Genius Club

Donghai City, Huangpu District, Nanjing East Road, Peace Hotel.

Standing tall for over a century, the Peace Hotel on Nanjing East Road is one of the most iconic landmarks on the Bund. It may not be the most luxurious hotel in Donghai City, nor does it serve the best food, but it is always a top choice for hosting banquets and gatherings, symbolizing class and status.

Between the North and South buildings, lit up and luxurious, a uniquely plated Hongqi sedan and an Alphard business van pulled into the parking lot almost simultaneously. Their occupants headed to a private room.

“Hello, Ms. Zhao Ying Jun,” a waitress in period-style attire greeted Zhao Ying Jun with a polite bow. “Some guests have already arrived in the private room. Is this a family dinner today?”

“Yes,” Zhao Ying Jun replied with a nod. “Just a family meal. Nothing fancy is needed.”

“Understood. Please take your seat and let me know if you need anything,” the waitress responded, opening the door to the private room for her.

Inside the Room, Zhao Rui Hai, Yan Mei, and Yan Qiao Qiao were already seated at the dining table.

“Puppy!” Yan Qiao Qiao’s eyes sparkled when she noticed the fluffy Pomeranian in Zhao Ying Jun’s arms.

“V~!” The Pomeranian, VV, barked cheerfully and leaped from Zhao Ying Jun’s arms, darting under the table before jumping onto Yan Qiao Qiao’s lap.

“Puppy!” Yan Qiao Qiao exclaimed, hugging VV tightly. The fluffy dog, resembling a dandelion, seemed oversized in her tiny arms, almost like she was holding a baby Alaskan Malamute.

“His name is VV,” Zhao Ying Jun explained, watching her. “Just call him by his name. It looks like he really likes you.”

Yan Qiao Qiao lifted VV with both hands under his armpits and said softly, “VV.”

“Vrrrrrr!” the dog responded happily.

Then, she placed the dog on a plate in front of her and said seriously, “Eat meat.”

“Huh?” VV’s fur bristled, fluffing up like a scared dandelion.

“Oh, Qiao Qiao, you can’t put pets on the dining table! That’s so unhygienic!” Yan Mei exclaimed. She quickly took VV off the table, placed him on the floor, and called over a waiter. “Sorry, could you please get us a new set of tableware? This one has been touched by the dog.”

Zhao Rui Hai sighed softly. The meal hadn’t even started, yet it already felt like a battle with danger lurking around.

He gently patted Yan Qiao Qiao on the head and said kindly, “Qiao Qiao, today we’re meeting a very important guest—a really nice uncle. You need to be polite. This is different from being at home; you need to follow the rules. Otherwise, people might not like you and could even laugh at your grandma and grandpa.”

“So, today, you need to listen. Don’t move around too much, and don’t talk too much. Just sit here and eat properly. If there’s anything you want, tell Grandpa. Once you’re full, this room is spacious enough for you to play with VV.”

Yan Qiao Qiao nodded obediently. She reached out her finger and pointed at Zhao Rui Hai’s temples. “White hair.”

“Yes, Grandpa has white hair now. I’m getting old! Come, help Grandpa pull it out. Let’s see how strong Qiao Qiao’s hands are!” Zhao Rui Hai said, tilting his head closer to her.

To his surprise, Qiao Qiao’s eyes lit up. Without hesitation, she reached out and pinched with both fingers near his ear and pulled!

Before Zhao Rui Hai could react, the white hair was already between her fingers. He was left stunned, mouth agape.

Her speed, her strength, her precision… amazing! She’s definitely his granddaughter!

“Great job!” he praised. “Look at Qiao Qiao; she’s improving so fast, changing day by day. Raising her is so rewarding—you can see her progress every day.”

“Isn’t it?” Yan Mei added proudly. “Our Qiao Qiao is very talented; I noticed it long ago. She learns things quickly, and her hearing, vision, and coordination are all excellent.”

“Just now, the way she pulled that white hair from Old Rui Hai, it was smooth and precise. I think Qiao Qiao’s hands are perfect for becoming a surgeon or doing cutting-edge research in the future.”

