The Ex-Wife-to-Be Is Acting Weird After Losing Her Memory - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Sonata Three

The plump red lips were bright and moist, with a full philtrum in the center of the graceful curve, like a drop of honey.

Even though she knew Lu Jiayin was only unconsciously teasing her, Zhen Zhen still felt her heart leap. She tried to cover her reaction by picking up an empty small bowl nearby: “The soup today tastes good. I’ll get you some.”

While she was ladling the soup, guests at the neighboring tables had also heard about the arrival of the big star Lu Jiayin, and people occasionally peered curiously towards the main table.

The table closest to the aisle was reserved for the children attending the banquet. The energetic teenagers and young adults were far more excited than the adults by the news. Several who regularly followed celebrities were so thrilled they could barely sit still.

“Wow, I can’t believe we get to see Lu Jiayin here!” a round-faced short-haired girl whispered, covering her face in awe. “I absolutely love the movies she acts in. She’s so pretty in person.”

Hearing her, several children who were also fans of Lu Jiayin’s looks nodded in agreement.

“So what if you see her?” a somewhat arrogant-looking girl with twin pigtails said dismissively. “I heard my mom say she has a really arrogant personality… And she came so late, acting like she’s a big star who has to make a grand finale entrance…”

The round-faced girl immediately retorted: “You’re talking nonsense. She just explained that she was late because she was preparing a birthday gift.”

“Anyway, I just can’t stand her attitude,” the girl with pigtails said mockingly. “She’s just a minor celebrity, yet she comes to Grandpa Zhen’s birthday banquet acting like a queen, expecting everyone to fawn over her…”

This comment clearly struck a nerve with the round-faced girl. She stood up, flushed with anger: “She’s not the kind of person you say she is! Besides, Best Actress Lu publicly stated long ago that she doesn’t want to use fan-culture tactics to gain followers and only wants to focus on acting in good work. You’re twisting the facts.”

She had been following Lu Jiayin for three years. Lu Jiayin had made it clear early on that she would focus on honing her acting skills, did not accept gifts or support from fans, and rarely held fan meetings. Therefore, her relationship with her fans might not seem intimate, but the pigtail girl was twisting the facts, and the round-faced girl was too angry to tolerate it.

Seeing her anger, the pigtail girl rolled her eyes and sneered: “If you say she’s not that kind of person, go ask her for an autograph and see if she even bothers to acknowledge you.”

“I’ll try it then, just watch me!”

The round-faced girl forcefully pushed back her chair. Her face was flushed, and she strode towards the main table. A few teenagers at the table exchanged glances. Two who were close to her were worried and quickly got up to accompany her.

When they reached the vicinity of the main table, the round-faced girl’s impulsiveness had calmed down a bit. Her idol was just a few steps away—the feeling was almost surreal. But remembering the pigtail girl’s expression, waiting for a show, she still plucked up her courage and lightly tapped on the back of Lu Jiayin’s chair: “Um… Miss Lu…”

A trace of nervousness was in her voice.

Lu Jiayin heard the sound and turned her head, seeing the anxious teenagers looking at her with fervent eyes. When they realized her eyes were on them, the leader girl’s face instantly turned bright red.

Seeing her idol’s face up close, the round-faced girl felt her heart was about to leap out of her throat. The next second, she started regretting her impulsiveness. What if she was actually rejected?

She looked nervously at the person across from her and whispered: “I… I was wondering if I could ask you for an autograph…”

After saying this, she was both nervous and anxious, staring intently at the person in front of her. Then she saw Lu Jiayin smile warmly and extend her hand: “Do you have a pen?”

“Yes! Yes!” The unexpected answer made the round-faced girl’s eyes light up with excitement. She quickly handed over the prepared autograph board and pen. The others, seeing her approachable attitude, also plucked up their courage to move closer, shyly queuing up.

Lu Jiayin signed the autographs for them. Seeing that the children were still reluctant to leave, she thought for a moment and asked: “Do you want a photo together?”

A gift from heaven.

The children were stunned for a few seconds, then erupted in enthusiastic cheers: “Can we really?”

The commotion at their table attracted many people. Especially when they saw the children returning happily with their autographs, those who were slow to react showed evident envy. The pigtail girl, seeing this scene, was so surprised her mouth formed a wide “O”.

Impossible. She clearly remembered her mother complaining last time that Zhen Zhen’s actress wife was very haughty, even outright refusing when her cousin Zhen Ming specially invited her to the group’s annual party. Now, she was actually being so cooperative with these little kids?

“She’s definitely putting on a show…” she twisted her head away in disdain, refusing to look at the round-faced girl and her friends’ excitement.

Lu Jiayin’s accommodating and smiling demeanor was also surprising to Zhen Zhen.

“I apologize,” she whispered to Lu Jiayin. “The children like you very much, so they’re inevitably enthusiastic. You can refuse if you find it bothersome.”

Lu Jiayin blinked: “It’s just an autograph. Shouldn’t I thank them for supporting me?” She looked at Zhen Zhen’s expression, paused for a few seconds, then asked as if suddenly understanding, “Didn’t I… didn’t I do this before?”

“No,” Zhen Zhen shook her head. “I just felt I should thank you.”

Thank you for being willing to attend the banquet with me, for carefully preparing a gift, and for being gentle.

