Chapter 18: Learning that she has amnesia
Liang Chaoluo suddenly felt a chill beside him and sneezed.
Guo Zhixi: "This air conditioning is too cold. I'll go ask the manager to turn it up a bit."
"No need, we should head back now." Liang Chaoluo glanced at the time, picked up his small bag, and went to the front desk to swipe his card.
"I'm sorry, sir, your card cannot be swiped."
Liang Chaoluo handed over another one, "Try this one."
The receptionist smiled and said, "This one won't load either."
I tried several times, and the reaction was the same each time.
Liang Chaoluo was a little embarrassed because he only had two hundred yuan left in his WeChat and Alipay accounts combined.
The rest of the money is in the card.
Although there wasn't much money left in the card, it was still enough to pay for this, so why couldn't the card be swiped?
He thought of something and took out his dad's supplementary card to swipe it.
Receptionist: "Sir... your card has already been cancelled."
really.
"Wait a mininute."
Liang Chaoluo took out his phone and contacted a friend, asking him to send some money over as soon as possible.
"What's wrong?" Zhuang Fuyao noticed that it had taken him so long to pay the bill, so she went over to take a look.
The receptionist said, "This gentleman's card won't swipe."
Liang Chaolu coughed lightly, somewhat embarrassed, "Mom, do you have any money on you?"
This aligns with the novel's description, where the male protagonist's financial freedom is restricted due to his resistance against his family.
Zhuang Fuyao couldn't help but smile, "It's okay, I'll pay."
After the event, Zhuang Fuyao did not go to Boya Bay, but returned to Yannian Garden.
Ms. Ji and Mr. Zhuang will return to Jiang City tomorrow night. Auntie is still on vacation in her hometown in Northeast China and won't be able to come over anytime soon; she needs to go and air out the quilts and other things beforehand.
After dropping Ms. Zhuang off at home, Liang Chaoluo called his father, a hint of resentment in his voice, "Dad, did you freeze my bank card...?"
"Where are you? Go home now." Liang Huaixu coldly interrupted him.
This sudden tone startled Liang Chaoluo.
When he rushed to Boya Bay, he saw Lao Liang sitting on the sofa with a stern face. He wasn't watching TV or reading the newspaper. Only the main light was on in the living room, and it was very quiet.
This setup looks like they're interrogating a criminal.
Liang Chaoluo hesitated for a moment, then asked tentatively, "Dad, what's wrong?"
Liang Huaixu glanced discreetly behind Liang Chaoluo. "Xiao Zhou said he saw you and your mother at a bar, hanging out with some shady characters?"
“That’s a quiet bar, not a pub.” Liang Chaolu thought to himself that he was really unlucky to have been seen like this. He never knew that Assistant Zhou was such a snitch. “Besides, they are all my friends. What’s wrong with them?”
"Where's your mother?" Recalling the conversation he overheard in the bathroom, Liang Huaixu's breathing grew heavy.
"You're home."
Liang Huaixu's eyes suddenly sharpened. "Tell the truth."
"How could I not be telling the truth? I personally took her home, how could that be a lie?"
"Going back to your maternal grandparents' house?"
"Otherwise?" Liang Chaoluo looked puzzled and lowered his voice a bit. "By the way, my mom said that my grandparents are going back to China tomorrow."
Liang Huaixu withdrew his scrutinizing gaze, his expression softening somewhat.
Liang Chaoluo was not happy. He thought it was a big deal. It was just that he took Ms. Zhuang to meet a handsome man. He was not afraid even if it was brought up. The one who should be afraid was Old Liang, who was two-timing!
His jaw tightened. "So why did you limit my card? I was so embarrassed when I went to pay the bill; my mom ended up paying for me."
"To prevent you from hanging out with this bunch of scoundrels." Liang Huaixu said coldly, "The money in your card was given to you by me, so I have the right to restrict it."
He further emphasized: "The money that belongs to you is your monthly salary of eight thousand yuan, which is in another card."
"..."
Liang Chaoluo paused, realizing that what he said made sense. He was already twenty-two years old and it was indeed embarrassing for him to rely on his parents.
However, Old Liang suddenly went from a generous, doting father to a stingy, old man...
He felt that Lao Liang was trying to use the tactics from TV dramas, trying to force him to submit with material things. But how could he possibly give in because of material things?
He casually put his hands in his pockets and said, "So what if they're restricting it? It's no big deal. I have to go to work tomorrow, so I'm off."
