After Losing My Memory, I Suddenly Had A Fiancée - Chapter 48

“Games, from ancient times to the present, have always been for the entertainment of the masses. Today’s students are under pressure to study, and office workers are under pressure from work. However, compared to the past, they also have extra money, so games naturally take advantage of this.”

Jiang Zhi agreed, saying, “You are right. Ancient people also played games, like touhu (pitch-pot) and cuju (an ancient football game). It’s just that back then, there were fewer types of games, and only the affluent could play them. Ordinary commoners were too busy surviving to have time for games. Now, the competition in the gaming market is fierce, with severe involution. Only by breaking the inherent mindset that only young people play games can there be a true breakthrough.”

The woman smiled meaningfully, “Mr. Jiang, you didn’t invite me here just to talk about this, did you? In fact, I don’t have any unique insights into games; I just know a little about their history.”

Jiang Zhi usually didn’t play games. Xin Ling was the strong player in that area, often spending hundreds of thousands in the game each month. She was just pretending to analyze some routine meeting topics.

Their company was currently developing a game for middle-aged and elderly people, shifting the market focus from students and office workers to housewives and retirees with fragmented time.

Jiang Zhi looked up toward Ji Fanghuai’s direction, leaned her head closer to the woman, and whispered, “I know the owner of this shop.”

The woman was surprised. “Oh, should we say hello?”

“No need, she’s my girlfriend.” Jiang Zhi felt this announcement of ownership over Ji Fanghuai was unreasonable, and Ji Fanghuai would definitely be angry if she knew, so she added, “Future girlfriend. I haven’t managed to win her over yet.”

The corner of the woman’s mouth twitched: “…”

Jiang Zhi became serious and said, “I know you are Xin Ling’s good friend, and I am also happy to get to know you as a friend. I know what she is thinking, but I invited you out today because I want to cooperate with you.”

The woman said cheerfully, “Tell me more.”

Jiang Zhi and the woman were whispering to each other, discussing something unknown. Ji Fanghuai wanted to pretend she didn’t see them, but they were in her shop. She held onto Xixi, who kept trying to run toward Jiang Zhi. The two talked for almost an hour.

Ji Fanghuai saw them preparing to leave and immediately put on an expressionless face. The woman specifically looked at her before leaving, which made Ji Fanghuai feel puzzled.

After the woman left, Jiang Zhi slowly walked up to her and said, “That was a work partner just now. Just pretend you didn’t hear what Xin Ling said. I won’t go on blind dates.”

Ji Fanghuai was stunned for a moment, then said coldly, “It has nothing to do with me.”

Jiang Zhi didn’t mind at all and casually changed the subject, saying, “Are you going home for the New Year?”

Ji Fanghuai countered unceremoniously, “Do I still have a home?”

This question left Jiang Zhi speechless. Jiang Zhi wanted to say that where she was, was home, but she couldn’t say it. She knew she was no longer qualified to say that. She had only listened to Xin Ling’s bad idea today, hoping to test Ji Fanghuai’s attitude.

Jiang Zhi just smiled and said, “I will wait for you.”

Wait for what?

Ji Fanghuai was full of questions, but Jiang Zhi had already left.

Ji Fanghuai didn’t sleep well that night. She dreamed that she was at the wedding of Jiang Zhi and someone else. She was sitting in the family section, watching Jiang Zhi and the bride kiss, and she applauded non-stop, but there was no smile on her face.

She and Jiang Zhi once had a sisterly relationship, so sitting in the family section seemed quite normal.

Ji Fanghuai slept until eight o’clock, woke up with a groggy head, and her body involuntarily went to the shop again.

This time, Jiang Zhi did not arrive on time, but was waiting at the shop entrance early in the morning.

She was wearing a white woolen coat.

Ji Fanghuai had been wearing thick padded trousers and a down jacket every day since winter began and felt that Jiang Zhi’s attire must be very cold. Before she even walked over, Jiang Zhi smiled and said, “Morning.”

Was this her waiting for her?

How did Jiang Zhi know she would come today?

Seeing Jiang Zhi greet her with a smile, and as the saying goes, ‘one doesn’t strike a smiling person,’ Ji Fanghuai nearly forgot their past. She nodded coolly and ignored Jiang Zhi.

