I Will Fall Madly In Love With - Chapter 2

“Mimi is here.” Mom pushed open the door, holding the takeout meals she had just bought.

“Yes, Auntie, I’ve come to see Big Sis,” Xi Yumi replied, turning around with her signature, bright, spring-breeze smile blooming across her round little face.

“Thank you so much, Mimi. You two go ahead and talk; I’m going to wash my hands.” Setting the food down, Mom headed toward the washroom.

Mimi looked at me, her eyes brimming with tender pity, and whispered softly, “Big Sis, talking with me for so long today—are you tired?”

I offered a faint smile and shook my head gently. “Not at all. I’ve been cooped up in the hospital all day lately, doing nothing but getting IV drips and changing bandages. It’s dreadfully boring, so I’m really happy you’re here to keep me company.”

She gently stroked my hand. “You must get better soon. Once you’re fully recovered, I’m going to take you to so many, many places.”

Just then, Mom returned, setting up a small folding table by the bed and laying out the steaming hot meals one by one. She spoke gently to Mimi and me, “Kids, come eat something.”

The three of us had lunch together in a warm, harmonious atmosphere.

After the meal, Mimi helped Mom clean up the dishes. I leaned back against the hospital bed, watching them bustle about.

Once everything was tidied up, the two of them returned to the bedside. Mom looked at Mimi warmly and softly inquired, “Mimi, how has work been lately? Is the online shop running smoothly?”

A radiant smile lit up Mimi’s face as she answered, “Auntie, you can rest easy! Everything is going great. My assistant is handling the online store. The photography sessions we planned earlier were all completed successfully, and I’ll be coming to the hospital regularly over the next little while to keep Big Sis company. That way, you can get a bit of a break during the day, too.” Her tone was resolute and warm.

“What kind of work does Mimi do?” Stirred by a wave of lingering curiosity from their conversation, I finally spoke up to ask.

“Mimi? Why, she’s a Hanfu designer and has even founded her own online brand! She’s truly remarkable!” Mom’s face radiated admiration and praise, framed by a slightly exaggerated tone of wonder.

“Oh, Auntie, you flatter me. It’s just a small, niche brand that’s only recently gotten started,” Mimi smiled modestly, shaking her head with a touch of bashful embarrassment.

Everything clicked instantly in my mind, and I marveled silently: So that’s why! No wonder her Hanfu outfit today was so exquisite and unique.

“The Hanfu you design must be stunning!” I praised.

“Hehe.” Mimi’s cheeks flushed crimson as she smiled shyly. “Big Sis, once you’re better, I’ll design a few sets specifically for you. Back then—” She cut herself off mid-sentence, suddenly remembering that I had lost my memories of the past, leaving her at a loss for how to proceed.

She slowly lowered her head, tears breaking like a breached dam as they streamed quietly down her cheeks, overflowing with an inexpressible ache and sorrow.

I reached out and wiped the tears from the corner of her eye. “Oh my, why are you crying? Look, I’m right here, perfectly fine.”

“But… Big Sis doesn’t remember me anymore…” She lowered her head, mumbling in a tiny voice, wearing such a wronged, pathetic expression on her round little face that it was utterly endearing.

“It’s okay. We can just get to know each other all over again. Hello, my name is Yan Moyi. Can I be your friend?” I smiled, raising my head to meet her gaze.

Mimi stared at me as large tears rolled down her cheeks in droves. “My name is… Xi Yumi.”

Scenes from our very first meeting in kindergarten flashed continuously through my mind. I had been wearing a brand-new white dress, stepping timidly through the kindergarten gates, my heart brimming with curiosity about this strange new environment.

Right at that moment, I spotted a little girl sitting on the floor, crying her eyes out. Her hair was styled into two adorable little braids, her chubby cheeks flushed like a tempting red apple, and her large, clear, bright eyes spilled tears unceasingly from the corners.

The two faces overlapped and merged seamlessly in my mind.

I had shoved a strawberry-flavored candy right into her mouth and said, “Hello, my name is Yan Moyi. Can I be your friend?” Sucking on the candy, she repeated to me over and over again in a tear-choked, childish voice, “My name is Xu Mi… Xu Mi…”

The corners of my mouth curled upward on their own. She still loved crying just as much as she did when she was little. The only difference was that this time, the person standing in the light was her.

“Hello there, Xu Mi.” I echoed her childhood greeting, mimicking the tone of our kindergarten days.

She stopped crying instantly, staring at me in shock. “You remembered?! Big Sis! You remembered me!”

I gazed into her eyes deeply, shaking my head lightly before slowly raising a hand to gesture. “I only remembered a tiny bit. After all, the way you were crying just now looked way too much like you did back then.” A hint of fond nostalgia colored my voice.

Hearing this, Mimi’s eyes lit up instantly, her face radiating uncontrollable joy. She lunged forward in excitement, throwing her arms around me as her body trembled slightly. Her tone brimmed with bubbling enthusiasm: “Even just a tiny bit is enough! Lots of tiny bits will turn into a whole bunch! This is amazing… this is wonderful…”

Yet, as her emotions crested, her voice gradually choked up, and tears blurred her vision once more. She held me in a tight embrace, as if trying to weld this joy deep into her bones.

In that instant, time seemed to freeze, and I immersed myself entirely in her warmth.

This child, I thought, why is she such a crybaby? Recalling that tear-streaked little face, I raised a hand to gently stroke her head, soothing her softly, “Alright, stop crying now, be a good girl.”

As if soothed by my voice, her sobbing gradually subsided, though her frame still shuddered with occasional hiccups, tugging mercilessly at the heartstrings.

Easter Egg

(Kindergarten)

“My name is Xi Yumi.”

“Hello there, Xu Mi.”

“Wuwuwu, my name is Xi Yumi, wuwuwu, Xi Yumi.”

“I know, I know, Xu Mi.”