The Ex-Wife-to-Be Is Acting Weird After Losing Her Memory - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Fugue Five

“Forget it. Considering we’re about to work together on the same crew, peaceful coexistence is more important.” Qi Yongshan adopted an air of generosity. “After all, Sister Jiayin, you’re going through a lot too.”

Lu Jiayin had no interest in her comments: “Oh, well, thank you very much.”

Her indifferent demeanor, however, was interpreted by Qi Yongshan as evidence of deliberately avoiding certain topics. She smiled sweetly: “Even if a woman is very strong, she should know how to show vulnerability in relationships to find happiness.”

“If I recall correctly, Teacher Qi appears to still be single,” Lu Jiayin said with a cold face. “I’m surprised you have so much insight into relationship issues.”

Qi Yongshan’s heart clenched, and she was almost speechless, stung by the comment. Her relationship with the eldest son of the Zhen family was supposed to be kept secret, and she certainly couldn’t reveal it in front of Lu Jiayin. She could only say, “I’m trying to give you friendly advice, why are you being so hostile?”

Friendly advice? That’ll be the day hell freezes over. Lu Jiayin ignored her verbal probing. They had now reached the center of the banquet hall. In front of the surrounding guests, Qi Yongshan had to temporarily drop the subject and turned to find other acquaintances to chat with.

Fu Ruyi had already entered the venue during the gap in the celebrity red carpet walk. She saw Lu Jiayin coming and quickly waved: “Those photos you just took were excellent. We’ve secured the topic of ‘Best Red Carpet Look.'”

As she spoke, she handed over the prepared jujube tea: “I just smoothed things over with the Dark Light team. Director Long will say a few good words for you during her interview later, and the wave of negativity stirred up by Qi Yongshan will be quickly suppressed.”

Lu Jiayin had long anticipated this. After all, the audience’s attention span is very short, and such unfounded gossip is merely fleeting excitement. She nodded: “It’s all minor stuff. Making a good film is more convincing than any rebuttal.”

“Of course. Qi Yongshan is clearly overestimating herself,” Fu Ruyi agreed softly in her ear. “After all, you have both looks and skill. Resorting to petty, underhanded tricks ultimately won’t lead to greatness.”

Now that Lu Jiayin’s injury was gradually recovering and she had secured a heavy-weight film, Fu Ruyi saw a bright future ahead. Even her marriage seemed to have recently taken a turn for the better. As she planned their schedule, her eyes inadvertently drifted to a certain spot, and her expression immediately became serious.

“Did you know CEO Zhen is here tonight?” A look of surprise flashed in her eyes, and she asked with a questioning tone.

Lu Jiayin looked up: “Are you talking about Zhen Zhen?”

Following her agent’s gaze, Lu Jiayin saw a familiar figure at the second-floor entrance.

Unlike the brightly lit celebrity area on the first floor, the second floor of the banquet hall was noticeably more subdued. Those seated there were high-net-worth business figures and sponsors. At this moment, a slight commotion was spreading across the entire second floor, and nearly all eyes were focused on the same place—

Zhen Zhen, who never appeared at entertainment events, was actually present at the banquet. She was wearing a dark blue Fendi women’s suit, her long hair pulled back into a ponytail, looking both dignified and elegant. Standing beside her was a young woman in a moon-white formal dress.

Lu Jiayin recognized the woman as Gu Huizheng. They had briefly met at Elder Zhen’s birthday banquet before.

Fu Ruyi silently moved closer to her: “Watch your expression. Why is CEO Zhen here? Just wait, don’t go over there yet!”

“I don’t plan to go up,” Lu Jiayin interrupted her calmly. “Isn’t my seat in Area A?”

But your wife is with another woman.

Fu Ruyi mentally grumbled and decisively stood up to walk away: “Something must be going on. I’m going to call CEO Zhen’s assistant and ask for an explanation.”

“Don’t go.” Lu Jiayin stopped her before she took a step.

She sat steadily, her long eyelashes cast in a soft halo, like a layer of starlight, making her face look gentle and composed: “No need.”

“To be honest, my relationship with her isn’t that great. It would be a laughingstock if I went to confront her in public,” she stated quietly, as if discussing something unrelated to herself. “Besides, I don’t want to ask whom she wants to be with or what she wants to do.”