Liang Huaixu: "If you go back to Jiang City to see your cronies, don't go back next time. Don't lead your mother astray by being so self-destructive."
Liang Chaolu choked up. He had willingly fallen into depravity? He had corrupted his mother?
He angrily quickened his pace and left.
-
At nine o'clock the next evening, Zhuang Fuyao picked up Ji Lan and Zhuang Shaoping.
Seeing that the house was empty and the housekeeper wasn't there, Ji Lan asked, "Where's the housekeeper?"
Zhuang Fuyao: "I thought there was no one at home, so I gave my aunt a long vacation. I sent her a message and told her to come back soon."
“There’s no rush,” Ji Lan said. “Xiang Ma has worked hard these past two years. Her grandson is almost a year old, so it’s good for her to spend more time with him back home.”
Zhuang Fuyao laughed and said, "I think you just want to spend some time alone with my dad."
"You have no manners." Ji Lan glanced at her and said, "But you haven't been staying at home these past few days, where have you been gallivanting off to again?"
"I haven't been fooling around at all," Zhuang Fuyao snorted, looking pitiful. "Your daughter is clearly busy with work. Look how haggard I look."
"Let me see where you look haggard." Ji Lan suppressed a laugh and went over to her daughter, then poked her face. "You look radiant, and you've even gained a little weight."
"Get fat?!"
Zhuang Fuyao was on high alert, knowing that her metabolism was definitely not as good as it was in her twenties.
In other words, once you gain weight, it's very difficult to lose it! In addition, she doesn't have a habit of exercising. She tried going to the gym before, but she only went for it sporadically and was a complete newbie who was constantly being urged by the coach.
She quickly stepped on the scale and weighed herself; 102 pounds, thank goodness!
She breathed a brief sigh of relief; this weight was still within an acceptable range, although she had gained ten pounds since her twenties. But she was 1.68 meters tall, so she still looked very thin.
As for those ten pounds she gained, she glanced down and figured at least a pound or two had gone to her chest...
After weighing herself, Zhuang Fuyao asked, "What are your plans for tomorrow? I'll stay with you all day and won't go to the construction site."
"I was just about to say I wanted to go to the construction site tomorrow," Ji Lan glanced at Zhuang Shaoping. "Your dad invited his friends to play chess, so I'll have to pass the time by myself."
Zhuang Shaoping: "..."
"Aren't you tired?" Zhuang Fuyao said admiringly. "You two are definitely the kind of high-energy people that people talk about online."
The next day, after Ji Lan finished "inspecting" the construction site, the mother and daughter went shopping for a while.
As a veteran actress in the industry, Ji Lan is a public figure, but she is not as exaggerated as a popular celebrity, so when she wears a hat, few people recognize her.
She enjoys this ordinary life.
It was a very fulfilling day.
After dinner, Ji Lan suddenly wanted to go and see where Zhuang Fuyao was currently living.
Zhuang Fuyao, arm in arm with Ms. Ji, said with a smile, "Let's wait a while. It's getting late today. Dad came home a long time ago and is still waiting for us."
“He’s a grown man, it’s not like he can’t be home alone.” Ji Lan passed by a flower shop and bought some flowers. “Come on, I’ll put them in your place when we get back.”
Zhuang Fuyao slowed her pace, trying various methods to persuade Ms. Ji to change her mind, "My place is too far away..."
"It's alright, I'll stay at your place tonight."
No matter what Zhuang Fuyao said, Ms. Ji could always find a reason.
Ji Lan noticed her daughter's strange behavior and asked her, "Fu Fu, are you hiding something from me?"
She added, "You're not in a relationship, are you?"
"No, how could that be?" Zhuang Fuyao's eyes flickered.
As luck would have it, the screen of her casually picked-up phone lit up. She glanced down at it and saw a message from Qin Zhenglin.
Her expression changed, and she quickly turned off the screen.
Seeing her sneaky appearance, Ji Lan smiled broadly, "Is that Xiao Qin? I saw her."
"..."
Ever since she rejected Qin Zhenglin last time, Qin Zhenglin has started sending her messages every few days, sometimes even things like "Good morning [rose], a beautiful morning is the beginning of happiness".
Even if she doesn't reply to any of his messages, it doesn't stop him from sending messages like he's clocking in.
Ji Lan: "I think Xiao Qin is a good person, and most importantly, he has connections with the older generation..."
Zhuang Fuyao took a deep breath and quickly stopped herself, "I only met him once, during a blind date, and I haven't replied to his messages since."
