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She was watching a classic sci-fi movie: Back to the Future. After having dinner with Lin Xian and learning about his interest in sci-fi films, Zhao Ying Jun began watching a lot of them in her free time, mostly top-rated ones.

Back to the Future was a trilogy, and from her experience watching sequels, she had learned that most tend to drop in quality. Sometimes, the second movie could be better than the first, but by the third, 99% of them ruined the series’ reputation. Because of this, she had put off watching Back to the Future. But tonight felt different, and she decided to finally give it a try.

The movie, released in 1985, tells the story of a teenager and a crazy scientist on an adventure. Due to an accident during an experiment, they end up traveling back to 1950, to a time before the teenager’s parents had even met. The teenager accidentally disrupts their lives, preventing them from meeting and falling in love. If this continued, his parents would never marry or have children, which meant he would never be born, creating a paradox.

Panicked, the teenager had to figure out how to fix things. The scientist suggested he act as a matchmaker for his parents, helping them meet, fall in love, and marry. Only by doing this could he ensure his own future existence. The movie ends happily, with the teenager successfully bringing his parents together and returning to 1985 with the scientist.

…

By now, the movie on her tablet was nearing its end. The camera focused on the teenager’s young, shy parents holding hands and kissing by a lake, enjoying their date in 1950.

Snap. Zhao Ying Jun closed the tablet cover and looked up. Under the soft glow of the bedside lamp, she stared at the warm yellow walls, lost in thought—

“How,” she wondered, “could someone have a child without physical contact, pregnancy, or a relationship?”

The only logical explanation she could think of was some kind of external embryo cultivation technology, like in-vitro fertilization, where a fertilized egg is created in a lab and then implanted into a womb to grow. But that would mean they’d need reproductive cells from both a man and a woman.

“That would be very difficult, right?” she thought. When she was a teenager, she was abroad, and Lin Xian was in Hangzhou. Even if IVF technology back then could make it possible, the idea of somehow stealing cells from two kids on opposite sides of the world just to create an embryo seemed ridiculous. Even if it were for some experiment, why choose her and Lin Xian? It didn’t seem realistic, no matter how she looked at it.

Logical, but not realistic.

Then, she thought, there was only one other possibility—an unrealistic one.

Just like in the Back to the Future movie—

“What if Yan Qiao Qiao, like the main character in the movie, also traveled back from the future? Maybe from a time more than ten years ahead… that would explain everything.”

Zhao Ying Jun followed the movie’s plot and began picturing the future timeline in her mind.

“Maybe in a few years,” she thought, “I’ll marry Lin Xian, and we’ll have a daughter. Our daughter grows up, becomes a teenager, and then, just like in the movie, some accident happens, sending her back to 2024—the present. After arriving here, she might have had an accident and lost her memory, which caused her to end up as Yan Qiao Qiao.”

“If that’s the case,” Zhao Ying Jun murmured, “that would explain the blood relationship and the paternity test results.”

She tilted her head, resting her chin on her hand. This theory made sense. If Yan Qiao Qiao was really her and Lin Xian’s future daughter, then of course, the three of them would share a blood relationship. Naturally, she would also be related to her parents and Lin Xian’s parents.

“That must be it,” Zhao Ying Jun muttered, shaking her head slightly. “Even though time travel is too unbelievable and unscientific…”

“But as they say, ‘When you have eliminated all the other possibilities, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.’”

It was the process of elimination—a highly effective scientific method.

And yet… there was one more thing that bothered her.

A few days ago, Lin Xian had given her a flimsy excuse to get a paternity test done with a little girl named Yu Xi. At the time, Lin Xian’s excuse was, “Since we’re here, we might as well take a blood test together.” But thinking back, who does that? Who treats a paternity test so casually?

If he were really just grasping at straws, like a desperate attempt to find answers, wouldn’t he have asked Brother Wang, who was also there, to take a blood test too?

So, it was clear. Lin Xian had suspicions and convinced her to have a DNA paternity test with Yu Xi based on those suspicions.

