After Losing My Memory, I Suddenly Had A Fiancée - Chapter 44

How could Jiang Zhi not know she was wrong? Lying is always wrong, especially when it comes to deceiving someone’s feelings.

It’s just that people habitually find excuses to deceive themselves, rationalizing the wrong things they’ve done, and she was no exception.

In the empty hospital room, she was alone. Jiang Zhi lay lifelessly in a loose, striped hospital gown, like a breathing corpse, with only her eyeballs moving.

She was afraid of many things. When her mother died, she was afraid of the tub full of blood. At night, she was afraid of loneliness. But what she feared most was Ji Fanghuai’s rejection.

Jiang Zhi had a miserable time during her years in the Ji family.

Her stepfather thought she was deep and quiet for her age and worried she might tempt his son. Her stepmother was a neurotic woman who saw her husband as her whole life and feared Jiang Zhi would tempt him. Her spoiled younger half-brother viewed her as an outsider from childhood.

Only Ji Fanghuai and she depended on each other, like small kittens licking each other’s wounds and huddling together for warmth.

Her greatest fear was being without Ji Fanghuai.

After her mother’s death, Ji Changnian and his new wife openly moved into the house, bringing a son and a daughter with them.

Jiang Zhi knew she had become an awkward presence. Her maternal grandparents had considered taking her away, but Ji Changnian publicly claimed to be taking care of his friend’s wife and daughter, portraying himself as a perfect man, so how could he let her leave? Her grandparents’ family was weak and had no choice but to drop the matter.

Jiang Zhi remembered the first time she met Ji Fanghuai. That innocent little girl didn’t know her mother was a mistress, nor did she know that Jiang Zhi had just lost her mother.

She was wearing a puffy white dress and tugged at Jiang Zhi’s sleeve, sweetly calling out, “Jie-jie (Older sister).”

“I am not your sister!” Jiang Zhi ignored Ji Fanghuai with a cold expression. But Ji Fanghuai didn’t mind; she would always find Jiang Zhi first when she had something delicious or fun. From then on, a noisy voice was added to Jiang Zhi’s ear.

“Jiejie.”

“I told you I’m not your sister!”

“You’re taller and older than me, so you are my sister.”

“Why are you so annoying? My surname is Jiang, and yours is Ji.”

“I…” Ji Fanghuai looked at Jiang Zhi pitifully, tears welling up in her eyes, threatening to spill at any moment.

Jiang Zhi couldn’t do anything about her and said, “Fine, call me whatever you like. Anyway, I’m not your sister.”

Ji Fanghuai happily said, ” Jiejie.”

Ji Fanghuai was not disliked by Ji Changnian from a young age. It was only because she was close to Jiang Zhi, and coupled with the fact that Ji Dongyuan was a crying and fussing child who quickly became the little tyrant of the house, that Ji Fanghuai was slowly neglected.

Jiang Zhi’s thoughts returned, and it was as if she could hear a clear, crisp voice calling her “Jiejie” in her ear. But she was too greedy; she was unwilling to just be Ji Fanghuai’s sister.

Suddenly, she wanted to drink, and she recalled the first time Ji Fanghuai drank. Ji Fanghuai claimed she was eighteen and an adult, then promptly collapsed into Jiang Zhi’s arms after just one glass.

Jiang Zhi clasped her hands together; there was nothing in her arms.

“Jiang Zhi,” a woman’s voice suddenly rang out. Jin Lin was fully bundled up, wearing a down jacket that almost covered her entire body, sunglasses, a mask, and a brown wool hat on her head, looking dark and bulky at first glance.

Jiang Zhi pulled her thoughts back and sat up against the pillow.

“Why are you here?”

“I just came to see you since I was nearby.” Jin Lin took off her mask and sunglasses, revealing her almost flawless features. “My new drama just finished filming, and I’m planning to take a good rest. Coincidentally, Xin Ling isn’t around these days, so I came to take care of you.”

Jiang Zhi said, “I’m about to be discharged. I haven’t had a chance to see your new movie, but I heard the word-of-mouth and reviews are very good. Congratulations on your successful transformation.”

Jin Lin heard her speaking formally and politely, and her expression was momentarily dejected. She asked, “How are things between you two now?”

Jiang Zhi paused, looking at the cold ring on her finger, and said, “Still apologizing.”

She didn’t want to admit the fact that she had been broken up with.

Jin Lin was silent for a moment and then asked, “Is she the only one?”

Jiang Zhi firmly stated, “She is the only one.”

Jin Lin silently put on her sunglasses, hiding the surging emotions in her eyes, and said, “I really envy her.”

