Although Ye Li hadn't made any specific demands, as someone who was purely living off her financially, Xie Ci still consciously took on many household chores.

After all, the card Ye Li had given him was right there in his pocket.

Xie Ci had looked up information about it. That silver-white credit card could only be applied for with deposits exceeding ten million.

One had to understand that you could buy a house in a big city with that kind of money.

But you might not necessarily be able to pull out a million in cash directly.

Fixed assets and cash deposits were completely different concepts.

And this card was now linked to Xie Ci's WeChat.

To casually throw out such a bank card… For such an inhumanely wealthy act, a poor college student like Xie Ci had never been able to imagine it before.

And the rich woman who had performed such an act was now sitting obediently at her vanity table, letting Xie Ci brush her hair.

It was a sunny morning, and she was in a good mood. Ye Li sat in the chair, tilting her head back, eyes slightly narrowed, seemingly enjoying having Xie Ci comb her hair.

But she seemed to be enjoying it a bit too much. Even though her silk shirt was half-undone at the chest, she didn't care at all. She was still wearing that silk nightgown, and from behind, Xie Ci could see her beautiful curves, as well as the faint valley between the towering peaks.

Xie Ci had no choice but to pretend he couldn't see.

He smoothed her beautiful hair, gathered it at the back of her head, and secured it with the silver hairpin from last night.

Gentle and elegant, with a unique charm.

Ye Li looked at her beautiful self in the mirror with satisfaction, joy clearly written on her face. She suddenly stood up and planted a fierce kiss on Xie Ci's lips.

Xie Ci's heartbeat skipped several beats, and he covered his lips with feigned composure.

When exactly had she completely accepted this kind of physical intimacy?

Could this be today's "rent"?

"Thank you, little Ci. I really didn't know you could braid girls' hair."

Ye Li suddenly felt something was off, and her warm smile froze on her face.

"Wait, little Ci, why are you so skilled at this!"

Ye Li puffed out her cheeks, looking at him with a meaningful gaze. "Could it be that you used to braid girls' hair often?"

Regarding this question, Xie Ci could only laugh it off.

"Uh, how should I put it? I just suddenly felt like I knew how. I don't know why either."

What was Xie Ci supposed to say?

That he'd had nightmares for two consecutive days, woke up having forgotten everything, but inexplicably gained some familiar muscle memory?

This morning, when he'd pushed Ye Li, who was sleeping sprawled all over him, off to the side, made breakfast, and woke her up, this familiar feeling had been continuously brewing.

"Um... actually, I learned it from TV before. At the time I thought about learning more skills so I could earn more money and have more opportunities..."

Huh? It seemed like that wasn't entirely false either?

The sensation of fingertips weaving through fingers felt incredibly familiar, as if he had repeated this action countless times on someone before.

Hiss—his head hurt a bit.

He couldn't remember...

Ye Li noticed Xie Ci's abnormality and quickly put aside her petty thoughts, saying with concern, "Little Ci, what's wrong? Did you catch a cold while sleeping last night?"

"It's nothing, just... a feeling of déjà vu."

"It's... about your past, isn't it?"

Ye Li suddenly blurted out such a sentence.

"I... I don't know." Xie Ci shook his head. "Let's eat first. We'll talk after eating."

With that, he turned and went to the kitchen to arrange the meal he'd just prepared.

Ye Li stood in place, silently watching his retreating figure. She clenched her fists, as if the warmth from his back still lingered in her palms. She carefully touched the hair he had styled for her, complex emotions rippling in her amber-colored eyes.

Actually, she hadn't told Xie Ci about another condition the doctor had diagnosed.

—Dissociative amnesia.

She couldn't help but recall the black-clothed, red-eyed girl from the café.

Little Ci, what exactly was your past like...

...

"Okay, okay, stop hugging. It's just a little while apart."

Xie Ci forcibly suppressed the restlessness in his heart, finally managing to squeeze out a sentence from Ye Li's soft embrace.

"Mmm~" Ye Li buried her head in his chest, nuzzling like a kitten, and also like a little girl acting spoiled.

At this moment they were standing at a crossroads. It was clearly just a temporary separation, one going to the market to buy groceries, the other going to school to handle some business.

But Ye Li was acting like it was some kind of life-or-death parting.

What would happen when school started and he had to live in the dormitory?

Xie Ci helplessly tidied Ye Li's hair. The hairstyle he'd done this morning was getting messy again.

"Mm... you have to wait for me to pick you up after buying groceries..." Ye Li said resentfully from his chest, with a bit of nasal tone.

"I... I just have some bad feelings, I can't say why..."

Although Xie Ci felt somewhat helpless, warmth also rose in his heart.

The feeling of having someone wait for you to come home... it seemed like he'd had that before?

"Mm, I'll wait for you to pick me up."

...

Late summer and early autumn in Spring City was a cool and comfortable season. The streets and buildings had been washed spotless by rain, and the post-rain breeze brushing across one's face was even more refreshing.

Xie Ci carried a large bag of freshly bought vegetables, leisurely strolling near the market.

Actually, regarding the amnesia, Xie Ci had long grown accustomed to it.

He retained all common knowledge and learned information—it was just that his entire life before middle school entrance exams couldn't be recalled, and his current surroundings had no connection to his previous life.

It was as if he had abruptly moved from his previous living place to a completely unfamiliar place and city.

It wasn't that he hadn't tried to recall past memories.

But the slightest attempt at recollection would bring a massive sadness that saturated his heart, and a voice would emerge from deep within, struggling and clamoring at him.

Don't remember!

Well then, if he shouldn't remember, he wouldn't remember. Life continued the same way anyway.

Except that he had become a penniless person who could only live off someone else.

The people coming and going at the market entrance fragmented Xie Ci's distant gaze, and the varied crowd made his eyes dazzle—there were hurried office workers, elderly people walking slowly, and pregnant women pushing baby strollers.

But without exception, they were all dressed very modestly.

Thinking about how Ye Li would soon come pick him up in a luxury car made cold sweat break out on his forehead.

Suddenly, a person flashed into his field of vision from the crowd. Cute little twin tails, long hair falling to her shoulders. She wore a black dress with wine-red trim, her shapely legs wrapped tightly in black stockings, so conspicuous in the crowd.

Xie Ci's casual glance made his heartbeat irregular. The originally gentle sunlight seemed to become dazzling, stabbing until his vision went dark.

Cof... fee... shop...

Was that the person from the coffee shop? Was it her?

Xie Ci suddenly felt his head splitting with pain. He clutched his forehead tightly.

It had to be her, it should be her, it was her! It had clearly been just a brief meeting at the coffee shop, and this time he'd only seen someone with similar hairstyle and clothing, but why?

Xie Ci's hands were trembling somewhat, his heart feeling as if half of it had been brutally carved out.

For a moment he wanted to turn and flee, but that made no sense. Why should he run...

Looking back again, her figure in the crowd was almost invisible, leaving only a trace of wine-red embedded in black.

"Auntie... could you help me watch these?" Xie Ci handed the vegetables to an old grandmother with a nearby stall.

"Sure, young man. I've been sitting here all morning... Hey! Young man, why are you running so fast!"

The old grandmother looked in the direction Xie Ci had sprinted off toward, then at that black and red silhouette over there. Understanding dawned in her heart.

"Sigh, young people these days, they really go all out to chase after girls..."

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