My former self was really unlikable…

Lu Jiayin gained a new self-awareness. But Zhen Zhen’s current expression told her that her actions today had made her happy and touched. This clear sense of goodwill reached Lu Jiayin’s heart, inspiring a bold thought.

She looked into Zhen Zhen’s eyes and suddenly pulled her up from her seat.

“Since I behaved so well, how are you going to reward me?”

The banquet was nearing its end. The band began to play a soothing dance tune, and the lighting also softened. The orchestra created an atmosphere, and skirts began to fly in the turning figures on the dance floor.

Lu Jiayin slightly lifted her head, looking at the silently standing Zhen Zhen in front of her. Amidst the elegant crowd, Zhen Zhen stood with her back straight, her hair neatly styled, making her neck appear even whiter and more elongated, like unsullied new snow—pure, elegant, and aristocratic.

Over the gentle sound of the violin, Lu Jiayin stepped closer. Zhen Zhen noticed that the thick white gauze bandage on her left hand, which she wore to match her evening gown, was gone, replaced by an elastic bandage closer to her skin tone, slightly thicker around her forearm.

“How about a dance?”

Her beauty was captivating, and her smile was alluring, a charm utterly different from Zhen Zhen’s strict self-restraint. Zhen Zhen was tempted by her smile. She lowered her eyes and reached out to lightly hold the other person’s waist.

She invited her to dance, even if it was under the guise of gratitude. Perhaps it was because she had forgotten everything, or perhaps the music gave her courage, but the response felt natural. The timing was perfect, the atmosphere was right, and the person in front of her was still on her mind.

A feeling that was both strange and familiar.

As the music began, the saxophone drew out a long, meandering echo. Lu Jiayin initiated the movement. Her posture was supple, and her steps became lighter—turning, swirling, gracefully unfolding like a flower slowly blooming.

Zhen Zhen felt the person she held was as light as a breeze. The slower the music became, the more languid Lu Jiayin’s movements were. Suddenly, her waist softened, and she leaned backward, supported by Zhen Zhen’s palm. Her beautiful curve was pulled into a crescent-like arc. Her diamond earrings sparkled under the lights, like stars falling from the sky, swaying over Zhen Zhen’s heart.

The next second, she playfully smiled and straightened up, pressing close to Zhen Zhen. They were very close, their eyes seemingly intertwined. Lu Jiayin’s gaze was seductive, while Zhen Zhen’s was focused and slightly puzzled.

In the moment they embraced and passed each other, she heard Lu Jiayin’s soft whisper: “Do you remember what you promised me?”

The sweet voice was like an irresistible, honeyed temptation. Zhen Zhen certainly knew what she was referring to: the unfulfilled kiss in the study that day, and her casual, almost teasing words meant to trick her.

I’ll go to the banquet with you, and you’ll let me kiss you.

Her heart raced uncontrollably. Zhen Zhen had to take a deep breath to calm herself. She slowed the tempo, slowly led her through a few turns, and brought them to take a synchronized step with the music’s rhythm. Only then did she whisper: “Public place, don’t mess around.”

“Then, if it’s not a public place… can I?” Lu Jiayin smiled meaningfully.

In conjunction with her question, Zhen Zhen felt the right hand resting on her shoulder suddenly move. The slender, mischievous fingers lightly scraped the side of her neck, gently, like a kitten playing with a curious ball of yarn. Each touch brought a subtle jolt of electricity, stimulating her sensitive skin.

To Zhen Zhen, Lu Jiayin’s actions had already crossed the line too far. Bright lights spun overhead, like a sky full of dazzling stars. Her heartbeat quickened, and the blood rushed faster with the dance steps. Even without a mirror, she knew her face must be flushed—a faint warmth that felt intoxicatingly hot.

Perhaps the few extra glasses of wine at the banquet had now evaporated into her bloodstream, and the alcohol had impaired her judgment. She let out a difficult breath, firmly gripping the person in her arms. The music abruptly stopped. They were locked in an embrace, a perfect ending pose.

Some people clapped and cheered. Elder Zhen’s smile was the most radiant. Looking at the beautiful couple holding hands, he said joyfully: “Seeing you two happy makes Grandpa happier than receiving any gift.”

Lu Jiayin played along: “You’ll be even happier next year. With a cheerful mood every year, you’ll live to be two hundred.”

After the banquet, both of them felt tired upon returning home. Lu Jiayin had just taken off one earring when she saw Zhen Zhen walking towards the guest room again. Her brow furrowed, and she blurted out anxiously: “Wait!”

She didn’t bother to remove the second earring, running quickly to stand in front of Zhen Zhen: “Wife, don’t sleep in the guest room. Isn’t it… better if we sleep in the same room?”

The atmosphere tonight had been so good, yet Zhen Zhen seemed eager to draw a boundary with her the moment they returned home.

From Zhen Zhen’s reaction, she knew their past relationship might not have been good, but every time she got close to her, the fleeting struggle in Zhen Zhen’s eyes clearly indicated that she, perhaps, also… wanted to like her.

Lu Jiayin still couldn’t understand what her former self was thinking, but right now, she only wanted to kiss the person in front of her.

She thought it, and she definitely did it. She reached up to hook her arm around Zhen Zhen’s neck, her fingers caressing the elegant line of her jaw until they slowly reached that slightly pursed, pale red lip.

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