Chapter 143

“You… how could you think that?”

Hearing Li Ang’s words, Anna felt the world spin wildly, nearly collapsing outright, but she clung to her last hope and struggled to speak:

“Brother, didn’t you see the photos? You look just like Mom, and your hair and eye color are exactly like Dad’s…”

“Hmm, yes, they’re very similar.”

Li Ang nodded at this, speaking with complete honesty:

“Precisely because we look so much alike, I never doubted it before—but last week, on a field assignment, I went to the Lyne family’s genealogy room and saw a lot of things.”

“Anna, unlike me who has no memories, you should know that Grandfather came from the Lyne family, and our surname didn’t come from some Lyne County—it’s from that ducal family on Redwood Avenue, right?”

“Yes…”

Seeing that Li Ang had even uncovered this, the frail girl turned pale, then bit her lip and nodded:

“I… I didn’t mean to hide it from you. Grandfather said that because of a struggle over the title or something, he made many deadly enemies, and barely escaped the capital—he told us never to contact them…”

“Hmm, I believe you.”

After putting on his shoes and standing up, Li Ang looked at his pale-faced sister, stepped forward silently, and gave her another deep embrace, his voice calm:

“But I also hope you can believe me.”

“I…”

“It’s fine. Everyone has secrets they don’t want others to know. I have secrets I’ve kept from you too—but that doesn’t stop me from seeing you as family.”

After gently stroking Anna’s hair, Li Ang ended the hug and softly cupped her cheeks, gazing into her eyes with utmost seriousness:

“I don’t know what kind of person you consider family, but for me, blood ties aren’t the only condition—even not a necessary one.”

“From a selfish standpoint, the person I most want to share my joy with, the one I turn to when I’m in pain—that’s my family. And the first person I ever think of is always you.”

“Brother…”

“I’m here—but I’m about to leave.”

Seeing his sister’s eyes reddening and even her nose turning pink, Li Ang smiled, playfully pinched her reddened nose, then stepped back, picked up his things, and opened the door to leave.

“Ah! Wait for me!”

As Anna, still flustered, wiped away her tears and took a step forward to see him off, Li Ang suddenly turned back and asked:

“By the way, what did you say to me before I came in?”

“Huh?”

“What do you mean ‘huh’? You told me that no matter what, if I ever got tired, I should come home—you’d always be waiting for me…”

Repeating Anna’s words, Li Ang frowned, sounding displeased:

“You’ve got to keep your word. Whether or not we’re related, whether or not I’m your real brother—if I come back, you can’t kick me out!”

“Brother… you’re really…”

Wiping her eyes, the frail girl laughed through her tears and shook her head, half-scolding:

“What kind of silly thing is that? How could I ever kick you out?”

“Better not. But even if you did, I’d never leave.”

Kicking Anna’s shoes a little farther inside and stopping her from seeing him off, Li Ang waved at her—as if her heart had finally unknotted—and walked downstairs with his blanket and shopping bag.

After Li Ang left, Anna quietly closed the door and hurried to the window, staring without blinking at his figure until he boarded a carriage and vanished around the corner with the sound of a whistle, then reluctantly pulled her gaze away.

Maybe… the worst scenario she feared wouldn’t happen after all? Even if he knew what she’d done, he might not…

“Tap. Tap-tap.”

At that moment, a slightly heavy knock came at the door, startling Anna. After steadying herself, she rose and asked through the door:

“Who’s there?”

“I… I suppose I’m your friend.”

With a light tap on the lock, the lock clicked open with a crisp sound. A man in a black robe, wearing a wide-brimmed hat that obscured his face, stepped inside, nodded at the terrified Anna, and greeted her in a cold, rigid tone:

“It’s been nearly six years, Miss Anna. How have you been lately?”

Six years?

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Hearing that keyword, and seeing the man with narrow, elongated eyes who, even when forcing a smile, still wore a faint “weeping” expression, Anna suddenly realized:

“You… you’re the man from the photo studio!”

“Yes, it’s me.”

Removing his hat and placing it over his chest, the man with the Tianshengkuxiang bowed slightly in a gentleman’s gesture, then politely, coldly apologized:

“Forgive the intrusion. I came to visit you with no other intent than to see how you’ve been… May I ask, was the man who just left the family you chose for yourself?”

Hearing the man’s words, Anna’s face turned instantly pale. She clenched her lips tightly and nodded stiffly.

“Yes…”

“Husband?”

“He’s my brother…”

“My apologies.”

Watching the man offer a hollow apology, his expression still rigid, he continued:

“Sorry for eavesdropping on your conversation. It seems you’ve gotten along well these past years. So you must be satisfied with the item I gave you, correct?”

“….”

“Miss Anna, please don’t be so tense…”

Seeing Anna grow even paler, the man’s icy voice carried a hint of resignation.

“I truly mean no harm by coming here. I only wish to check on the condition of that item. I opened the lock rudely only because I feared you wouldn’t open the door.”

After explaining his purpose, as if to reassure her, the man stepped back several paces until he reached the door, then extended his palm politely:

“If you don’t mind, could you please retrieve the item I gave you, so I may inspect it briefly?”

Seeing he truly meant no harm, Anna breathed a faint sigh of relief, then shook her head firmly, her expression tinged with apology:

“I could have, but I just realized—I seem to have lost the photograph…” ???

Lost? How could it be lost?

For a high-numbered test subject like this, I’ve embedded more than one binding command. Even if torn, crumpled, or burned to ash, it should have reappeared beside you!

…

Faced with an unexpected answer, the black-robed man was momentarily stunned.

He stared into Anna’s eyes, used some method to confirm she wasn’t lying, then narrowed his eyes and sighed wearily:

“Then there’s nothing to be done… Very well. Since the item is lost, could you tell me what’s happened these past few years?”