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They were both smart people, well aware that DNA test results are rarely wrong. If there had been an error for one person, that would be one thing. But for two people at once? That seemed impossible.

Still, the report didn’t specify the exact nature of the blood relationship.

Zhao Rui Hai finally broke the silence, looking up, “Let’s take this report back to the doctor. Maybe they can give us more details.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea,” Yan Mei agreed, still frowning at what she thought was a very strange situation. She held the little girl’s hand as they headed back to the doctor’s office.

The doctor looked over the two reports, a small smile forming on his face. “See? I told you. Isn’t it obvious this child is from your family? The DNA similarity rate isn’t that high, but that’s expected with tests involving grandparents and their descendants.”

“As I mentioned earlier, a paternity test only works between parents and their children. For grandparents and grandchildren, you need a different kind of blood relationship test.”

“Don’t believe everything you see in TV dramas about hospitals being able to determine generational relationships with perfect accuracy. It’s not possible. The report clearly states what we know for sure—”

“This girl, Yan Qiao Qiao, is definitely related to both of you by blood. But she isn’t your daughter. She could only be your descendant. To confirm if Qiao Qiao is your granddaughter, your daughter would still need to take a paternity test.”

“But science doesn’t always have to be so strict in life. The girl looks like you, probably resembles your daughter too, and shares your blood. If there aren’t any other issues, just go home and live together as a family.”

As they walked out of the hospital, Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei held the little girl’s hand and looked up at the sky, staring at the sun, the clouds, and the clear blue.

“No way,” Zhao Rui Hai finally spoke. “Is she really our granddaughter?”

He looked at the little girl beside him with wide eyes. “But it just doesn’t add up… We only have one child, Ying Jun. When would she have had time to have a child this old?”

“And besides,” he continued, “this girl is what, twelve or thirteen years old? Ying Jun is only 25. She couldn’t have had a child when she was twelve or thirteen!”

“Impossible, totally impossible,” Yan Mei shook her head firmly. “Ying Jun went abroad for school when she was fifteen or sixteen. Before that, she was always with us here in the capital. When would she have had a baby? It’s just crazy.”

“There’s no way this girl is Ying Jun’s child. She never had the opportunity to have a baby. And the biggest problem is… this girl’s age doesn’t match up at all.”

Zhao Rui Hai nodded. The age issue was also bothering him. Even if they stretched it and said the girl was only ten, that would mean Ying Jun would have had her before she was fifteen. That’s impossible. At fifteen, Ying Jun hadn’t even left the country yet. She was still coming home from school every day. How could she have been pregnant?

Moreover, he knew his daughter well. She was a good person, very responsible. There was no way she’d have a child out of wedlock. Even if she did, the child wouldn’t be this old.

“The problem isn’t with Ying Jun,” Zhao Rui Hai shook his head. “The real issue is the girl’s age. If she were four, five, seven, or eight years old, then maybe we could suspect she’s Ying Jun’s child. But the age gap is just too small. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Yan Mei looked up at him. “So, are you saying… the problem is with us?”

“But the doctor already said that based on the DNA overlap rate, it’s impossible for her to be our biological child. Genetically, she could only be our descendant.”

“And how many children have we had? Don’t we know ourselves? I would’ve loved a second child, but the one-child policy back then didn’t allow it. If it had, we would’ve had one.”

“So, as unbelievable as it is, and I find it hard to believe too, the facts are facts. DNA reports don’t lie. She must be our granddaughter. You have to trust science, Husband!”

Zhao Rui Hai sighed deeply. “I do trust science; I really do. But it’s precisely because I trust science that I can’t believe we suddenly have a granddaughter.”

What’s really going on?

He crouched down and looked at the little girl, feeling like the key to this mystery lay with her. “Qiao Qiao, do you remember anything?”

Yan Qiao Qiao shook her head. “No.”

By this point, the little girl had accepted the name Yan Qiao Qiao, and the older couple had gotten used to calling her that.

“Let’s go home first,” Zhao Rui Hai sighed, holding Qiao Qiao’s hand. “We’ll figure out what to do next once we’re at home.”

About an hour later, in the living room of their villa, Zhao Rui Hai stopped pacing and looked at Yan Mei and Qiao Qiao eating watermelon. “I think we need to ask Ying Jun about this.”

