C34 (1/2)
I closed the diary, Shuyue had already finished half a pack of cigarettes.
”Why am I fine?”
At this point, my biggest question is why I didn't become a freak.
”In 1988, I was an intern for a master's in biology at a research institute in New York City. Before we were married, your father came to find me and insisted on having my sperm tested —” Shuyue recalled.
”What kind of phenomenon?”
”Ninety-nine percent of your father's sperm carry the Y chromosome, and less than one percent carry the X chromosome.”
I was stunned.
Junior middle school organisms are also taught that the sex of the embryo is determined by the chromosome.
All girls have X chromosomes in their eggs, but boys have X chromosomes in their sperm and Y chromosomes.
If the sperm with the X chromosome is combined with the egg with the same X chromosome, then the child is XX — the girl.
On the other hand, if the sperm carrying the Y chromosome is combined with the egg carrying the X chromosome, then the child is the XY — the man.
This was a 50/50 chance, because the sperm carrying the X and Y chromosomes were exactly half as likely as throwing coins.
”Less than 1 percent of his sperm carries the X chromosome — in other words, your father's chances of having a boy in his family are above 99 percent, and a girl — you're just one percent.”
”In the history of the Turgu family, men and women who get married give birth to boys. The reason for this is that the Turgu men carry a very special proportion of chromosomes.”
”Then what does this have to do with the remaining freaks?”
”From a genetic point of view, almost all genetic diseases have one thing in common — passing down males without passing on females to females,” Shuyue said as she looked at me.
”For example, most people with color blindness are men -- regardless of which parent has color blindness, the next generation is more than 50 percent more likely to be inherited if they are male. In girls, the prevalence rate is less than 20%. Bald is the same — if the father is bald, the chances of the son inheriting are more than 50%, and the daughter is bald, the odds are less than 20%. ”
I ran my hand through my hair. ”So, the weirdos in intermarriage are sex determined? Is it because it's a boy that you got a genetic disease? ”
”The freak might not be a genetic disease, but it could also be a sign of atavism.”
Shuyue suddenly became serious, ”As for why your family married our family, my hypothesis is that our family's genes can compete with this kind of inherited disease, or perhaps, the phenomenon of returning to our ancestors.”
”Wait, so you're saying, my grandfather's ancestor grew up to this state hundreds of years ago?” A bunch of people who looked like centipedes jumped out of my head and crawled around on the ground.
”Your father said that the only way to solve this mystery is to know what the Nazi German expedition found in Tibet …”
”But this has nothing to do with me. Why do you need my entire family to change their surnames and send me away?” My mind was a mess. ”The Uncle Wang, Big Treasure and the polo shirt that I met when I went back home just now, they wanted to take away from me. Is that this diary?”
Shuyue shook her head.
”They're looking for something else. Your father predicted that something would happen to him, so she hid that thing. If one day something really happens to him, that thing will be our only bargaining chip. ” Shuyue said: ”The only person who can get that thing is you. Your dad said you'd understand when you read the diary. ”
Ah?
Was it in the diary?
It didn't seem to be written. I rolled my eyes.
Something valuable? Could it be expensive furniture? Persian rug? Priceless photo collection? A 43 toy?
What the hell was this?
Ah!
Could it be!
A cheque for $50,000 that Maria had yet to cash?
My head is so big.
The clock on the wall had already reached two in the morning. I sat on the floor, staring at my diary in a daze. Shuyue and I were both thinking about something.
”Your father... Did he mention me in his diary? ” Shuyue asked softly.
”He mentioned that Marquis Zhong had a kite with you.” I handed her the open diary. But she did not answer.
”Only you know that this diary is the safest. If the other party is really able to read their brain, then one more person will be in danger. ” Shuyue said to me.
”Then... Am I not in danger? ” If they find out I've read this diary, they'll cut me in half and eat me alive.
”I told you not to look, yet you insisted on looking. Are you afraid now?” Shuyue snorted, and started bickering with me again.
”I... I'm not afraid! But I haven't confronted them directly yet. I'm in the dark! Sun Zijun has always said that knowing oneself and knowing one's enemy is the best way to win a hundred battles. What I'm worried about is that before I could figure out who the enemy was, they would have already killed me. ” I argued.