The Ex-Wife-to-Be Is Acting Weird After Losing Her Memory - Chapter 68

Chapter 68: Serenade Four (End of Main Story)

On the first day of September, the news arrived that Lu Jiayin’s father’s severe illness had finally proven fatal.

When she received the call, Lu Jiayin was at home with Zhen Zhen, packing their luggage. Not long ago, Elder Zhen officially announced his retirement, transferring the position of group chairman to Zhen Zhen. Along with the work, the large mansion in Xishan was also handed over.

Zhen Zhen noticed Lu Jiayin’s troubled expression and immediately put down what she was holding to walk to her side. Lu Jiayin silently hung up the phone, looking slightly out of sorts: “He passed away.”

Zhen Zhen already knew who “he” was. Since her last conversation with Mrs. Lu, perhaps seeing her daughter’s firm attitude, Mrs. Lu had not forced Lu Jiayin to go to the hospital again. She herself had gone alone, very discreetly, one afternoon to see her ex-husband for the last time.

Lu Jiayin’s father was severely ill. The doctors, after consultation, concluded that chemotherapy was of little value and might even further destroy his already frail body functions. They opted for palliative care to alleviate the patient’s suffering.

Zhen Zhen understood that there would not be much of a turnaround in Lu Jiayin’s father’s condition under the circumstances. Considering Lu Jiayin’s feelings, she did not visit the hospital, merely instructing the hospital staff to take good care of the patient and meet his requests as much as possible.

Now, she gently stroked Lu Jiayin’s hair reassuringly. Lu Jiayin turned her head, her expression slightly bewildered: “The memorial service is tomorrow. They asked if I would attend.”

A person who had been gone from her life for so long suddenly said goodbye to her in such a definitive way. The feeling was both clear and like some kind of illusion, accumulating into a strange, dull sensation in her heart.

Zhen Zhen noticed her hesitation and said gently: “Let’s go once, then.”

“You didn’t visit the hospital because he didn’t fulfill his duty as a father to you. But now that he’s gone, as the person who brought you into this world, perhaps we should go to send him off for the last time and say goodbye.”

Lu Jiayin leaned against her arms, lost in thought. After a long while, she nodded: “Okay.”

The memorial service was small, with only a few dozen guests in attendance.

Due to Lu Jiayin’s father’s past actions, the Lu family was quite displeased with him. Lu Jiayin didn’t see many relatives from the main family at the funeral. The few figures busy by the coffin were faces unfamiliar to her.

The woman in black crying with deep sorrow by the catafalque must be his new wife. Standing beside the woman were two children, a boy and a girl, both appearing to be in their teens. The younger girl held a portrait of Lu Jiayin’s father, silent and unmoving.

The boy was in charge of coordinating the entire ceremony. Lu Jiayin learned then that her father was a Catholic. The farewell service was presided over by a priest. The sound of everyone’s hymns echoed in the empty hall, and the atmosphere gradually became solemn.

Lu Jiayin stood at the back of the crowd. She wore a black beret with a veil draped down, shielding half of her face. She remained silent from beginning to end. When the priest announced that guests could pay their final respects to the body, she turned back and glanced at Zhen Zhen.

Zhen Zhen encouraged her with her eyes. The two walked slowly hand-in-hand to the catafalque. Lu Jiayin’s father’s body was surrounded by fresh flowers. The light shone on his face, giving him a distant and unfamiliar look.

He looked much older than in her memory, not just aged, but more like a different person, steeped in a new life, changed, and devoid of the blurred impression she held in her heart. The crowd moved slowly. She did not linger long, bending down to place the bouquet of calla lilies she held in a corner.

After the viewing of the body, guests were directed to leave through a passage on the other side, where the family members waited to receive condolences. The boy was still at the head. His eyes were red, and he silently bowed to everyone. When he saw Lu Jiayin appear, the boy seemed startled.

Lu Jiayin pressed her lips together and passed him.

The coffin would then be sent directly to the crematorium to be reduced to ashes for burial, a long waiting period. Guests walked out of the hall in small groups, looking for places to pause. Zhen Zhen held Lu Jiayin’s hand and led her to a relatively secluded corner.

Suddenly, a rush of hurried footsteps came from behind them.

The person was the boy from earlier. He had run a little quickly. When he arrived in front of the two, the boy opened his mouth, seemingly unable to find a proper address. After a few seconds of silence, he finally said: “You are Miss Lu.”