“Heh,” Zhao Ying Jun chuckled suddenly, “Do you really think she’s a three-year-old kid? She’s already in her teens. Having such dexterity is normal. Stop this awkward flattery.”

“Plus, she didn’t start learning from scratch; she just lost her memory. After Professor Xu Yun passed away, I learned a bit about hibernation and the side effects of memory loss. Pure memory loss doesn’t really affect speaking, reading, or motor skills.”

“Even if Qiao Qiao’s memory doesn’t come back, her basic skills and abilities will return soon enough. So, stop treating her like a little child. Set rules where they’re needed, and scold her when necessary.”

“If we miss this crucial period for shaping her knowledge and behavior, it’ll be hard to correct things later on.”

However, Zhao Ying Jun’s serious lecture on child-rearing fell on deaf ears. Her parents, who were busy over-praising their granddaughter, didn’t hear a word.

To them, their granddaughter was perfect in every way. The only issue was that she was too skinny and needed to eat more to grow healthy.

Yan Mei turned to Zhao Ying Jun and said, “Stop saying such discouraging things. Who said Qiao Qiao’s memory won’t come back? Your dad has already scheduled an appointment with the best neurologist in the country and the top neurology chief at Ruijin Hospital. Tomorrow, we’ll take Qiao Qiao to Ruijin for a full check-up.”

“We’ll look at her bone age, nutrition, and get a sense of her overall condition. She doesn’t remember how old she is, but we can estimate her age through bone age tests. That way, we can decide how to raise her and what kind of school she should attend.”

Zhao Rui Hai nodded in agreement. “Mostly, I want to see if there’s any way to help Qiao Qiao recover her memory. We don’t know everything, and medical technology is very advanced. Maybe there’s a way to bring back the memories she lost.”

“If Qiao Qiao regains her memory, she’ll remember a lot of things.”

After he said that, the two elders exchanged a knowing look and then glanced at Zhao Ying Jun.

Zhao Ying Jun immediately sensed their gaze. She closed her eyes.

At this moment, her family—no, just at this dining table—felt like a real-life game of Werewolf.

Yan Qiao Qiao didn’t know who she was; her parents only knew Qiao Qiao was related to them by blood but didn’t know the exact relationship. Meanwhile, she herself had found out that she was biologically Qiao Qiao’s mother but hadn’t told her parents yet.

How could she explain that? Even if she could, what would happen next? Raise a child? Accept the fact that she has a teenage daughter despite being unmarried and childless?

Zhao Ying Jun admitted she wasn’t that open-minded.

To be honest, she couldn’t accept it. So, she needed to find out the truth. Only a reasonable explanation could help her come to terms with this sudden daughter.

“If she can recover her memory, that would be great,” Zhao Ying Jun said calmly. “I also look forward to the day Qiao Qiao regains her memory. I hope the country’s neurologists can come up with something to put an end to this ridiculous farce.”

At that moment, the door to the private room opened, and Lin Xian walked in with two beautifully packaged bags of tea in his hands, smiling.

Zhao Ying Jun stood up immediately and introduced him to her parents, “Dad, Mom, this is Lin Xian, the person you’ve been wanting to meet.”

Zhao Rui Hai stood up with a big smile, took Lin Xian’s hand, and patted his shoulder. “Hahaha, Lin Xian! I’ve heard so much about you. It’s great to finally meet you!”

Lin Xian nodded with a polite smile. “You’re too kind. Compared to you, I’m just a junior. I have a lot to learn.”

“Oh, look at him! What a sweet talker! Such a fine young man!” Yan Mei chimed in, turning to look at Lin Xian with approval. “So tall and handsome! No wonder Ying Jun keeps praising you every time she comes home for the holidays. I can see you’re a good, kind-hearted, and well-mannered boy.”

“Come, come, don’t just stand there. Sit down, and we can chat at our leisure!” Yan Mei urged.