She was here to clean up today, not to open the shop. Tomorrow was New Year’s Day, and she needed to buy festive goods and clean up. It seemed she would be very busy after going home.

On second thought, she was celebrating the New Year alone and didn’t need these rituals. The cooking auntie she hired had already taken leave, so she would probably have to find a restaurant outside.

Ji Fanghuai collected everything on the counter. Jiang Zhi was already familiar with the place and helped her arrange the tables and chairs neatly.

They looked like they were very close.

Ji Fanghuai couldn’t help but speak, “Stop lingering around me. I won’t go home with you for the New Year. Our past relationship doesn’t matter, and I don’t have the mind to know how deep our sisterly affection was. I have amnesia, and I’ve forgotten the feelings you hold so precious. I’m sorry for that. So, I won’t pursue the matter of you lying to me anymore. Let’s call it even. Please don’t interfere in my life in the future. I don’t need a person who is always lying to me.”

Jiang Zhi’s cleaning motion paused, but she didn’t respond.

Ji Fanghuai felt like she was talking to a brick wall and said loudly again, “I have forgiven you. You don’t have to feel sorry for me, but we are strangers now. You don’t need to come to my shop anymore.”

“How can we be strangers?” Jiang Zhi suddenly spoke, but her voice was slightly low and cold, as if being squeezed out from between her teeth.

Ji Fanghuai saw Jiang Zhi’s expression implying they were related and couldn’t help but say sarcastically, “Do we have any other relationship? I have amnesia. Unless my memory recovers, I won’t remember having a sister like you. Maybe my amnesia was even something you deliberately caused.”

She blurted out the words without thinking too much.

Jiang Zhi’s face instantly changed color. Thinking of something, her shoulders trembled slightly. She suddenly stepped forward and hugged Ji Fanghuai, whispering hysterically into her ear, “It wasn’t me who made you lose your memory, it wasn’t me…”

The hands were clamped tightly. Ji Fanghuai felt like she was about to suffocate, but Jiang Zhi became even more excessive, touching her ear with the tip of her tongue.

Ji Fanghuai shivered all over, pushed Jiang Zhi away with all her strength, and then slapped her across the face.

The crisp sound echoed throughout the coffee shop. Ji Fanghuai’s palm stung with pain.

She didn’t know why she had slapped her. She stared blankly at the five-finger mark on Jiang Zhi’s face, unmoving.

Jiang Zhi’s face was expressionless, enduring the deep red slap mark as if she didn’t feel any pain, and said to herself, “I’ll go set up the machine.”

Ji Fanghuai saw that she was determined to ignore what she had said, and yelled with red eyes, “Setting up what machine? I told you I have nothing to do with you! Do you know what ‘nothing to do with you’ means? It means we don’t cross paths. If you go on a blind date, it has nothing to do with me. If you get married, it has nothing to do with me. Even if you have a child immediately, it has nothing to do with me.”

Jiang Zhi just silently cleaned the dirt out of the coffee machine. Ji Fanghuai didn’t know what to do with her. She never knew Jiang Zhi could be so shameless.

Looking at Jiang Zhi’s slender back, she wondered what that slap mark looked like now. Ji Fanghuai stamped her foot in anger but could only continue to check the cash register system.

The shop’s cleaning was quickly finished.

Just as Ji Fanghuai was about to ask Jiang Zhi to leave, an uninvited guest arrived. The moment Jiang Zhi saw someone coming, she turned her back, pretending to clean the tabletop.

“Ji Fanghuai.”

Ji Dongyuan looked even more unkempt than before. After just over a month, his cheeks were slightly sunken, his hair hadn’t been cut for who knows how long, messy like a chicken coop, and his chin and under-eyes were dark blue-black. He stood at the door, his eyes constantly darting around, assuming Jiang Zhi was a shop employee.

Ji Fanghuai noticed the huge change in his appearance and looked at the face similar to hers, which looked like a wilting flower, feeling a bit of sympathy.

But she was in a bad mood, rubbed her eyes, and said in a bad tone, “What are you doing here? I’m closing the shop.”

Ji Dongyuan said bluntly, “I need money.”

