After Losing My Memory, I Was Targeted by the Obsessive Movie Queen [gl] - Chapter 8

When Yan He spoke these words, her tone carried no hint of testing. She was gentle, like a considerate wife proactively seeking a better solution for her troubled spouse.

Her gaze was warm and harmless, as if she had just thought of it and brought it up casually.

Meeting Lu Youqing’s gaze, the smile on the corners of her mouth widened as she repeated herself.

“You can rest assured.”

Lu Youqing reached out, her fingers running through Yan He’s hair, brushing past her ear before resting on the back of her head. She rubbed the crown of Yan He’s head, messing up her hair. Watching Yan He wrinkle her brow in a slight protest, Lu Youqing couldn’t help but laugh.

“When you aren’t by my side, I worry no matter how many people are with you,” she said. Her voice was as gentle as ever, mixed with a trace of helplessness, showing not a single shred of shock at Yan He’s words.

Yan He’s head stiffened under the touch. She lowered her head, allowing Lu Youqing to continue stroking her hair, but her face—hidden by the curtain of her tresses—darkened.

Was she overthinking it?

Many days ago, she had noticed the two bodyguards standing at the door. One on each side, they stood outside the entrance; every time Lu Youqing opened the door, she saw them.

Initially, Yan He thought they were hired by Lu Youqing to prevent outsiders from disturbing her. But as time passed, the only people Yan He ever saw were Lu Youqing, her assistant Lin Le, and the doctors and nurses coming for routine checks.

They were in a VIP ward, where people rarely came. In all these days, Yan He could count the number of people she had seen on her two hands.

As her leg injury slowly recovered and the wound on her right leg healed, she found she could walk quite a distance as long as the wound didn’t tear. Yet, no matter what, Lu Youqing only supported her to walk within the room, never mentioning anything about the world outside.

These signs forced Yan He to suspect that perhaps those two people weren’t there to keep others out. They seemed more like they were there to…

Specifically watch her.

Combined with her various instinctive reactions when facing Lu Youqing, she felt more and more that things were strange.

Yan He knew that since losing her memory, she had become prone to overthinking. Lu Youqing’s care for her never seemed like a whim; Yan He could feel that her actions and words were steeped in long-term emotional immersion.

But her dread and anxiety still spread rapidly every night along with the panic after falling asleep. Yan He was frightened by her own conjectures; cold sweat broke out on her back, and she nearly lost the smile she was maintaining on her face.

This suspicion had almost taken root, but her “test” today had suddenly loosened it. Lu Youqing’s expression didn’t look like she had been exposed.

She had even imagined that if she mentioned it, Lu Youqing might freeze, avert her gaze in confusion, or even become angry.

But what was with this gentle, half-smiling look now?

Lu Youqing’s reaction was like someone who had simply forgotten to mention a detail and was now supplementing it after being reminded by Yan He—no awkwardness, no unease. Even the sadness Yan He sensed was purely due to Lu Youqing’s worry for her.

Was it really just her overthinking?

Yan He felt as if she were standing at the bottom of an abyss. She wanted to see clearly what was above, but no matter how hard she opened her eyes, she could only see a void.

Her wrist was caught. She looked up, meeting Lu Youqing’s autumn-water eyes, and the suspicions in her heart suddenly vanished by more than half.

Perhaps she really was overthinking.

She spoke, her voice husky in a way she didn’t even realize.

“I want to get out of bed and walk around.”

Lu Youqing agreed immediately: “Okay, I’ll help you up.”

“I mean,” Yan He pursed her lips and spoke again, “I want to go for a walk outside.”

Lu Youqing’s expression paused, but only for a flicker of a second. She looked toward the outside, seemingly contemplating whether they would run into other patients in the hallway at this hour.

“Okay,” she answered quickly.

And so, with Lu Youqing supporting her, the two of them walked out of the ward.

This was the first time Yan He had left the room. Even with an awkward gait and needing someone to lean on, she felt a strange sensation—a true sense of being alive.

She fell into deep thought.

