"Well ... my adoptive father is a medical doctor, so I just followed in his footsteps," Nicolae explained.

"Adoptive father? How many fathers do you really have? Is he the one we will meet later?" Marie asked curiously.

"No. You will meet my biological father later. He is not a doctor, but he is very expert on poisons and medicines. In a way, he is the best botanist in the world today."

"Jeez ... your family sounds amazing," Marie commented.

"At present, there are only three people in my immediate family: my father, me and my brother. But my brother is married to the Schneider family's daughter, so now we have become a big family. The Schneider family itself happens to have a fairly extensive family. Do you know Terrence Chan, the president of Schneider Group?" Nicolae looked at Marie attentively.

He wanted to talk about himself to the girl slowly. Starting with the least shocking secret.

"Yes, I know. Terrence Chan is quite famous. He won executive of the year awards from some leading business magazines for several years in a row," Marie said. "If I'm not mistaken, he's the Schneider family's adopted son, isn't he?"

"Sort of like that. He is the biological son of Finland Schneider. She sold her eggs decades ago when she was still in college since she was dirt poor and badly in need of money. The fertility clinic would only accept her eggs, if her best friend, Jean-Pierre Wang sold his s.p.e.r.m too. You must know him. He was a famous movie star and retired ten years ago. Jean's s.p.e.r.m cells together with Finland's eggs were used to create an embryo for IVF procedure by a couple in Singapore. The kid was born by the Chan couple, Terry's birth parents. He was later reunited with Finland and Jean after his parents passed away when he was 15."

"Huh? No way! So, Terrence Chan is the biological son of Jean and Mrs. Schneider?" Marie was shocked to hear Nicolae's story. "This is very surprising ..."

Nicolae smiled at Marie's surprised expression. He then continued his explanation. "Jean later married Marion. You met his wife this afternoon. That was why Marion said that we are family. We have indeed become related through the Schneiders. My brother Alaric, or Elios Linden, married Aleksis, she is Terry's half sister. Terry is Jean's biological son. As you already know, Jean is Marion's husband. "

"Wait a minute ... isn't Marion still very young? So Jean married a girl who was much younger than him? I think Marion is even younger than Terrence Chan," Marie said. "Is Jean really someone like that? If I'm not mistaken, he must be in his 60's now. Gosh ... how outrageous. He married a girl so young."

Nicolae laughed so hard when he heard Marie's comment.

If Jean, who was only 64 years old, was called outrageous because he married a woman who looked younger ... Nicolae could not imagine what Marie would think when she discovered that Nicolae was actually 111 years old and now wanted to marry her.

Ha ha..

"You're wrong," the young man said patiently. "Actually, Marion is older. She's 165 now. She's a hundred years older than Jean."

Marie's eyes went so round. She could not believe in her own hearing.

"Ahh ... you're joking again," Marie said, hitting Nicolae on the shoulder. Her face was filled with a smile as she shook her head.

But after seeing Nicolae's serious face, the girl frowned, and her smile slowly faded, replaced by an expression of shock and astonishment.

"I mean it," Nicolae said in a calm voice. "I told you, there are so many surprises to tell you ... I hope you don't get tired of listening to all of them."

"I don't understand," Marie admitted. "I suddenly feel stupid."

"No, Honey... don't think like that." Nicolae took Marie's hand and rubbed it. "You are very smart and I really admire you. Marion is no ordinary person. She is an Alchemist. The alchemists are immortals because their bodies are perfect and they do not age."

At this point, Marie was convinced that Nicolae was not joking. Nevertheless, it was very difficult for her to believe Nicolae's words just now. Is there such a thing as immortal people? Marion was 165 years old? How was that possible?

Nicolae then slowly told Marie a little history of his people and the Schneider family's secrets so that the girl was not too shocked. For a few minutes, Marie pressed her lips as she repeatedly made a sound of muffled sighs.

"Gosh ... this ... this is very surprising," the girl finally whispered.

"My father, Lauriel Medici, is currently the oldest Alchemist in the world. He is almost 600 years old. He does not like crowds and is very aloof. Currently, he is traveling the world, I do not always know where he is. However, tonight he will take the time to meet you through Virconnect. " Nicolae continued to share about his own family and how his mother died while giving birth to him. Then how he was separated from his brother and father for more than a century.

Marie seemed very sympathetic to the sad story of Nicolae's family. She embraced the man warmly when Nicolae told her about his meeting with his father, 17 years ago. Instantly, Marie could understand how Nicolae and his father felt.

Certainly, it was no different from what they feel now, reunited with loved ones after thinking that they died...

"I'm happy you met your father again," Marie whispered. "I'm sorry about your mother's death ... It must be very sad."

Nicolae nodded and stroked Marie's hair. His c.h.e.s.t was filled with a feeling of warmth and peace that he had never felt before.

It's wonderful to have people to share everything he was feeling. Alaric had Aleksis by his side, Lauriel seemed to be with Rosalien now ... and finally, Nicolae had Marie who understood him and comforted him when he was feeling sad.

Nicolae felt very grateful!

"Thank you, Honey. All of us have now finally let go of Mother and move on. After I met my father, all the questions that had been making me confused about who I was finally got answers. I am very happy to be able to meet my own people, those who are like me. Ten years later, we also learned that Alaric Rhionen, the founder of Rhionen Industries, was my long lost brother," Nicolae pulled Marie's body into his l.a.p and explained to her in more detail about what had happened.