s up?” Zhao Ying Jun blinked, noticing Lin Xian hesitating.

“If there’s something you want to say, just say it. We know each other well; there’s nothing you can’t tell me. If anything comes up, I’ll help you out.”

Brother Wang nodded like a pecking chicken.

“Yeah, Lin Xian, if there’s something on your mind, don’t keep it to yourself. We’ve been friends for years, through thick and thin!”

Lin Xian pursed his lips. Well, might as well go for it.

“Alright, I’ll be honest with you. It’s not that I wanted to hide it from you guys; it’s just that I lied to Xiao Li at the start, and then I didn’t get a chance to come clean.”

“The truth is, this girl isn’t my distant cousin from America. We just met along the way, and she’s helped me out a lot. We’ve been through a lot together, things I can’t really explain… And she doesn’t know who her parents are, so I thought maybe I could help her find them.”

“There aren’t many leads right now, and since we met by chance, I figured I’d start by testing myself and see if we could get some answers, maybe even learn a bit about how DNA paternity tests work. So…”

He looked up, smiling at Zhao Ying Jun.

“Though this might be a strange request… since we’re already here, and we’re just waiting around… why not? Zhao Ying Jun, would you mind getting your blood drawn too, and doing a paternity test with us?”

…

…

Silence.

An icy, unbearable silence.

Time seemed to freeze.

“Huh?”

Zhao Ying Jun couldn’t hold back a puzzled sound. Out of all the possibilities she had considered, this was not one of them. Was this what “since we’re already here” meant?

“Lin Xian! What nonsense are you spouting!” Brother Wang scolded, stepping protectively in front of Zhao Ying Jun.

“That’s crossing a line! Some things you just don’t say!”

“You’re questioning Zhao Ying Jun’s reputation! Everyone at the company knows she’s been single her whole life—there’s no way… Ow!”

Brother Wang let out a painful yelp. He looked down to see that his expensive crocodile leather shoes had been stomped on by an even more expensive high heel… which had left a dent that was now slowly bouncing back but would never look the same again.

“Interesting,” Zhao Ying Jun said, brushing the hair off her cheek and smiling casually.

“Sure, why not? Let’s do it.”

With that, she clicked her high heels on the floor as she walked into the blood draw room and shut the door behind her.

Brother Wang limped over to Lin Xian, grimacing.

“Lin Xian, you really have no social skills… How can you say something so blunt to a woman? You’re questioning Zhao Ying Jun’s innocence!”

“Zhao Ying Jun has always been pure and upright. She’s never had a relationship with any man… except you. Saying something like that could hurt her feelings.”

“And besides, what logic is that? You can’t just find any random kid on the street and ask Zhao Ying Jun to do a paternity test. Ugggh… You’re really making a mess of this. I don’t even know what to say.”

“But hey, it’s none of my business if you and Zhao Ying Jun want to go along with it. She agreed to do the test right after you asked… I can tell exactly what’s on her mind.”

“What’s on her mind?” Lin Xian asked.

“Hmph!” Brother Wang said proudly.

“Lin Xian, you’ve got a lot to learn from me about understanding women. Do you know why Zhao Ying Jun went in for the test? It’s because she’s got nothing to hide. She’s confident there’s nothing to worry about.”

“The only reason she rushed to get her blood drawn is that she’s concerned about your paternity test with this girl. She figures that if she does the test with you, she’ll have to come back for the results, too. That way, she’ll know your test results as soon as they’re out.”

Lin Xian had to admit, he hadn’t thought of that. Brother Wang had a point when it came to understanding women’s motives. He could probably have some deep conversations with Liu Feng—they’d likely find they have a lot in common.

Soon, Zhao Ying Jun came out, pressing her arm where the blood was drawn, and saw the three waiting outside.

“I told Sister Wang to run a paternity test between me and this young lady as well. The results won’t be ready for two hours, so… how about we go grab something to eat?”

She turned to Brother Wang.

“Since we’re taking up your wife’s time, why don’t we invite her to join us for a meal?”

“Oh, no, no, no…” Brother Wang shook his head like a drum.

No way was he getting involved in this mess. He didn’t want any part of this drama.

“My wife and I need to pick up our kid soon. He’s got exams coming up, so we need to be home to help him study.”

Brother Wang said these words as quickly as possible and dashed out of there.

Clearly, he didn’t want to stay a second longer.

“What do you want to eat?” Zhao Ying Jun asked Lin Xian.

“What do you want to eat?” Lin Xian asked Yu Xi.

Yu Xi lifted her sunglasses, looking up at Lin Xian.

“Hot pot.”

…

Half an hour later, Lin Xian was putting the fourth plate of meat into the hot pot for Yu Xi. She hadn’t lifted her head once.

Lin Xian started to feel a bit guilty… had she been eating so poorly in America that she was starving?

“She’s got a good appetite,” Zhao Ying Jun noted, surprised at Yu Xi’s eating speed.

“I guess spending so much time in America really does make you wolf down food when you get back.”

“Maybe,” Lin Xian replied noncommittally.

“Or maybe it’s just because she’s a growing kid. My nephews back home, they’re not big kids, but when they were her age, they ate like there was no tomorrow, always complaining they were hungry.”

