The Ex-Wife-to-Be Is Acting Weird After Losing Her Memory - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Sonata Four

Zhen Zhen’s lips were actually quite beautiful.

Unlike Lu Jiayin’s full, moist, and vividly beautiful lips like a fresh flower, her lips were paler, with a slightly thinner upper lip, which always gave her a faint, ascetic aura. Her dark, clear eyes were calm yet full of a softness that made one want to drown in it.

Lu Jiayin’s fingertips trembled slightly. She could even hear the frantic drumming of her own heart in her chest. That sound belonged to her present self, yet it also seemed to carry a strange, co-resonating vibration from some memory deep in her mind, a sudden thrill.

It was then that Zhen Zhen finally moved. She raised her hand and grasped Lu Jiayin’s wrist, gently but with a hint of firm resolve, moving the hand away from her lips. Lu Jiayin heard her voice say: “You don’t remember anything now.”

Her tone was very soft, pausing for a few seconds after each sentence, seemingly trying to convince both Lu Jiayin and herself: “So you don’t know what kind of person I am, or what kind of feelings you hold for me. If you rush into certain things, you might regret it when your memory returns.”

“I promised you that I would take good care of you during your recovery. You don’t need to worry about anything, and similarly, you don’t need to force yourself to do anything you don’t want to… including getting… close to me.”

Hearing this, Lu Jiayin suddenly realized that, just as she had suspected, Zhen Zhen’s aloofness wasn’t because she didn’t like her. On the contrary, she was afraid of being rejected by Lu Jiayin.

But the genuine, natural reaction of her body and her heart in front of this person was clearly not false.

Her expression of silent contemplation, however, made Zhen Zhen believe that the intimacy was merely an act to please her. Zhen Zhen sighed silently, releasing her hand with a wry smile.

But the next moment, her hand was seized by Lu Jiayin again.

Her wrist was grasped and pulled forcefully backward. It wasn’t too much force, but the person who immediately lunged onto her lap made her lose her balance, causing her to tumble into the large, soft two-seater sofa.

Zhen Zhen’s back hit the sofa cushion. In front of her was Lu Jiayin’s face, inches away. At some point, Lu Jiayin had straddled her lap. The pearl tiara had come loose, and her long hair was scattered everywhere, with a few strands falling directly onto Zhen Zhen’s face, carrying a clean, fragrant scent.

In her line of sight was that vivid red lip, slightly opening and closing, panting as she tried to calm her breath.

Zhen Zhen subconsciously tilted her head back, trying to avoid this overly dangerous proximity, but those lips suddenly pressed close.

The heat between their lips was like a marshmallow that melted at the slightest touch. Zhen Zhen’s mind violently shook, and something suddenly burst open. Her body was taut, trembling slightly uncontrollably. Her two wrists were tightly grasped by Lu Jiayin and pressed against the seat, preventing her from warding her off as she had last time.

In truth, if she could muster even a fraction of clear thought, she would realize that Lu Jiayin couldn’t grip her hands with much force. Her injured left hand was trembling horribly. She could easily escape from this negligible restraint with a slight struggle.

Lu Jiayin’s heart roared. The moment her lips touched Zhen Zhen’s, she instinctively closed her eyes, leaving only the burning, heart-pounding sensation on her mouth. She didn’t know how to handle the situation, so she blindly rubbed against Zhen Zhen, like a puppy.

With every kiss, the sound of her intense heartbeat grew louder. Just this simple friction was captivating, making her crave more uncontrollably.

Their breathing grew more rapid. Suddenly, a buzzing telephone ring broke the room’s intense warmth and intimacy.

Zhen Zhen was the first to react. She took a deep breath, pulled her arms free, and laboriously reached for the phone that had fallen onto the sofa.

When she saw the caller ID, she glanced at Lu Jiayin: “It’s Mom.”

Madam Lu was clearly unaware of the impeccable timing of her call. She informed Zhen Zhen that she had arrived at the airport and would attend the Zhen family’s small family gathering tomorrow.

Traditionally, Elder Zhen’s birthday celebration lasts for three consecutive days: the first day is a company welfare event, a buffet and lottery for all group employees; the second day is the grand birthday banquet for friends and relatives from all sectors, which was the event at Xishan Villa tonight; and only the third day is reserved for an intimate family gathering.

The conversation on the phone continued. Lu Jiayin remained in her position. She rested her head on Zhen Zhen’s shoulder, listening to her mother’s stern yet somewhat unfamiliar voice.

“Jiayin’s phone has been unanswered,” she heard her mother say. “Please tell her to attend on time tomorrow. It’s a big day for your family. She’s so rash, and I worry she won’t behave appropriately or show discretion… She’s in her twenties, yet she’s always so improper…”

She continued to chatter. Zhen Zhen listened patiently, suddenly feeling Lu Jiayin’s head move slightly on her shoulder. She slipped one arm around Lu Jiayin’s waist, lowering her voice.

When she hung up the phone, the person in her arms had indeed fallen asleep. She nestled her head in Zhen Zhen’s neck like a small animal, her right arm hooked around Zhen Zhen’s neck, while her bandaged left hand rested obediently on her lower abdomen. She was clearly sleeping soundly.

