Lin Chen woke up feeling groggy.

Before his eyelids were fully open, the distant and persistent calling gradually drew near his ears.

“Little Uncle. Little Uncle. Little Uncle…”

The calls were extremely stiff, as if shouted by the body’s instinct.

One after another, low and pleading, they had been continuously falling on his ears from the moment he regained consciousness.

His fingers twitched slightly.

A stiff and cold palm tightly grasped his fingers. The palm was trembling, using a force so great that the person probably didn’t even realize it.

Lin Chen struggled to open his eyes, and the familiar white ceiling of the hospital came into view.

His gaze fell to his side. Right beside his hospital bed, Cheng Huanzhen had dark circles under his eyes and looked exceptionally haggard, but his eyes were firmly fixed on him.

The calls became hoarse.

“Little Uncle. Little Uncle. Little Uncle. Little Uncle…!”

Lin Chen gently held Cheng Huanzhen’s hand back.

His other palm struggled to lift and landed on Cheng Huanzhen’s cheek.

Fingertips gently brushing over the corner of his eye, Lin Chen spoke softly: “Long time no see, A’Zhen. Sorry for making you worry again. I’m back.”

As his voice fell, his fingertips felt cold droplets of water.

Cheng Huanzhen stared at him fixedly, but it was as if he hadn’t heard the sentence.

His voice became hoarse, whispering but forcefully, sobbing while stubbornly repeating: “Little Uncle. Little Uncle. Little Uncle. Little Uncle…”

Lin Chen sighed softly.

His body wasn’t that comfortable due to the 100 energy points. But because he only spent 100 energy, his physiological values could at most be adjusted to a 38-degree fever state.

His body felt a bit weak, but not truly weak. At least he could struggle to prop himself up, then hook Cheng Huanzhen’s neck and pull him into his embrace.

The young man’s head buried into the familiar crook of his neck.

But his whole body remained stiff as wood, and the sad and aggrieved “Little Uncle” calls were still stubbornly recited in the crook of his neck.

Lin Chen lowered his head, gently kissed Cheng Huanzhen’s forehead, and ran his fingers through the hair at the back of his head.

He coaxed Cheng Huanzhen: “If you miss me, open your arms and hug me. If you’re unhappy, look up and kiss me. It was wrong of me to make you worry, A’Zhen, but don’t stop talking or moving, okay?”

A cold and wet sensation landed in the crook of his neck.

Cheng Huanzhen was silent for a moment, finally slowly raising his hands and stiffly embracing his waist.

The young man finally raised his head. His eyes were red, filled with tears, staring straight at Lin Chen, finally speaking hoarsely, uttering words other than “Little Uncle”.

“You were missing for twenty-one days, Little Uncle.”

“…No news at all. Didn’t answer calls, didn’t reply to messages, no one could contact you. The police couldn’t find you, surveillance cameras couldn’t find you, only your bag and phone were left where you disappeared!”

“I thought you were kidnapped, Little Uncle. I was so worried about you. I thought you… you met with some mishap. I was so worried about you, Little Uncle!”

Cheng Huanzhen sobbed hoarsely.

The arms around his waist tightened. With red eyes, he kissed Lin Chen’s lips, nose tip, eyelids, cheeks, and earlobes, then uncontrollably buried himself in Lin Chen’s neck again.

He said hoarsely: “Little Uncle, I was so worried about you.”

Lin Chen stroked the back of his head slowly, one stroke after another.

Gently coaxing him, he said: “Don’t be afraid, A’Zhen, I’m back. I promise, the same thing won’t happen next time.”

But the young man in the crook of his neck didn’t lift his head. His shoulders trembled, and tears completely soaked his shoulder.

Lin Chen had to cup his face with his hands.

He lifted Cheng Huanzhen from his neck, kissed his tears, and then kissed his eyes.

This was the first time he did this; Cheng Huanzhen’s gaze instantly became dazed.

Lin Chen held his head to be level with his own and said to him seriously: “Come on, A’Zhen. Let’s start over. Long time no see, did you miss me?”

Cheng Huanzhen gazed at him silently. After a moment, he replied muffledly, lowly, and hoarsely: “Yes, Little Uncle. Welcome back, I… missed you very much.”

Lin Chen smiled happily: “Great answer, I missed you too.”

He sighed softly, pulled Cheng Huanzhen into his arms, and said: “I thought when I came back this time, you might revert to your old self… but you didn’t. You are very strong, you are amazing, A’Zhen.”

Lin Chen paused and said: “As a reward, let me tell you a story.”

