On the side of the cooking table, there were lamb chops that Feng Zhan had taken out to thaw early in the morning. It seemed like he was planning to make lunch for him. It had to be said that Feng Zhan, treating him as a lover, took care of him meticulously in daily life, showing great concern.
A complex and indescribable feeling arose in his heart. Raising his hand, he tossed the thawed lamb chops aside into the trash bin. He couldn’t cook these complicated dishes himself, and there would be no one else to cook for him. Keeping them in the fridge was just taking up space.
He had lived alone before. Three years were spent quite well like that. It was just over a month of companionship, and because he wasn’t used to it, the feeling of loneliness became particularly obvious and intense. However, forgetting was only a matter of time. He had tangled with that person for three years before, and it was said to be over when it ended. So, there was nothing he couldn’t let go of…
Although he thought this way, staring at the lamb chops in the trash bin, Ruan Xiao’s mood remained gloomy. He could tolerate loneliness, but why let him experience the feeling of being accompanied and cared for? This would only make him feel even more lonely when he returned to being alone.
Just as Ruan Xiao was lost in thought, he suddenly heard some movement in the yard. Turning his head, he saw the familiar tall figure pushing the door open.
Feng Zhan was still wearing the same clothes he had on when he left in the morning. It was a set Ruan Xiao casually bought for him from a stall next to the shop—30 yuan for the T-shirt and 20 yuan for the sweatpants. Wearing them, Feng Zhan didn’t give off the slightest sense of inferior quality; he still looked handsome and powerful.
Surprised, Ruan Xiao’s expression was mixed with indescribable emotions. He deliberately stiffened his face and spoke with feigned indifference, “Why did you come back?”
Feng Zhan’s dark eyes looked at Ruan Xiao in the wheelchair. His movements were a bit hesitant, but he still persistently approached.
“I told you to take a taxi to M City, didn’t I?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Eejc Wljb jrxfv klat j olfgmf abcf.
Mfcu Itjc gfqilfv, “P abbx j ajzl jcv rfa boo obg Z Jlas…”
“Qts jgf sbe tfgf cbk?”
Mfcu Itjc qegrfv tlr atlc ilqr, rlifca obg akb rfmbcvr. “P qjrrfv ys atf glnfg jcv rjk rbwfbcf rfiilcu ogfrtis mjeuta mjgq. Pa’r nfgs ogfrt jcv jilnf. P gfwfwyfgfv atja sbe ilxf ab fja la, rb P ybeuta bcf. P kjcafv ab wjxf rqlms-bli-rfjgfv mjgq obg sbe ktlif la’r ralii ogfrt…”
Hearing Feng Zhan’s explanation, Ruan Xiao finally noticed that Feng Zhan was holding a plastic bag with a live carp inside. The bag was filled with water, keeping the fish lively.
He blinked his phoenix-like eyes, looking at the man in front of him without blinking. At this moment, something seemed to hit Ruan Xiao’s heart, and his eyes inexplicably felt a bit warm. His voice softened, “I told you to leave, and you still come back to cook fish for me?”
Feng Zhan’s voice was a bit hoarse, and his eyes were red. “Ah-Xiao, I can’t bear to leave you. Please don’t ask me to go…”
Looking at Feng Zhan’s appearance, Ruan Xiao suddenly wanted to reach out and touch his head. “Feng Zhan, you don’t want to leave now because you’ve gotten used to being here since you lost your memory. But once you go to M City, reclaim your identity, and enjoy the wealth and glory that rightfully belongs to you, you will realize that the life here is not worth mentioning.”
Feng Zhan knelt in front of Ruan Xiao, his single knee touching the ground as he maintained eye contact, his expression sincere and earnest. “Ah-Xiao, I don’t want wealth and glory. I just want to be with you.”
“Ah-Xiao, please don’t be angry with me. I promise I won’t do anything you don’t like in the future,” Feng Zhan said, lowering his head and pressing his forehead against Ruan Xiao’s hand on the wheelchair armrest. It was as if he were a large dog abandoned but still persistently shaking his tail, begging to stay.
Looking at this man pleading so humbly, Ruan Xiao couldn’t bring himself to be as heartless as before. He sighed, finally raised his hand, and gently rubbed Feng Zhan’s black, velvety head.
Feng Zhan’s hair was short, neatly trimmed, with a slightly stiff texture. Touching his head, Ruan Xiao’s palm was tickled by the short hair, and at the same time, the warm feeling in his chest uncontrollably spread.
In the end, Feng Zhan still made the spicy-oil-seared carp for Ruan Xiao. After eating the fish, the two of them tacitly avoided bringing up the topic of returning to M City.
Feng Zhan, who stayed behind, surprisingly showed no curiosity about his life before amnesia. M City was neither too close nor too far from their current location, yet Feng Zhan never expressed any desire to explore his past.
Ruan Xiao couldn’t help but think that perhaps it was due to the head injury that affected his cognitive abilities. Since Feng Zhan showed no interest, Ruan Xiao let him continue staying by his side.
As autumn arrived, the weather became less hot. On occasional weekends or holidays, Feng Zhan would take Ruan Xiao out for a change of scenery.
Although Ruan Xiao had lived here for three years, his limited mobility and solitary lifestyle meant he rarely went out, especially for recreational purposes. However, Feng Zhan was concerned that Ruan Xiao’s life was too monotonous and boring, so he enthusiastically took him out to enjoy various activities.
In this way, Ruan Xiao was coaxed by Feng Zhan to visit many places, including historical sites, mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas.
Ruan Xiao had to admit that Feng Zhan’s presence seemed to reintroduce him to the colorful and vibrant world around him.
As the temperature dropped, the typhoon arrived. Several days in advance, orange warnings were issued on television and the internet, leading to a three-day break for schools. In such dreadful weather, staying at home and closing the shop seemed like the best choice.
Despite the rare opportunity to rest, Feng Zhan couldn’t stay idle. Early in the morning, he got up to make steaming hand-pulled noodles for Ruan Xiao.
Ruan Xiao enjoyed it a lot and surprisingly finished an entire bowl despite his usually small appetite.
By noon, the weather outside gradually darkened, accompanied by a drizzle. The typhoon, originally predicted to land in the early morning, seemed to be coming earlier.
After lunch, the sky outside became even darker as the rain continued to fall. Ruan Xiao turned on the lights and maneuvered his wheelchair back to his room.
Due to his frequent interactions with people from publishing houses, Ruan Xiao recently took on a translation job for a book. Although the pay wasn’t substantial, it wasn’t too demanding either. With the typhoon keeping him indoors these days, he had some free time to kill and could earn a little extra money for household expenses.
Just as he was working on the computer for a while, he heard the sound of Feng Zhan opening the door. Turning his head, he saw Feng Zhan in rain gear, looking like he was ready to go out.
Ohh, what languages does our MC know? 😲