Lin Xian closed the door to the private room and placed the tea bags on a nearby tea table. “Uncle, Auntie, this is the new Longjing tea from our Hangzhou area this year. I know you don’t lack anything, so I brought some tea from my hometown as a little gift.”

Coming from a family like Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei’s, they naturally appreciated a child who knew their manners. Seeing Lin Xian so well-behaved and courteous, they felt a good impression growing. “Look at you, Lin Xian. You’re being too polite. My wife and I came here just to thank you, and here you are bringing us gifts… When you visit the capital next, be sure to let Ying Jun or us know. We’ll treat you well.”

“Now that everyone is here, let’s start the meal,” Zhao Rui Hai called the waiter to start serving the dishes and asked him to open the wine he brought and pour it into a decanter.

Lin Xian took off his coat and hung it on the wall, then sat down in the seat to the right of Zhao Rui Hai. Seated between Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei was Yan Qiao Qiao. Lin Xian was to the left of Zhao Rui Hai and to the right of Zhao Ying Jun. On Ying Jun’s right was Yan Mei. The private room wasn’t big, but with just five people and a dog, it felt cozy.

“I’ll introduce everyone, Lin Xian,” Zhao Ying Jun volunteered as two cold dishes were served, raising her glass for a toast. “This is my father, Zhao Rui Hai, whom I’ve mentioned before. You probably remember him.”

“This is my mother, Yan Mei. She just retired honorably from her teaching job this year.”

“And this is…” Zhao Ying Jun’s hand gestured toward Yan Qiao Qiao, who was busy grinding her chopsticks in the middle, then hesitated and pursed her lips before saying slowly, “This is my mom’s side’s relative’s granddaughter, Yan Qiao Qiao.”

Lin Xian smiled and waved kindly at Yan Qiao Qiao. “Hello, Qiao Qiao.”

Yan Qiao Qiao stopped what she was doing, pointed a pair of chopsticks directly at Lin Xian, and said, “Lin Xian.”

“No, no, no…” Zhao Rui Hai hurriedly pressed her chopsticks down, realizing that pointing chopsticks at someone was very uncivilized. He smiled apologetically at Lin Xian, saying, “She’s a little girl from the countryside. She doesn’t have much manners, so please don’t mind her.”

He patted Qiao Qiao’s head gently. “Qiao Qiao, you can’t call older people by their first name. You should use a proper address. This is Uncle Lin Xian. Now, call him ‘Uncle.’”

Qiao Qiao blinked and looked at Lin Xian. “Uncle.”

Then she turned to look at Zhao Ying Jun with clear eyes. “Sister.”

???

Lin Xian felt his mind boggling. What’s going on with this complex family relationship?

Zhao Ying Jun just introduced Qiao Qiao as a relative’s granddaughter from her mom’s side. That was easy enough to understand. Since the girl shared the same last name as Yan Mei, she must be a relative from her mother’s side. Regardless of how distant or close that relationship is, she should call Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei “Grandpa” and “Grandma.”

Calling him “Uncle” wasn’t out of line based on age; he had younger nieces around her age too.

But why did she call Zhao Ying Jun “Sister”?

It’s not just Lin Xian…

Even if a super AI like VV were here, it couldn’t untangle this family relationship!

Lin Xian looked at Zhao Ying Jun, unsure of how to respond. Should he accept being called “Uncle,” thus acknowledging himself as part of the older generation in Zhao Ying Jun’s family?

Zhao Ying Jun gave Lin Xian a small smile and made a circular motion near her head with her finger, signaling that there was something off. “This little girl, let’s just say… her brain is a bit…”

“Oh, oh, oh,” Lin Xian quickly caught on.

From the moment he walked in, he had noticed the girl’s overly clear eyes, almost hinting at a childlike simplicity. Now that Zhao Ying Jun explained, he understood better.

This little girl had some mental issues. You couldn’t expect too much from her; let her call people whatever she wants.

“Qiao Qiao, just call me Brother,” Lin Xian suggested gently, looking at the girl who seemed more adorable the longer he looked at her. “I’m not much older than you. Calling me ‘Brother’ makes me feel younger too.”

