Fighting For My Wife With Myself After Being Reborn - Chapter 24

The computer chimed, signaling that the photo import was successful.

Shen Huaixu sat with her hands resting on the armrests of her gaming chair, her gaze fixed on a specific pattern on the wallpaper, ignoring the notification.

She was thinking.

She tried desperately to recall every detail related to this photograph.

Unfortunately, her memory felt as though it were covered by a layer of gauze; the harder she tried to remember, the more she was met with nothing but a void.

The feeling of powerlessness from being unable to remember details struck her. Shen Huaixu even felt like having a cigarette—even though she loathed the smell of smoke, she craved the nicotine right now to refresh her mind and clear the fog from her graying brain.

She sat up irritably and clicked on the photo that was causing her so much distress.

The shooting date was one evening during their trip to Dali. Shen Huaixu remembered that they had gone mountain climbing that day and took a boat out on the lake. After returning to the hotel, they took a quick shower and fell asleep together.

The background of the photo was clearly the hotel, and the lens had captured a sleeping Gu Yinghuai.

Her cheeks were rosy, half of her face tucked under the quilt, sleeping peacefully.

The angle and composition of the photo were ordinary, but anyone who saw it could feel the photographer’s unabashed love for the person in the frame.

It was a feeling that could only be captured when the lens was filled with love.

“This is crazy.” Shen Huaixu leaned back into her chair, raising her arm across her forehead to block the light from the study lamp.

After a long silence, Shen Huaixu picked up her phone, opened her work WeChat, and contacted Jiang Rui.

Shen Huaixu: 【Jiang Rui, I think I’m sick.】

Jiang Rui: 【?】

Jiang Rui: 【The recent workload doesn’t seem heavy enough to make you sick.】

Shen Huaixu: 【It’s not a physical illness.】

Jiang Rui: 【What, did you finally realize there’s something wrong with your head?】

Shen Huaixu: 【Yeah.】

Jiang Rui didn’t reply further; instead, she called immediately.

Jiang Rui closed her office door and stood by the floor-to-ceiling window. She couldn’t help but ask, “What’s the situation?”

Shen Huaixu leaned back, looking up at the patterns on the ceiling, and said nonchalantly, “Well, I suddenly realized I have amnesia.”

“Are you going to such lengths just to avoid work? You’re even coming up with an excuse like amnesia.” Jiang Rui pressed her hand to her forehead, clearly not believing her.

“I’m not joking, I’m serious.” Shen Huaixu slid the wheels of her chair, moving away from the computer so she wouldn’t have to look at that annoying photo.

Jiang Rui switched the phone to her other ear. “Then tell me, what did you forget? I’m all ears.”

Shen Huaixu organized her thoughts and slowly told Jiang Rui what happened. “A photo appeared in my camera that I’ve never seen before. If it were just a normal photo, I could assume Huai took it herself. But the problem is, the photo was taken while we were both asleep—it’s a picture of Huai sleeping.”

“Shouldn’t you suspect someone snuck into your room then? Why jump to amnesia?” Jiang Rui frowned. She was worried that a fanatical fan might have bought her info and snuck into the hotel.

“Are you serious? Someone sneaks in, ignores all the valuables, just to take a picture of Huai sleeping?” Shen Huaixu was speechless. Her phone and wallet were right there on the table. Why would someone break in just to photograph her Huai?

“…You have a point.” Jiang Rui admitted. “So? What do you plan to do?”

“Don’t you have friends who are doctors? I’m worried about being spotted by paparazzi if I go to a psychiatric department. I wanted to see if you could help me arrange a consultation at someone’s home or somewhere private.” Shen Huaixu suddenly slid back to the desk.

She stared at the photo on the screen, determined to find the root of the problem.

“Impressive that you actually thought of that.” Jiang Rui knew that if paparazzi caught Shen Huaixu at a psych ward, it would cause irreparable damage to their careers. She mentally went through her list of doctor friends. “Alright, I’ll ask around. I’ll let you know when I have an answer.”

“Thanks. And don’t tell Huai about this yet. I don’t want her to worry.” Shen Huaixu was afraid Jiang Rui would spill the beans to Gu Yinghuai, so she cautioned her in advance.

“You should know she has a right to the truth.” Jiang Rui frowned. She felt Shen Huaixu was overprotective. In a relationship, decisions and problems should be handled together, but Shen Huaixu always insisted on carrying everything alone.

It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but Jiang Rui believed that being honest with each other was the key to a long-lasting relationship.

However, as an outsider, she couldn’t say too much.

Shen Huaixu tapped her finger on the desk, a mysterious emotion flashing in her silver-gray eyes. “Of course. Once the results are out, I’ll explain it to her myself.”

Knowing she couldn’t change Shen Huaixu’s mind, Jiang Rui let it go. “You’d better. Anything else? If not, I’m hanging up to call the doctor.”

Shen Huaixu shook her head. “That’s all. Thanks for the help.”

Jiang Rui: “I’m hanging up then.”

Shen Huaixu: “Okay.”