So, Lin Chen told a story about a mysterious national agent who lived among the crowd as an ordinary person, but when needed, had to hide his identity and disappear suddenly to execute secret missions at any time.

“…But I have already submitted an application to the organization. After all, I’m not single anymore. If I need to leave for a secret mission next time, I will definitely tell you in advance and won’t make you worry for nothing…”

Before he could finish, Cheng Huanzhen blocked his mouth.

Droplets fell on his cheek one by one. The tip of his tongue rudely collided and entangled between his lips and teeth for three seconds. Cheng Huanzhen slightly released his mouth and said hoarsely: “Little Uncle, you are coaxing me like a child.”

Lin Chen tried to explain: “I…”

Before the words came out, he was blocked again.

Cheng Huanzhen lowered his eyes sadly and kissed him. The arms around his waist held him tightly, as if wanting to stick him to his body and melt him into it.

Lin Chen deliberately induced a fever, so he felt dizzy from the kissing almost immediately.

Facts proved that the 100 energy points were well spent because Cheng Huanzhen would always be much softer towards him when he was sick.

As soon as this feeling appeared, Cheng Huanzhen’s tongue immediately retreated.

Cheng Huanzhen said hoarsely: “Breathe, Little Uncle.”

Lin Chen blinked and breathed subconsciously.

Just as the dizziness symptom was relieved, he heard Cheng Huanzhen say: “Kiss, Little Uncle.”

Lin Chen: “Wai…!”

Before he could finish a word, their tongues entangled again. Body temperatures exchanged. The tears falling on his cheek had partially dried, and fresh, wet tears quickly covered the dried tear tracks.

Finally, after an unknown amount of time kissing, the tears stopped refreshing.

Cheng Huanzhen released his mouth again, staring fixedly at Lin Chen, and whispered: “So, no one kidnapped you, Little Uncle. You weren’t hurt at all, were you?”

Lin Chen was quiet for a moment and said: “Yes, I wasn’t hurt at all.”

Cheng Huanzhen said softly: “Not hurt, that’s good.”

Pausing, he sighed softly and lengthily, resting his chin on Lin Chen’s shoulder, and repeated: “That’s good.”

Just then, footsteps suddenly sounded in the corridor outside the ward.

Lin Chen immediately wanted to push Cheng Huanzhen away. But Cheng Huanzhen hugged his waist tightly, not letting him push him away.

Cheng Huanzhen said seriously: “Little Uncle, I have already told Grandfather. From now on, we can be together openly.”

Before Lin Chen could answer, the footsteps were already close.

A polite knock came from the door. The sound seemed timid and hesitant, soft and gentle, but oddly firm in the act of “knocking”.

It was already late, probably past midnight.

Even though Cheng Huanzhen had informed others about Lin Chen being found, ordinary people wouldn’t choose to visit at this time.

The knock was too polite; Lin Chen was really embarrassed to let someone come in and see them sticking together like this.

He used some force to tear Cheng Huanzhen off himself, coaxed him with a “be good”, and said towards the outside: “Come in.”

The ward door opened.

The visitor was someone somewhat unexpected to Lin Chen.

—Lin Ruyan.

Lin Ruyan didn’t look right.

As soon as he entered the ward, his gaze fixed on Lin Chen. Staring for a full three seconds, he suddenly realized the inappropriateness of his behavior.

Lin Ruyan blinked quickly and greeted the two softly: “Mr. Lin, welcome back. It’s great that you’re okay. Hello Huanzhen, sorry to visit you so late.”

Cheng Huanzhen was very unhappy that his alone time with Little Uncle was interrupted, but seeing it was Lin Ruyan, he didn’t show this unhappiness too obviously.

He stood up politely, greeted Lin Ruyan, pulled a chair from the side for him to sit down, and then sat back beside Lin Chen.

Cheng Huanzhen explained to Lin Chen: “During this time, Ruyan has been helping me look for your whereabouts.”

He paused, lowered his voice, and whispered to Lin Chen: “Xiuyi, Fang Ji, Yunhui, Wenyan, they were all helping me look for you together.”

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow, but obviously, this wasn’t the right time to ask in detail.

He nodded to signal Cheng Huanzhen that he knew, then turned his gaze to Lin Ruyan.

Lin Ruyan put the fruits on the table and sat by the hospital bed, looking preoccupied, seeming to have a belly full of words to say, but when meeting his eyes, he hesitated and only asked one sentence: “Mr. Lin, where have you been during this time? You didn’t encounter any… life danger, right?”

