Chapter 26 Fake History

"Fake history?"

Zhou Duanyun frowned.

"What do you mean? History can be fake?"

"History is just what has already happened. In the mouth of Arrogance, although he says he's making history, what he really means is the future that should have happened."

Zhou Duanyun nodded, something he had already realized.

That dried-up old man, Arrogance, was always talking about history, but not history that had already happened, but the future that had not yet happened and should have happened.

He had always believed that Arrogance had an上线 (Shangxian, a superior), someone directing him.

But he didn't dare mention it to Arrogance. He was a terrifying old man with great power and influence who could easily crush anyone.

He didn't know what Arrogance was busy with all day, or what his purpose was, as if he was either killing people or preparing to kill people.

But he didn't care about any of that. Arrogance gave him what he had always dreamed of.

He wasn't grateful to Arrogance, because it was what he should have had anyway. Working for Arrogance just allowed him to get more.

"I understand what you mean." Zhou Duanyun understood. "You want to fabricate something out of thin air, and make sure it actually happens, so that for the future, it becomes history."

"That's right. I not only have to make sure it happens, but I also have to make it inevitable. That's what makes a true history."

"Then how can you be sure that Lin Xian will interfere with it?" Zhou Duanyun asked. "He's careful enough now. Even if you fabricate a history, he might not pay attention to you. He might just ignore you to protect himself."

"He will."

Ji Lin walked to the dining table, looking at the two printed chat logs lying on top.

Both chat logs were forged. They were flirtatious messages sent by Tang Xin to other men at 00:42:

"If Lin Xian knows in advance that someone else will die on the street at 00:42 like Xu Yun and Tang Xin, he won't ignore it, knowing his character."

Zhou Duanyun smiled. "What if he's not that kind?"

"It's not about kindness..." Ji Lin shook his head. "We want to catch him, and he wants to catch us. If we give him a chance to catch us, he definitely won't let it go."

...

X Company, 20th floor, Lin Xian's office.

He was searching the internet for information about the research institute where Tang Xin worked, trying to find information about the institute's owner.

But he found nothing.

After thinking about it, he decided to try a different approach.

Tang Xin had said that the person who invited her to Donghai was Xu Yun's former mentor, so he might as well check that out.

Lin Xian started searching for the keyword "Xu Yun's teacher."

Wow, there were a lot of search results. The internet was full of people claiming to be Xu Yun's teacher, many of whom had even been interviewed by the news media.

Elementary school teachers, middle school teachers, high school teachers, university teachers... countless.

"These are obviously just trying to蹭热度 (ceng re du, freeloading off someone's popularity)."

He looked for a long time but couldn't find any useful information.

Lin Xian rested his chin on his hand, thinking that the information on the internet was too scattered and difficult to find. He needed to be more specific.

"I've got it."

He opened Professor Xu Yun's profile and started looking at his life experiences.

This was officially released information, 100% reliable.

Professor Xu Yun didn't get his bachelor's degree at Donghai University, but at a university in the Northwest.

Later, he took the graduate entrance exam and was admitted to Donghai University, where he continued his studies all the way to a doctorate and eventually stayed to teach.

"In other words, the person who invited Tang Xin to Donghai to do research was likely Xu Yun's mentor during his graduate studies, or his doctoral mentor... after all, people usually just call their teachers 'teacher,' but only use the term 'mentor' for Master's and doctoral students."

Lin Xian found the years Xu Yun graduated from each stage.

Master's graduation year: 2004.

Doctoral graduation year: 2007.

Lin Xian's plan was this—

All students graduating from Donghai University would have their graduation information and group photos bound in a 《xxxx届xx学院毕业留念》 (xxxx Jie xx Xueyuan Biye Liunian, "xxxx Class xx College Graduation Album").

This album would not only be given to each graduate, but also kept in the Donghai University Library.

This was basic procedure for every university. That was how he found Liu Feng's information back then, so he could just follow the same procedure to find Xu Yun's mentor.

...

Lin Xian took a taxi to Donghai University.

But a problem arose...

The security guard wouldn't let him in!

He had to swipe a student ID.

