Chapter 399: Ill Wait for You

Fireworks exploded in bright bursts over the Disney Castle, filling the night sky with colors and memories of childhood. Lin Xian stood beneath them, his eyes locked on Zhao Ying Jun. The vibrant lights flickered across his face, mirroring the turmoil in his heart.

He thought he had prepared himself for this moment. He had already pieced together most of the puzzle. But still—finding out you’re a father is one thing. Hearing it directly from Zhao Ying Jun, face-to-face, was a different shock altogether. The impact hit him like a punch.

Lin Xian had planned to collect hair samples from Zhao Ying Jun, Yan Qiao Qiao, and himself to run a DNA paternity test at the hospital. He expected to get the results by tomorrow afternoon, giving him some time to come to terms with the idea of being a father.

But now...

He had just gotten Zhao Ying Jun’s hair a few seconds ago. No need for tests. No need for time. Zhao Ying Jun had laid out the truth right in front of him, blunt and undeniable, leaving Lin Xian with no time to process it.

What could he even say?

Lin Xian felt like he was playing a game and had just been thrown into an entirely new level—one he hadn’t prepared for. How many men in the world had to face something like this?

Around them, the crowd cheered, marveling at the fireworks. The joys and sorrows of people aren’t always shared. Lin Xian stared at Zhao Ying Jun’s honest smile, unsure if he should apologize. But why should he apologize? He hadn’t done anything wrong! He was innocent. Yet, here he was, suddenly with a biological daughter because of Zhao Ying Jun...

Deep down, though, he knew he wasn’t as innocent as he claimed. When Zhao Ying Jun admitted that Yan Qiao Qiao wasn’t some distant relative but a child found on the streets, Lin Xian had already pieced together what had happened.

Yes, he had been misled by Zhao Ying Jun’s parents. Lin Yu Xi must have known that destroying the tangled time-space particles would either fatally weaken her or leave her severely impaired. She had fled as far as she could before the particles’ energy vanished. When the time-space loop broke, Lin Yu Xi reverted to her original appearance. Her muscles and the marks from her workouts disappeared, along with her extraordinary strength, blue eyes, and memories. She transformed into a completely different person. With the meddling of Zhao Ying Jun’s parents, Lin Yu Xi became Yan Qiao Qiao.

Lin Xian knew time-space rejection could change a time traveler’s appearance. But who could have predicted that those changes could reverse back to the past? That destroying the time particles would result in memory loss, restored appearance, and the disappearance of future traits?

However, with the DNA test results in hand, none of that mattered anymore.

Zhao Ying Jun could still smile after hearing all this. She smiled because she didn’t know she was fated to be executed by her own daughter. Of course, she could still smile...

If not for that looming threat of execution, Lin Xian might have smiled too. This wasn’t an unexplainable situation. All he had to do was reveal that Yan Qiao Qiao was from a future time. With Zhao Ying Jun’s intelligence, she’d grasp the concept of time-space anomalies.

When life throws challenges at you, you deal with them. The child was here, and she was innocent. He would figure out how to raise her. It wasn’t the end of the world.

But his situation was different.

Lin Yu Xi wasn’t just a child to raise; she was a future executioner here to end his life! In 36 days, he would be executed by this daughter he had grown fond of... Who could smile at that? Especially after holding hands with his future executioner today and listening to Zhao Ying Jun talk about chopping carrots with a kitchen knife. Now, he felt like that carrot, laid out on the cutting board and sliced to pieces.

Raising a tiger only to be attacked later, dying at the hands of his own daughter to fulfill her destiny... Lin Xian’s heart could barely accept it.

But there was a small silver lining. Lin Yu Xi had lost her memory. There was still a chance to change her fate.

If he could prevent Lin Yu Xi from regaining her memory, he could save himself without hurting anyone. He could give Lin Yu Xi a new, happy life. It was just a name change to Yan Qiao Qiao, after all. It didn’t change their blood connection or affect her new life. So what if they lived the rest of their lives as brother and sister? Lin Xian wasn’t hung up on family titles. If Yan Qiao Qiao never remembered her past, never reverted to being Lin Yu Xi... it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.

...

Just then, Yan Qiao Qiao, who had her ears covered by Zhao Ying Jun, turned around. She blinked, puzzled, and looked at Zhao Ying Jun.