When she said she wanted to go out, Lu Youqing hadn’t refused or shown any reluctance. Perhaps because she hadn’t brought it up before, Lu Youqing assumed she didn’t want to leave the room.

It seemed she really had overthought it.

Yan He kept her head lowered, but her grip on Lu Youqing’s hand tightened. She tilted her head toward Lu Youqing and saw the woman’s eyes fixed meticulously on her footsteps, terrified of a single slip.

Sensing the gaze, Lu Youqing turned her head and met Yan He’s eyes, her face showing a look of confusion.

Yan He curved her lips and shook her head. She turned back to look at the corridor ahead, feeling as though her heart had been ironed smooth, warm in every corner.

Lu Youqing supported Yan He as they walked in the hallway outside for a while, only helping her back when Yan He’s right leg started to feel uncomfortable.

Yan He’s overactive mind was already exhausted, and after walking so many steps, she fell into a deep sleep shortly after lying down.

Lu Youqing sat by the bed, holding Yan He’s hand, watching her enter the world of dreams.

A long time passed—long enough for the air in the ward to turn stagnant. Lu Youqing, sitting as still as a statue, suddenly couldn’t help but smile.

She curved her lips and leaned close to Yan He’s cheek, tracing her features with her eyes. Her gaze slid across the bandaged forehead, the brows, the bridge of the nose, and finally settled on those rosy lips.

Her A-He is so clever.

Testing her in such a way to get the answer she wanted… truly clever.

Lu Youqing let out a soft chuckle, her eyes turning playful. She leaned back comfortably against the chair, interlacing her fingers. Her thoughts drifted away along with Yan He’s shallow breathing.

In her memory, Yan He had always been clever and sunny—like a scorching sun crashing into her life without warning. Some things had faded with time; Lu Youqing had forgotten the exact date, but it seemed to be around the first monthly exam after school started. It was the period when she and Yan He truly began to know each other—the time she was falsely accused of cheating on an exam.

It was laughable, really. Lu Youqing’s grades had always been among the best in the high school; no one would have believed she would cheat. But the one who framed her was the son of a member of the school’s board of directors.

Even though the truth was plain and a moment’s thought would prove it impossible, who would help a girl whose family had just gone bankrupt and might be burdened with massive debt?

Lu Youqing didn’t even believe in it herself.

When called to the office by the teacher, Lu Youqing had already drafted a mental script for what to say if she were expelled. Wucheng No. 1 High School had a very strict academic atmosphere; any student caught cheating was expelled immediately.

She stood in the office, the gazes of over a dozen teachers falling on her. It felt like being on an execution ground, being sliced by slow blades. The looks from those around her—some malicious, some pitying—were like poisoned daggers.

“Lu Youqing.” Her homeroom teacher, Ms. Hu, looked helpless. If the girl in front of her had come to explain the situation earlier, perhaps she could have taken her to the principal to plead for mercy, and maybe there wouldn’t be only this one outcome.

Ms. Hu let out a helpless sigh. She knew Lu Youqing would never do such a thing. Lu Youqing was her student; she knew how stubborn her nature was. The pride in her bones would never allow her to do such things.

“Student Lu Youqing, for cheating in the first monthly exam of the senior year, has seriously violated school regulations. By decision of the school committee, this student is expelled, and a school-wide criticism will be announced!” The vice-principal sitting on the other side made a snap judgment, giving no one a chance to react.

Lu Youqing recognized him. A few days ago after school, she had seen him chatting merrily with the board member.

Ms. Hu’s expression was hesitant: “Principal, isn’t this punishment too severe?”

The principal sneered: “Ms. Hu, the rules of Wucheng No. 1 High School are like this. Once cheating is discovered, immediate expulsion.”

“This…” Ms. Hu was caught between a rock and a hard place.

Throughout the ordeal, Lu Youqing remained silent with her head bowed. She gritted her teeth, her nails digging into her palms. Listening to these people declare the end of her academic career, she actually felt a sense of pity. She smiled bitterly.

While Ms. Hu wanted to try one last time, she heard Lu Youqing behind her speak slowly, her tone possessing a maturity far beyond that of a high school senior.

