No wonder.

No wonder the name "Qin Xuan" had always seemed somewhat familiar, yet he couldn't recall where he had heard it before.

That was because the authorities had never made this matter public. They chose to handle it internally and keep it confidential to avoid causing too much impact.

Ye Chen only learned about it after he had become part of high society and entered the world of fame and power. It was during a casual conversation with senior figures at the Chinese Academy of Sciences that he discovered this.

And that researcher's name was—Qin Xuan!

Because he had only heard it once, and even then, it was mentioned inadvertently by a senior leader of the Academy, the name had merely lingered in his subconscious, never fully surfacing.

But now, upon seeing the project proposal for Shenxing II, recalling all the ups and downs that project had gone through in his past life, and considering that this proposal had been submitted by Qin Xuan—everything suddenly connected!

However, soon after, Ye Chen found himself deeply perplexed.

He didn't believe this was merely a coincidence of shared names. No coincidence could be this precise.

If it wasn't a coincidence, then the real question was: How could Qin Xuan have done something that could practically be considered an act of treason?

A wife who was an associate professor at Sun Yat-sen University.

A daughter with an extraordinary gift for playing the piano.

A highly respected father-in-law, Yan Huaili.

On top of that, Qin Xuan himself was a senior researcher with a doctorate.

By all accounts, the words "bright future" didn't even begin to describe his life.

This was a man who had everything—a life that countless people would envy.

How could he possibly end up on such a path?

And another thing—

As Yan Huaili's son-in-law, Qin Xuan's actions should have completely destroyed any chance of Yan Huaili's political advancement. Yet in the years that followed, Yan Huaili had smoothly risen through the ranks, ultimately reaching one of the highest positions of power.

This made no sense.

Even with the wisdom of two lifetimes, Ye Chen couldn't make sense of it.

If this were merely a case of two people having the same name, then everything could be explained away.

But—

Ye Chen was certain this wasn't a coincidence. Same name, same occupation, same involvement with Shenxing II...

Even though Qin Xuan was currently just an associate researcher, in the timeline of his past life, his promotion to full researcher would have been completely logical.

So, the idea of coincidence was absolutely impossible.

Since "coincidence" wasn't an option, Ye Chen began recalling every detail of Qin Xuan's behavior and demeanor.

Although they had only met twice—

If he disregarded their first brief encounter outside South China International School, their real interaction amounted to just an hour or two during the family's visit earlier today.

But with the insight gained from two lifetimes and his extensive knowledge of micro-expression psychology, Ye Chen could confidently say—

Even after just a few conversations, he could see through someone with about 70-80% accuracy. After all, micro-expressions and subconscious reactions were almost impossible to fully conceal.

Yet Qin Xuan had given him no signs of deception, cunning, or hidden motives.

Could a man like that truly commit such an unforgivable act against his own people?

Given all these factors—and Ye Chen's unwavering belief that this was not a coincidence—

There was only one conclusion he could draw.

As of this moment, Qin Xuan had done nothing wrong.

Something must have happened later—something that changed him.

Unknowingly, half an hour had passed.

And that project proposal?

Apart from reading the project title, he hadn't gone through a single line of actual content.

"Hmm? Lao Ye, what's wrong with you?"

Suddenly—

Chen Yinuo, who had just finished tidying up in the kitchen, walked over.

Seeing Ye Chen sitting there in a daze, she gently called out to him.

Her voice pulled Ye Chen out of his thoughts, bringing him back to reality.

"Nothing, just thinking about something. I got distracted," Ye Chen said with an awkward smile.

"What were you thinking about?"

As she spoke, Chen Yinuo glanced at the project proposal in Ye Chen's hands.

"...Uh."

Still on the first page.

And it hadn't been turned at all.

"You haven't even started reading it?" she asked, surprised.

"...No, I was just about to," Ye Chen admitted, embarrassed.

But Chen Yinuo shook her head, walked behind him, and gently placed her hands on his shoulders, massaging them.

"Hubby."

She no longer called him "Lao Ye"—her tone had shifted to something far more intimate.

"Hubby, if you're not planning to collaborate with research institutions just yet, then don't force yourself. Let's put it on hold for now. We've already made so much progress. It's okay—even necessary—to slow down a little.

Think about it—you're not even thirty yet. There's no need to take on so much at once. We still have plenty of time to expand our business empire. There's no rush."

Her voice was gentle.

Ye Chen chuckled bitterly. "Yinuo, it's not what you think."

"If it's not what I think, then what is it? You've been sitting here for over half an hour, still stuck on the first page. You haven't even turned a single page yet. If that doesn't mean you're uninterested, then what does?

So don't force yourself. Sure, it's important to maintain good relations with Secretary Yan. But like I said—you can consider his position, but don't let it dictate your decisions."

Ye Chen sighed, smiling helplessly. "Yinuo, do you really think I'm the kind of person who lets someone's rank influence my judgment?"

Chen Yinuo's hands briefly paused.

Ye Chen continued, "Besides, from what I know of Secretary Yan, he's not the type to interfere like that. The fact that Qin Xuan approached me with his consent simply means he saw no issue with it. Of course, he probably does hope we'll collaborate with the Jiangzhou Research Institute, but that's because it's a project that benefits the nation.

If it were Secretary Zhang instead, he'd think the same way."

Chen Yinuo blinked.

That... actually made sense.

"Well, as long as you handle it as you see fit," she said eventually. "I was just worried about you. My original life path was just being a regular office worker and housewife. You were the one who lifted me to where I am today.

When it comes to strategy and vision, I'm still miles behind those top businesswomen. So I may not be able to offer the most constructive advice.

But seeing you like this... I can't help but feel a little heartache.

You act like you're a hands-off boss, but I know you're under a lot of pressure. Maybe you're not completely exhausted yet, but you're far from relaxed.

Sometimes, I really wish you could just slow down, even a little. The future is long—you don't need to rush everything at once. I don't want you to be so tired."

As she spoke, she withdrew her hands and walked around to sit beside him.

Just as she was about to settle down, Ye Chen suddenly grabbed her hand, pulling her toward him as if to sit her on his lap.

"What are you doing? The kid is here—behave yourself!" she scolded, quickly glancing toward their daughter.

Luckily, the little girl was still focused on her calligraphy practice, unaware of anything.

Just then—

Before Ye Chen could respond, his phone suddenly rang.

On the screen—

The caller ID displayed the name: Xiao Qiang.