During lunch, Aunt Tian went upstairs to call for Xin Qing as usual, but she found that Ah Sha was the only one sleeping on the bed, while Xin Qing was nowhere to be found. After she and Uncle Fu searched every room in the house in a panic, she called Ying Qingcang.
Ying Qingcang got back in a hurry. He found Xin Qingâs cowhide notebook was missing, along with a couple of clothes and a suitcase.
âShe has leftâŚâ Ying Qingcang sat heavily down on the sofa. Young Master Shen made a call right away. âIâll send people to find her.â
Ying Qingcang stood up. âWhere is the old man?â
âMaster went for a morning exercise early in the morning, but still hasnât got back.â Uncle Fu thought for a second, then opened his mouth and said, âIt wasnât MasterâŚâ
Ying Qingcang interrupted him and glanced at him coldly. âIf it wasnât him, then how come Xin Qing left suddenly?â
âThis is the second timeâŚâ Ying Qingcang closed his eyes and pressed his lips together. âThis is the second time he told Xin Qing to leave me.â
Young Master Shen hung up the phone and comforted him after seeing him like that. âDonât get mad with uncle right now. Xin Qing wonât go very far in that state, we should find her in no time.â
âWhat happened?â Ying Hao asked standing at the door.
Ying Qingcang walked right pass him. âDonât mess with my life. If I canât find Xin Qing, then Iâll ruin the Ying Enterprises. Iâll make you lose everything.â
âYou bastard!â Ying Hao yelled furiously. âThat is the work contributed by generations of people. How dare you?â
Ying Qingcang walked downstairs slowly. âXin Qing is my life. If you took my life, why canât I ruin yours.â
âStop! Wait!â Ying Hao wanted Ying Qingcang back. But he was stopped by Uncle Fu. âMaster, you should go back!â
Ying Hao glared at him. âYouâre taking his side, too?â
Uncle Fu stayed quiet. Young Master Shen shook his head. âUncle, you should know your son very well by now.â
âNothing, nothing is more important than the Ying family.â Ying Hao looked at Ying Qingcangâs back with mixed feelings, then left slowly.
At this time, Xin Qing had already got on the bus. She didnât want to take the plane cause she feared that Ying Qingcang might find her. And she was in a special state of health, places too far away werenât options for her. So she had decided to go to a little town by the river near the S City by bus.
Watching the views outside the bus window passing backwards, Xin Qing figured Ying Qingcang shall find out she was missing right now. âHe must be very sad!â Xin Qing found herself quite selfish, it didnât matter if she stayed or left, because their relationship wasnât that deep and unforgettable. âBut⌠sorry,â she apologized in her heart secretly, âI believed that you would get used to it after a while. Slowly and surely, you would forget about me. I couldnât give you what you want, I had to quit this love.â
The little town had great view, people there lived by the river, many people came here for scenery painting, so the local residents all had one room or two for renting. Xin Qing had found a house by the water, she could see the shore side paved by the blue flagstone by just opening the window.
When she left, she found a lot of cash in the bag, enough for her to live for a year. She also brought the bank card, opened a new account near the bus station and put all the money in that account. She thought that in this way no one could find her consumption record. But what she didnât know was that even before the bus left the S City, Young Master Shenâs people had already found her and started following her. They witnessed her found the house, and only left after they made sure she had settled down.
âShe wasnât stupid after all, at least she remembered to bring the money.â Ying Qingcang said with a grudge in his heart. He was relieved after knowing where she had gone to.
After knowing the information, Zhang Mi gave Young Master Shen a heavy punch. âXin Qing went too far this time, she just left in secret, leaving me and Qianqian in pain.â
âDoes she know who you are?â Young Master Shen rolled his eyes at her. âStop letting off by hitting my thigh when your thighs are right there.â
Zhang Mi stood up. âThis isnât working, I gotta go find her, itâs too dangerous for her to be outside alone. What if she couldnât see the notebook when she wakes up in the morning, or what if she loses it someday by accident?â
âI can take care of my wife.â Ying Qingcang glanced at Zhang Mi, feeling annoyed, then he said to Young Master Shen, âQuick, take her away.â
Young Master Shen was dragging Zhang Mi outside while Zhang Mi held her fists and kicks against him. âMonster, let me go! I need to go find Xin Qing.â
âOuch!â Young Master Shen dragged her to the elevator with a struggle. âAh Cang would do it, you are in no position to do this yourself.â
Zhang Mi twitched her mouth, âThereâs no point for him to go, Xin Qing wouldnât be like this if it wasnât for him.â
âLetâs go, letâs go! Iâll send you home.â Young Master Shen pushed her into the elevator.
Xin Qing had started the circle of waking up every morning in a panic, but not being able to do anything about it. After she started living by herself, she had less and less to write down. For Xin Qing, reading about the past memories everyday was like watching a movie. She was watching Xin Qing and Ying Qingcangâs past.
A few days after she moved in this house, she found out that the house across hers was also rented out. she was too afraid to walk out the door, her landlord helped her bring back the food everyday. And she was also too afraid to act anything abnormal, she just told the landlord that she came here to regain her health, that she wasnât in a healthy enough state to leave the house.
Half a month had passed, Xin Qing had found that the tenant living across her had never appeared, every once in a while she could see a blurry shadow on the window. Xin Qing liked it this way, at first she was worried that it might be an over-passionate person who would come and have a chat with her. but now it seemed that this person was just like her, who enjoyed staying at home.