He paused, then continued in a low voice: “Thank you for coming today. I think Dad would also be happy.”

Lu Jiayin gazed at his face. Although his immaturity was apparent, she could still see that he had a pair of eyes remarkably similar to hers—beautifully outlined, with slightly upturned outer corners. The dark pupils were like stars, and that star twinkled at her, radiating light.

By blood, their relationship should have been very close, yet they were indeed distant strangers.

“Did he ever mention me to you?” she asked abruptly.

The boy was caught off guard by her question. He paused, then said: “…Dad, he… didn’t pay much attention to anything outside of painting… Once, your interview was broadcast on TV, and he—he watched that screen for a long time without saying anything…”

An apologetic look crossed his face as he searched for more fragmented details. Seeing the guilt in the young man’s expression, Lu Jiayin suddenly felt a sense of relief.

“Thank you for telling me that,” she said gently. “It’s okay.”

After the boy left dutifully, she stretched her arms backward, as if shedding a burden, and let out a soft sigh.

“Actually, I’ve always held a very strange mentality. The night he left me, I suddenly realized that the best way to avoid being hurt is to be the one who turns and walks away first. But, in fact, the things that can be left behind are never the things that truly belonged to me.”

She blinked and smiled, saying: “That child just now really tried hard to share some memories with me.”

Unfortunately, there weren’t many memories that belonged to her during that long stretch of time.

Hearing the disappointment in her tone, Zhen Zhen took a step forward and pulled Lu Jiayin into her embrace.

“It’s okay, Lu Jiayin, it’s okay,” she held the person in front of her tightly and said tenderly. “I will be the one who absolutely never turns away. I will always be by your side, giving you the best memories, the best love. Everything you want, I will give you all of it.”

Her lover’s soft voice answered her. Lu Jiayin sniffled: “I know. That’s why I’m not sad at all about the things I didn’t get, because Heaven has already compensated me with the best.”

They did not attend the final burial ceremony, but walked down the long stone steps. The afternoon sun began to warm up. The leaves shimmered with light, rustling gently as the wind blew.

“I suddenly thought just now, time passes so quickly. This day last year was exactly the day I had my car accident,” Lu Jiayin said suddenly, looking at the lush green mountains before them. “A year has passed in the blink of an eye.”

The events of this day last year still seemed vividly clear. At the Golden Pearl Awards gala that night, she was defeated by Qi Yongshan and missed the Best Actress crown, but that was not the loss that discouraged her the most. The next day, she was scheduled to sign the official divorce agreement with Zhen Zhen.

“That day, I was driving alone, and I suddenly thought that after tomorrow, I would be alone again. I thought I could accept this outcome, just like before, as long as I pretended I was the one who left first, it would be fine…”

Recalling the events of that day, Lu Jiayin still felt a little lingering fear: “But no matter how I comforted myself, I still felt very sad. So when I reached that intersection, I changed direction…”

Unexpectedly, she was hit by another car changing lanes on the right, injured her head in the violent collision, and then, due to amnesia, unexpectedly gained a chance to start over.

A year’s time changed many things and finally opened a window in her closed heart, allowing her to honestly face all her unpleasant, vulnerable, and embarrassing moments.

Zhen Zhen said nothing, only tightening her grip on Lu Jiayin’s hand.

She didn’t tell Lu Jiayin that she had also held a little selfishness. When she added her name as a trust beneficiary, what she was thinking was that even if they couldn’t be together anymore, at least on some written level, they could still have some close, yet insignificant, connection.

Thankfully, thankfully they did not miss each other after all.

She turned to look at Lu Jiayin. The sunlight reflected on the actress’s bright face, making her shine dazzlingly.

“Lu Jiayin, let me take you out to eat something good,” Zhen Zhen said softly. “The one you like the most.”

For Zhen Zhen and Lu Jiayin, after resolving their misunderstandings, life seemed to be moving in a better direction, except for the fact that—their work was simply too busy.

“Mhm, it’s okay… I know, remember to eat.” Zhen Zhen held the phone in one hand, speaking gently to the person on the other end. She then raised her hand to stop Assistant Xiao Chen, who was about to leave, and instructed: “That meeting that was just canceled, notify them… to proceed as scheduled.”

Xiao Chen’s foot, which was about to step out the door, paused: “Weren’t you planning to leave early today?”

