Chapter 24 First: New Identity


    Scarlett Adler checked the time. “Grandpa Hodges, I won’t stay for dinner. It’s gettingte, and I should head back. I’ll arrange for you and my grandpa toe out another day, and I’ll treat you both.”


    With that, Scarlett stood up.


    Grandpa Hodges looked like he hadn’t had enough chatting. “Scarlett, why not seize the moment? I’ll have


    someone call Old Adler and get him out here. We can eat today!”


    Uh…


    Scarlett still hadn’t figured out how to settle the three little ones at home.


    “Grandpa Hodges, how about this week? I have other things to take care of today,” Scarlett said.


    Grandpa Hodges didn’t want to force anything. “Alright, then. Let’s set it for this week, the sooner the better.”


    “Okay.”


    Seeing Scarlett about to leave, Old Hodges immediately got up to see her out.


    He walked her all the way from the office to thepany entrance, chatting warmly with Scarlett, while Hugo


    Hodges followed behind, like someone who had fallen out of favor.


    Grandpa Hodges was something of a legend in Port City, rarelying to thepany.


    Many employees had only seen him once or twice since they started working there, and they never expected


    to see him like this.


    Word spread quickly, and everyone was specting about who Scarlett Adler was, that even the usually


    high-spirited Hugo Hodges was following behind her like a background prop.


    Reaching the entrance, Scarlett spoke, “Alright, Grandpa Hodges, you can stop here. I’ll be on my way.”


    “I’ll have the driver take you.”


    ??? ???????


    “No need, it’s easy to get a taxi,” Scarlett politely declined.


    “Well, remember to tell Old Adler not to avoid me. My feelings are the same as his,” Old Hodges said.


    Scarlett nodded, “Okay, I’ll pass it on.”


    Watching Scarlett get into the car and leave, Grandpa Hodges continued to wave goodbye. Only after the car


    disappeared did Old Hodges put away his kind demeanor and turn back to thepany.


    Seeing those two different faces, Hugo had every reason to suspect that Scarlett was family.


    Inside the office, Grandpa Hodges sat on the sofa, looking stern and unapproachable. “Alright, tell me, what’s


    going on?”


    “It’s nothing, just some personal matters,” Hugo was reluctant to say more.


    “Do you think I can’t see what you’re thinking?” Grandpa Hodges asked. “Are you regretting it now that she’s


    be beautiful?”


    “I didn’t…”


    “Come on, don’t even try to exin. You’re my grandson, I know you too well,” Grandpa Hodges interrupted


    him directly.


    “Even if I had any ideas, wouldn’t you be there to stop me?” Hugo said, sounding quite disgruntled. He’d never


    seen anyone badmouth their own grandson like that.


    Grandpa Hodges chuckled coldly. “What’s this? Feeling a little sensitive?”


    Hugo didn’t reply.


    “You made such a scene to get divorced from Scarlett, one stunt after another. Now you think you can just


    sweet-talk her back with a few words?”


    Hugo took a deep breath. “I told you, I didn’t.”


    “If you don’t, then stay far away from her.”


    Hugo was speechless.


    Was this really his grandpa?


    Grandpa Hodges looked at him. “I’m holding you back, yes, but if you really want to win her back, put in some


    effort.”


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    “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hugo said, refusing to admit anything.


    “Alright, alright. Since you don’t have any intentions, I won’t say any more. Scarlett is a good girl. You messed


    with her once, can’t let you do it twice. I’ll find her a good man to introduce her to.” With that, Grandpa Hodges didn’t bother saying anything more and got up to leave.


    Back in the office, Hugo sat there, frowning thoughtfully.


    Back at home, the three siblings entered quietly.


    As soon as they stepped inside, Fourth Adler went straight to her room. Anyone could tell she was upset.


    First and Second usually spoiled her, so of course they noticed she was angry.


    The two followed her inside.


    “What’s wrong?” Second Adler asked.


    Fourth Adler, hugging her Barbie doll, turned to look at them. “Shouldn’t you two exin something to me?”


    “Exin what?” Second Adler tried to y dumb.


    Fourth Adler huffed, “Do you really think I’m stupid?”


    First Adler looked at her and walked over. “You guessed it?”


    “Wasn’t I born to Mommy too? Am I that dumb?” Fourth Adler retorted.


    First Adler knew that once something was done, it couldn’t be hidden forever. “We didn’t hide it from you


    because we thought you were dumb, but because we didn’t want you to have hope and then be disappointed


    again.”


    Hearing this, Fourth Adler looked up at First cautiously. “So, he really is… Daddy?”


    “This is just our initial suspicion. We had you do this to confirm it,” First said.


    Fourth Adler’s heart was pounding fast. The thought of Hugo Hodges potentially being her father filled her


    with an indescribable excitement.


    Second Adler walked over and sat beside her. “Fourth, you should have realized it sooner, shouldn’t you, after


    seeing his face and how much he looks like First?”


    As she spoke, Fourth Adler looked at First again. The resemnce was striking-the face shape, the


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    eyebrows, the eyes-he was practically a miniature version of Hugo.


    But she really hadn’t considered it before.


    She simply thought that all handsome men in the world looked somewhat alike.


    “Today, when he was holding me… I even thought, how wonderful it would be if he were my father,” Fourth


    Adler murmured.


    First reached out and patted her head. “Alright, let’s wait for the results before getting too excited.”


    Fourth Adler nodded.


    “Mommy will be back soon. Don’t act too obvious. Whether he is or isn’t, try to stay calm,” First Adler said.


    “I know,” Fourth Adler replied.


    After leaving her room, Second Adler turned to go back to her own room, with First following behind.


    “What are you nning to do? If two little kids try to get a DNA test with hair samples, they definitely won’t


    ept it,” Second Adler said. “They might even start asking questions.”


    “I don’t n to do it domestically,” First Adler said, then turned on hisputer.


    “Are you sending it to Kun?”


    First Adler didn’t reply. After theputer booted up, he entered an all-English interface. He typed in a series


    of English codes, which transformed into a ck and green chat screen.


    After First logged in, he found a contact named Kun in his contact list.


    “I need a favor.”


    After a few seconds of silence, a line of text appeared: “Can you stop appearing and disappearing like a ghost? We haven’t seen you in so long, we all thought something happened to you. You scared me half to death.”


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    “It’s urgent,” he said.


    “What is it?”


    “Give me an address.”


    “What, are you sending me a gift?” Kun asked.


    “I have a DNA sample that I need you to analyze.”


    Kun replied, “…Can’t you ever ask me for something good?”


    “There will be benefits if you analyze it,” First said.


    Hearing this, Kun immediately became interested and sent an address directly: “For my brother, benefits don’t


    matter. It’s my duty to help.”


    “Then I’ll wait for your news.”


    “OK!”


    “I’m logging off.”


    “Aren’t you going to say hi in the group? Everyone is worried about you,” Kun said.


    “Tell them I’m fine, and I’ll chat with them another day.” After saying that, he logged off directly.


    Appearing and disappearing without a trace, that’s how decisive he was.


    Kun was speechless.