Lin Chen: “Thanks for your concern. Sorry for making you worry. It’s hard to explain my whereabouts during this time, but please rest assured, no one kidnapped me, and I wasn’t hurt.”

He paused and asked Lin Ruyan directly: “Coming to see me so late, you probably have other things you want to tell me.”

Lin Ruyan: “…”

Lin Ruyan smiled bitterly: “You saw through me. Yes, Mr. Lin, I have some private matters I want to talk to you about.”

He glanced hesitantly at Cheng Huanzhen.

Cheng Huanzhen said expressionlessly: “I won’t disturb you here.”

Lin Chen thought for a moment and said gently to Cheng Huanzhen: “This is a hospital, I won’t disappear suddenly. I promise you, okay? Just wait for me outside for a while.”

Cheng Huanzhen kept a tense expression, staring at Lin Chen unhappily.

After a silent confrontation for five seconds, Cheng Huanzhen lowered his eyes dejectedly, reluctantly took the tablet, and said: “Call me if you need anything. I’m always here.”

Cheng Huanzhen turned and left, leaving only Lin Chen and Lin Ruyan in the ward.

Lin Chen signaled Lin Ruyan gently and patiently, saying: “You can speak now.”

Lin Ruyan gazed at Lin Chen with a complex expression, took a deep breath, and said: “I am Mr. He’s most trusted confidant, so I went to help him with that matter. I went to the police station to handle some things for him, and then… I saw Dad.”

Lin Chen understood the complex look in Lin Ruyan’s eyes. It was sadness, confusion, joy, and melancholy.

Lin Ruyan’s fingers unconsciously rolled the hem of his clothes round and round, but his voice was steady. He whispered: “I asked him about what happened. He told me that the person he saw first was you…”

“Brother.”

He called out softly.

Lin Chen wasn’t too surprised by this.

As early as when he chose to pull the original body’s father into the game to deal with him, he had thought of a hundred ways to separate the two identities again.

But at this moment, he didn’t do so. Instead, he was quiet for a moment and said: “Your brother is Lin Chen (original body).”

Lin Ruyan’s gaze instantly became sad and sorrowful. He asked dejectedly: “…Why?”

Lin Chen didn’t answer his question but continued: “I know, you think he and I are the same person—physiologically speaking, it is true, but factually speaking, he and I are not the same person.”

Lin Ruyan froze instantly: “…What?”

Lin Chen said to him gently: “You can understand me and him as two completely independent personalities. I know of his existence, but I don’t possess any of his memories—you should be able to tell, after all, Lin Chen and I are completely different in ability and personality.”

Lin Ruyan stared blankly, mouth slightly open, but didn’t respond.

Lin Chen said slowly and steadily: “But I never told you about this because in these five years, Lin Chen’s personality has almost never appeared again. Now, including the future, the personality dominating this body will only be me, Lin Chen.”

Before visiting Lin Chen, Lin Ruyan had thought of many possibilities.

But he never thought of such a possibility.

His voice trembled as he asked in disbelief: “So this is… split personality? W-When did this happen? Brother, why did you never tell me?!”

Lin Chen said gently: “It seems you didn’t understand what I meant. I mean, I am not the same person as the ‘brother’ you used to get along with, and I don’t know what happened between you two. I also don’t plan to go to the hospital to explore the cause of this problem, because if the treatment succeeds, I will ‘perish’, and he may not necessarily ‘resurrect’. Do you understand what I mean now?”

It was hard for Lin Ruyan to digest this matter for a moment.

He tried to say something blankly, but failed completely.

“Not the same person… but… you… he… you guys…”

His language system seemed to be destroyed; he couldn’t form a sentence for a long time.

Lin Chen paused and continued: “But after all, we are somewhat related by blood. So if you need, I can also be your brother, but this brother of mine and that brother of his have to be counted separately.”

Lin Ruyan looked at Lin Chen blankly. After a moment of silence, finally, he whispered carefully: “Bro…ther?”

Lin Chen tilted his head slightly, watching Lin Ruyan still looking unresponsive.

Thinking for a moment, he opened his arms and asked: “Do you need me to comfort you?”

So, when Cheng Huanzhen heard a sudden burst of wailing inside the room, his face tightened, and he barged directly into the ward, seeing Lin Ruyan hugging his Little Uncle tightly, tears streaming down his face, unsure if it was sorrow or joy.

His expression changed drastically. Before he could say anything, Lin Chen seemed to have guessed his reaction, waved to him gently and naturally, and said: “Come, A’Zhen, let me introduce you. This is my biological younger brother by blood, Lin Ruyan.”

