The Ex-Wife-to-Be Is Acting Weird After Losing Her Memory - Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Symphonic Poem Six

The little Princess Lu, who had performed the “magic,” led Zhen Zhen to a machine.

It was a common coin-pusher arcade game. Countless glittering tokens were casually piled up like small mountains. A hydraulic arm in the center slowly extended and retracted, constantly pushing the coins outward, like treasure within reach. Lu Jiayin carefully observed the placement of the coins and inserted the token in her hand.

The token slid down the winding chute, landing in the coin pile with a “ding.” The hydraulic arm started again. The slender pusher rod swept past its edge, bringing a large cascade of shining light…

Zhen Zhen was captivated by the scene. Her eyes followed the pusher rod, watching it slowly push the pile of coins to the edge of the platform. A miraculous thing happened: accompanied by the clatter of coins, several tokens were indeed pushed down.

The coins bouncing into the collection slot resonated with a joyous echo in her heart. Zhen Zhen hadn’t expected such a trick and couldn’t help but let out a small “wow” of surprise.

“One, two, three… Not bad luck. We earned seven tokens.” Lu Jiayin smiled as she retrieved the spoils from the collection port, then poured them all into Zhen Zhen’s palm like a prized offering. “I’ll give all the good luck to you.”

Although they had a full basket of tokens not long ago, for some reason, these seven coins, acquired through “magic,” felt extraordinarily precious, as if truly blessed with “luck.”

Zhen Zhen clutched the coins tightly, treating them like a treasure. The claw machine required two tokens per attempt. She counted the number of tokens in her hand and suggested uncertainly: “So, should we each try once first?”

Lu Jiayin said: “Sounds good.”

They chose the prettiest-looking claw machine. Flashing lights constantly shone on the pink and white machine. The glass case was piled high with plush rabbits. The chubby dolls wore bow ties in various colors, each adorned with a golden bell.

The first attempt was by Lu Jiayin. She had already scoped out a light blue rabbit doll, which was piled on top of the other toys not far from the drop-off hole. She maneuvered the claw directly above the doll, watched for the right moment, and pressed the button.

The claw accurately grabbed the doll’s ears, but unfortunately, it became unstable during the ascent. As soon as Lu Jiayin moved the joystick, the rabbit doll wobbled, and with a “swoosh,” it slipped out of the claw.

Lu Jiayin sighed in disappointment and yielded her spot to Zhen Zhen.

Zhen Zhen had been observing her movements while she played, gaining a rough understanding of how the claw machine operated. When it was her turn, she carefully adjusted the claw a few centimeters backward. This time, their luck was slightly better. The claw gripped the doll’s waist and slowly rose, swaying precariously.

Zhen Zhen didn’t dare breathe. Her right hand clenched the joystick, her eyes fixed on the doll hanging in mid-air. She watched it slide slowly toward the exit. Before she could exhale in relief, the claw suddenly released again. The little rabbit hit the guard rail near the exit with a “thump,” landing headfirst.

“Ah—” Lu Jiayin’s reaction was more disappointed than if she hadn’t caught it herself, and she tightly grasped Zhen Zhen’s sleeve.

There were only three tokens left in the pocket. Zhen Zhen counted them again and handed the joystick to Lu Jiayin: “Last chance. You want to play?”

Lu Jiayin smiled and said: “What if I can’t catch anything?”

Wearing the fluffy white rabbit-ear hat, only her smiling eyes were visible. Zhen Zhen looked at her smile and unconsciously curved her lips: “It doesn’t matter if you don’t catch anything. Now… I have Lu Jiayin, after all.”

Hearing those words, the light in Lu Jiayin’s eyes sparkled. She rolled up her sleeve slightly and stood in front of the claw machine again. As she inserted the tokens, she smiled and replied: “Then I must try harder to bring you more luck.”

Because it was their last chance, her observation time was significantly longer this time. She took almost until the last second of the countdown to set the claw’s drop position. As the claw quickly descended with a “swoosh,” the three metal prongs opened and clamped down, once again grabbing the small rabbit that was their original target.

The little rabbit was lifted high and slid along the track toward the exit. Lu Jiayin stared intently through the glass, her fingers clenched so tightly that her knuckles were slightly white. The doll wobbled and swayed precariously in the air, inching forward. Finally, under their intense gazes, it gently dropped.

The moment the doll fell into the slot, Lu Jiayin let out a cheer and suddenly turned and threw herself at Zhen Zhen. She exclaimed with joy: “We did it!”

Zhen Zhen embraced the person in her arms, the subtle happiness swelling in her heart, creating a wider, more turbulent ripple. Her smile broadened, and she whispered: “Yes, we did it.”

After the excitement subsided, Lu Jiayin remembered she hadn’t taken the doll yet. She opened the hatch beneath the machine and picked up the little rabbit.

