Chapter 97

Chapter 97

◎Not His Biological Child◎

After saying goodbye to his legal team, Xiao Ye pulled Ji Nanxing to the food street. He’d only had one cocktail that evening and hadn’t even eaten much fruit, so he was starving by now.

Ji Nanxing had eaten dinner and wasn’t very hungry, but after Xiao Ye popped a fish ball into his mouth, he still ate it. Just as he swallowed, another skewer of rice cakes was shoved at him.

Ji Nanxing shook his head and pushed his hand away: "I’ve had dinner, I can’t eat anymore."

Xiao Ye, making sure he was really full, reluctantly withdrew his hand. He held Ji Nanxing with one hand and carried a skewer with the other. With too much in his hands, he even looped Ji Nanxing’s arm through his own, refusing to let go.

Ji Nanxing pulled his hand back again: "You eat your food, there aren’t many people here, I’m not three years old."

There was no need to cling or link arms like this, like he was some helpless kid.

Xiao Ye gave in again: "Then put your hand in my pocket."

Ji Nanxing: "No, I’m not cold."

Xiao Ye glared at him: "Come on, behave, or I’ll smack you."

Ji Nanxing pinched his ear hard: "Go eat your food!"

Xiao Ye yelped in pain, and only after Ji Nanxing gave his ear a good pinch did he feel at ease. He didn’t know what had come over him the past few days, even considering keeping his distance from Ji Nanxing. Fortunately, he had only thought about it and hadn’t acted on it, but even just the thought made him reluctant.

Seeing how cheerful Xiao Ye looked, Ji Nanxing asked: "In a good mood? Did the fight do you good?"

Xiao Ye licked the food crumbs off his lips and turned to look at the person beside him: "Ji Nanxing."

Ji Nanxing felt a flicker of unease. Xiao Ye rarely called him by his full name, and with such a serious tone.

Xiao Ye pushed the stray hair off Ji Nanxing’s forehead, looking into his eyes with focus and seriousness: "You once said that because of the yin energy you carry, you never thought you’d be with anyone in this lifetime. The future is long, Ji Nanxing. Before you change that thought, I’ll be with you, always with you."

As Xiao Ye spoke, the street buzzed with life around them. His lips were still shiny with grease, making the moment seem casual rather than solemn. But Ji Nanxing saw an unprecedented seriousness in his eyes.

Ji Nanxing tightened his hand slightly, his fingertips pressing into his palm. He looked at Xiao Ye and nodded, saying, "Okay."

He didn’t care how long Xiao Ye stayed with him, or how long "always" would last. He didn’t even care if this promise was just a momentary sentiment. As long as, right now, Xiao Ye truly meant it, that was enough for him.

At least there had been someone, at least there had been a moment, when someone saw him as so important, important enough to be given such a promise.

Xiao Ye ruffled Ji Nanxing’s hair and pulled him along to wander among the various stalls on the food street.

On the other side, because Han Zhanwen’s mother took full responsibility for all the compensation and reconciled with the other party, Han Zhanwen was also released.

The released man was still filled with resentment, his eyes full of malicious scheming. Just by looking at his expression, Zhao Ying knew that Han Zhanwen was seething with anger, harboring ill intentions and looking for a chance to retaliate.

If it were before, Zhao Ying would have tried to comfort and coax him, but now she didn’t feel like speaking. Her mind was occupied by the young man’s mention of a paternity test.

Zhao Ying was scared—scared that what he said might be true—that Han Zhanwen wasn’t her child. But deep down, there was also a faint hope, what if he really wasn’t?

Over the years, Zhao Ying had gone to great lengths for this son. Han Zhanwen turning into the person he was today had truly consumed a tremendous amount of her energy.

From the beginning, the child’s appearance was somewhat abnormal, with slightly bulging eyes and an unusually wide eye spacing. Zhao Ying had a bad feeling about it, but back then, everyone around her comforted her by saying that the child was just born and would look better as he grew.

But after the initial wrinkled phase, his appearance became increasingly abnormal. Zhao Ying took the child to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with supermale syndrome.