“Sister, why are you covering my ears? I can’t hear the fireworks... What were you guys just talking about?”

Zhao Ying Jun glanced one last time at Lin Xian before turning her attention back to Yan Qiao Qiao. She smiled and patted her head.

“We were just talking about the fireworks too. I was afraid the noise might hurt your ears, so I covered them for you.”

“You don’t need to,” Yan Qiao Qiao shook her head. “I like the sound of fireworks exploding. Look—”

She pointed toward the castle, where fireworks spun around in the air, creating golden circles that sparkled.

Zhao Ying Jun stood behind her, admiring the sparkling scene over the Disney Castle. She didn’t look back or speak to Lin Xian again. She probably didn’t want Yan Qiao Qiao to know the truth. Or maybe she was giving Lin Xian more time to process and accept it.

Finally...

As the last firework bloomed in the sky, everything returned to calm. The crowd dispersed, content with the night’s show.

“That was so beautiful!” Yan Qiao Qiao stood in front of Zhao Ying Jun, tilting her head back to look at her. “I heard other kids say these are the most beautiful fireworks in the world!”

“Tonight’s?” Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. “Tonight’s weren’t the best.” She chuckled, mimicking Yan Qiao Qiao’s tone from earlier in the day. “They were just... okay.”

The business van drove steadily on the city’s elevated highway. Driver Xiao Li had picked them up from the Disney park entrance and was heading back to Zhao Ying Jun’s neighborhood in Donghai City.

Lin Xian sat in the passenger seat, gazing out the window without a word. In the back, Yan Qiao Qiao was busy going through her collection of today’s treasures: toys, plushies, a souvenir booklet, a glowing ear hat, and more. But what she loved most was the warm family photo.

In the picture, the kingly father and queenly mother stood close together, with their little princess in front, holding up her sparkling dress. They looked like a family from a fairy tale, but also like a real-life family. And that was enough to make her happy.

Yan Qiao Qiao’s pale fingers traced the photo where her “mom and dad” stood close together. Even if they weren’t her real parents, as long as they went to Disney together, that made them a family—a complete family.

Before long, the van reached the underground garage of Zhao Ying Jun’s building. The back door slid open slowly. Yan Qiao Qiao jumped out with energy to spare, still full of life. She grabbed Zhao Ying Jun’s arm and led her out of the car.

Lin Xian unbuckled his seatbelt and followed, watching as Yan Qiao Qiao ran to the elevator and pressed the button. She really was getting smarter. She could handle everything on her own now and understood a lot.

Lin Xian looked at Zhao Ying Jun, who was just a step away. She looked back at him, as if waiting for him to speak. They hadn’t been able to discuss the “biological daughter” topic because of Yan Qiao Qiao and Driver Xiao Li’s presence. But Lin Xian knew this wasn’t something he could avoid. Out of responsibility and respect for Zhao Ying Jun, this matter had to be clarified.

“About Yan Qiao Qiao...” Lin Xian started. “You don’t need to apologize to me because I have something I’ve been hiding from you too. I’ve also been trying to find the right time to tell you, but I haven’t found it yet.”

Zhao Ying Jun nodded. “Then, in that case...” She glanced over at Yan Qiao Qiao, who was waiting for the elevator, then looked back at Lin Xian. “How about tonight?”

“Tonight?” Lin Xian checked his watch. It was already 10:07 PM. It was late. How were they supposed to talk now, with Yan Qiao Qiao still awake?

“Come to my place.” Zhao Ying Jun smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Once I put Qiao Qiao to bed, I can show you the DNA reports. And... we can have a proper talk. I have some things I want to tell you too.”

Lin Xian nodded. It was better to get everything out in the open tonight.

Lin Xian agreed and turned to Driver Xiao Li. “Xiao Li, wait for me here. I’m going up to Ying Jun’s place. I’ll be down in a bit.”

Huh? Xiao Li was caught off guard, looking up. This scene... Why did it feel so familiar? It was like it had happened before! Last time, the excuse was to put a Pomeranian to sleep—an excuse so ridiculous no one dared question it. And now, they weren’t even pretending. No reason was given! What was he, the driver, supposed to do? Wait here... or not? Should he stay faithfully, or use this chance to sneak away?