“If you want money, go hold a bowl on the street. It’s the New Year, and there are plenty of people who will feel sorry for someone like you, who is able-bodied but lives like an animal.” Ji Fanghuai turned her head and saw Jiang Zhi still wiping the coffee machine, completely ignoring the mark on her face, and her anger flared up again. She didn’t give Ji Dongyuan any courtesy.

Ji Dongyuan was inherently arrogant. Coming to Ji Fanghuai for money was already the result of him trying to persuade himself to lower his pride. Now, stimulated by Ji Fanghuai’s cold words, he immediately shouted, “Ji Fanghuai, can’t you f**king talk properly? I’m your brother! I’m not an outsider!”

“Shut up!” Jiang Zhi’s voice interrupted coldly.

“It’s none of your f**king business what I say to my sister!” Ji Dongyuan was about to curse, but then he realized it was Jiang Zhi’s voice and said, “Jiang Zhi? What are you doing here?”

Jiang Zhi lowered her head and didn’t speak. Her voice just now seemed not to have come from her. She still had her back to Ji Fanghuai and Ji Dongyuan. Her face was stinging, and there was a faint smell of blood in her mouth.

Ji Dongyuan felt a little intimidated when he realized Jiang Zhi was there, but he still mustered his courage and said, “I don’t have any money. It’s the same whoever of you gives it to me. We are all family anyway.”

“Who is family with you?” they both said in unison.

“Fine, you two are family. You two are certainly enjoying yourselves.” Ji Dongyuan finished through gritted teeth, then spoke nicely to Ji Fanghuai again, “Sis, I’m short on cash right now. Lend me some, and I’ll definitely pay you back later.”

It was the first time Ji Fanghuai heard Ji Dongyuan call her “Sis,” but she wasn’t happy at all. She said coldly, “I have amnesia. I’m not your sister.”

Ji Dongyuan could no longer hold it in. His face became twisted, and his voice turned sharp, “Will you die if you give me some money? Such a big company is in your hands, but you’re reluctant to give me some money… Believe it or not, I’ll go to the Bureau of Industry and Commerce to complain about you. Yes, the Bureau of Industry and Commerce, I’ll say the coffee in your shop has hygiene problems.”

Jiang Zhi’s ears hurt from the noise. She turned around and said coldly, “If you don’t want your dirty secrets exposed, then go ahead and complain. If you don’t have the guts, don’t try to live that life. No money, yet still pretending to be a young master? Did your new shady friends ditch you? Or did no one care after your credit card was maxed out, and you had to come here to cause a scene? We can open countless shops like this easily, but a weirdo like you is unique. Or are you thinking of going in to keep your dad company? It’s a pity, your dad probably never imagined his dear son would be a good-for-nothing.”

Ji Dongyuan was furious. “Who are you calling a good-for-nothing, you b*tch! I’ll f**k…”

As he was speaking, he suddenly saw the slap mark on Jiang Zhi’s face. His expression twisted again, and he laughed, “Oh, so you got slapped! No wonder you’re wailing here. Two bitches fighting, I love watching it! Keep fighting!”

Ji Fanghuai was so angry her chest hurt, but Jiang Zhi gave a cold, fake smile. She slowly took out a bank card from her bag, waved it in front of Ji Dongyuan, and said, “Do you want money? Go pick it up yourself.”

She then walked to the door and threw the bank card into the trash can.

The moment she took out the bank card, Ji Dongyuan’s eyes lit up. He scrambled outside, searched through the trash can, found the bank card, and scurried away.

Ji Fanghuai could now clearly see that the bright red slap mark on Jiang Zhi’s face already showed signs of swelling.

She rubbed her hands on her trousers, knowing that she had been too harsh in the heat of the moment. She wanted to apologize, but when she opened her mouth, it turned into sarcasm, saying, “Do you have too much money? Why give it to him?”

Jiang Zhi kept her head low, not letting Ji Fanghuai see the slap mark on her face. She said nonchalantly, “He’s been useless for a long time. Throughout his four years of college, he played around all day, relying on his family’s money, and he still hasn’t graduated. Later, when the family business failed, the properties were mortgaged to the bank. He squandered the money your father left him, tried to start a new company, and was tricked by your father’s so-called ‘good friends.’ Now he’s seeking thrills with those shady friends. I gave him money only because he is your brother. But this is the last time. I’ve already called the police.”

