After Losing My Memory, I Was Targeted by the Obsessive Movie Queen [gl] - Chapter 26

Yan He’s brows furrowed. She stood there staring fixedly at the cold, black iron gate. The black paint glistened under the sunlight, its icy hardware reflecting the warm glow, but Yan He found the gate deeply unsettling.

When Lu Youqing was by her side, she hadn’t noticed it, but now, standing here alone and looking up at this black gate that was twice her height, she felt a chill in her heart—an instinctive reaction from deep within her body.

Her movements froze. Terrifying images began to flash through her mind, and cold sweat broke out over her body. She instinctively wanted to turn back, but then she suddenly remembered Lu Youqing telling her that because she preferred using a code, the gate didn’t have her fingerprints stored.

Yan He swallowed, reached out, and entered the code. Sure enough, she heard the sound of the gate unlocking. She pushed it open. The broad road was bathed in soft light, and a gentle breeze brushed against the hem of her clothes.

As the fresh air entered her lungs, her entire body relaxed. She let out a sigh of relief and leaned against the wall with a bitter smile, wondering if her amnesia had left her so insecure that she was afraid of everything. She had actually just suspected that Lu Youqing…

Yan He rubbed her nose with a wry smile, quickly cutting off her wild imagination. She began walking toward her destination. Behind her, the gate slowly closed, and the villa seemed to sink back into a deep sleep.

Although Yan He had lost her memory in the accident, it didn’t mean she was helpless. She could learn basic things quickly with a bit of practice. Over the past few days, she had already mastered the use of her phone, and she was currently following a map app, meticulously checking the route to the scenic area.

The suburban villa district was very quiet, with beautiful surroundings. The scenic area wasn’t far away. Yan He spent most of her time enjoying the views along the way. After wandering out of the villa district, she immediately spotted a temple in the distance.

After buying a ticket and entering the area, she checked the time and was surprised to find it was already afternoon. No wonder she felt hungry. Since she was already out, she continued forward.

On a weekday, the scenic area wasn’t crowded. She soon reached the temple. Compared to other spots, the temple had more people, though most were there to burn incense and pray, so it remained peaceful. As Yan He stepped inside, a monk sweeping the courtyard greeted her with a palms-together gesture before returning to his work.

The sound of cicadas echoed through the grounds, and the shadows of tree branches danced in the breeze. The scent of incense and old wood was calming. Yan He liked this atmosphere; ever since entering the temple, she felt a natural sense of familiarity. It seemed she had visited this place often before her amnesia.

The temple was vast. The smell of burning incense mingled with the ancient, solemn atmosphere. Following the crowd, Yan He explored for a while and offered a sincere prayer. Soon, she felt so hungry her stomach was touching her back. Fearing a low blood sugar episode, she turned to leave, but as she reached the temple gate, a voice called out from behind her.

“Benefactor Yan, please wait.”

Yan He stopped and turned toward the voice. It was the monk who had been sweeping earlier.

“How do you know my name?” Yan He asked in surprise. Then she remembered he had greeted her earlier. Realizing she must have known him before, she coughed to hide her embarrassment.

“Is something the matter?” Yan He asked, pressing her palms together as he did.

The monk set down his broom and gestured toward the distance. “Please follow me.”

Confused, Yan He followed him, assuming he was taking her to see the abbot. They passed several halls until they reached a secluded part of the temple. The environment became quiet, and the scent of ancient wood grew stronger. After crossing the final threshold, Yan He finally saw why the monk had led her here.

“A-He.” Lu Youqing stood beneath a tree, calling her name. The trees in the courtyard swayed, casting dappled light across her. She had changed her clothes and removed her makeup, tying her long hair into a low ponytail. Her face bore a look of unshielded joy, her eyes shimmering with light.

“How did you get here? Do you know the way?” Lu Youqing hurried to her side before offering a polite bow to the monk.

The monk returned the gesture with an “Amitabha” and departed, leaving the two of them alone. Lu Youqing dropped her guard and reached out to take off Yan He’s hat.

“Aren’t you hot, wearing a hat?” she teased, already skillfully using a tissue to wipe the sweat from Yan He’s forehead.

Yan He let her, her eyes scanning the secluded courtyard. “Are you off work?” she asked tonelessly, though her heart had leaped to life the moment she saw Lu Youqing.

“Of course. I was thinking about A-He the whole time I was working, wondering when you’d message me. Since you ignored me, I had to finish early to come find you.” Lu Youqing poked Yan He’s cheek in mock complaint, but her hand was already firmly holding Yan He’s.

Yan He turned her head away, thinking to herself: If you missed me, you would have gone straight home. Coming here instead… you’re definitely lying.

She looked away, but a smile tugged at her lips. The loneliness of the day vanished the moment she saw Lu Youqing. Yan He realized she had been thinking about Lu Youqing all day; just like Lu Youqing, they had been missing each other.