He didn't expect Donghai University's security to be so strict after the New Year. And the fact that he needed a student ID to get in and out of the Donghai University Library... that was unavoidable.

There was no other way, he had to call for help.

Lin Xian took out his phone and dialed Chu Anqing's number.

A little later.

The cheerful girl skipped over, her bouncy high ponytail bouncing along with her, and came to the school gate. "Lin Xian-xuezhang (學長, senior), what brings you here!"

Chu Anqing was very happy to see Lin Xian.

"I want to go to the library to find something." Lin Xian said with a smile. "When we were in school, the school always said it was our alma mater for life... but after graduation, they won't even let us in."

Chu Anqing couldn't help but laugh. She smoothly led Lin Xian into the school and they arrived at the library.

Chu Anqing was really popular. She was also familiar with the student attendants on duty in the library. The two quickly found the place where the graduation albums were kept.

"Lin Xian-xuezhang, which year's graduation album are you looking for?"

Lin Xian told her Professor Xu Yun's Master's and doctoral graduation years: "2004, 2007. Let's look for those two years first and see if we can find them."

"Don't bother looking at the undergraduate ones, just look at the Master's and doctoral ones."

The albums were indeed arranged in a mess.

They weren't arranged in chronological order at all, and there was a thin layer of dust on them, indicating that they hadn't been read in a long time.

The two chatted as they searched.

Chu Anqing dusted off a graduation album and looked at Lin Xian. "Lin Xian-xuezhang, by the way... has my dad contacted you these past few days?"

"会长 (Hui Zhang, President) Chu?"

Lin Xian shook his head as he flipped through an album. "No, I haven't received a call from your dad these past few days. What's up? Does he need me for something?"

"He..."

Chu Anqing scratched her head, feeling that it wasn't appropriate to talk about her little aunt's affairs here, as it would only make things difficult for Lin Xian. "It seems like my parents want to introduce you to someone."

"Oh, haha." Lin Xian smiled. "Thank them for their concern. To be honest, I've never been set up on a blind date before."

"You haven't been on a blind date?" Chu Anqing's gossipy heart was aroused.

"No, I only graduated last year, and I don't live in my hometown. I don't have any relatives here in Donghai either."

"Then, then, then, what kind of girl do you like!" Chu Anqing leaned closer. "Like, a cool girl, do you like that?" She thought of her unruly little aunt.

"A cool girl?" The first image that flashed in Lin Xian's mind was CC. He turned his head to look at Chu Anqing, who looked exactly like CC. "It's okay, cool girls are pretty unique."

"Cough cough."

Chu Anqing coughed twice. "Like... likes to race cars, has a bad temper, likes to argue with people, and retorts at the drop of a hat."

Lin Xian recalled CC's self-righteous and rebellious appearance.

Ah, that's pretty annoying. She's always speaking in riddles too.

But looking at the cute Chu Anqing blinking her eyes in front of him, he inexplicably felt that CC, who looked the same, was also a lot cuter. "Well... it's okay, I don't really care about those things, as long as she's a good person."

Chu Anqing's heart skipped a beat.

This!

So his little aunt and Lin Xian were actually a good match!

Lin Xian-xuezhang really liked that type?

"Found it, it's here."

While Chu Anqing was having a minor existential crisis, Lin Xian successfully found Xu Yun's doctoral graduation photo.

On the page where the album was opened... in the middle was a blurry, yellowed, and very old-fashioned photo.

It was a doctoral graduation photo, with not many people in it.

Standing in the center C position was a young man laughing heartily. Lin Xian recognized him at a glance as Xu Yun.

In the name column below the photo, the name in the middle was indeed Xu Yun.

That's right.

He really found the right one this time.

And behind Xu Yun, with his hand on Xu Yun's shoulder, was an old man with white hair and a kind smile.

He wasn't looking at the camera, but at Xu Yun, his eyes full of joy and pride... as affectionate as looking at his own child.

This should be Xu Yun's mentor.

Lin Xian looked at the name column below the page and quickly found the mentor's name.

His name was located directly above Xu Yun, just like his position in the photo.

The name was a simple three words—

Ji Xinshui