Chapter 394: Chapter 394 They Successfully Conceive Hai Yue Bay.
Lin Zhiyi had just handed over the necklace she designed for Xiao Hanâs wife to him.
Xiao Han smiled and said, "Is Xingxing about to become a little celebrity?"
Lin Zhiyi was baffled. "What are you talking about?"
"My wife came across a video with Xingxingâs illustration. People are saying she looks like someone very famous, called... I canât remember the name."
After saying this, Xiao Hanâs attention shifted to the necklace in the box.
"Wow, Miss Lin, youâre really talented! I never thought a necklace of this quality could be bought for just two thousand bucks. My wife is going to love it."
He carefully closed the box and tucked it into the inner pocket of his jacket.
Lin Zhiyi was still pondering his earlier words. "Xiao Han, did you say Xingxingâs illustration?"
"The manga drawn by that âScreaming Missâ who stays at your inn. My wife thinks itâs hilarious. Everyone loves the new baby character; it looks about seventy to eighty percent like Xingxing. Since weâre so familiar with her, we immediately recognized it."
"What?" Lin Zhiyiâs scalp tingled with alarm as she grabbed Xiao Han. "Show me, show me now."
Xiao Han pulled out his phone and opened a few screenshots his wife had sent him. "Look, isnât it similar? Though the mouth doesnât seem quite the same. Xingxingâs mouth looks like yours."
Lin Zhiyi stared at the screenshots of a man holding a baby, alongside two other men. Her heart sank completely.
Without paying attention to Xiao Han, she turned and rushed into the inn.
"Liao Yi!"
"Hey hey hey! Whatâs wrong?"
Liao Yi, wearing cartoon fleece pajamas, came stumbling down the stairs.
Lin Zhiyi pulled out her phone. "What... what kind of manga have you been drawing? Wasnât it supposed to be workplace-themed?"
"Itâs a humorous workplace story, so itâs kind of workplace-related," Liao Yi replied guiltily, "I might have stretched it a bit, but isnât it just harmless fun?"
Lin Zhiyi gasped sharply. This was far from harmless â it was practically setting her life aflame.
Speechless for a moment, she furiously jabbed at the baby character in Zhou Zhaoâs arms on her phone screen.
Liao Yi hastily explained, "Donât worry; this baby is the younger sibling of the main female character. She was abandoned by a scumbag and gave birth to the baby. Since the older sister struggles, the younger brother helps out by occasionally taking care of the baby at work. Imagine three career men working together to babysit â hilarious, right? Besides, I specifically altered Xingxingâs facial features."
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhiyi felt the urge to pinch her own skin.
Liao Yiâs "alterations" only made the resemblance between Xingxing and Gong Chen more pronounced.
Couple that with the storyline involving the three men; if any of them happened upon this, theyâd figure everything out instantly.
Lin Zhiyi asked, still hoping for a miracle, "This manga isnât popular, right? Just like your previous ones?"
After all, Liao Yiâs track record was... nonexistent.
Liao Yi picked up an orange from the table, peeling it with flair and smiling smugly. "Iâm going viral!"
Lin Zhiyi froze on the spot.
She took a deep breath to calm herself. Li Huan and his two pals didnât seem the type to waste time on manga; chances were they wouldnât even know about it.
Just then, Liao Yi suddenly remembered something and turned to Lin Zhiyi. "By the way, yesterday morning, I got a call from an unfamiliar man. He was asking about the baby in the mangaâI instantly knew who he was."
Lin Zhiyiâs face went pale, her voice trembling. "Who?"
"Itâs got to be the scumbag who abandoned you," Liao Yi replied.
Lin Zhiyi frowned and asked anxiously, "What else did he say?"
"Just some questions about the baby. I didnât say anything and hung up right away. Sorry, I completely forgot about it after pulling an all-nighter."
Lin Zhiyi sternly cautioned, "Liao Yi, you cannot draw the baby anymore. As the mother, Iâm asking you to retract the manga involving her."
"Well..." Liao Yi hesitated, "A lot of people love Xingxing, and Iâve already altered her face. It shouldnât be linked to her in real life, right?"
The odds were too high!
Even Xiao Hanâs wife, who had only seen Xingxing a handful of times, immediately recognized her.
Lin Zhiyi didnât dare gamble. She insisted firmly, "Liao Yi, Iâm counting on you."
Although the manga depicted fictional characters, the resemblance between the baby and Xingxing wasnât absolute, and it didnât classify as a breach of likeness rights.