Qiao Qiao nodded obediently, like a big cat with no tricks or cunning. She believed whatever people said at this age. “Brother,” she said clearly.

“This little girl really is adorable,” Lin Xian complimented as he glanced around the table. “And she’s genuinely beautiful—naturally elegant and lovely.”

Qiao Qiao lowered her head, locking eyes with VV’s widened dog eyes. The girl and the dog didn’t understand a word, but they seemed to share a moment of silent confusion.

For the four adults at the table, every sentence was filled with social graces, steeped in formality.

Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei were impressed with Lin Xian’s high emotional intelligence, which skillfully diffused the awkwardness. They felt the boy was indeed outstanding; it took just a few words to see he was exceptional in every way.

“Come on, Lin Xian, let them drink their drinks, and we’ll drink our wine. Let’s have another toast,” Zhao Rui Hai suggested, raising his glass to drink with Lin Xian and pulling the conversation away from Qiao Qiao.

Qiao Qiao’s situation was indeed complicated, and he hadn’t planned on explaining it in detail to Lin Xian—no need to air the family’s dirty laundry.

“Last year, during the New Year, when Ying Jun told us about how you saved her from that criminal, my wife and I have been planning to visit Donghai City to thank you properly,” Zhao Rui Hai began after downing his drink. “But there never seemed to be a good opportunity. And now, finally meeting you, we hope you won’t mind the delay.”

“Oh, not at all. You’re being too kind,” Lin Xian replied. “I worked at Ms. Zhao Ying Jun’s company right after graduation and received a lot of support from her. I’ve always wanted to repay her kindness. Compared to that, what I did that day was just self-defense. It was my duty to help Ms. Zhao Ying Jun.”

“To be honest, I owe a lot of my current company’s success to Ms. Zhao Ying Jun’s help. If anyone should be giving thanks, it’s me thanking her. Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Zhao Ying Jun smiled gently after hearing this. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked up, saying, “Lin Xian, now that you’ve left MX Company and started your own business, you don’t have to call me ‘Ms. Zhao Ying Jun’ anymore; it sounds so formal. Just call me ‘Ying Jun,’ like my parents do. We’re close enough, no need to be so reserved—think of it as dining at home.”

With that remark, Lin Xian realized he had always addressed her formally. After all, he’d started at MX Company right after graduation and had been calling her that for years. It would take some getting used to, but since she had made it clear, he couldn’t refuse.

“Alright,” Lin Xian agreed. He clinked his glass with Zhao Rui Hai’s and chatted about daily life, answering some of his questions.

On the other side, Yan Mei used communal chopsticks to put some meat on Qiao Qiao’s plate, patiently saying, “Qiao Qiao, stop playing with VV and eat first. Play after you’ve eaten your fill.”

VV?

Lin Xian was surprised. He turned to Zhao Ying Jun. “VV is here too?”

Zhao Ying Jun motioned with her chin toward Qiao Qiao. “Yeah, VV jumped right onto Qiao Qiao’s lap when we walked in and has been sticking to her since.”

“It’s strange… VV warmed up to her immediately, just like when it first met you. It clung to her and kept rubbing against her.”

“I have to say, this dog amazes me. It seems to bond with everyone but me. It’s friendly with everyone but me.”

After saying this, she thought for a moment and shook her head. “Well, not exactly. I remember VV being very aloof with my relatives during the holidays, showing its teeth whenever anyone got too close.”

“But it seems like VV has a special fondness for you and Qiao Qiao. I wonder what special magic you two have.”

Lin Xian straightened up slightly. Sure enough, he saw the dandelion-like VV on Qiao Qiao’s lap. The dog looked very content and relaxed, to the point of ignoring him.

That made Lin Xian feel a bit dejected.

Wasn’t VV supposed to be closest to him? How could it abandon him so quickly and go off with someone new?

After looking at VV on Qiao Qiao’s lap, Lin Xian shifted his gaze upward and finally had a chance to observe Qiao Qiao.

He had been too busy socializing earlier to pay much attention to the young girl. Now, taking a closer look… they did resemble each other!