Ji Fanghuai asked, “Thrills?”

Jiang Zhi said, “Drugs.”

Ji Fanghuai was stunned. No wonder Ji Dongyuan’s dark circles were so deep. She nervously bit her lip, not knowing how to tell Jiang Zhi that she hadn’t meant to slap her. Her hand still hurt.

However, Jiang Zhi suddenly looked up. The slap mark on her right cheek was slightly raised, and her delicate makeup could not hide her distress.

“Fanghuai, Happy New Year. I won’t appear in front of you again. Don’t worry, I won’t ever appear again…”

Ji Fanghuai took two steps forward but stopped, stammering, “Your face…”

Jiang Zhi, lost in her thoughts, had already walked out of the shop.

Ji Fanghuai watched Jiang Zhi’s thin back, her mind filled with the look in Jiang Zhi’s eyes as she left. But Jiang Zhi was a grown adult; she should be fine, right?

Ji Fanghuai didn’t know how she got back to her apartment complex. Looking at her palm, she thought of the slap mark on Jiang Zhi’s face. When she got home, the neighbors’ door frames were already adorned with red couplets, full of New Year’s spirit.

Ji Fanghuai tried hard to dismiss the look in Jiang Zhi’s eyes as she left, went home, and fell asleep. The next day, she woke up early to clean, buy candies and flowers, and change Xixi’s litter box.

New Year’s Eve dinner was nonexistent. She didn’t have time until seven in the evening and casually ordered a grilled fish. Outside, firecrackers were booming—a fireworks display from the plaza across the street.

Ji Fanghuai held the cat on the balcony, watching the fireworks. Lin Mianmian called. “Fanghuai, Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year.”

Ji Fanghuai chatted with Lin Mianmian absent-mindedly, then thought of the slap mark on Jiang Zhi’s face again. Jiang Zhi should be celebrating the New Year at her grandmother’s house by now, but she wondered if that slap mark had subsided…

Ji Fanghuai stared blankly at the brilliant fireworks in the sky. However, this spectacle of a thousand households celebrating had nothing to do with her. She sat in the living room with the lights on until dawn. She only went back to sleep when her head started to hurt.

Jiang Zhi rarely drank red wine because she was afraid of all things red. Now, bottles of vintage red wine were placed in front of her, making her dizzy and nauseous, yet she forced herself to drink them as if drinking blood.

A burning sensation arose in her stomach.

Her face still hurt. She hadn’t treated it because she didn’t dare to look at the swelling. She must look like a ghost right now.

Jiang Zhi closed her eyes and drank glass after glass of wine. The scene of Ji Fanghuai’s accident flashed in her mind.

That day, Ji Fanghuai was walking in front, and she was following behind. She suddenly saw something falling from the sky. Before she could warn her, Ji Fanghuai collapsed, and bright red blood flowed from her head.

She controlled her fear of blood and ran over. She couldn’t hear anything in her ears, and all she saw was the vivid red blood. She didn’t dare to move Ji Fanghuai’s body randomly, but she was afraid that something else might fall, so she could only hug her and move away.

Jiang Zhi didn’t know how she managed to call 911 that day. She was afraid she was holding a corpse until Ji Fanghuai slowly woke up in the hospital and asked who she was.

A thought flashed in her mind, and she said she was her fiancée.

That day was her birthday. If Ji Fanghuai hadn’t been going to celebrate her birthday, they wouldn’t have argued. Ji Fanghuai wouldn’t have been hit, and she wouldn’t have lost her memory.

She always blamed this on herself.

But how could Ji Fanghuai say she deliberately caused her amnesia?

Jiang Zhi poured wine into her stomach, glass after glass. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead. The red wine bottles on the coffee table were toppled over.

Perhaps even if she died here now, no one would find out. With a “bang,” the wine glass hit the edge of the coffee table and instantly shattered all over the floor.

Jiang Zhi’s vision was already overlapping. She reached out and grabbed a handful of broken glass.

Thick liquid flowed from the palm of her hand.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Ji Fanghuai was awakened by a knock on the door. Xin Ling looked at her with a terrible expression.

“Jiang Zhi tried to kill herself.”