A Pharaoh and Her Beloved Queen: Modern Chapter - Chapter 1

“In a sense, ancient Egyptian civilization never truly ceased or disappeared; her artistic characteristics have remained almost unchanged throughout more than 3,000 years…”

Simple geometric lines perfectly outlined Ye Zhiqing’s graceful figure. Her slightly curled long hair fell casually, complementing her elegant, dignified Yunjin silk dress. When her eyes were downcast, she appeared noble and cold; when she smiled faintly, her gaze remained distant yet carried a hint of warmth.

These two opposing temperaments achieved a perfect fusion in Ye Zhiqing; every movement, every frown, and every smile exuded a refined charm.

For the habitually low-profile Ye Zhiqing, the latest program aired last night had clearly stirred up a wave of excitement, with the trending topic “Ye Zhiqing, Ancient Egypt” quickly climbing into the top three.

A mysterious Egyptian merchant who suddenly appeared on the show presented an exquisite bracelet bearing the Eye of Horus to Ye Zhiqing—the host of CCTV’s niche culture program and an antique appraiser for Rongbaozhai, the world’s leading auction house.

Indeed, this topic was full of gimmicks, enough to spark the imagination of countless people.

Her brow furrowed slightly as Ye Zhiqing watched the replay and quickly pressed the pause button. Why did that blurry silhouette in the frame feel so familiar?

Her pulse quickened slightly, and a familiar dull pain throbbed in the heart beneath her breastbone, accompanied by an inexplicable surge of bitterness.

Leaning her head back with effort and gasping for breath, Ye Zhiqing lay limp on the sofa like a dehydrated fish. Beads of sweat slid from her ivory neck across her delicate collarbone, slowly disappearing into her open collar.

Closing her eyes and ceasing to struggle, Ye Zhiqing allowed this profound sense of loss and ancient sorrow to submerge her. For six years, this feeling had been an inescapable nightmare; her consciousness gradually blurred and scattered.

What exactly had she forgotten during those six months she was in a coma?

In the dimly lit room, a wisp of refined, ethereal fragrance soon filled the air. Along the flickering shadows, it climbed up her slender, smooth lower legs to her flat, firm abdomen, rising all the way to her nose.

Sinking from her nostrils into her lungs, it soothed Ye Zhiqing’s deep unease.

A figure suddenly appeared, silently approaching the deeply sleeping Ye Zhiqing.

The dark shadow watched the person on the sofa for a long time without moving. A gaze—intense, greedy, and hungry—scanned her from top to bottom, circling back and lingering.

Beneath the left breastbone, a long-lost rhythm returned; ten thousand emotions vanished into that sigh of relief.

Leaning down and bending over, the figure cautiously sat on the edge of the sofa.

The shadow slowly reached out and tapped Ye Zhiqing’s face—a touch that vanished instantly, as if unsure. Then, the action was repeated several times.

Cool fingertips slid from her forehead to her eyelashes, inch by inch, piously feeling the real warmth beneath the skin.

A sense of gratification rose from the bottom of the heart, a murmur unheard by anyone else dissipating into the silent night: “I found you, Zhiqing.”

A kiss fell lightly on her forehead. In a strange country, amidst strange surroundings, only this person was familiar.

The shadow sat still on the edge of the sofa, back slightly curved toward Ye Zhiqing, until the horizon turned white.

When Ye Zhiqing woke up, it was nearly noon. The lazy sunlight spilled down generously, warm and very comfortable.

According to her usual biological clock, she should have woken up at 7:30 AM. She hadn’t expected to sleep this long, nor did she have the intense heart palpitations that usually followed waking up.

The curve at the corner of her lips indicated Ye Zhiqing’s pleasant mood. After washing up briskly and eating a simple brunch, she tidied herself, went out, and headed downstairs.

This was a newly developed small villa area on the outskirts of the city. The buildings followed the terrain, and the winding paths were lined with French plane trees. Notably, the house layouts were customized according to the residents’ wishes.

Aside from having just moved in and being unfamiliar with the neighbors, everything was just right.

With leisurely steps and a slightly intoxicating warm breeze, she wandered aimlessly, enjoying the quiet time.

She was already proficient in the daily appraisal work at the auction house, and since the program Civilization Relics was recorded once a month, she was currently in her leisure period.

“Meow~ Meow meow~~ Meow meow meow~~~” The rhythmic cat calls were quite unique. Ye Zhiqing followed the sound and looked over.

To be precise, it was an Egyptian Mau.

The spotted patterns covering its body and the iconic scarab mark between its brows were recorded in murals and papyrus scrolls from the ancient Egyptian era.

For Ye Zhiqing, who was highly accomplished in the study of ancient Egyptian civilization, it was not hard to identify.

However, the Egyptian Mau breed is extremely rare nowadays. Ye Zhiqing was surprised to encounter one while out for a casual stroll. Standing in place, she locked eyes with the cat. Regarding everything related to Egypt, Ye Zhiqing always felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity and closeness.

This cat was no exception.

One person and one cat stared at each other for a long time. During this time, Ye Zhiqing tried to find something to feed it, only to realize she had brought nothing but her phone.

