I’m No Longer Human After Being Blacklisted – CH88

Chapter 88 – Maternal Skinship

Lin Jiu called Fu Jiao, planning to go to the base to find Si Xu. The two of them were heading toward the parking lot when someone called out to them.

Lin Jiu turned around and saw a middle-aged man who was unusually thin, moving slowly and needing assistance to walk.

“Lin Jiu, is that you? You’re Lin Jiu, right?” The middle-aged man was very emotional, quickening his steps to approach.

Lin Jiu looked at him warily. “Who are you?”

The man, overwhelmed with excitement and struggling to speak clearly, said, “I—I’m your father. I’m your father, Xiao Jiu. I’m your dad!”

Lin Jiu examined him closely. The man had gained some weight in the face, looking quite different from when he had been bedridden.

Lin Jiu knew the man had woken up, but he hadn’t expected him to recover so quickly, already able to walk on his own.

Liao Tingwang tried to touch Lin Jiu, but Fu Jiao stepped in and blocked him with an outstretched arm.

After learning about the habits of the Ruta people, Si Xu had arranged for Fu Jiao to come to the shop daily, not just for meals but also to protect Lin Jiu.

When it came to land battles, Si Xu trusted the Ruta people completely. The branch of the Ruta clan that had settled here had been helped by Lin Jiu and were absolutely loyal to him, never willing to betray him.

Liao Tingwang looked at Lin Jiu, unsure of what to do. “Xiao Jiu, I’m so sorry. I’ve made you suffer so much. I’ll make it up to you. Please, let me make it up to you from now on, okay?”

Lin Jiu felt very conflicted. It was the first time he’d met his biological father, but it didn’t feel any different from meeting a stranger—there was none of the emotional connection he had imagined.

He felt no familial bond with this man. On the contrary, it was his mother, whom he had never met, who stayed constantly on his mind.

Lin Jiu wasn’t sure if it was due to his siren bloodline.

Or perhaps it was because his mother had carried him, given birth to him, and cared for him tenderly for three months before illness forced her to leave him. Her love and regret seemed to be etched into his very bones. Even though he didn’t remember her, the infant version of him had emotionally clung to that motherly love.

He longed for his mother, but felt no connection to his father.

Maybe his father’s love didn’t reach the depth and purity of his mother’s, leaving Lin Jiu unable to feel it.

Or maybe, this man didn’t truly love him at all.

The bloodline of the Lost Tribe of the Demon Sea was indeed mysterious, its sense of kinship far exceeding that of ordinary humans.

Compared to Liao Tingwang’s emotional state, Lin Jiu remained calm.

“There’s no need to make it up to me. I’m doing fine now, and I hope you live well too. Please don’t come looking for me again.”

Even though he didn’t feel a connection, Lin Jiu still felt a bit uncomfortable deep inside, though he didn’t know why.

“Xiao Jiu, Xiao Jiu, don’t go!”

Liao Tingwang lunged forward. Fu Jiao reached out to stop him but hesitated to push hard since this was still Lin Jiu’s father. In that moment of hesitation, Liao Tingwang grabbed Lin Jiu’s clothing.

Tears streaming down his face, Liao Tingwang sobbed, “Xiao Jiu, I’m sorry. You don’t have to forgive me, but please don’t avoid me. You’re my only child. Don’t turn your back on me…”

Fu Jiao tried to pull Liao Tingwang away, but the man held tightly to Lin Jiu’s hand, crying so hard he could barely stand.

Passersby glanced over, many of them recognizing Boss Lin, but none knowing who this middle-aged man was.

[Host, something seems off. His body contains a high level of radiation.]

Lin Jiu froze: What do you mean?

[He doesn’t have any genetic potential, and this level of radiation should’ve killed him. But he’s still alive.]

Lin Jiu hesitated: You can’t figure out what’s wrong?

[Who said I can’t? I—I just haven’t encountered something like this before, so I haven’t figured it out yet.]

Lin Jiu realized the system genuinely had no clue, which was why it found the situation strange.

For someone to wake up after being in a coma for twenty years—indeed, it seemed too coincidental.

“Let go of me. Let’s talk inside the shop.”

Standing out here, pulling and crying in the street, wasn’t a good look.

The departed Boss Lin returned with two others.

