Lin Guli was tending to the ghost orchid plant when Qin Hanyue and Lin Cheng arrived. Coming so early in the morning with such an expression, Lin Guli was startled.
"Weren't you going to rest? Did something happen?"
But Qin Hanyue looked to Lin Cheng, so Lin Guli also followed his gaze.
Qin Hanyue said, "I want to talk to you about your daughter."
Lin Guli was slightly taken aback. "Mister Qin, could it be you have news for me?" At the same time, he noticed Qin Hanyue's sudden change in how he addressed him, and couldn't help feeling somewhat surprised. Lin Cheng also noticed this change in address.
Qin Hanyue: "I do have news - let's sit down and talk."
The affirmative "I do" from Qin Hanyue caused Lin Guli to freeze up for a moment. Coming back to his senses, he excitedly asked, "Mister Qin, do you really have news of my daughter?"
Qin Hanyue affirmed his words again and asked him to sit down once more. Under the tense, hopeful gazes of the uncle and nephew, Qin Hanyue opened up his laptop to show them something.
"This is your daughter's DNA. This is another set that was found. The two sets of DNA are a complete match - they belong to the same person."
Lin Guli stared intently at the screen, tense with anticipation, his lips slightly pale. His voice shook as he spoke. "She...she..."
He wanted to ask Qin Hanyue about his daughter, but his mind was too muddled to convey his thoughts. It had been over 20 years of fruitless, aimless searching.
This was the first time he had received any news of her. And it was such momentous news that Lin Guli forgot to breathe.
Luckily, Lin Cheng asked on his behalf: "Mister Qin, please tell us any information you have on her and where we can find her."
Qin Hanyue: "She's upstairs, still sleeping."
Lin Cheng: "???"
Lin Guli: "???"
Qin Hanyue: "This DNA belongs to Qiao Ying."
The light in Lin Guli's eyes instantly vanished, disappearing without a trace, leaving only endless disappointment.
Seeing his change in demeanor, even Qin Hanyue was slightly moved.
Lin Cheng frowned. "Mister Qin, isn't this joke a little over the top?" Seeing his uncle instantly plunged back into hell, Lin Cheng felt an urge to lose his temper for the first time, though he barely managed to restrain himself.
Lin Cheng: "Putting everything else aside, their ages don't even match up."
Qin Hanyue: "They do match up."
Lin Cheng: "They match up?"
Hope reignited in Lin Guli's eyes.
Qin Hanyue tapped at his keyboard. "This is a paternity test. I'm not joking around. It's a long story - I have to start from the beginning."
Qin Hanyue took great pains to clearly explain everything to the uncle and nephew, from Qiao Ying's true identity, to the matter of Blood Shadow, all the way to her feud with Dark Shadow.
One piece of shocking news followed another, and even someone as young and accepting as Lin Cheng struggled to digest it all.
Reincarnation of the soul was far too fantastical for the two of them.
Unlike Qin Hanyue, they had not experienced all those things alongside Qiao Ying or encountered Dark Shadow, nor did they know as much about Blood Shadow's history as he did.
Simply hearing the term made it sound unfamiliar.
Although Lin Guli had always felt an inexplicable sense of intimacy towards Qiao Ying, and felt that something about her temperament and personality resembled his wife, he had never imagined Qiao Ying could be his daughter. Her face did not resemble his daughter's in the slightest.
He simply couldn't reconcile the two in his mind.
Not until Qin Hanyue showed them photos of Blood Shadow's face and the few video clips captured by Ye Si's hand, of Blood Shadow's every word and deed, including her temperament and body language.
Upon seeing Blood Shadow's captivating eyes in the video, Lin Guli disbelievingly asked Qin Hanyue, "...you're saying this is Qiao Ying's true appearance?"
Qin Hanyue: "Yes."
What was previously difficult for Lin Guli to accept, he instantly acknowledged after seeing Qiao Ying's real appearance. He couldn't help the tears that flowed down his face.
"Yes, this is my daughter. This is my daughter without a doubt. She looks so much like her mother..."
Lin Guli excitedly glanced between the laptop screen and the stairs leading upstairs, as if wanting to rush up to find Qiao Ying.
Recalling Diamond J's words to Qiao Ying two nights ago in the palace, as well as how Qiao Ying had avoided them by taking Diamond J away alone afterwards, Lin Cheng also had no choice but to believe everything.
As he looked upon Blood Shadow's soul-stirring eyes on the screen, Lin Cheng understood: "No wonder she looks different now compared to when I first met her a few years ago. I thought she had used disguises and makeup, never imagining this to be the case."
Lin Guli suppressed his emotions. "That night, the fake Raphael mentioned her mother - my wife."
Lin Guli urgently asked Qin Hanyue, "Mister Qin, do you know anything about my wife as well? Is she still alive?"
Qin Hanyue shook his head slightly. "After learning your child had been taken by Dark Shadow, she went alone to find them. Unfortunately, she was outnumbered."