Han Zhanwen was a posthumous child. She was nearly six months pregnant when her husband died unexpectedly. She and her husband had a deep bond, having committed to each other for life. Who could have imagined that at the peak of their happiness, she would have to endure the pain of losing her husband.

Relatives and friends advised her to terminate the pregnancy, saying it would be very difficult for a woman to raise a child alone. She was still young and could start over after healing from her loss. Once the child was born, life would become much harder.

But that was her child with her beloved, the happiness they had longed for. With her husband gone, her only hope was this child. She held firm and insisted on having the baby.

Who would have thought that a diagnosis would hit her like a bolt from the blue? Zhao Ying even blamed herself. During that time, she was too overwhelmed to think of anything else. She skipped many tests. If she had been more thorough during the pregnancy and known about the supermale syndrome, she would definitely not have insisted on having the baby.

But the child was already born, and all she could do was try her best to raise him well.

Han Zhanwen's supermale syndrome involved not one but two extra Y chromosomes. Zhao Ying didn't know if this was the reason why his violent tendencies were so pronounced. Even before he could speak, he was already lashing out and breaking things.

He stopped breastfeeding after just a few months because, as an infant, he was already biting with alarming strength.

The child was too young to undergo much drug treatment. The doctor said that with proper guidance from a young age, individuals with supermale syndrome could still lead relatively normal lives.

But the sporadic fits of destruction, sudden violent attacks on others outside, uncontrollable emotions, and an innate lack of empathy—only those who’ve lived through it can truly understand the hardship of raising such a child.

She had to support the company her husband left behind and also guide and manage her son’s development. It was truly too difficult.

As Han Zhanwen grew up, he became much more rational than he was as a child. But as he aged, his strength also increased. Once, he nearly blinded someone. Zhao Ying knew she had to intervene with medication.

She sent Han Zhanwen to a specialized hospital for treatment through medication and psychological guidance.

There were indeed effects. Han Zhanwen did behave for a while, even showing moments of compliance, saying he had no freedom in the hospital, that he would be good, and that he missed his mother.

Zhao Ying's heart softened. That was her and her husband's only son. So she took Han Zhanwen back home.

After that, Han Zhanwen was indeed able to restrain his behavior, not as reckless as before. The current Han Zhanwen was the product of treatment and self-control.

Zhao Ying was truly tired. Occasionally, she would have the thought of completely letting go, but she would quickly feel guilty for having such a thought.

The child was her decision to bring into the world. Even though she didn't know about the supermale syndrome at the time, she was responsible for bringing the child into this world.

Her maternal love for her son had long been worn away, leaving only her innate sense of responsibility.

But today, the boy’s words planted a seed of doubt in her mind. What if Han Zhanwen really wasn't her child?

Looking at the cars moving forward, Zhao Ying suddenly spoke, "To the hospital."

The assistant driving and the secretary in the passenger seat exchanged glances and almost immediately understood the boss's intention. Without a word, they redirected to the hospital.

Han Zhanwen, sitting beside her, turned to look at Zhao Ying impatiently, "Why are we going to the hospital? I'm tired, I want to go home and rest!"

He hadn't heard Ji Nanxing's words at the police station, so naturally, he wouldn't think that Zhao Ying was taking him to the hospital for a paternity test.

Zhao Ying, as usual, gently patted his arm, "We're going to the hospital to get your injuries checked. Just cooperate, it’ll be quick. Don't make me worry, okay?"

Han Zhanwen was not an obedient person. He kept fiddling with the door lock, "No, no, it's so annoying!"

Zhao Ying's expression remained unchanged, continuing to speak softly, "You've always wanted a car, right? If you're good, I'll buy you one."

Han Zhanwen was already an adult. With his family background, wanting a car was no big deal. But Zhao Ying didn't dare to buy him one, fearing he would cause trouble while driving. Han Zhanwen, limited by his financial means, couldn't afford the expensive ones and didn't want the cheap ones. He had been constantly nagging at home about getting a car.

Hearing Zhao Ying's concession, Han Zhanwen looked surprised, then delighted, "Really?"

Zhao Ying nodded, "Really."

Only then did Han Zhanwen agree, though he kept shaking his leg to show his impatience. Zhao Ying didn't look at him anymore but turned to gaze out the car window with a complex expression, clutching her bag a little tighter.

