n

n

nTranslator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

nGu Nianzhi was overwhelmed with all her emotions. They were all mixed up in her mind, churning, squirming, and overlapping with one another. It seemed like she might find something in them, but it was nothing but fog in the distance.

nShe couldn’t remember. She still couldn’t remember… No matter what she did, she could not remember what her life had been before she was 12. The accident was like a hurdle. When she tried to think back to it, she got a terrible headache. But He Zhichu was here. She could not make a sound. No matter what.

nIt was extremely painful. It felt like someone was taking a chainsaw and sawing her brain apart. She could even hear a continuous ring of click clack click clack. Accompanying the sound was a pain that only grew more and more intense. Gu Nianzhi had a high tolerance for pain, but she could not bear this particular pain anymore. Holding her head, she shrank into a ball and groaned miserably.

nHe Zhichu was taken aback but recovered quickly.

n“Nianzhi? Do you have a headache? Stop thinking. Don’t think anymore. Don’t think about anything anymore.”

nGu Nianzhi was as pale as a sheet. Her hands clutched her head tightly. Her body curled inward like a prawn. He Zhichu felt the corner of his eyes begin to water seeing her in this position. He rushed over and hugged Gu Nianzhi tightly. He caressed her back the same way he had done when she was a little girl. Up and down and down and up. He remembered how she would lean against him, while they went to look at Epiphyllum flowers in bloom.

nBut there were no Epiphyllum now. There was only Gu Nianzhi, who had a splitting headache whenever she tried to think of the past. He Zhichu’s hug was as passionate as Huo Shaoheng’s. Gu Nianzhi was in so much pain she couldn’t think, or feel anything from the outside world. All she wanted to do was to close her eyes and die. The pain was far worse than any she had experienced before. She felt she couldn’t take it anymore.

nWhat would happen if she really did die? Just like that? There was so much she wanted to tell Huo Shaoheng. She had so many dreams yet to be fulfilled. She wanted to marry Huo Shaoheng, have two kids with him: a boy to look like him and a girl to look like her. She wanted them to spend the rest of their lives together…

nWas this asking too much as well?

nGu Nianzhi began sobbing loudly. She was on the verge of losing control of herself. He Zhichu hugged her tightly. With trembling lips, he kissed the top of her head. Then he let go of her and rushed into his room. When he came out, he was holding a bottle of pills. He took two out, opened Gu Nianzhi’s mouth, and stuffed them in.

nGu Nianzhi swallowed the pills as she gulped on her own saliva. The effects of the pills took over shortly after, and Gu Nianzhi’s pain was finally subsided. She curled up on the sofa and fell into a deep sleep. He Zhichu placed a blanket over her and gave her a pillow to make her more comfortable. Then, he went back to his single seat and turned off the lights in the living room so only the light from one of the lamps beside the sofa was one. Supporting his chin with one hand, he looked at Gu Nianzhi’s sleeping face. He couldn’t get enough of her. Time slowly passed. All of a sudden, Gu Nianzhi’s phone rang. He Zhichu snapped back to reality and walked over to her phone.

nIt was Huo Shaoheng. The corners of He Zhichu’s lips curled up. It was a mocking smile. He answered the call without unlocking the phone.

n“Mr. Huo?”

nHuo Shaoheng’s meeting had just ended. It had lasted two hours, and it was now slightly past 11 pm. Gu Nianzhi should have been back at her dormitory. He just didn’t know if she was already asleep.

nHe’d asked her to give him a call when she got back, but he hadn’t received any messages from her. He wanted to know what had happened. So he called, and He Zhichu was the one who picked up.

nHuo Shaoheng frowned, but his voice didn’t show any displeasure.

n“Professor He? Why do you have Nianzhi’s phone? Where is she?”

nLooking at Gu Nianzhi who was sleeping on the sofa, He Zhichu put one of his hands in his pockets and smiled knowingly. “Nianzhi is asleep.”

nHuo Shaoheng stopped in his tracks. He stood in front of the lift and asked, voice deeper than ever, “what did you say, Professor He? I couldn’t hear you clearly.”

n“Didn’t hear clearly? Then I shall repeat myself. Nianzhi. Is. Asleep. Do you want to video call?” He Zhichu pretended to suggest. In all honesty, he couldn’t unlock Gu Nianzhi’s phone. Therefore, there was no way he could have used her phone to make a video call. Unless he used his own…

n“Professor He, where did Nianzhi fall asleep? Please wake her up. I need to talk to her.” Huo Shaoheng began to sound dangerous, and he straightened his masculine back.

n“You dare to wake her? She’s sleeping so peacefully.” He Zhichu narrowed his flirtatious eyes and looked at Gu Nianzhi who was sleeping soundly.

n“Fine. Don’t wake her. I’ll come over.” Huo Shaoheng hung up and spoke to Zhao Liangze. “Get the car. We’re going to B University.”

nZhao Liangze knew something was amiss. He agreed and called for the car to be ready immediately. Three minutes later, they were in the car and headed towards B University. The driver Fan Jian used all his driving skills to make sure they got there in as little time as possible. He took shortcuts and cut lanes. His skills were top notch. The most impressive part was he followed all the traffic regulations and did not speed past any red lights.

nThey arrived at the South gate of B University in less than 15 minutes, less than half the time it usually took. The car drove through the South gate and headed towards He Zhichu’s apartment immediately. After the car was parked, Huo Shaoheng got out of it swiftly and walked into the building’s lift. The elevator quickly took him to the 28th floor where He Zhichu lived. Huo Shaoheng did not call. He rang the doorbell.

nHe Zhichu looked at the intercom. He realized it was Huo Shaoheng and smiled as he slowly walked towards the door. “Mr. Huo, you’re such a busy man, but you’ve managed to come to my place twice today. What an honor!”

n“Open the door.” Huo Shaoheng said firmly.

nHe opened the door and turned on the lights in the living room. The lights brightened the entire room. Sensing the light, Gu Nianzhi, whined a little, turned, and covered her head with the blanket. Huo Shaoheng rushed into the room, but all he saw was Gu Nianzhi sleeping on the sofa. Breathing a small sigh of relief, he turned to glare fiercely at He Zhichu.

n“Professor He, don’t you feel embarrassed playing a trick like this?” Huo Shaoheng walked towards the sofa, bent over, and tapped Gu Nianzhi’s face. “Wake up, Nianzhi. Time to go back.”

n