After being reborn, my sister insisted on marrying me.

As the year draws to a close, snow falls one after another in Yanjing.

The festive atmosphere in Palm Springs is getting stronger every day.

Aunt Li pasted paper-cut window decorations on the French windows, and Aunt Zheng began to list the New Year's Eve dinner menu.

That's right, it's the New Year's Eve dinner.

Chen Xinyi is planning to spend the Chinese New Year in the capital this year.

It's not that she forgot her biological parents just because she had a younger brother and husband.

It was because of her and Wei Yi's parents, whose jobs were rather unusual.

A police station chief and a head nurse in the gynecology department of the county's maternal and child health center.

They are all leaders, and all of them are extremely dedicated to their work and have a strong sense of responsibility.

As a result, the couple had to work shifts on both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

in other words.

Even if the siblings go back.

At most, I can have a New Year's Eve dinner with my parents a little earlier; after that, I probably won't be able to find them anymore.

That being the case.

It's better not to go back then, or wait until Mom and Dad are done with their work before going back.

For example, the Lantern Festival.

Moreover, Chen Xinyi felt that this year was quite special.

It was the first Chinese New Year that she and her brother's small family spent in Beijing.

After discussing it with her parents and getting their consent, she happily decided to stay in Beijing for the Spring Festival.

As for the others...

Kim Se-rin goes without saying.

She hasn't been back for three years.

Lin Siyan... to put it bluntly, she's now completely dependent on Chen Xinyi for everything.

They also obtained the consent of Lin's parents, who even called Wei Yi and asked him to look after their daughter.

But that person was shameless.

"Dad, Mom, oh no, I can't call you that yet."

He assured her in a teasing tone, "Uncle and Aunt, I promise I won't let Sister Siyan suffer any injustice. I'll take care of it all!"

It was just a simple "mispronunciation".

This made Mr. and Mrs. Lin smile all day long.

Wang Xueli and Su Mo were originally from the capital.

Naturally, they stayed in Beijing for the Spring Festival.

The only one with a problem is Squad Leader Jiang Wan, but she had already gone home to be with her mother.

She has now made up her mind to spend the Lunar New Year here.

Even Chen Xintong received Wei Yi's uncle's consent.

Let her spend the Spring Festival in the capital with her older sister and brother this year.

In the end, everyone was happy, and we all celebrated the Lunar New Year together in the capital this year.

These past few days, Wei Yi has often been away from home during the day.

He didn't come back that night either.

Chen Xinyi only said to the public, "He's been having meetings with Sister Wu these past few days; there are a lot of projects due at the end of the year."

This made Chen Xintong a little unhappy, so she went to ask her sister.

"Sister, is brother really in a meeting?"

Chen Xinyi laughed: "A meeting is a meeting. As for what kind of meeting it is, you'll understand when you grow up."

Chen Xintong said "Oh" and didn't ask any more questions. She then took her plush rabbit to the media room to play games.

It's a strange story.

Both she and Su Mo were top students, but for some reason Su Mo was exceptionally good at video games.

And she, just like her brother, is a complete noob.

Moreover, he's the kind of person who's bad at games but has a huge addiction to them, and he calls Su Mo over to play together every day.

As a result, they consistently came in last place.

She still enjoys it immensely.

That morning.

Chen Xinyi got up earlier than usual.

She had Jin Shilin drive, and also invited Jiang Wan to accompany her, along with Lin Siyan, whose belly was gradually becoming slightly protruding.

A group of people took a car to Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

In the passenger seat, Chen Xinyi scrolled through the prenatal checkup reminders sent by Zhang Kexin on her phone, a faint smile playing on her lips.

As Jin Shilin turned the steering wheel, she glanced at Chen Xinyi in the rearview mirror and said, "Chen Xinyi, your smile is so creepy today."

"Really?" Chen Xinyi touched her face.

"Yes. It's like a weasel paying respects to a chicken."

"Sister Se-rin, your Chinese is getting better and better."

"Come on, don't give me that." Jin Shilin turned the car into the east gate of Xiehe Hospital. "We went to Sister Kexin's place for a check-up again today. Don't cause trouble on her turf."

Chen Xinyi smiled without saying a word.

Lin Siyan leaned back in her seat, her eyes closed, but her complexion still looked rather unpleasant.

The nausea and vomiting from the twin pregnancy made her lose a lot of weight, and her chin even became more pointed.

Jiang Wan sat next to her, holding a thermos cup, and handed it to her from time to time.

"Sister Siyan, drink some warm water," Jiang Wan said softly.