They went to a private room Lin Jiu had reserved, leaving Fu Jiao and Liao Tingwang’s companion outside. Inside, it was just the father and son.

Liao Tingwang, seeing that Lin Jiu had given him a chance to talk, thought his son had softened.

“Xiao Jiu, I failed you. I couldn’t protect you. But from now on, I’ll take good care of you. Please, give me a chance.”

Lin Jiu looked at him in silence. “Can you tell me how you woke up?”

Liao Tingwang froze, his expression stiffening. “You—you don’t want me to wake up?”

Lin Jiu replied, “I’m happy you’re awake, but don’t you think the way you woke up is a bit unusual?”

Liao Tingwang said, “The doctors said I woke up naturally. I’m not a special case. There are people abroad who were in comas even longer than me and woke up.”

Lin Jiu frowned, finding it hard to understand.

Liao Tingwang added, “My body is recovering. Once I’m fully healed, I’ll do everything I can to make it up to you.”

Lin Jiu said, “There’s no need. You don’t owe me anything, and I don’t need you to make it up to me. The person you wronged was my mother, but she’s already gone. No matter how many apologies you offer, she won’t hear them. If you’re trying to make up for what you owe her through me, I won’t accept it. I don’t need it. Let’s go our separate ways, and may we both live well. If we don’t have to meet again, let’s not.”

Tears welled up in Liao Tingwang’s eyes as he looked at Lin Jiu, unable to speak for a long time.

Lin Jiu stood up. “Wait here.”

He left the private room, went to the kitchen, and took a box of 500g caviar from his space ring before returning to the room.

He placed the caviar in front of Liao Tingwang. “I made this caviar. Take it and eat it. The radiation levels in your body are high, and they could erupt at any time. This should help you prevent that, and hopefully, keep you alive a bit longer.”

“Xiao Jiu…” Liao Ting wanted to say something but was interrupted by Lin Jiu.

“Although I don’t know exactly what’s going on, you’re probably not awake naturally. If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. It’s your body, take care of yourself. I have something to do, so I’ll leave now.”

Lin Jiu stepped outside again but didn’t feel like going to the base anymore. He headed home alone.

Si Xu had been busy with evaluations and restructuring the seventh team recently, and probably didn’t have time to accompany him. Lin Jiu didn’t want to disturb his work and instead went home to make more silver carp caviar, waiting for Si Xu to get off work in the evening.

*

Lin Jiu placed his phone on the sofa and entered the smart kitchen in the living room. If a call came in, he’d hear it.

In the afternoon, Si Xu called, asking if Lin Jiu wanted to meet with the Elton family.

The Elton family had been investigating Vera’s origins for some time. Vera’s identity remained a mystery, and any investigation pointed only to an orphanage that no longer existed, with no one knowing who her parents were.

From little Hailey’s sense, it was clear that Lin Jiu shared a blood relationship with them. Based on this, little Hailey’s speculation was likely true.

The current head of the Elton family wanted to meet Lin Jiu in person but was denied by the Special Security Department.

They were still investigating, hoping to find more evidence to prove that Vera was indeed the long-lost child of the Elton family. If they could confirm Vera’s identity, Lin Jiu’s identity would be determined as well.

However, before they could find any proof, news that mermaids were real spread worldwide. When the Elton family saw the photo, they couldn’t sit still any longer.

As the oldest sea creature family, the Elton family didn’t have any records of this unfamiliar face. There was no doubt that this person was one of their kin.

The head of the Elton family immediately wanted to go to country H to verify the matter, but little Hailey stopped them.

Little Hailey’s first reaction upon seeing the photo was that the figure was Lin Jiu.

Both the head of the Elton family and Lottie were shocked. The only similarity between the sea creature in the photo and Lin Jiu was the long hair—the eye color was different, and neither the time nor location matched.

As soon as the mermaid’s existence was revealed, people started investigating, even digging into Lin Jiu’s life. But when the tsunami hit country H, Lin Jiu was seen in his shop, with many people in the old street as witnesses.

If Lin Jiu really were the mermaid, how could he have traveled from country H to country Z at the same time? So, although Lin Jiu was suspected, people quickly dismissed the idea.

“No way, it couldn’t possibly be our Boss Lin,” they thought, and stopped investigating the matter, convinced it had nothing to do with him.

