Both Alice and Youyou hoped that Gong Jie would adopt Natalia, but the man was particularly adamant. “Give up trying to talk me round! I can’t possibly adopt the girl.”
And yet…
Half an hour later.
Gong Jie was livid as he sat down opposite Professor Romanka and slammed the table.
“I want custody of Natalia. Whether you like it or not, you have to let me have it.”
Professor Romanka stared at him in shock. “Alice, what…”
Alice sized Gong Jie up in a glance, then turned to Professor Romanka with a smile. “Young Master Jie feels a special connection with this child…” After a pause, she leaned towards him and whispered into his ear, “Professor, you have no idea. Young Master Jie doesn’t like women… so he thought he might as well adopt a child. But don’t worry, he’ll be good to Natalia. He’ll treat her like his own.”
Professor Romanka, however, was reluctant. Not because he had a strong bond with Natalia. It was the fact that he was reluctant to give up Natalia. After all, her condition would be of some help to his scholarship. He was naturally unwilling to let go.
The professor shook his head, clearly reluctant.
But Gong Jie was not averse to using force, since the man wasn’t going to take the easy way out.
“Don’t think I don’t know what sort of research you’re using Natalia for.” Gong Jie’s eyes narrowed. “I now have evidence of your abuse of adopted children. If we appeal to the International Court of Justice, all your fame and fortune will be gone!”
“…”
Professor Romanka was aghast. “What do you mean by that?”
“You’re using Natalia for experiments, aren’t you?” The man leaned closer to him and said expressionlessly, “Hallucinogen. This pathology report alone will do you in!”
Professor Romanka had initially suspected that Gong Jie had no evidence and was only making empty claims. He didn’t think that the man would actually have Natalia’s pathology report!
Professor Romanka finally showed some unease.
Alice shook her head helplessly and lowered her voice. “Professor Romanka, you know that Young Master Jie works for the Hurricane Group. You wouldn’t want to offend the Hurricane Group, would you?”
Professor Romanka forced a smile. After a long silence, he finally gritted his teeth and nodded. “All right! But… Natalia’s condition is very unstable. If anything goes wrong, send her back here to me at once.”
Youyou stood to one side. When he heard Professor Romanka saying this and saw that there was no trace of reluctance in his eyes, he became even more certain. In Professor Romanka’s mind, Natalia was simply a sacrifice. An object of experiment. He had no feelings for her at all! That made the boy all the more glad that he had forced Gong Jie to adopt Natalia. It was definitely a wise choice! This man was not fit to be Natalia’s father!
…
In the ward.
Natalia’s solitary figure leaned against the window. She looked out of the window, seemingly confused. Her eyes were empty and unfocused. Her chestnut hair fell over the side of her ear. She pouted and sat there for what seemed an eternity until a thin rustling sound came from the doorway.
Puzzled, she looked in the direction of the sound. At the corner of the doorway, a tiny hand suddenly slipped a candy through the gap.
Candy?
Natalia’s gaze was fixed on the object. She walked over, crouched by the doorway, and picked up the candy. It was her favorite strawberry flavor.
She was startled. “Who’s there?”
