Xing Yu rushed back into the house to find the young prince, who was sitting lavishly on the sofa with a tub of ice cream.
"Oh, you're back! Why did you run off without me, ah? I was waiting for you...ah!" He glared up at him. "Did you just pluck my hair?"
"Hmm," Xing Yu placed his hair in a small ziplock bag. "Where is the DNA testing machine?"
Confused, the young prince gestured upstairs. "Why? Did you find someone?"
Wordlessly, Xing Yu rushed up.
"Wait for me," the young prince jumped off the sofa and ran after him. "Is it that kid we met at our construction site? He must be... he looks cute. I can definitely see the resemblance between me and him," he mumbled with a huge grin.
Xing glared back at him. There was no resemblance, but he had a strange feeling in his heart about that kid. Something was telling him that he was the person they were searching for.
He quickly pulled out the DNA testing machine and placed the two hair samples in each compartment. The machine quickly read the strands of DNA and started to analyze it.
"If he is my brother, then I would be glad. He had a wonderful taste in men, you know. He said I was handsomer than you," the second prince nonchalantly glanced up at him.
Xing Yu rolled his eyes. "Can you be serious for a second."
The second prince's smile faded, leaving behind a slightly trembling figure. "If... if it was really him, then... I might have to kill someone."
Xing frowned. "Why?"
"I saw marks all over his neck... He could be abused at home."
Hearing this, Xing Yu felt his heart stop beating for a second. He had met the child and seen how reluctant he was to go back home. 'He... he was being abused, yet I dropped him off there...'
He felt a strange sense of foreboding. 'Will he be okay? I don't want him to get hurt.'
The young child had the most beautiful smile; he could see that the young boy really loved his life. He was lively and childish, yet he had such a dark past to him.
He felt his heart pound strangely in his chest.
Suddenly, the machine beeped loudly, pulling him out of his thoughts. He hurriedly looked at the result, only to be disappointed. The second prince let out a sigh and patted his back. "We will find him soon. Don't be disheartened."
Xing Yu blankly looked at the machine that said "not a match" without blinking.
"Hey? You okay?"
"I'm fine," Xing Yu stepped away. "I think I need some sleep." Rubbing his forehead, he walked away.
The second prince glanced at the machine and then at his friend. 'This kid's hair is clearly black, while the royal bloodline only has blond hair. Why did Xing Yu think he was the one?' He pulled the hair out of the sample and tossed it away.
He then switched the machine off. The screen was still lit up after a minute. "It will turn off by itself." He walked out of the room. "Xing Yu, do you want some dumplings?"
The moment he walked out of the room, the machine let out a soft beep with a result: match found. Soon the screen went black, and the machine finally switched off.
The construction site:
Jian and his grandpa walked to the construction site in complete silence. The old man did not once look his way or say anything, but Jian knew he was overwhelmed with guilt.
"It's okay, Grandpa. I have you," he held his wrinkled palm tightly.
"I... I never noticed it. Why didn't I notice it before?" the man let out a soft sob.
"Grandpa," Jian hugged him tightly, dropping all his belongings on the road. "Don't cry, please."
In his past life or this life, he never once blamed the old man. The bullying happened so subtly. His grandmother would only hit him in places that were not visible. She would bully him either by starving him or locking him up in his room. How could the old man, who worked seven days a week, notice this? Even his teachers at school did not notice it; then how could he...
"My beloved grandson. I've failed you," the old man sobbed loudly, clinging to him tightly. "I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry."
Jian pulled him close. "Please don't cry. My heart hurts to see you cry." He blinked away his tears. "Look at me." He pulled the old man's face close. "I'm alive; that's all that matters. We... we can finally leave all that behind. Let's just leave."
The old man whimpered. "But Bian..."
"Bian has her..." he let out a sob. "And I want you, Grandpa. I want you. Is it okay to be selfish? I want you to be my grandpa alone."
"Oh, my darling," the old man kissed his forehead. "I'll be yours alone. I... I'll leave her." The old man resolutely whispered.
He had already made the decision at heart. He cannot let his precious grandson live with her anymore. Years and years, he had tolerated her harsh words and her ruffian-like behavior. But he had mistakenly thought she only treated him that way.
He never knew she laid hands on his grandson.
After years of being together, he was finally willing to leave her.
"I will send her monthly allowances, Bian's school fees, and everything. I will take care of it." He gently cupped his sobbing grandson's face. The poor child's hand had blue and black swollen eyes. 'Now I have to concentrate on my other child who needs me.' He kissed him again. "Shh, it's okay. Grandpa is here. I will never let anyone hurt you again."
Jian whimpered. "Grandpa," he hugged him tightly.
"Whoa there, don't break my bones." The old man chuckled and picked up the small cloth makeshift bags. "Let's get to the site before your lunch break is over. I still have a lot of work to do."
Jian hurriedly wiped his tears away. "Okay... Thank you... thank you for choosing me."
The old man laughed. "I will always choose you, my child. Come," he gently guided him into the construction site.