It was a powder-blue, plush lop-eared rabbit doll. Its two chubby ears hung softly by its cheeks, making it look endearingly clumsy. Lu Jiayin held the rabbit affectionately in her arms, her eyes curved with happiness.

Seeing her so joyful, Zhen Zhen also felt happy. This plush rabbit was not from an expensive brand, but Lu Jiayin had worked hard to win it for her. This novel and engaging experience was unlike anything she’d felt before, making the doll seem even more adorable.

Lu Jiayin stroked the little rabbit’s ears for a moment, then handed it to Zhen Zhen. She took the last remaining token and placed it back into the machine where she had first found it.

“Let’s pass on the lucky magic to the next person,” she said with a wink, whispering.

The joy of catching the doll lasted until the two left the amusement park. Lu Jiayin was driving, so the doll was entrusted to Zhen Zhen. She stroked the rabbit’s ears, looked at Lu Jiayin, and after a long moment, giggled foolishly.

Because she was reluctant to put down the hard-won doll, Zhen Zhen chose to carry the rabbit into the private dining room at the restaurant. The fluffy doll paired with her rigorously styled dark gray cashmere coat created a subtle and strange harmony.

She sat down at the dining table with the rabbit in her arms, holding it as she opened the menu to order. Fearing that food stains might soil the fur later, Zhen Zhen even placed a small napkin on it.

“Since you like it so much, let’s give it a name,” Lu Jiayin said casually while waiting for the food, seeing Zhen Zhen treating it like a treasure. “What should we call it?”

“Let’s call it Jia Jia,” Zhen Zhen teased with a smile.

“Why Jia Jia? Since it’s a gift for you, it should be called Zhen Zhen.”

After they both spoke, they couldn’t help but gently chuckle at the same time.

Two mature women seriously debating what to name a plush doll—this kind of childish behavior probably only happens in a romantic relationship, giving rise to such a strange yet… uniquely joyful meaning.

“How about an English name?” Lu Jiayin reached out to stroke the little rabbit’s ears, suggesting again, “Its eyes are blue. Maybe it’s a foreign rabbit.”

Zhen Zhen thought carefully and said: “Then should we call her Gabriel?”

The moment she heard the name, the smile on Lu Jiayin’s face abruptly froze. Then she blinked, asking with a smile: “Why did you think of that name?”

“When I was very young, I missed my parents and didn’t dare let Grandpa see, so I often ran outside to be sad by myself. Then someone told me that those who love you don’t disappear; they send an angel to continue protecting you,” Zhen Zhen said seriously, holding the little rabbit. “Those words helped me through a long time, so I want to call her an angel.”

Her expression was solemn as she spoke. Lu Jiayin gazed into those clear eyes, suddenly feeling unable to speak.

Ga-b-riel. Her lips met as if in a crisp cycle of reincarnation. Certain long-forgotten fragments of memory shook off the dust and abruptly crashed into her mind. The fragments scattered and pieced together a picture diffused with sunset and rosy light.

It turns out… it turns out she was already a part of it, a part of her life.

That little girl hiding by the lake and crying, that memory filled with bright, shimmering twilight, was her Zhen Zhen.

And the person in front of her was still looking at her. Zhen Zhen held the little rabbit with both hands and asked earnestly: “What do you think?”

Lu Jiayin could almost hear her own heartbeat echoing in her chest. She bit her lip and whispered: “I… I think it’s great… Then let’s call her Gabriel! It suits her well.”

She couldn’t tell Zhen Zhen. She was still supposed to be “amnesiac” and had absolutely no reason to recall such a distant childhood memory. If she were to speak up now and say she was that person, how could she explain the current situation? Thinking of this, Lu Jiayin made up her mind, smiled, and raised her head.

Zhen Zhen blinked, her tone carrying a subtle lilt, not a question, but more of an inquiry: “Speaking of which, I don’t think I’ve ever asked if you have an English name?”

Lu Jiayin hadn’t expected her to suddenly switch the topic to herself. She felt a little nervous, hesitatingly saying: “I think so? But I don’t usually use it, so I really can’t recall… Let me check my profile…”

She certainly had an English name, but it was no longer Gabriel, but the one her management company had given her after her debut. Lu Jiayin suppressed her swirling emotions, quickly slid her finger across her phone screen, and smiled with relief: “…I found it. My English name is Gill…”

Flipping the phone screen to face Zhen Zhen, Lu Jiayin added a hint of shyness to her smile: “Does that sound a little… strange?”

Zhen Zhen smiled: “No, it’s very cute.”

She lowered her head and poked the little rabbit’s face: “Gabriel, do you see the pretty older sister across from us? She said her name is Gill, and she’s the one who brought you to me. Let’s thank her quickly.”

Her voice was very gentle.

Lu Jiayin felt her heart give another soft beat. She breathed a sigh of relief, then quietly said: “Gabriel, be sure to keep little Zhen Zhen good company from now on.”

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