Han Zhanwen, feeling a bit more at ease, soon became unhappy again. All he wanted was a car, but Zhao Ying had been using it to control him for so long, placing numerous restrictions and conditions.

He thought bitterly, why couldn’t she die young like his dad? Then the company and the money would all be his, and no one could boss him around anymore!

After arranging for Han Zhanwen to go through a bunch of medical tests and have several vials of blood drawn, Zhao Ying made an excuse, saying she had other things to take care of, and let Han Zhanwen leave first.

Han Zhanwen hated hospitals. He’d been stuck in a hospital for a while, a time he’d rather forget—losing his freedom, having to take meds and get shots every day, which left him feeling lethargic and weak. So, he really hated hospitals.

Finally allowed to leave, he took off without a backward glance.

Zhao Ying watched him walk away, then turned to the doctor and said, "Run a paternity test for me."

The results came back fast, in under three hours. Zhao Ying waited at the hospital, nowhere else to go. This result was a judgment for her, determining whether her future held another possibility or if she should resign herself to her responsibilities and abandon all other thoughts.

When the staff member came out with the test report, Zhao Ying’s legs buckled, and she dropped to the floor the moment she saw the results.

Her assistant and secretary rushed to support her on either side. They glanced at the report in her hand, their eyes wide with shock—it was indeed not a match.

Zhao Ying was shaking all over, but she couldn’t cry at that moment, just feeling completely lost and panicked: "He’s not mine, then where is my child? My real child?"

The baby she carried for ten months, the child she struggled to deliver naturally, the relief and joy she felt when the baby was born.

She had raised Han Zhanwen for so many years, poured her heart and soul into him, shed countless tears day and night, but the child wasn’t hers. Where was her child? Where was the child she and Han Fei had?

The secretary quickly comforted her: "We’ll look into it, we’ll check the hospital records, look for the children born on that day, one by one. We’ll definitely find him!"

Zhao Ying looked at her assistant, confused, like she was clutching at a lifeline, and confirmed, "Really? After so many years, can we find him?"

The secretary and assistant nodded together: "We definitely can."

They’d been with the company for years, starting as clueless newbies, all trained personally by Zhao Ying. Over the years, they had witnessed the hardships Zhao Ying endured in raising Han Zhanwen. Both professionally and personally, they wished the best for Zhao Ying.

The assistant said, "But before we investigate, I suggest we send Zhanwen to the hospital first. He’s a loose cannon. If he finds out he’s not your child, who knows what he might do in a rage."

Given Han Zhanwen’s unpredictable temper, it was possible he could even commit murder.

Supported by the two, Zhao Ying stood up. She couldn’t afford to be weak; she still had to find her real son, and Han Zhanwen couldn’t be left unchecked.

After a moment of thought, Zhao Ying dialed the number of a psychiatric hospital.

A week later, through the legal team’s contact information left at the police station, Zhao Ying managed to get in touch with Ji Nanxing.

Ji Nanxing guessed Zhao Ying’s purpose and directly arranged a meeting at a restaurant near the school.

Seeing the two boys in high school uniforms walk in, Zhao Ying was momentarily stunned. She knew they were young but thought they should at least be in college.

However, Zhao Ying wasn’t disappointed by their young age. Besides compensation, she gave Ji Nanxing an additional thank-you fee: "Thank you for reminding me that day. Without your reminder, I would never have thought to do a paternity test and wouldn’t have known he really isn’t my son."

Ji Nanxing: "You’re welcome. My reminder was just a word, but you had to be willing to believe it."

Zhao Ying handed over two red envelopes: "No matter what, I am very grateful to you both. This is a small token of my appreciation, I hope you’ll accept it."

Then Zhao Ying looked at Xiao Ye: "About the fight Zhanwen had with you that day, I know it was definitely his fault. Thank you for not holding it against him, I’m really sorry."

Ji Nanxing didn’t refuse the red envelopes. From her appearance, Zhao Ying didn’t seem short of money, so there was no need to waste time refusing over such a small amount.