“What are you going to say?” Yan Mei laughed. “Are you going to ask her directly, ‘Where did this child come from? When did you have her?’”

“I won’t be that blunt,” Zhao Rui Hai waved his hand. “We know our daughter. If she doesn’t want to talk about something, we won’t be able to get it out of her.”

“And… even a tiger wouldn’t harm its cub. If Ying Jun really raised this girl so well, and now the child’s been missing for a whole day and night, do you think she wouldn’t be looking for her, wouldn’t be worried, wouldn’t report it to the police? Does that make any sense to you?”

Yan Mei thought about it and nodded. “You’re right; that makes sense. It really doesn’t seem possible that this girl was born to or raised by Ying Jun. If she were, she’d be worried sick after a day and night of not finding her.”

She looked up at Zhao Rui Hai, who stood in the middle of the living room. “So if you know this girl isn’t Ying Jun’s and wasn’t raised by her… then why talk to her?”

“Well, we have to ask something,” Zhao Rui Hai shrugged. “None of us understand what’s going on here. We don’t know where this girl came from.”

“Instead of making wild guesses here, it’s better to take Qiao Qiao to see Ying Jun. Even if I don’t know what she might say, who knows? Maybe she knows something about this situation. We’ve got nothing to lose by asking.”

With that, he picked up his phone and called Zhao Ying Jun.

“Hello? Dad, what’s up?” Zhao Ying Jun answered.

“What are you up to?” Zhao Rui Hai asked.

“Getting ready for a meeting,” Zhao Ying Jun replied calmly.

There was a pause. “How about we have dinner together tonight?”

“We just had dinner yesterday, didn’t we?” Zhao Ying Jun said, and the sound of papers shuffling could be heard over the phone. “I do have a job, you know. Even though you came all the way to Donghai to see me, I can’t just hang out with you every day.”

“Tonight’s dinner is necessary,” Zhao Rui Hai said firmly. “Find a restaurant. Make sure to pick one with mild flavors, not too heavy.”

Zhao Ying Jun stopped shuffling papers and straightened up. This dinner request sounded weird, almost pushy.

Oh.

She suddenly realized. “You and Mom aren’t in a rush to meet Lin Xian, are you? I’ll call him and see if he’s free today.”

“He’s probably quite tired today. I got a call from his company’s vice president at noon. They said he didn’t even answer his phone. He’s probably sleeping, maybe all the way until tonight.”

“No need,” Zhao Rui Hai interrupted. “No need to call Lin Xian today. Let’s just have a family dinner.”

“Remember to pick a place with light food that’s suitable for children. Your mom and I are bringing a kid with us tonight.”

“A kid?” Zhao Ying Jun sounded confused. “Whose kid? Whose child are you looking after?”

“You’ll find out tonight. Just send me the restaurant’s address,” he said, hanging up the phone.

Zhao Ying Jun lowered her phone, squinting at the dimming screen, confused.

Their family didn’t have any relatives in Donghai…

That’s why, when she returned to X Country after studying abroad, she decided to move to Donghai—to be away from her parents and her large extended family, to enjoy some peace.

Her parents had only been in Donghai for two days, so how did they end up babysitting for someone?

“Ridiculous,” she muttered, returning to her documents. When people get older, they tend to get a bit neurotic, especially when everyone around them starts having grandchildren. Those who don’t have grandchildren yet naturally get a bit obsessive.

Just like her parents now.

Since they don’t have any grandkids, they decided to take care of someone else’s child for fun?

“Ughh…” she sighed softly. “I should’ve never let them come to Donghai. If it wasn’t for them wanting to meet Lin Xian… Ughh…”

She closed her eyes and massaged her temples.

Headache.

She could already foresee tonight’s dinner would be another session of nagging about marriage and children.

She really didn’t want to go.

In her life plan, she wasn’t planning to get married this early, let alone have kids.

She didn’t dislike children. Quite the opposite—she liked them a lot and was looking forward to raising one someday. If she had a son, she’d dress him cool; if she had a daughter, even better—she’d dress her up beautifully.

But for now, at her age, her career came first. Thinking about these things was really too early.

Honestly, it was her parents who were too old. If they were like Lin Xian’s parents, not even fifty yet, they wouldn’t be so pushy.

