Chapter 59 Chapter 59 "What a pity, you are late."...

Late autumn in W City carries the unique moist scent of river water.

The ancient street in the city center, paved with bluestone slabs, is bustling with tourists. On both sides are antique buildings with flying eaves and pointed corners. The aroma of various snacks and handicrafts mixes in the air, making it very lively.

Xi Tong, wearing a warm apricot-colored sweater and long skirt, walked in front, introducing the place to Wen Yanming with familiarity:

"This pastry shop is a century-old brand. It's sweet but not greasy... There's a theater around the corner. Sometimes in the afternoons, an old man performs Pingtan (Chinese folk tales)..."

She had a faint smile on her face and clear eyes, as if she was really a simple girl who was visiting her hometown with her friends from other places.

Wen Yanming followed behind Xitong, watching her light figure moving through the crowd, listening to her soft Wu dialect introducing the local customs and people. His tense nerves of the past few days relaxed unconsciously, and the smile in his eyes became deeper and more determined.

Look how well-adjusted and happy she is.

It was as if they were supposed to be like this, without Yu Sixie, without those troublesome pasts, just him and her, living a peaceful and quiet life in this city where she was born and raised.

This dream he created is reality.

They boarded a ferry and headed for the island in the middle of the river, famous for its ancient pagoda and ginkgo trees.

The river breeze blows on your face, bringing a faint fishy smell and water vapor.

Xitong leaned on the railing, pointing to the vague outline of the mountains in the distance and showing it to Wen Yanming. Her hair was blown by the wind, brushing against his arm, bringing a slight itch.

Wen Yanming reached out his hand very naturally and wanted to tuck her hair behind her ears.

Xitong seemed to feel a little cold from the river breeze. She subconsciously shrank her shoulders, just avoiding his fingers. She turned to face the river and said cheerfully, "Look, there are a lot of water birds over there!"

Wen Yanming's hand paused in the air for a moment, then he withdrew it as if nothing had happened, his smile unchanged: "Yeah, I see."

On the island, they strolled along paths covered with golden ginkgo leaves and visited ancient temples.

Xitong seemed to be in high spirits, and even threw a coin into the wishing well and made a wish with her eyes closed.

Wen Yanming stood beside her, looking at her pious profile, the possessiveness and satisfaction in his heart almost swelled to the peak.

Fate finally stood on his side.

In the evening, they took a walk along the riverside avenue.

The setting sun melted into gold, dyeing the river surface into a magnificent orange-red. The city skyline on the opposite bank gradually lit up, shining like stars.

The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful.

"Watching the sunset here is the best," Xitong said softly, gazing into the distance, a little lost in thought. "When I was a kid... I used to come here often."

"I'll come with you from now on."

Wen Yanming looked at Xitong's silhouette outlined by the soft light of the setting sun, his tone gentle but unquestionable.

Xitong didn't respond, but just smiled slightly. The smile seemed a little blurry in the afterglow of the setting sun.

As night fell, they checked into a top-notch hotel in Linjiang.

Wen Yanming booked a luxury suite with the best view.

When checking in at the front desk, he said to the staff very naturally, "A suite."

"Two."

Xitong's voice sounded almost at the same time, clear, gentle, but with an unquestionable insistence.

The smile on Wen Yanming's face froze slightly. He turned his head to look at her, his tone coaxing and subtly oppressive: "Xiao Xi, the suite is very large and has multiple rooms. I'm worried about you living alone."

Xitong raised her eyes to look at him, her gaze pure, filled with confusion and persistence: "Brother Yanming, I'm more accustomed to living alone. And..."

She lowered her head slightly, revealing the shyness and stubbornness of an "amnesiac student," "We're not that kind of relationship. It's not good to live together."

These words were like a fine needle, gently piercing the warm bubble that Wen Yanming had carefully maintained.

He looked at Xitong, trying to find a trace of reluctance or disguise on her face, but she looked so natural, as if she was just following the rules and reserve of a simple girl.

