"Why can't you just fix my brain and bring back her memories?" I grumbled, feeling utterly dejected at having such a useless System.
The CT scan had shown the blood clot previously there had cleared now, I should be better. System had even been discreetly hurrying along my healing rate the best it could under surveillance.
"I have almost fixed you, inside and out, but only physically, remember what Dr. Li said, memory loss isn't only physical," System nagged, clearly annoyed at me blaming it, "I cannot make you remember what you subconsciously don't want to remember."
"Shit," I let my head bang against the cold window pane, whilst I continued to study the tiny ants below. The ward I was in was strictly for VIPs, with its very own private security. I wasn't allowed outside of these four walls yet; the two guards at the door would throw a fit each time I attempted to leave.
They had me confined until I was fully healed, both in the mind and in the body. In reality, it felt very much like a jail cell with each passing day. Although my body was healing at a fantastic rate, my mind was lagging.
"That's all on you," System continued to nag.
"Baby Yue," a shrill voice made me almost fall off my chair in fright. Too engrossed in my inner monologue I'd never even heard the door open.
A tall and lean person stood in the open doorway, accompanied by my therapist, Dr. Li.
I remembered the name of Wei Zhiyue's next of kin on her forms, "Su Meng?" I cautiously asked.
She glanced back at the shrewd Dr. Li, "I thought she lost her memory?" Then not giving her a chance to reply, she waltzed over to the notes that I apparently had no privacy over, giving them a quick glance before tossing them aside.
As I walked closer to her, she took a few short strides to make the distance between us nonexistent, then gathered me in a big embrace, "my baby Yue would never forget me."
My cheeks flushed in embarrassment. I was not her baby Yue, nor did I have a clue who she was. My eyes openly glared at Dr. Li for help.
"Why don't we sit down for some tea?" Dr. Li interjected. Su Meng let go of me. I wobbled towards the small round table and chairs, sinking into the seat. My heart sped erratically in my chest.
Su Meng sat opposite me, whilst Dr. Li went to make the tea at the small kitchenette each VIP ward had.
"Baby Yue do you really not remember me?" Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes, I felt an immense pressure to reassure her, but found myself unable to do so.
"I'm sorry," I bit my lip to stop my own tears from falling out, "I know only what they've told me."
"Ah," she sucked in her cheeks dejectedly, then clasped her hands in front of her on the table.
"I am Wei Zhiyue, twenty-two years old, no biological relatives, next of kin is you, Su Meng."
I listed all of the information I'd read so far.
Dr. Li set down the sweet milk tea in front of me, which made Su Meng frown, "she likes green tea."
No, no I do not. I wanted to protest, but Su Meng knew Wei Zhiyue, she probably did like green tea, but I was a sucker for milk tea.
"I, I like this now," I bashfully protested, grasping the warmth of the cup protectively.
Su Meng frowned but said no more.
"It will take time, Miss Su, for Miss Wei's memories to come back, for now, it's best just to let her figure things out for herself again," Dr. Li's tone was unusually soft, she tended to be more clinical in our one to one chats.
"I allowed you here today, to see if we could trigger her memory at all," she continued, sipping at her own black tea, "so why don't you tell Miss Wei the story of how you met."
I turned to Su Meng expectantly, eager to recall just something, anything from Zhiyue's life to help me adjust here. All I'd had so far were the personal novels the nurses had lent me to pass the time since I was on a technology ban. A lot of which were cringe-worthy romance novels.
"Okay," Su Meng's face looked pitiful as she hugged her own cup of tea.
"We were both seventeen and at the orphanage, you'd just lost your brother and you always kept to yourself, so when I came as a newbie they made me bunk with you to try and get you out of your shell…"
She went on for nearly an hour, sharing the sweet tale of two teenage girls against the world, finding their place in college, life, and society. Wei Zhiyue had a talent for singing and musical instruments, Su Meng was good at keeping Wei Zhiyue on top of her game and being organised.
So naturally, they auditioned and Wei Zhiyue made it through to Galaxy Entertainment. This part panicked me, as I had no idea how to sing or play instruments.
Su Meng was originally her assistant as she studied to become her agent and once graduated she took over the role.
"So… just how famous am I?" I glanced around the luxurious VIP room, this must have cost a pretty penny.
Su Meng bit her inner cheeks, hesitantly looking at Dr. Li who then nodded.
"Quite, you have a few million followers on social media, you even have your own fan club, of which I'm also in charge of," she puffed her chest all proud like a peacock, which I found adorable.
The now empty cup shook in my hands. A few million. How could she say that amount without batting an eye?
"D-do I have to continue working as a musician?" I did not want to. I did not want so many people watching me, realising that I was not Wei Zhiyue.
"Well…" she sighed, then fumbled in her cross-body bag to bring out a stack of papers, "this is your contract."
I took them quickly and began to scan through them. It was a five-year contract and three years old, which meant, I was still stuck under them for another two years.
"You're currently on leave, with health reasons and all," Su Meng took the papers from me to stash away, "there's no rush, I can negotiate something with my supervisor, don't worry." She patted my arm in an attempt to comfort me.
Again I felt trapped. Forced to squish into a box that could not hold me.
Is this what it would always be like? Entering a body and being forced to play like a bear at a circus until it ends?
"How are you feeling Miss Wei?" Dr. Li interjected.
"Trapped," I replied honestly.
"Baby Yue," Su Meng's voice was hoarse, as tears she had held back for so long finally streamed down her face.
"I'll, I'll be okay," I found myself reassuring her instead of being reassured.
"With your permission, I can help aide Miss Su in talking with your boss, figure something out?" Dr. Li offered.
I nodded, "please?"
"Miss Su if you wait outside, I'll join you in a few minutes," Dr. Li ushered the crying Su Meng to leave.
She wiped her tears with her sleeve and stood up. Nervous, she gave me a slight squeeze, then left, her head hung low. Her whole demeanor had turned opposite to the bright, bubbly young woman who had entered.
"Now, Miss Wei," Dr. Li turned in her seat to face me directly, "do you feel better now we have a plan in place?"
"A bit," if they could make the whole contract go away that would be better. However, I knew that would just be a pipe dream. What company would willingly want to get rid of a money-maker like Wei Zhiyue?
"Are you a bit overwhelmed right now?" She asked, not letting me go like a dog with his bone.
I nodded, unable to speak.
"Remember your five senses, touch, hear, sight, smell, and taste…"
I gripped the smooth wood of the table, listened to the faint ticking of the clock on the wall, then looked back to the empty cup in front of me, smelled the bleach from them recently cleaning the room, then lastly sucked in my cheeks, tasting the sweet aftertaste of my tea.
With a deep breath, I looked back up at her, "thank you."