“I’ll take VV with me tonight,” she decided. She didn’t want to face her parents’ nagging alone. VV was her best ally and the most suitable shield.

She took out her phone, opened a food app, and started looking for a suitable restaurant. “Something good for kids…”

Propping her chin, Zhao Ying Jun realized she had hit a knowledge gap. “How old is the kid? What do kids even eat?”

7 p.m., at a family-friendly restaurant serving a mix of X Country and Western food.

“Sorry I’m late. I had to pick up VV, and there was a bit of traffic.”

Pushing open the private room door, Zhao Ying Jun saw her parents sitting on either side of the table, with a little girl eating steak between them. The girl was wearing a bright pink dress, with two cute little pigtails, each adorned with a fake flower hairpin.

The outdated, tacky style made Zhao Ying Jun, the CEO of a fashion company, cringe. Whose kid is this, dressed so terribly?

But what surprised her more was: “How come you’ve already started eating?”

She couldn’t figure it out. The whole family wasn’t even here yet, so how could anyone start eating first? Didn’t they have any table manners?

Zhao Ying Jun turned to her parents. “Whose child is this? You can’t spoil her like this. She’ll end up spoiled.”

“What kind of talk is that?” Yan Mei was immediately annoyed. “The child was hungry, so what’s wrong with her eating first? Why don’t you say you were the one who came too late? If you’d come earlier, we could’ve all eaten together.”

Zhao Rui Hai gave her a reproachful look. “Children don’t need so many rules. You’ve become obsessed with being a boss. Have some compassion. What if the child gets sick from hunger?”

This time, it was Zhao Ying Jun’s turn to be stunned. Were these really her parents? She remembered clearly when she was a child, she was scolded for leaving some rice grains uneaten, reprimanded for not knowing the value of food, and then given a lecture about the difficult times when people starved, had nothing to eat, and ate tree bark and roots to survive.

As for starting a meal before everyone arrived? Don’t even think about it. As a junior, she had to sit there obediently waiting. There was no way she could eat first.

What was going on? How had they suddenly forgotten their good family values today?

Zhao Ying Jun chuckled softly. “When I was a kid, you didn’t say that. What happened to the ‘remembering the hardships’ and etiquette classes?”

Cough, cough.

Zhao Rui Hai cleared his throat. “That was then; times have changed. Enough talking, sit down.”

Zhao Ying Jun put her Pomeranian, VV, on the ground, took off her coat, and hung it on the wall. When she looked down again, VV was gone. It had jumped onto the little girl’s lap, comfortably snuggling up and enjoying itself.

“V~~~~~”

The Pomeranian reacted with the same enthusiasm as when it saw Lin Xian, rubbing itself against the little girl’s belly, seeking affection.

“Doggy,” the little girl said in a flat tone.

As a result, that simple word made Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei burst with excitement.

“Did you hear that? She knows it’s a dog! Say it again, Qiao Qiao!”

“Oh, Qiao Qiao is learning new words!”

Zhao Ying Jun’s eyebrow twitched; she couldn’t stand it anymore. “Are you two done? Are you doing this on purpose to mess with me?”

She had roughly guessed the situation. This dinner was probably another trick her parents had cooked up to provoke her, deliberately bringing a little girl to play house in front of her.

And VV, what are you doing here, causing trouble? Have you forgotten whose dog you are?

Ridiculous…

In that instant, Zhao Ying Jun suddenly realized that the small private dining room seemed divided into two parts. Her parents and VV were all circling around the little girl who was quietly eating her steak. She was the only one standing on this side, and no one seemed to care about her.

“Whose kid is this?” Zhao Ying Jun asked after sitting down, propping her hands on the table and looking at the swaying pigtails and the tacky fake flowers on them. “What’s her name?”

At the mention of her name, the little girl seemed to have a conditioned reflex. She looked up at Zhao Ying Jun. “My name is Yan Qiao Qiao.”

At that moment, as their eyes met, Zhao Ying Jun was stunned. It was like looking into a mirror, a mirror of time—one side was her 25-year-old self, and the other side stood her 15-year-old self.

“Yan… Qiao Qiao…” Zhao Ying Jun softly repeated the name. She had no recollection of it at all. Must be a relative from her mom’s side, sharing the same surname.

But still, this little girl had grown too much. How could she look almost exactly like her younger self?