“Teacher, there’s no need. I—”

“BANG!” The office door was kicked open. A girl stumbled in, shouting before she even saw who was in the room.

“Teacher, I want to report someone!”

Instantly, all eyes in the office gathered on her. Lu Youqing looked up in a daze and met Yan He’s clear, burning eyes.

Her oversized school uniform was blown by the wind from the hallway, rustling loudly. For some reason, she was covered in bruises, and blood stained the corner of her lip.

She didn’t look at Lu Youqing. She walked straight to Ms. Hu and repeated her words.

“Teacher, I want to report Zhao Lei for bringing a cell phone into school.” As she spoke, she handed over a phone. Then, as if by accident, her hand brushed the power button. The screen lit up in the next second, immediately catching Ms. Hu’s attention.

Ms. Hu stared intensely at the text on the screen, reading with rapid speed.

The vice-principal had been frowning since the reckless Yan He barged in. When he heard that the person Yan He wanted to report was Zhao Lei, his expression turned grave.

“Now, Student Yan He, we are discussing Lu Youqing right now. Your report can wait—”

“Principal!” Ms. Hu suddenly interrupted him, rushing to his side. “Look at this.” She handed the phone with the chat records to the vice-principal. He only took a quick glance, but his face turned so dark it looked like it was dripping with water.

Lu Youqing looked at Yan He with a confused expression. Yan He didn’t look at her; she just smiled wildly and freely. Her slender frame was hidden in the large school uniform, her hair in a ponytail—the picture of youthful freedom. That swaying ponytail somehow brushed against Lu Youqing’s heart, leaving a trace of an itch.

Just as Lu Youqing was about to move, an angry roar came from behind her: “Yan He! Give me back my phone!”

Zhao Lei rushed in, his eyes wide with rage. Spoiled at home, he didn’t care that he was in an office; he charged straight at Yan He, knocking her to the floor before she could react.

“How dare you take my phone! Do you know who my mother is!?”

The vice-principal walked over, his face green, and kicked him away: “You bastard! Do you know who her mother is!?”

The other teachers rushed over to pull them apart. Lu Youqing dashed forward to help Yan He up. Yan He was hissing in pain, leaning against her while gasping for air, her whole body trembling.

Lu Youqing always remembered that feeling. The close contact allowed Yan He’s crisp, cool fragrance to envelop her, as if she were being wrapped by Yan He. Her heart trembled along with Yan He’s shaking.

The chaos was quickly stopped. Ms. Hu put an arm around her student: “Yan He, are you okay?”

“Tea… cher, I want to… report him.”

Ms. Hu laughed wordlessly. “I know, I’ve received your report.” She looked at the stunned Lu Youqing and said.

“Lu Youqing, you go back first.”

Lu Youqing stared straight at Yan He, and in a daze, she was pushed out of the office by the crowd. By the time she reacted, she was standing at the classroom door.

Amid the gazes of her classmates, she returned to her seat. While whispers and glances fell on her from time to time, Lu Youqing no longer felt the resentment and sorrow she had moments ago.

She felt as if she had been standing at the very bottom of an abyss of endless darkness, when a ray of light suddenly shone on her—a light that shone only for her.

At that time, Yan He only had a faint impression of her from the encounter before school started. After school began, the two had occasional interactions, but they were limited to casual greetings; they weren’t even close enough to go to the restroom together during breaks. Lu Youqing spent the whole afternoon unable to figure out why Yan He had helped her.

For an entire afternoon, Lu Youqing was trying to organize how to thank Yan He. For some reason, even though she was first in the class in Chinese, she felt at a loss for words for the first time. No matter how she phrased it, it didn’t feel right.

Ultimately, the carefully prepared thank-you was never said to Yan He.

Because of the public fight, Yan He was ordered to stay home for half a month. By the time she returned, the incident had long since passed. Lu Youqing could find no opportunity to say those words of gratitude, and they were buried in the deepest part of her heart, along with the fluttering she felt that day.

Some things and some words need to be spoken at a specific moment. Once that time has passed, no matter how much you want to say them, you can no longer open your mouth.