He glanced at Zhao Ying Jun, then at Qiao Qiao, and indeed felt they looked like sisters!

The genes from Zhao Ying Jun’s maternal family must be strong. But upon closer inspection, there were differences—especially in the ears, forehead, and chin, which were distinct from Zhao Ying Jun’s.

At first glance, it was quite striking, but after a few more looks, the resemblance to Zhao Ying Jun faded.

Lin Xian rarely interacted with girls in their early teens. Recently, he had dealt with two—Fake Yu Xi and Real Yu Xi, both quite troublesome.

But those two Yus were clearly older than Qiao Qiao by a year or two and had more muscular physiques, with clear signs of training and muscle definition.

In comparison, Qiao Qiao seemed very petite, even a bit frail. She was slightly shorter, probably just around 150 cm, with thin arms and legs, making her appear no older than thirteen or fourteen.

Of course, the biggest difference between Qiao Qiao and the real or fake Yu Xi was their eyes.

Both Yu Xis had eyes that emitted a chilling, bright blue light, with sharp, murderous gazes.

Meanwhile, Qiao Qiao’s eyes…

They were pure black, and from them, Lin Xian could only read a sense of emptiness—like an “abababa” vibe.

At that moment, Lin Xian recalled a conversation he once had with Elon Musk about a question:

“Did Real Yu Xi—the time-space assassin Lin Yu Xi—truly disappear from this timeline?”

Elon Musk believed she had vanished for sure. His proof was that the blue USB drive from the future he had turned into blue star dust after breaking the time loop.

So, a girl who crossed over from the future timeline would also disappear due to the destruction of entangled time-space particles, which would prevent the timeline from closing and thus result in her turning into blue star dust.

Both Lin Xian and Elon Musk were breaking a time loop for the first time, and neither had experience with what would happen afterward. Moreover, when Lin Yu Xi saw Elon Musk about to destroy the time-space particles, she quickly fled through a window, preventing them from confirming the outcome.

Lin Yu Xi’s facial data had long been registered in the SkyNet system. If she were caught on any surveillance camera in X Country, an alarm would go off immediately.

Upon an alarm, Liu An, the Director of the National Security Bureau, would surely alert him.

But the fact was…

Several days had passed peacefully, with no sign of Lin Yu Xi being captured by the SkyNet system.

That suggested that Lin Yu Xi had only two possible outcomes:

She hid deep in the mountains and forests, avoiding any surveillance.

Lin Yu Xi had indeed turned into blue star dust and vanished.

Lin Xian really hoped it was the second option. He wanted the time-space assassin to be gone. He didn’t want to go through another life-and-death chase.

Without the “Terminator” to protect him, he would undoubtedly lose his life if the time-space assassin pursued him again.

Besides, there was another thing on Lin Xian’s mind:

If Lin Yu Xi had turned into blue star dust and disappeared, then would the virus Elon Musk had released online to hunt super AIs disappear as well?

If it did disappear, he could consider reviving VV.

With VV’s help, his combat strength would once again reach its peak, and many problems would no longer be problems.

He decided to wait until the next dream change.

Lin Xian thought about it this way: if each dream change or each shift in the worldline represented a broken time loop and the opening of a new one, then breaking more loops would increase the chances of that virus disappearing.

He only had one fragment of VV left now. He didn’t dare act rashly and risk losing VV for good.

“Lin Xian, I heard from Ying Jun that you’re an only child too?” Yan Mei asked after three rounds of drinks and most of the meal had been eaten.

Qiao Qiao had already eaten her fill. Her belly was round as she played tag with VV around the room, playing hide and seek.

Yan Mei looked at Lin Xian and continued, “For only children like you, you should think about your parents and consider getting married and having kids earlier so they can have grandchildren to hug. That’s real filial piety.”

“If you had siblings, we wouldn’t be rushing you like this. But with only children, we can only rely on you to carry on the family line. Parents’ hearts are so worried; sometimes, urging you is really all we can do.”