Seeing Zhao Ying Jun staring blankly without saying anything, Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei exchanged glances, feeling it was time to subtly probe further.

“Ying Jun,” Yan Mei picked up a napkin, wiped Qiao Qiao’s mouth to make her face cleaner, and looked at Zhao Ying Jun. “Look, doesn’t Qiao Qiao look exactly like you when you were young?”

Zhao Ying Jun nodded. “She does, indeed.”

“If you had a daughter, she’d probably look like this, wouldn’t she?” Yan Mei asked further.

“Heh,” Zhao Ying Jun chuckled. “Is this a new way to pressure me into marriage? You two are really something. If every meal is going to be about these boring topics… I think we should stop eating together.”

Zhao Rui Hai narrowed his eyes, watching Zhao Ying Jun’s expression and reaction closely.

It seemed like he was right.

Ying Jun truly didn’t know about this little girl. It was clear she was seeing her for the first time today—there was no way she could fake such a natural and spontaneous reaction.

After pondering for a while, he decided to be honest. “Alright, let’s just be upfront.”

“We found this little girl on our way home, and we took her to the hospital for a DNA test. The results showed that she’s related to both of us by blood, and she’s definitely a descendant of ours.”

Thud.

The water glass Zhao Ying Jun had just picked up was gently placed back on the table. She straightened up, crossed her arms, and looked at her parents. “I get it.”

She paused, letting the information sink in. “So, today is a serious family meeting.”

“That’s right,” Zhao Rui Hai nodded.

“It seems like there’s a long-kept secret that needs to be revealed.”

“That’s exactly it,” Yan Mei nodded.

“So, when did you two have a daughter for me?” Zhao Ying Jun asked, studying the little girl to gauge her age. “Was it when I was studying abroad? You sure kept it hidden well. She’s so big now, and I’ve never even seen her once.”

“I mean, if you already had one child so why not a second. What’s the big deal in hiding it? I understand Dad’s status needed it to be hidden because of the government’s policies, but why hide it from me?”

“No, no, no…” Zhao Rui Hai waved his hands. “Where is your mind going? How could your mom and I have such an opportunity? And the hospital doctor said the DNA test showed Qiao Qiao can’t be our child. She’s more like… our granddaughter!”

Pfft—

Zhao Ying Jun almost spat out the tea in her mouth. She swallowed it back and couldn’t help but laugh, “This joke is a bit much. How could I have given you such a big granddaughter? If I really had that ability, wouldn’t you both be over the moon? Why would you still need to nag me about marriage and kids when you’d have a ready-made granddaughter?”

Yan Mei hesitated, then spoke earnestly, “Actually… Your dad and I wouldn’t be against something like this. After all, kids are innocent. If she’s really related to us, she’s family, and we’d definitely take responsibility for her.”

“Even if we can’t understand where this granddaughter came from, facts are facts. The DNA report doesn’t lie. The doctor even said that this girl, Qiao Qiao, looks almost exactly like you did as a child. There’s really no need for a paternity test.”

Ughh…

Zhao Ying Jun sighed deeply. It felt like bringing her parents to Donghai was a mistake. Everything was peaceful until they arrived. Now, there’s chaos everywhere.

“What do you two really want to say?” Zhao Ying Jun leaned back against her chair and glanced at Qiao Qiao, who was holding VV. “Just get to the point. What do you want from me? Do you want me to be this child’s mother? Don’t joke around… I’ve never had a child, and I’d know if I had, wouldn’t I?”

“If she really were my child, I wouldn’t abandon her. I’d raise her well and take good care of her. But now, out of nowhere, you bring a child and insist she’s my granddaughter… Don’t you think that’s a bit much?”

“Not just much, but it’s also an insult to me,” she said sharply, her gaze sweeping over her parents.

“I’m a grown woman. If I’d really had a child with someone, I’m old enough to admit it now. Besides, I was just thinking not long ago that if I had a daughter who didn’t need to be born or raised, wouldn’t that be great?”

“But to have my own parents questioning my integrity, suggesting I’d have a child out of nowhere… That’s incredibly insulting.”

“Do you think I’m a failure of an upbringing? Or do you think I’m that kind of woman in your eyes? Can either of you explain to me… I’m 25 years old now. How could I have given birth to such a big daughter?”

