Chapter 2

At the thought of these two possibilities, my back felt like someone had poured a bucket of ice water over it, chilling me from head to toe.

I slowly raised my head to look at Ethan.

His face still wore a smile.

I tentatively asked:

"Ethan, could this report be fake?"

"What if someone deliberately stole our daughter and made a fake report to deceive you..."

He interrupted me with a laugh,

"Honey, you must be scared from that mix-up earlier. I promise, this time it's definitely real."

He took our daughter and sat on the sofa, gently playing with her little face.

"I already reported it to the police at the hospital. The DNA testing agency has a long-term partnership with the police. The results can't be wrong."

"Plus, look how this baby resembles both you and me, and the birthmark is there too. It can't be wrong."

He looked up and smiled at me:

"Stop scaring yourself."

I stared intently into his eyes and said, word by word:

"But my Blood Guanyin pendant hasn't turned red!"

"Don't you remember? I told you before that if I encounter a blood relative, this pendant will turn red."

Ethan was clearly stunned for just a moment.

Then he laughed, louder than before:

"Honey, and you're a college professor—you actually believe in this stuff! How could such mystical things exist in this world!"

"Besides, I already did a paternity test with this baby. She's definitely ours!"

He stood up and pushed me toward the bedroom,

"Stop overthinking. The doctor told me to hurry and get the baby vaccinated. Go get ready, we're leaving soon."

I don't know if it was just my imagination,

but for a split second, I saw Ethan habitually pinch his fingers.

And when he did that gesture,

it meant he was nervous or lying.

I said nothing more.

With the mix-up that just happened, maybe he was nervous too.

Perhaps he was right.

I'd worn this pendant from age six until now—twenty years—and it had never turned red.

Maybe it was just a hopeful story the orphanage teacher left us, a beautiful lie.

I slowly pushed down the unease in my heart, held my daughter, and left with my husband.

The community health center wasn't crowded.

I was filling out forms with my head down when a familiar voice suddenly came from behind me.

"Rain!"

I whipped my head around.

It was someone I grew up with at the orphanage.

Her name was Vivi, and she was smiling at me.

"Rain! I can't believe we live in the same community! Did you have a boy or a girl?"

"A girl."

Her eyes lit up:

"I'm so happy. We finally both have our own blood relatives."

My eyes welled up as I nodded emphatically.

Just then, her husband walked over holding their baby and came up beside her.

My gaze inadvertently fell on her neck.

I suddenly noticed the Blood Guanyin pendant was turning red, bit by bit.

I stood frozen like I'd been struck by lightning.

So this pendant really does turn red when near blood relatives.

So the Miao teacher from the orphanage hadn't lied to us.

My breathing became rapid. My chest felt like something was blocking it, getting tighter and tighter.

Could it be that the baby my husband brought back really wasn't my daughter?

But if that wasn't my daughter,

then where was my daughter?

Just as I stood there in a daze, my husband walked over holding our daughter and took my hand to leave.

Looking at the pendant around my neck that still hadn't changed color,

I pushed his hand away and stared hard at my husband, demanding:

"Whose bastard child is this?"

"Where exactly is my daughter?"