Listening to Yan Mei’s thinly veiled nagging, Zhao Ying Jun crossed her arms and shot Lin Xian a “See, I told you so” look.

What could Lin Xian say? He could only smile wryly, nod, and stay silent.

But Yan Mei wasn’t done with her advice. “Actually, when it comes to old age care, only children like you should consider marrying someone who isn’t an only child and has siblings.”

“Why?” Zhao Ying Jun asked, tilting her head slightly.

“Because it reduces the burden of caring for the elderly!” Yan Mei explained. “If both the husband and wife are only children, you’d have to support four parents and two children. That’s a lot of pressure!”

“But if either side has siblings, the pressure instantly becomes much less. If a parent has health issues, there’s an extra hand to help out. Don’t you think so?”

“No way.” Zhao Ying Jun shook her head firmly, standing her ground. “My thoughts are different. I think it’s better to marry another only child.”

“In today’s society, it’s hard to balance relationships inside and outside the family. Among family members, it’s impossible to maintain absolute fairness all the time, and there will always be various conflicts and misunderstandings.”

“There are so many stories on the internet about siblings causing chaos over inheritance, not taking care of their parents, and so on. In comparison, families with only children have far fewer troubles.”

“Oh, you’re being too extreme!” Yan Mei countered, huffing. “Those are just stories on the internet. In reality—”

“#$%@#!&%…”

“$#@^&()” ???

Lin Xian sat up straight, feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles. What’s happening here? Why are these two suddenly debating so fiercely at the dinner table about whether only children should marry only children?

The two were not arguing, just having a heated debate. It was especially rare to see Zhao Ying Jun so adamant in rebutting a viewpoint.

It also showed that every child eventually debates with their parents over the pressure to marry.

Lin Xian just hoped the mother-daughter debate wouldn’t involve him. The last thing he wanted was for them to turn around and ask him, “What do you think, Lin Xian?”

That would be awkward. Family matters are tricky; they should sort out their issues themselves.

He picked up his water glass and started to drink, invoking the tactical “drink water” mode, which was universally recognized as “do not disturb” time.

But he wasn’t prepared for another sharp-eyed observer!

Whoosh.

A small, tender finger pointed straight at the back of his head.

Lin Xian turned slightly, lowering his head, and met Qiao Qiao’s sharp gaze.

She stared intently at the back of his head. “White hair.”

“Huh?” Lin Xian was puzzled and instinctively tilted his head. “Do I have white hair?”

As he tilted his head, Qiao Qiao reacted instantly, just like when she played games with her grandpa. With a swift and precise motion, she pinched the white hair and yanked it out!

“Ow!” Lin Xian felt a sharp pain on his scalp, gasping in surprise.

This sudden commotion interrupted the debate between Zhao Ying Jun and Yan Mei. The three members of the Zhao Ying Jun family turned to look, scolding Qiao Qiao.

“Qiao Qiao! That’s so rude!”

“What are you doing?”

“Come back here! Why are you pulling Lin Xian’s hair?”

Lin Xian rubbed his scalp and looked at Qiao Qiao. “Did you pull it out?”

Qiao Qiao nodded seriously, lifting her right hand. There, between her thumb and index finger, was a single white hair, perfectly intact.

“There really is one,” Lin Xian remarked with some surprise. He was only in his twenties and had never had a white hair in all his years of studying and working.

It seemed this period had been too exhausting, too tiring, and too stressful. The time he spent fleeing in the U.S. was probably the most anxious he’d ever been, which might have caused the white hair.

Still, in front of the Zhao Ying Jun family, he couldn’t complain about Qiao Qiao. After all, she was trying to help him by pulling out the white hair, albeit a bit rough, without any ill intent.

So, Lin Xian smiled and patted her head. “Good job. Thank you.”

However, it was just this smile, just the close-up of these two faces together, that made Zhao Rui Hai, Yan Mei, and Zhao Ying Jun widen their eyes in shock!

Their eyes quickly moved back and forth between Lin Xian and Qiao Qiao’s faces, comparing them. When they were far apart, it wasn’t noticeable. But now that their faces were almost touching, side by side, many previously unnoticeable details became glaringly obvious!

