Chapter 117 – Paternity Test
The expression on Elder Liu’s face gradually shifted from initial shock to calm. He looked at the child crying in his arms and had a general understanding of the situation.
Xiao Fang observed Elder Liu’s expression while cradling his son. This little rascal had let him down at a critical moment. But as a doting father, Xiao Fang couldn’t bring himself to discipline him. He could only look at Elder Liu with an awkward, apologetic expression. Once his identity was revealed, all the lies were pointless. It was better to adjust his posture and face reality.
Elder Liu sighed, breaking the somewhat awkward atmosphere. “Ah, Xiao Fang, you didn’t need to hide this from me and lie. Even if it wasn’t convenient to say at the banquet, we’re already grandfather and grandson. There’s no need to hide such things. No wonder your expression was so strange just now. So you were in a hurry to hide the kid in the house.”
The old master’s analogy was quite vivid. Cold sweat beaded on Xiao Fang’s forehead as his professional fake smile was gradually exposed. “It’s just that… it’s something that hasn’t been announced yet, so I didn’t want to reveal too much.” Even though he had acknowledged him as a grandson, it was hard to say if that was the true meaning.
Elder Liu’s intense gaze fell upon Xiao Fang. Fei Xiangnan stepped forward, shielding Xiao Fang. He was polite on the surface, but his aura was gradually forming, creating a standoff with Elder Liu.
Xiao Fang nervously peeked his head out. Lang Lang, in his father’s arms, had managed to stop crying and was curiously looking at his daddy’s back.
“Elder Liu, please forgive us for our family matters. There are many inconveniences, and it was truly impossible to reveal everything at once,” Fei Xiangnan said with a smile, but this smile didn’t reach his bones, carrying a hint of a threat.
Xiao Fang stood behind, extremely nervous.
Elder Liu glanced at Xiao Fang, then at the bewildered Xiao Xu, and finally at Fei Xiangnan. “I can understand what you’ve done. It seems I haven’t shown enough sincerity to make you trust me. But I suppose that’s to be expected. Rest assured, I won’t say anything about what I’ve seen today. I’m overjoyed to have two more little great-grandsons. I really didn’t misjudge Xiao Fang. Just by participating in a show, you could make the decision to adopt this child. I admire this kindness and courage very much.” Elder Liu’s words were a point of no return. Xiao Fang breathed a sigh of relief; at least things hadn’t fallen apart.
“Xiao Fang, you don’t have to be so afraid of grandpa. I was just unhappy that you two hid it from me. Both sides have their reasons. Seeing this child so well-fed and healthy by you, I’m overjoyed,” Elder Liu’s words made Xiao Fang relax his guard as well. He re-entered the scene with a smile, and the atmosphere finally returned to harmony.
For the rest of the time, Elder Liu started playing with the two children. In his heart, children always held a special place, especially those of Xiao Xu’s age. He was exactly the same age as his grandson; how could it not tug at his heartstrings?
“This child… he always feels so familiar to me, as if my grandson has come back again.” A sad expression appeared on Elder Liu’s face, and his eyes held a hint of inquiry and reminiscence. At this moment, Xiao Xu was seriously drinking orange juice, completely oblivious to Elder Liu’s gaze, but Xiao Fang saw it clearly.
From these words, Xiao Fang heard something that made him uneasy. This made Xiao Fang secretly frown. Fei Xiangnan, sitting beside him, naturally saw his wife’s expression. He reached out and held Xiao Fang’s hand. Xiao Fang turned his head, and Fei Xiangnan gave him a reassuring look without a word, letting Elder Liu freely talk with Xiao Xu.
Xiao Xu originally had a natural resistance to strangers, but with Elder Liu, he seemed to be able to communicate normally, just like with them. This was truly… becoming more and more unsettling.
When it was almost time for dinner, Xiao Fang pulled Fei Xiangnan into the kitchen for a secret meeting. He had sent the old man and the children to the playroom. Even though it was an open-plan kitchen, they couldn’t hear their conversation from inside.
