CH 65.2

Window.

One year later.

A young man who lost his memories was cleaning a small living room. The phone rang, he had no feelings toward the photo of the woman on the phone. He looked at the plush tiger on the sofa, and he wanted to put it the bin. The woman told him that he bought her the tiger, but he felt like he was someone who hated buying plush toys. She told him that they were married, but he didn’t believe her. He couldn’t remember his name, she said his name was Du Yi. He hated the name Du Yi.

‘Du Yi, I’m home,’ Tan Xu Er said. ‘I bought your favorite food.’

Tan Xu Er was happy Yue Gu Zai couldn’t remember Zhen Zhen, and he believed he lost his memories after a car accident.

Yue Gu Zai saw Tan Xu Er bought many sweet food. He hated sweet food.

Tan Xu Er saw the newspaper on the table, and she panicked.

‘Du Yi, do you want to find a job?’ Tan Xu Er asked.

‘Why can’t I work?’ Yue Gu Zai asked.

‘You can’t work!’ Tan Xu Er said.

Tan Xu Er realised she was acting strange in front of Yue Gu Zai. She calmed herself, and held his hand.

‘You’re still recovering from the car accident,’ Tan Xu Er said. ‘My responsibility is to work to support us.’

‘Are you saying you want to support me for the rest of your life?’ Yue Gu Zai asked.

‘I don’t mind,’ Tan Xu Er said.

Yue Gu Zai gripped Tan Xu Er’s hand.

‘Are we really married?’ Yue Gu Zai asked coldly.

‘We… ah…’ Tan Xu Er said.

‘If we’re really married and love each other then why do I feel like you don’t understand a single thing about me?’ Yue Gu Zai asked.

Yue Gu Zai let go of Tan Xu Er’s hand. After he cleaned the room, he went to sleep because he had no appetite to eat dinner.

The next day, Yue Gu Zai walked downstairs and he saw Tan Xu Er made breakfast for him.

‘I’m sorry,’ Tan Xu Er said. ‘I should be more understanding that you want to work to share half the burden with me. I overreacted because I care about your health.’

‘I’m sorry I overreacted too,’ Yue Gu Zai said.

A year ago, Tan Xu Er found Yue Gu Zai in the woods. There were wounds all over his body. He didn’t remember who he was. She took him to a place that was located on the quiet side of the city,  because she was scared Zhen Zhen would find him. The first month he was on the news, and search parties were sent to look for him.

‘Have you found a job yet?’ Tan Xu Er asked.

‘After breakfast, I’ll look for a job,’ Yue Gu Zai said.

‘It’s hard to find a job without qualifications,’ Tan Xu Er said. ‘When you find a job, call me straight away.’

Yue Gu Zai had no job qualifications. So he applied to be a waiter at a restaurant, the owner hired him because his good looks would attract more female customers.

Tan Xu Er was happy Yue Gu Zai found a low key job where Zhen Zhen couldn’t find him.

On Yue Gu Zai’s first day at work, Jiu Tu passed him a plate of steak and vegetables.

‘Du Yi, the young woman is here again,’ Jiu Tu said.

‘Who?’ Yue Gu Zai asked.

‘The young woman by the window,’ Jiu Ju said.

Yue Gu Zai looked at the young woman. She looked frail and sad. He didn’t know why his heart ached.

‘I don’t know who her rich husband is,’ Jiu Tu said. ‘She reserved that table for a year now. She comes here and sits there by herself. I don’t know why she didn’t come here in the last three days, but she’s back.’

‘How do you know she’s married?’ Yue Gu Zai asked.

Yue Gu Zai didn’t know why finding out the young woman was married made him feel uncomfortable.

‘I overheard her driver call her Mrs Yue,’ Jiu Tu said. ‘She doesn’t like having someone follow her. The driver would drive her here and pick her up at closing time.’

Yue Gu Zai served the plate of food to Zhen Zhen’s table.

‘Mrs Yue, your lunch,’ Yue Gu Zai said.

‘Thank you,’ Zhen Zhen said.

Zhen Zhen thought she heard Yue Gu Zai’s voice. She couldn’t see after Yue Gu Zai died. Bai Yu Tian said her crying everyday made her partially blind. Bai Yu Tian wanted her to have an eye laser surgery to restore her sight, but she refused. If she couldn’t see Yue Gu Zai’s face then she didn’t want to see again.

Yue Gu Zai waved his hand in front of Zhen Zhen.

‘I’m blind,’ Zhen Zhen said.

‘I’m sorry Mrs Yue,’ Yue Gu Zai said.

‘I’m OK,’ Zhen Zhen said and smiled. ‘Your voice sounds like someone close to me.’

‘Is that why you look happy?’ Yue Gu Zai asked.

‘If you’re him… you would know me,’ Zhen Zhen said.

‘Mrs Yue, wait here,’ Yue Gu Zai said. ‘I’ll be back.’

Yue Gu Zai didn’t know why he wanted to cry. He walked to Jiu Tu and told him that he needed a toilet break.

‘Du Yi, you look sick…’ Jiu Tu said.

Yue Gu Zai didn’t reply to Jiu Tu, he walked to the toilet and washed his face. After he composed himself he walked outside.

‘This is Mrs Yue’s coffee,’ Jiu Tu said. ‘Are you sure you’re OK?’

‘I’m OK,’ Yue Gu Zai said.

Yue Gu Zai brought the coffee to Zhen Zhen.

‘Mrs Yue, your coffee,’ Yue Gu Zai said.

‘Thank you,’ Zhen Zhen said.

Zhen Zhen carefully stirred the cup of coffee.

The whole day Yue Gu Zai’s eyes lingered on Zhen Zhen.

After closing time Yue Gu Zai ate dinner at Tan Xu Er’s home.

‘How’s work?’ Tan Xu Er asked.

‘Good,’ Yue Gu Zai said coldly. ‘What about you?’

‘Good,’ Tan Xu Er said. ‘I replaced the big sister who used to work there. I’m finally a permanent employee at the lab.’

‘Um,’ Yue Gu Zai said. He put his chopsticks down and stood. ‘I’m going to take a shower.’

In the shower Yue Gu Zai looked at the wounds on his body, and he knew Tan Xu Er lied to him. He didn’t lose his memories from a car accident. There was a bullet wound on his chest and faint scars everywhere below his stomach.

Yue Gu Zai turned off the tap, and dressed. When he walked to the living room, Tan Xu Er was waiting for him on the sofa like usual. He sat on the sofa, she wanted to dry his hair but he avoided the towel in her hands.

‘I poured you a glass of milk,’ Tan Xu Er said. ‘It’s on the table.’

Tan Xu Er stood, she pretended to fall and Yue Gu Zai caught her before she fell. She closed her eyes, and he knew what she wanted.

‘It’s late,’ Yue Gu Zai said. ‘You should sleep.’

Tan Xu Er was disappointed even after a year, Yue Gu Zai didn’t kiss her even though she lied to him that they were married.

‘Du Yi, you should sleep too,’ Tan Xu Er said and walked to her bedroom.

Yue Gu Zai walked to his bedroom. He laid on his bed. He couldn’t sleep because he kept thinking about the young woman who sat by the window at the restaurant.

***

End of Chapter Sixty-Five (Part 2 of 2)