After completing his workout, Jin Liwei decided to check on Xie Ming in the garden. He had expected her to be resting, given her recent hospital discharge. Spotting her clad in a thin dress, walking around aimlessly, despite the morning chill, he couldn't help but worry.
"This girl just got out of a coma and she's wandering around in the morning instead of resting. Is she trying to fall ill again?" He murmured, frustration evident on his face.
Even though it's summer, the morning breeze can give her a cold compared to her weak body.
As he stood there and observed her closely, he noticed a contrast between the Xie Ming of now and the one he remembered.
The current Xie Ming walked with a slow, elegant pace, her hands poised by her side. Her black hair cascaded down, partially covering her face.
The sight was so different from the Xie Ming he knew – a girl who was the very definition of clumsy, always bumping into things and tripping over her own feet, never caring about her surroundings. What had changed in her?
While walking around in the garden, the white dress flowed gracefully with her every step, making her appear ethereal. Her silhouette against the backdrop of blooming flowers and lush greenery made her seem like a mystical figure from a fairytale, drawing Jin Liwei's gaze even more.
His frown deepened when he noticed that she was wearing the same white dress as the night before during dinner. Hadn't she worn that dress as her nightwear? Why was she still wearing it after freshening up? Did she not have any other clothes, or was there some other reason she hadn't changed them yet?
Despite having a wardrobe full of dresses, most of which were still new and untouched, Xie Ming continued to wear the same white dress. Zhao Ming didn't want to wear any of Xie Ming's other clothes as they were too short and strange for her comfort.
She felt strange in those skin-exposing clothes. So she found a plain white dress in her wardrobe that was hidden away. She had initially planned to change out of this dress at night, but when she saw her night pajamas, her eyes widened in shock.
Xie Ming's night pajamas were a lace top with a satin shirt and shorts that barely covered her thighs, which were extremely short and uncomfortable for her to wear. As a result, she slept in the same white dress and wrapped herself in the blanket to sleep.
___
Driven by curiosity, Jin Liwei approached Xie Ming, who was lost in thought, walking with her head lowered. As he stopped behind her, she suddenly turned, colliding with his broad, muscular chest. Her balance wavered, prompting him to instinctively grasp her waist, pulling her closer to prevent a fall.
"Ah!" Xie Ming let out a surprised squeal at the sudden proximity leaving her eyes wide in astonishment. Overwhelmed, she stared at him, her expression a mix of confusion and surprise. Jin Liwei, equally surprised by their sudden closeness, couldn't help but notice the faint blush on her face and her slightly parted lips, which unintentionally drew him in as if hypnotizing him.
Regaining his composure, he abruptly released her, causing her to stagger before regaining her balance. Annoyed by his abrupt action, Xie Ming shot him a disapproving look.
Avoiding her gaze, Jin Liwei tried to clear his mind. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Isn't it obvious? I am taking a stroll," she retorted matter-of-factly.
Irritated, he retorted, "What I meant was, why are you still wandering around? Didn't I tell you earlier to not wander around in the garden for long? Weren't you just discharged from the hospital yesterday? Have you developed a fondness for hospital stays? Perhaps I should book a permanent room for you!" He commented.
Xie Ming rolled her eyes in exasperation. 'Why does he always intrude on my peace and then act as if I am the one clinging to him?' she pondered.
She clenched her palms into fists as she looked into his eyes, "Mr. Jin, you don't need to worry about me. You haven't cared about me in the past, so why are you showing interest in me now? I came out to get some fresh air only and was about to go inside," she said indifferently as she walked past him, leaving him behind in confusion at her changed attitude.
However, as she was leaving, she heard him say, "Why are you still wearing the same dress as yesterday? Don't you have other clothes? Or do you want people to think that Jin Liwei doesn't provide for his wife and makes her wear the same clothes every day?" He snorted in mockery.
He was also taken aback by his behavior. Their relationship wasn't one where he typically cared about what she wore or what she did. However, her changed demeanor piqued his curiosity, making him want to learn more about her and tease her. Because her amusing reactions only encouraged him to tease her further.
Xie Ming scoffed in disbelief and turned around, "What's your problem? If I wear short clothes, then you have a problem. If I wear the same clothes, then you have a problem. Is there anything with which you don't have any problem?" she snapped in irritation.
She took a deep breath and said calmly, "What I wear has nothing to do with you. I suggest you pretend like I am not here if you want us to stay peacefully in this house," she showed him a fake smile.
Jin Liwei was dumbfounded seeing her controlling her anger and smiling at him. Even though she was speaking sarcastically, there was a changed glint in her eyes, and her polite sarcastic remarks were very different from her usual crude and rude remarks.
There was something different about her demeanor.
Before he could say anything, Xie Ming spoke again, "And for your kind information, I don't want to wear this dress all the time either. But this was the only decent dress I could find in the wardrobe. That's why I wore this one."
"Now you got your answer?" she said in a domineering tone.
He glanced at her face, which was shining under the bright rays of the sun, making her skin glisten even more. "What about your previous clothes? I remembered you had dozens of clothes in your wardrobe," he questioned her.
"I don't want to wear them anymore. After losing my memories, those clothes feel foreign to me. I don't feel comfortable in them," she said with her eyes lowered in awkwardness. She didn't know if he would buy her excuse or not.
Jin Liwei looked at her and saw her hesitant eyes, but he didn't ask further. Instead, he told her, "Go to your room and get ready. We need to go out."
He walked past her without waiting for her to say anything further. "What does he want now?" Xie Ming looked at him in confusion and after regaining her senses, she followed him inside to get ready to go out.
___
Inside the car, Xie Ming was engrossed by the view outside the window. The towering buildings and cars whizzing by were a new experience for her. Even though she had seen these things when she rode in this strange carriage with Yu Mei, it felt like a new experience every time.
Every unique sight evoked wonderment. "Woah! This place is like a city of palaces!" she exclaimed. In her world, only the palaces and residences of royalty were this grand and extravagant. Even the wealthiest nobles and aristocrats could never build a residence taller than that of the royalty. Yet here, the skyline was dotted with structures rivaling, and even surpassing her world's royal estates.
It was a sight to behold.
Jin Liwei, engrossed in documents on his tablet, looked up, his eyebrows raised at her enthusiastic reactions to the towering buildings. He pondered, 'What on earth is she up to?'
'Do people act this peculiarly after a memory loss?' he mused.
___
When the car came to a halt, Xie Ming and Jin Liwei got out. As they stepped out of the car, Xie Ming gently brushed her dress and looked around to see where they had arrived. However, her eyes widened in shock as she spotted a massive building in front of her.
The building was so tall and enormous that she had to tilt her head back to take in its full height. "Wow! What place is this?"
Jin Liwei, who had been watching her reaction with amusement, let out a chuckle and replied, "Didn't you say you didn't have any clothes to wear? We're here to buy some. Now, don't just stand there; let's go inside. I don't have much time to spend shopping with you." He glanced at his watch and then started walking toward the entrance.
Xie Ming was left speechless as she continued to stare at the immense building. "Buying clothes here?"
She soon snapped out of her dazed state and followed him inside like a lost puppy. As they entered the mall, her eyes widened in wonder and astonishment at the sight before her. The mall was filled with elegant, colorful shops, and white mannequins were standing in front of some of the shops, which startled her at first.
The bustling atmosphere, the variety of shops, and the presence of mannequins were all completely new and foreign to her. She couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and excitement as she looked around. However, she tried to suppress her excitement and act as naturally as possible, sticking close to Jin Liwei like glue. She didn't want to draw too much attention to herself in this unfamiliar environment.