Qi Rui was in a car accident, an accident that took away his memories, leaving his mind a blank slate, remembering no one.
His mother was busy. She came to see him two or three days later. Upon learning of his amnesia, she was surprised, but otherwise showed no extreme emotional reaction.
From this, he understood that his relationship with his mother might not have been very good.
The doctor told him he had been in a coma for half a year and that the accident had nearly cost him his life.
During his hospitalization, Tong Xue visited him many times.
The first time he saw Tong Xue, he inexplicably felt a sense of familiarity, a desire to be close to her.
Tong Xue was a very shy girl, easily blushing. In his blank memory, it was Tong Xue who had always stayed by his side, telling him about their past.
In the cold hospital room, Tong Xue was the only vibrant presence.
Perhaps it was dependence, or something else, but when Tong Xue confessed with a blush, he agreed.
However, the two of them weren't very intimate; Qi Rui had always respected Tong Xue deeply.
The first time he saw Shen Yue, he felt a strange, unfamiliar sensation. His chest tightened, and the background seemed to fade into illusion, his vision narrowing to focus only on her.
It was truly peculiar. He didn't even know the woman's name, yet he felt an urge to cry.
This emotion quickly vanished, and he chose to ignore it.
However, this woman seemed very familiar with him.
Though her beautiful, gentle face was smiling, it looked as though she might break into tears at any moment.
"Do you… remember me?"
Qi Rui didn't remember. His mind was a blank, and he didn't believe he would have known someone with Shen Yue's disposition.
Shen Yue was too pure and gentle, like a blank sheet of paper, seemingly without a single stain.
He, on the other hand, had been honed by the business world for so many years, knowing its vast greed and desires. He felt like ink, ready to stain that blank page with just one careless touch.
But he hadn't expected Shen Yue to become a habit in his daily life.
Due to irregular eating habits, he had developed a stomach ailment. Shen Yue would wake up early to prepare breakfast for him, even knowing his favorite foods.
And no matter how late his social engagements ran, there was always a light left on for him at home. This was a feeling he had never experienced before.
It was warmth back then.
A warmth that belonged to a home.
Her tone was so gentle.
"You're back?"
Like a virtuous wife.
Initially, he was quite uncomfortable. After all, in his memory, they had only met a few times, and even spoken very little. But for some reason, he still softened.
Shen Yue said she had come to the city to find someone. Qi Rui felt a bit troubled and restless. He didn't understand why he felt this way, but he thought that person must be very important to Shen Yue, having traveled such a long distance, crossing mountains and rivers, just for one person.
Perhaps it was her lover.
As this thought surfaced, his heart began to ache, throbbing with pain, even igniting a surge of anger.
His expression then turned cold again, and he left abruptly.
Regarding his relationship with Shen Yue, Qi Rui had specifically called his mother to ask.
His mother said she wasn't entirely sure. She only recalled sending him to the countryside for a year four years ago. As for what specifically happened then, his mother wasn't very clear.
Qi Rui had also sent people to investigate, but they found no results.
Perhaps, she was truly just a friend he didn't know very well.
—
Shen Yue was so fragile.
He actually detested crying people, whether male or female. He felt that crying made them as annoying as flies.
But Shen Yue was different.
She looked so beautiful when she cried, her eyelashes wet, her thin eyelids flushed red, looking so pitiful.
Not only did he not feel annoyed, but his heart beat even faster, and he felt somewhat at a loss.
A dangerous thought surfaced in his mind; he wanted to kiss her tears.
—
Shen Yue was very sensitive to pain.
Even a small injury would make her cry for a long time. And she wouldn't make a sound; she would just squat on the ground, silently shedding tears.
Qi Rui felt a pang of heartache watching her. He would verbally chide her for being pampered but then gently bandage the wound on her hand.
—
When Shen Yue learned of Tong Xue's existence, he could clearly sense Shen Yue's sadness.
Shen Yue wore all her emotions on her face; it was impossible not to see.
Qi Rui felt a sense of bewilderment, not understanding why she would show such an expression.
They weren't that close, were they?
Shen Yue had said so herself.
Looking at Tong Xue, his restless heart calmed.
Tong Xue's kindness felt like an instinct, making his empty heart less uncomfortable.
But strangely, he felt a peculiar reluctance to meet Shen Yue's eyes.
—
Going shopping with Tong Xue was a rather boring affair. When he returned that evening and learned that Shen Yue hadn't eaten, he felt angry and frustrated.
Shen Yue had become so thin, and she still wouldn't eat properly!
She couldn't even take care of herself, yet she always thought about taking care of him!
When he arrived at Shen Yue's room with the porridge, he could clearly sense that Shen Yue's attitude towards him had changed significantly. Her tone and expression conveyed a sense of distance.
Qi Rui fell silent, feeling flustered and helpless, unable to speak.
Seeing Shen Yue like this made him want to embrace her tightly, without hesitation.
But Shen Yue spoke several cold words to him, disregarding his feelings.
Qi Rui disliked hearing them. Since losing his memory, his emotions had become very subdued, rarely fluctuating significantly. However, when facing Shen Yue, he couldn't control himself. He maintained a cold expression, tinged with anger.
It was evident that he assumed Shen Yue cared about him so much that she might come to comfort him.
But that did not happen.
—
Lately, Qi Rui often found himself lost in thought. Even when on a date with Tong Xue, Shen Yue's face would involuntarily appear in his mind.
He would wonder what she was doing now, whether she had eaten on time.
And lately, Shen Yue had been so cold towards him; he felt very sad.
—
Upon seeing Shen Yue interacting intimately with another man while shopping, his expression slowly darkened, and he felt an overwhelming sense of gloom. The more he thought about it, the more indignant he became.
He even felt like rushing over and chasing that "wild man" away.
Consequently, he drank. His tolerance for alcohol was good, and he retained some of his reasoning.
Perhaps out of a desire for revenge, he deliberately acted intimately with Tong Xue in front of Shen Yue, even saying things he had never said before.
His heart ached so much; he wanted Shen Yue to feel the same pain.
The moment Shen Yue touched him, an unprecedented tingling sensation, like an electric current, coursed through his entire body, making him jolt.
Almost instinctively.
He said coldly.
"Don't touch me."
But in reality, his heart was filled with intense, greedy desire, screaming for more, more of her touch and caress.