The suspicion that she might not be completely immersed in this "dream" that he had forcibly suppressed quietly emerged again.

But Wen Yanming quickly suppressed his annoyance and put on an indulgent, helpless smile again. "Okay, whatever you say. It's my fault for not thinking it through."

He turned to the front desk and ordered, "Change it into two adjacent suites."

"Thank you, Brother Yanming."

Xitong gave a grateful, unclouded smile.

However, when she turned and walked towards the elevator with her back to Wen Yanming, the forced, innocent smile quickly faded from her face, replaced by a kind of fatigue and deep confusion that she tried hard to hide.

The "perfect trip" of the past few days, every coincidental "hometown memory", Wen Yanming's meticulous yet thoughtful consideration that always carries a hint of crossing the line... are all like a carefully painted painting, beautiful but with unrealistic brushstrokes everywhere.

Xitong felt a growing sense of disharmony in her heart.

At this moment, she was like a butterfly caught in a spider web.

…

In the top suite overlooking the river in W City, it was late at night and the only sound was the faint whimper of the river outside the window.

Wen Yanming lay on the wide bed, but he had no desire to sleep.

Those seemingly warm and harmonious scenes during the day are now replayed over and over again in the darkness, but they gradually fade, revealing the disturbing cracks underneath.

Xitong's seemingly natural avoidance, his stubborn insistence on having two rooms, the confusion that occasionally flashed in his eyes when he was absent-minded... were like tiny thorns, piercing his nerves that were gradually being consumed by suspicion.

He sat up suddenly and turned on the bedside lamp. The dim light illuminated the man's slightly gloomy profile.

Something is wrong.

Nothing is right.

He brought her to W City, which was not a planned romantic journey at all, but a hasty transfer and escape!

The cause was Xitong.

In the sanatorium near Jing'an Temple in City B, although she had lost her memory, some instincts deeply rooted in her bones began to awaken.

She was no longer satisfied with listening to his distorted "past" and began to frequently ask for details about her "parents", asking why they didn't come to see her, and even began to insist on returning to W City.

Xitong's emotions changed from her initial ignorant dependence to anxiety and restlessness. Her desire to return to her true roots was so strong that the lies carefully woven by Wen Yanming began to seem shaky.

He could only temporarily calm her down with more comfort, more medicine, and the sudden suggestion of "returning home to relax."

He came to W City to satisfy Xitong's obsession with "going home". Perhaps the familiar environment could further numb her and make her more deeply addicted to the "dream" he created.

But at this moment, Wen Yanming's heart was beating faster and faster for some unknown reason, and a strong sense of unease quickly overwhelmed him like a cold tide.

He recalled her absent-minded look by the river during the day. It seemed that there was not only nostalgia in her eyes, but also a kind of... exploration?

A terrible thought suddenly seized him - had she remembered something?

Or had she never really completely forgotten?

Is the obedience during the day just a disguise?

This thought was like a poisonous snake, instantly biting Wen Yanming's reason.

He could no longer wait, and slid out of bed silently, like a ghost in the dark night, took out the universal door card he had prepared long ago, and quietly opened the door to the suite next door.

There was only a dim night light in the room, and the air was still filled with Xitong's faint, familiar scent.

On the bed, the quilt was slightly raised.

Wen Yanming held his breath and approached step by step.

However, just as he walked to the bed and reached out to touch the bulge - his movements suddenly froze!

There was no one under the quilt! Only two pillows were placed side by side, pretending to be someone sleeping!

An icy chill instantly rushed from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, freezing his limbs stiff.

Wen Yanming suddenly threw back the quilt and confirmed the fact that had caused his heart to stop—

Xitong is missing.

Right before his eyes, in this cage that he thought was foolproof, it disappeared.

The hotel room was eerily quiet late at night, with only his suddenly heavy breathing and the mocking, eternal sound of the river flowing outside the window.

…

At the cold door of the hotel suite, the air seemed to be sucked out, solidifying into tangible murderous intent.

