Chen Shanyi felt as if her world had been completely turned upside down. Her legs seemed to lose all strength, and she staggered back a few steps. The chill in the air gradually seeped into her skin, freezing every thought in her mind. The man before her spoke words so unbelievable, as if her entire life had been nothing but a carefully orchestrated play, and she had been living within it, completely unaware.
"Say that again," she whispered, "You say I once loved you?"
Siska stood before her, silently gazing at her. His eyes held a profound tenderness, a tenderness that made Chen Shanyi's heart ache. She knew, he wasn't wrong. Every word he spoke seemed like a secret buried deep in her soul, gradually being awakened. Yet, she didn't want to face it.
"Not just loved you, Shanyi," Siska's voice was deep and firm, "You once swore to be with me forever, to walk through all the years together, until eternity."
Her heartbeat suddenly quickened, as if something in her mind was violently churning. She closed her eyes tightly, gripping her sleeves with both hands, trying to suppress the emotions that threatened to explode. A sensation, unlike anything she had ever felt before, surged through her like a wave, overwhelming her to the point where it was hard to breathe.
"But I don't remember," Chen Shanyi whispered almost pleadingly, "I don't remember you, Siska. What you're saying, I have no recollection of any of it."
She knew her reaction was too intense, too emotional, but she couldn't help it. She couldn't accept what was happening before her. She had always believed her life to be peaceful and normal, but at this moment, all those beliefs began to waver.
Siska's gaze remained unwavering. He looked at her, his eyes filled with unspoken pain. "You don't remember because you intentionally erased it all," his voice carried a hint of sorrow. "To protect yourself, to protect our love, you chose to forget."
Chen Shanyi's chest tightened again, her fingers trembling slightly. Though she didn't understand his words, there was an invisible force deep inside her that compelled her to believe what Siska said.
"I…" Her voice grew hoarse, as if something had lodged in her throat. "How could I forget you? If you were truly the one I loved, how could I forget you?"
"Because you had to forget," Siska's expression grew serious, his eyes flickering with an indescribable pain. "Some memories are too heavy, some loves are too dangerous. To protect you, I had to make that decision, to make you forget me completely, even the time we spent together."
Chen Shanyi weakly sat down on a bench by the street, her mind in turmoil. She tried to recall the seemingly insignificant details, but everything felt like a fleeting illusion in the mist, hard to grasp. She never imagined she would find herself trapped in such an unfathomable mystery. Her world was supposed to be simple—work, life, occasional worries. But the man before her made everything feel unreal.
"If what you're saying is true," she finally lifted her head and met Siska's gaze, her voice trembling, yet her eyes flashing with resolve, "Then why don't I remember anything? If it was truly you, why can't I recall even the slightest image of you?"
Siska didn't respond immediately. Instead, he walked up to her, crouching down in front of her. His gaze remained gentle, but there was a sorrow that couldn't be hidden. "Because that memory is too dangerous. It involves too much fate, too much power you can't even imagine."
He reached out and gently brushed through Chen Shanyi's hair, his touch as tender as if trying to soothe her inner fears. She trembled, and suddenly, Siska no longer felt like a stranger, but like something that had deeply rooted itself in the bottom of her heart. That sense of familiarity, though inexplicable by logic, was overwhelmingly real.
"Dangerous?" Chen Shanyi frowned slightly. "You're being mysterious. What exactly is this danger?"
Siska's gaze grew even deeper, as if contemplating how to explain. After a moment, he spoke softly, "The past you don't remember is part of a love that spans across centuries. And this love, entwined with countless vows and fates, even once altered the course of history."
Chen Shanyi couldn't help but furrow her brow. A love that spanned centuries? Wasn't that…
Her heart skipped a beat, and deep inside her, something stirred. She couldn't put it into words, but a force she could not resist seemed to be drawing closer to the depths of her soul.
"Are you saying… we once…" Her voice trailed off, "Crossed centuries and met again?"
Siska's eyes darkened, and there was an unmistakable pain in his expression. "Yes, Shanyi. Our love has already gone through several cycles across different timelines. Each time, we are separated, but each time, we try to reunite."
Chen Shanyi's breath quickened involuntarily, her emotions still in turmoil. She had never imagined that her life could be tied to a "love across centuries." She even began to wonder if she was dreaming a dream she could never wake up from.
"You're talking about something too far away." She finally took a deep breath, trying to calm her thoughts. "What should I believe? What is this story all about?"
Siska stood up and gazed at the distant starry sky, his expression as deep as the silent ocean. "You don't need to believe everything right now, Shanyi. You only need to remember this: Our love will eventually be continued."
He turned and walked into the deep night, leaving Chen Shanyi alone, standing under the dim streetlights, lost and helpless.
She stood there, letting the cold wind brush her cheek. Her heart churned like a turbulent ocean, unable to find peace. Her life was no longer as familiar as it once was. How should she face everything before her? Could she accept this love that transcended time and space, accept the past she had forgotten?
She couldn't answer, only waiting in deep confusion for the answer to come.