After She Fell for Me, I Lost My Memory (GL) - Chapter 40

It was too late for Cen Luo to retreat to her room. Zhang Ming’s gaze was fixed on her, and a smile was on her face.

Cen Luo stood still, watching Zhang Ming walk toward her, and heard her loud voice:

“Xiao Luo, how have you thought about what I told you yesterday?”

Besides Zhang Ming, there was another auntie standing nearby, who was also smiling and greeting her: “Xiao Luo, when did you come back?”

Cen Luo didn’t know who this auntie was, but could only guess she was the resident of the other apartment on this floor. She forced a smile at her: “Hello, Auntie.”

While greeting them, she was internally sighing that most of the residents in this apartment building seemed to be older uncles and aunties.

Zhang Ming was displeased that Wang Zhen had diverted her topic. She nudged her arm: “I’m talking business with Xiao Luo. Wait a minute.”

Cen Luo stood awkwardly, smiling. Seeing Zhang Ming bring the topic back, she met her expectant gaze and said sincerely: “Auntie Zhang, it’s not that I don’t want to help you, but the main issue is that I don’t live there anymore, so it might be difficult for me to get in.”

Okay, the truth was, she just didn’t want to go back to that place.

To avoid returning to Nanyang Yulou, Cen Luo had delayed picking up many of her belongings.

Zhang Ming frowned upon hearing her words, clearly unconvinced.

The movers next to them were still working. Cen Luo glanced at the apartment next door. The living room was filled with neatly stacked cardboard boxes.

It looked well-organized.

It seemed the new neighbor was a tidy person.

Not bad. One point for a good impression. She could become a friend.

“Xiao Luo…”

Before Zhang Ming could finish, the elevator signaled its arrival with a ding.

The person stopping on this floor was most likely the new neighbor.

Cen Luo quickly turned Zhang Ming around gently, facing her toward the elevator door, and said:

“Auntie Zhang, hurry and welcome our new neighbor.”

Cen Luo stood behind Zhang Ming. Before she could see the new neighbor’s face, she heard her footsteps, and—

The sound of two people gasping next to her.

What happened?

Cen Luo slowly peeked her head out from behind Zhang Ming, looking toward the person walking out of the elevator just like the others.

She was tall and slender. Her fair hands were holding a cardboard box. Her nails were natural, and you could see the faint white crescents on them. Her long, wavy hair hung casually. She wore delicate makeup, and a red coat enveloped her. She exuded a great sense of elegance.

She had a pair of beautiful phoenix eyes, with a tear mole at the corner that was slightly concealed by makeup. Her lips were slightly red, making her look cold, stunning, and alluring.

That wasn’t the main point.

The main point was—

Why did this neighbor look exactly like Jian Mu?

Cen Luo froze. Don’t tell her the new neighbor was Jian Mu?

Before Cen Luo could speak, Zhang Ming and Wang Zhen became enthusiastic. The two surrounded Jian Mu, one on each side, and asked:

“You must be our new neighbor, right?”

“I’m Zhang Ming. You can call me Auntie Zhang. That’s Wang Zhen. Just call her Auntie Wang.”

Jian Mu, who was slightly startled at seeing Cen Luo, looked away upon hearing this and slightly lowered her head to the two: “Hello. My name is Jian Mu.”

Because Zhang Ming and Wang Zhen had moved away, the space between Cen Luo and Jian Mu was completely empty.

They could see each other clearly.

Compared to the meticulously dressed Jian Mu, Cen Luo, who had just grabbed random clothes from her closet and was wearing slippers, looked much messier.

But she didn’t care.

She was just confused. Why did Jian Mu move from Nanyang Yulou to West Street for no good reason?

And this apartment was precisely next to hers.

This made it hard for Cen Luo not to overthink.

“That is Cen Luo, who lives next door to you,” Zhang Ming pointed to Cen Luo and introduced her to Jian Mu. Then she said to Cen Luo, “Xiao Luo, hurry up and say hello to your new neighbor. Weren’t you just talking about her?”

She was looking forward to a new neighbor, not Jian Mu.

“Auntie Zhang, Auntie Wang, I’m going back to my room first.”

After saying that, Cen Luo retreated into her apartment, and the door closed with a gentle sound.

“This child, what’s wrong?” Zhang Ming looked at Wang Zhen in confusion, but saw that the latter had the same bewilderment in her eyes.

Seeing this, Zhang Ming explained to Jian Mu: “Xiao Luo isn’t usually like this. Maybe something is wrong.”

Wang Zhen was about to agree with Zhang Ming when she heard Jian Mu’s voice: “It’s fine.”

Jian Mu’s voice was faint, with no discernible emotion.

Zhang Ming and Wang Zhen stopped dwelling on Cen Luo’s attitude and started asking Jian Mu if she needed any help, following her closely, seemingly ready to go inside and help her unpack.

Jian Mu stopped at the door, looked at the two of them, and said flatly: “No need.”

However, as soon as the words left her mouth, Jian Mu added: “I can manage myself, thank you.”

Her voice had more warmth compared to the first sentence.

Zhang Ming and Wang Zhen snapped out of their slight daze and quickly replied: “That’s good, that’s good.”

Then they watched Jian Mu return to her apartment. Zhang Ming and Wang Zhen stood in the hallway and muttered: “That’s the first time I’ve seen such an elegant girl. It’s just that her eyes are a little cold.”

“Her voice is cold too, but I feel like she’s controlling her emotions. Look, she even deliberately explained herself as if she was afraid we’d overthink it.”

