Lin Xiaoxiao held the lab report in one hand and Duoduo in the other, her eyes fixed on the line that changed everything.

Rh negative. Panda blood. Incredibly rare.

And incredibly, every member of her family—her original family—had it.

Her parents used to joke that it was their shared blood that had brought them together, that they could always donate to one another if needed.

In this world, however, the original owner of her body did not share that trait. She was type O, and so were her three children.

She was certain Duoduo wasn’t her brother Lin Wenbin’s child; he would have said something.

Tucking the report away, she lifted Duoduo and studied his face. His features really did resemble her brother’s when he was little. A wild, impossible idea began to form.

What if this child wasn’t just like her brother… but actually was? What if, after she and her brother disappeared, their parents, unable to bear the loss, had another child? And what if that child had also ended up in this world?

The more she thought about it, the more it felt both absurd and unsettlingly plausible. Existence itself defied logic—why not this?

She found herself talking to the baby, her voice soft with wonder and worry. “Duoduo… it can’t be. Are you really my little brother? That would make you An’an’s uncle…”

Duoduo, still holding up his pricked finger, babbled a stream of indignant baby talk.

She barely heard him, lost in her thoughts. “If it’s really you… how did you get here? Why couldn’t you have waited until you could talk? How are Mom and Dad supposed to find you if you just vanish?”

She thought of her brother, Lin Wenbin, who had also vanished without a trace, and sighed. “Why does nobody in this family know how to stay put and be found?”

She sat in the hospital for a long time, letting the idea settle. When she finally looked at Duoduo again, she understood why his cries had always tugged so sharply at her heart. Blood called to blood, even across worlds.

It was dark by the time she got home. Li Yunlan and the others were waiting for her so they could all have dinner together.

The moment Duoduo was inside, he held up his finger again, launching into a tearful complaint aimed at everyone present.

Li Yunlan couldn’t understand his words, but his meaning was clear. She laughed and took him into her arms. “What’s all this? What’s got our little man so upset?”

Watching him, Lin Xiaoxiao remembered her mother once saying she’d been the same as a child—incapable of speech but expert at showing off her wounds to anyone who would look and listen.

She couldn’t help but smile. “He got a finger prick at the hospital and he’s milking it for all it’s worth. The doctor said it’s just a mild case—medicine will clear it up.”

Li Yunlan looked relieved. “Good, I’m glad it’s nothing serious. Now, let Grandma see which finger the doctor hurt.”

Duoduo solemnly held up his right index finger, using his other hand to press down any rebellious digits that tried to pop up. A tiny red spot was all that remained.

Li Yunlan smiled. “We’ll boil an egg for you later. Eat it, and your finger will feel all better.” She then called out to Lin Xiaoxiao to wash up for dinner.

Once they were all seated, Zhou Xiaoling asked curiously, “Why did they need to prick his finger? Couldn’t they just examine him?”

Lin Xiaoxiao knew that comprehensive blood tests weren’t standard; most doctors relied on experience and observation. She offered a simple excuse. “They just wanted to check his blood type. In case his family ever comes looking, we’ll have the information.”

Zhou Xiaoling accepted the explanation and poked Duoduo’s cheek playfully. “You’re so cute—how could the doctor bear to prick your finger?”

Hearing the word “finger,” Duoduo immediately extended his hand for her to see. Zhou Xiaoling laughed and bent down to blow on it gently. Satisfied, Duoduo broke into a happy grin.

Lin Xiaoxiao’s heart felt heavy. If only her brother were here—she could really use his counsel. But Lin Wenbin was gone, and she had no one to talk to.

That night, as she put Duoduo and An’an to bed, she watched Duoduo rolling around happily, clutching his feet, and a wave of sadness washed over her.

What were her parents doing right now? Why, after such a monumental discovery, hadn’t she dreamed of them at all?

She’d hoped the day’s revelation would trigger a dream, but she woke the next morning after a deep, dreamless sleep.

Feeling somber, she watched Duoduo wake and begin to stir. She sighed deeply.

If only it were possible for her family to be reunited—even in this world.

…

By November, Beijing had grown crisp and cool. Sweaters and heavy jackets were needed in the mornings and evenings. It was also the best time to see the red leaves blanketing Xiangshan Mountain. Without the crowds of modern times, the vibrant colors took center stage, uninterrupted.

Meng Xiaona invited Lin Xiaoxiao and Zhang Wanqing to see the autumn foliage—along with Dai Xueming, of course.

In her view, Lin Xiaoxiao and Zhang Wanqing were the only ones in their class worthy of being her friends. The others were either too old or too provincial.

The moment Lin Xiaoxiao heard Dai Xueming would be there, she refused without hesitation. “I can’t. I have to get home to the children.”

Zhang Wanqing was just as blunt. “Why would I go watch you two on a date?”

Meng Xiaona looked embarrassed. “It’s just… it feels awkward if it’s only the two of us. People might talk.”

Zhang Wanqing raised an eyebrow. “Who doesn’t know you’re together? The whole department has eyes.”

Seeing neither would budge, Meng Xiaona sighed. “Fine. But please don’t tell anyone, okay?”

“Are you insane?” Zhang Wanqing rolled her eyes. “You’re two full-grown people. It’s not like you can turn invisible.”

Used to Zhang Wanqing’s sharp tongue, Meng Xiaona simply shrugged. “Just saying. I’d better go.”

After she left, Zhang Wanqing turned to Lin Xiaoxiao. “Look at her. She’s turned into such an idiot over that guy. What does she even see in Dai Xueming?”

Lin Xiaoxiao, however, was too preoccupied with the possibility that Duoduo might be her brother to focus on anyone else. Then she remembered something. “Has Zhou Xiaocheng looked for you lately?”

Zhang Wanqing deflated, slumping over the desk. “I guess it wasn’t meant to be. Not even once.”

Lin Xiaoxiao smiled and patted her head. “Don’t lose hope yet. He’s been really busy lately. I haven’t seen him in days either.”

Zhang Wanqing sighed. “Maybe I should just forget it.”

But as the old saying goes—speak of the devil. As the two were heading out for lunch, they ran right into Zhou Xiaocheng.