“Did you investigate something?” Xiao Fang asked directly. His uneasiness wouldn’t have come so easily; there must be some connection.
“I did, but I didn’t get to the bottom of it. Because Xiao Xu was trafficked from abroad to China, this trafficker is likely a nationwide operation. He knew that trafficking a yellow-skinned person abroad would be too conspicuous, so he chose China. As for where he was abroad, the scope is too broad, so I haven’t conducted a large-scale search yet. Do you have any information?”
Xiao Fang shook his head gravely. “No, most of the information I have revolves around Xiao Qi, and now almost all the known conditions have been changed. I don’t know anything about other branches, but I just feel that Xiao Xu is Elder Liu’s grandson. I know I shouldn’t make such a simple assertion, but in my heart…”
Fei Xiangnan stepped forward and hugged Xiao Fang. He knew that intuition could be very accurate sometimes. Xiao Fang’s current anxiety was simply about whether Xiao Xu would be taken away.
“Honey, calm down first. Let’s not talk about whether this is true or not. First, answer me, why did you bring Xiao Xu back?” Fei Xiangnan persuaded him step by step.
Xiao Fang buried his face in Fei Xiangnan’s chest and said in a muffled voice, “To let Xiao Xu live a normal life, to make him happy.”
“Then wouldn’t Xiao Xu be happier if he found his real family? Just like you back then, at such a young age, a miracle happened, and your parents found you.”
Of course, he would be happy. The loneliness and waiting Xiao Fang experienced in the orphanage were things he never wanted to recall again. But he already had deep feelings for Xiao Xu. Of course, Xiao Fang knew what Fei Xiangnan meant, but he just couldn’t bear it.
Xiao Fang hugged Fei Xiangnan and slowly whimpered, “No matter what, I just can’t bear it. If it’s true, I’ll have to part with Xiao Xu.” He couldn’t bear it; he wanted to cry.
Fei Xiangnan’s eyes gradually darkened. He freed a hand to play with the stray hair on Xiao Fang’s head. “If you really can’t bear it, your old husband will snatch him back for you, even if I have to fight for it.”
How could he still speak in such a gangster-like tone after all these years? But compared to his cowardice two years ago, Xiao Fang now felt more at ease. In that case, how could he be so selfish? Whether he went or stayed, it was never a decision his brother could make on his own.
“What’s there to snatch? We’re all good citizens, not bandits. Let’s leave this decision to Xiao Xu. Besides, it’s just a guess for now. Let’s wait for the scientific results before we say anything,” Xiao Fang said, looking up. Although he was a little disappointed, a person shouldn’t be so willful when they grow up.
But in Fei Xiangnan’s eyes, this was completely unnecessary. He caressed Xiao Fang’s face, trying to pull him out of his little adult mode. “By my side, you only need to learn how to be willful.” Otherwise, his heaven-defying power in the entire book would just be a decoration.
Xiao Fang’s eyes widened slightly. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t moved. “Except for this matter, I will learn to rely on you properly in the future.”
To be able to pry these words from the tough-boned Xiao Fang was already very difficult. Fei Xiangnan was also very satisfied with this. The most important thing in his life had become to take good care of this person, to love him with all his heart.
At the dinner table, Elder Liu and Xiao Xu had already become seamlessly familiar with each other. After seeing the light, Xiao Fang didn’t say much more, mostly just listening quietly to them talk, looking for possibilities.
“I didn’t expect Xiao Xu to be able to speak English. But this child looks like he should be of mixed race. He probably remembered it from before.” This point made him even more like his grandson. The child was not even three when he was abducted, and he had already learned to speak by then. Later, his only son also died in a plane crash, and his daughter-in-law remarried. This home had completely ceased to be a home.
“Because Xiao Xu lived abroad when he was young and was transported to China. After some hardships, he came to the current orphanage,” Fei Xiangnan said from the side. These words inevitably made Elder Liu pay attention.