Fortunately, Liao Yi was fond of Xingxing, so he wouldnât make things difficult for Lin Zhiyi.
"Alright, Iâll make an announcement later and redesign the babyâs appearance."
"Okay."
Just as they finished speaking, the internet-connected TV in the innâs lobby cut to a trending news segment.
It showed Gong Chen supporting Sang Ran as she entered a hospital. Sang Ranâs movements were slow and deliberate.
The reporters speculated that their attempts to conceive had succeeded.
Lin Zhiyi stared at the screen, her throat tightening.
After she left, Old Mr. Gong frequently hinted at public events that the couple was actively trying to conceive.
Later, Sang Ran also confirmed this publicly.
It seemed they had finally succeeded.
Actually, Lin Zhiyi hadnât heard Gong Chenâs name in a long time; people in his social circle seemed far removed from ordinary life.
Unless one searched deliberately, even online algorithms rarely pushed news about him.
She hadnât expected to learn about him like this.
"What are you watching? So captivated."
A manâs gentle voice approached slowly.
Before Liao Yi could catch sight of Gong Chen on the TV, he turned around with a grin upon hearing the voice.
"Doctor Du, your timing is impeccable! You visit every week on this day. I wonât interruptâIâll head out to play with Xingxing at the entrance."
After giving birth, Lin Zhiyiâs energy noticeably declined, so she hired three employees.
Xingxing usually played by the accessories section near the entrance with the staff.
Lin Zhiyi looked at the visitor and awkwardly said, "Donât mind Liao Yiâs chatter. Back to see your parents?"
"Sort of," Du Qian replied ambiguously, his gaze fixed on Lin Zhiyi.
Lin Zhiyi quickly avoided his eyes, smiling. "Have a seat; Iâll pour you some tea."
"Alright."
Du Qian worked at a major hospital in Gang City and was originally from this small town, so he visited the local hospital every Saturday morning to see patients and check in on his parents.
Xingxingâs first episode happened when she was six months old. Lin Zhiyi was so terrified she was utterly lost. The local hospital couldnât diagnose her and immediately arranged a transfer.
When she rushed into the large hospital, Lin Zhiyi was already unable to speak.
The nurses couldnât get any clear answers, so they sought help from Du Qian, who was on duty at the time.
Seeing her dazed state, Du Qian arranged a hospital admission for her.
Later, Lin Zhiyi learned that Du Qian was also from Hai Yue Bay.
Every time Du Qian returned to town, he would check in on Xingxing.
Over time, the two became familiar with one another.
Reborn to Outshine My Ex and His White Moonlight ï¤Chapter 393: All Matched Up As Lin Zhiyi handed the tea to Du Qian, she noticed his eyes fixed on the TV.
Du Qian smiled and said, "When did you start following this stuff?"
Lin Zhiyi answered nonchalantly, "It just popped up on the TV, like a random ad."
"Third Young Masterâs face..." Du Qian said as if merely commenting.
"You arenât telling me youâve been reading Liao Yiâs manga too, are you?" Lin Zhiyi responded, shaking her head with a laugh. "Just a coincidence."
Du Qian nodded, then raised his hand to turn off the TV.
Returning to the main topic, he said, "I had my teacher review Xingxingâs recent follow-up report. The medication seems to be working well. As long as there are no complications, sheâll be eligible for her first cardiac repair surgery when she turns five. Later, there will be a second repair surgery when sheâs older."
The thought of Xingxing enduring such challenges weighed heavily on Lin Zhiyiâs heart.
Seeing her mood, Du Qian offered some reassurance. "Actually..."
Lin Zhiyi tensed up. "Actually what?"
Du Qian sighed. "If we can identify the cause of Xingxingâs heart condition, it might be more beneficial for treatment. You once mentioned that the childâs father had taken drugs before she was conceived. If it was just regular medication, it should generally be safe before pregnancy detection.
However, if it was something else, itâs hard to say. Since we canât pinpoint the cause right now, weâre speculating it might be connected to the drugs."
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhiyi fell into deep thought.
Although many years had passed, she vividly remembered Gong Chenâs madness that night, as if he had been a completely different person.
But in her past life, Xingxing was also conceived on the night Gong Chen was drugged. She was born without issues.
What exactly did Ye Feifei give Gong Chen?
Rebirth of a Village Girl ï¤Chapter 1123 - 286: Retribution, Recognizing Each Other_3 Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress ï¤Chapter 828 - 825: Prosperous Mountains and Rivers