That was an understatement. At the time, Diamond J had intended to deceive Qiao Ying that her mother was still alive, using her mother's whereabouts as leverage.
But he was seen through by Qiao Ying.
Left with no chance to escape death, Diamond J then spilled the beans - he told Qiao Ying in detail how they had tortured her mother to the brink of death.
The methods of Dark Shadow could be imagined. And in order to protect her daughter's safety and prevent her husband from being targeted for revenge by Dark Shadow, she did not even resist.
Qin Hanyue could not bear to tell Lin Guli the gruesome details.
Even with some mental preparation, it was still difficult for Lin Guli to accept.
Although Qin Hanyue did not explicitly state it, Lin Guli knew Dark Shadow was an assassin organization, and could guess what had happened to his wife after learning of Qiao Ying's experiences.
He resented only himself for being so useless - knowing nothing, lacking even the chance to stand alongside his wife in battle. Allowing his daughter to grow up in such hellish circumstances and endure untold suffering, even ultimately meeting her death at their hands. All while he knew nothing about it. If not for heaven's grace allowing his child to be reborn... Lin Guli dared not think further.
Qin Hanyue: "I heard from little Ying that you know very little about what happened to your wife. Her real name was Yan Bai - she topped the Top Bounty Hunter List. It was her genes that Dark Shadow wanted, which led them to steal your child."
Qin Hanyue: "Your meeting was no coincidence. Can you sense that too?"
Lin Guli lowered his hands from his face. "I know. When she left, she warned me to be careful. I guessed then that she had an unusual identity. Considering her status now as a bounty hunter, I believe she was originally sent to kill me."
Qin Hanyue: "But she broke the rules - not only did she not kill you, but fell in love with her mission target instead."
Lin Guli: "It would have been better if she killed me."
Then she would not have encountered Dark Shadow over our child, and would not have died.
Qin Hanyue: "You may feel you failed her, but that may not have been the case in her eyes. You wish she had killed you and lived, but she also wished for you to live. You spent over 20 years searching for them - you did not fail them."
Qiao Ying woke up in the afternoon.
Heading downstairs, she saw the three men sitting in the great hall on the first floor, clearly waiting for her.
Seeing Lin Guli's reaction when he heard her come down the stairs, and how he started to rise from his seat, his red-rimmed yet controlled eyes mirrored by Lin Cheng next to him, Qiao Ying wanted to turn back upstairs.
Lin Guli was tending to the ghost orchid plant when Qin Hanyue and Lin Cheng arrived. Coming so early in the morning with such an expression, Lin Guli was startled.
"Weren't you going to rest? Did something happen?"
But Qin Hanyue looked to Lin Cheng, so Lin Guli also followed his gaze.
Qin Hanyue said, "I want to talk to you about your daughter."
Lin Guli was slightly taken aback. "Mister Qin, could it be you have news for me?" At the same time, he noticed Qin Hanyue's sudden change in how he addressed him, and couldn't help feeling somewhat surprised. Lin Cheng also noticed this change in address.
Qin Hanyue: "I do have news - let's sit down and talk."
The affirmative "I do" from Qin Hanyue caused Lin Guli to freeze up for a moment. Coming back to his senses, he excitedly asked, "Mister Qin, do you really have news of my daughter?"
Qin Hanyue affirmed his words again and asked him to sit down once more. Under the tense, hopeful gazes of the uncle and nephew, Qin Hanyue opened up his laptop to show them something.
"This is your daughter's DNA. This is another set that was found. The two sets of DNA are a complete match - they belong to the same person."
Lin Guli stared intently at the screen, tense with anticipation, his lips slightly pale. His voice shook as he spoke. "She...she..."
He wanted to ask Qin Hanyue about his daughter, but his mind was too muddled to convey his thoughts. It had been over 20 years of fruitless, aimless searching.
This was the first time he had received any news of her. And it was such momentous news that Lin Guli forgot to breathe.
Luckily, Lin Cheng asked on his behalf: "Mister Qin, please tell us any information you have on her and where we can find her."
Qin Hanyue: "She's upstairs, still sleeping."
Lin Cheng: "???"
Lin Guli: "???"
Qin Hanyue: "This DNA belongs to Qiao Ying."
The light in Lin Guli's eyes instantly vanished, disappearing without a trace, leaving only endless disappointment.
Seeing his change in demeanor, even Qin Hanyue was slightly moved.
Lin Cheng frowned. "Mister Qin, isn't this joke a little over the top?" Seeing his uncle instantly plunged back into hell, Lin Cheng felt an urge to lose his temper for the first time, though he barely managed to restrain himself.
Lin Cheng: "Putting everything else aside, their ages don't even match up."
Qin Hanyue: "They do match up."
Lin Cheng: "They match up?"
Hope reignited in Lin Guli's eyes.