Xiao Ye said, "Since he’s not your son, you don’t need to apologize for him. But now that it’s confirmed he’s not your son, what will happen to him in the future..."

Zhao Ying replied, "For someone like him who can’t control his emotions, the best thing is to control them with medication. I’ve already sent him to the hospital. Before, I couldn’t bear to have him undergo formal treatment, thinking that cold hospitals and mere medication were only temporary solutions. I thought I could control him, but I never imagined it would come to this."

Of course, Han Zhanwen didn’t want to go to the hospital, especially a psychiatric one. Fortunately, the hospital was very experienced with such patients and managed to take him away smoothly.

After all, Han Zhanwen was a child she had raised for many years and had indeed put in a lot of effort. It was impossible to completely sever ties with him just because she found out he wasn't her biological child. Therefore, Zhao Ying chose a better option, letting Han Zhanwen receive treatment first.

After sending Han Zhanwen in, Zhao Ying no longer had to worry about him finding out the truth and causing trouble. She then took the DNA test report and filed a lawsuit against the hospital, forcing them to make an effort to help her find her child.

The birth records were quite old, dating back more than twenty years, but the files still existed.

On that day, a total of eighteen children were born in the hospital: eleven boys and seven girls.

Zhao Ying was certain she had given birth to a son because she had a vaginal delivery, and after the birth, the nurse had shown her the baby's physical characteristics. However, she was too exhausted at the time and didn't get a clear look at the baby's face. Even if she had, it wouldn't have mattered much since all newborns look similar.

The seven girls didn't need to be investigated. Among the eleven boys, five had been contacted using the hospital's records, but none of them were her son. Those five children clearly resembled their parents, and no paternity test was needed.

The remaining six couldn't be located yet due to reasons such as moving.

Zhao Ying directly approached the media to publicize the incident. Whether it was the hospital's mistake that led to the mix-up or someone intentionally swapped the babies, the hospital's responsibility was undeniable.

With the internet being so advanced now, leveraging public support was the only method she could think of.

However, there hasn't been any progress so far.

Zhao Ying arranged to meet Ji Nanxing not only to thank him for his earlier advice but also to see if metaphysics could be of any help, even if it just pointed her in a general direction, which would be better than aimlessly searching.

Worried that her request might be too much, Zhao Ying said, "I just wanted to ask if there's any way. If there isn't, that's fine too. I've already prepared for a prolonged search. Regardless, I want to thank you both."

Since Ji Nanxing knew her intent, he came prepared.

"I can help you determine whether your child is still alive and roughly where he is, but the specifics will still require you to find out yourself."

Zhao Ying quickly responded, "That's enough. Just having a direction to search is already very helpful."

Ji Nanxing directly stated a price: "One hundred thousand."

Zhao Ying didn't hesitate and immediately reached into her bag, only to find she didn't have her checkbook. She hurriedly said, "Is a bank transfer acceptable? I can transfer it to you immediately."

Ji Nanxing said, "No rush. Give me one of your hairs. Also, you should remember the exact date and time of your son's birth. The more detailed, the better."

Although Han Zhanwen wasn't her son, Zhao Ying wouldn't confuse her own child's birth time. The nurse had announced the time after the birth, and it was also documented.

Zhao Ying plucked several strands of hair and handed them to Ji Nanxing, then told him the exact time.

Ji Nanxing took out a palm-sized wooden box from his bag. Inside the box, besides blank talismans, there was also a small compartment with incense sticks.

He inscribed her son's birth details on the talisman, wrapped the hair around the incense stick, grabbed an empty bowl from the table, placed the talisman inside, lit it, and then burned the incense stick.

Soon, wisps of white smoke slowly rose, forming a column that remained unbroken without dispersing. Finally, the smoke drifted in Zhao Ying's direction.

Ji Nanxing blinked. What he saw wasn't smoke but a red thread of fate. The thread wasn't broken and was tightly winding around her.

Xiao Ye asked, "What does it mean that the smoke is drifting toward her?"

Zhao Ying also looked nervous but didn't ask impatiently. Instead, she watched Ji Nanxing with anticipation.

Ji Nanxing said, "The smoke column remains unbroken without dispersing, which means the person with this birth date is still alive. The smoke drifting toward her suggests that her child isn't far from her, possibly within this city."

