Chapter 2 Thank You

Jing Yue stared deeply at the woman for a very long time. He had long heard of this strange woman during university, and how she piqued many students' curiosity during her freshman years with the peculiar things that she had done out of the blue. Coincidentally, she had been his junior of three years during his studies there, and he had also encountered her a few times in the university library. Brushing past her in the library had also resulted in him having the impression she wasn't an ordinary woman like the others, but at that time, there had been no suitable chance for him to get to know her then. Eventually he graduated from the university in interior design, and later crossed paths with her during a conference where she was assisting another player in the architectural world. He learned that she was an assistant to the eccentric architect Jack Shi. 

The Architectural and Interior Design Conference went on for about five days. They had first made contact when they were both at the snacks' area of the hall in the hotel where the conference was held. He was holding a cup of cappuccino, and she just had a simple tea. He had introduced herself, and observed how her eyes brightened up excitedly as she mentioned how she had heard of him back during her freshman years in university. He possessed a cold demeanour, but he liked how her lips moved and how she fidgeted with strands of her long straight hair as she spoke. At that juncture, Jing Yue was willing to make an exception for her, and she would be the only woman who had access to his heart, all because he felt some familiarity with her, and later, when he found her, motionless and covered with blood at the roadside, he had a vision of himself clutching the lifeless body of a woman, obviously someone crucial to him.

"Xin Ran! Why?" he saw himself shout in his memory.

Her lips did not move, and there had been no answer.

It had been on the final day of the conference when the accident had occurred. He was on the way to the conference and had taken the exact road where she had fallen, and at that time, he knew what he had to do in order to save her life. His heart had ached tremendously when he had seen her body. He had never experienced this feeling in all his life.

He had called her Xin Ran in his memory, and yet, she was Tang Ying Xue!

After that, he had started dreaming about Xin Ran and how he appeared to be acquainted with her, and saw how he pushed her away when she confessed her feelings for him, and his heart ached for 'Xin Ran' every time, but yet, he kept pushing her away!

Surprisingly, this woman resembled Xin Ran so closely, and with every feature of hers, even the way she walked, definitely pointed out that she was Xin Ran, and the resemblance had been so uncanny! But the woman was Tang Ying Xue, not Xin Ran!

Why had he called out Xin Ran's name in his memory, and how did the events in his dreams come about? He had even searched every possible resource on the internet on a feasible explanation for this phenomenon, but his efforts were futile. The searches just pointed out to 'Rapid Eye Movement Sleep', and was highly suggestive that he had just imagined everything in his dreams by re-using images from his memory subconsciously, and this had made sense considering he had seen her in university before in the past!

But he had been yearning for her, in a way he had never known before. How could it be that he had known Ying Xue, as Xin Ran, but he had no memories of such a past with her, until the accident?

He cleared his throat and explained, "We were both heading to the conference at Bayview Hotel."

She shook her head. "I don't remember anything at all. The doctor mentioned I have amnesia."

A frown spread across his charming face. "You don't remember?"

They had shared a conversation about their choices of drinks during their first meeting. 

"Miss, I find it rather surprising you chose chamomile."

"What is it that people find appealing about coffees?" She cast him a sweet smile, and he inched closer to her, pressing her slightly against the wall with his taller body, "It's just that I feel like having something heavier for a boost in caffeine this morning, but I am also fond of the lighter drinks." She felt him breathe up her neck, and his masculine charm aroused her. Her heart was beating so hard that he could feel it.

Then he promptly released her, and they resumed their discussion. She revealed that she had come across a study that one's choice of beverages told a lot about his or her personality, and he inquired with an icy smile, "What if I liked coffee yesterday, and today, I decide that I like tea?"

She was speechless, but just smiled sheepishly at his question. Not long after, she heard someone greet him, and she excused herself to return to her seat.

He was dismayed that she no longer remembered him. He yearned to know her better, and now that she had amnesia, she wouldn't even recall their first meeting. But still, he was determined to make her recall the short memories that they had created together following their first meeting, and he would persevere to achieve that.

He had even taken her to dinner on the third day of the conference, when her car had failed to start and was found to be overheated! He had charmingly enticed her to accept the date, with the pretext that it was fate that brought them together!

For her to have nil memories of all their encounters, he perceived it hard to believe. 

"Mr. Jing, I wish to remember my past," she said. "Could you help me?"

He contemplated her request for a few minutes before saying to her, "How do you want me to help you regain your memories?"

"I am willing to try anything and everything," she said softly. "I really want...to remember."

He utilized all his strength to contain himself from taking her in a huge bear hug, and maintained his composure, "If you wish to remember, then that can likely be done. I will do what I can to help you."

She just smiled pleasantly. "Thank you, Mr. Jing."

He smiled back icily at her, but in his heart, he was relieved.