Fearing Ms. Ji might not believe her, she even showed her the chat history. "I really don't have those feelings for him. If it weren't for the fact that my grandfather and I knew each other, I would have deleted him long ago if he kept sending me messages like that."
Although Ji Lan felt it was a bit of a pity, she didn't force her daughter to do anything. Her intention in sending her daughter on the blind date was to help her adjust her mood.
She said irritably, "Then what are you afraid of? I thought you were living with your boyfriend and didn't want me to know yet."
Zhuang Fuyao felt that Ms. Ji would find out about her living at Liang Huaixu's place sooner or later; it was a lose-lose situation. The timid little quail suddenly mustered her courage, "Isn't the construction site quite far from our house? Going there and back takes too much time, so I was thinking of finding a place nearby..."
She laid the groundwork and began to explain, “Later I thought, Liang Huaixu’s place is quite close to there, and since his house is big, it would be much easier for me to just rent from him.”
Ji Lan narrowed her eyes. "Just renting a place? No other plans?"
Zhuang Fuyao nodded immediately, then pursed her lips guiltily.
She just felt that she couldn't be sure of anything, and that telling Ms. Ji now would only make her worry for nothing.
Ji Lan nodded and didn't ask any further questions, appearing to be very easy to talk to.
It's all an act.
Before going to bed that night, Ji Lan tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep at all.
Zhuang Shaoping had finally started to feel sleepy, but she turned over and dispelled his sleepiness. After this happened several times, he simply sat up and turned on a small lamp. "Can't sleep?"
"That's right, I can't sleep." Ji Lan sighed, sat up, and couldn't help but tell Zhuang Shaoping what had happened.
"My only wish for Fufu is that she is happy. Although there is no right or wrong between her and Liang Huaixu, Fufu was unhappy in that marriage, so Liang Huaixu is out of the running for me."
Zhuang Shaoping hesitated for a few seconds, then hugged her shoulder. "I feel the same way. We only have one daughter, and we just hope she is safe, healthy, happy and joyful."
He chatted with Ji Lan for a while, then urged her to go to sleep, saying, "Go to sleep first, we can talk about everything tomorrow."
……
After thinking about it for two days, Ji Lan decided to have a serious talk with Liang Huaixu. She specifically asked Zhuang Shaoping to send her daughter away.
When Liang Huaixu came, he brought a lot of things with him.
Ji Lan glanced at him subtly.
Her former son-in-law was the most courteous. Even though he and Fufu were divorced, he would always help her whenever she needed it, and he would call to greet her during holidays.
For example, when she and Lao Zhuang were traveling abroad a while ago, Liang Huaixu called them to say hello and helped them arrange hotel services and travel arrangements abroad.
To be honest, Ji Lan admired and liked Liang Huaixu very much, often treating him like a son. She was usually gentle and kind in front of him.
But today is different; when it comes to her daughter, she can't be soft-hearted.
Ji Lan asked, "I heard that Fu Fu moved in with you?"
“My place is closer to the restaurant construction site, so she rented a room there.”
"Is that all?" Ji Lan asked slowly and ambiguously. Having been in the entertainment industry for so long, she was quite imposing when she wanted to put on airs.
Liang Huaixu said truthfully, "She just paid my rent a few days ago. Fufu is quite picky about her living environment, so it's normal that she can't find a suitable house suddenly."
Ji Lan's expression softened a bit. She decided to be tactful first and then offer him a cup of tea. "Huai Xu, don't blame me for overthinking. I was genuinely worried when Fu Fu told me about moving to your place. You two are both good kids, it's just a pity you're not meant to be."
Liang Huaixu lowered his eyes. "I understand what you mean."
Whether he understands or not, Ji Lan called him over this time and had to say everything that needed to be said: "If something like this happens again, it won't be good for either of you."
Liang Huaixu paused for a moment, then said, "Mom, I know."
Upon hearing the word "Mom," Ji Lan took a sip of tea.
Although they were divorced, they didn't change how they addressed each other, and she hadn't thought anything of it before.
But now that this has happened, she has to be extra careful and cannot allow any accidents to happen.
She smiled gently. "You're both divorced now, just call me Aunt Ji. I've been helping Fufu look for a house these past few days, and we'll let her move out once we find a suitable one. Thank you for your help during this time."
Liang Huaixu composed himself and listened silently, offering no objections throughout.
Ji Lan: "There's one more thing I feel I need to tell you. Fu Fu, for some reason, has lost sixteen years of her memories."
