Chapter 94 "You still have—"
She snorted back, her tone fierce: "How dare you say that?"
He Jinzhao carefully wiped his fingers with a wet tissue to remove the medicated oil, but the faint medicinal fragrance lingered in the air.
He lowered his eyes, chuckled softly, and said in a flattering tone, "That was just to get your attention back then."
"We haven't seen each other for so long, I'm afraid you've forgotten me."
He tossed the wet wipes into the trash can, patted her head, and smiled slightly: "But it seems I still hold some place in your heart."
Song Shiyi pouted, "I've already said, I have a very good memory."
He Jinzhao raised an eyebrow and asked, "Oh? Is that so?"
Do you remember when we first met?
Song Shiyi nodded immediately, and said confidently, "Of course!"
He paused slightly as he spoke.
“My parents were away on a business trip at the time, and they were worried that I would be lonely, so they asked Yanci to take care of me for a few days.”
"I remember, you were the one who opened the door back then, weren't you?"
He Jinzhao rested his chin on one hand and gave an ambiguous answer.
"Yes and no."
Song Shiyi frowned. What did that mean?
She fell into self-doubt: "Isn't this right?"
He Jinzhao placed her legs on the sofa, covered them with a thin blanket, and said slowly, "It is for you, but not for me."
Song Shiyi did not understand.
She stared at He Jinzhao, her face full of curiosity.
He Jinzhao raised an eyebrow and asked a question that surprised her.
"Have you been to Fanyue Temple before?"
Song Shiyi was taken aback. Fanyue Temple?
It feels so familiar.
She recalled the memory in her mind, and after a moment, her eyebrows twitched slightly as the memory returned.
She remembered.
When she was fifteen, she fell seriously ill and did not get better for a month, leaving her extremely weak.
The parents were worried that people of their status and influence, as they got older, might come to believe in some nihilistic things.
If someone like her doesn't have any major health problems but is taking so long to recover, it's most likely because she's been tainted by something unclean.
So, when her health permitted, her parents took her to the most sacred and largest temple in Beijing, saying that they wanted to pray and get rid of bad luck.
Song Shiyi actually knew what was wrong with her; it was just that she was physically weak and the seasons were changing, which was why she couldn't get better.
But she didn't want her parents to worry about her, so she went along with them as they wished.
It's actually quite surreal; after she returned from the prayers, her health really did improve.
So much so that she now has a certain awe towards these things.
But what does this have to do with He Jinzhao?
If she had ever seen his face, she would never forget it.
unless……
Her expression hardened, a hint of surprise in her eyes. She looked up at him, her tone astonished.
"You are that..."
He Jinzhao's lips curled up slightly, his long, narrow eyes lifting up a little. His beautiful and alluring face loomed large before her eyes, his starry eyes sparkling beneath his long lashes.
He spoke in a drawn-out tone, lavishing praise upon himself.
"Ah, that's great."
"Yes, that's right."
"It's me."
In an instant, all memories were pulled back to this moment.
It was the dead of winter.
——
"Brother, where are you going?"
Aren't you coming with us?
The boy waved his hand with his back to her and said lazily, "I'll just wander around by myself. You guys go pray to Buddha."
Behind her, the girl stomped her foot, looking unhappy: "We finally got to come out, and now we're separated again."
The woman standing beside her, exuding an air of nobility, gently patted her head, straightened her collar, and said with a smile, "That's just how your brother is, don't be angry, Zhaozhao. Your father and I are here with you."
He Zhao pouted, somewhat discouraged, his whole being exuding the arrogance that comes with being spoiled.
"All right."
A moment later, she smiled, took their arms on either side, and said sweetly, "I'm so happy that Mom and Dad came out to play with me!"
"Let's go inside quickly, it's cold outside."
"Hmph, that brat only knows how to make me angry. Daughters are much better; they're considerate and know how to care for us."
"Yes, that child has never been close to us since he was little, so we can't blame him..."
The voices of those people gradually faded in his ears until he could no longer hear them.
Even without seeing it, he could imagine the harmonious scene they were in right now.
He seemed to have gotten used to it; his expression remained unchanged, and he walked leisurely against the flow of people, seemingly heading nowhere.
Today is New Year's Day, the first day of the new year. Everywhere is bustling with activity and crowds of people.
Even this incredibly boring temple is one of them.
He couldn't understand why people would come to worship Buddha during holidays. It was so crowded, packed with people, and noisy with chatter, it was really annoying.
They're just bored and have nothing better to do.
The boy had his hands in his pockets, his dark windbreaker loose and baggy, and a soft knitted beanie casually perched on top of his head, with stray hairs brushing against the brim, their unintentional curves conveying a relaxed feeling.
Most of his face was covered by a mask, with only his eyes showing.
His eyes were long and narrow with sharp lines. He seemed to have stayed up all night, and there was some weariness between his brows and eyes. His pupils were light in color, his eyelids drooped lazily, and his expression was indifferent.
Even without showing her face, her figure and demeanor made her stand out among the crowd.
Many girls who came seeking marriage glanced at him.
Many people approached to ask for his contact information, but all left disappointed.
He Jinzhao was visibly more annoyed, and his whole demeanor exuded an aura of "keep away."
However, there were still some clueless people who kept getting close to him.
This time they're not asking for contact information; they've changed their tactics.
Staged accident.
He Jinzhao stood still, his brows slightly furrowed, his gaze falling on the girl in front of him who kept her head down and coughed lightly with her sleeve over her mouth.
The girl's maroon cloak swayed gently in the wind, the fur collar encircling her slender neck, and the exposed part of her wrist was so white it looked as if it were covered with a thin layer of frost.
Her cough wasn't severe, but each cough trembled slightly, her shoulders swaying gently, like a red plum blossom crumpled by the cold wind, revealing an unknowing fragility.
Wasn't she the one who bumped into me first?
Why does it sound like he's bullying someone?
He Jinzhao's fingertips curled unconsciously, the impatience in his heart was like being wrapped in a cold fog, neither dissipating nor becoming intense.
He wasn't the type to hold grudges, especially since the other person was a girl who looked sickly.
But she kept her head down and didn't reply. Instead, she took out her phone and fiddled with it, which really puzzled him.
What kind of person is he that is so disliked?
The boy's Adam's apple bobbed as he suppressed the retort that was on the tip of his tongue. His voice remained magnetic and clear, carrying the cool indifference unique to winter, calm and detached.
"How are you?"
A few seconds of silence followed, broken only by her intermittent light coughs and the faint light from her phone screen.
He Jinzhao: "..."
never mind.
He lifted his foot expressionlessly, intending to walk around her.
The red cloak flickered in the corner of his eye, like a warm fire, but it couldn't warm his faint aloofness at this moment.
But just as he turned to the side, something soft gently caught the hem of his clothes.
"?"
The force was very light, like snow falling into the palm of his hand, fleeting yet enough to make him stop in his tracks.
"Tsk."
He Jinzhao turned slightly to the side, his brows furrowing even more, his tone carrying a hint of annoyance at being interrupted: "You still have—"
The sound stopped abruptly.
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