Time flew by day after day, Xin Qing started to zone out for longer and longer period of time, she didnât know what to live for any more. Life without memories was life without color, her life was in black and white. One day, she saw Ying Qingcang on TV, a cute little girl stood right beside him. The reporters surrounded him and asked him what was the relationship between him and the little girl. That girl was holding his arm, she smiled and said, âI like Ying Qingcang the best!â
Xin Qing didnât even remember that smile used to be on her face too, she just let out a hopeless laugh. So soon⌠This is fine though. So she could let go of the last bit of worry. The next day, someone knocked on the door of her little hut for the first time, Young Master Shen stood at the door and smiled at her.
âXiao Qingqing, Iâm here to pick you up!â
Xin Qing was brought back. She had gone for two months, but nothing had changed. The only difference was that Ah Sha almost cried her eyes out, she wouldnât let go of Xin Qing when she was hugging her. Xin Qing didnât feel that intensely, so she just kept patting little Ah Shaâs back to comfort her.
âI⌠should I move out?â Ah Sha was exhausted from all the crying and had fallen asleep in her arms. Xin Qing asked Young Master Shen in small voice. Now that Ying Qingcang had met someone else, she had no reason to stay at his house any more, that girl who liked him would mind, too!
Young Master Shen found it funny and said, âThis house is yours now!â He suddenly remembered something. âAh! Didnât Ah Cang tell you about this? When you guys get married, he had given you all the fortune, now you are more loaded than he is!â
Xin Qing got distracted for a second, then smiled calmly, âThen should I return everything to him right now?â
âNonsense.â Young Master Shen waved his hands. âJust rest here, in a few days Iâll take a doctor here to take care of you. Donât worry, the doctor had cured someone who lost memories before, youâll fully recover under his hands!â
This was why Xin Qing were willing to come back, she didnât ask where Ying Qingcang was. She figured that he sent a doctor for her because she got injured for him and he didnât want to own her anything. When she got fully recovered, there would be nothing left between them, because he had already got someone new.
âAh Cang was kinda busy recently, soâŚâ
âNo, itâs fine!â Xin Qing interrupted Young Master Shen. âI understood, I watched the news.â
Young Master Shen didnât know what to say all of the sudden, he stayed quiet for a while and then asked her, âAre you alright?â
Xin Qing tilted her head and smiled. âI donât even remember him. Besides, I can understand.â
âNow you donât remember, but what about when you get your memories back?â Young Master Shen worried. If he were Ying Qingcang, he would choose keeping it like this forever than bringing Xin Qingâs memories back in this way. By then⌠by then how could Xin Qing handle everything?
At night Zhang Mi came to visit her, the first thing she said was, âShit! Hurry up and spend all his fortune.â But Xin Qing was staring at her in confusion, Zhang Mi pointed at her face and yelled furiously. âLetâs make it clear, Iâm your best friend. That asshole Ying Qingcang had nothing to do with you anymore. when you recovered, weâll go to France together!â
âI know about you.â Xin Qing pointed at the photo in the cowhide book. âWhat happened to you?â
Zhang Mi patted her chest to clam down, and then she looked at her. âDo you know that Ying Qingcang is getting married with a woman appeared out of nowhere?â
âI know!â Xin Qing nodded.
âThen do you know that you guys are married couple now, he is about to commit the offence of bigamy!â
Hearing Zhang Miâs words, Xin Qing felt lost. âThen should I sign the divorce paper?â
âWhy do you fucking care about signing anything!â Zhang Mi pulled a handful of her hair with great rage. âYou saved his life, took a bullet for him, but now he is with another woman.â
Xin Qing stopped her, âCalm down, youâre gonna pull off all your hair.â
âYouâre fine now only because you donât remember it all. Didnât he get you a doctor? Once you recover and get your memories back, youâll feel like hell!â Zhang Mi pulled Xin Qing into a hug. âAh Qing, what are you gonna do? What are you gonna do!â
Xin Qing felt heat in her neck, then pushed her away immediately, only found out she was crying. She had no feelings, but she felt rough seeing her like this.
âBut⌠now I really donât remember anything!â She thought for a second and said, âIf I will get hurt when I remember what happened, then let it be, that was his own choice. Just like you said, by then weâll go to France together?â
Zhang Mi wiped her tears and said furiously, âIâm sure that woman doesnât even know Ying Qingcang is broke right now, you already have all his money. Heh! Iâll tell her later, then sheâll be sorry.â
âAfter the divorce, Iâll return everything to him.â
Zhang Mi glared at her. âWhat kind of bullshit are you talking about? Do you even know how much money is that? Thereâs no returning it, it will be your alimony payment!â Zhang Mi placed her hands on her waist. âIâm telling you, donât leave even a penny for him, weâll use the money to have fun in France!â Watching Xin Qing didnât really give a damn about the money, Zhang Mi added, âYou gotta have a backup plan for Ah Sha. Unless youâre not taking her with you and decide to leave her to her stepmother?â
Meanwhile in Ying Qingcangâs office, he stared at the woman in front of him with no feelings. âIf you canât make my wife recover, Iâll make you sorry for getting out of the mountain.â
âWrong! Soon she wonât be your wife anymore.â