Lin Siyan took it, took a small sip, and leaned back.

Chen Xinyi glanced back at her, her tone unusually gentle: "Siyan, after the check-up, I'll have Aunt Zheng make you some cardamom, ginger, and honey tea. I heard it's much more effective at relieving nausea than plum juice."

Lin Siyan didn't open her eyes, and softly hummed in response. Feeling that wasn't enough, she whispered back, "I... I'm actually fine. You're pregnant too, so you need to get enough sleep."

"Yes, yes, I'm only sleeping about 20 hours a day now."

These two best friends had some really strange pregnancy symptoms.

Both are very serious.

One suffers from severe drowsiness, and the other from severe morning sickness.

They're kind of like sisters in misfortune.

Zhang Kexin was on duty at the morning clinic today, and she specially arranged to meet Chen Xinyi and Lin Siyan before nine o'clock.

This way, the clinic can be opened quietly before it officially opens for business.

She stood at the entrance of the large consultation room and waited. When she saw Chen Xinyi and her group coming from afar, she subconsciously wanted to laugh.

But before the smile could even reach her lips, her heart inexplicably clenched.

She's been like this all this time.

It's alright during the day, but when I get busy, I don't have time for anything else.

But at night, she would lie alone in her apartment, touching her stomach.

I couldn't help but recall Chen Xintong's words, "I want to have a baby for my brother in the future."

And then there's Chen Xinyi's line: "Kids are talking nonsense, don't take it seriously."

Jin Shilin said, "Tongtong is actually not young anymore."

Besides these.

Holmes Zhang also recalled what Wei Yi had said: "My sister and Siyan's boyfriend are the same person."

"She's quite like me."

"Especially in some aspects, they are almost identical."

She chewed over these words and these traces countless times, and the more she chewed, the more uneasy she felt.

"Sister Kexin." Chen Xinyi had already walked up to her, smiling gently, "I'm sorry to trouble you again today."

Zhang Kexin snapped out of her daze and forced a smile: "No trouble at all. Please come in."

The inspection process went smoothly.

Chen Xinyi's fetal heartbeat is very good, and the two small gestational sacs are growing evenly.

Although Lin Siyan vomited a lot, the fetus was developing normally.

While conducting the examination, Zhang Kexin gently explained the precautions.

Chen Xinyi lay on the examination bed, responding half-heartedly, occasionally exchanging a few words of laughter with Jin Shilin.

Jiang Wan stood by the side the whole time; she had a gentle appearance and a mild temperament.

Zhang Kexin didn't know her; she had just asked her out of curiosity.

Before Chen Xinyi could answer, she introduced herself as Chen Xinyi's personal assistant.

After Chen Xinyi and Lin Siyan finished their examinations, Zhang Kexin escorted them to the door of the examination room.

Chen Xinyi suddenly turned around and glanced at Zhang Kexin: "Kexin, you don't look well. Have you been too tired lately?"

Zhang Kexin paused for a moment, then shook her head: "No. I probably didn't sleep well last night."

Chen Xinyi sighed: "You're pregnant with twins, so you can't work as hard as before. If Wei Yi knew you were exhausted, he would definitely feel sorry for you."

Hearing her mention Wei Yi so naturally, the thorn in Zhang Kexin's heart sank even deeper.

She forced a smile: "I know. You should go back now, it's cold outside."

Chen Xinyi didn't say anything more and left with her people.

Zhang Kexin stood there, watching them walk away until the elevator doors closed, then she turned and went back to the clinic.

The consultation room fell silent.

She sat down at her desk, intending to file today's inspection records.

Chen Xinyi and Lin Siyan's new files were placed on the corner of the table.

For some reason, Chen Xinyi requested two new files today.

Zhang Kexin casually flipped open Chen Xinyi's book.

Ultrasound reports, hormone reports, blood tests, and pregnancy and childbirth history records—page after page, neatly arranged.

She read very slowly, as if she were checking every word she had written.

Her finger stopped when she turned to the second-to-last page.

The section for "Husband/Father," which the pregnant woman had to fill out herself, clearly stated two words:

Wei Yi.

Zhang Kexin stared at those two words, her breath catching for a moment.

She told herself it was impossible; she must be seeing things.

But look again.

It was Wei Yi again.

Duplicate name.

It must be a case of the same name.

She hurriedly went to check her ID number.

She remembered Wei Yi's ID number.

After checking, her hands began to tremble.

She then opened Lin Siyan's book.

The "Husband/Father" field also reads:

Wei Yi.

The same ID number.

The same contact number.