Their ears… their foreheads… their chins…

Even Zhao Ying Jun was stunned by this discovery!

While it couldn’t be said that they were identical, at least Qiao Qiao’s ears, forehead, and chin looked remarkably similar to Lin Xian’s!

These details weren’t apparent from a distance, but now, in this close-up, face-to-face moment, they were unmistakably clear.

“Uhm…” Zhao Rui Hai didn’t know what to say for a moment. He swallowed hard, hesitated, and finally decided to say nothing. He stepped back and stood up from his seat.

“Uh, I’m going to the restroom,” he said, glancing at his wife beside him. “Are you coming?”

Having been married for so many years, she knew exactly what that meant. Yan Mei quickly stood up, grabbed a napkin, and wiped her mouth. “Yes, yes, I was just saying I needed to go, but I wasn’t sure where the restroom was.”

She and Zhao Rui Hai walked to the door and glanced back at the trio in the private room, looking like a “family of three.”

“Ying Jun, your dad and I are going to the restroom. You all keep chatting,” she said.

With that, the door to the private room closed with a bang.

At this moment, Zhao Ying Jun was also frowning slightly, staring at the white hair pinched between Qiao Qiao’s fingers. She didn’t dare to think too deeply about it.

She didn’t even dare to consider it.

She also got up from her chair, reached out, took Qiao Qiao’s hand, and gently pulled her away from Lin Xian’s side. In a calm tone, she instructed, “Qiao Qiao, you can’t be so rude outside. Even if you mean to help, you must get the other person’s consent. Now… apologize to Brother Lin Xian.”

Qiao Qiao blinked her innocent eyes and looked at Lin Xian. “Brother, sorry.”

“Ah, okay, no worries, no worries.” Lin Xian laughed it off. How could he be angry with such an adorable, simple-minded girl?

By now, after witnessing so many bizarre actions by Qiao Qiao, Lin Xian had already accepted her as having a bit of a silly or even a slow-witted character.

He could only hope that as Qiao Qiao grew up, she would face fewer setbacks and less bullying. Intelligence, after all, doesn’t typically improve at her age.

Lin Xian even felt a bit of sympathy for Qiao Qiao’s biological parents.

Having a child with a less sharp mind, they’d surely have to worry a lot in this lifetime…

Zhao Ying Jun tapped Qiao Qiao on the head. “I didn’t ask for Brother’s apology! I asked you to apologize to Brother! Now say ‘Sorry.’”

“Sorry,” Qiao Qiao repeated obediently.

“Alright, come sit over here and eat some more,” Zhao Ying Jun said, as if handling a doll, seating Qiao Qiao in the chair beside her and then releasing her small hand.

Qiao Qiao tilted her head, looking confused. She stared at her now empty fingers, the white hair gone. “White—”

“White bun, right?” Zhao Ying Jun interrupted quickly, swiftly grabbing a bun and stuffing it into Qiao Qiao’s mouth. “Alright, eat slowly, don’t choke.”

She turned back to Lin Xian, offering an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to bring kids along, but my parents spoil her. They didn’t want to leave her at home, so…”

Lin Xian wasn’t bothered; he shook his head. “It’s okay. Qiao Qiao is cute. She might mature as she grows.”

Zhao Ying Jun used her left hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. With her right hand, however, hidden from Lin Xian’s view, she reached into her pants pocket and carefully placed something inside.

In the corner of the room, VV, the Pomeranian, once again witnessed this cunning scene.

It sighed internally.

Ah, this family is terrifying. If there’s a next life, it hopes to be born into a simpler family, with fewer schemes.

The Zhao Ying Jun family is definitely not a place for a dog.

It looks like a family reunion meal, but why does it always turn into a game of intrigue and hidden plots?

Forget it. I’m tired.

Dragging its weary, exhausted body, it crawled to Lin Xian’s feet.

Lin Xian looked down and saw the long-lost dandelion, his old battle partner with whom he had made “VV’s promise.”