This was a new challenge for him as a driver. When he had taken professional driver training, the instructor had said that when driving for the boss, you must learn to read between the lines. Sometimes, when the boss says to stay, it means to leave, and the driver needs to be the “bad guy” and help the boss get away. Other times, when the boss says to leave, it means to stay, and the driver needs to be the “good guy” and wait.

Unfortunately, Xiao Li came from a military driving unit. He was honest and sincere, truly not understanding the nuances of corporate etiquette. Ah, yes! He suddenly remembered... In situations like this, where he wasn’t sure if he should stay or go, he should call Brother Wang! Brother Wang, the former group leader at MX Company and now the only vice president at Rhine Company, knew Zhao Ying Jun and Lin Xian well. He was basically their biggest shipper.

As soon as Lin Xian went upstairs, Xiao Li decided to call Brother Wang to ask what to do. Xiao Li remained calm under pressure. He gave Lin Xian an OK sign. Everything was understood without words. Let the boss guess.

...

Ding—

The elevator doors opened. The Pomeranian, VV, seemed to have heard Lin Xian’s steps. Unlike its usual barking, it softly approached Lin Xian’s feet, rubbing against his pants.

“V~~~~~”

Lin Xian bent down and picked it up. “VV, long time no see. Did I wake you up?”

“Woof!” VV, in its doggy language, expressed that it didn’t mind. It quickly analyzed the situation. Today, Lin Xian had come to the house on his own. Unlike last time when he came with a mission, this time, he was probably here with a purpose. So, as a dog that understands hearts... What should it do now?

“Woof ahhhh—” VV let out a huge yawn, big enough to fit a coconut in its mouth. Then it closed its eyes, lying on Lin Xian’s arm, and began to snore.

Both Zhao Ying Jun and Yan Qiao Qiao looked at the Pomeranian, confused. “Why is it so sleepy so early today?” Yan Qiao Qiao asked. “Yeah... it’s usually super active at night,” Zhao Ying Jun added.

Lin Xian continued. “I still don’t quite understand everything about Yan Qiao Qiao. A lot of things are still dangerous for me. So... can you give me some time? I’ll tell you the truth as soon as I figure it all out.”

“Of course.” Zhao Ying Jun smiled, responding without hesitation. “I’ll wait for you.”

That smile... It truly made Lin Xian feel relieved. He straightened up and laughed too.

“It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but I’m grateful that you’ve always trusted me. Even I feel it might be a bit blind.”

Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. “Do you remember what I once told you?” She blinked. “I said... back then, that overpass, whether you could fly over it or not didn’t matter. Whether you could make it or not didn’t matter.”

“Even though it’s a peaceful time now and we don’t face life and death situations, I’ve never been someone who fears death. If I can do anything to help you, I’m always willing.”

“So... I’m willing to wait, no matter how long it takes.”

She smiled again, making the light in the living room feel even softer.

“You once told me you had a dream, where you stood in front of that Disney castle. In that dream, I turned into a white jade statue and waited for 600 years with a trash can robot named VV until a magical spell came along and brought salvation.”

“To be honest, before you gave me that cleaning robot a few days ago... I always thought you made up that story. But now it seems like you really did have that dream, like that white jade statue really did wait for 600 years.”

“If we could wait 600 years, why would I mind waiting a bit longer?”

Zhao Ying Jun spread her hands and looked into Lin Xian’s eyes. “Time doesn’t matter... I’ll wait for you.”

At that moment, no more words were needed. Lin Xian felt as if Yellow Finch was standing right behind him, and the Rhine Queen of Sky City was sitting beside him. The soft orange light in the living room crowned them, surrounding him.

“This time... I won’t make you wait too long.” Lin Xian stood up, ready to leave.

Zhao Ying Jun picked up his DNA test report from the coffee table and handed it to him. “Take this with you.” She smiled. “Think of it as a keepsake. I mentioned in the hospital recently that I hoped you’d never need this kind of knowledge. I didn’t expect it to come in handy so soon.”

Lin Xian took the report and laughed too. “Yeah... life is full of surprises.”

...

In the underground parking lot, Driver Xiao Li was stunned. “Lin Xian... Mr. Lin Xian! So soon?”

“Soon?” Lin Xian checked his watch. It was 11:07 PM. He had spent an hour at Zhao Ying Jun’s place.

