Seeing Liu Shuihan standing there like a statue, she instinctively knew he had been standing there for a long time.
Xin Yu's heart sank again.
A wave of unease, a feeling of grievance so unfamiliar it terrified her, surged forth.
No, she...she shouldn't feel this way about Liu Shuihan!
The feelings she felt now were merely the result of her frustration with Mu Yichuan!
Thinking this, Xin Yu quickly ran downstairs.
"Ayu!" Liu Shuihan and Cheng Yuan's voices rang out simultaneously.
The latter, watching the man who had chased after her without hesitation, simply froze on the spot, frozen for a long time.
Xin Yu ran sadly down the empty street, her heart filled with desolation.
She had excitedly run all the way to S Country, rushing off to see Mu Yichuan without a moment's delay.
And what about him? He was having a rendezvous with a woman at night!
So this was why he hadn't let her come along! "Ayu, stop." Liu Shuihan reached out and grabbed Xinyu's arm, looking at her with worry and heartache.
Feeling the strength and warmth of his hand, she trembled inexplicably.
She tried to struggle, but couldn't lift her arm.
"Shui...Brother Shuihan, I'm fine." She forced a smile. "Aren't you here on a business trip? You have work tomorrow, right? Go home and rest early."
"I heard from Henhen that you came to S country for vacation?" Liu Shuihan didn't let go, unwilling to let go.
Xinyu nodded, lowered her head, her eyes sweeping over his hand holding her.
Finally, she moved, freeing her arm.
"Brother Shuihan, is Mu Yichuan in 2020 tonight?" Xinyu was unwilling to give up; she still wanted to confirm, to give herself one last glimmer of hope.
Liu Shuihan paused, a trace of sadness and sorrow flashing in his eyes. His girl was still thinking of someone else.
Seeing him like this, Xin Yu subconsciously wrinkled her nose. "Let's go back early—"
"I'll take you to a nice place." Liu Shuihan grabbed Xin Yu again and pulled her forward.
"Where...where?" she asked slowly, dragging her along.
Where was he taking her so late!
She shouldn't be going out with a man so late!
"The city center square of S country," Liu Shuihan said, turning back, a hopeful smile on his lips.
Xin Yu didn't know how to refuse, only wanting to get there quickly so she could find an excuse to go back to the hotel.
Reason told her she shouldn't give Liu Shuihan any hope.
Even if that woman in red was still in Mu Yichuan's room!
However, when they arrived at the city center square…
Xin Yu was stunned!
It wasn't anything special, but it was breathtakingly beautiful.
The imposing, arched government building stood majestically, before which stretched a tranquil, flat plaza, and beyond that, a ten-meter-diameter artificial lake surrounded by a waist-high musical fountain.
It was currently blazing with energy.
"Ayu," Liu Shuihan called softly to his girl, his eyes fixed intently on the lake.
Xin Yu didn't answer, only feeling the damp, warm air.
The pent-up frustration in her heart gradually eased.
"Don't you think this reminds you of our lake?"
"…" Their lake?
Was Liu Shuihan referring to the one in the North City Suburban Park?
Bang!
"Hiss… Ah…" Xin Yu clutched her head, an uncontrollable gunshot ringing in her ears.
And the booming of thunder.
"Ayu, what's wrong?" Liu Shuihan quickly helped Xin Yu up, asking with concern, "Does your head hurt?"
"Mmm…" she murmured, her dark eyes half-closed, clutching her head, feeling waves of sharp pain. Seeing her in pain, he couldn't help but reach out and pull her into his arms. "Still can't remember?"
Xin Yu didn't struggle, nor did she have the strength. Her head ached, and her heart ached too.
She couldn't remember, this first love that had filled her with doubt.
"It's alright," Liu Shuihan murmured softly, "As long as A-Yu is happy, nothing else matters."
A tear unexpectedly welled up in her eye. Xin Yu struggled to raise her hand to touch her face; it was wet.
She cried. Was it because of Liu Shuihan's words just now?
What kind of relationship had they gone through that would make a man ask for nothing but her happiness?!
"Would you like some water?"
"No." Xin Yu struggled to sit up, looking at the clear lake surface. "Did we... often go to the lake in Beishi?"
Liu Shuihan turned and looked intently at Xin Yu, nodding deeply. "A-Yu loved that place the most. She said the air was fresh, and it was peaceful and serene."
This... seemed like something she would say.
Because, at this moment, she felt the same way here.
"Ayu also painted a lot of pictures of that place."
Paintings?
Xin Yu turned to meet Liu Shuihan's gaze, her clear black and white eyes filled with doubt.
He smiled bitterly, reached for his phone, and opened the only few photos in his album—all of them Xin Yu's paintings.
She stiffened, turned her head away, unable to look any longer.
Those really were her paintings.
Really!
"I'm sorry," Liu Shuihan apologized, putting away his phone. "Are you feeling unwell again?"
Unable to bear his gentle, caring words any longer, Xin Yu suddenly stood up.
But she stumbled.
She fell directly into Liu Shuihan's arms.
"Brother Shuihan, I want to go back and rest." She struggled to get up, not wanting any more contact with him.
Liu Shuihan stood there for a long while before finally saying, "Okay."