“A-He hasn’t told me how she found this place. Did you remember it?” Lu Youqing tucked a strand of hair behind Yan He’s ear, pulling back slightly but refusing to let go of her hand.

Yan He touched an ancient tree in the yard. “I was bored at home and saw this place wasn’t far, so I wanted to see if I could remember anything.”

Lu Youqing: “And did you?”

Yan He shook her head dejectedly. “No. It just feels familiar, but nothing more.” It seemed that no matter how hard she tried, there were always obstacles. Fortunately, her mindset had shifted from self-blame to self-encouragement, so she didn’t let it get to her.

She looked down at the fallen leaves. A faint fragrance enveloped her. She looked up to see Lu Youqing still standing by her side, smiling brilliantly.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

Lu Youqing smiled, the joy spilling from her dark, beautiful eyes. She reached out and opened her palm to reveal a beautiful jade bracelet. Yan He realized she had been hiding her hand behind her back all this time.

“I came to pray for you,” Lu Youqing said. She shook her own right wrist, showing an identical jade bracelet. Small, smooth, pale green jade beads were strung together; the stones were lustrous and nearly flawless, reflecting the sunlight. Even from a distance, it was clearly expensive.

“A-He was injured before, and I was partly to blame. If I had been by your side, perhaps the accident wouldn’t have happened. I’m so afraid; I’m afraid that if I’m not with you, something will happen again. So I prayed for this for you—to keep you safe.”

Lu Youqing took Yan He’s hand and slid the bracelet onto her wrist. “There. Now I can feel a bit more at ease.” She looked up from the jade to Yan He. A breeze ruffled her hair and brushed her cheek. Her eyes were overflowing with a fierce, burning love.

Yan He heard her heart thumping violently. Lu Youqing’s gaze was scorching, burning its way into her heart. The jade against her wrist, held by a warm hand, felt cool. She could almost hear the two identical bracelets clinking together. Her breath hitched. She heard Lu Youqing’s voice, carried by the wind, echoing in her ears like water striking a stream.

“A-He, don’t ever leave me without saying a word. I’m truly afraid.”

And Yan He heard her own uncontrollable answer.

“Okay.”

In her vision, Lu Youqing’s eyes curved. Her gaze became as deep and gentle as the sea. She held Yan He’s hand in silence, finally unable to suppress her surging emotions. She raised Yan He’s hand to her lips and kissed the back of it—a lingering, sincere gesture, as if treating a precious treasure.

When she followed Lu Youqing out of the temple, the car was parked nearby.

As the sound of the wind whistled past the car, Yan He turned her gaze from the temple behind them to their joined hands. The two fair wrists wore identical jade bracelets. It was hard to tell if the jade made the wrists look more delicate, or if the snowy skin made the jade look more beautiful.

Sensing her gaze, Lu Youqing’s hand suddenly shifted, her fingers sliding between Yan He’s to interlace them tightly. The jade beads clinked together.

Lu Youqing seemed to be in a great mood, propping her chin on her hand as she watched Yan He. She smelled faintly of sake—a pleasant, light scent. She radiated a sense of leisure, as if a long-standing blockage in her heart had finally cleared.

Yan He wanted to ask what made her so happy, but she had a more pressing question.

“You said back in the temple that you weren’t with me when the accident happened. What exactly occurred then?”

The smile on Lu Youqing’s lips faltered for an instant. Her eyes lowered and she frowned slightly, appearing lost in a painful memory. Although she quickly regained her smile, Yan He caught the change. Yan He’s heart tightened; this was the closest she had come to the truth of the accident. She desperately wanted to know.

But seeing Lu Youqing’s sad expression, her eagerness wavered.

“Forget it,” Yan He sighed, squeezing Lu Youqing’s hand to get her attention. “I’ll remember eventually. There’s no rush.”

Everyone is curious, especially about their own life. While Yan He wanted to know, the accident was just a forgotten event for her. For Lu Youqing, retelling it meant reliving the memory and the pain. Yan He didn’t want to force her through that.

Yan He let out a soft breath, wondering when her memory would return.

Watching Yan He’s dejected yet comforting expression, a warm current flowed through Lu Youqing’s heart. Even with so many emotions of her own, A-He still prioritized her feelings.

I fall for her every single time. There is no way not to love her. I can’t live without her.

Lu Youqing’s eyes trembled. Her deadened heart began to burn fiercely again. One of her hands gripped the car seat so hard her knuckles turned white. Her eyes were full of uncontrollable, churning emotions—a screaming desire to hide Yan He away. Finally, she suppressed it, looking up once more with a piteous, fragile expression.

“I don’t know the details of what happened then,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. Perhaps the alcohol gave her courage. She closed her eyes and chose to speak of that day.