But now, like a wilted bouquet, it lay weakly on his shoe.

“What’s wrong, VV?” Lin Xian asked with concern. “Are you depressed again?”

He bent down, slipped his hands under the dog’s armpits, and lifted it to eye level. Four eyes met.

VV gazed at Lin Xian with a look filled with regret and sadness.

Silent, yet seemingly saying…

Bro, you’re done for.

At the end of the same floor’s corridor, Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei stood there, looking troubled.

“Did you see that?” Zhao Rui Hai asked.

“Of course, I did…” Yan Mei replied, her brow furrowed. “If I hadn’t noticed… would I have followed you out?”

“If it hadn’t been for Lin Xian and Qiao Qiao being so close, I wouldn’t have realized… their chins, foreheads, and ears are almost like they were cut from the same mold!”

“What’s going on here, Husband?”

Zhao Rui Hai remained silent for a while, then sighed deeply. “Don’t ask me; I think we’re both thinking the same thing. Earlier, I was puzzled why Ying Jun would debate so fiercely with you about only children in front of an ‘outsider’ during a meal.”

“Now I realize, isn’t Lin Xian an only child? And given the similarities between him and Qiao Qiao in those subtle details…”

“Well, it turns out that we’re the real ‘outsiders’ in this private room today!”

Yan Mei was still confused. “But if you say Qiao Qiao is the child of Lin Xian and Ying Jun, that doesn’t make sense either! It’s not a matter of resemblance; both of them are so young. Lin Xian graduated college just a couple of years ago, and Ying Jun returned from studying abroad three or four years ago.”

“Even if they secretly had a child together, how could they have such a big one?”

“No, I have to figure this out. I haven’t had the chance to run a paternity test with the hair I got from Ying Jun earlier. I planned to do it tomorrow while having Qiao Qiao checked up…”

“How about after we get back, I find a way to get some of Lin Xian’s hair too? Then we can run a test tomorrow to see if the three of them are actually a family.”

Zhao Rui Hai shook his head, dismissively waving his hand. “Forget it, forget it. Let’s leave it at that. I think, as parents, we shouldn’t interfere too much in these matters.”

“No matter the reason or whether it’s scientific, what happened has happened, and Qiao Qiao exists. She resembles Ying Jun and Lin Xian so much…”

“They say even a wise judge cannot solve family disputes. I never thought we’d end up in such a mess. I wasn’t ready for this—to suddenly have both a son-in-law and a granddaughter pop out of nowhere!”

Yan Mei turned around, looking at the two of them in the bathroom mirror.

They were both getting older, no longer young.

So…

She let out a long sigh and said slowly, “Actually, Lin Xian is a good kid. I believe Ying Jun has a good eye for people. We haven’t always had the best relationship with her over the years, so it’s understandable if she doesn’t want to share everything with us.”

“Husband, like you said, Ying Jun’s matter, Qiao Qiao’s matter, and even Lin Xian’s matter… we probably shouldn’t meddle too much. Whatever their situation or relationship is, us parents getting involved now might only make things worse.”

“Exactly,” Zhao Rui Hai nodded. “Let the kids handle their own business.”

“I guess we two came to Donghai City at a rather inconvenient time.”

He thought for a moment, then turned and looked toward the private room down the corridor, speaking softly, “Let’s find a reason to return to the capital in a few days. No point staying in Donghai any longer.”

“Huh?” Yan Mei looked up. “But what about Qiao Qiao? What do we do with her?”

“What else can we do? A child should stay with her parents,” Zhao Rui Hai said with a bitter smile. “We’ll figure out a way to leave Qiao Qiao with Ying Jun.”

“I’ve watched Ying Jun grow up, and I know her character. I can see she’s also struggling with Qiao Qiao’s background. With her determination, she won’t rest until she gets to the bottom of it.”

“And I believe, with the education we gave her, Ying Jun is a responsible person; Lin Xian too. If Qiao Qiao really is their daughter…”

Hmph.

He let out a soft snort, unable to imagine what that scene would be like.

“I’m really curious… how they’d explain it to us.”