Zhao Ying Jun’s sharp words left the room in silence. Only the sound of Qiao Qiao’s knife and fork clinking as she cut the steak remained. She used her fork to pick up a small piece of steak and fed it to VV, who happily licked its tongue and took a bite.

Both Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei were left speechless and even a bit ashamed by Zhao Ying Jun’s words. Especially Zhao Rui Hai. He realized that in his unconscious actions, he seemed to have hurt Zhao Ying Jun again… wounded her pride and insulted her dignity.

That’s right.

If he, as her father, didn’t believe in his daughter’s innocence regarding having a child, then who in this world would?

When he learned that Yan Qiao Qiao might be his granddaughter, he immediately decided to protect her and ensure she was safe from any harm.

But…

Why was he so inconsiderate when it came to his own daughter, always hurting her instead?

He recalled an article he had once read on his phone. It mentioned that parents are the last line of defense for their children, the last wall protecting them. As long as that wall doesn’t fall, the children will never give up on themselves. The poor kids who jump off bridges or buildings are not truly driven by teachers, classmates, or violence; it’s usually their parents’ neglect and denial that hurt them the most.

It was just like what he was doing now—A father, bringing a teenage girl he found on the street and insisting she was his chaste daughter’s child.

Is there a worse defamation than this?

Is there a more painful insult?

Suddenly, he understood what Yan Mei had said earlier in the day…

There’s no such thing as favoritism for grandchildren. It’s just that parents transfer the love they owe their daughters to their grandchildren.

And what’s sadder is…

He still didn’t realize that, as a grandparent, he was still unintentionally hurting his already neglected daughter, Zhao Ying Jun.

“Ying… Ying Jun,” Yan Mei also felt that today’s ‘trial dinner’ wasn’t quite appropriate. She quickly tried to smooth things over. “We didn’t mean it that way… Of course, Mom and Dad believe you! You’ve always been so outstanding; we trust your character.”

“As for Qiao Qiao, she—”

“Forget it,” Zhao Rui Hai interrupted. He looked up at Zhao Ying Jun with a serious expression. “Sorry for putting on such a show and making you upset. But this was also done with good intentions. We hope you can settle down soon and balance both family and career.”

“I admit, maybe we were too forceful. Don’t take what Dad said to heart. I believe in you—your character, your upbringing, and I trust our education was solid. You wouldn’t do something so outrageous.”

“It’s clear you’re very resistant to marriage and children right now. We won’t push you anymore; we’ll stop nagging. You have your own life plan, and that’s fine.”

With that, he smiled warmly and patted Qiao Qiao’s hair. “Come on, Qiao Qiao, don’t just eat. Say hello to your auntie.”

Qiao Qiao obediently looked up, holding her knife and fork, “Auntie.”

“Call me sister,” Zhao Ying Jun corrected softly.

“Sister.”

“There we go, that’s better,” Zhao Ying Jun smiled, stood up, and pinched Qiao Qiao’s cheek. “It’s nice to meet you. I didn’t prepare any gifts… How about this? I have a few limited-edition Rhine Cat dolls in my car trunk. I’ll go get them for you as a gift.”

Zhao Ying Jun had always been polite. So she put on her coat and walked out of the private room to get the Rhine Cat dolls.

Thud.

The automatic door closed, leaving only the elderly couple, Qiao Qiao, and… one dog that had gone rogue (traitor).

“Husband…” Yan Mei turned to look at Zhao Rui Hai, hesitating, “What should we do about this? It’s clear Ying Jun has nothing to do with this girl. Should I secretly get a strand of Ying Jun’s hair and do a DNA test to confirm?”

“Let’s forget it,” Zhao Rui Hai closed his eyes. “What difference does it make, either way? Could we really abandon Qiao Qiao? Even if this turns out to be a misunderstanding about the DNA… I’m okay with it. As long as no one claims Qiao Qiao, we’ll treat her as our granddaughter.”

“Is emotion more important, or is DNA more important? Both are important, of course. But would it be fair or reasonable to force a 25-year-old girl like Ying Jun to accept that she’s already a mother? I think that would be a bit too much.”

“Maybe we both realize… that somehow, we keep hurting Ying Jun. Think about it. If you were 25, unmarried, and had never dated, and suddenly your father showed up with a child and told you it was yours, how would you feel?”