After hanging up, Shen Huaixu studied the photo on the screen again.

Ordinary lens, ordinary composition.

If the subject weren’t her Huai, Shen Huaixu wouldn’t bother thinking about it—she’d just delete it. But because it was Gu Yinghuai, she couldn’t let it go.

“Ugh—annoying.” Shen Huaixu closed the photo, deciding to give herself a break and look at other vacation photos to change her mood.

But as she looked, she discovered several more photos she had absolutely no recollection of taking.

Frustrating.

Shen Huaixu created a new folder and dragged all those annoying photos into it—out of sight, out of mind.

By the time she finished organizing all the photos, it was almost time for Huai to get off work.

Gu Yinghuai had mentioned at noon that she had several meetings in the afternoon and wouldn’t be able to reply.

Shen Huaixu figured it was 5:00 PM and the meetings should be wrapping up, so she sent a WeChat message.

Wants to Quit: 【ddd, please reply if received.】

Refuse Overtime: 【(soul leaving body.jpg)】

Wants to Quit: 【How dare they. Did some blind fool bully my Huai?】

Refuse Overtime: 【(sobbing.jpg)】

Refuse Overtime: 【Working… overtime tonight…】

Wants to Quit: 【Oh no, that’s terrible news. What are you having for dinner? I’ll bring it to you.】

Refuse Overtime: 【No need! The team decided to grab dinner downstairs quq】

Wants to Quit: 【Then I assume you guys wouldn’t mind some dessert after dinner? How about cream puffs or mini cakes?】

Refuse Overtime: 【I want pork floss cakes! And puffs too.】

Wants to Quit: 【OK, leave it to me.】

Refuse Overtime: 【(kisses.jpg)】

After learning she couldn’t have dinner with her Huai, Shen Huaixu felt even worse.

She had hoped to recharge by spending time with her after the shock of the photos, but not only was dinner canceled, but she had to work overtime too.

Shen Huaixu shut down the computer with an indignant huff and left the study.

Without Gu Yinghuai, the cozy living room felt empty. Everywhere she looked was a reminder of her frustration with overtime.

She turned on the TV and flipped through channels just to have some background noise, pretending Huai was curled up on the sofa while she went to the kitchen to make dinner.

With Gu Yinghuai away, dinner was simple.

Boiled noodles with a large spoonful of her homemade chili sauce and a poached egg with a runny yolk.

The chili sauce was fragrant, and once mixed with the silky egg yolk, every bite was a treat for the taste buds.

She finished her meal in a few bites, then pulled out her phone to pick a highly-rated dessert shop on a delivery app.

“Shoot, how many colleagues does Huai have?” Shen Huaixu often forgot who her colleagues were. She only remembered Jian Yulan and Chen Miao because they were so active and appeared on Gu Yinghuai’s phone often.

“Better buy extra. Too much is better than not enough…” Thinking this, she ordered two of everything the shop had. She even called the owner to ask them to pack one specific set of puffs and pork floss cakes separately.

The owner, happy for a large order, readily agreed since the request wasn’t difficult.

When Gu Yinghuai and her colleagues returned to the office, they were startled by the mountain of delivery bags at the front desk.

The receptionist, who was staying late, stood up like she’d seen a savior. “Yinghuai, you’re finally back! Your girlfriend’s delivery almost drowned my desk!”

“Oh~ a delivery of love from the girlfriend~”

“So sweet~”

Jian Yulan and Chen Miao, who already knew the girlfriend’s true identity, teased her from both sides.

Gu Yinghuai blushed and quietly told them to stop.

“Xiao Li, pick whatever you like first. I’ll take the rest inside for the others.” Gu Yinghuai asked Jian Yulan and Chen Miao to help—she couldn’t carry all this alone.

Xiao Li was thrilled. “Sure! I’ll help you carry them in, I’m almost done here anyway.”

Gu Yinghuai smiled. “Thanks for the help.”

Xiao Li added, “I wouldn’t mind this kind of work every day. Oh, and the sender specifically said one bag is for you. Don’t mix it up.”

“Okay, I got it.” Gu Yinghuai carried the bags into the office area.

There were quite a few people working late. Upon hearing about free desserts, the exhausted “corporate cattle” swarmed over, quickly divvying up the treats.

“Thank you, Yinghuai!”

“Long live Yinghuai!”

Gu Yinghuai was amused by their enthusiasm, her apricot eyes crinkling into crescents.

She sat back at her station with her personal bag and messaged Shen Huaixu.

Refuse Overtime: 【Axu, you bought way too much! >0< Luckily there are a lot of people working late tonight.】

Shen Huaixu didn’t reply immediately.

She had just received another call from Jiang Rui.

“I asked around and finally found a doctor willing to see you. I’ve sent the time and location to your WeChat. Just go there directly.”

“One thing—don’t say I didn’t warn you. She hates it when people are late. You’d better show up ten minutes early, got it?”

“Got it. Thanks.”

Shen Huaixu hung up and opened the message from Jiang Rui.

【2nd Floor, Room 206, No. 185 Tai’an Road, Fuqing District】