Qin Hanyue tapped at his keyboard. "This is a paternity test. I'm not joking around. It's a long story - I have to start from the beginning."
Qin Hanyue took great pains to clearly explain everything to the uncle and nephew, from Qiao Ying's true identity, to the matter of Blood Shadow, all the way to her feud with Dark Shadow.
One piece of shocking news followed another, and even someone as young and accepting as Lin Cheng struggled to digest it all.
Reincarnation of the soul was far too fantastical for the two of them.
Unlike Qin Hanyue, they had not experienced all those things alongside Qiao Ying or encountered Dark Shadow, nor did they know as much about Blood Shadow's history as he did.
Simply hearing the term made it sound unfamiliar.
Although Lin Guli had always felt an inexplicable sense of intimacy towards Qiao Ying, and felt that something about her temperament and personality resembled his wife, he had never imagined Qiao Ying could be his daughter. Her face did not resemble his daughter's in the slightest.
He simply couldn't reconcile the two in his mind.
Not until Qin Hanyue showed them photos of Blood Shadow's face and the few video clips captured by Ye Si's hand, of Blood Shadow's every word and deed, including her temperament and body language.
Upon seeing Blood Shadow's captivating eyes in the video, Lin Guli disbelievingly asked Qin Hanyue, "...you're saying this is Qiao Ying's true appearance?"
Qin Hanyue: "Yes."
What was previously difficult for Lin Guli to accept, he instantly acknowledged after seeing Qiao Ying's real appearance. He couldn't help the tears that flowed down his face.
"Yes, this is my daughter. This is my daughter without a doubt. She looks so much like her mother..."
Lin Guli excitedly glanced between the laptop screen and the stairs leading upstairs, as if wanting to rush up to find Qiao Ying.
Recalling Diamond J's words to Qiao Ying two nights ago in the palace, as well as how Qiao Ying had avoided them by taking Diamond J away alone afterwards, Lin Cheng also had no choice but to believe everything.
As he looked upon Blood Shadow's soul-stirring eyes on the screen, Lin Cheng understood: "No wonder she looks different now compared to when I first met her a few years ago. I thought she had used disguises and makeup, never imagining this to be the case."
Lin Guli suppressed his emotions. "That night, the fake Raphael mentioned her mother - my wife."
Lin Guli urgently asked Qin Hanyue, "Mister Qin, do you know anything about my wife as well? Is she still alive?"
Qin Hanyue shook his head slightly. "After learning your child had been taken by Dark Shadow, she went alone to find them. Unfortunately, she was outnumbered."
That was an understatement. At the time, Diamond J had intended to deceive Qiao Ying that her mother was still alive, using her mother's whereabouts as leverage.
But he was seen through by Qiao Ying.
Left with no chance to escape death, Diamond J then spilled the beans - he told Qiao Ying in detail how they had tortured her mother to the brink of death.
The methods of Dark Shadow could be imagined. And in order to protect her daughter's safety and prevent her husband from being targeted for revenge by Dark Shadow, she did not even resist.
Qin Hanyue could not bear to tell Lin Guli the gruesome details.
Even with some mental preparation, it was still difficult for Lin Guli to accept.
Although Qin Hanyue did not explicitly state it, Lin Guli knew Dark Shadow was an assassin organization, and could guess what had happened to his wife after learning of Qiao Ying's experiences.
He resented only himself for being so useless - knowing nothing, lacking even the chance to stand alongside his wife in battle. Allowing his daughter to grow up in such hellish circumstances and endure untold suffering, even ultimately meeting her death at their hands. All while he knew nothing about it. If not for heaven's grace allowing his child to be reborn... Lin Guli dared not think further.
Qin Hanyue: "I heard from little Ying that you know very little about what happened to your wife. Her real name was Yan Bai - she topped the Top Bounty Hunter List. It was her genes that Dark Shadow wanted, which led them to steal your child."
Qin Hanyue: "Your meeting was no coincidence. Can you sense that too?"
Lin Guli lowered his hands from his face. "I know. When she left, she warned me to be careful. I guessed then that she had an unusual identity. Considering her status now as a bounty hunter, I believe she was originally sent to kill me."
Qin Hanyue: "But she broke the rules - not only did she not kill you, but fell in love with her mission target instead."
Lin Guli: "It would have been better if she killed me."
Then she would not have encountered Dark Shadow over our child, and would not have died.
Qin Hanyue: "You may feel you failed her, but that may not have been the case in her eyes. You wish she had killed you and lived, but she also wished for you to live. You spent over 20 years searching for them - you did not fail them."
Qiao Ying woke up in the afternoon.
Heading downstairs, she saw the three men sitting in the great hall on the first floor, clearly waiting for her.
Seeing Lin Guli's reaction when he heard her come down the stairs, and how he started to rise from his seat, his red-rimmed yet controlled eyes mirrored by Lin Cheng next to him, Qiao Ying wanted to turn back upstairs.
