Chapter 163 Brother Swallow

The sound of running water could be heard in the kitchen.

The old house didn't have a dishwasher, so everything had to be done by hand.

Qu He sat in the living room, her gaze following the figure in the kitchen, repeatedly recalling what Zhuang Bieyan had just said.

My gaze swept over him and settled on his legs.

Regarding the story he just told...

She did not accept everything.

Logically speaking, it seems to make sense, but intuitively, there's something just not quite right.

She couldn't quite put her finger on it; it was like a small thorn stuck in her fingertip—it didn't hurt, but she couldn't ignore it.

Zhuang Bieyan said that in his fifth year at the Zhuang family ancestral hall, a distant uncle was found to have embezzled public funds by his father, Zhuang Yi, and was publicly expelled from the board of directors, losing all face.

Harboring resentment, the man orchestrated a kidnapping, using the seven-year-old boy as leverage to threaten Zhuang Yi into returning to the company.

Zhuang Yi, out of love for his son, did not hesitate, but the criminals went back on their word and had already tampered with the car brakes.

After the man got off the bus midway, the out-of-control vehicle crashed into a roadside railing, and an advertising board fell and landed on his leg. Fortunately, he was taken to the hospital in time, and his leg injury was not serious.

This kidnapping made Zhuang Yi fully realize the treacherous nature within the Zhuang family. He secretly sent Zhuang Bieyan to Yujia Ferry to recuperate and avoid the limelight. He only brought him back after he had purged the internal forces and regained power.

However, the infighting within the Zhuang family never ceased, and Zhuang Yi had no choice but to require Zhuang Bieyan to continue appearing in a wheelchair in order to confuse the public and make them wary, believing that he was still a "useless person".

It wasn't until he was eighteen that Zhuang Liuyue, then twenty-three, arranged a business marriage for him, allowing him to briefly escape the Zhuang family's surveillance under the pretext of going to England for medical treatment.

His driver in England was Yan Shu's father. It was because of this that Yan Shu had the opportunity to take some photos of his daily life at home.

Later, Yan Shu's father died in a car accident. Zhuang Bieyan, remembering their past friendship, sponsored her to complete her studies. Their relationship ended there, completely innocent.

His explanation was clear and logical, but she still felt that something was off.

The sound of flowing water suddenly stopped.

Zhuang Bieyan dried his hands and turned around, only to be met with Qu He's probing gaze.

"What's wrong?" He walked towards her, his voice gentle. "Still thinking about those things?"

He turned around, poured himself a glass of water, and walked towards her while drinking it.

Qu He watched him approach; backlit, his face appeared somewhat hazy in the twilight.

Strangely, as he got closer, the blurry face of the little boy in the dream seemed to become a little clearer.

“Farewell Banquet”

"Hmm?" He stopped in front of her and waited patiently.

"Since we've known each other for so long,"

She carefully chose her words, focusing on the expression on his face, "Why didn't you tell me when we got our marriage certificate? Why didn't you acknowledge me when we met again at the amusement park ten years ago?"

She paused, then asked the question that had been nagging at her, "Are you hiding something else from me?"

If the truth is indeed as he says, then why wait until the truth comes out before it is forced to be revealed?

Zhuang Bieyan rested one hand on the table, his gaze calm. He didn't rush to answer, but instead took another sip of water.

“Ahe,” he began, his voice a few decibels lower than before, “the reason I didn’t tell you when we got our marriage certificate, why I didn’t acknowledge you ten years ago, or even before that, is because…”

When she uttered the last sentence, her heart inexplicably quickened.

She both anticipated his answer and felt a vague unease, fearing that she might hear another lie.

His eyes were deep, like a sea hidden within them, and Qu He saw her own reflection in them, as well as some emotions she couldn't decipher.

"I didn't tell you when we got the marriage certificate because I was afraid it would scare you."

He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, as if carefully choosing his words. "Back then, you were still a stranger to me, even wary of me. I was afraid that suddenly telling you all this would make you think I had ulterior motives."

"As for the incident at the Ring City Amusement Park ten years ago, I did recognize you. But at that time, I had spies everywhere around me. I didn't dare to recognize you, much less drag you into the mess of the bookies."

His gaze turned serious. He reached out to touch her hair, but stopped in mid-air and withdrew his hand.

"I can't risk your safety, and I certainly don't want you to get caught up in those scheming and backstabbing troubles because of me."