Just as Ye Zhiqing thought the cat would leave of its own accord upon realizing she had no food, the cat actually walked up to her feet and rubbed against her affectionately.

It was hard not to feel a bit more affection for a fluffy little animal.

Ye Zhiqing crouched down and stroked the cat. Seeing the coat condition and the bowtie around its neck, it clearly had an owner. She wondered if it was lost.

“Little kitty, are you lost? Hmm?” Ye Zhiqing’s expression was gentle, starkly different from the “Cold Flower” image most people held of her.

“Wadjet,” a warm, clear voice rang out from ahead at just the right moment.

It seemed that was the cat’s name.

Dressed in a simple sweatshirt, with smooth, pure black hair falling like a waterfall, the woman had features deeper than those of Easterners, yet she did not lose the grace of a refined aura. Her straight posture and an appearance that was both stunning and comfortable to look at made her exotic charm even more mysterious and inviting to explore.

Especially when she smiled—though her eyes were black like Ye Zhiqing’s, for a moment, it felt as though golden sparks flashed within them, like cold starlight crushed inside. One couldn’t help but sink into them.

It had been a long time since Ye Zhiqing had stared at someone so inappropriately—especially a woman. By the time she realized it, the tips of her ears were already faintly burning.

Fortunately, her professional discipline from recent years kept her from losing her composure or showing embarrassment.

“This cat is yours,” she said, transitioning naturally into small talk, though her slightly curled fingers betrayed her slight awkwardness.

The awkwardness this woman, whom she was meeting for the first time, brought her.

“Yes.”

“She is very cute.”

“Yes.”

And then…

Although the person opposite her kept a faint smile, Ye Zhiqing clearly didn’t know how to continue the conversation.

With a sheepish smile, she took the opportunity while the cat walked away to leave.

As she passed in front of the cat’s owner, her heart rate noticeably quickened, her blood surged, and her body temperature gradually rose.

The temperature had been pleasant just a moment ago; why did she feel hot now? Nervous because of a woman she didn’t know?

Incredible, unbelievable.

But it was happening so tangibly.

“You don’t recognize me,” a calm statement in an indifferent tone, yet the sorrow within it was so intense it was suffocating.

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqing stopped her secretly quickened pace. There were only the two of them here.

“Should I know you?” Although she didn’t know why the suppressed bitterness in her heart suddenly surged up, Ye Zhiqing asked instinctively.

There was no answer. The person opposite just stared fixedly at Ye Zhiqing, and the hysterical emotions in her eyes quickly returned to silence.

She turned, picked up the cat, and left.

Everything was as if it hadn’t happened—just like that Egyptian Mau that suddenly appeared and suddenly disappeared.

Ye Zhiqing treated it as a minor episode and didn’t take it to heart, but she no longer had the mood to keep wandering. The uncomfortable feeling in her heart surged again. Turning around, she prepared to go back and rest.

Ever since she woke up from her accident, she would often fall into an inexplicable, intense sadness for long periods, unable to control herself. At its worst, the rhythm of her life and work was completely disrupted.

Yet, there were no signs of anything wrong physically or mentally.

Ye Zhiqing had seen all the famous psychological doctors in China, and all the results showed no issues. Finally, it was attributed to neurasthenia.

Ye Zhiqing knew very well in her heart that it definitely wasn’t that. She must have forgotten something.

She seemed to be missing a very important segment of memory. From the moment she saw that golden scepter until she woke up—what exactly did she forget?

Could it be that the Pharaoh’s curse really exists?

Rubbing her throbbing temples, Ye Zhiqing sat down at her desk and opened her email.

It was an email from the National Archaeological Research Team. Four years ago, after she fell into a coma for six months following an accident, the project had been suspended for unknown reasons. But now, it seemed the project was being prepared for a relaunch.

Looking at the invitation sent to her, Ye Zhiqing stared at the computer screen in a daze.

She was hesitating whether she should once again set foot on that mysterious and magnificent land.

Undoubtedly, Egypt held an absolute and irreplaceable attraction for Ye Zhiqing.

But if she went, would it cause immeasurable consequences? After all, the aftereffects of the last time had not faded to this day.

Since waking from her coma, Ye Zhiqing had gone from being a firm atheist to occasionally studying the I Ching and metaphysics. Since her awakening, various subtle signs indicated that she seemed to have experienced something unknown.

Because of Ye Zhiqing’s strange condition, those close to her avoided talking about the project from four years ago, or even anyone or anything related to ancient Egypt.

While Ye Zhiqing was deep in thought, her phone rang loudly and abruptly: “He is a Pirate.”

She picked up the phone and glanced at the screen. Ye Zhiqing immediately answered, “Dad.”

Unsurprisingly, it was about the Egyptian merchant who suddenly appeared and gifted her the bracelet during yesterday’s recording.

“Dad, don’t worry, I’m fine.” Under Ye Zhiqing’s patient explanation and repeated assurances, her father stopped questioning her.

Because Ye Zhiqing had been in a coma for six months for no reason while participating in the ancient Egyptian archaeological project four years ago, her father, out of love for his daughter, was extremely sensitive to the topic of ancient Egypt.

Ye Zhiqing felt as if she were in a mist, yet she lacked the courage to seek the answers.