“I’d feel wronged, for sure! It’d be absurd!” Yan Mei replied quickly but then fell silent for a few seconds as she realized something. “Indeed… Maybe we were too hasty. We shouldn’t have brought this up so bluntly with Ying Jun. If we had chosen a different setting, a different way, and let Ying Jun and Qiao Qiao get to know each other first, it might have been easier to accept.”

“Yes, you’re right. We always think we’re innocent, that the problem must not be on us, and we assume it’s Ying Jun’s fault. But what if it is our fault? Whatever the case, I think you’re right too…”

“Ying Jun’s life has just begun. If we force her to accept a daughter this big, how will she go on dates, get married, or fall in love? As parents, we can’t sabotage Ying Jun like this.”

“Why don’t we just take it slow, let Ying Jun and Qiao Qiao spend more time together? Who knows, maybe they’ll bond faster than we think! Instead of us rushing to acknowledge a granddaughter, maybe Ying Jun will be even more eager to recognize her as her daughter.”

“So forget about the hair. If Ying Jun finds out, she’ll definitely feel like we still doubt her and don’t trust her… And she’ll be hurt again.”

No sooner had Yan Mei finished speaking than Qiao Qiao pulled a long strand of black hair from VV’s fluffy fur and held it up. “Hair.”

Her words were always short and to the point, and the fewer the words, the bigger the deal.

“…”

“…”

Yan Mei and Zhao Rui Hai exchanged glances. Eventually, Yan Mei took the strand of hair, wrapped it around her finger, and put it in her pocket. “Ahem, confirming it wouldn’t hurt, as long as we don’t tell Ying Jun.”

“You…” Zhao Rui Hai pointed at Yan Mei, both amused and helpless. “Go ahead and confirm if you want, but I’ve made my point clear. Qiao Qiao is my granddaughter. If no one wants her, I do; if no one will raise her, I will.”

“Who her parents are doesn’t matter to me. Even if she really popped out of a rock, with no mother and no father, she has her grandpa! And her grandpa will protect her all her life!”

“Grandpa,” Qiao Qiao echoed, turning to look at Zhao Rui Hai.

“Yes, dear?” Zhao Rui Hai smiled warmly. “What is it, Qiao Qiao?”

Qiao Qiao pointed at her empty steak plate. “Not full.”

A little while later, Zhao Ying Jun returned with three Rhine Cat dolls and gave them to Qiao Qiao.

Qiao Qiao liked them a lot.

VV liked them too.

The two played happily together, one child and one dog.

Zhao Rui Hai, Yan Mei, and Zhao Ying Jun tacitly agreed not to bring up the earlier unpleasantness. The old couple had come around to the idea that you can’t force something like this.

After all, they couldn’t really expect a 25-year-old woman who had never been in a relationship or married to suddenly start raising a child. Since they liked Qiao Qiao so much, they’d take care of her themselves for now. When Ying Jun wasn’t so upset anymore, they’d slowly foster a relationship between her and Qiao Qiao.

The second half of the meal was warm, pleasant, and happy. No talk of marriage, a child and a dog were there, the elders were healthy, and the young people were successful. It was the perfect family gathering and a wonderful reunion meal.

The only downside was…

“V~?”

VV, comfortably lying on Qiao Qiao’s lap, sensed something was missing in the room. He felt that if another person were present, the room would feel even more complete and vibrant.

That man…

He had a distinct and pleasant scent.

A scent that was strangely similar to…

The little girl’s scent.

After everyone had dinner, they headed to the parking lot to leave in two separate cars.

Zhao Ying Jun bent down to pat Qiao Qiao’s head, saying warmly, “See you, Qiao Qiao. I like you a lot.”

Qiao Qiao nodded in response. “Goodbye, sister.”

Zhao Ying Jun smiled, finding Qiao Qiao’s sweetness endearing. Initially, she thought the girl was a bit wild and unmannered, especially at how she ate. But now, she found herself growing fond of Qiao Qiao, appreciating her simple charm.

She waved goodbye to Qiao Qiao and her parents as the red sedan they were in drove off into the night.

Holding VV, Zhao Ying Jun watched the car vanish and hummed thoughtfully.

