In modern slang terms, Han Jin was “panicking like crazy” right now.

She definitely wouldn’t be sleeping soundly tonight.

Thinking carefully, she hadn’t harmed Xia Xiaolan – when Li Yong asked, she’d just mentioned that Xia Xiaolan was from a rural village in Yunan.

If anyone had bad intentions, it was Li Yong and Xiang Li – yes, she absolutely couldn’t get mixed up with those two anymore. Tonight Young Lady Song was mainly angry at Li Yong and Xiang Li; she’d just been caught in the aftermath!

Han Jin had made her decision.

Seeing Chen Qing’s frown, she acted coy:

“Alright, alright, I’m just a bit jealous, but I don’t mean her any harm. At worst, I’ll just keep my distance from her in the future. Don’t laugh at me for being spineless – trying to please Young Lady Song was my family’s request. Even knowing Xia Xiaolan has deep connections, I won’t shamelessly try to get close to her, don’t worry!”

Chen Qing wasn’t reassured.

It seemed he should accompany Han Jin to these gatherings in the future to prevent her from scheming against Xiaolan.

…

While many people lost sleep over Xia Xiaolan, she remained unaffected.

Without this level of mental fortitude, how could she be CEO Xia?

Xia Xiaolan slept very soundly.

Now that Wen Manni and Klaus had decided to start over, Xia Xiaolan wouldn’t shamelessly impose on them – anyone who’s been a third wheel knows how that feels!

Klaus had surgery scheduled for noon the next day but told Xia Xiaolan she could come by between 8-10 AM, and they’d go together to meet Professor Emerson, the relevant expert Klaus had arranged for her.

Xia Xiaolan spent the night at a hotel and arrived as planned the next morning.

At a laboratory in New York, they met Professor Emerson:

“DNA technology is very cutting-edge. It can’t be explained in just a few words, which is why I asked you to come in person.”

Xia Xiaolan understood this. It was 1986 – although future soap operas made DNA paternity tests seem simple, with samples from used cups or hair follicles from combs, that was many years away.

DNA testing technology had just begun to be used in criminal investigations in the 80s.

In 1985, just last year, DNA profiling technology was first used successfully in a British paternity dispute case. This year, it was first used in a rape investigation, identifying a suspect among thousands of people.

Jim claimed to be the best detective in the industry, and he’d heard about the DNA testing Xia Xiaolan mentioned, but even he wasn’t clear on exactly what the technology could do. That’s why Xia Xiaolan needed Professor Emerson.

Professor Emerson’s explanation left Xia Xiaolan very disappointed:

“Ultimately, DNA testing requires comparing two samples, but for a body that died in a fire 19 years ago, it’s extremely difficult to extract enough cells for comparison… That’s the official, rigorous explanation. Speaking privately, I’d tell you it’s simply impossible.”

Professor Emerson thought Xia Xiaolan’s ideas were good.

Perhaps someday technology would advance to do what she suggested, but not now.

Emerson praised her foresight, but Xia Xiaolan couldn’t be happy about it.

Professor Emerson thought for a moment, “Why are you so fixated on DNA testing? I believe this technology still has errors. If you just want to identify the deceased, you could use skull reconstruction.”

Xia Xiaolan wanted to slap her head – she’d been misled by future thinking. Before DNA testing, how did police identify unknown bodies? Besides dental records, there was skull reconstruction!

“Professor Emerson, you’ve helped me enormously. Thank you so much.”

Professor Emerson nodded.

He didn’t have much time to chat, and Klaus needed to get to the hospital for his scheduled surgery.

“You might need Connie’s help. Can you find your way to the law firm yourself?”

Everything kept circling back to Wen Manni.

While Xia Xiaolan could pay Jim to investigate Xu Zhongyi’s whereabouts, she couldn’t just dig up the body highly suspected to be Xu Zhongyi for skull reconstruction – that would be illegal in America. Xia Xiaolan had to follow proper procedures—

“This request can only be made by direct family members. You must tell Xu Zhongyi’s mother. I know this is very difficult for you, but think it through carefully.”

Wen Manni could provide professional advice, but whether to take it was up to Xia Xiaolan.

A simple missing person case had turned into a gang robbery-murder case with body disposal – it had indeed exceeded Wen Manni’s expectations.

Should they blame Jim for being too capable, of uncovering that 19-year-old unidentified male body, leaving Xia Xiaolan in this dilemma?

No, Jim had done the right thing. The difficulty in choosing wasn’t about Xia Xiaolan’s logic, but her emotions:

“Let me think about it some more.”

If only she could get news about Cui Yiru and Xu Changle.

Even if that body was confirmed to be Xu Zhongyi, with her daughter-in-law and grandson still alive, Grandmother Yu could probably get through it, right?

Xia Xiaolan decided to prepare for both possibilities and give Jim more time.

Leaving the law firm, Xia Xiaolan headed to Xu Jing and Ma Hai’s newly rented apartment.

Why couldn’t Xiang Li find them?

These two had completely isolated themselves from the world!

A simply furnished but secure apartment had become Xu Jing and Ma Hai’s research and development base.

“You two, have you showered in the past two weeks?”

Smelly socks and their whole bodies reeked?

Even nerds with money don’t easily become rich and handsome – these two were just nerds with money now. Over two weeks, the parts Xu and Ma had ordered from various places gradually arrived. Knowing Xia Xiaolan was coming this week, they’d worked without sleep for a day and night to assemble and debug a new “electronic dictionary” for her.

It was the size of a small paperback book.

“Junior Sister Xia, try it out.”

Both men were unshaven, looking at least ten years older, watching Xia Xiaolan expectantly.

“The appearance is somewhat interesting.”

Xu Jing was embarrassed, but Ma Hai shouted: “It’s not about the appearance – that just needs money. The key is what’s inside.”

That was true.

Xia Xiaolan casually tried it out.

It took 47 seconds to search for an English word… This speed would be considered frustratingly slow in the future, but in 1986, Xu Jing and Ma Hai were full of pride.

How could they not be proud?

When the English-German electronic dictionary first came out, it took 3 minutes to search and translate one word – slower than using a paper dictionary!

The 47-second speed was unbearable for Xia Xiaolan, but compared to previous electronic dictionaries, it was a huge improvement. This was what Xu Jing and Ma Hai had created, and with this skill alone, they wouldn’t have trouble finding well-paid jobs at American computer companies.

Ma Hai was modest, “This thing is mostly Old Xu’s achievement. He made the right choice studying computers in America – he’s just naturally gifted!”

Xia Xiaolan looked at the device in her hand and remarked:

“Xiang Li lost the watermelon while picking up sesame seeds!”