I Will Fall Madly In Love With - Chapter 4

In a hazy, half-awake state, I vaguely heard Mom’s soft, caring voice: “Momo, you need to get better soon. Whatever you’ve forgotten, just let it go… start over fresh. Mom’s only wish is for you to leave all this pain behind.”

Like a warm spring breeze sweeping past my ear, Mom’s words flowed like a clear spring deep into my chaotic consciousness. I tried my hardest to open my eyes, to look at Mom’s face and tell her I would face everything with strength.

However, my eyelids felt as heavy as blocks of lead, refusing to lift no matter how hard I tried. Thus, I could only listen in silence to Mom’s instructions, engraving her care and love deep into my heart.

I drifted back to sleep amidst Mom’s words.

I had a dream. In the dream, there were two little girls. One was dressed in a pristine, snow-white dress, while the other wore an aqua-blue, gemstone-hued traditional Chinese gown. A gentle breeze brushed against their hair and skirts, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting mottled patches of light and shadow across them.

They ran and played to their hearts’ content in a lush, verdant park. Their laughter was as crisp and pleasant as silver bells, echoing back and forth in the air.

Suddenly, the sky turned gloomy, dark clouds rolling in as though attempting to shroud the entire world in darkness. Everything before my eyes grew gray and bleak, breeding an overwhelming sense of oppression and dread.

At that moment, the patter of rain broke the silence, and a torrential downpour plummeted from the sky. The rain hammered fiercely against the ground, splashing droplets and stirring up a fine, misty veil of water.

Accompanied by the roar of rain, a sharp, piercing screech of brakes ripped through the air. I turned my head hurriedly, my gaze drawn to a scene not far away.

A girl lay quietly in a pool of blood. Crimson blood bloomed like poppies, rapidly staining her flawless white skirt.

I stared with wide eyes, incredulous as I looked upon the horrifying scene, my hands clamped tightly over my mouth for fear I would burst into uncontrolled sobs.

Time seemed to freeze, and the entire world plunged into a dead, suffocating silence.

Right then, the figure of a woman appeared at the accident site. She was petite, her face distorted in extreme terror and frantic panic. Without a moment’s hesitation, she lunged toward the girl lying in the pool of blood, scooped her up, and let out a heart-wrenching scream that resonated through the entire space.

I struggled with every ounce of my strength, desperate to run over and see their faces clearly!

Yet no matter how hard I tried, my vision remained hopelessly blurred, as though a thick layer of fog shrouded everything ahead.

Just as I was about to successfully break through this fog, a sudden, unprecedented wave of dizziness washed over me, sending everything around me spinning wildly.

The vertigo crashed over me like a surging tide, threatening to swallow me whole.

I snapped my eyes open, sweat soaking through my pillowcase. The hospital room was deathly quiet, save for the sound of the wind outside gently fluttering the curtains.

Sunlight streamed through the window, falling upon my face with a touch of warmth. I raised a hand instinctively to shield my eyes, waiting to adjust before slowly opening them wide.

My gaze swept across the room, finally locking onto the wall clock the hands pointed squarely to the eleven o’clock position.

Perhaps due to the side effects of the painkillers I’d been taking lately, my head constantly felt foggy and disoriented, leaving me asleep for half the day.

Glancing around, I found Mom dozing beside the bed. Her hand was still clasped tightly around mine, a hint of exhaustion resting on her face.

I shifted my hand slightly, and Mom snapped awake instantly.

“Momo, you’re awake? How are you feeling?” Mom asked eagerly, her eyes brimming with concern.

“I’m fine, Mom. Go get some rest,” I said, looking at her with a pang of heartache.

Mom shook her head. “I’m not tired, I want to stay with you. Oh, right—Mimi came by this morning, and she waited a long time for you.”

“Mimi was here?” A wave of disappointment washed over me at having missed the chance to see her.

“Yeah, she even brought you a bag of things and a pot of jasmine. She told you to take good care of the jasmine and watch it grow day by day,” Mom said with a smile.

Warmth bloomed in my chest; Mimi was always so considerate. I longed for a swift recovery so I could watch the jasmine bloom.

“Mom, help me put the jasmine by the window. I want to see it every time I wake up.” Looking at the potted plant, my spirits lifted considerably.

Mom placed the jasmine on the windowsill as I requested, then carefully helped me sit up, quickly sliding a soft pillow behind my back so I could lean back more comfortably.

“Thanks, Mom. I want to call Mimi,” I murmured, and Mom handed me the phone. Taking it, I dialed Mimi’s number.

“Hello~ Big Sis, you’re finally awake!” Mimi’s voice rang out, laden with unconcealed excitement.

