"No need!" Xing Yuan said lazily, her tone casual.
From her reaction and voice, Pei Yu recognized her as the person from yesterday and immediately signaled to An Xun Jie.
"But, I really feel bad about it. I didn't even sleep well last night," Pei Yu said apologetically.
"Tsk, troublesome! I said I don't mind, and you don't have to either," Xing Yuan said coldly, hanging up the phone with evident impatience.
She didn't want to, and shouldn't, have any more to do with them.
"A'Yu, is it her?" As soon as the call ended, An Xun Jie leaned in eagerly.
"Yes! But she doesn't seem to want to interact with us much."
Pei Yu found this strange. If she was indeed the child who was abducted back then, why wouldn't she want to reunite with her family after learning her identity?
If not, why did she care about An Xun Jie? It couldn't possibly be a coincidence!
"Whether she wants to or not! I have to see her," An Xun Jie said firmly, then picked up his phone and dialed again.
"What is it you want?" Xing Yuan asked impatiently.
"I, can I meet you? There are some things that need to be clarified in person," An Xun Jie stammered.
Xing Yuan hesitated for a moment before agreeing.
She wasn't foolish; their demeanor clearly indicated they suspected her identity. If she didn't dispel their suspicions, they would likely never give up.
"This afternoon at three o'clock, at the cafe opposite your school. Let's meet there!"
"Okay, good." An Xun Jie smiled. "Then, see you soon!"
"Do you want me to accompany you?" Pei Yu asked worriedly.
An Xun Jie politely declined, "No! It's so close, and regardless of whether it's true or not, I still hope to meet her alone."
"Alright! If you need anything, just call me. I, I'm always here." When you need me.
An Xun Jie nodded, then returned to his dorm to change into a formal outfit.
When they met at the cafe, Xing Yuan, dressed casually, couldn't help but laugh at An Xun Jie, who looked like he was trying to portray himself as a successful person.
Her face was very recognizable. An Xun Jie spotted Xing Yuan immediately and eagerly walked over to sit opposite her.
He said nervously, "Thank you for agreeing to meet me."
"You're welcome. Actually, we've met before," Xing Yuan said with a slight smile.
"When?" An Xun Jie blinked in confusion.
Xing Yuan chuckled softly and reminded him, "At the bar! I even paid for your drinks. Did you forget so quickly?"
"It was you? I can't believe it. The difference between a girl wearing makeup and not wearing makeup is really that significant!" An Xun Jie exclaimed.
He then couldn't resist criticizing Xing Yuan's taste, "The makeup you wore back then was really ugly."
Xing Yuan gave him a faint look and said softly, "Yes! Because I saw you then. As you've discovered, we look very alike, so much so that I can't find a reason to say we have no connection."
"So you also think we have a connection?" An Xun Jie became excited and, without any reservation, began to talk about his sister.
Xing Yuan interrupted him, saying earnestly, "To be honest, I don't care whether I truly have a connection with you or not, and I don't want to know. So, I apologize, but I can't play this game with you."
"But Mom and Dad miss you dearly. Of course, it's possible it's not you. Regardless, I hope you can do me a favor and take a paternity test with me.
If it turns out it's not you, then your wish will be fulfilled, and I won't bother you anymore. I'll continue to search for my sister. If it is you, then I hope you'll come home with me. Mom and Dad miss you very much. Their greatest wish is to see you return home safe and sound."
An Xun Jie was very emotional, but the person opposite him, who was potentially his sister, remained unusually calm.
"What difference does it make if it is or isn't? Even if I am, do you know what I've been through all these years, or what kind of person I am now? You might as well consider her dead. After all, even if you find her, she might not be the person you expect." Xing Yuan said calmly.
"You can't say that!" An Xun Jie rebuked, but looking at Xing Yuan's face, his tone softened. "No matter what she's been through, or what kind of person she is now, she's our family. We will unconditionally accept her."
Xing Yuan frowned and gave a bitter smile inwardly. It was precisely because of this that she didn't want to go back!
After a moment of silence, Xing Yuan gritted her teeth, as if making a decision, her eyes firm. "Let's talk somewhere else!"
As if sensing something, An Xun Jie nodded. "Okay!"
Soon, the two entered a KTV and booked a private room.
Xing Yuan checked the room, then turned up the music volume and lit a cigarette, taking a puff.
Amidst the swirling smoke, Xing Yuan closed her eyes and said calmly, "If we're judging by blood relation, then yes, I am related to you by blood."
An Xun Jie, eager to speak, was directly interrupted by Xing Yuan.
"But I've been living abroad all these years, and it hasn't been a clean life. I started suspecting when I saw you at the bar last time, so I secretly took a hair sample from you for a test. It showed a blood relation. If your family doesn't have any other missing children, then I should be your sister.
However, I won't go back. You should also pretend you never met me. Or, I can cooperate with you to put on a show, letting everyone know that your sister is no longer alive. That way, your parents should be able to give up hope." Xing Yuan said with a firm tone.
An Xun Jie's lips trembled, unsure if it was from anger or urgency. Finally, he managed to say only one sentence, "Why?"
Xing Yuan simply shook her head. "Perhaps you'll understand someday."
"Are you blaming them? But it wasn't intentional back then. You can't..." An Xun Jie's eyes turned bloodshot as he stared intently at Xing Yuan.
Xing Yuan sighed, rubbed her temples, and said helplessly, "I don't blame them, but I can't go back either. I could give you many excuses to lie to you, but I don't want to today. Please respect me this once!"
"If you're willing, we can be friends in the future. I'm also willing to provide financial support for their old age, but anything more, I truly cannot do. This is my bottom line," Xing Yuan stated firmly.
Their gazes met for a moment, and An Xun Jie conceded, nodding in silence. "Okay! I can understand your difficulties. However, some things are better seen than heard.
Give me a blood sample. I need to run another test."