Comparing Yu Xi and Yan Qiao Qiao—height, looks, build, voice—there was a big difference. Yu Xi looked like a young athlete, very toned, while Yan Qiao Qiao was more like a delicate princess, the kind who never steps outside or exercises. The two girls had almost nothing in common—except for their age.

Yu Xi seemed about fourteen or fifteen years old, while Yan Qiao Qiao’s age was hard to guess but was likely somewhere between twelve and sixteen.

With this in mind, it was obvious—Lin Xian knew something, which is why he had insisted on doing a paternity test with Yu Xi.

Which means…

“Lin Xian clearly knows that he and I have a daughter in the future.”

“This is something Lin Xian should be aware of,” Zhao Ying Jun continued to analyze. “But… his information is very limited.”

She scratched her temple thoughtfully. “First, Lin Xian probably isn’t entirely sure. He only suspects he has a daughter with me in the future, which is why he wanted to confirm it. At the time, he had no confidence in the DNA test result; he was just taking a shot in the dark.”

“Second, Lin Xian doesn’t know our daughter’s exact appearance, name, age—he knows nothing specific. He hasn’t actually seen our daughter. So, when he met Yan Qiao Qiao at the dinner table, he couldn’t recognize her.”

“No, that’s not right,” Zhao Ying Jun shook her head, recalling the details of that dinner.

“Actually, Lin Xian was suspicious. He specifically asked about Yan Qiao Qiao’s background. But my parents and I insisted that she was a close relative. As an outsider, how could he doubt what we said?”

“Thinking back, it was all just a coincidence. My parents didn’t want Lin Xian to know Yan Qiao Qiao was adopted—they felt it was a private family matter. And at that time, I already knew about my blood relationship with Yan Qiao Qiao, but given the situation, there was no way I could bring it up. Even now, I don’t know how to explain it.”

“If we had admitted back then that the girl was picked up off the street, Lin Xian would have likely guessed Yan Qiao Qiao’s true identity and insisted on another paternity test. So, no one’s to blame… It was just a series of misunderstandings.”

…

At this point, Zhao Ying Jun felt she had pieced together the entire situation. And from Lin Xian’s perspective, a lot of things were still uncertain.

For example, he wasn’t sure if their future daughter had traveled back to the present. He couldn’t even be certain if they really had a daughter together in the future.

But one thing was certain—

“If Lin Xian has any doubts, it means he has encountered things like time travel and future worlds before.”

“Is it really true that the world is full of strange things?” Zhao Ying Jun closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. She believed Lin Xian wouldn’t have suggested the paternity test without a reason.

“But why didn’t Lin Xian just tell me?” she wondered as she opened her eyes, unable to understand. There must be a special reason, right?

Although they were currently just colleagues, Zhao Ying Jun considered herself quite familiar with and trusting of Lin Xian. At least, it wasn’t something that couldn’t be discussed openly. Was he just shy?

She couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought. It was indeed a bit awkward to talk about. Because, while they were on good terms, their relationship wasn’t close enough to discuss such matters.

If she had to be the one to openly tell Lin Xian about Yan Qiao Qiao and hint at their family connection, to be honest, she wouldn’t know how to say it either.

But deep down, she felt there was more to it than just that.

Knowing Lin Xian’s cautious nature, he must have other concerns.

Zhao Ying Jun fell silent again, thinking about the limited encounters she had with Lin Xian and his unusual behavior:

Lin Xian’s driving skills were too good, which didn’t match his family background. There was clearly more to it.

Lin Xian had asked her many strange questions, like the one at the banquet about mirrors, or whether she would ever sleep in a hibernation chamber. At the time, she didn’t think much of it, but now, the more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

Lin Xian had set off fireworks for her at Disneyland, which was also full of mysteries. But what bothered Zhao Ying Jun the most was the story Lin Xian told about “Trash Bin VV and the White Jade Statue.” It was so fantastical that it was hard to believe it was just a dream. Lin Xian was probably hiding something.

Lin Xian was always inexplicably busy, and it wasn’t because of work. He frequently traveled to the U.S., back and forth several times. He was even secretly recruited by the government for a classified mission. It was hard to believe that this was the daily life of a 25-year-old man.