She realized she had almost confused things. The intimacy and reconciliation between them during this period were based on the person Zhen Zhen saw—the persona split off after her amnesia—not Lu Jiayin herself. What Zhen Zhen cared about was that secondary personality.

And once she joined the film crew and told Zhen Zhen about her memory recovery, this temporarily patched-up relationship would likely slowly return to its original trajectory and subtly drift apart.

“Don’t be so definitive,” Fu Ruyi still felt something was off. “CEO Zhen is not someone who would casually bring a female companion to a public event. There must be some misunderstanding.”

Lu Jiayin said nothing more, remaining seated calmly in the guest area. As the venue lights slowly dimmed, the centerpiece of the entire evening—the charity auction—began.

The guests who had been gathered in small groups now took their seats. Fu Ruyi glanced at the person next to her and decided to temporarily suppress her desire to find out what was going on, turning her attention back to the auction.

One major reason the Yueshang Grand Ceremony is one of the most watched fashion events in the country is its auction. The lots include numerous treasures, including jewelry and artworks, with some top-tier collectibles that fiercely draw competition from the on-site guests every year.

Several valuable antique jewels served as warm-up lots and quickly sold for good prices. As the atmosphere grew warmer, the auctioneer smiled and presented one of the most anticipated lots of the night.

“This is an antique violin crafted by the European master luthier Goodlin. As you all know, Master Goodlin’s existing works are extremely rare. This one, ‘Benedicta,’ was privately collected by the late conductor Master Kong Xian. His family has now donated it, and the proceeds will go toward supporting the Children’s Art Development Foundation.”

The auctioneer’s voice was clear and unhurried as she introduced the violin’s history and announced the starting price: three million.

“Three million two hundred thousand.” Someone quickly participated in the bidding.

“Three million five hundred thousand.” The next bidder was the actual controller of “Guling,” a famous jewelry brand and one of the sponsors of this gala.

The price quickly escalated. Just then, a female voice rang out from the second floor. The voice was clear and gentle, calmly announcing a number: “Five million.”

Zhen Zhen sat upright in the side seating area on the second floor, her fair, long-fingered hand picking up the number plate from the table and gently raising it as a signal.

Someone beside Lu Jiayin gasped softly. Zhen Zhen rarely appeared at such events, so her every move drew considerable attention.

After stating the price, Zhen Zhen said nothing more, but she kept the number plate raised, clearly intending to continue competing for this item.

“Wow, isn’t that the famous Zhen family heiress? It’s my first time seeing her in person!” A young celebrity, unable to suppress her excitement, whispered to her companion. “Didn’t they say she never attends these kinds of events?”

Her companion said: “Look who’s sitting next to her? Coming specifically for the auction, and bidding for a violin… it’s hard not to connect the dots.”

Amidst the on-site chatter, the auctioneer had to gesture for silence before continuing: “Are there any bids higher than five million?”

She waited for about ten seconds. After asking three times with no response, the auction hammer brought down the result: “Congratulations to CEO Xiao Zhen for winning this masterwork, Benedicta!”

Immediately after the hammer fell, staff members came forward to handle the transaction. More curious eyes turned toward Lu Jiayin, who was sitting in the front row. After all, she was the legitimate Mrs. Zhen. CEO Xiao Zhen’s sudden appearance and extravagant purchase of such an auction item only fueled the gossip.

“The person next to CEO Zhen is Gu Huizheng, an internationally renowned violinist and a truly well-bred lady. I heard companies wanted to sign her for films before, but she refused, citing her focus on art,” someone quietly discussed. “Is CEO Zhen buying this violin to give to her?”

A multi-million dollar antique violin—isn’t that the perfect gift for a musician?

“Wow, Sister Jiayin, your CEO Zhen is so generous!” A female celebrity of comparable popularity to Lu Jiayin, sitting not far away, smiled subtly. “Millions for a violin to give to Gu Huizheng as a gift. Aren’t you bothered?”

Before Lu Jiayin could answer, a senior on the same table helped smooth things over: “Jokes aside, where did you hear that CEO Zhen is giving the violin away? Something so commemorative must be for her own collection, I think. Jiayin, let us all admire it sometime when you have the chance, alright?”