“Mhm, Mimi, thank you for the jasmine. I love it,” I responded joyfully, expressing heartfelt gratitude for her thoughtful gesture.

“Hehe, I knew Big Sis would love it! Big Sis, my clothing factory ran into a small issue and I need to go handle it. As soon as I wrap things up, I’ll rush straight back to the hospital to keep you company this afternoon,” Mimi reported her itinerary in detail over the phone.

“Alright, no worries. Go take care of your work first, business comes first, don’t worry about me. I’ll take good care of myself, looking forward to seeing you this afternoon!” The corners of my mouth curved upward in a comforting smile, my heart filled with anticipation.

After hanging up with Mimi, my spirits felt vastly improved. I looked at the sunlight outside the window and savored the beauty of being alive.

“Mom, I want to look at the things Mimi brought me.” I pointed toward the bag Mimi had dropped off that morning.

Mom retrieved the bag for me. Unpacking it, I discovered a thick photo album inside. Tucked into the very first page was a slip of paper bearing Mimi’s handwriting: “Big Sis, I’ll definitely protect you this time.”

Gazing at the note, a cozy warmth flooded my chest. I resolved to get better as quickly as possible and recover the memories of our past.

Gently opening the yellowed photo album felt like unlocking a long-sealed memory.

It was packed with photographs of Mimi and me growing up, every single one immensely precious. They lay quietly within the pages, recounting our shared history bit by bit.

From the opening snapshot outside the kindergarten gates, to later scenes of playing together, attending school, and traveling… These pictures resembled a silent film, charting the clear trajectory of our growth right before my eyes.

Looking at those radiant smiles, I could feel their joy and happiness; yet when my eyes caught the occasional tearful or sorrowful expression, a faint wave of melancholy stirred within me.

Still, a strange sensation gnawed at my mind that blend of familiarity and alienation filled me with dread.

Clearly, the protagonist in the photos was none other than myself, yet looking at them now felt like watching a stranger’s story unfold. The sense of detachment chilled me to the bone.

In one warmly lit photo, Mimi and I clung closely to one another, our smiles as radiant and cozy as spring sunlight. The background of the picture featured a mirror hanging quietly in place, acting as a silent witness to time.

Yet, trapped within that mirror, a single figure caught my attention. It was a blurred silhouette—unlike Mimi and me, it wasn’t clearly defined, appearing instead like a contour lost in fog, impossible to decipher.

At first, I hadn’t paid much mind to the detail, assuming it was just some corner of the mirror or an optical illusion caused by light refraction.

However, when my gaze swept past that figure a second time, an odd sensation surged unexpectedly into my mind an inexpressible wave of familiarity.

The feeling compelled me to stare unblinkingly at the blurred outline, desperate to make out a face. Yet my vision was abruptly shattered by a stabbing wave of agony, as though countless steel needles were piercing my skull simultaneously. The pain pushed endurance to its absolute limits, distorting the world before my eyes.

Moaning in agony, Mom rushed to my side, asking anxiously, “Momo, what’s wrong? Does your head hurt badly? I’ll go get the doctor!” With that, she moved to press the bedside call button.

Weakly, I caught her hand. “Mom, don’t bother, I’ll be fine once it passes…” Before I could finish, I lost consciousness.

Waking up later, I found Mom’s worried face alongside Mimi standing close by.

“Momo, you’re finally awake! You slept for a whole day and night, you scared us to death,” Mom said emotionally.

Mimi’s eyes were red-rimmed as she asked, “Do you feel better?”

I nodded, struggling to piece together what happened before I fainted, but my mind yielded nothing but chaos.

“I thought I saw a blurred figure…” I rubbed my temples, murmuring.

Mimi and Mom exchanged a heavy, troubled glance.

Mom patted my hand soothingly. “You must be exhausted and hallucinating. Don’t think about it too much, just get some rest.”

Mimi chimed in, “Yeah, Big Sis, you need to focus on healing. We can talk about everything else once you’re fully recovered.”

I nodded, though an ominous premonition lingered in my heart.

Over the next few days, I tried repeatedly to recall that blurred figure, but every single attempt ended in a blinding headache.

Easter Egg

(Xi Yumi’s Study)

Xi Yumi sat at her desk, repeatedly deliberating over the message she had left for Big Sis.

“Big Sis, I love you.” No, no, that’ll scare Big Sis.

“Big Sis, you need to be strong.” No, no, Big Sis is already the strongest person ever.

“Big Sis, I’ll definitely protect you this time.” Mhm, this one’s good. Xi Yumi nodded with deep satisfaction as she jotted it down.