Given all these oddities, Zhao Ying Jun speculated—

“Lin Xian is probably involved in some dangerous work or doing something that he can’t openly share or reveal to others.”

That makes sense. She had an uncle who worked for national security. No one in the family knew about it for over thirty years until he retired this year.

Even his wife didn’t know.

On the day of his retirement, his wife was shocked: “Weren’t you working in the tax bureau all these years?”

Her uncle had only smiled and said, “If ordinary people could easily see through my disguise, what would be the point of having a national security department? If you want to fool the enemy, you have to fool your family first.”

“It’s the same with my identity at the tax bureau. Everything about it is real—the promotions, the awards. But when I was away on business trips, I was actually on secret missions.”

Though he never said it explicitly, everyone understood that his secret work was important and dangerous.

Throughout history, there have been many scientists in X Country who had to hide their true identities from even their families. They did it for lofty ideals and crucial missions, often keeping the truth hidden for decades.

That’s true greatness.

Could it be… Lin Xian was doing something similar?

Zhao Ying Jun nodded slightly. “Lin Xian must have his reasons for not telling me these secrets. Maybe there are specific rules or restrictions. Or maybe… he’s worried about my safety and the safety of everyone around him, which is why he can’t easily reveal his identity and intentions.”

“If that’s the case, I should support him too.”

“You don’t have to tell me anything,” she continued. “This is your job and mission, your duty and responsibility. But… how long do you plan to keep this from me?”

“I don’t mind if you keep other things hidden until your mission is over, until you retire, or even for a lifetime… if necessary, I completely understand.”

“But…” Zhao Ying Jun turned to the edge of the bed, looked at the Pomeranian VV sleeping soundly on the carpet, and rubbed her stomach, smiling.

“Our daughter’s matter… you can’t just keep it a secret and have her on your own, right?”

“I’m really curious… how did you manage to win me over?”

She reached over to turn off the bedside lamp, wrapped herself in a blanket, and lay on her side facing VV, closing her eyes. “Goodnight, VV.”

…

The Next Day, Shopping Mall, High-End Clothing Store

Zhao Ying Jun sat on a sofa in a boutique, scrolling through her iPad to choose clothes. In luxury clothing stores like this, models try on outfits for VIP customers, so the clients don’t have to try on the clothes themselves.

Especially today, when Zhao Ying Jun wasn’t shopping for herself. Trying them on herself would be pointless; it was better to choose clothes and have the models wear them.

“Miss Zhao Ying Jun, are you satisfied with these?” Two well-built child models in front of her had changed into brand-new outfits and were turning around to show off the details.

“Yes, they’re fine,” Zhao Ying Jun replied, imagining Yan Qiao Qiao’s plain style overlapped with the bright and trendy look of the child models. Yes, this is more like it. The models’ height and weight were similar to Yan Qiao Qiao’s, but these models had fit bodies from training, while Yan Qiao Qiao seemed to have been starved into being thin.

Ugh… how did she get that thin, anyway? Zhao Ying Jun found it another of the world’s unsolved mysteries. How could someone who eats so much and has such a good appetite be so thin?

“Pack all these up,” she instructed, pointing at the clothes she had selected on her iPad. “Once they’re packed, send them directly to my car. I’m going to the shop next door to pick out some accessories.”

After saying this, she left the store in her high heels and went to a boutique next door. Just thinking about Yan Qiao Qiao’s childish pigtails and tacky fake flower hairpins made Zhao Ying Jun shudder. She could accept this look from someone else’s child, but as the president of a fashion company, she could never accept her daughter dressing like she came straight out of the 1980s.

…

An Hour and a Half Later, Luxury Villa on the Outskirts of Donghai City

The doorbell rang. “Coming!” Yan Mei opened the door and saw Zhao Ying Jun standing outside with several bags in her hands.

“Wow, look at all these bags… are these children’s clothes? For Qiao Qiao?”

Zhao Ying Jun nodded. “Where’s Qiao Qiao? What’s she doing?”

