‘SEE YOU MORNING’ 145 Survival Instinct

Lin Yuhui possessed a strong survival instinct, especially given his life’s starting point: a high-salary job, a villa, a wife, and children. Granted, the wife was picked up by chance, and the children weren’t his own, but what was there to complain about? In his previous life, he’d been born in a small city in northeastern China before the reform era. While all roads led to Rome, it was far better to be born in Rome itself.

Moreover, he carried all the memories, cultivation, and life experiences from his past existence. Undoubtedly, these served as advantages in tackling this new life’s challenges, and he welcomed the test. Having already died once, with no attachments left, he no longer feared death. Heh, finally, he could devote himself entirely.

Since Theodore’s cause of death remained unknown—its source and potential form of threat still unclear—he decided to bolster his defenses comprehensively. Lin Yuhui wasn’t foolish. He avoided using company terminals to search for or order defensive items and refrained from asking others for advice. Drawing on his scientific understanding of technological progress, nearly a century’s worth of societal development insights, and his grasp of human nature, he knew he had to start from the most basic level of self-protection. He didn’t even hire private bodyguards; it didn’t matter—he trusted no one anyway.

What puzzled him was why the previous Theodore had taken no such precautions. Perhaps this was the difference between a pampered pet and a beast forged in the wilds of the jungle. At that moment, Lin Yuhui even felt a flicker of pride in his own rugged past and the hard-earned wisdom about the real world it had given him, along with his resilient character.
Ah, don’t get cocky—stay low-key, stay low-key. Pondering this, he glanced through the glass walls of his office toward the open workspace beyond. Which of those people had the former Theodore trusted? And which were Trojan horses? The thought made him chuckle, recalling Grace’s horseback riding farce from the day before.

He stifled his smile, pretending nonchalance as he glanced sideways at others. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice his private amusement.I need to be like Hunter, he reminded himself.I need to be like Hunter. Less than an hour into his shift, Hunter had already wandered off alone for a stroll.

Below the company building lay a small park. At ten o’clock on a winter morning, the sun was warm and gentle, carrying the faint, fresh scent of olive trees. Lin Yuhui hadn’t walked far before settling onto a bench. He tilted his face upward, closed his eyes, and soaked in the rare winter warmth.

As the light before his lids shifted from bright to orange, then red, it felt like the flow of blood, slowly spreading the sun’s heat to his limbs. After days of busy running and uncertainty since his death, he finally felt he could rest. Yet, in such moments, a thread of longing for someone far away always tugged at his mind. Was she happy now?

“Mr. Hunter, may I sit here?”
A familiar female voice. Lin Yuhui opened his eyes—it was Charisse. Though he disliked the interruption, he couldn’t show it. He forced a smile.
“What a coincidence. How did you know I was here?”
“I asked the building’s intelligent system. It saw you come here.”
“Oh, please sit. The sun feels nice.”
Charisse wore her usual office attire: a professional suit with a knee-length skirt. Outdoors, it looked too thin for the chill. Lin Yuhui’s gaze swept over her without comment, then he steered the conversation.
“You deal with a wide range of clients, don’t you?” His small talk aimed squarely at gathering information.
“Yes, mainly across North America’s coasts.”
“How many children do parents usually request for gene editing?”
“It varies. Those with inheritances or businesses to pass on tend to want more.”
“They still prioritize quality, right?”
“Of course. Since outcomes are hard to quantify beyond intelligence and health, traits like loyalty and care for family must be assessed personally.”
“I see—that’s a factor too.” As Lin Yuhui replied, a breeze lifted Charisse’s skirt hem. He stared briefly, tempted to tuck the fabric against her thigh but wary of overstepping. Catching her noticing his gaze, he swiftly removed his jacket and draped it over her legs.
“The wind’s a bit cold,” he said, masking his real worry:Don’t misinterpret this.
Leaning back against the bench, arms crossed, he faced forward.
“Thank you. You’re quite the thoughtful gentleman.”
“Oh, nothing. You’re underdressed for the breeze,” he replied casually, inwardly marveling at how Hunter’s body handled the cold far better than his old one.

By noon, the strengthening sun warmed his skin enough to offset the chill, so he stayed put, continuing to chat.
“I think we could expand this part of our business to include ordinary citizens.”
“Oh? What’s your idea?”
“Screening for promising genes could optimize population structure. State subsidies would help—we’d earn more, and society would gain smarter, healthier, more attractive people, right?”
“And more men who cherish women,” Charisse added.
“Haha, true,” Lin Yuhui laughed, though he’d only sought a topic.
“Still, modifying just one generation often yields unstable hereditary traits,” she noted.
Her words sparked a memory: He’d recently asked Hunter’s mother about their family’s gene-editing history.What was his own family’s situation? He’d need to analyze the data when it arrived.

“What’s the growth potential for this business?” he asked.
“It’s not a major revenue stream. High-net-worth clients are limited, and their investment in heirs is capped. They pour more into extending their own lifespans.”
“Oh, so it’s become an internal departmental competition.”
“Heh, yes. If consciousness transfer were feasible, we’d dominate everything.”
“Lunch break. I won’t head back up—I’ve other matters to attend to.”
After bidding Charisse farewell, Lin Yuhui had no intention of wasting more time. By noon, he was already aboard a flight to Texas. Known for its rugged spirit and status as a conservative stronghold despite changing times, the state hosted thriving personal defense exhibitions. This time, Lin Yuhui was there to shop.