The last four digits of the contact number were the number pinned to the top of her contacts.

Zhang Kexin felt as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over her head, and she froze in her chair.

She flipped through the file with trembling hands, until she reached the last page.

There was a pink sticky note tucked inside, with a small heart sticker on the edge.

She recognized the handwriting; it was Chen Xinyi's, delicate yet with a touch of playfulness.

"Sister Kexin, there are some questions you can ask me directly. —Xinyi"

Zhang Kexin suddenly stood up.

The chair leg scraped against the tiles with a screeching sound.

She rushed out of the consultation room, jogged down the corridor, and returned to her small office.

Push the door open, lock it, and slowly slide down to the ground with your back against the door panel.

She didn't cry.

She was just trembling.

His teeth were chattering, his fingers were gripping the hem of his clothes tightly, and he was curled up in a ball, like a deer frightened by the thunder.

She had considered this possibility.

From Chen Xintong's statement, "I want to have a baby for my brother in the future," she should have realized this long ago.

But every time the thought popped into her head, she would desperately suppress it.

She told herself: Wei Yi wouldn't lie to her.

He was so gentle and passionate. He said, "Let's have a child first. When I turn twenty-two, the first thing I'll do is get a marriage certificate with you."

How could he be the father of Chen Xinyi's unborn child?

They are siblings!

Although they're not blood-related, they're still siblings!

How could he be the father of Lin Siyan's unborn child?

Lin Siyan is obviously extremely proud; how could she possibly share a man with other women?

But that ID number, that phone number, that sticky note—all clearly told her:

The "brother-in-law" she thought he was and the man she loved most were very likely the same person.

Zhang Kexin buried her face in her knees, her shoulders twitching.

She dared not think.

Just thinking about it makes me feel like the whole world has collapsed.

After an unknown amount of time, two soft knocks suddenly sounded at the door.

"Kexin? Are you inside?"

Zhang Kexin suddenly looked up.

It's Liu Fang.

Her mentor was a leading figure in obstetrics and gynecology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital and one of the most authoritative figures in the field of reproductive medicine in China.

Zhang Kexin did not move.

There was a second knock on the door.

"Kexin, I came to do my rounds this morning and thought I'd drop by to see you. Your colleague said you suddenly ran back to your office halfway through your shift and haven't come out since. What happened?"

"Kexin, are you inside?"

Zhang Kexin sniffed and slowly got up from the ground.

She opened the door.

Liu Fang stood at the door. She was a woman in her fifties with her hair neatly tied up. She wore a white coat over a dark gray cardigan.

The wrinkles on his face were faint, his eyes were clear and bright, and he had a kind and gentle expression.

When she saw Zhang Kexin's expression, her brows immediately furrowed.

"What happened? You look terrible. Have you been crying? What happened?"

Zhang Kexin opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Liu Fang walked in, closed the door behind her, pulled her to sit down in a chair, and poured her a glass of warm water.

"Drink some water first. The sky isn't going to fall."

Zhang Kexin held the water glass, her fingertips still cold.

After a long silence, she finally spoke softly:

"Mentor, as I mentioned to you last time, I recently treated three pregnant women, all of whom were carrying twins, and... the father of the children is very likely the same person."

Liu Fang was taken aback, then frowned: "You're still thinking about this? Were you one of them?"

Zhang Kexin did not hide her pregnancy from Liu Fang.

She didn't even hide it from some of her close colleagues at Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

After all, she wasn't afraid of what others would say.

Because the man had already promised her that they would hold a wedding banquet after the New Year.

They want to have an engagement or wedding ceremony, but because they are not old enough, they will have to wait a few more years to officially register their marriage.

But now...

Zhang Kexin gave a bitter laugh: "It's me, Professor. If I said that the twins in my belly, and the twins in the bellies of two other women, are all from the same man, do you think that's possible?"

Liu Fang frowned. "Impossible!"

"But..." Zhang Kexin said softly, "Those two women wrote my boyfriend's name in the father's section of their files."

Liu Fang paused for a few seconds, her tone softening, but still resolute:

"Kexin, this only proves that both pregnant women registered their children under the same man's name. It doesn't mean that the children are both his."

Zhang Kexin looked up at her.

Liu Fang continued, "Twins are mainly influenced by the woman's genes, ovulation patterns, and ovulation-inducing drugs. Father's genes determining twins? There's no precedent for that. If such a gene truly existed, it would shake the entire field of reproductive medicine. You've studied medicine for so many years, and you've even forgotten this?"

