Genius Club-Chapter 218 - 49 Friends_2

"[Friends]..." Ji Lin repeated the word, silently looking at Lin Xian.

He opened his mouth to ask if he could go, simply not wanting to lose sight of Lin Xian. If Chu Anqing allowed him to go, then he would naturally let Lin Xian join the birthday celebration as well.

He could clearly tell that Chu Anqing had feelings for Lin Xian.

It’s said that one who takes gifts or enjoys the hospitality owes a favor, so he couldn’t just accept the meal and then not let Lin Xian attend Chu Anqing’s birthday party, could he?

He had never believed that he had any friends.

From childhood till now, the only people he could consider friends were his sister and Xu Yun, who, unfortunately, had both left him when he was very little.

Lin Xian let out a light sigh, stating with a smile:

"If you’re not busy, let’s go together. We can’t just enjoy the meal without giving anything in return, right?"

Lin Xian had also been cooped up here for a while, not having gone out for many days. The food in the office was just so-so; after eating the same stuff for several days, one would get tired of it. He was looking forward to a change of taste.

"Alright then."

Ji Lin smiled and stacked the empty lunch boxes:

"That means I need to pick out a birthday gift for you."

"Really?"

Chu Anqing laughed happily:

"I’m really looking forward to the gift prepared by you, a great writer! But haha, I’m just kidding. You guys are so busy with work, I’d be satisfied if you could just attend my birthday. The gift isn’t important!"

"No, no, no, a gift is still necessary."

Ji Lin’s expression turned serious:

"When I was young, Xu Yun would give me a gift every time it was my birthday. But then, I never received another gift after that... Although it’s somewhat embarrassing to admit now, I still look forward to someone giving me a gift on each birthday. Often, I would just lie in bed staring at the ceiling, from the early hours of my birthday to the next day, disappointed by the absence of a simple ’happy birthday’ wish or a gift."

"Ah... I didn’t know such things happened."

Chu Anqing blinked, having never imagined someone’s birthday could be so bleak, but she could empathize with that loneliness:

"Then in that case... let’s [exchange gifts]!"

Chu Anqing took their hands, placing all three palms together:

"Then let’s make a promise, from now on, we’ll give each other gifts on every birthday! This way, everyone can be sure to receive at least two gifts on their birthday!"

"Every birthday..."

Lin Xian smiled and lowered his gaze:

"Until when should we continue to exchange gifts?"

"Forever!" Chu Anqing smiled sweetly, her two small dimples barely visible:

"Since we are friends, naturally we should celebrate together until the very last birthday of our lives!"

Ji Lin bowed his head, looking at the three hands pressed together:

"I really wish I could celebrate more birthdays with you."

Having said that, he lifted his head and looked at Lin Xian:

"Lin Xian, when is your birthday?"

"March 20th," Lin Xian replied.

"It has already passed..."

Ji Lin chuckled softly and shook his head:

"That’s a pity."

"What about you? Ji Lin, when is your birthday?" Chu Anqing asked.

"My birthday won’t be until May, on the 3rd of May."

"That’s still a while away! You just wait, Lin Xian and I will definitely prepare a big gift for you! We’ll make up for all those years of birthdays when you didn’t receive a gift!"

Listening to Chu Anqing’s words,

Ji Lin looked at the folded calendar on his desk.

According to Arrogance’s plan, the two scientists from the Hibernation Field and the imposter posing as a fake scientist named Greed would all appear in the East Sea on April 12th...

If, in this operation, it was proven that Lin Xian had the ability to predict the future and disrupt history... then he certainly wouldn’t make it past this May.

"Will you give me a birthday present?"

Ji Lin turned his head to look at Lin Xian.

Lin Xian also lowered his head and looked at the calendar on the desk.

Now, with a little over a month away from May 3rd... how long must he play this game of Catch Me If You Can with these people?

When can they catch their handle, when is the opportunity to capture them all in one go?

Could it really drag on until May 3rd?

He wasn’t sure.

But he hoped to end it all before May 3rd, to present the most sincere gift to the graves of Xu Yun and Tang Xin.

"I guess so." Lin Xian didn’t want to dampen Chu Anqing’s spirits, so he responded indifferently.

"Thanks in advance for both of you."

Ji Lin looked at the two of them:

"I’m looking forward to it."

...

After a bit of small talk, Chu Anqing was ready to head home.

Lin Xian packed up her lunch box for her, walked her out, planning to escort her to the driver in the parking lot before returning.

Ji Lin didn’t say much, simply waving his hand for them to leave.

The source of this c𝓸ntent is freewebnøvel.coɱ.

Thud.

After the office door closed, the laughter and footsteps of Lin Xian and Chu Anqing grew fainter and fainter.

Ji Lin returned to his desk and picked up [the black notebook] Lin Xian had left on his first day of reporting here.

Lin Xian had brought it with him when he reported for duty, and after jokingly tossing it on the table when teasing Ji Lin for treating it like a "Death Note," he went home to pack up his personal belongings but forgot the notebook here.

Ji Lin had opened it at that time.

It essentially recorded Lin Xian’s daily work in the unit, a handwritten draft for a lecture he gave at a college, as well as some information from Xu Yun’s resume, including his master’s and doctorate graduation dates...

Seeing these two dates, Ji Lin immediately guessed that Lin Xian was also investigating Xu Yun’s murderer.

That’s why, during that sleepless night, he asked Lin Xian if he had heard the name "Ji Xinshui."

Since Lin Xian had noted down Xu Yun’s graduation dates, it would be easy to find out about Ji Xinshui, that is, the relationship between Arrogance and Xu Yun.

He had thought Lin Xian would hide this matter, remain silent, or pretend to have never heard the name Ji Xinshui.

But surprisingly, Lin Xian admitted straightforwardly that he had heard of Ji Xinshui and not only knew that he was Xu Yun’s advisor but also heard the name from Tang Xin.

"Lin Xian..."

Ji Lin flipped through the contents of the black notebook:

"Did you see through my trap and used it against me... or did I wrongly accuse you?"

To this day, he had not found any compelling evidence to support his suspicions about Lin Xian.

Lin Xian’s handwriting wasn’t in Xu Yun’s manuscript.

In the past few days of probing and questioning, Lin Xian hadn’t revealed anything; on the contrary, he came across as natural and honest, seeming to trust him very much.

Ji Lin glanced over at the two dates on the calendar.

April 12th, May 3rd.

"I really hope it’s not you..."

He flipped the black notebook to the last page and pulled out the folded sketch from inside.

The girl in the sketch was beaming, with lovely features. Her beautiful eyes turned into two shallow crescents, and under her attractive face nestled two faint dimples at the corners of her mouth. At the corner of her left eye was a perfectly placed tear mole.

The girl in the drawing was the very Chu Anqing who had just left, the same Chu Anqing who considered him a friend and had invited him to her birthday party.

"What gift should I give her?"