The sincerity in his eyes was almost overwhelming.

Qu He looked at him. She believed in the sincerity in his words, but she always felt that there was more he hadn't said.

Looking into his eyes, she opened her mouth but didn't press him further.

By the time I got home, it was completely dark.

Director Lian was watching the evening news in the living room when she said, "I chatted with a friend for a while," and then went into the bedroom.

Zhuang Bieyan's words echoed in her ears again and again, and she tossed and turned until late at night before finally falling into a deep sleep.

That night, she had that dream again.

On a warm summer afternoon, she lay on the familiar brown wooden table, holding a pencil, drawing swallows on the corner of her exercise book.

"Next time, you can't draw swallows in my arithmetic notebook."

A voice, feigning indifference yet carrying a youthful naiveté, rang out from the side.

Xiao Quhe pouted and looked up with a wronged expression, "But your notebook has too many blank pages."

The little boy in the wheelchair had a stern face, but his eyes weren't harsh.

He awkwardly looked away, pursed his lips and hesitated for a while before taking out several brand-new color notebooks from his bag and stuffing them in front of her.

"These are my extra blank draft papers. The colors are too ugly, I don't want them anymore. You can take them if you want." His tone was curt, but his gaze secretly drifted to her face.

The notebooks had cute little rabbits and pretty butterflies on their covers, and the pages were a light color and had a pleasant fragrance when turned.

Little Quhe's eyes lit up instantly, and she exclaimed in delight, touching the cover with her little hands: "What beautiful paper! There are little rabbits! And little butterflies! Thank you, Brother Swallow!"

The little boy's ears turned red at a visible speed. He picked up the book beside him and covered his face with it. His voice came from behind the book in a muffled tone: "No, don't bother me, I want to read."

The screen suddenly shook.

In the dim evening, Xiao Quhe, clutching her colorful notebook, sat on a large rock at the village entrance, gazing longingly at the path leading outside.

Just then, a man with his hat pulled low over his shoulder walked over from a short distance away. He noticed her gaze and glanced in her direction.

In that instant, the dream plunged into chaotic darkness.

She felt as if she had fallen into the water, which was pouring into her nose and mouth. She struggled desperately, but couldn't grab onto anything.

"Hmm!"

Qu He sat bolt upright in bed, her chest heaving violently. The suffocating feeling from her dream hadn't completely subsided, and her heart was throbbing with pain.

Outside the window, the sky was just beginning to lighten.

It's that dream again.

But this time, it was clearer than ever before.

She glanced at the time; it was 4:30 a.m.

Recalling the chilling dream she had just had, she pondered and made a decision in secret.

She must recover that lost memory, whatever the truth may be.

As dawn broke, various breakfast stalls set up in the alley, filling the air with the aroma of food.

When Zhuang Bieyan arrived at Uncle Guo's breakfast stall, he immediately spotted the figure sitting on a small stool.

Qu He rested her chin on her hand. When she saw him appear, she winked at him playfully and beckoned him to come forward.

A smile unconsciously crept onto his lips as he walked over and sat down opposite her.

“He messaged me at 4:30 in the morning saying he had something important to tell me. Ah He, what's going on? Is he asking me out?” He looked around at the bustling breakfast stall, his tone indulgent and teasing.

Qu He pushed a bowl of steaming wontons in front of him. The wonton wrappers were as thin as paper, and the meat filling inside was faintly visible. The soup was sprinkled with scallions and dried shrimp, and the aroma was irresistible.

"Here, have some wontons, Uncle Guo's specialty, with shepherd's purse and fresh pork filling."

Zhuang Bieyan could easily see through her little scheme; she was offering Ying Qin something for no reason, so she must be asking him for a favor.

He scooped up a wonton, blew on it, and put it in his mouth.

Thin skin, generous filling, and delicious broth—it's really good.

Seeing that he had eaten, Qu He immediately felt relieved, leaned forward slightly, and began negotiating without blushing or skipping a beat.

"Look, since you ate my wontons, it's only right that you do me a favor, right?"

Seeing her self-righteous and unreasonable behavior, Zhuang Bieyan's smile deepened, and he nodded in agreement: "Yes, Ahe is right. Since I ate your wontons, I naturally have to do things for you."

Having received affirmation, Qu He stopped beating around the bush.

She dropped her joking expression and looked into his eyes. "Zhuang Bieyan, do you know any reliable psychologists? Preferably those who specialize in hypnotherapy."