One hundred thirty-two

Opening the car door, she raised her voice toward the man’s back, “President Lin, I just remembered I have something to attend to, so I won’t be joining for dinner. I’ll head off now. Bye.”

Xiao Qi clutched a stack of documents and hurried away.

Yi Chen glanced back, catching only her retreating figure.

A sudden, sharp tug in his mind made him feel as if he were suffocating; his eyes, once blazing with anger, instantly grew cold and distant.

Casting a sideways glance, the restaurant before him left him momentarily bewildered.

How did I end up here?

Could it be that I’ve lost my memory again?

But I clearly remember what happened yesterday.

Checking his wristwatch, Yi Chen saw it was already seven o’clock.

He recalled instructing Fang Li at TC to send him electronic copies of several important project proposals that evening, but after that, everything became a blur.

How did I get here?

And what have I been doing these past twenty minutes? Why am I here?

Yi Chen immediately got into his car, made a U-turn, and drove in the opposite direction.

Ten minutes later, the car arrived at the hospital, and Yi Chen entered Pan Sen’s office.

Pan Sen had been quite busy lately, with numerous surgeries at the hospital, so it had been a while since they last contacted each other.

He hadn’t expected Yi Chen to show up today, but seeing his pale expression, something seemed amiss.

“Yi Chen, what’s wrong? Has your amnesia worsened again?”

Yi Chen nodded, his expression grave. “Several times, I’ve forgotten what happened in the previous several minutes, even hours. I have no awareness of what I did.”

Hearing this, Pan Sen frowned. “How can these symptoms persist? When these episodes occur, do you feel any physical discomfort?”

Yi Chen recalled, “There’s a sudden pain in my head, like something is tugging at my brain nerves, but it only lasts briefly.”

Pan Sen was baffled, but it was clear Yi Chen’s amnesia had worsened.

Seeing Pan Sen’s confusion, Yi Chen stood up. “Forget it. My body doesn’t feel uncomfortable anywhere, so I’ll just let things be.” With that, he left.

Pan Sen furrowed his brows deeply. Yi Chen was not only cold but increasingly impatient.

It seemed the recent treatment with Xi Yang hadn’t helped much.

Yi Chen’s amnesia had worsened, and now these new symptoms appeared.

I need to think this through carefully in the coming days.

Xiao Qi returned to her room. Xiao Bai, lying on the bed, immediately asked anxiously, “Xiao Qi, are you okay now?”

Xiao Qi looked puzzled. “What could be wrong with me?”

Xiao Bai glanced at her from side to side. “Are your superpowers still acting up?”

Hearing this, Xiao Qi suddenly remembered and stretched out her hand to check. “This afternoon, everything was stable and normal, and it’s been the same until now. I guess I’m better!”

Xiao Bai felt relieved but was curious. “What did you do to get better?”

Xiao Qi thought for a moment, recalling Yi Yang’s unwavering words.

Actually, she found them quite touching.

But she wasn’t sure if it was Yi Yang’s resolute words that stabilized her powers.

Since that was uncertain, she chose not to mention it.

“I didn’t do much. I’ve just been working steadily.”

As she spoke, Xiao Qi sat on the bed with a bit of weariness.

Just then, Fang Yun entered carrying a large bowl of fragrant food. “Xi Yang, you said you hadn’t eaten yet when you came back earlier, so I made your favorite dishes.”

Xiao Qi eagerly took the bowl, her eyes shining. “Wow, thank you, Auntie.”

Seeing her enthusiasm, Fang Yun finally relaxed and affectionately patted her head. “Enjoy your meal. I’ll go check today’s accounts.”

“All right!”

Xiao Bai lifted her head to look at the bowl filled mostly with meat, and in plentiful portions. She ate with gusto and speed.

“Xiao Qi, you’re eating so much and so fast. Don’t tell me you’re turning your grief into appetite.”

“Not at all!” Xiao Qi said confidently between bites, “They say eating like the wind, wolfing down food, and having godlike chopstick skills—so eating more turns into strength.”

“I think you’re just turning it into violence,” Xiao Bai scoffed, then hinted, “You eat so much meat all the time—aren’t you overdoing it?”

Xiao Qi missed the subtlety in Xiao Bai’s words and retorted while eating, “You, a cat who doesn’t know the taste of meat, are a disgrace to your feline body. Remember, cats are carnivores.”

“Cats like fish, you know?” Xiao Bai dismissed her again, then sighed weakly, “I’m in a slump now—I can’t even eat fish.”

Xiao Qi’s mouth was full as she mumbled, “What’s wrong? You sound like you have something on your mind.”

Xiao Bai acted reluctant to speak, drooping her head motionless.

Seeing her ignore her, Xiao Qi poked her head. “Xiao Bai, do you have something bothering you or are you mad at me? You’re ignoring me.”

Xiao Bai gave her a beaming smile, then sighed, “I just thought about the signal transmitter that’s lost in the depths, and I can’t go home. My mood is... how to put it in four words? Chaos and turmoil.”

