Chapter 125: The Paternity Test Results

"I'm just here for the odd jobs," Yibai said naturally. "Kitchen help. Thirty euros an hour—it's a pretty good deal."

All the designers participating in this competition were provided with boxed meals by the organizers. Thoughtfully, the organizers had even prepared catering that catered to the specific dietary habits and nationalities of each designer. Given such a massive and complex workload, it was only natural to hire plenty of extra hands.

Jiang Ciyou had no reason to doubt him. Instead, she looked at Yibai with appreciation. "That's impressive. You really manage to find ways to make money wherever you go."

Yibai scratched the back of his head and chuckled.

Annie asked with a touch of gossip, "Sister You, is everything they say online true? Are you really the daughter from a wealthy family who was swapped at birth?"

Jiang Ciyou nodded, not shying away from the topic. "That’s right."

"That’s just too much," Annie said indignantly. "They didn't give you anything, yet they used your talent to compete and build their own reputation. Sister You..." The kind-hearted Annie couldn't bring herself to finish. Sister You was just too pitiful—treated as nothing more than a tool for the family.

Jiang Ciyou seemed to read Annie’s mind. Her eyes sparkled with a bright smile. "Put away that sympathetic look. If I go back now, I can inherit twenty percent of the Jiang Group’s shares—no, actually, it should be forty percent now."

Jiang Ciyou recounted the details of the bet she had made with Jiang Xiaoxiao. Both Annie and Yibai were stunned. After a moment of shock, they gave Jiang Ciyou a thumbs-up, looking at her with undisguised admiration. It was no wonder the "real" daughter had lost her composure and had a breakdown at the competition; she had actually gambled away twenty percent of her shares.

After dinner, it was time to part ways. Jiang Ciyou had already booked her return flight. Yibai and Annie were both clearly reluctant to see her go.

"Sister You," Annie asked, "will I be able to see you again?"

Jiang Ciyou smiled. "Transportation is so convenient these days. If you ever come back to the country, you’re more than welcome to come find me."

Annie smiled and agreed.

"What about me?" Yibai suddenly interjected.

"What about you?" Jiang Ciyou asked, momentarily confused.

"Are you welcoming me, too, Sister?"

Jiang Ciyou chuckled. Perhaps it was because she had a little wine that evening, but she performed a gesture she had wanted to make since the first time she saw this tall boy. She stepped forward, stood on her tiptoes, and reached out to ruffle his fluffy blonde hair.

"Of course you're welcome, too," she said with a smile.

Yibai was visibly stunned by the touch, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he subtly leaned his head down, ever so slightly.

Jiang Ciyou only brushed her fingers over his hair briefly. It was just as soft and fluffy as she had imagined—like a puppy.

For some reason, whenever Jiang Ciyou saw Yibai, she was reminded of Bo Jinxu. Looking at this face, she could almost imagine what Bo Jinxu had been like in his youth. Handsome men always shared a certain resemblance.

Jiang Ciyou sighed inwardly. She did miss him—the way he was when they had first met, back in his "puppy" phase. He was much cuter then than the cold, arrogant, high-and-mighty CEO he was now.

Jiang Ciyou turned gracefully and waved. "Goodbye, you two."

The next morning, Jiang Ciyou boarded the flight home. It was another long journey of over ten hours. When the plane landed, it was exactly noon. She grabbed a quick bite at the airport and took a taxi directly to Xiao Hechuan’s private hospital.

The report should have been ready long ago, but because Jiang Ciyou had asked to receive the results from him personally upon her return, Xiao Hechuan had kept the findings to himself.

Jiang Ciyou walked to Xiao Hechuan’s office, familiar with the route. He was sitting at his desk reading a book. Seeing her arrive, he pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses. "Here for the report?"

Jiang Ciyou nodded. Xiao Hechuan pulled a file folder from his drawer and handed it to her.

Holding the folder, Jiang Ciyou hesitated for a brief moment. But quickly, she steadied her resolve and pulled the document out. She flipped straight to the final page to check the result.

*The degree of DNA mismatch between the specimens is high; there is no biological parent-child relationship.*

Jiang Ciyou felt as though her heart had been squeezed tight. It was as if a sword that had been hanging over her head had finally fallen. Although she had guessed the outcome, seeing the truth in black and white still sent a tremor through her.

She tucked the report back into the folder without changing her expression. She looked up at Xiao Hechuan. "Thank you, Dr. Xiao."

Xiao Hechuan noticed that something was wrong with her demeanor. "Is there nothing you want to say to me?"

Jiang Ciyou shook her head. "I don’t know where to start just yet. I need some time to process this on my own."

Xiao Hechuan nodded. "Understood. Come find me whenever you need to."

Stepping out of the private hospital, Jiang Ciyou looked up at the sky. Despite the bright sunshine, her heart felt icy and desolate. She had no blood relation to Yin Ruyun. Yin Ruyun was not her biological mother.

Why? Why was this happening?

Jiang Ciyou pondered this for a long time, but she couldn't find an answer. Yet, one thing was certain: Yin Ruyun could not have known she wasn't her biological daughter. Otherwise, she wouldn't have spoken so casually about blood types.

There was only one possibility. When Zhao Dacheng had swapped the babies in the nursery back then, he hadn't just swapped two families. It wasn't just two households that were victims. Perhaps it was three, four, five, or six... The situation was far too complex. But the only person who knew the truth, the mastermind Zhao Dacheng, was already dead.

For the first time, a deep sense of confusion took root in Jiang Ciyou’s heart. In truth, she had hoped that Yin Ruyun was her biological mother. At the very least, it would have meant she had a bond with someone in this world. Especially after learning that Yin Ruyun hadn't abandoned her intentionally, she had desperately wanted that connection—to know that there was someone in this world who would never give up on her.

A biological mother wouldn't abandon her own child, right? Just like how Yao Shulan hadn't given up on Jiang Xiaoxiao, even though she knew her daughter lacked integrity and was incapable of taking on responsibility...

But now, she was lost in a vast sea of uncertainty. She wasn't Yao Shulan’s daughter, nor was she Yin Ruyun’s daughter. Despite all the connections in this world, she had no link to anyone. Among the thousands of lights in the city, not one truly belonged to her.

Standing in the midst of the bustling world, she was suddenly enveloped by a massive sense of isolation, as if she were the only person left on earth. This loneliness felt like a poison, seeping into her marrow, her nerves, and her soul.

Jiang Ciyou wandered the commercial streets for the entire afternoon. Even though she was in the heart of the city—a place filled with life, crowds, and prosperity—she felt like a wandering ghost, hidden away from it all.