His boss had been in quite a good mood when she arrived at the company this morning, and had unusually instructed him to try and schedule all her work for the morning, as she wanted to leave on time in the afternoon.

Now, looking at Zhen Zhen, it was clear she had changed her mind again.

Zhen Zhen had already stood up. The smile had vanished from her face, replaced by a slight sense of helplessness: “I’m not leaving work now. The Boss’s wife needs to work overtime.”

She and Lu Jiayin hadn’t had dinner together for several days. Today, Lu Jiayin was recording at the TV station in the city center, and they had agreed to go to a newly opened restaurant for dinner. However, Lu Jiayin had just called to say that the recording had run over and would likely finish very late.

It was false to say she wasn’t disappointed, but Zhen Zhen quietly adjusted her mood and turned her attention back to work.

When she snapped out of her busy schedule again, the sky outside the window was completely dark. Looking down from the floor-to-ceiling window, the scattered car lights on the road merged and intertwined, forming a winding, brilliant stream of light.

Xiao Chen cautiously walked into the office and reminded dutifully: “Boss, it’s past eight o’clock. It’s supposed to snow tonight. Should you head home first?”

Zhen Zhen looked at the clock on the wall with a hint of melancholy, accepting her assistant’s suggestion.

The driver had already parked the car downstairs. As Zhen Zhen sat down in the back seat, she saw Xiao Chen rush over again, handing a paper bag to Zhen Zhen: “I almost forgot. This is the cake from the place Miss Lu likes that you asked me to order. Please take it home with you.”

The bag was large, with a paper flower tied to the handle. Zhen Zhen never refused anything that could be used to feed Lu Jiayin. She took the paper bag and carefully placed it beside her.

As soon as she put the item down, the car silently started.

The drive home was quite long. Zhen Zhen leaned back in the seat, feeling the fatigue slowly creep in. She peacefully closed her eyes, intending to rest for a while on the way.

She wasn’t sure how long passed. When she opened her eyes again and looked out the window, a trace of doubt suddenly appeared in her gaze.

“Are we taking this road home?” The car had turned onto a mountain road, and the streetlights along the side were noticeably dimmer. This immediately put Zhen Zhen on guard. She sat up straight and asked alertly.

Hearing the question, the driver in the front turned his head and smiled at her.

The moment she recognized the driver’s face, Zhen Zhen was first stunned, then she smiled as well.

“Lu Jiayin, weren’t you recording?” The earlier guard instantly dropped, replaced by self-reproach for her carelessness. She hadn’t noticed that Lu Jiayin had secretly replaced the driver and driven her this far.

Lu Jiayin smiled sweetly: “I came to pick up CEO Zhen from work.” To trick Zhen Zhen, she had teamed up with Assistant Xiao Chen, using the cake as an excuse. Zhen Zhen had completely failed to notice that the driver’s hat brim was pulled particularly low today.

Upon seeing Lu Jiayin, Zhen Zhen’s mood instantly became cheerful. At this moment, the car smoothly reached its destination and stopped in an empty space on the side of the road.

Only then did Zhen Zhen realize that Lu Jiayin had brought her to a scenic resort on a mountaintop road. Tucked away among layers of lush pine trees were cute, small wooden houses, like something out of a fairy tale. Strings of lights hung from the roofs, twinkling like playful, winking stars.

Lu Jiayin parked the car and opened the driver’s side door. She personally walked around to the back to open Zhen Zhen’s door and playfully held out her hand: “May I…?”

The wind carried a slight coolness, yet it intoxicated the heart like warm spring.

Seeing the gesture, Zhen Zhen cooperatively placed her hand in Lu Jiayin’s palm, letting her lead the way forward.

Anyway, as long as I am with this person, what does it matter where we go.

Lu Jiayin led her to a small wooden house, pulled out a pre-prepared key card from her pocket, and swiped open the door.

Warmth instantly enveloped the two of them. The fireplace in the wooden house was blazing, making the whole room cozy. A large Christmas tree stood against the wall, twinkling with lights, and in the center of the living room, the most eye-catching feature was a small mountain of beautifully wrapped gifts.

Lu Jiayin walked Zhen Zhen straight to the pile of gifts: “Happy Birthday. These are my presents for you.”

December 23rd, just before Christmas, was Zhen Zhen’s birthday.