Jiang Zhi thought, Indeed, one person’s honey is another person’s poison.

She separated from Ji Fanghuai after going to university, and her household registration was independently moved out. When she finally graduated and had enough financial resources to support both herself and Ji Fanghuai, she initially only intended to take Ji Fanghuai away from that home, where conflict was a constant presence.

Ji Changnian had an unpredictable temper. Over the years, the company’s losses grew under his management, and he would often take his anger out on his family. Cold violence and domestic abuse seemed to have become commonplace.

He was the most shameless man Jiang Zhi had ever met. While her mother was alive, Ji Changnian played the role of a deeply affectionate husband while being unable to control his lower body and having affairs during the marriage.

The grievances of the older generation could be summed up: her father was unfortunate in love. Ji Changnian not only coveted his family property but also his wife. Her mother, for the sake of her young daughter, swallowed her pride and remarried Ji Changnian, only for Ji Changnian to cheat, first having Ji Fanghuai, and then Ji Dongyuan.

Jiang Zhi realized her feelings for Ji Fanghuai had changed when she had just graduated. A strange emotion drove her; she didn’t want Ji Fanghuai to be her sister, she wanted her to be her wife.

She was twenty-four then. Ji Fanghuai would always ask her if she had a boyfriend or girlfriend. She was young at the time and couldn’t hold it in, so she confessed.

Jiang Zhi still remembers Ji Fanghuai’s expression at the time: flustered, helpless, her blinking frequency increased, and then she tremblingly said, “Jiejie, are you joking?”

After Jiang Zhi repeatedly emphasized that she was serious, Ji Fanghuai said they only had a sisterly relationship, and then called her “Jiejie” as usual. In fact, from the moment she spoke those words, they could never go back to how they were before.

Jiang Zhi lowered her eyes and said with deep feeling, “Perhaps friendship and kinship are what last the longest.”

Love is something that can spoil too easily.

“Maybe,” Jin Lin said wistfully.

She stood quietly on the side and suddenly bent down.

She took a strand of hair off Jiang Zhi’s collar. Jiang Zhi always paid attention to her appearance, keeping herself flawless, but now, because of Ji Fanghuai, she didn’t even realize she was shedding hair.

Jin Lin suddenly felt that she should let go.

Perhaps she should go and love someone who would lose hair for her.

She found an excuse that would surely be ridiculed if she said it out loud, ending this one-sided entanglement.

She cautiously asked, “Have you been losing hair recently?”

“Have I?” Jiang Zhi raised her hand and ran it over the top of her head. Two dull, lusterless strands of hair lay in her palm.

Her sleep quality had been poor recently. She was always worried that Ji Fanghuai would continue to hate her, and although Xin Ling was helping to look after company matters, she still had to worry and expend effort.

The two hair strands with follicles were telling her that she couldn’t keep being so decadent; she had to pull herself together.

Jin Lin said, “But you don’t have to worry too much. There was a time when I was filming night scenes every day, and my hair was falling out rapidly. Later, I quit spicy food and alcohol, adopted a regular schedule, and with the help of a nutritionist, my hair loss quickly stopped.”

Jiang Zhi rarely heard Jin Lin talk about such a lighthearted topic with her. She didn’t know when, but they no longer shared common ground.

She said, “It seems I need to contact Sun Wen.”

“You also need to change the shampoo you are using now. I’ll send you the brand name when I go back.” Jin Lin didn’t want to linger any longer. “I’ll leave first, otherwise, if someone sees us, they’ll start writing nonsense again.”

“Okay, goodbye.” Jiang Zhi sat up and searched the bed. Fortunately, she hadn’t lost much hair. However, Jin Lin suddenly returned, and Jiang Zhi froze, feeling a bit awkward.

It was obvious from her posture that she was looking for hair on the bed.

Jin Lin said, “There are paparazzi outside. You might have been photographed.”

“It’s alright. Don’t go out yet. I’ll call someone to get rid of them.” Jiang Zhi expressionlessly dialed a phone number.

“Miss Ji, your diagnosis is very good. The sudden headaches are due to excessive emotional fluctuations recently. Keep a relaxed mood, and you might recover your memory soon. Oh, and Miss Jiang also came to inquire about your condition before. The number you left has always been hers. Do you need a copy of the follow-up result sent to her?”

“We’ve broken up. Just send it directly to me.” Ji Fanghuai recited a string of numbers, which was her mobile phone number.

After Ji Fanghuai finished paying at the outpatient lobby, her phone suddenly received a news push: “Jin Lin and Same-Sex Lover Share a Passionate Kiss in the Hospital.”

