"Ah Qian?" he asked, his tone gentle, tinged with a softness that Rong Qian failed to notice.
"Are you talking to me?" Rong Qian pointed at herself, uncertain.
His gaze grew even more perplexed. Rong Qian, setting aside her confusion, walked closer and asked directly, "Are you Wei Long?"
"What made you suddenly call me by that name?"
Hearing his response, Rong Qian pressed further, "Do you have another name?"
He tilted his head slightly, long lashes casting shadows over his narrow eyes, exuding an innocence that could disarm anyone. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Ah Qian, are you playing a new game with me?"
"What game?" Rong Qian was baffled but quickly regained her composure, glaring at him. "Stop dodging my questions. I'm asking you seriously!"
He chuckled softly, covering his lips with a hand as if suppressing his amusement. His gaze, full of indulgence, met hers. "You haven't changed a bit. Wei Long is my stage name. My real name is Shen Yi. Have you forgotten?"
"Shen Yi?" Rong Qian frowned, her curiosity piqued. "Which characters are those?"
Shen Yi, seeing her seriousness, though puzzled by her intent, humored her. He gently took her hand and traced the characters for "Shen Yi" in her palm.
His hands were flawless—long, slender fingers with neatly trimmed nails. Rong Qian almost got distracted by them. When he finished, she repeated the name under her breath, "Shen Yi."
A sudden thought struck her: was Wei Long's lack of presence in online records because he had always used his real name, Shen Yi?
As the realization dawned on her, her eyes widened. She yanked her hand back and instinctively stepped several paces away.
Now, she had two theories: either she was dreaming, or she was cursed. Pinching herself hard, she winced in pain. Not a dream. That means… I've gone mad!
"Great, just great! I've spent an entire night obsessing over a man and lost my mind over it…" Rong Qian covered her face, pacing in agitation, muttering to herself.
"Obsessing over a man?" Shen Yi raised a brow, his voice dropping an octave. "Who were you looking at?"
"You!" she snapped, exasperated. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm down.
Unbeknownst to her, the man across from her smirked at her outburst, his mood evidently lightened. He gazed at her warmly. "Ah Qian, what gift did you bring me this time?"
"Gift?" Rong Qian opened her eyes, perplexed.
Shen Yi sighed faintly, shaking his head with a mixture of amusement and resignation. Despite her puzzling behavior, his indulgent demeanor remained unwavering.
"It doesn't matter," he said, taking off a watch from his wrist. He gently fastened it onto hers, saying, "I've been meaning to give this to you. I wasn't sure when you'd come, so I kept wearing it. Now, it's finally back where it belongs."
The watch was exquisite—a rose gold case with a crocodile leather strap, its vintage design hinting at its value.
Its warmth against her skin surprised her. The lingering heat from his wrist contrasted with the coolness she expected.
Rong Qian stared at him, utterly baffled. She didn't even know him, yet he acted as if they were old acquaintances.
"Young Master… Oh? Miss Rong is here!"
A voice interrupted her thoughts. Rong Qian turned to see an elderly man with kind eyes entering the room, holding an antique camera. His formal suit and graceful demeanor added to his air of distinction.
"Fu Butler," Shen Yi greeted with a smile.
Rong Qian furrowed her brow. If this were merely a dream, she could explain Shen Yi's presence. But who was this butler, and where had he come from?
Standing there, she felt out of place, much like her first time abroad, where everything was unfamiliar. Now, just as then, she had the distinct feeling she didn't belong.
"Ah Qian, look at the camera," Shen Yi said suddenly.
Startled out of her reverie, Rong Qian looked up to see Fu Butler aiming the camera at them.
Glancing down, she realized she was now standing behind Shen Yi. Her outfit mirrored what she'd seen in the photograph. It hit her like a thunderbolt.
"This… this photograph! I've seen it before!" she exclaimed.
"Oh?" Shen Yi turned to her, his expression one of mild curiosity.
"I mean the photo of us together! It was right here, and I was standing exactly like this!" She crossed her arms, mimicking the pose she'd seen, with a playful, triumphant smirk.
Click!
The camera's flash was blinding. Rong Qian instinctively closed her eyes. When the light faded and she opened them again, she was back in her car.
Dazed, Rong Qian found herself seated behind the wheel, her hands no longer gripping it.
Ahead, she was rapidly approaching another vehicle. With a jolt of panic, she grabbed the steering wheel, swerving sharply to avoid a collision.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar car draw up beside her. Its window rolled down, revealing a man in sunglasses who gestured as if pointing a gun, signaling her to pull over.
Rong Qian's heart raced. What's going on? Isn't this the same scene before the crash? Why is it happening again?
When she ignored their demand, the other car rammed into hers just as before.
Though she had no idea how or why this was happening, Rong Qian knew one thing for certain: these people were provoking her again, and she wasn't having it.
Slamming on the accelerator, she sped off, weaving through traffic. This time, at the intersection, she turned the wheel sharply, narrowly avoiding the car that had T-boned her earlier.
The tires screeched violently as she skidded around the bend. Her deft maneuver sent the pursuing car into chaos, buying her enough time to escape.
By the time she reached the station, her nerves were frayed. She parked and exhaled deeply, closing her eyes to regain her composure.
Opening them, she glanced at her bag in the passenger seat and rummaged through it, searching for the old photograph.
It was gone.
Panic set in as she searched the car frantically, but the photo was nowhere to be found. Memories of what had just transpired flashed in her mind. What on earth is going on?
As she reached up to rub her temples, she felt the weight on her wrist. Looking down, her eyes widened in disbelief.
The watch—the very one Shen Yi had given her—was still there.
Rong Qian pinched herself again. Pain confirmed this was no dream.
Resting her forehead against the steering wheel, she muttered in exasperation, "Wei Long… Shen Yi… What the hell is happening?"