The actress pouted in disappointment but didn’t give up on stirring trouble: “I didn’t mean anything by it. I just envy Miss Gu for having a friend like CEO Zhen. Oh, right, I heard they grew up together as childhood sweethearts. But Sister Jiayin, you don’t need to worry, of course. You’re at the height of your career and so beautiful. How could you lose to her?”

To her disappointment, Lu Jiayin seemed to have completely missed her words, focusing entirely on spearing the chocolate cake in front of her with her fork. She ate meticulously, carefully avoiding smudging her lipstick. After a long while, she looked up, smiling faintly: “Yes.”

This was tantamount to accepting the compliment. The actress felt like she had punched a pillow. Looking at Lu Jiayin’s calm and composed demeanor, she turned away reluctantly.

However, she secretly thought: She’s acting so calm, but she must be furious inside.

Lu Jiayin sat calmly for a few more moments until the auctioneer announced an intermission. Only then did she elegantly stand up. Fu Ruyi, who had been constantly monitoring her movements, asked: “Where are you going?”

“The restroom.” Lu Jiayin pointed to the empty plate in front of her. “I ate a bit too much.”

Fu Ruyi looked at the little cake plate that had been completely cleaned and could only nod silently. Lu Jiayin declined her company, gathering her skirt and heading out of the banquet hall alone.

However, she seemed to have underestimated the power of gossip. As soon as she entered the stall, Lu Jiayin heard the sharp click of high heels in the hallway outside. Then, someone pushed the door open and entered, still chattering away.

“It’s so annoying. Everyone who hits on me is some low-tier rich second generation, always talking about investing in films. I could die laughing,” a woman’s doll-like voice said. “I don’t know when I’ll ever find my true love.”

Another, deeper female voice replied: “You watch too many Cinderella fairy tales. Elite families only choose proper society ladies for marriage. Even if you somehow manage to marry into one, they’re only after your fame and novelty. Don’t you see how even Lu Jiayin is getting slapped in the face?”

Hearing her name suddenly mentioned, Lu Jiayin’s finger paused on the door lock.

The doll-like voice continued: “That doesn’t count as a slap in the face, does it? It’s just a violin. What does that prove?”

The other woman paused for a few seconds, her voice dropping lower: “You’re too naive. I heard that Lu Jiayin and CEO Zhen’s marriage has long been in name only. Think about it: have you ever seen them together in public? Lu Jiayin hasn’t been invited to the Zhen Group’s annual meeting, has she?”

“Ultimately, she’s just desperately trying to maintain appearances. Gu Huizheng has a good background and is an artist. For CEO Zhen to buy such an expensive violin for her, it definitely means something.”

The conversation became more inaudible. Moments later, the restroom door was pushed open again, and the group left.

Lu Jiayin walked out of the stall. The sound of water running in the sink whooshed. Her face remained expressionless.

Reason told her that such unfounded rumors and speculation were not worth paying attention to. After all, over the years, she had heard much more, and much harsher, talk. She should have been used to it.

But for some reason, hearing Zhen Zhen’s name suddenly discussed alongside another person made her heart feel stuffed with straw—a muffled, constricting, and slightly sour feeling.

Should I care about this person?

Should I admit that I had a moment of impulse, wanting to go and demand why she didn’t greet me?

Can I truly allow myself to be this willful with her?

These questions suddenly flooded her mind. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and fell silent.

“Is the transaction complete?” On the second floor, Zhen Zhen signed her name on the transfer agreement and said resignedly to the smiling person beside her, “The violin is yours. Can I have my item back now?”

Gu Huizheng nodded with satisfaction: “Of course. That violin was always yours anyway. If you hadn’t insisted on returning it to the teacher back then and said you wouldn’t play the violin anymore, I wouldn’t have kept it for you. You couldn’t buy it back now even with a hundred Benedictas.”

Zhen Zhen coughed lightly: “If you don’t want to trade anymore…”

“Trade, trade, trade!” Seeing her expression turn serious, Gu Huizheng didn’t dare joke further, deciding to quit while she was ahead. “I’ll have the violin sent to you in a few days.”