“It wasn’t that short. It’s late. How long do you think I should stay?”

“Oh...” Driver Xiao Li was dumbfounded, quickly nodding. “Right, right, not short at all. Not short at all.”

...

Back home, Lin Xian was exhausted. He truly sympathized with those parents at Disneyland, enduring this day in and day out, with no breaks, raising their kids. He could barely hold on. Barely able to finish his nightly routine, he collapsed onto the bed.

He blinked at the digital clock on the nightstand. 11:47 PM. It was already that late. By the time he fell asleep and entered the dream world, he wouldn’t have much more than an hour before waking up again. What a hassle.

But he couldn’t hold on any longer. He fell asleep instantly.

...

...

...

The clinking sound of machinery filled his ears. Lin Xian opened his eyes. He was still in that familiar pit. But there was no sign of Big Cat Face or Gao Wen.

“At this point, those two must be in the underground hibernation base, about to wake up the blue-eyed girl and decapitate the overseer...”

“Well, since I’m already here, might as well join the fun.”

Lin Xian ran toward the northeast of the pit, quickly and skillfully entering the hibernation base, just in time to see the lid of Smith’s hibernation pod slowly rising.

Since he was awake, that meant the blue-eyed girl was about to kick off the tempered glass.

Lin Xian walked inside and saw Big Cat Face sitting on a chair, staring through the glass at the blue-eyed girl inside.

“Hey, Big Cat,” Lin Xian greeted him like he was coming home. “How long has she been awake?”

Big Cat Face glanced at the display on the hibernation pod. “About half an hour.”

Suddenly, he jumped up, his face muscles bunching up as he scrutinized Lin Xian from head to toe. “Wait a minute... Who the hell are you? Where did you come from?”

“Hey...” Lin Xian waved his hand, signaling Big Cat Face not to worry about the details. “That’s a minor thing.”

At this moment, Gao Wen also came over from Smith’s hibernation pod, looking at the blue-eyed girl’s pod. “It’s really pitiful, this young girl... We’re all old, but she’s still in her prime, and she has to spend her life as a slave laborer here. It’s just too tragic.”

“Judging by her appearance, she must have lived a wealthy life before hibernation. Now, after waking up to such a drastic change, I wonder if she can handle it mentally.”

Lin Xian turned his head. Looking at Gao Wen, “For her... you don’t need to worry at all. In a bit, she might scare you into screaming.”

“Besides, after waking up, with a blank mind in an amnesiac state, what’s there to compare? She doesn’t remember anything from before or the kind of life she had... After all, she didn’t leave anything in her storage cabinet.”

“Hey! Who said she didn’t leave anything!” Big Cat Face swaggered over. “She left something, okay! Although it’s just a photo, it’s still something! Maybe when she sees the photo after waking up... she’ll remember everything!”

“What did you say?” Lin Xian turned around. He squinted at Big Cat Face. “Are you saying... there’s something in the girl’s storage cabinet? It’s not empty?”

“Of course, it’s not empty! I was just looking inside!”

As he spoke, Big Cat Face bent down, pulled out the blue-eyed girl’s storage cabinet, opened the drawer, and took out a laminated photo, handing it to Lin Xian.

“Look, there’s a photo. Although the girl in the picture doesn’t quite match the one in the hibernation pod, girls do change a lot!”

“And look at their clothes... so weird... and this man... he doesn’t look like her dad... huh?”

Big Cat Face scratched his heavy head. “Why does this man look so familiar?”

He looked at it a few more times, then stared at Lin Xian, dumbfounded. “Holy crap! Brother... which hibernation pod did you crawl out of? Are you here to visit relatives?”

Hearing this, Gao Wen also leaned over, carefully comparing the “king” wearing a crown in the photo and the young man in front of him. This... They were exactly the same person! Not a single difference!

Lin Xian tilted his head in confusion and took the photo. “Let me see.”

The moment he took the photo... Lin Xian froze. This laminated photo was the one he had taken at Disney this afternoon!

In the front of the picture, Yan Qiao Qiao, dressed in a princess gown, held her skirt; Behind her, he and Zhao Ying Jun stood close together, wearing a ridiculously extravagant crown.

He held his breath. Cleared his mind... Then. He turned the laminated photo over...

There, on the back of the photo, Written with a black marker, were three small words—Yan Qiao Qiao.