“...”

Hearing this, Xiao Qi immediately thought of Yi Chen’s dissociative identity disorder and told Xiao Bai everything in detail.

But she couldn't bring herself to mention the huge debt she owed him.

Xiao Bai’s first reaction was, “Then why don’t you lure that Lin Yi Chen who likes you when he comes back? Make his heart race and get him to give you the transmitter.”

Well...

Xiao Qi naturally wouldn’t say she had scared him off with her clumsiness and forgotten about the transmitter in the process.

To convince Xiao Bai, she feigned sudden enlightenment, “Oh right, why didn’t I think of that! Our Xiao Bai is so smart.”

Xiao Bai was speechless. “Xiao Qi, you’re always careless, especially about the transmitter. You prepare so cautiously, yet always forget in the end. Honestly, sometimes you’re dumber than a pig.”

“...”

“Xi Yang,” Fang Yun brought in a glass of milk, “Drink some milk after your meal to aid digestion.”

“Thank you, Auntie.”

“No need to be so polite with me.” Fang Yun sat beside her, watching her with a knowing look. “Xi Yang, people are like spinning tops that can’t stop turning, even when alone, spinning perfectly. But as they grow distant from those around them, they slowly get used to it and gradually forget.”

Xiao Qi was initially confused but soon understood what Auntie meant.

Auntie worried she was still heartbroken over a lost love.

Xiao Qi felt warmth in her heart. But now that Lin Yi Chen was back—and he only treated her coldly because of his amnesia, not truly cold—things might be different.

And Auntie cared for her so much.

Sigh! But sooner or later, she had to leave.

“Auntie, I actually think Lin Yi Chen is quite good, except he’s a bit cold. So you don’t need to worry about me. Lin Yi Chen...”

“You still think he’s good?” Fang Yun had thought that although Xi Yang liked Yi Chen, her feelings weren’t deep due to the amnesia.

She never expected Xi Yang to speak up for him like this.

Alas! If Xi Yang likes him so much, forgetting Lin Yi Chen will be difficult.

“Xi Yang, he already has a girlfriend. You can’t...”

“He doesn’t like Joanna,” Xiao Qi blurted out, then paused and gently explained, “Auntie, Lin Yi Chen has his reasons. He doesn’t like Joanna.”

Fang Yun looked doubtful. “What reasons could a big CEO like him have?”

“Well...” Xiao Qi pondered, “Auntie, I can’t say yet what those reasons are, but he’s a good person and really doesn’t like Joanna.”

“You mean you want to keep liking him?”

“Well...” Xiao Qi thought hard, then wore a helpless expression. “Auntie, when I first learned Joanna claimed to be Lin Yi Chen’s girlfriend, my initial feeling was that I’d been playing the role of an ignorant, self-satisfied clown. Once I realized that, I planned to sort out my emotions and leave. But today I found out Lin Yi Chen’s situation was beyond his control... he had his reasons, so I...”

“I understand,” Fang Yun said knowingly.

In her heart, she still hoped Xi Yang and Yi Chen would be together.

After all, they had once been a couple.

And she liked Yi Chen too.

“Xi Yang, as long as he treats you well and truly cares for you, and you’re happy with him, then I’m at ease.” Fang Yun stood, taking away the leftover food. “It’s late now. You have work tomorrow. Take a shower and get to bed early.”

“Okay!”

Once Fang Yun left, Xiao Bai urged her immediately, “Xiao Qi, hurry to Lin Yi Chen’s place now. Seduce him, make his heart race, and get the transmitter.”

“Okay!” Xiao Qi was about to teleport when a bright idea struck her.

“Xiao Bai, if I suddenly appeared in his bed and hugged him, wouldn’t that make his heart race even faster?”

“That should work,” Xiao Bai’s eyes gleamed. “How about this: take a shower, make yourself smell good, dress sexy, and show up right on Lin Yi Chen’s bed. With your curvy figure, he’ll definitely have a racing heart—and maybe even nosebleed!”

Dress sexy?

Xiao Qi went to the full-length mirror and looked at her curvaceous figure. Maybe she could try it.

But she’d have to do it at midnight; otherwise, if he wasn’t asleep, she’d be exposed.

After showering, she even sprayed some perfume for the first time in her life. Not satisfied, she sprayed more—almost choking both Xiao Bai and herself.

“I really don’t understand why Earth people like perfume. It smells awful to me.”

She wanted to shower again to wash off the scent.

Xiao Bai stopped her. “Don’t fuss anymore. Sleep first so you’ll have the energy to face Lin Yi Chen and get the transmitter.”

“All right!”

Lying in bed, Xiao Qi thought that once she reclaimed the transmitter, she’d have to leave.

She felt so reluctant.

Lin Yi Chen was cold to her because of his dissociative disorder, not because he truly disliked her.

And Auntie treated her so kindly.

Sigh! But sooner or later, she had to go back.