“I was working. A-He wasn’t with me. When I saw you again, the accident had already happened.” Lu Youqing took a deep breath. The memory seemed to drag her back to that day—the blood everywhere, the glass shards, the smell of burning gasoline. Her A-He was lying in a pool of blood, motionless. For a moment, Lu Youqing had lost all sound and color; her world was entirely red.

Her breathing grew ragged, and her blood turned cold. Lu Youqing instinctively gripped Yan He’s hand and leaned forward to hug her tightly, seeking warmth in her embrace.

“If I had been with A-He that day, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. It’s all my fault. If I had been by your side, if we hadn’t fought that day and stayed home, would things be different?”

Lu Youqing’s voice grew husky. Leaning against Yan He, she blamed herself for everything. Yan He felt her clothes grow damp with tears. The chill seeped through her shirt to her heart. Her own eyes grew red.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.” Yan He wished she could go back a few minutes and shut her own mouth. All she could do now was hold Lu Youqing and tell her to stop thinking about it. She tried to recall what Lu Youqing had just said to distract her.

“It’s not your fault. You weren’t home, I was the one who wanted to go out. What happened was because of me,” Yan He said. “You said we fought that day. Why did we fight?”

Lu Youqing paused. “Something small. I’ve forgotten.” She “forgot” to argue with Yan He’s previous sentence.

Yan He nodded. “Something small, then.” Considering Lu Youqing’s personality over the past few days, she couldn’t imagine them having a serious fight. She believed Lu Youqing’s answer completely.

“So, to this day, I still don’t know what A-He was going to do that day.” Lu Youqing pulled back from the embrace, her eyes red-rimmed. Because she had been crying, her cheeks were flushed, but her eyes were brighter than before. She added accusingly, “You didn’t tell me where you were going. I didn’t even know what you were up to.”

Yan He had driven away shortly after Lu Youqing left the house. If she had realized sooner what A-He was planning, perhaps none of this would have happened.

“So, from now on, you are not allowed to leave my sight without my permission,” Lu Youqing said firmly. With every word, her grip on Yan He’s hand tightened, as if she wouldn’t let go until Yan He agreed.

Yan He felt like laughing. Lu Youqing looked like a sick kitten trying to show its teeth—cute yet heartbreaking. She couldn’t help but say:

“If I say no, are you going to lock me up?” The words came out so naturally that neither of them noticed how casual they sounded, as if such a conversation had happened a thousand times before.

Lu Youqing turned her head away, her eyes still red. She muttered something Yan He couldn’t catch, but the atmosphere in the car was no longer cold.

Outside, the scenery blurred past. They remained hand-in-hand, their jade bracelets glowing with a soft, warm luster. The shadows they cast merged on their wrists like a fine black thread, binding them together.

By the time they got home, it was afternoon. Having not eaten all day, Yan He almost had another hypoglycemic spell. Luckily, Lu Youqing produced a candy from somewhere and popped it into her mouth. The sweet and sour taste filled her mouth, making Yan He feel alive again.

Looking at the familiar wrapper, Yan He realized Lu Youqing kept these on hand specifically for her. A sweet feeling, like the candy itself, rose in her heart.

Lu Youqing took the wrapper from her hand and urged her to shower. “You’ve walked for so long, you must be sweaty. A shower will cool you down.”

Yan He thought that Lu Youqing must also be sweaty from work and likely felt sticky too. She instinctively asked, “Aren’t you going to wash?” She regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth; it sounded like an invitation to bathe together.

Sure enough, Lu Youqing looked at her, her soulful eyes shimmering with amusement. “Does A-He want to wash with me?”

Yan He turned and fled upstairs, her “calm” voice drifting down: “Forget I said anything.”

Watching the retreating back, Lu Youqing couldn’t help but smile. She watched until Yan He disappeared on the second floor. When the sound of the bedroom door closing echoed, the composure she had maintained finally broke. Her strength vanished, and she practically collapsed onto the sofa. An intense discomfort radiated from within, causing her to curl up and tremble. She could feel herself burning up.

Her head was so heavy she couldn’t lift it. A bone-chilling cold seeped through her, yet she felt nauseous. Her vision grew blurred.

Lu Youqing lay on the sofa, using the back of her hand to shield her eyes from the bright living room light. She was dazed and only wanted to sleep. The cold wind and rain from the open window last night had finally taken their toll.

In the car, she had been able to maintain a normal conversation with Yan He—thanks to her professional acting skills, she hadn’t been found out. But now that Yan He was gone, her disguise lost its purpose. She lay on the sofa, shivering in pain, lacking even the strength to get up and turn off the light.

After resting for a long while, and realizing Yan He wouldn’t be in the shower much longer, Lu Youqing struggled to sit up. she poured herself a glass of hot water and dragged her heavy feet to search through the cabinets for painkillers. She stared at the pack of pills for a long time, her eyes dark. Ultimately, she chose to put them back.

Her stumbling footsteps grew distant. The glass of water on the table went from hot to cold, and in the end, Lu Youqing never drank it.