She walked past Sun Yuhan and the nanny, and plopped herself down on the sofa, waiting for the others to arrive.
The nanny’s hands tugged at her own clothes. She realized that the pretty woman was the owner of the house by looking at Sun Yuhan’s reaction. Right now, Sun Yuhan dare not even let out a fart, much less chase the woman out. What could she do then? She was only a nanny, hired to look after a patient.
The two of them sat on the sofa and wheelchair respectively, studying each other. They seemed to know each other, but they also seemed to not know each other. Neither of them moved an inch away from their territories.
Soon, they heard knocking at the door. Yan Huan opened her eyes, feeling absurdly tired for some reason. It had been like this ever since Lu Yi passed away.
A crowd had gathered outside; Ye Shuyun, Madam Lei, Yi Ling, and even Lei Qingyi, who rushed there from work.
“I don’t have enough souvenirs for all of you,” chuckled Yan Huan, feeling light. But none of them had smiles on their faces. Rather, they looked as though someone had just ransacked their houses.
“Huanhuan…” Ye Shuyun didn’t know how to face her, or how to explain it to her. Her return was so sudden it took all of them by surprise.
Yi Ling quickly walked to Yan Huan and took her by the elbow.
“Come, let’s go to my place. My Little Lei has missed you so much,” she said with affected cheer and a strained smile.
But Yan Huan peeled away her hand gently and sat down without a word.
“Huanhuan…” Yi Ling was getting anxious. In the past, Yan Huan would have complied at once if she brought up Little Lei.
Was Little Lei not enough to convince her?
Yan Huan stood up and walked to Yi Ling, her eyes staring straight into hers.
“We grew up together, Yiyi.”
Yi Ling stiffened. Color faded out of her cheeks. She knew what Yan Huan meant. She also knew she already knew that they were hiding something from her.
Yan Huan turned around, in the direction of where Sun Yuhan was. She pointed a finger at her.
“I want to know who she is and why she’s here.”
Her finger marked Sun Yuhan like a dagger.
Who is she, and what was she doing in her house? Don’t try to tell her that she’s one of the Lu Family’s relatives. She had spent two lifetimes in the Lu Family; she knew all of their relatives.
So spare her the lies. She would never buy it for even a second.
“She’s…”
Go on. Who is she?
No one had the courage to give her an answer.
It felt as though time had stopped, and even their breath felt cold in the icy atmosphere.
“Answer me, Yiyi,” demanded Yan Huan. Is that how it is? Not even her childhood friend could give her the truth?
Yi Ling’s lips touched and parted. She wanted to cover her face and hide in a place where no one could see her, or anywhere away from there. She didn’t want to deceive Yan Huan, but she saw no other way out.
Even so, how long can lies last?
“Mom…” Yan Huan turned to Ye Shuyun. “May I know who lived in my room and stole my belongings?” She couldn’t smile or cry. She didn’t even have the strength to lift a finger.
All she wanted to know was what had happened in the days when she wasn’t around, when they didn’t want her to be around.
Ye Shuyun opened her mouth, but nothing came out in the end. All of them remained silent.
That was when they heard a noise at the door. A man walked in. Everything about him was familiar; his height, his build, his long, uniform-clad legs, his cotton fragrance.
Yan Huan’s clenched her fingers at her sides, her nails digging deep into her palms and leaving little crescent marks that nearly exposed her bones.
The pain made her calm.
The calmness made her stay.
She clenched her teeth, but couldn’t stop herself from shaking.
“Lu Yi…” a voice called out. But it wasn’t hers.
Sun Yuhan hastily steered herself towards her. In her panic, she stood up, but lost her balance and fell forward. Lu Yi supported her instinctively.
Sun Yuhan huddled up close to him, her eyes fearful and worried. What they didn’t notice was the slight smirk on her face.
Yan Huan stood still, looking at the man and woman.
She was calmer than what anyone could have expected, because no one knew where she was and what she had gone through in the past few months.
Sun Yuhan. The woman who was knocked down by Lin Shanshan. And the man who had the same blood type as her. To think she had given him her blood…
Who was this man anyway?
Lu Yi who had returned from the dead.
Heh… she wanted to cry, but laughed instead.
So they all lied. Every one of them.
She was abandoned and betrayed once again.
“Huanhuan…”
Yi Ling was getting very worried. Yan Huan’s drooping eyelids felt incredibly heavy. She turned to look at the embracing couple, a scene that made her regret her very existence.
If she had reborn just to get betrayed a second time, she would rather have died for real.
She looked up, breathing softly and slowly, trying her best to collect herself and keep her shattering heart in place.
“Huanhuan,” Yi Ling quickly stood up. “It’s not what you think it is.”
She grasped Yan Huan’s shoulders, but Yan Huan peeled her hand away. Her fingers were ice-cold.
“Lu Yi doesn’t remember the past anymore,” explained Yi Ling clumsily.
“He doesn’t remember?” Yan Huan’s finger twitched.
“If he doesn’t remember, how did he get here? How does he remember to take his laptop and go to work? Can a person who doesn’t remember anything find his own way home?” Can he? Can he? Can he? Somebody tell her, please.
