Chapter 426: Homecoming Apprehension
Despite Xiao Ye's reassurances, Lin Chuxing still burst into tears. "If my existence will only bring you misfortune, then you shouldn't bother with me."
"I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me!"
Although she was in her twenties and had been exposed to the outside world through books and movies, her understanding was incredibly superficial.
Most importantly, she had precious little life experience.
She spent her days lying in a nutrient pod, and the only people she ever met were researchers who treated her like a test subject.
No one had ever been kind to her. It was no wonder she was crying, having to face such a shock right after escaping.
This proved that all those years of torment hadn't destroyed her kind nature; she had, against all odds, remained a good person.
"Don't worry, no one else will get hurt because of you," Xiao Ye said, his eyes filled with heartache as he looked at her.
'When Chuyue and the others see Lin Chuxing, their hearts will ache for her even more.'
He sat down and decided to tell Lin Chuxing things about her own life to distract her.
"Chuxing, you're actually from Dragon Country. That's your homeland."
Dragon Country...
A look of longing filled Lin Chuxing's eyes. "I know of Dragon Country. I've read many books and seen movies describing it. They say it's an ancient and mysterious nation!"
"That's right. It is ancient. Of the four great ancient civilizations, only Dragon Country remains today. We have five thousand years of continuous civilization to back us up."
"Not only that, Dragon Country is also widely recognized as the safest country in the world!"
Xiao Ye smiled faintly. "It's a very peaceful place. Most people live to old age in safety, civilians can't own dangerous weapons, and the bonds between neighbors and relatives are very strong."
"Your family loves you very much and misses you terribly. The suffering of your first twenty years was all to pave the way for a lifetime of happiness."
Lin Chuxing was a little frightened; after all, she had no idea what her family was like.
Nor did she know what she would face now that she had left the laboratory.
She felt completely insecure and knew far too little about the world.
To put her at ease, Xiao Ye began telling her about the Lin Family, about Dragon Country, and even about the imposter.
As expected, Lin Chuxing was captivated. "I know about clones. I just never thought they'd actually clone me."
She recalled something that had happened before. "They actually cloned me once at the very beginning, but the clone didn't have the same genetic mutation as me."
"So they destroyed my clone. I thought there weren't any left. Did... did she hurt my family?"
Xiao Ye shook his head. "It'd be a lie to say she hasn't. After all, she has a truly vicious personality, and she's been completely brainwashed."
"She's selfish and self-serving. She broke her parents' hearts and hurt her sister."
Lin Chuxing grew anxious. "Then... when I go back, will they even believe me?"
"Of course. You're their real daughter. They'll definitely be able to tell the difference."
'In truth, Jian Qiuyan and the others had their suspicions. That fake Chuxing was nothing like a child of theirs.'
'Even if you grow up in a poor environment, your core essence doesn't change.'
'And the fake Chuxing was fundamentally different from the Lin couple, down to her very bones.'
Lin Chuxing was still anxious. As the saying goes, the closer one gets to home, the more timid one becomes. That was exactly how she felt.
"Don't worry. I'll handle everything for you."
Xiao Ye stood up and patted her on the head. "We're family."
Lin Chuxing looked at him, an involuntary sense of attachment blooming in her heart. "Okay," she said. "I trust you."
Her body was weak, and between that and the emotional rollercoaster, Lin Chuxing quickly grew exhausted and fell asleep.
After giving a few more instructions, Xiao Ye turned and left.
'The Angel Association has eyes on me now, so to be safe, I can't send Lin Chuxing away yet. I need to wait a few more days.'
'I'll find the most suitable opportunity!'
Three days passed. The Angel Association still had no leads, let alone any sign of Lin Chuxing.
However, they weren't ones to be underestimated, and they began a systematic, grid-by-grid search.
But even if they turned the world upside down, they would never find a Dragon Country safe house.
「Another two days passed.」
The Angel Association finally calmed its efforts. Since they hadn't found any news after so many days, they decided there was no point in continuing to waste time, manpower, and resources.
Besides, they had a substitute now.
Sensing the Angel Association's relaxed vigilance, Xiao Ye immediately began to make his arrangements.
To ensure absolute security, General He mobilized a large number of personnel for the sole purpose of getting Lin Chuxing safely back home.
All preparations were in place.
A private jet, supposedly belonging to a wealthy businessman, took off after passing through numerous inspections.
Once it was confirmed that the plane had left the airspace of Country A.
A small, hidden door in the tail of the aircraft opened.
Several people emerged, pushing Lin Chuxing's nutrient pod.
"We're finally out of Country A. I just hope everything is going smoothly on Mr. Xiao's end."
Lin Chuxing gazed out the porthole, her heart heavy. She prayed silently, hoping everything would go smoothly for Xiao Ye.
「At the villa.」
Xiao Ye requested to return to his country.
Zhu Chen, however, seemed reluctant. "I don't want to go back. How long have we been here? Besides, we haven't even secured our footing in the Angel Association yet."
He suddenly chuckled. "Oh, I forgot. *You've* already secured your footing. You can go back by yourself. I'd rather stay here."
Xiao Ye sneered. "And you think staying here will benefit you?"
"It's better than following you. After all, the Angel Association has given your Xiao Family countless benefits, but they've given nothing to the Zhu Family."
"I don't know if it's because the Angel Association looks down on me, or because you've been secretly pocketing what should have belonged to the Zhu Family!"
Xiao Ye stared at him. "Think what you will."
The two parted on bad terms.
The members of the Angel Association, who were watching via surveillance, naturally witnessed the scene.
Although the two hadn't broken into a shouting match, anyone could see that a rift had formed between them. Their relationship would likely never be as good as it was before.
The Angel Association also reflected on their own shortcomings; it was true they hadn't offered the Zhu Family any benefits.
However, it wasn't too late to make amends. And with the Zhu Family staying behind, Xiao Ye no longer seemed so important.
Moreover, Xiao Ye was a ticking time bomb that could go off at any moment, hurting others as well as himself.
But the Zhu Family was different. Though they couldn't replace the Xiao Family now, that didn't mean they wouldn't be able to in the future!
Realizing this, the Angel Association immediately approved Xiao Ye's request to return to his country, while also making a point to keep Zhu Chen behind.
Their goal was to secretly cultivate the Zhu Family to compete against the Xiao Family in the future!
This was the result Xiao Ye had anticipated, and the entire purpose of their argument.