Zhao Ying Jun nodded thoughtfully, then looked at Lin Xian.

“What’s this young lady’s name?”

“Yu Xi,” Lin Xian answered.

Zhao Ying Jun’s chopsticks paused mid-air. She blinked and smiled slightly.

“That’s a beautiful and unique name. Whoever named her must have been very cultured and sentimental.”

“True,” Lin Xian nodded.

“When I first heard it, I thought it was strange. Who names their kid something so odd? It seemed strange, hard to pronounce, and a bit unlucky.”

“But after getting used to it, I realized it’s actually a beautiful name with a lot of meaning. It has this grandeur, a kind of historical weight that brings to mind the banks of the Wu River.”

This was how Lin Xian really felt. Maybe it was because of the “life-and-death filter” he had for Yu Xi. She and her name seemed more and more endearing to him.

Though when he first heard it, the name Yu Xi made him think of the phrase “Yu Xi Yu Xi, what now?” It was a bit melancholy. But the courage and fearlessness that Yu Xi embodied seemed like the kind of qualities her parents might have hoped to instill in her.

“Unlucky?” Zhao Ying Jun set her chopsticks down and smiled.

“I never thought so. I really like the name. Maybe it’s because I’ve always admired the historical figure of Yu Ji.”

“You like Yu Ji?” Lin Xian asked.

“Yes, I’m very fond of the story of Farewell My Concubine.”

Zhao Ying Jun noticed that Yu Xi had finished her drink and handed over her own untouched glass.

“But the reason I like the story isn’t because of Xiang Yu’s grand heroism. I admire Yu Ji’s courage and determination.”

“To me, she’s more of a hero than Xiang Yu. She faced death without fear, using her life to give Xiang Yu the strength to fight without looking back.”

“Ancient stories of women sacrificing for love are common, but most of them are filled with sadness and sentimentality. A hero like Yu Ji, who could dance and sing before taking her own life to prove her loyalty, is rare. So… I can understand why Yu Xi’s parents would choose that name.”

Zhao Ying Jun smiled again and dropped more meat into the hot pot for Yu Xi.

“They probably hoped their daughter would be as brave and strong as Yu Ji, full of passion, with her own dreams, and that she’d find someone worthy of her love, living a heroic and proud life.”

“I’m not sure if I’m right, but…”

She paused, putting down the empty plate, and looked at Lin Xian.

“If I were to name my daughter Yu Xi, I would have the same thoughts.”

Lin Xian didn’t say anything, just listened to Zhao Ying Jun speak. The more she talked, the more off-track things seemed to get. Many of Yellow Finch’s and Zhao Ying Jun’s thoughts, their love for the story of Farewell My Concubine and their admiration for Yu Ji, were identical. But that was to be expected—they were the same person, after all.

Yet, Yellow Finch had never talked to him about her thoughts on having children, naming them, or anything like that. Hearing Zhao Ying Jun say these things today… Lin Xian couldn’t help but worry about those two paternity test results.

Could it be that these time-crossing bloodlines would all come full circle with Zhao Ying Jun?

“So…” Lin Xian set down his drink and asked softly. “If you ever have a daughter, would you name her Yu Xi?”

Zhao Ying Jun chuckled.

“Who knows? In the end, it’s up to the father to decide the child’s name. Whatever my daughter’s name is, her father will have the final say.”

“My father named me, and from the meaning of my name, it’s clear he had high hopes for me. In ancient times, the character for ‘jun’ symbolized the quality of jade, representing the beauty of white jade. So… Lin Xian, who named you? It’s a pretty poetic name, like it’s related to the elegant theory of strings in physics.”

“I doubt it,” Lin Xian replied, shrugging.

“My parents were just ordinary workers in a state-owned factory. I don’t think they had that level of understanding of physics… I never asked why they named me that. Maybe they got it from someone else with more education? I’ll have to ask them sometime.”

With that, Lin Xian remembered that Zhao Ying Jun had come to his office for a reason. She usually didn’t drop by without a purpose. Whatever it was must have been interrupted by Brother Wang’s loud outburst.

Was it about the Pomeranian VV? Was it depressed again? Or was there something else?

Lin Xian decided to ask directly.

“Speaking of which, was there something you needed from me today?”

“Oh, right,” Zhao Ying Jun said, sitting up straight and looking at Lin Xian.

“With everything that’s happened, I almost forgot.”

She leaned back, hands clasped in her lap, and smiled at him.

“It’s not a big deal. We were just talking about my father naming me… Well, tomorrow, my parents are coming to Donghai City.”

“They’re coming to Donghai?” Lin Xian asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “For a vacation? Business?”

“No.” Zhao Ying Jun shook her head with a smile. “They’re coming just to see me. They plan to stay for a while, and they have a place here.”

“Oh, that’s great,” Lin Xian replied.

“Makes sense—since you usually only go home once a year for the holidays, they probably miss you a lot. After all, you’re their only daughter.”

“Is that what you came to talk to me about? Do you need any help? Picking them up? Moving things?”

“No, no, nothing like that,” Zhao Ying Jun waved her hand dismissively.

Then she clasped her hands together again, resting them on her lap, and smiled at Lin Xian.

“My parents… want to meet you.”