Chapter 10 Goodnight, Mommy and Daddy

The laughter within the office room abruptly ceased, inadvertently succumbing to a subtly fearful atmosphere.

Hank Clegg's silent gaze alone was enough to exert a palpable pressure on everyone present.

The police officer realised he had made a less-than-brilliant joke.

In a hurry to make amends, he said, "My apologies, Mr. Clegg, we all know you're a genius. But, in this world, people like you are one in a million."

Hank Clegg had already risen from his seat, "Investigate every child who has visited the Louvre Museum in the past three years, I need the complete list!"

Having said that, he was already at the office room door.

The officer behind him asked in panic, "Mr. Clegg, between what ages specifically?"

Hank Clegg paused momentarily in his steps, "Three to eight years old."

Three to eight years old...

This range included the two babies in the mansion in the countryside of Paris.

Lucy Talkington and Michael Talkington, who had just turned six this year.

Ding Dong—

The doorbell rang.

Victoria Talkington was adjusting the second batch of cookie dough in the kitchen, she asked aloud, "Who is it?"

Lucy had already turned off the game system in a split second, pulled out the system disk, and hid it under a flower pot.

Michael's foot swiftly stepped on the corner wire.

A flash of movement and all of the painting tools, including two paintings, were sealed in a thin film and flipped into the secret chamber beneath the ground.

The door opened, Lucy had lifted her head, bearing a sweet smile that could melt any uncle's heart.

She looked up at the handsome man before her.

"Uncle, are you here to apply for our Daddy's job?" she asked.

The blonde, green-eyed man revealed his muscular arm and a smile that sported eight teeth, "Yes, little darling."

Lucy dashed back inside, shouting as she ran, "Michael—The job applicant for Daddy's position is here for the interview—Quick, call the interviewer!"

Two minutes later, a floured Victoria was escorted by the two little ones into the living room.

With her wide eyes blinking, she looked at the man on the couch in innocent confusion, asking her children, "Is he... the new plumber?"

Lucy and Michael held their heads in their hands.

Oh, NO!

Mummy is always so out of the loop.

Over the years, they had carefully introduced her to many men, but she either mistaken them as cleaning staff or salesmen. The most exaggerated incident was when she thought someone was a burglar.

Lucy and Michael were quite content with their current life.

Their only dissatisfaction was, why didn't they have a Daddy?

When they asked Mummy.

Mummy told them sternly, "My dear babies, your Mummy is a very self-disciplined oxygen beauty. I haven't dated or even touched a man's hand since giving birth to you!"

Lucy and Michael were simply despaired.

If Mummy had never touched a man's hand, how did they come into this world?

Could it be, this is the rumoured immaculate conception from a thousand miles away?

No, no, no...

That's not scientific!

Lucy and Michael, after countless nights of discussion, made a great decision.

That was, if they didn't have a Daddy, they would create a Daddy!

There are so many men in this world, out of millions, there has to be one who can be their Daddy.

But after innumerable matchmaking efforts, Lucy and Michael began to doubt their grand decision.

Seeing Mummy's reaction to every applicant, the two babies also gradually believed that Mummy really had never held a man's hand.

Mummy probably couldn't even tell the difference between a man and a woman!

Although every applicant was drooling at the idea of becoming their father, their beautiful mum never saw any of them as potential partners.

Many men have proposed, but the number who left the house in one piece was far fewer.

Of course, this was largely due to Victoria's discerning judgment, and also to the contributions of her two beloved ones.

Take today's visitor, for instance. He seemed handsome enough.

But once he started talking, he wouldn't stop.

This man was a bodybuilding competitor. The reason Lucy and Michael had chosen him was because his physique was indeed impressive, and Lucy thought he could at least serve as her martial arts sparring partner.

However, after talking with him for a while, Lucy realized that apart from competing, this man had no proper job or steady income.

He whistled at Victoria, "Babe, you know my life's goal is to maintain these fantastic muscles forever. If you marry me, all I need to do is work out and perform in shows every day, and you can keep having babies for me. If you give birth to eight, the social benefits alone would make us rich."

Lucy and Michael stared at him in shock. Eight children?

Did he think their beautiful mum was a breeding sow?

Did he think the children produced would be piglets sold for money?

Worse yet, all Victoria did was nod her head while absent-mindedly stirring cookie dough and utter, "Sure..."

No, it was not okay!

Lucy and Michael were about to explode.

Mum was the most worrying creature in the world. She always took a lighthearted approach to crucial matters like finding them a father.

Lucy and Michael decided to use the most "gentle" way to drive away this interviewer who coveted their mum.

Therefore, after this fitness enthusiast left, he mysteriously ended up with a large tattoo of a turtle on his back. When he showed his back during competitions, everyone in the audience burst into laughter.

Moreover, it could never be washed off.

Michael muttered, "Hmm, this is punishment for those who want to gain without working."

In fact, this applicant was the best they had interviewed so far.

Earlier, Lucy and Michael had received a French-based Physics Ph.D graduate.

The man's credentials seemed worthy of being Michael's father.

However, this man asked Victoria to marry him upon arrival, hoping to obtain French citizenship.

He also planned to move all his relatives from China to live with them.

When he discovered that Lucy and Michael were Victoria's children, he flew into a rage at Victoria: "You reckless woman, you already have two children! You deceived me!"

Lucy and Michael were so surprised their mouths dropped open to the size of an egg.

Excuse us, but the dating ad on the social networking site clearly stated that Victoria was a mother of a pair of twins.

This so-called Ph.D graduate's intelligence made them doubt that he had even finished elementary school.

Soon after, Michael found out the Ph.D graduate had been unemployed since graduation and was currently making a living by selling condoms.

And so, after the doctor left the house.

Every condom he sold would, strangely enough, burst when inflated.

Lucy wouldn't tell him that she had taken a needle and pricked holes in every single product in his suitcase.

…

At night, Lucy and Michael lay on the bed, looking at the stars outside the window together.

Michael asked Lucy, "Sis, will we ever find our father?"

Lucy bravely embraced her little brother and patted his shoulder, "Don't worry, we will find him."

Michael was a bit melancholic, "But why has our dad never looked for us? Doesn't he want mum anymore?"

Lucy thought for a while, pointed at the brightest star in the sky, and said to Michael: "See, that's like our father. He didn't abandon us. He is the brightest star so he has to illuminate the night sky every night, and that's why he doesn't have time to find us. But he is always shining on us and lighting up our mum."

Michael asked with anticipation: "So, is our dad a hero?"

"Don't worry," Lucy hugged her brother tighter, "Our dad is surely a great hero."

Feeling reassured, Michael closed his eyes, "Goodnight, Sis."

"Goodnight, little Mica."

"Goodnight, our wonderful Mum and Dad."