Zhen Zhen waited quietly for a few minutes, unable to wake her. She carefully lifted Lu Jiayin in that position and carried her back to the bedroom. Lu Jiayin, deep in slumber, only groaned in slight displeasure when she was put down, before sinking back into a deep sleep, hugging the pillow.

Her slender body was wrapped in the quilt, taking up such a small space. Zhen Zhen’s gaze fell on the earring Lu Jiayin hadn’t had time to remove. After a moment’s thought, she leaned over and carefully unfastened the earring.

Her finger accidentally brushed the curve of Lu Jiayin’s cheek. Lu Jiayin wrinkled her nose. The close proximity made Zhen Zhen feel a bit lost. She couldn’t remember how long it had been since she last saw this person lying in this bed, sleeping so peacefully just a few feet away from her.

A scene like this, even if only briefly and occasionally granted to her by luck, made her unable to resist the desire to linger, unwilling to leave.

Lu Jiayin slept for a long time. When she finally woke up, she realized she was alone in the room again.

She took a few minutes to recall the events of last night from beginning to end. Last night, she and Zhen Zhen… kissed. Although they were interrupted by a phone call right away, at least it proved that the relationship between her and Zhen Zhen hadn’t reached a dead end.

However, Lu Jiayin had no idea how much of their relationship could be recovered. She jumped out of bed and walked barefoot out of the room onto the carpet.

She saw Zhen Zhen exercising on the treadmill on the balcony. She was wearing a light sweat-wicking T-shirt, tall with straight legs, and sweat glistening on her pale neck. She had clearly been awake for a while.

Seeing Lu Jiayin approach, Zhen Zhen pointed toward the dining table: “Breakfast is over there. We’ll go to Grandpa’s house after you eat.”

Given Madam Lu’s tone last night, it sounded like she was looking for an opportunity to lecture her daughter. With Lu Jiayin’s current situation, Zhen Zhen figured her presence would at least absorb some of the fire.

The couple didn’t waste much time. After Lu Jiayin finished eating and got ready, she left with Zhen Zhen. The car drove straight to the Zhen family’s old residence on the west side of the city, stopping at the gate.

Just inside the courtyard, Zhen Zhen saw Madam Lu standing by the lotus pond, apparently waiting for them.

Although Madam Lu was over fifty, she still looked remarkably elegant. She wore a white Chanel-style suit with a matching wide-brimmed hat. Her delicately applied red lips were tightly pursed, completely without a smile. Standing next to her was a respectful young man who looked like an assistant, holding her sparkling designer alligator skin handbag that contained nothing.

Facing this completely unfamiliar mother, Lu Jiayin felt a mix of anticipation and inexplicable nervousness. She followed Zhen Zhen to her mother. Before she could utter the word “Mom,” Madam Lu frowned and scrutinized her from head to toe.

“Even if you’re on leave, you should pay attention to your image,” she said quietly, seemingly restraining her emotions. “As a public figure, such negligence is unacceptable.”

“That’s my fault,” Zhen Zhen interjected to smooth things over before Lu Jiayin could speak. “I thought today was just a family gathering, so I didn’t have time to arrange for a stylist to come over. That was my oversight.”

Her tone was clearly protective. Madam Lu eventually refrained from saying anything further in front of her, only giving a haughty nod.

Before the meeting, despite having no memories of her mother, Lu Jiayin had held some expectation driven by natural kinship. But Madam Lu’s very first words instantly shattered that expectation.

She tried hard to recall any memories of spending time with her mother, but all she could find was a primal sense of fear. Her head even started to ache slightly.

“Xiao Zhen, you go attend to your duties,” Madam Lu’s attitude towards Zhen Zhen was noticeably more courteous. “Let Jiayin walk with me in the courtyard.”

Since she commanded it, Zhen Zhen couldn’t insist on staying. She gave Lu Jiayin an encouraging look and excused herself to walk towards the main house.

Madam Lu watched her daughter anxiously following Zhen Zhen with her eyes, a look of curiosity appearing on her face. Once only the mother and daughter were left in the courtyard, she waved her assistant to step away and spoke again: “My trip back to the country is mainly because of you.”

Seeing Lu Jiayin’s bewildered expression, she sighed: “I was worried your career would be affected after I heard about your car accident. Thankfully, I returned in time. Judging by your appearance, you must have stopped working, right?”

“The doctor said I still need time to recuperate…” Regarding the temporary amnesia, the company and Lu Jiayin had agreed to conceal the news for now and slowly resume work once her memory returned. For Lu Jiayin, this was the more acceptable outcome, as having a blank memory was unsettling, making her instinctively timid.

Madam Lu frowned in disapproval: “Jiayin, I’ve taught you since childhood that the most important thing for a woman is to have her own career. You must never rely on parents or a spouse for survival, like a dodder flower; that will only lead to unhappiness.”

She lowered her voice: “I heard that the famous director Long Jing’s new film is casting, and I’ve gone to great lengths to connect you with the associate director over there. You must seize this opportunity well!”

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