Zhao Ying had initially thought getting a general direction would be good enough, but she didn't expect it to be narrowed down to the city.

Although Yulan City is large, and finding someone wouldn't be easy, it was still better than searching aimlessly.

Just as she was feeling excited, the boy named Xiao Ye curiously asked, "There must be many people born at the same time worldwide. How can you be sure this birth date calculation is accurate for him?"

Ji Nanxing tapped the rim of the bowl: "Birth charts can sometimes overlap, so we need the biological mother's hair as a supplement."

Zhao Ying’s eyes welled up with excitement. She wiped away her tears, grabbed her phone to transfer the money right away, promising to come back and thank him once she found her son.

Zhao Ying was in a hurry. She wanted to contact more local media and radio stations and had no appetite. Figuring the two young men might not want to eat with someone older, Zhao Ying ordered a lot of dishes for them, paid the bill, and left.

The table was piled with food, and the two couldn’t possibly finish it all, so they called someone to help them finish it.

Ji Nanxing rinsed out the bowl used for burning the talisman and incense, wiped it with a tissue, and placed it in a bag: "Don’t forget to tell the shopkeeper we’re buying this bowl before we leave."

Xiao Ye understood his meaning. It’s a dish used for eating, and burning talismans in it might bother other customers, even if they didn’t know about it. He laughed, "How many bowls have you bought like this?"

Ji Nanxing rinsed the chopsticks with hot water: "Not many, seven or eight."

Sometimes it was a teacup, sometimes a bowl, but he always made sure to take what he used.

Xiao Ye asked curiously, "Where do you put the stuff you buy? Do you just toss them?"

Ji Nanxing shook his head: "I use them to hold food or water for stray cats and dogs."

But those things usually only last a couple of days, and afterward, they were either collected as garbage by the cleaners or thrown away by someone else.

As for Han Zhanwen not being Zhao Ying’s son, it was a mix of joy and worry. Han Zhanwen was still unaware, as the hospital hadn’t informed him.

He was still mad that Zhao Ying had sent him back to the hospital and was putting on a good act, thinking that once he got out, he wouldn’t be polite or ingratiating to Zhao Ying anymore. He’d make her regret crossing him.

Among those who were happy, besides Zhao Ying, was Fang Xun. She’d heard the news from a classmate. Zhao Ying had come to the school multiple times to deal with Han Zhanwen’s issues, and some people knew her name and had seen her.

Seeing some news online, although Han Zhanwen’s name was censored, the classmate was still shocked and approached Fang Xun: "You probably won’t have to deal with that creep anymore."

Fang Xun exclaimed, "Really? Why? Did he go abroad?"

The classmate showed her the news online: "Look, isn’t this Han Zhanwen’s mother? She found out that Han Zhanwen isn’t her son and is now searching everywhere for her real son. She even posted pictures of herself and her husband, asking people to look for a guy in his twenties who looks like them."

Fang Xun had met Han Zhanwen’s mother before. Han Zhanwen had harassed her so much that the school had issued several warnings and had his family come to the school to handle the situation. She had met her at least twice.

She remembered Han Zhanwen’s mother as a very beautiful and elegant woman, who spoke softly and politely, never shielding her son and always apologizing profusely. At the time, Fang Xun had thought, how could such a reasonable and kind-hearted person have a son like Han Zhanwen?

It turned out he really wasn’t her biological son.

Fang Xun scrolled through her phone and saw a photo of a young man below, who must be Zhao Ying’s husband. But why does he look so familiar?

Just as she was reading the news, she received a message from her boyfriend saying he was already waiting for her at the entrance.

Fang Xun’s dorm was on the second floor, and from the window, she could see the main entrance of the dorm building. She saw Jiang Weizhi standing downstairs and quickly called out, "Wait, I’ll be right there."

Jiang Weizhi smiled up at her: "No rush, take your time."

Fang Xun put down her phone and hurriedly changed her clothes, but then she glanced at the phone again and saw the man’s photo.

She paused, staring at the person on her phone, and suddenly realized why he looked so familiar—because he looked so much like her boyfriend.