code: @Override
  	public Utf8 readString(Utf8 old) throws IOException {
  		int length = readInt();
  		Utf8 result = (old != null ? old : new Utf8());
  		result.setByteLength(length);
  		
  		if (length > 0) {
  			in.readFully(result.getBytes(), 0, length);
  		}
  		
  		return result;
  	}
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