"I haven't forgotten," Zhang Kexin's voice lowered further. "But mentor, what if they hadn't taken ovulation-inducing drugs?"

"That's even more impossible." Liu Fang waved her hand. "Three unrelated women conceiving naturally at the same time, all having twins, and all fathered by the same man—the probability of that is so low it's negligible. It's like Mars colliding with Earth tomorrow, causing the world to end."

Zhang Kexin didn't say anything.

Liu Fang sighed and pushed the water glass towards her:

"Kexin, have you been working too hard lately? You're pregnant and still working night shifts, and you're handling so many special cases. Don't try to apply the plots from novels, movies, and TV shows to yourself."

Zhang Kexin's lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she ultimately swallowed it back.

She still felt that this possibility existed.

Because that man... he's different!

But all the knowledge I've learned over the years, and my mentor, this authority, is standing right here.

It did indeed alleviate her anxiety to a great extent.

Seeing that her expression had softened slightly, Liu Fang patted her shoulder:

"Alright, stop overthinking. If you're really worried, you can arrange for those two pregnant women to do a prenatal paternity test together. But the pregnancy is too early now, and there are risks involved in amniocentesis. Let's wait until it's a bit further along."

The old doctor still thought it was impossible.

But to put his apprentice at ease, he still offered a solution.

Zhang Kexin nodded gently.

Liu Fang gave a few more instructions, which were nothing more than paying attention to rest, eating on time, and avoiding staying up late.

Zhang Kexin agreed to all of them and escorted her mentor to the door.

Before leaving, Liu Fang turned back and looked at her one last time:

"Kexin, you must remember this. Medicine is based on evidence and science, not intuition. Even if the same name is on that file, it doesn't mean anything. These days, it's not uncommon for a man to take advantage of three women, but for three women to get pregnant with twins at the same time? Impossible!"

She paused, then added, "Unless it's IVF. But you just said they didn't take any ovulation-inducing drugs, so that's even less likely."

Zhang Kexin lowered her eyes and said nothing more.

Liu Fang is gone.

The office returned to silence.

Zhang Kexin sat in the chair, staring blankly at the glass of water that had gone cold for a long time.

She knew her mentor was right.

Medically, this is almost impossible.

But that sticky note, that ID number, that phone number, were like needles, pricking the softest spot in her heart.

She took out her phone and scrolled to Wei Yi's WeChat.

The last message was sent last night. Wei Yi said, "Wife, I've been in meetings these past few days and haven't had time to spend with you. After the meetings end the day after tomorrow, I'll take you shopping and to Mom and Dad's for dinner. Remember to tell them, okay? Mom's braised pork is so delicious, can you ask her to make it again for me?"

Zhang Kexin stared at the words, and her heart inexplicably calmed down again.

Yes.

Even my advisor said so.

This is scientifically impossible.

Moreover, the situation with his sister and Lin Siyan must be quite complicated.

His brother-in-law's situation might be more special, which is why he needs to appear in his sister's and Lin Siyan's files.

Used to deceive people?

But... why is it him again, the one who's trying to deceive everyone?

Her eyes welled up again.

She wanted to ask: Is the baby in your sister's belly yours?

She wanted to ask: Is the child in Lin Siyan's belly yours?

She wanted to ask: What am I to you?

But she couldn't type a single word.

Just then, my phone vibrated.

It's Chen Xinyi.

"Kexin, how was your day?"

Zhang Kexin felt a surge of emotions as she read the message.

She used to think this person was kind and warm.

She's younger than me, but she's like my older sister in every way.

And she really is her boyfriend's sister.

Now, she feels that every word in the messages this person sends is like a thorn.

She took a deep breath and replied:

"I'm not feeling well, let's talk another day."

After sending the message, she placed her phone face down on the table, slowly leaned down, and buried her face in her arms.

Tears finally fell.

Palm Springs.

Chen Xinyi leaned back on the sofa, looked at the brief and somewhat impolite reply on her phone screen, and suddenly smiled.

Chen Xintong happened to be coming down from the second floor and saw her sister's smile: "Sister, what are you smiling about?"

"It's nothing." Chen Xinyi looked up and waved to her. "Tongtong, come down. I'll teach you a new phrase."

Chen Xintong ran down and gently nestled into her arms.

Chen Xinyi ruffled her pigtails, lowered her voice, and whispered something in her ear.

Chen Xintong blinked, her face serious: "Should I go and tell Sister Kexin?"

"No rush," Chen Xinyi smiled sweetly and deeply. "We can talk about it next time we meet."

Outside the window, the year-end snow fell silently once again.