Yu Sixie and his men found this place accurately like divine soldiers sent from heaven.

The moment the door was forced open, the first thing he saw was Wen Yanming standing in the middle of the living room with a pale and sinister face.

Their eyes met.

The anxiety, worry, and anger that had been pent up for several days suddenly exploded the moment they saw the culprit!

Yu Sixie's eyes were filled with terrifying bloodshot, all his rationality was burned out, leaving only the most primitive rage, which wanted to tear the other party to pieces!

He rushed forward like a completely enraged lion, so fast that only a shadow was left!

A punch packed with the force of thunder smashed hard into Wen Yanming's face!

"Bang!"

Wen Yanming was caught off guard, or rather, he hadn't expected Yu Sixie to find this place so quickly. He took a solid blow and stumbled into the wine cabinet behind him. The glass shattered, and the wine splashed everywhere! The corners of his mouth immediately turned red.

But he seemed not to feel the pain, and instead laughed softly and nervously.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and raised his eyes. Those eyes that were always warm were now filled with twisted pleasure and madness.

"Yu Sixie...you are finally here."

His voice was hoarse, with a sickening boast and provocation, "What a pity, you're late."

Yu Sixie grabbed Wen Yanming's collar, almost lifting him off the ground. A cold voice pierced through his teeth, "Where is she?!"

Wen Yanming was forced to look up, but he was still smiling, a crazy smile: "She? You mean Xiaoxi? She's fine... Much better than when she was with you."

He paused deliberately, admiring the rage that was about to burst out of Yu Sixie's eyes. Every word he spoke was like a venomous snake spitting out its tongue:

"Her lips are so soft, and when I hold her, she feels as light as a cloud..."

He licked the cracked corner of his mouth, his eyes lustful, "Especially when she's asleep, she's so well behaved that I can't help but want to make her cry..."

"You're looking for death!"

Yu Sixie's eyes were bloodshot, and he swung his other fist down again!

Wen Yanming took another hit and coughed up a mouthful of blood foam, but he laughed even more heartily and shouted hoarsely:

"Hit me! Keep hitting me! Even if you beat me to death, it won't change the facts! She's mine now! From head to toe, every inch belongs to me! We sleep in the same bed every night, and when she moans in my arms, she happily forgets who you are!"

These words were like the most vicious curse, madly torturing Yu Sixie's nerves.

The muscles in his arms bulged, veins popped out, and every cell in his body was clamoring to kill the man in front of him!

Su Luyao, who was following behind, turned pale and almost vomited.

Just as Yu Sixie's fist was about to fall again, Wen Yanming suddenly raised his voice and dropped the final bombshell with an almost cruel sense of pride:

"Oh, I forgot to tell you—she has lost her memory!"

Yu Sixie's fist suddenly froze in mid-air.

Wen Yanming looked at his shocked and unbelievable expression, smiled maliciously, and emphasized every word:

"It's the aftereffects of a severe brain injury. She doesn't remember anything! She doesn't remember you, Yu Sixie, or that you have a son! Her memory is stuck in high school! Now in her eyes, I'm the person closest to her and the one she can trust the most!"

He pushed away the somewhat dazed Yu Sixie, straightened his tangled collar, and his tone became cold and sarcastic: "So, Yu Sixie, even if you find her, what does it matter? In her heart, you are just a stranger. And anything you do to me will only make her more afraid and more dependent on me."

"What's the point of you going to all that trouble to find this place?" Wen Yanming spread his hands, a twisted smile on his face. "You're completely out of this game."

There was deathly silence in the suite.

There was only the heavy, suppressed breathing of the two men, and the hatred and confrontation that filled the air and was about to explode.

Yu Sixie stared at Wen Yanming intently, a storm raging in those deep eyes, with murderous intent, pain, shock, and a hint of confusion caused by this cruel truth intertwined and swirling.

He clenched his fists so tightly that the joints made a crackling sound, but in the end, he did not drop them.