The yellowed stationery was thin and brittle. Lin Hanzhi dared not grip it too firmly for fear of damaging it, yet his fingertips could not stop trembling.
Suddenly, a tiny slip of paper fluttered toward the ground with his movement.
The path was paved with bluestone slabs already soaked by the rain. If the paper landed on them, its writing would surely blur. Lin Hanzhi swiftly caught it and instinctively glanced down at its contents, only to freeze as though struck by lightning.
There, on the small piece of stiff black-and-white paper, was a familiar teenage face. The contours of its cheeks and its features bore a striking resemblance to Lin Hanzhi's. Anyone who saw it could tell that the person in the photograph must share some blood relation with him.
Lin Hanzhi's breathing grew rapid in the rain, and he instinctively moved closer to Qi Gu.
Holding the umbrella in one hand, Qi Gu wrapped his other arm around Lin Hanzhi's waist. He lowered his eyes to look and said calmly, "Is that your dad in the photo? You two really do look alike."
"Spirit Medium Ma must have kept this photo especially for you."
Lin Hanzhi murmured an acknowledgment. "Everyone else says so too."
His looks combined the best of both his parents. One glance made it clear whose child he was, as though he came with his own mark of authenticity. That was not a bad thing in itself, but far too many people at the Anomalous Affairs Bureau knew them, and far too many knew what had happened.
So whenever his parents' acquaintances saw him, regret and grief would naturally show on their faces.
Lin Hanzhi would always be affected, and his spirits would sink as well.
Suddenly, Qi Gu nudged Lin Hanzhi's elbow. "This is