After all, that was just an ordinary violin, but she was swapping it for a master-crafted violin worth five million! She secretly made a face at Zhen Zhen in her heart and then asked, “But you haven’t played the violin for so many years. Why the sudden change of heart?”

Zhen Zhen was looking down at her phone, her slender fingers scrolling the screen. She replied faintly: “I just suddenly changed my mind.”

Gu Huizheng secretly peeked at her screen interface and was surprised to find her browsing Weibo. The screen showed the red carpet show from tonight. She smiled knowingly: “Isn’t the prettiest one sitting downstairs? Instead of scrolling through photos here, why don’t you just go find her?”

When they entered earlier, the person in charge of the event had cleared the center guest table on the second floor, but Zhen Zhen chose to sit in a seat closer to the railing—isn’t that exactly because it offered a view of the person downstairs?

Hearing Gu Huizheng’s question, Zhen Zhen’s eyes slightly narrowed, and her dark eyelashes fluttered: “She keeps her work and personal life very separate. She won’t be pleased if I go find her at an event like this.”

It was shortly after they got married when a film festival invited both her and Lu Jiayin to attend. The media asked a few too many questions about their relationship, leaving the director and the creative team hanging. When Lu Jiayin returned, she politely suggested that it would be better if they didn’t appear together at such events in the future.

Since then, Zhen Zhen had wisely complied, never attending any event connected to the entertainment industry again.

Gu Huizheng frowned: “The circumstances are completely different, alright? That was film promotion, and the media lost focus. People were just making excuses to blame her. But this time is different! You want to go find your own wife—it’s completely justifiable!”

However, Zhen Zhen did not look up, maintaining her proper and elegant posture while scrolling through her phone, appearing completely unmoved. But Gu Huizheng knew very well that this person was starting to self-sabotage again.

“You’ve been like this since you were a child. Someone says one thing, and you extrapolate a hundred meanings from it.” She angrily picked up the wine glass on the table and downed half of it in one go. “Honestly, some things don’t need to be so complicated. Just follow your heart.”

She leaned against the second-floor railing, looking down at the crowd dressed in fine clothes. The music was gradually picking up, and the auction was moving into a livelier period.

This scene was similar to the first time she met Zhen Zhen, at a Mid-Autumn family dinner. The other children were chasing and playing, but she sat alone on the side, clutching a thick book.

She was afraid of causing trouble for anyone, afraid of being disliked, so she never dared to express her preferences, instead striving to live up to the “less trouble” and “less difficult” image others expected.

Thinking of this, Gu Huizheng suddenly felt angry. She put down her wine glass and slapped Zhen Zhen hard.

“That’s your wife! If you want to pursue her, go after her openly!” Her voice was full of indignation, and she pushed her friend very hard. “And it’s been a long time. She hasn’t come back yet, has she? Aren’t you worried?”

Hearing her words, Zhen Zhen immediately noticed that the intermission time had long passed. Lu Jiayin’s previous seat was still empty; she had not returned.

Gu Huizheng was still rambling when she saw Zhen Zhen suddenly stand up and walk straight toward the exit.

Outside the auction hall was the cocktail lounge area for guests to rest and mingle. Crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead. At this moment, only a few guests were lingering there, stepping out for air.

Zhen Zhen scanned the area. The event wasn’t over, so Lu Jiayin shouldn’t have gone far. She walked along the tall floor-to-ceiling windows and suddenly caught a glimpse of a dark green silhouette.

It was her Lu Jiayin.

On the small terrace shielded by a sheer curtain, Lu Jiayin was half-leaning on the railing, enjoying the breeze. Her long dress flowed gracefully, and her high-heeled feet were swinging back and forth on a high stool. A stemmed glass was placed beside her. The liquid inside shimmered, and the aroma of the wine was intoxicating.

Zhen Zhen pushed aside the sheer curtain and walked onto the terrace, asking softly: “Lu Jiayin, what are you doing here?”

Hearing the familiar voice, Lu Jiayin slowly turned her face. She seemed to have had a little too much to drink. Her fair, moist cheeks were tinged with pink, and her red lips were glistening and dewy, lending a touch of softness to her usually cool face. She rested her face on her arm and smiled faintly in Zhen Zhen’s direction.

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