Acknowledging kinship

As Ye Fan sifted through the memories in his mind, he felt a surge of hatred and resentment. These emotions had been buried in the young boy's heart for over a decade, never fading, only growing stronger despite the happy childhood memories.

"Could it be that Professor Billy is really the biological father of this young Ye Fan?" The thought made Ye Fan's expression grow increasingly strange.

Sean had been eagerly awaiting Ye Fan's response. Noticing the myriad expressions crossing Ye Fan's face, his sky-blue eyes lit up, and a knowing smile appeared on his lips.

"Hehe, you take your time thinking about it. I won't disturb you," Sean said, standing up with a satisfied look, convinced that he had gotten the answer he wanted.

"Uh-huh…" Ye Fan nodded, his mind in chaos, too distracted to care about Sean's thoughts. After mulling things over for a while, the alcohol got the better of him, and he drifted off to sleep.

The night passed without incident, and the next day, Ye Fan went to work as usual. When he entered the massive core laboratory again, he noticed a look of respect on everyone's faces. Seeing this, Ye Fan couldn't help but smile wryly; it seemed that his colleagues had taken the rumors seriously.

"Morning, Ye Fan!"

"Morning!" Ye Fan greeted everyone with a smile and headed to his station. Li Miaoyi gave him an apologetic smile and softly said, "I didn't expect Qiao Mingtian to be so stubborn. I'm sorry you got dragged into the water prison because of it."

Ye Fan grinned, leaned in close to her ear, took a deep breath, and said teasingly, "So, Sister, have you figured out how to make it up to me?"

Li Miaoyi's face turned slightly red, but seeing Ye Fan in such a playful mood, she actually felt relieved. She then did something unexpected—she puffed out her already ample chest and, with a coquettish laugh, said, "You little rascal, have you even finished growing yet?"

Ye Fan's heart warmed at her flirtatious tone and seductive demeanor. Though his current body was that of a young boy, his mind was that of an experienced man in the matters of love.

While a younger boy might be overwhelmed by such teasing, Ye Fan was not. He leaned in even closer until he could feel the warmth of her body, then whispered in her ear with a mischievous grin, "Try me, and you'll find out!"

"You little perv!" Li Miaoyi retreated in embarrassment, her face flushed. Being teased by a young boy and losing out left her both angry and frustrated. She glared at Ye Fan, who was grinning smugly, wondering to herself if this kid was born to be a flirt.

After a bit of playful banter with Li Miaoyi, Ye Fan felt quite pleased, even momentarily forgetting about the rumors of being Professor Billy's illegitimate son. For now, his priority was to increase his strength; everything else could wait.

As Professor Billy arrived, the day's work began. The work was tedious, and just as the day was about to end, Butler Liu approached Ye Fan with a stern expression and said, "Ye Fan, come with me."

Ye Fan was momentarily taken aback but nodded in agreement. Under the curious gazes of his colleagues, he followed Butler Liu out of the core laboratory. Everyone knew that Butler Liu was Professor Billy's shadow, so his purpose in taking Ye Fan away was obvious.

"Lucky kid!" Li Miaoyi murmured, her alluring eyes sparkling as she watched Ye Fan's figure disappear from view.

…

Ye Fan followed Butler Liu down numerous corridors and through several security doors before finally arriving at an underground space beneath the laboratory. Surveying the unfamiliar surroundings, Ye Fan's eyes gleamed with curiosity.

The space was vast, no less impressive than the core laboratory above. Judging by the equipment, it was clearly a fully-equipped lab.

"A lab on the surface, another one underground! Could Professor Billy be hiding something?" Ye Fan's mind raced, a sense of caution rising within him. Knowing someone else's secret, especially when one's own strength is lacking, is never a good thing.

As they reached the lab, a burst of hearty laughter echoed from within, and soon Professor Billy emerged, beaming. Seeing his warm reception, Ye Fan couldn't help but wonder if the original owner of his body was truly Professor Billy's son.

"Ha ha… Ye Fan, what do you think of my underground lab?" Professor Billy asked with a grin.

"It's impressive. The equipment here is just as good as the ones upstairs," Ye Fan replied, scanning the room and offering genuine praise.

"Good eye!" Professor Billy nodded approvingly. Pointing at the equipment around them, he added, "Your keen eye is what I admire most about you, especially when it comes to genetics—you have a sharp sense for it! These machines may not be the very best at Tianlan Academy, but they're top-notch. I'm entrusting them, and this lab, to you. I need you to use them to extract the Xiyan gene chain as quickly as possible."

Ye Fan's expression changed slightly, and he said with a hint of trepidation, "Professor Billy, this task is too difficult for me. I'm not sure I can handle it."

"This is my decision!" Professor Billy's smile vanished, replaced by a stern look that brooked no argument. Seeing this, Ye Fan dared not protest further, but the fear on his face grew more apparent.

"Hehe, don't be burdened by it—just do your best. I'm giving you full control here because I believe in your talent. Also, from now on, you'll live and work here. Until the Xiyan gene chain is extracted, you're not to leave." Professor Billy's tone softened slightly as he patted Ye Fan's shoulder, adding, "I'm not completely heartless, you know. I realize this is asking a lot of you, so I'm offering you something in return—something very valuable!"

With that, he nodded to Butler Liu, who left the room briefly. When he returned, he was carrying a silver briefcase.

Pointing to the briefcase, Professor Billy smiled and said, "Inside is a Frost Gene Chain, which I extracted from a Frost Snow Python years ago. I'm giving it to you as a down payment."

"What? You're giving this to me?" Ye Fan's eyes lit up with surprise, his face showing disbelief. When Professor Billy nodded with a smile, Ye Fan stepped forward, grasping the professor's hand with a look of newfound closeness.

Professor Billy didn't reprimand Ye Fan for the gesture. Instead, he affectionately patted Ye Fan's head, the scene unmistakably resembling a father and son reunion.

"Sigh, you've had it rough. I have my difficulties too, and I hope you understand." Professor Billy sighed, patting Ye Fan's shoulder. By now, Ye Fan was sobbing uncontrollably, his small hands clutching the professor's tightly.

Seeing this, Butler Liu exchanged a knowing glance with Professor Billy, and a sinister smile crept across both their faces. Ye Fan didn't notice this shadowy exchange. At that moment, he was like a long-lost orphan finally reunited with his father, crying his heart out, as if venting years of pent-up frustration.

"Alright, stop crying, silly child! You've completed your first blood transformation, and this Frost Gene Chain is perfect for you. Once it's injected, you'll officially become a Gene Warrior!" Professor Billy patted Ye Fan's shoulder again, though a flicker of impatience crossed his eyes.

"Yes, I want to become a Gene Warrior, as strong as you!" Ye Fan said, stopping his tears and nodding firmly. His eyes were full of admiration as he gazed at Professor Billy.

"Ha ha… good, that's the spirit!" Professor Billy laughed heartily, then turned to Butler Liu. "Butler Liu, make the preparations. We'll start the injection of the Frost Gene Chain right away!"

And so, the bizarre reunion came to an end. Throughout the exchange, Ye Fan never once called him "father," and Professor Billy didn't seem to mind. It was as if neither of them wanted to acknowledge that title.