“She’s watching TV. Come in.” Zhao Ying Jun entered the living room and saw Yan Qiao Qiao sitting on the sofa, her eyes glued to the TV, watching a cartoon. She was so engrossed that she didn’t even notice Zhao Ying Jun’s arrival.

At least today, she wasn’t running around on the sofa. That’s some progress, Zhao Ying Jun thought, glancing at Yan Qiao Qiao’s side profile, searching for any slight resemblance to Lin Xian. Was it just her imagination? Somehow, Yan Qiao Qiao seemed a bit cuter today, more likable, not as annoying as she had been a few days ago.

She moved closer to the sofa. Yan Qiao Qiao was too absorbed in her cartoon to notice her. Zhao Ying Jun followed her gaze to the TV screen. It was showing an old but classic X Country animated movie—Lotus Lantern.

“Can you understand it?” Zhao Ying Jun asked, a bit surprised. Although Yan Qiao Qiao was estimated to be around thirteen or fourteen years old, she had lost her memory and mentally seemed more like a five or six-year-old. A young child that age probably wouldn’t understand a movie like Lotus Lantern, which was a bit deep.

“Hehe, our Qiao Qiao has made a lot of progress these past few days!” Yan Mei boasted, walking over proudly. “She’s learning fast from watching TV, and her speaking is getting more fluent—she can even say longer sentences now.”

“Yesterday, your dad and I took her to Ruijin Hospital for a check-up. The doctors said Qiao Qiao is perfectly healthy and even excels in many areas compared to normal kids!” Yan Mei continued. “It looks like our Qiao Qiao is really smart! She may have lost her memory, but she isn’t actually lacking intelligence. See how quickly she’s improving? Give it another ten days or so, and she might be back to normal mentally and emotionally.”

By now, the Lotus Lantern movie was reaching its end. Many people had watched it in their childhood. During that era, X Country animated films were soaring due to the unknown landscape of the trade.

Lotus Lantern told the story of a brave boy who splits a mountain to save his mother. Zhao Ying Jun could still vaguely recall the plot. The Goddess of Mercy, Sanshengmu, fell in love with a mortal scholar by the name of Liu Yanchang. After seven years of being together, their child, Chen Xiang, was growing up healthy and fine, but the antagonist uncle Erlang Shen found out from the celestial court. He captured young Chen Xiang and pressured Sanshengmu to surrender the Lotus Lantern. For her son’s safety, she handed it over and was then imprisoned under Mount Hua as punishment disobeying heavenly laws. What followed was Chen Xiang’s journey to save his mother, culminating in a climactic battle where he used a divine axe to split the mountain and rescue her. For the ending, the mother and son reunited in an emotional embrace.

At this moment, the movie showed Chen Xiang and Sanshengmu hugging each other with the background music playing a warm and touching song.

Zhao Ying Jun watched quietly, arms crossed, and looked at Yan Qiao Qiao. “Did you understand it? How do you feel?”

Yan Qiao Qiao looked up, pointing to the mother and son on the screen who were finally reunited. “Where did the dad go?”

“…”

Zhao Ying Jun hadn’t expected Yan Qiao Qiao to ask such a difficult question. Indeed, she couldn’t remember what happened to Chen Xiang’s father, the mortal scholar Sanshengmu loved. Did the story ever mention it?

Maybe, she thought, time passes differently in heaven, and by the time Chen Xiang split the mountain to save his mother, centuries had passed, and the scholar had long since died. Or maybe he was executed for breaking the heavenly laws? She wasn’t sure and couldn’t recall.

Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. “This movie focuses more on the themes of maternal love, hard work, and perseverance rather than the father’s story. In films, we just need to grasp the main idea. Other things don’t matter as much.”

“In this movie, Chen Xiang’s father is basically a non-essential character. He’s just a mortal, and these battles among gods don’t involve him. That’s why he gets forgotten by the audience—he’s just a background figure, a tool in the story.”

Yan Qiao Qiao seemed to understand, but also didn’t quite grasp it. She listened to the cheerful ending song and watched the smiling Chen Xiang and Sanshengmu on the screen. She said softly, “But… without a dad, how can you call it a family?”