After taking Xin Yu back to the hotel and into the room, he still stood there, staring blankly. He still couldn't do what Liu Hen had taught him.
He couldn't force her; she was the girl he'd held in his heart for over a decade!
The girl who had witnessed his entire youth!
The girl who had occupied all his love and longing from his naivety to maturity!
Meanwhile, Xin Yu lay dazed in bed, her headache gone.
But she couldn't sleep.
She tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
Her mind felt split in two, one side the domineering Mu Yichuan, the other the gentle Liu Shuihan.
"Ah!" Xin Yu rolled over, burying her head under the covers, repeatedly shouting, "Why! Why can't I remember!"
It felt like dawn was almost breaking, yet she still stared wide-eyed at the ceiling.
Her hand reached above her head, groping for her phone.
She dialed a number, but as always, a cold, mechanical female voice answered, "Sorry, the number you dialed is not in service."
Yes, Xin Yu once again faced this cruel reality—she had lost contact with Ai Heng.
The business partner she had known since moving out of the Xin family home had disappeared.
The only person who might know what had happened to her was gone.
She sighed softly and glanced at her phone.
No information from Mu Yichuan…
When Xin Yu woke up again, it was already bright, but her body was still sluggish, unwilling to move.
If she hadn't remembered her promise to Old Master Mu, she probably wouldn't have gotten up at all.
After getting ready, Xin Yu slowly walked to the restaurant. Before she even entered, she saw several S-country waiters chattering at the entrance.
It was quite a scene.
Listening more closely, she realized that there had been a conflict inside.
Hearing even more, she suddenly quickened her pace and ran inside.
…! Xin Yu paused, grabbing the chair beside her to steady herself; otherwise, she would have fallen.
What did she hear?!
"Nan Juechen, you bastard!" Mu Yi'ai roared.
The next second, what did she see?!
Oh my god!
Mu Yi'ai pulled Cheng Yuan aside, shoving her towards Nan Juechen, who was leaning down to attack her.
By sheer coincidence, Cheng Yuan's lips pressed against Nan Juechen's.
Boom!
Cheng Yuan's head exploded.
The only thing she could think of was how cold those lips were…
"Yuanzi!" Xin Yu rushed forward, catching her friend who had been thrown aside by Nan Juechen.
Thump.
Cheng Yuan wasn't spared either; her knee hit the chair leg.
"Ah!" she cried out softly, bending over and clutching her left leg, her voice trembling with grievance, "It hurts so much."
Nan Juechen didn't care at all; his cold, hawk-like eyes seemed to want to kill Mu Yi'ai.
"Using her as a shield!"
He stretched out his strong arm and grabbed her!
"Nan Juechen! You bastard!" Mu Yi'ai flailed her arms wildly, even using her legs, but couldn't break free from Nan Juechen's grip. "If you have the guts, kill me!"
"You think I wouldn't dare?!" He glared with bloodshot eyes, filled with hatred!
"Then you'd better do it, otherwise I'll haunt Nan Yu like a demon for the rest of my life, never letting go!"
His arm tightened.
Xin Yu and Cheng Yuan's pupils both contracted.
They stood up simultaneously, one grabbing Mu Yi'ai, the other grabbing Nan Juechen!
"Commander Nan!" Xin Yu called out anxiously; this scene was all too familiar.
One night, when Mu Yi'ai led her into the military camp, she was almost killed by Nan Juechen.
Why is this woman so stubborn! So forgetful! "Let go!" Cheng Yuan, though frightened by the tall, cold man before her, was even more afraid of someone dying, and cried out loudly.
"Commander Nan, please don't do this! Let's talk this out!" Xin Yu pried Nan Juechen's hand away. "Please, Commander Nan, don't be so impulsive. Even if you really kill Mu Yi'ai, Nan Yu will still be heartbroken!"
"That's right! Let go!" Cheng Yuan didn't know what to say. She had no idea what was going on and could only agree with her friend, "Mu Yi'ai may be domineering, but she's not a bad person at heart!"
"That's utter nonsense!" Nan Juechen glared at Cheng Yuan. How dare she speak well of Mu Yi'ai in front of him!
Has she gone mad?!
Cheng Yuan flinched in fear, but dared not loosen her grip. Suddenly, she didn't know where the courage came from, and shouted directly at Nan Juechen, "You...you look so much like Auntie! Auntie is a very, very kind person!"
Perhaps she just felt that if someone really died, she would be traumatized for the rest of her life.
Nan Juechen paused, his raised eyebrows twitching, and immediately released Mu Yi'ai.
But then, he grabbed Cheng Yuan.
She was terrified, her eyes filled with horror.
"What auntie!" His deep voice was almost deafening.
Xin Yu, still breathless, was now practically in her throat. She gripped Nan Juechen's hand, explaining, "Commander Nan, Yuanzi is my childhood friend. She's talking about my mother."
Nan Juechen frowned, continuing to stare at Cheng Yuan.
So it was her, the woman he'd taken home that day, completely drunk.
"The mighty Commander Nan, nothing special."
"..." Xin Yu was speechless. Couldn't Mu Yi'ai be a little smarter, a little more honest?
Did she have to be strangled to death to be happy?!
"Then what are you! Scum?" A sharp voice came from behind.
Xin Yu paused.
Mu Yichuan had arrived.