Curiously, Ji Fanghuai clicked in. The photos were clearly candid shots. In the picture, Jin Lin was bending over, seemingly kissing the patient on the bed. Although only the lower half of the patient’s chin was visible, Ji Fanghuai instantly recognized it as Jiang Zhi.

Lin Mianmian was waiting in the waiting area. Seeing Ji Fanghuai’s expression change, she said, “Are you alright? Jin Lin’s photo is clearly a perspective trick, an angle used to create a misleading edit. Who passionately kisses their lover without fully bending their waist? And she’s still wearing sunglasses.”

Ji Fanghuai carefully examined the photo. The posture of the two people was indeed inconsistent and seemed to have been edited. She said expressionlessly, “I’m fine. We’ve already broken up. It doesn’t matter to me even if she gets married immediately.”

Lin Mianmian sighed, “I was asking about the diagnosis result.”

Ji Fanghuai’s face had been as cold as ice just now.

Ji Fanghuai looked a bit embarrassed and said, “The doctor said I need to rest well recently and keep my mind and body comfortable. Maybe I’ll recover my memory after a good night’s sleep.”

Lin Mianmian said, “That’s great.”

Ji Fanghuai said earnestly, “Mianmian, thank you very much for this period. You have your own life and don’t need to stay with me specially. I will also start a new life.”

“Okay, remember to find me if you need anything.” Lin Mianmian was also not very used to living with someone else; she always felt a little restrained.

Just as Ji Fanghuai and Lin Mianmian left the hospital outpatient lobby, they saw Jiang Zhi standing in the cold wind, her long hair being blown wildly by the wind, flying everywhere. Their eyes met unexpectedly in the wind.

Ji Fanghuai calmly withdrew her gaze, took out her phone, and started answering a call, walking past Jiang Zhi.

Jiang Zhi made no movement throughout, only quietly watching her back until she disappeared from sight. She immediately went back and found Ji Fanghuai’s attending physician.

Every follow-up appointment was with the same attending physician.

The attending physician was very familiar with Jiang Zhi but still said, “Miss Ji does not want others to know about her condition. Our hospital has the right to protect patient privacy. I apologize.”

Jiang Zhi said, “I’m not ‘others.’ You know me.”

Doctor: “Miss Ji said you have already broken up.”

Jiang Zhi frowned and reluctantly said, “I am her sister. I want to know about her follow-up condition.”

The doctor looked at Jiang Zhi as if she was joking. She was her fiancée before, and now she’s her sister?

Jiang Zhi slowly took out a slightly old household register from her bag, flipped to the page with Ji Fanghuai’s name, and then flipped to the page with her own name, proving that they were indeed sisters on the same household register.

The attending physician was surprised and said, “You were…”

“We were role-playing.” Jiang Zhi made up a story.

In fact, she had applied for this household register with her ID card at the police station for five yuan when she had just gotten her ID card. At that time, she and Ji Fanghuai were still on the same household register.

Now, she was the only one on her household register.

Jiang Zhi successfully obtained the inspection report. After the doctor said a bunch of professional terms, she said, “Simply put, the patient has been overly emotional recently and has an irregular lifestyle, which is why she frequently has severe headaches. From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, she now needs calm and recuperation.”

Jiang Zhi was afraid that Ji Fanghuai’s headache was related to her, so she was even more hesitant to get close to Ji Fanghuai.

She had spent more time in the hospital this month than she had taken in annual leave in previous years. After being discharged, she was busy with year-end work, and she couldn’t push off all her work engagements, so inevitably, she had to drink again.

Jiang Zhi was worried about her hair and actively pursued a healthy lifestyle.

She was four years older than Ji Fanghuai. Once a person crosses twenty-five, time flows by like running water, quickly slipping away.

She couldn’t waste any more time.

Since Ji Fanghuai couldn’t cook, she hired a nanny and focused all her energy on the coffee shop. She changed the name of the coffee shop directly to XiXi, and after renovation, it looked brand new.

To save costs, Ji Fanghuai only kept one employee and did the rest herself. When renovating the coffee shop, she personally went to the building materials market to arrange the decoration. That’s when she learned that the book bar owner was actually from B City and had moved her store over here.

She borrowed many good books from her.

Business was slow on weekdays, with few people coming in, and she just enjoyed the quiet time.

Gentle instrumental music was playing in the shop. The sound of high heels approached. Ji Fanghuai looked up with a smile on her face, but the smile froze the moment she saw the person who walked in.

“Boss, a latte, no sugar, no milk.”