“DNA testing? Never heard of it.”

“What’s DNA?”

“Identifying parent-child relationships through saliva and hair? Old Wang, this sounds too far-fetched.”

Wang Guangping had asked many people, and none could even explain what “DNA” was. Even his friends at the Ministry of Public Security, who had risen from local police ranks, were skeptical. Solving cases with a single strand of hair? Wang Guangping seemed to be fantasizing.

Some people asked if Wang Guangping was joking, suggesting he had watched too many American science fiction movies.

Wang Guangping was at his wit’s end – he had no time for jokes.

When he told Xia Ziyu that DNA technology wasn’t available, the gravity in his eyes frightened her.

“That’s impossible!”

Refusing to give up, Xia Ziyu persisted until Wang Guangping found a biology professor at Beijing University through his connections. The professor explained: “In 1953, Watson and Crick discovered DNA’s double helix structure. James Watson is also the director of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in America, a leading institution in molecular biology… This parent-child identification through DNA that you’re talking about – we currently can’t do that in China.”

The Beijing University biology professor was already at the forefront of related research in China.

DNA carries each person’s unique genetic code. While Wang Guangping’s proposed DNA technology was theoretically possible, such practical applications weren’t yet available domestically.

The biology professor, interested in Xia Ziyu’s idea, asked her several questions. However, Xia Ziyu’s knowledge was limited to high school biology, and after a brief exchange, the professor lost interest.

When leaving the professor’s home, Wang Guangping’s face was clouded with darkness.

Xia Ziyu was devastated.

She knew she had lost more points in Wang Guangping’s eyes!

Wang Jianhua spoke fairly: “Ziyu meant well. She probably read about DNA technology research somewhere and thought China had already imported it… Dad, this isn’t Ziyu’s fault.”

Xia Ziyu immediately felt reinvigorated.

Just as her grateful gaze met Wang Jianhua’s, he seemed to avoid it.

“The key question now is, how do we resolve this current mess?”

Wang Guangping was certainly disappointed, but fortunately, his doubts about Xia Ziyu’s competence had led him to verify the DNA technology’s availability before confronting the He family, avoiding public embarrassment.

With DNA technology unavailable, should they compromise with the He family?

Should they let Jianhua visit the police station and wait for a judicial review?

Or should they meet the He family’s conditions?

Wang Guangping’s gaze fell on Xia Ziyu, whose shoulders trembled slightly, already anticipating the final solution.

Sure enough, not long after returning home, Ran Shuyu came to talk with Xia Ziyu.

Ran Shuyu’s attitude toward her was as warm as their first meeting at the farm. She shared many heartfelt words with Xia Ziyu, explaining the Wang family’s current predicament, the He family’s aggressive stance, and how the people behind this were targeting Wang Guangping, not Wang Jianhua.

Initially, Xia Ziyu thought Xia Xiaolan had instigated this trouble.

But when matters escalated to Wang Guangping’s level, it was clearly beyond what a female student like Xia Xiaolan could orchestrate, even with an overseas Chinese boyfriend.

When Ran Shuyu came to talk, Xia Ziyu understood the implications.

She couldn’t refuse. Ran Shuyu was right – Wang Guangping was the family’s hope. If he were implicated, Wang Jianhua’s future would certainly be hindered, and her hopes for a beautiful future would vanish.

Everything had been going so well, but suddenly the situation had taken a sharp downturn!

Xia Ziyu felt fate was treating her cruelly. She had now become wary of both Wang Guangping and Ran Shuyu. If she was going to take the blame, surely she deserved some benefit?

“Auntie, I’m willing to do anything for Jianhua.”

Ran Shuyu patted her hand approvingly. “Good child, our family won’t mistreat you.”

Whether they would mistreat her or not was just talk – Xia Ziyu wasn’t so trusting anymore.

She rushed back with her injured face to consult Zhang Cui. Zhang Cui changed clothes and went to the Wang residence, bringing along Xia Changzheng, who couldn’t wash away the alcohol smell even after three baths.

The parents from both families met under these hasty circumstances!

Zhang Cui spent her days dealing with coal stoves and seasonings, while Xia Changzheng soaked in alcohol three meals a day. These two people, standing in the Wang family’s living room, clearly showed their lower-class status. They weren’t even comparable to ordinary worker families – both had rural household registrations, having left their hometown to run a small food stall in Beijing!

Ran Shuyu’s face showed no smile, but Zhang Cui pretended not to notice, addressing them as in-laws:

“In-laws, you see how long the children have been dating? Everyone in our hometown and at the teachers’ college knows about it. It’s time to settle things between Ziyu and Jianhua!”

“University students can’t marry, and some universities don’t even allow dating. It’s against school rules…”

“Can’t marry? Then let’s have an engagement!”

Zhang Cui was saying what she and Xia Ziyu had discussed.

The Wang family’s status was rising – what if they went back on their word later? What would happen to her daughter Ziyu?

Everyone back home knew about Xia Ziyu dating Wang Jianhua, and all their university classmates knew too. Graduation was still far off, and Zhang Cui agreed with Xia Ziyu’s thinking – if she was going to marry into the Wang family, they should make their demands while the Wang family was in trouble and needed Xia Ziyu’s help!

Wang Jianhua was decent enough, but he couldn’t make decisions at home.

If the Wang family had any conscience, they should have proposed engagement when Xia Ziyu actively involved Wang Jianhua in the tutoring business – back then, Xia Changzheng was furious, drinking and cursing Xia Ziyu for being foolish, saying she wouldn’t share money with family but wanted to give it to the Wang family.

Now the tutoring business was in trouble, and they wanted Xia Ziyu to take the fall.

How could they not get engaged?

Engagement?

This was different from just dating – dating could end in separation, but engagement meant they were betrothed.

While there were no legal constraints, the moral and reputational constraints were significant!

Wang Guangping hesitated, while Ran Shuyu wanted to curse out loud, her eyes falling like daggers on Xia Ziyu – she had agreed so readily, but this was her real agenda!

Xia Ziyu only looked at Wang Jianhua.

Her eyes showed trust and pleading. Thinking of Xia Ziyu’s dedication and sacrifice, Wang Jianhua stepped forward:

“I’ve long decided to marry Ziyu after graduation. Getting engaged now is appropriate. Ziyu has cared for me, encouraged me, supported me, and is willing to sacrifice for me… I, Wang Jianhua, will never let her down in this lifetime!”

…

While drama unfolded in the Wang household, Xia Xiaolan knew nothing about it.

She just noticed that Wang Jianhua’s name had disappeared from recent newspapers, and the tutoring class wasn’t mentioned anymore. Xia Xiaolan guessed the hidden problems with the tutoring class must have finally erupted.

She could only pray for young Miss He, hoping she would be less affected by this whirlwind!

Between Wang Jianhua and Xia Ziyu, one of them had to take the fall. At times like this, it tested the loyalty of their relationship – regardless of who took the blame, this incident would have lasting consequences.

Xia Xiaolan had no time to worry about these two. Manager Wu had sent her a message – the owner of the courtyard house in Nanluoguxiang wanted to meet with her again.

He was willing to discuss the house price again with sincerity!