Ji Lin didn't pick up the list.

Instead, he reversed the pencil in his hand, picked up the April issue of *Mathematics Monthly* next to him, turned to the Sudoku page, and continued filling it in...

"Actually, I've always thought the way you talk is strange."

He filled in the numbers quickly and said softly:

"Clearly, everything that happens affects the future, so why do you always talk about history?"

"It's not important; it's just a manner of speaking."

The old man walked to the French window, looked at the moon outside, and his eyes were a little red:

"Xu Yun... was the student I doted on the most in my life."

"I can see that."

Ji Lin didn't look up:

"You even promised your daughter to him, afraid he wouldn't agree, so you lied and said she was your niece. But it's not really a lie, because *jie-jie* doesn't know her own background either. She doesn't know she's the product of your youthful indiscretions."

The old man's eyes widened, and he turned around:

"How did you know? I haven't told anyone about this..."

"Isn't it obvious?"

Ji Lin threw the April issue of *Mathematics Monthly* aside. It seemed this issue's puzzle was a bit difficult; it took him significantly longer:

"From the time I was adopted by you, *jie-jie* was the one who raised me. Although I call her *jie-jie*, she's more like a mother to me."

"I don't think it's that difficult to see that she's your illegitimate daughter… but I must say, you hid it very well; even *jie-jie* herself didn't realize it."

"Did you tell her?" The old man stared at Ji Lin.

"No, why would I say that?"

Ji Lin didn't care, picked up the May issue of *Mathematics Monthly*, turned to the Sudoku page, and continued solving the puzzle:

"Back then, *jie-jie* complained to me that you insisted on pairing her up with Xu Yun, and that she didn't really like Xu Yun, that kind of bookworm… those were her exact words."

"But later, after getting to know him, she thought Xu Yun was pretty good, and the two got married. You even took care of the wedding yourself, which took a lot of effort."

The old man was silent for a long time.

He sighed:

"So… Xu Yun's death pains me more than anyone else. I have to find the murderer who killed Xu Yun!"

"When your sister gave birth to Xu Yiyi, she died from amniotic fluid embolism… since then, Xu Yun has been obsessed with studying the hibernation pod. I tried to dissuade him with all my heart, but I couldn't get through to him."

"So, in the end, I expelled him from my tutelage in a fit of anger and we parted ways, thinking that he would give up after a few years and come back to me… but it's all because of that person who's 'distorting history'! He killed Xu Yun!"

"Xu Yun shouldn't have been able to figure anything out… how could someone of his level handle something like a hibernation pod? Don't even mention him… even the world's top scientific genius couldn't develop the hibernation pod filling liquid on their own!"

...

*Shua.*

Ji Lin threw away the June issue and picked up the July issue:

"I actually liked Xu Yun quite a bit. When I was a kid, Xu Yun would often come to *jie-jie*'s house, and every time he came, he would bring me a lot of books."

"*Jie-jie* used to laugh at him, saying who gives books to children, calling him a rigid bookworm."

"But actually, I liked all the books Xu Yun gave me. He really wasn't a very smart person, whether in research or in matters of the heart… but like *jie-jie*, I didn't dislike that kind of person."

"The first time he met me, he gave me a copy of *Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea*. He said it was children's literature, but he didn't buy the children's version. I really liked that set of books, and even believed the plot. So, after that, I always looked forward to Xu Yun coming to our house… I was looking forward to what book he would bring me next time."

"It's just that after Xu Yiyi's accident… you two fell out, and he never came again."

The old man chuckled, his eyes full of memories:

"So, in that case, Xu Yun was considered your writing enlightenment teacher? I really never heard him talk about that."

"No wonder you, this owl who never leaves his nest, ran all the way to the East Sea without a word after hearing the news of Xu Yun's death, to attend his memorial service."

"That's not like you at all. You didn't even think about how to plan your trip to avoid that group of book fans and reporters. I saw the reports from various media outlets… you were blocked at the airport for a long time and the reporters took a lot of photos. Now many entertainment news headlines are about you, and they are all discussing your relationship with Xu Yun."

*Shua.*

"What if they took photos?"

Ji Lin threw away the July issue, picked up the August issue, and continued to solve the new issue of Sudoku:

"It's not like I'm someone who can't be seen. I'm just too lazy to go out."

"If I can meet something interesting, interesting people… I'm actually very willing to socialize."

"It's just that *jie-jie* passed away early, and Xu Yun was driven away by you… I have no interest in socializing."

"Back then, when I knew Xu Yun would never come to me again, I was very disappointed. Although he wasn't very talented in scientific research… he was, after all, a scientist, and his knowledge and insights were still very shocking to me, who was only a few years old at the time."

...

Speaking of Xu Yun.

The old man's expression quickly dimmed again:

"Actually, things shouldn't have developed like this..."

"I've been waiting for the day Xu Yun turned back. There are many wealthy businessmen and capitalists who are actually interested in Xu Yun's research and want to fund him. But when I found out, I stopped them halfway."

"I thought he would eventually reach a point where he couldn't hold on, and he would repent and come back to me. Even if your sister passed away, I've always treated Xu Yun like my own son."

"There's really no difference. Although I don't have any children, and you were adopted. But if I had children, I think I would treat them at most as well as I treated Xu Yun."

"The day Xu Yiyi had the accident, I was even more upset than Xu Yun. Since you know everything, then let's just say it, she was my granddaughter after all. Did I not want her to be well?"

"At that time, I invited all the experts in the world in this field to Donghai City. One by one, I chartered planes to bring them all over to consult Yiyi. But not a single expert said there was any hope of recovery or awakening… not a single one."

The old man closed his eyes and lowered his head.

*Shua.*

The August issue of *Mathematics Monthly* was thrown on the ground by Ji Lin.

The Sudoku puzzle in this issue of the magazine was the highest difficulty level, a "Killer Sudoku." The clean, untouched pages didn't have a single trace of alteration.

"So, can you tell me the answer now?"

Ji Lin picked up the September issue of *Mathematics Monthly*, but didn't open it.

For the first time, he stopped what he was doing.

He looked up at the old man:

"Why... did you kill Xu Yun?"