The next day, Luo Jingyi entered the small room and what assailed her nose was the scent of old coffee, sweat and cigarette smoke mixing together. The minute she sat on the empty chair, the locked facility gave her a claustrophobic sensation, desiring to flee in an instant. It reminded her of that small prison cell where she locked in her last life. It took that sheer determination to get over with the task that stopped her from bolting out the door. Jingyi heard footsteps echoing outside before the door opened and Dr. Chen Guozhi was ushered in by two prison guards. It's only been a day but he looked horrible. Gone are his well-polished up-do and squeaky clean face. There were scratches on his face and some red stains on his prison-issued clothing.
The moment Chen Guozhi saw her, he rushed to her side in anger. But the prison guards pulled him just in time.
"Sit!" A burly guard pushed him into the chair.
"You can leave us." Luo Jingyi signaled the two. The guards were reluctant to leave a dangerous man alone with the doctor but there were words from the top. Listen to Dr. Luo's orders. So after making sure he was bound to the chair by the chains, they left.
"How are you, Dr. Chen?"
The question made him want to spit blood. She was the one who sent him to prison. The moment he was arrested, his grandfather disowned him. None of his so-called friends wanted to help him. His prospects of getting out were next to zero.
"Why are you here?" He gnashed his teeth. He swore, if it wasn't the cold handcuffs confining his wrist, he's going to kill her.
Luo Jingyi crossed her arms and leaned on the chair. "You know why I'm here. Where did you bury her?"
Chen Guozhi smirked. "If I tell you, will you guarantee my release?"
Her eyes bored into him. She expected this. So she shook her head."No."
"Don't you want to know what I did to her body? Her body was so pure that I saved her for the last. She was screaming—calling her little sister's name—begging to be spared. But—"
The words pounded into her ears, that it triggered memories of past life and present. Rage consumed her and she found herself out of control. For the first time, Luo Jingyi lost her composure. She punched him in the face and a loud bang echoed across the room. The guards hurried inside and found Chen Guozhi down onto the floor.
Her eyes burned in anger as she looked at him. "Remember this, whatever pain you've given her, I'll return it to you a hundred folds."
"Take him."
The guards pulled him out of the room.
When she was alone, Luo Jingyi felt her knees weakened. There was that burning feeling in the throat. The feeling of wanting to vent out. She didn't know if it was the original body's emotions or it was her own regret that made her snap. Unable to pin it out, she squeezed her eyes shut and leaned on the wall to collect herself.
After some time, she left the place and walked on the avenue, feeling lost. Memories of the host played in her head. It all started thirteen years ago, Han Peng divorced Luo Xiaofei right after she was kicked out of the hospital board and was facing criminal charges. Han Mei and Han Jingyi were in their father's custody. One night, someone broke into the house and took the children, put them in the trunk and drove off. That's what the original body remembered last. The next time Jingyi woke up, it was in the hospital. Her father said, Han Mei was missing and the police were looking for her. After two years of searching, Han Peng stopped all the searches and she was declared dead. But Jingyi didn't want to give up so she hired an investigator. Eventually, there was a lead which she followed before she stumbled on a bigger plot that led to her demise. The original body wanted to find whoever killed her sister but she died before getting a closure.
The original body was very smart. However, she had a handicap. She was reckless in making decisions. When she came to this body, she promised to give the two sisters a closure. To let the people involved pay for their crimes. She can't kill them but she can let them rot in prison.
…..
It was evening by the time Luo Jingyi got home. She dumped the shopping bags on the sofa, feeling exhausted walking around. Somehow, shopping helped to calm her and made her forget what happened earlier in the day. After showering and changing into sleeping clothes, she went to bed. But after tossing and turning for an hour, she gave up.
In the end, she grabbed a bottle of wine, carried it to the window and poured herself a drink.
When the liquid entered her throat, it quenched the thirst she had been feeling. She reminded herself that tonight, she just wanted to enjoy the wine and sleep. She repeatedly chanted that she was not an alcoholic. In the past, there was a point in her life that she needed alcohol to lull her to sleep. Good thing, she woke up before it became an addiction.
That's why she likes being in the OR. It keeps her busy and won't give her much window to think of useless things.
She leaned on the glass and looked out.
"Living in this world would have been perfect if—" whatever she wanted to say was swallowed by the ringing of her phone.
Answering the call, a woman's voice filled her ears. "I hope you won't abandon me on my wedding day."
Jingyi's whole face lit up. Xu Wei was wrong about her not being close to anyone. There are a few people she trusts. That includes the woman on the other line. Her name is Eunice Lacroix. They became close after Eunice's mom saved her 8 years ago. Eunice was getting married in three days and she asked her to be her bridesmaid.
"I'll be there. Hello? We are in the same city." Jingyi rolled her eyes.
"Good. I thought you are going MIA on me."
MIA? Jingyi thought.
'Ah, missing in action.'
That is another thing about the present world.
"It was on my calendar." Jingyi reminded the woman.
"It probably was because I told your intern to mark it in." she spat.
"Even if you didn't, I would remember it. I miss Aunt too."
"Which aunt? Do you mean mom? I told you many times, it's mom."
Jingyi was quiet. She has reasons why she can't call her mom. But never dared to voice it out.
Hearing that the line went silent, Eunice sighed and asked her, "Are you bringing someone?"
"Do I need to?"
"You don't have to. But I got to remind you, mom has lined dates for you." Then a peal of crisp laughter followed.
Jingyi's nose crinkled. 'Again?' she thought.
"Well, you just have to bring someone if you didn't want to be pestered incessantly by mom. You know how hopeless romantic she is. At the same time, don't forget to give me a fat red packet. Okay? I gotta go. Don't be late! If you are, I'll never forgive you."
Like the wind, Eunice breezed in and blew.
Jingyi was left in a daze, wondering, does she really need a friend in this life?
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A/N: Her original name was Han Jingyi. However, 10 years ago she dropped Han and took her mother's last name. Hence, she is called Luo Jingyi.