Chapter 276

He shrugged, looking rather helpless and disdainful. Hua Xin hesitated, seemingly unsure how to continue the conversation. A while ago, she called Xia Yan, but he didn't answer. Then, incredibly, someone called her number. She initially thought it was some kind of spam call asking if she wanted to join their gaming guild or buy stocks... but it turned out to be this "old man" who had been missing for who knows how many years. Sometimes, so-called "fate" can be so unpredictable and particularly fond of playing tricks on people. Someone who had disappeared for over a decade without a trace suddenly reappeared. Hua Xin expected to feel surprise or anger, but when she actually saw him standing before her, all those feelings vanished, replaced by an unexpected calm. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. Since it had already happened and so much time had passed, what was the point of confrontation and argument? Let each get what they wanted. Oh, there seems to be one more thing... The girl's brows relaxed, and she asked with a hint of doubt, "What's your name again?" "..." Well, it wasn't that Hua Xin was deliberately causing trouble, but she genuinely didn't seem to have paid attention to it. She really couldn't remember his name; otherwise, she wouldn't have racked her brains for so long before managing to utter just a few words. After all, she couldn't keep calling out "Hey, hey," or addressing this man with the same bloodline as her without a name, could she? Although, it would still be impolite. Kind-hearted Hua Xin decided to remember his name first. Considering various factors, he probably shared the same surname as her, "Hua," right? Children taking their father's surname is quite common. But from what she could see... he didn't even seem to remember whether she was a boy or a girl when she was young, and aside from his initial surprise and confusion, he hadn't shown any other reaction to her... Meanwhile, the man sitting opposite Hua Xin was clearly also pondering this question. Didn't he have a son? Then who exactly was this beautiful girl standing before him? Even after all these years of seeing countless women, he couldn't help but feel a sense of astonishment. He'd seen everything from teenage girls to women in their fifties who still retained their charm, and he was quite knowledgeable about appearances. It was undeniable that she was his offspring; she was indeed very beautiful. If he weren't already married, he might have considered re-introducing this girl to his family. After all, she now appeared to be a completely normal person, unlike when she was a child with autism and other strange illnesses, making it impossible to stay in this family. Much more normal. Thankfully, she didn't immediately ask for child support; he had come prepared for that. But regarding her gender... perhaps he was mistaken? The voice he heard on the phone wasn't too different now, since voice isn't a reliable indicator of gender... but her face and long hair were. After careful consideration and recollection, he still couldn't recall when he had confirmed the sex of the child he had conceived years ago. He wasn't in the hospital when the child was born, and the registration and other procedures were handled by his parents, Hua Xin's grandparents. He and Hua Xin's mother were just looking for fun at the time, barely taking care of the child, let alone helping with childcare, bathing, or dressing. Besides, his parents were now deceased, and Hua Xin was alive and well right before his eyes. Who could he ask about something from so long ago? There must have been a mistake on the registration. There was definitely a reason for that. Whether it was a boy or a girl didn't really matter to him; he wasn't there for a sentimental father-daughter scene, but for money. He thought about it, and realized it was normal not to remember the name. So much time had passed. This time, he tried asking the previous neighbors, and it took quite a bit of effort to find Hua Xin's phone number. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths if it weren't for this house. "Hua Shanming." He paused, then continued, "Her Chen Yu." "Oh." Hua Xin nodded, saying nothing, her arms crossed, looking completely indifferent. It's already August. Back in June Hua Shanming called to inquire about this matter, but at the time, she almost hung up and blocked him. But what good would that do? This wasn't negotiation, it was notification. Perhaps, from a certain perspective, she was the stranger staying here, not the true owner of the house. After all, the property certificate was in the names of Hua Shanming and Chen Yu, not Hua Xin's. How she dealt with the house was none of her business; all she could do was see if she could get something she wanted from it. And Hua Xin didn't covet anything. Even though she had lived here for fourteen or fifteen years. Even a block of wood would probably have some feelings, right? "Tsk, this place really hasn't changed at all. It's exactly the same as it was more than ten years ago." "Don't worry, if you can sell it for a good price, you'll have ten thousand yuan." "So, is there any news about her?" Hua Shanming said with some emotion, but his last words still went back to Chen Yu's information. He should have known better than to put that woman's name on the property certificate in the first place. Hua Xin tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said calmly in a soft voice, "I'll know in a while." "Not too long." Although she didn't know where Chen Yu had gone, there was always a way to find her, right? It's hard to find someone who's missing, but you can definitely find someone who's living a normal life. At worst, she could just cry, make a scene, and threaten suicide at the police station, demanding to see her mother. Uncle Hat could probably find her biological parents through the public security system, right? Heh heh, she wasn't that weak person who was afraid of being arrested and dissected anymore. Hua Shanming nodded, not seeming to be in a hurry: "That's good." "Also, move out soon." "I also have a house in Shanghai. Just contact me if you have any news." The girl was stunned, her eyes trembling slightly. Then Hua Shanming, with his legs crossed, continued, "I've listed the property; people might come to see it." As he spoke, he looked around the room and its furnishings, shaking his head repeatedly. "Even a simple renovation will cost money; otherwise, who would buy something so shabby?"... Hua Xin opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but then remained silent, finally just lowering her head and smiling softly. It was unclear whether she was laughing at the fact that her house, where she had lived for over a decade, was being looked down upon as dilapidated, or at her impending homelessness. She didn't care about these things, but instead firmly raised her head, looking calmly at Hua Shanming: "Before that, go and process my conditions." Hua Xin paused. "Change my ID card."