Last year, because Lu Jiayin was filming on location, Zhen Zhen’s birthday was only a rushed short break, and she hadn’t even prepared a proper gift. This time, she had meticulously prepared for a long time in advance, specifically wanting to give her a surprise.

Looking at the pile of boxes of various sizes, stacked higher than herself, Zhen Zhen’s expression was endearingly bewildered: “Why are there so many?”

Lu Jiayin smiled without answering, gesturing for her to look for herself.

The gift pile she had arranged consisted of over twenty items, uniformly wrapped in beautiful blue snowflake-patterned paper, both large and small. Zhen Zhen picked up the smallest box closest to her and noticed a small tag hanging under the ribbon, with a small line written on it: “Zhen Zhen is three years old.”

The tag made her realize something. After putting down this box, she picked up the heart-shaped gift box next to it. Sure enough, an identical tag was hanging on it, only the content had changed to: “Zhen Zhen is sixteen years old.”

“I’ve prepared twenty-six gifts for you, from the time you were born until you turn twenty-five,” Lu Jiayin hugged her waist from behind, saying affectionately. “I wish my Zhen Zhen a happy birthday every year.”

Zhen Zhen’s eyes flickered.

She had been wealthy since birth. Even after her parents left, her grandfather never deprived her of anything. However, for her, who was used to making herself a sufficiently restrained and sensible “adult,” this way of receiving gifts was a first.

Seeing Zhen Zhen standing still in a daze, Lu Jiayin nudged her: “Hurry and open them, I spent a long time choosing them.”

Hearing her wife’s soft voice, Zhen Zhen’s lips curved into a smile. She bent down and selected the star-shaped cardboard box at the very top of the gift pile.

Opening the wrapping paper, the box contained a thin platinum chain. Zhen Zhen took it out and found that it was actually an ankle bracelet. The pendant was a small diamond-encrusted star, reflecting dazzling light in her palm.

The card contained Lu Jiayin’s delicate handwriting: “Thank you for your birth. Your first gift is an ankle bracelet. It is said that this can tie down Baby Zhen Zhen and keep her in this world for a long, healthy life.”

No wonder the ankle bracelet was designed with a certain childlike charm. Was there really such a traditional saying? Zhen Zhen smiled, put the gift back in the box, and turned to pick up the second gift box.

“Today, little Zhen Zhen is one year old. Here is a set of silver cutlery for you. Eat lots, grow tall, and always be healthy.”

Inside the gift box was a set of Tiffany silver knife and fork, with the handles all engraved in the shape of her favorite lily-of-the-valley flowers. Zhen Zhen truly liked this gift. Most people didn’t know that she actually loved to cook and enjoyed collecting tableware, but because she was too busy, her collection was sparse.

This one can be taken home and put in the sideboard, to be used later when making brunch… She turned to look at Lu Jiayin, her eyes shining: “Thank you, I love it.”

Seeing her happy, Lu Jiayin smiled too: “There are many more! I’m sure you’ll love all of them!”

Zhen Zhen put the gift box away and continued to unwrap the remaining gifts.

“…Today, little Zhen Zhen is five years old. With your intelligence, you should be able to understand many books. This is a set of pop-up books. May you always be a little child.”

“…This year will be a bit unhappy, but you must believe that those who love you will always protect you in another way. This small bunny doll is for you. Happy seventh birthday, my Zhen Zhen.”

…

“…Today you are sixteen, a beautiful, blooming age. I hope every day of your life is filled with happiness and sunshine.” The gift for this year was a bit special. The box, tightly sealed, clearly contained a set of cute, girly lingerie.

The style continued until eighteen. The style in the gift box suddenly became bold. Even with their intimate relationship, Zhen Zhen still blushed slightly. She held up the black lace nightgown: “I was allowed to wear this at eighteen?”

To this, Lu Jiayin smiled and took the nightgown: “No, you weren’t allowed to at the age of eighteen when I wasn’t around, but if you wear it for me now… you can.”

Zhen Zhen gave her a playful look and turned to pick up the next gift.

For her nineteenth birthday, she received a diamond-studded, starry-sky moon phase watch; for her twenty-second birthday, Lu Jiayin’s gift was very unique. The box contained all the Blu-ray discs of the movies she had starred in.