Even internet trolls accepted that Boss Lin wasn’t the mermaid.

The speed with which the topic was buried left everyone surprised.

Despite Lin Jiu being a suspect for the Elton family, little Hailey’s sense of kinship made them unwilling to give up.

To confirm whether Lin Jiu was the sea creature, the Elton family repeatedly tried to visit him at the Mo Yu shop, but each time, they were stopped by people hidden in the shadows, preventing them from getting close.

The Elton family didn’t give up and continued negotiating with the Special Security Department. If they could confirm that Lin Jiu was the mermaid, they wouldn’t need to investigate Vera’s identity any further—Lin Jiu would undoubtedly be their long-lost bloodline.

Because of this, the former head of the Elton family, despite his illness, flew over from country M, determined to meet the boy in person.

The former head, the current head, and the current head’s two children were all there, intent on confirming Lin Jiu’s identity.

Si Xu, knowing the whole story, could prevent the Elton family from meeting Lin Jiu, but he couldn’t decide on Lin Jiu’s behalf whether or not he should meet them.

That’s why Si Xu left the decision to Lin Jiu.

Lin Jiu wasn’t familiar with this family—he had never heard of them before.

“Why do they want to meet me?”

Si Xu should have told Lin Jiu about the Elton family as soon as he knew Lin Jiu was a merfolk, but due to various concerns, he had hesitated. However, the Elton family was determined to meet Lin Jiu and wouldn’t rest until they did.

If Lin Jiu didn’t want to meet them, they would accept it, but if certain forces were preventing them from meeting, the Elton family wouldn’t stand for it. In the worst-case scenario, it could even become an international issue.

Si Xu knew how much hardship Lin Jiu had endured since childhood. He longed for family affection but had been hurt by it repeatedly. Si Xu didn’t know what kind of attitude the Elton family had—whether they were sincere or not—and he didn’t want Lin Jiu to be hurt by family ties again.

However, Si Xu also knew that Lin Jiu’s feelings toward his mother were different. He wanted Lin Jiu to make the decision about whether or not to meet the Elton family.

Si Xu said, “The Elton family is the oldest merfolk family in country M. Lottie and little Hailey, whom you’ve met, are the children of the current head of the Elton family.”

It was news to Lin Jiu that Lottie and little Hailey had sea creature genes.

Could the sense of closeness he felt toward them have come from this?

Did they all share merfolk blood, which caused the connection?

Lin Jiu had met Lottie and little Hailey before, and the system hadn’t prompted him to say they were his kind, likely because their merfolk genes were too diluted.

Could such diluted merfolk genes really be that powerful?

“The Elton family came here looking for lost relatives. The former head of the family had a sister, and her daughter was lost long ago. They’ve been searching for years and recently followed a lead to this place.”

At this point, anyone with common sense could figure it out.

The person the Elton family was looking for was likely Vera, and since Lin Jiu was Vera’s child, they wanted to meet him.

Si Xu asked, “Do you want to meet them?”

Lin Jiu didn’t answer right away. Instead, he asked, “Did they say why my mother was lost for so long?”

Si Xu replied, “I asked. They didn’t give details, but they said they would tell the truth to the child.”

In other words, if Lin Jiu wasn’t that child, they wouldn’t reveal the truth.

The Elton family was still unsure of Lin Jiu’s identity, merely speculating, but Lin Jiu had already confirmed—he was indeed a siren. If the merfolk family came looking for someone, it could only be his mother; there was no other explanation.

Lin Jiu hesitated. He wanted to know what had happened to his mother, but he was also worried that revealing his identity could bring unnecessary trouble.

Si Xu seemed to understand his concerns. “The Elton family told me something. If you really are a siren who can take human form, it won’t be possible to hide it. Those people will find you sooner or later. Both your mother and grandmother suffered persecution.”

Si Xu didn’t know who “those people” were, but his intuition told him that Lin Jiu might be in danger.

Lin Jiu’s heart raced—he had a sudden realization.

Lin Jiu asked, “Is it a problem if I reveal my identity as a siren?”

Si Xu replied, “If you want to know the truth, I’ll handle the other issues for you.”

Lin Jiu said, “I want to know the truth.”

Si Xu nodded. “Alright, I understand. I’ll arrange for you to meet them.”