A Child Who Is Speechless in Company

It was already past ten when Aunt Xian left. Ye Shuang had no idea if she had actually taken in what he said, but it was obvious that her heart had been shaken. Deep down, she naturally wanted to reconcile with Alice; she was just missing a step to climb down from her pride.

What Ye Shuang had told her was meant to give her that very step. After all, Alice's biological mother wasn't necessarily Jin Sha. She just carried Uncle Zhou's bloodline, nothing more. Continuing this internal conflict wouldn't solve anything.

"Ye Shuang, she's gone," Bai Yuyou said softly, clearly hoping that Aunt Xian and Alice could make peace. Otherwise, she wouldn't have tried to invite Alice to the concert last time, even though Bai Yuyou herself had been the one most hurt by it. Still, she genuinely wanted others to be happy.

"Alright, time to sleep," Ye Shuang said.

"You haven't showered yet, Ye Shuang."

"Yeah."

"I haven't either."

"..."

The night passed without further words.

The next morning, after Bai Yuyou and Tang Keke had left for school, Little Yezi was busy packing her small backpack. Inside were simple essentials like her phone and snacks—most of which Bai Yuyou had bought for her. The weather was wonderful today, and even the homemade seashell wind chime hanging on the balcony swayed gently in the breeze, producing a soft tinkling sound.

She would be going to the company with Ye Shuang soon, so Little Yezi had prepared everything thoroughly.

"Daddy, we can go now," she said, noticing that Ye Shuang was still sitting in his spot. She went over and reminded him.

Ye Shuang turned around, smiled faintly, and patted the seat beside him. "Yezi, sit here."

"Oh."

Yezi plopped down onto the seat, but then noticed Ye Shuang seemed to be studying her closely. There was a strange look in his eyes.

"What's wrong, Daddy?" she asked curiously. Was he feeling unwell?

"I'm fine," Ye Shuang shook his head.

"Oh."

Soon, Yezi realized something off. This was the first time Ye Shuang had called himself "Daddy"—he never usually said that.

"Yezi, do you have the same ability as me? The ability to travel across time?"

Ye Shuang reached out and gently pinched Yezi's cheek as he asked.

Yezi stared blankly at him. The room fell silent, the only sound being the wind chime softly swaying.

"Daddy..."

"I don't know."

Yezi's straightforward answer caught Ye Shuang off guard.

"Daddy, there are so many things I can't remember anymore," Yezi continued, her voice tinged with disappointment and sadness. "But my mind keeps telling me that Daddy is Daddy, and Mommy is Mommy. I must never forget that."

Ye Shuang looked at the little girl before him. It was as if he began to understand something. He gently took her small hand in his. "Is it... the price?"

Yezi shook her head. "I don't know."

"Can you see that window over there? That frame?" Ye Shuang pointed to the empty air beside them.

"..." Yezi shook her head again. "No, I can't."

"I see."

If she couldn't see it, did that mean Yezi didn't have a system on her?

"You warned me once to be careful of a blonde woman. Do you remember that?" Ye Shuang continued softly.

"No, I don't," Yezi said, her eyes looking confused.

Ye Shuang stopped questioning and instead gently ruffled her hair.

[The Price]

This wasn't some sudden whim on Ye Shuang's part. He had thought deeply into the night, and after piecing everything together, many things seemed to make sense.

While showering the previous night, he had also carefully observed Yuyou. She didn't seem like someone who had given birth at all—she was far too tight. The idea of two mistaken test results was also too absurd. So, the remaining possibility...

That was why Ye Shuang had finally asked.

Had Little Yezi been sent back by his future self, or had she come through her own system?

"Yezi, do you often forget a lot of things?" Ye Shuang continued. "And occasionally remember a few things? Just briefly?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"It's okay. Take your time to remember. I'm also curious why you came back," Ye Shuang said softly.

The system's price had always been about trying to salvage something. Maybe there had been a regret that triggered the clock to rewind time. Since Yezi could come here—and since she herself had no system—Ye Shuang was leaning toward the theory that his future self had sent this child back.

Of course, it was just a possibility. Maybe Yezi did have a system, only she had forgotten it.

[Character: Ye Xiaoyu

Your daughter?]

Even his own system's description of Yezi was strange—as if it had encountered something perplexing.

"Ye Xiaoyu."

Was there some clue in that name?

Little Yezi once said that "Xiaoyu" was for commemorating someone, yet she had no feelings at all toward An Shiyu. Could the breakthrough lie with An Shiyu? Or perhaps someone else whose name contained the character for "fish"?

But thinking carefully, among his acquaintances, only An Shiyu had "yu" in her name. No one else did.

"Really sci-fi, huh," Ye Shuang couldn't help but sigh. Seeing that Yezi had nothing more to say, he stopped pushing.

As for the daughter who suddenly appeared in his life, he could only take his time adjusting.

...

Half an hour later, Ye Shuang brought Little Yezi to the company.

Since he arrived later than usual, An Shiyu was already there, playing a handheld console. When she saw Ye Shuang walk in late, she quipped, "Even the boss is late. I'm quitting."

"Just had some things to deal with," Ye Shuang replied.

Then he noticed a paper bag on his desk. It looked very familiar—it was the same one Keke had brought back yesterday. But the seal on it was new, meaning it was a fresh report.

"I paid for an express service last night," An Shiyu's lazy voice floated over.

"They finished it overnight?"

"Skipped the queue."

"Thank you, Little Yu," Ye Shuang said gratefully. An Shiyu, uneasy at his thanks, shifted in her seat and muttered, "Just a small favor."

The last part was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, and Ye Shuang didn't catch it.

He tore open the report's seal and, just like last time, flipped directly to the final result.

Even though he had already guessed and practically confirmed it, seeing the words before his eyes still made him take a deep breath.

[Conclusion]

[Based on DNA analysis results and existing data...

It supports that 01 is the biological father of 02.]

That meant he really was Little Yezi's biological father.

"So in the future... did I have a child with Yuyou?" Ye Shuang pondered deeply.