Liang Huaixu suddenly looked up. "What did you say?"
……
Half an hour later, Liang Huaixu went downstairs to the parking lot, looking utterly dejected.
Not far away, Qin Zhenglin had just opened the car door and was surprised to see Liang Huaixu.
Since their encounter at the restaurant, the two had occasionally chatted while at school. In Qin Zhenglin's view, he and Liang Huaixu were somewhat acquainted.
He greeted him warmly, "Professor Liang."
Liang Huaixu did not respond to him or react in any way. After walking more than ten meters, he got into the car.
Qin Zhenglin frowned in puzzlement.
Could it be that they mistook me for someone else?
He shook his head and went straight upstairs.
During this time, he went to see Zhuang Fuyao's art exhibition materials. After learning about her work in the field of art, his feelings for her gradually deepened. It was as if academics and artists were a match made in heaven.
He finally met someone suitable and liked, so he took the initiative. His friends advised him, "Even a strong woman can be won over by a persistent suitor."
The words may be rough, but the principle is sound. So he took the initiative for a while, and even when she didn't respond, he wasn't discouraged. In blind dates, sometimes winning over the woman's family is more important than winning over the woman herself.
So as soon as they heard that Uncle Zhuang and Aunt Ji had returned to China, they came over immediately.
After calling Aunt Ji to confirm the house number again, he carried two bottles of wine upstairs.
Uncle Zhuang wasn't home; he mainly chatted with Aunt Ji.
Ji Lan treated the guests as if they were guests, chatting politely and considerately. She knew what her daughter meant, so she kept a good eye on things, avoiding topics related to marriage. Several times when Qin Zhenglin brought it up, she deflected the conversation.
"Yes...that's right, Auntie." Qin Zhenglin nodded in agreement as they discussed certain topics.
In fact, Ji Lan had already given a subtle hint.
However, Qin Zhenglin, being in a campus environment, was quite straightforward in his speech and actions. Not only did he fail to understand Ji Lan's subtext, he also inquired about Zhuang Fuyao's ex-husband, "Auntie, may I ask you about Fuyao's ex-husband?"
He said sincerely, "Fuyao is so outstanding, so I'm also curious about what kind of person the other party would be."
Ji Lan was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "Speaking of which, you might even know each other. He also teaches at Jiang University."
Qin Zhenglin briefly thought of Liang Huaixu, whom he had bumped into in the parking lot, but he quickly dismissed the image from his mind.
How could it be such a coincidence?
Moreover, he ran into Professor Liang when he went on a blind date with Zhuang Fuyao last time, and the two of them didn't seem to know each other.
He laughed at his own absurd idea. "So, which college is he from?"
"From the architecture institute," Ji Lan said. "Do you know Liang Huaixu?"
For a moment, Qin Zhenglin's smile froze. He concealed the shock in his eyes and said awkwardly, "...I don't know him."
Ji Lan didn't think much of it, "There are so many professors at Jiang University, it's normal that you don't recognize them."
Qin Zhenglin forced an awkward smile, stayed at the dealer's house for a while, and then left.
He couldn't sleep that night.
He was never one to easily admit defeat, but the fact that Zhuang Fuyao's ex-husband was Liang Huaixu did indeed hit him hard.
The school recently started a new project and built a particularly beautiful and impressive building for it, with Chinese and British flags hanging outside the door.
The person who facilitated this project was Liang Huaixu.
When the building was completed and the ribbon was cut, the person in charge from the British side came over. He was a nobleman with royal blood. He chatted happily with Liang Huaixu, as if they were old acquaintances. These two were undoubtedly the main figures, while even the principal stood aside as an accessory.
Qin Zhenglin was an inconspicuous member of the crowd, and he couldn't even understand their conversation.
Although he was reluctant to admit it, the gap between him and Liang Huaixu was indeed a huge chasm, and an opponent he did not have the courage to defeat.
My heart felt like a deflated balloon.
……
In Boya Bay, Liang Huaixu was also suffering from insomnia. He stared blankly at the ceiling, thinking about the day's events.
Ji Lan said that experts from home and abroad have diagnosed Zhuang Fuyao's amnesia, and although it has not caused any physical damage.
But it was this inexplicable reason that truly frightened Liang Huaixu; he was very worried about her. He even wondered if her amnesia was related to him.
In addition, there was a moment of disorientation.
Her many unusual behaviors were explained: Zhuang Fuyao during this period was actually living with her memories from when she was twenty-two years old...
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