“V~?” VV looked up at her with wide eyes, puzzled. It noticed two strands of hair wrapped around Zhao Ying Jun’s finger.

How did they get there?

Could it be from when she patted the girl’s head?

Impressive, this girl didn’t even flinch when two of her hairs were pulled out. That’s quite the pain tolerance!

Zhao Ying Jun twisted her wrist, examining the black hairs coiled around her finger. These hairs were short, perhaps neck or shoulder-length, just like Yan Qiao Qiao’s.

She had been ready with an excuse if Qiao Qiao had shown any sign of pain, ready to apologize and blame it on her sleeve button snagging Qiao Qiao’s hair. But the girl didn’t react, almost as if she was wearing a wig. For a moment, Zhao Ying Jun wondered if she had actually pulled any hair out at all. But after feeling the strands between her fingers, she confirmed they were real and quickly pocketed them.

“Doesn’t that hurt her?” she chuckled softly into the night. “A distant relative’s granddaughter? Heh, Lin Xian used that excuse long ago.”

She stroked VV’s fluffy head. “VV, what’s really going on here?”

VV stayed silent, scared to make any noise.

This family was too sneaky!

VV had witnessed both scenes: Yan Mei stealing Zhao Ying Jun’s hair and Zhao Ying Jun taking Yan Qiao Qiao’s hair.

Like family, like people.

VV was just a little dog and wanted no part in this complex family drama.

Later that night, as Zhao Ying Jun turned off her bedside lamp to sleep, her phone screen lit up. She had been searching for another DNA testing facility.

Even though Wang’s wife directed the testing department at the Second Hospital of Donghai…

Some secrets were best kept within the family.

Her parents were clearly hiding something.

What if it was a child born out of wedlock? What if there were other secrets?

Given her father’s status and her own reputation, it made sense to keep things discreet and not use a hospital where they might be recognized.

“Sleep, VV.” Zhao Ying Jun checked the time. It was already 12:41 a.m.

VV yawned widely, settled into the carpet, and drifted off to sleep.

…

In the corner of the bedroom, Lin Xian was awake.

He checked the digital clock: April 28, 2024, 12:42 a.m.

As expected, the persistent white light in the fifth dream world was always on time.

He sat up, recalling everything he witnessed in that dream world.

If Elon Musk’s predictions were correct, and both the Time-Space Court and Time-Space Police were creations of the overconfident Copernicus, then it seemed…

In the future of the fifth dream world, Copernicus was undoubtedly defeated.

But had Elon Musk truly succeeded?

That was debatable.

From one angle, Musk’s dream of moving to Mars had been realized, but what did true success even mean?

Lin Xian couldn’t figure it out because he wasn’t sure what the ultimate aim of the geniuses in the Genius Club was.

Or more fundamentally…

What was the purpose of the Genius Club itself?

Without knowing these basic details, it was hard for Lin Xian to plan his next steps or define the future he sought.

“So, the most urgent thing right now is to join the Genius Club as soon as possible.”

The final step to entry involved correctly answering three test questions.

Lin Xian felt he was close to uncovering the answer to the first question.

All he needed was another shift in time-space and to observe the changes in the time-space clock reading.

The first reading was 0.0000000.

The first change was 0.0000042.

By observing another change, he could identify the pattern of time-space curvature changes and deduce the rule of time-space coordinates.

He didn’t need the exact formula for the coordinates.

The test from the Genius Club didn’t require specifics but asked for “any time-space coordinate.”

This requirement was impressive and quite ingenious.

It hinted that finding a specific coordinate might be impossible, but understanding the pattern would allow one to write “any” coordinate.

Lin Xian was eager to discover the correct answer and what it would lead to.

And what would the second test question be?

“Tomorrow morning, I’ll visit Brother Wang’s Time Bank.”

He got up, drank some water, and decided against staying up late to analyze further. He needed to be fresh for tomorrow.

He knew that Brother Wang’s first batch of custom safes only included about 200 units, with serial numbers likely not exceeding that number.

Yet, Gao Wen’s safe was numbered 424;

Wei Sheng Jin’s was 724;

And the safe found of Pang Ya was 1277.

These safes, mentioned in the fifth dream world, didn’t exist in the Time Bank in 2024.

But could something be done about that?

Was there a way to adjust for these safes that hadn’t yet cappeared?