Chen Shanyi stood before the ancient stone house, her heart a turmoil of emotions. She tightly gripped Siska's hand, as if this hand could offer her some comfort, could rescue her from the endless questions and pain. Yet, standing in front of the home that once belonged to them, her heart was filled with a mix of emotions—familiar warmth and deep fear.
Siska gently pushed open the weathered wooden door, which creaked with a low groan. Inside, the air was damp and stale, but not suffocating. Instead, the warm, earthy scent brought a sense of calm. She raised her head and looked through the broken window, gazing at the valley outside, shrouded in green vines, as if entering a world untouched by time.
The interior was simple, with a few faded paintings hanging on the walls, books scattered across the table, and an old wooden chair in the corner, looking as if it hadn't been used in years. The most striking feature was the fireplace on one side of the room. Though the fire had long since died, the large mirror above it still reflected faint light, casting a soft glow across the room.
Siska walked to the fireplace, turned around, and looked at her with a serious expression. "Are you ready? Some of these memories may cause you pain, but they are something you must face."
Chen Shanyi took a deep breath and nodded, her heartbeat accelerating. A series of fragmented images flashed in her mind—blurry faces, faint voices—everything seemed to be sealed away in a distant corner. She forced herself to calm down and walked toward Siska, silently awaiting his guidance.
Siska picked up a thick book from beside the fireplace, opened the first page, and slowly said, "This book is the testimony of you and me. Every page records our past, the memories you have lost."
Chen Shanyi took the book, her fingertips brushing against the yellowed pages, feeling the weight of the history contained within. She turned to the first page and saw a line of words: "Siska and Shanyi, an eternal vow."
She involuntarily stopped turning the pages, her heart skipping a beat, as though something deep within her stirred. "Eternal vow?" she murmured these words softly, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity. "What does this mean?"
Siska walked to her side, lowered his head, and gazed at her. "That was the promise between us. In the beginning, we were strangers to each other, but in that moment, we made a vow to never part. I know you still remember some things, but those memories are too painful; perhaps you don't want to face them."
Chen Shanyi's eyes began to well up. She had heard Siska mention the word "vow" before, but she had never truly understood its meaning. Now, as he spoke, an indescribable emotion surged within her—a feeling of loss, a love eroded by time.
Suddenly, a sharp pain struck her head, and the images before her twisted. She saw herself and Siska standing on the peak of a mountain, surrounded by vast, desolate scenery, with the wind howling, bringing a chill. They gazed at each other, their lips moving as if whispering a vow, and in her heart, she felt a deep sense of dependence and trust.
But then, the scene darkened, and a harsh sound echoed. She suddenly lost the strength to stand, her body falling backward.
"Shanyi!"
It was Siska's voice, ringing in her ears. She saw him desperately reaching out, trying to catch her, but it was too late. Her vision blurred, and the scene before her disappeared, replaced by nothingness.
Chen Shanyi suddenly opened her eyes, finding herself sitting on the floor of the stone house, still clutching the book in her hands. Her heart raced violently, and beads of cold sweat formed on her forehead. Her fingers unconsciously stroked the pages, but the pain that surged from deep within her memories made it impossible to find peace.
"Are you... okay?" Siska asked softly, his voice carrying a hint of barely noticeable concern.
Chen Shanyi looked up at him, confusion and bewilderment in her eyes. "What... what did I just see?" she murmured, the pain in her heart deepening, as if the fragments of her memory were scattered in a way she could not piece together.
Siska knelt beside her, gently holding her hand. "Those are the memories you lost—a painful past. You once walked through those years with me, but for some reason, those memories were erased. Now, what you must do is not escape, but face them with courage."
A trace of hesitation crossed Chen Shanyi's eyes. She lowered her head and looked at her hands—those hands that had once promised to spend a lifetime with Siska—now feeling so unfamiliar. Her heart was in turmoil, but she knew she could no longer run away.
"How do I face all of this?" she whispered, her eyes filled with a profound sense of helplessness.
Siska gazed at her, his expression firm. "You don't have to face it alone. I will be with you, until you regain that memory that belongs to you."
A warm feeling began to stir within Chen Shanyi's heart. Though she still felt lost, at least in this moment, she knew she was not alone.