Slow to mature after marriage

Zhou Xubai stared at the girl on TV, unable to look away for a long time.

She was so different from the sister he remembered—An'an was lively and cheerful as a child, always laughing and playing, like a little butterfly that never stopped. The woman on TV, however, was calm and indifferent, dissecting corpses without blinking, exuding an aura of unapproachability.

Over the years, he has searched for his sister for far too long. Countless times he has been wrongly accused, each time rushing there full of hope, only to return disappointed each time. After so many times, he even began to fear the very act of "confirmation."

What if it isn't?

On television, the camera zoomed in, and the name tag pinned to her chest was clearly visible.

Mu Siwan.

Beijing North City Appraisal Center.

Zhou Shuyan's gaze remained fixed on the woman on the screen, never wavering.

Over the years, his hair has turned mostly white since his daughter went missing, and the wrinkles on his face are much deeper than those of people his age. His wife's illness has been recurring, and the laughter in his home has long since disappeared. It's not that he hasn't had hope, but he's had hope so many times that he no longer dares to believe it easily.

But even with only a sliver of hope, he didn't want to give up.

"That's enough." Zhou Shuyan leaned back on the sofa, his voice low and strained. "I'll stay home and take care of Qingqing. You go to the Beijing North City Identification Center and see the child. What if... what if this child is Yu'an?"

Zhou Xubai stared at the frozen face on the television screen and nodded.

"Yes, Father, I'll go right away."

The television program paused, and the girl stood quietly before the dissection table, scalpel in hand, her gaze fixed straight ahead. It was as if she were watching them from behind the screen.

Zhou Xubai stared at the nameplate on her chest and whispered the name.

"Mu Siwan".

Mu Siwan.

If you really are my sister, then how have you been all these years?

-

The plane landed in northern Beijing at 3 p.m.

Zhou Xubai walked out of the arrival hall alone, carrying his briefcase, without an assistant. The sky over northern Beijing was hazy and gray, unlike the blue he was used to seeing in Haicheng. The air was dry and cold, reminding him of his younger sister's nosebleeds during seasonal changes when she was a child.

If my younger sister has lived in Beijing all these years, wouldn't she find it difficult to adapt and have a hard time?

My phone vibrated.

The assistant's voice came from the other end: "President Zhou, Mr. Bo's assistant from Yanhe International called and said that Mr. Bo has something important to discuss with you. You can choose between Beijing or Haicheng, whichever is more convenient for you. He is very sincere."

Zhou Xubai paused slightly.

Yanhe International, Thin Inkstone.

The Bo family, a leading enterprise in northern Beijing, has been entrenched there for three generations, with deep roots and a complex web of influence. If Mu Siwan is indeed Zhou Yu'an, then cultivating a good relationship with Bo Yan, allowing him to understand his sister's experiences over the years, will only bring benefits, not harm.

"Reply to him that I'm in Beijing and we can schedule a time to discuss cooperation." Zhou Xubai paused, his gaze falling on the bright sunlight at the airport exit. "But before that, I need to go to the Beijing Appraisal Center first."

He desperately wanted to know if Mu Siwan was really his sister.

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Xubai stood in the bustling arrival hall, his hands in his trench coat pockets, his fingertips unconsciously clutching a missing person poster folded twice, the edges frayed.

He carried that piece of paper with him for many years.

He walked out of the airport, hailed a taxi, and gave the address of the Beijing North City Appraisal Center. The scenery outside the car window changed from the highway to the city, and from the city to the old town, with plane trees flashing past one after another. His hands remained in his pockets, clutching the piece of paper, his fingertips repeatedly tracing the outline of the little girl on the paper.

The car stopped.

Zhou Xubai paid the fare, got out of the car, and looked up—

The doors of the testing center were tightly closed.

Zhou Xubai stood there for a moment before realizing that it was Saturday, a day when public officials were not supposed to work.

He was stunned, then couldn't help but laugh. He was almost thirty, yet he acted like a young lad, rushing ahead without even checking the date.

So be it. He's waited all these years, what's a couple more days?

Suppressing his disappointment, Zhou Xubai folded the missing person poster again, put it back in his pocket, and turned to leave.

-

It was late at night when Bo Yan returned.

The living room lights were set to a warm yellow, the TV was on, and the volume was very low. No one was listening to what was playing, but there was a human voice in the background, so it wasn't too quiet.

Mu Siwan was curled up on the sofa, a blanket draped over her, her hair loose on the cushions, her breathing even. On the coffee table lay a half-read book, the one she had been reading recently, "Atlas of Forensic Pathology," with a bone bookmark pinned to the center.

It was brought back to her by Bo Yan from his last business trip.

Bo Yan changed his shoes, walked over, and bent down to look at her sleeping face.

Her eyelashes drooped quietly, casting a small shadow on the bridge of her nose, and her lips were slightly pursed. Unlike when she was awake, she was not cold and aloof, but rather like a cat that had retracted its claws.

Bo Yan's expression softened.

He bent down, slipping one hand under her shoulder and the other under her knees, and lifted her up from the sofa. Mu Siwan's body slid softly into his arms, her nose brushing against his shirt collar, as if confirming his scent.

"Why aren't you sleeping in bed?" His voice was low, close to her forehead. "Didn't I tell you I had to work overtime today?"

Mu Siwan opened her eyes groggily, her pupils focusing for several seconds before she could make out his face. She didn't struggle; instead, she snuggled closer to him, finding a more comfortable sleeping position.

"I have something to tell you." Her voice was soft and muffled, still slightly sleepy.

"Hmm?" Bo Yan carried her up the stairs, taking slow, unhurried steps.

Mu Siwan closed her eyes. "I want to have my blood donated and put into the database. I want to see if I can find my biological parents."

Bo Yan paused for a moment, then looked down at her with gentle eyes.

"Have you thought it through?"

Mu Siwan nodded, yawned, and kept her eyes closed: "I've thought it through."

"Okay," he said. "I'll go with you."

-

After showering, Mu Siwan turned over, leaving her back to him, curling up in her most comfortable position as usual. Bo Yan's arms wrapped around her from behind, pulling her into his embrace, his chin resting on the top of her head.

The bedroom fell silent, save for the hum of the air conditioner and the mingled breaths of the two people.

Bo Yan did not close his eyes.

He stared at the back of the woman's head peeking out from under the covers, his thoughts churning. She had mentioned wanting to donate blood to the database today, so casually. But he knew what it meant to her. The person who had once piled up all the "what ifs" into a mountain, burying herself under it, afraid to move, had tonight easily toppled that mountain.

He originally intended to wait until he had met Zhou Xubai, done the paternity test, and everything had settled down, and he had confirmed the Zhou family's attitude, before discussing this matter with Mu Siwan. He was afraid that she wouldn't be able to bear another disappointment, and that she would retreat into her shell after her hopes were dashed.

But his darling—Bo Yan lowered his eyes, looking at her peaceful sleeping face—was always a little braver than he had imagined.

She didn't seem to need him to shield her from all the storms of life. She just needed him to stand by her side.

Seemingly noticing his gaze, Mu Siwan slowly opened her eyes.

She turned around, looked up at him, her eyes no longer hazy from just waking up, but clear, sharp, and with the calm and focus one would expect from a forensic pathologist. "Is there something you want to tell me, Bo Yan?"