He looked at Xiao Xu seriously. “Child, do you still remember anything from before you were abducted?”
Xiao Fang’s body moved noticeably, but he was soothed by Fei Xiangnan in the next second. Of course, he didn’t want to stimulate Xiao Xu, but even if there was a one in ten thousand chance, wouldn’t it be a good thing for him to find his real family?
Xiao Xu slowly finished the meatballs in his bowl and looked at the adults at the table. A sense of loss rose in his heart, but the next second, seeing Xiao Fang’s overly concerned gaze, his heart felt much better. There was nothing he couldn’t say.
“I don’t remember clearly. I just… remember a very big dog, a very big lawn. I forgot the rest.” Xiao Xu had never talked about his past before. For some reason, he was willing to talk about it today.
Elder Liu’s expression changed at that moment. He looked up and met Fei Xiangnan’s gaze. The two powerful men looked at each other and knew what the other was thinking.
Xiao Fang sat on the side, restless. But feeling the child’s even greater anxiety, he immediately put food on Xiao Xu’s plate. “Here, your favorite beef stew with potatoes. Eat more, grow tall.”
Xiao Xu’s eyes suddenly fixed on Xiao Fang. A part of Xiao Fang’s heart twitched in pain.
After dinner, Fei Xiangnan and Elder Liu immediately went into the study to talk. They talked for two hours. Xiao Fang didn’t know what they said, but he could guess. He washed the dishes absentmindedly, cleaned up after Nuomici, and then coaxed the two children to sleep. When it came to Xiao Xu’s turn, Xiao Xu fell asleep without listening to a story for the first time.
Xiao Fang’s heart ached. He didn’t leave, just sat on the side, stroking Xiao Xu’s head. Did he want the child to leave? Of course, he didn’t want that at all. But the choice was not his.
In a place where Xiao Fang couldn’t see, Xiao Xu secretly opened his eyes. Brother, is he going to abandon me?
Three days later, the paternity test results were out. The results were officially announced at Xiao Fang’s home. This time, Elder Liu came with his most trusted secretary. He slowly opened the file. The affirmative answer shocked the nerves of everyone present.
Elder Liu instantly burst into tears. His knees went weak, and he was about to kneel before Xiao Fang. How could Xiao Fang bear this? He and Fei Xiangnan together pulled him up, though it was mostly Fei Xiangnan’s effort.
“Thank you! Thank you, Xiao Fang, thank you for helping me find my grandson. I never thought… I never thought I would really find him, my own grandson! Now, my son in heaven can finally rest in peace!” Elder Liu, this seemingly shrewd and strong old man, was now crying his eyes out.
Xiao Fang was in a state of ice and fire. On one hand, he was genuinely happy for Elder Liu for finding his grandson. On the other hand, he was in extreme pain because Xiao Xu was about to leave.
It wasn’t me who helped you find your grandson. I clearly adopted him with the intention of raising him as my own precious child. Xiao Fang looked at the tearful Elder Liu, but he couldn’t bring himself to say these words. He could only swallow his broken teeth.
“I’ll take my little grandson back now. With this clue, I’ll make those who abducted my grandson wish they were dead!” Elder Liu said excitedly.
Fei Xiangnan pursed his lips and went to open the door. Xiao Xu slowly came out from inside.
Elder Liu immediately rushed over, hugging Xiao Xu and crying loudly, “Grandpa has been looking for you for five years!” This old man’s relatives had scattered in his lifetime. Those who left, left; those who died, died. Now, this was the only direct bloodline he had left. He had finally found him.
“Li Yin, my good grandson,” Elder Liu hugged Xiao Xu and cried nonstop. Xiao Xu just stood there helplessly, then looked at Xiao Fang with a helpless expression.
Xiao Fang subconsciously reached out his hand, but a gaze fell upon him. It was Elder Liu’s secretary. Xiao Fang was carrying a lot. At this moment, he could only helplessly lower his hand, tears welling up in his eyes uncontrollably. He couldn’t bear it, it was like his heart was being gouged out.