“Mhm, mhm, you’re absolutely right,” As soon as Zhang Ming finished, she looked at Cen Luo’s door again and muttered, “What’s wrong with Xiao Luo today? She seems a little unwelcoming to the new neighbor.”

“You’re old, so you’re overthinking it. Xiao Luo must be busy going back to sleep.”

…

Although Zhang Ming and Wang Zhen were trying their best to keep their voices down, they underestimated their naturally loud voices.

Even though they deliberately lowered their volume, Jian Mu, who had just entered her house, heard everything clearly.

Jian Mu slightly lowered her gaze, her mood complicated.

Joy, excitement, and worry were all intertwined.

Feeling a vibration, Jian Mu collected her thoughts, took out her phone, and saw Su Nian’s name on the screen.

Su Nian: [CEO Jian, are you done moving? Do you need my help?]

Jian Mu typed the character en (嗯, mhm) on the screen, then deleted it and retyped a few characters.

Jian Mu: [I’m done moving. No need.]

Su Nian: [Did you run into Cen Luo?]

Jian Mu was silent for a few seconds. She looked at the wall, then replied:

[I think I’m a little lucky.]

Su Nian: [Did you run into her?]

Jian Mu: [She lives next door to me.]

Su Nian: […]

Before moving in, Jian Mu didn’t know that Cen Luo was living next door to this apartment.

When she saw that there was a vacant apartment for sale in the complex Cen Luo lived in, Jian Mu bought it.

Jian Mu couldn’t recall why she bought that apartment. She only bought it because when she saw the apartment’s name, she remembered Cen Luo had a house there.

And now, she was extremely grateful for her decision at that time.

Before moving in, Jian Mu thought she might have to wait downstairs for a few days to run into Cen Luo, or maybe even longer.

In short, she only knew Cen Luo lived here, but she hadn’t made any specific plans for her next step.

Su Nian: [So, CEO Jian, are you going to start relentlessly pursuing her?]

This was Su Nian’s guess. Jian Mu hadn’t told her what her next step was.

The idea of relentless pursuit was actually suggested by Su Nian to Jian Mu.

When Jian Mu saw this message from Su Nian, she couldn’t help but remember the look Cen Luo gave her just now.

Unmasked distance and distaste.

At this moment, Jian Mu was certain that a chaotic, relentless pursuit would definitely cause greater aversion from Cen Luo.

Jian Mu: [I’ll handle it myself.]

Jian Mu: [Thank you for your help these past few days.]

Su Nian: [?]

Su Nian was confused. Did this mean she didn’t need her help anymore? But was Jian Mu sure she wouldn’t make things worse and worse?

Then she thought about it again. Jian Mu’s tone when talking to her seemed to have changed a lot lately.

Did she unblock Jian Mu’s vital channels? Or was Jian Mu’s pride acting up, pretending to be strong?

Su Nian didn’t feel Jian Mu’s urgency, but she clearly felt her own.

Why did it feel like she was the one trying to win Cen Luo back?

Jian Mu put her phone down on the table after sending the message.

She recalled something Cen Luo said in university after a conflict with a department head.

“That department head was too arrogant. Anyone can talk tough, and she was so fierce. Why was she so fierce? Can’t anyone be fierce?”

“If the vice-head hadn’t been so gentle and kept trying to mediate, I would have fought that department head to the death!”

“I just feel like I didn’t win that argument. It’s all my fault. I’m a soft touch, and I hate it.”

Jian Mu’s hand on the cardboard box tightened slightly. She looked down at the familiar objects inside, one after another.

Folded stars, a piggy bank, a wishing bottle, a watch…

And the torn photo of them together that she had just pieced back together yesterday.

These were the memories Cen Luo left for her.

From high school until now.

Sometimes, bravely facing a fact is not difficult.

Although it might be painful, it’s better than deceiving yourself forever.

For example, she was indeed not Cen Luo’s type, and the current Cen Luo had no interest in her whatsoever.

And, she had hurt Cen Luo, so much so that the past ten years had become memories Cen Luo didn’t want to recall.

Jian Mu gently took the objects out of the box and placed them on a clean table nearby.

A soft touch.

Then she would use retreat as advance and start over.

Cen Luo was only slightly annoyed that Jian Mu was her new neighbor. She returned to the living room, turned on the TV, switched to a channel, and prepared to watch for a while.

After a while, Cen Luo’s takeout arrived.

Cen Luo was a little sleepy after eating breakfast, so she read a book for a while and then lay down on the sofa for a nap.

When she woke up again, it was already noon.

Cen Luo yawned and tidied up the room.

Just then, she heard a knock on the door.

Cen Luo’s internal alarm went off. She immediately suspected it was one of the neighbors on the same floor.

No matter which neighbor it was, it wouldn’t be a good thing for Cen Luo.

Cen Luo looked through the peephole.

Jian Mu was standing outside the door, holding a box. It was unclear what was inside.

But seeing this, Cen Luo instinctively thought, Is Jian Mu trying to do something again to awaken her memory?

Is she sick? Didn’t she make it clear yesterday?

She really didn’t have the mood to play the ‘you love me, I must love you’ game with Jian Mu.

Cen Luo, annoyed, opened the door and said unhappily to Jian Mu:

“Can I help you?”

After saying that, Cen Luo noticed that Zhang Ming and Wang Zhen were standing right outside her door, looking in her direction.

And they were holding the same kind of cardboard boxes as Jian Mu.

Did Jian Mu give them these?