Then he patted the little tearful person’s head and said: “Ruyan, lift your head, let me introduce you. This is my partner, you can call him… um…”

Lin Chen fell silent strangely for a while, hesitantly creating a term: “Brother-in-law (Ge Fu)?”

The air was quiet for three seconds.

Lin Ruyan stared at Cheng Huanzhen for five seconds, then suddenly tried hard to wipe his tears, sniffled, stood up, bowed deeply to Cheng Huanzhen at ninety degrees, and sobbed: “Hello Brother-in-law, during this time… sob… thank you for… your care for Brother.”

Cheng Huanzhen: “…”

Cheng Huanzhen: “…”

Cheng Huanzhen held his breath, unable to let it out.

Little Uncle’s brother? …And biological brother by blood?!

Fine, then what should he call Lin Ruyan? “Xiao Jiu Zi” (Wife’s younger brother)? Doesn’t feel right. “Xiao Shu Zi” (Husband’s younger brother)? Absolutely not!!!

Thinking for half a second, Cheng Huanzhen chose the most simple address.

Cheng Huanzhen: “…Hello, Ruyan. No need to thank me.”

He paused: “My care for him has nothing to do with you.”

He stepped forward expressionlessly and sat by Lin Chen’s bed.

He said to Lin Chen: “It’s very late now. Shouldn’t you rest?”

Lin Ruyan was startled, checked the time, and hurriedly apologized to Lin Chen: “Sorry! Bro…ther, I didn’t pay attention to the time just now, preventing you from resting so late.”

“I, I should go, Brother. You still have a fever, please rest early. I’ll come to see you again during the day, Brother.”

Lin Ruyan thanked and asked Cheng Huanzhen to take care of Lin Chen again, then left the ward without daring to delay further.

Lin Chen smiled and pulled Cheng Huanzhen’s collar towards himself, patting his face: “Look at you, driving people away!”

Cheng Huanzhen was unconvinced. He argued seriously: “I didn’t drive him away, Little Uncle. He left voluntarily.”

Lin Chen didn’t listen to his argument.

He turned to ask him: “What were you doing outside just now? You even took the tablet out specifically?”

Cheng Huanzhen glanced at him, handed the tablet to Lin Chen expressionlessly: “I was making the follow-up schedule plan, Little Uncle.”

Lin Chen became interested instantly: “Oh? Speaking of which, I haven’t seen your schedule for a long time!”

So he took it over with high spirits to look.

Day 1: Accompany Little Uncle in the hospital.

Day 2: Accompany Little Uncle in the hospital.

Day 3: Accompany Little Uncle in the hospital.

Day 4… 14:00-18:00, Qi Wendong holds an event at the Wendong Museum, take Little Uncle to participate.

Day 5… 20:00-23:00, Fang Ji holds a concert, take Little Uncle to participate.

Day 6… 9:00-12:00, Li Yunhui holds a game trial & promotion event at xx Building, take Little Uncle to participate.

Day 7…

Looking around, it was full of young master socializing.

The system was greatly shocked: “Host, is Cheng Huanzhen using this method to express that he is jealous?!”

Lin Chen: “…”

Lin Chen stared blankly at Cheng Huanzhen’s schedule arrangement, then suddenly smiled and sighed to the system: “Stupid. He is clearly trying to use these people to bind my identity securely.”

Lin Chen returned the tablet to Cheng Huanzhen without changing his expression.

Lin Chen said: “Very well arranged. There are some places I want to change, but we’ll talk about it then.”

Cheng Huanzhen’s face changed slightly: “Little Uncle, if you want to change my plan, you can change them in advance!”

Lin Chen smiled with curved eyes: “How can changing in advance be as interesting as changing on the spot? For example, now, my plan needs to be changed to calling Wen Shaozhuo first to report safety.”

“So my jealous Young Master Cheng, could I trouble you to go out and wait again?”

Cheng Huanzhen’s face changed again instantly.

Lin Chen laughed, hugged, kissed, and coaxed: “Forget it, forget it. As long as you can promise not to appear on camera or make a sound, waiting for me in the room is fine too. Is that okay?”

Cheng Huanzhen’s momentum softened instantly.

He kissed Lin Chen, then picked up the chair seriously and said: “Little Uncle, you made a good suggestion. I will listen to you.”

And so this night, uneasy hearts were soothed.

No one cried, no one was sad, no one was anxious.

The sun rose and set as usual.

It was just that there were a few more people in the world rushing towards the light.