Chapter 165: Amnesia, Wiping Away the Pain
In her daze, Liang Xiaoluo found herself standing at the entrance of the hospital. Her feet felt as though they were weighed down by lead, refusing to move. Only when she heard Liang Hui calling out her name from a distance did she stir.
"Xiaoluo! Xiaoluo!"
Liang Hui ran toward her. Ever since the incident, he had been worried sick about his daughter. Seeing Yitianlin rushed back to the hospital earlier and noticing Hualin's mocking expression, Liang Hui suspected that Xiaoluo had suffered yet another grievance. Frantically, he had been searching for her ever since.
Hearing her father's calls, Xiaoluo mechanically turned to face him. Seeing his worried expression, she softly called out, "Dad."
"Xiaoluo, what happened? Why haven't you been answering your phone? Do you know how worried I've been?" Liang Hui's words were filled with both love and reproach for her brief disappearance.
Listening to her father's chatter, Xiaoluo's eyes stung with unshed tears. Before she could stop herself, she asked, "Dad, do you… only have me as your daughter?"
"What?" Liang Hui, caught off guard, asked her to repeat herself.
Taking a deep breath, Xiaoluo asked again, "Dad, is it possible… that you had another daughter?"
For a moment, Liang Hui froze. A strange expression crossed his face as he hesitated, clearly caught off guard.
"Xiaoluo!" A familiar voice interrupted them from afar.
Turning, Xiaoluo saw Xiluo jogging toward her, slightly out of breath.
"Xiluo?" she asked, surprised.
"I wanted to check on Yitianlin," Xiluo said casually, using the excuse he had come up with to justify his presence.
"Oh," Xiaoluo replied without much thought, accepting his explanation.
"Xiluo, could you look in on Yitianlin for us?" Liang Hui interjected. Relieved by Xiluo's timely arrival, Liang Hui seized the opportunity to evade Xiaoluo's difficult question. He lacked the courage to tell her the truth—that she once had an older sister who had tragically lost her life because of her.
"Of course," Xiluo agreed.
"Come on, Xiaoluo. Let's head home," Liang Hui said, taking her hand and gently pulling her away.
Xiaoluo glanced back at the hospital repeatedly as they walked away, reluctant to leave. Though deep down, she knew she wouldn't be able to see Yitianlin even if she stayed.
Watching their retreating figures, Xiluo sighed and murmured to himself, "Why must fate toy with two people so deeply in love?"
For the next few days, Xiaoluo would secretly visit a hidden corner of the hospital to observe Yitianlin's room. From bits of overheard conversations, she learned that he had regained consciousness and was expected to be discharged soon.
Relief washed over her at the news.
As long as he was awake and recovering, that was all that mattered.
Today, once again, Xiaoluo found herself at the hospital. She wanted to see him leave one last time, to confirm that he was truly fine.
Keeping her distance, she watched Yitianlin emerge from the hospital, surrounded by attendants. The moment she saw him, her breath hitched, and she nearly called out his name.
It was over.
She had seen him for the last time. Perhaps now she could find closure.
Just as she turned to leave, she accidentally collided with a running child. The impact sent the child tumbling to the ground, and the little one immediately burst into tears.
The loud cries drew the attention of everyone nearby, including Yitianlin.
Panic surged within Xiaoluo as she knelt to console the child. "Did you hurt yourself? Let me check, okay?" she asked gently.
But the child's wails only grew louder, breaking her heart.
Moments later, the child's parents rushed over. Seeing their child on the ground, they launched into accusations without waiting for an explanation.
"How could you be so careless? Are you blind? How dare you hurt a child like this!" the mother yelled.
Startled, Xiaoluo stammered, "I didn't… It was an accident…"
But the woman wouldn't listen. "Save it! I'll teach you a lesson, you shameless woman!"
Raising her hand, the mother prepared to slap Xiaoluo.
Xiaoluo instinctively shut her eyes, bracing herself for the blow.
But the expected pain never came.
After a long moment, Xiaoluo cautiously opened her eyes. A tall figure stood between her and the woman, gripping the mother's wrist firmly. Though she couldn't see his face, the familiar silhouette made her heart tremble.
"Get lost," Yitianlin ordered coldly, his voice sharp and commanding.
The woman, intimidated by his presence, stumbled back with her child and fled the scene.
Turning away from her, Yitianlin's gaze settled on Hualin, who had just arrived.
"Riner, what are you doing here? We need to leave," Hualin said sharply, rushing over.
Her expression froze the moment she spotted Xiaoluo sitting on the ground.
Yitianlin's eyes lingered on Hualin briefly before returning to Xiaoluo.
For several days, he had felt a strange, familiar presence lurking nearby. When he turned earlier and saw Xiaoluo for the first time, something within him stirred.
Meeting his gaze, Xiaoluo felt an inexplicable force urging her to move. Slowly, she steadied herself and rose to her feet.
Everyone present, including Hualin and the attendants, was stunned into silence.
The atmosphere grew tense as all eyes turned to Xiaoluo, knowing the taboo her presence represented.
"Yitianlin…" Xiaoluo's voice was surprisingly steady as she called his name, even though she had expected it to falter.
At the sound of her voice, Yitianlin's body stiffened slightly, and his expression shifted subtly.
Hualin's face darkened. The delicate web of lies she had carefully woven over the past few days could unravel with just Xiaoluo's presence.
A heavy silence fell over the group.
Xiaoluo's heart raced with hope. Was the warmth in his eyes a sign that he remembered her?
Yitianlin's sharp gaze hardened as he finally broke the silence. "Who are you?"
His voice was cold and indifferent, carrying the same impatience she remembered from their first meeting. Yet this time, it was laced with an unfamiliar detachment.
"You… still don't remember me, do you?" Xiaoluo said, forcing a smile that was more painful than tears.
Dropping her gaze, she whispered to herself, "Of course not. Why would he?"
Gathering her courage, she looked him in the eyes one last time. "I'm sorry for disturbing you."
Just as she turned to leave, Yitianlin reached out and grabbed her arm.
Though her face was unfamiliar to him, something deep inside told him he knew her.