Seeing Zhen Zhen’s probing gaze, Lu Jiayin was apologetic for a rare moment: “We got married this year. I gave myself to you. I’m sorry I didn’t do well enough at the beginning…”

Zhen Zhen stroked her cheek: “Having you is already the luckiest thing in my life.”

She finished unwrapping all the gifts, finally reaching the last one, her birthday gift for this year. The gift box was very small. While opening it, Zhen Zhen felt a kind of premonition. Sure enough, when the wrapping paper was opened, a tiny ring box appeared in her palm.

Opening the lid, resting on the velvet cushion was a ring similar in style to the one she had given Lu Jiayin before, except the main stone had been swapped from a pink diamond to a blue diamond.

“You gave me a new diamond ring last year, and I wanted to give you one back,” Lu Jiayin took the diamond ring from the box and held it in front of Zhen Zhen. “Happy Birthday, Zhen Zhen. Thank you for being born into this world, and thank you for meeting me. Would you—be willing to be with me forever?”

The wood in the fireplace crackled softly. This sound harmonized with the rhythm of her heartbeat, warming her chest. Something seemed to want to surge out. They quietly looked at each other, the joy in their eyes reflecting the other person, making them shine brilliantly.

Zhen Zhen’s lips curled up. She responded tenderly with almost no hesitation: “I do.”

Hearing her answer, Lu Jiayin smiled too. She took her wife’s hand, carefully slipped off the wedding ring she had never removed, and replaced it with this brand new ring.

The two diamonds sparkled on their fingers, one pink, one blue—a perfect pair.

Zhen Zhen opened her arms and pulled her into her embrace.

“Thank you for the birthday gifts. I really, really love them…” She wrapped her arms around Lu Jiayin’s waist and whispered softly against her small, pale ear, “Lu Jiayin, thank you.”

She wasn’t like other couples who used various pet names for their partners. Instead, she consistently called her “Lu Jiayin.” Initially, Lu Jiayin thought this was due to Zhen Zhen’s personality, but later she realized this might be her way of expressing affection.

When she called her name, there was always an extra degree of lingering tenderness than others, like kissing her with sound, first name and last name, from beginning to end, all a heart-stirring echo.

Lu Jiayin snuggled in her arms, rubbing against her softly twice, and then sweetly responded: “Besides thank you, what else?”

Zhen Zhen chuckled softly, raised her hand to cup her delicate chin, and leaned in to kiss her.

“…And I love you.”

Her gaze met a pair of eyes sparkling like starlight, glittering with radiance. Her long eyelashes were as if studded with tiny stars, dropping onto her heart.

When she leaned in for the kiss, Zhen Zhen’s heart also felt like it was sinking into a soft cloud. The body in her arms was passionate and clinging. Her breath fell on Zhen Zhen’s ear, a moving poem.

Outside the window, snow was falling heavily. It was the first snow of the year. She kissed her lover, and in the joyous passion of the moment, she suddenly vaguely thought, Wasn’t Lu Jiayin hoping to see the first snow a few days ago?

The person in her arms let out a soft moan and wrapped her arms around Zhen Zhen’s neck. Zhen Zhen bent down and kissed her, momentarily setting aside the sudden thought.

Lu Jiayin cooperatively tilted her head back slightly, her long neck forming a graceful line. Her peach-blossom eyes were shimmering with moisture, inviting Zhen Zhen to succumb and explore the more captivating scenery reflected in her eyes.

The heat of the fireplace gradually became more distinct. Contrasted with the white snow outside the window, the interior was filled with an exceptionally harmonious, enchanting springtime ambiance. After an unknown amount of time, the person on the bed seemed to let out a soft “ah,” and a slender, pale little foot peeked out from under the covers.

Lu Jiayin moved too quickly. She gathered the blanket that had slipped to her chest with one hand, ran towards the window without bothering to put on slippers, stepping on the thick carpet. Zhen Zhen followed closely behind, pulling both her and the blanket into her arms.

The person in her embrace was still playfully complaining to her: “You didn’t even tell me it was snowing!”

Zhen Zhen listened to her complaints with a smile. In her lowered gaze, the smooth, delicate snowlight was clearly more enticing to linger over than the snowy scene outside the window. She bent her head to kiss that pale spot, whispering: “It’s my fault.”

She had never imagined that life could be such a wonderful thing.

They still had so many tomorrows, so many futures.

Enough time to slowly anticipate all the beauty and love with a lifetime.

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