BDB Chapter 57

That night, the farewell party lacked its host but was lively and bustling throughout the entire evening.

That night, a certain ancient castle halfway up the mountain in City A, which had been uninhabited for half a year, was once again brightly lit throughout the dark night.

When the first light of dawn appeared, the Buddhist monk and Taoist priest, who had been well taken care of in a five-star hotel for nearly half a month, emerged from a room in the ancient castle.

The Buddhist monk had just chanted an “Amitabha” when he was interrupted by the Taoist priest next to him. “President Li, the ritual was very successful. Miss Jiang no longer remembers those past events.”

Seeing the Taoist priest’s confident expression, the sternness in Li Jueyan’s eyes gradually faded.

He was eager to see the person in the room and didn’t notice the complexity in the Buddhist monk’s gaze as he looked at the Taoist priest.

After he hurriedly left, the Buddhist monk’s customary “Amitabha” had not yet been uttered again when the Taoist priest spoke first. “Monks do not lie. Brother, tell me, do you still want to stay here?”

The Buddhist monk quickly shook his head.

Monks should not dwell on worldly matters.

But times had changed, and thoughts had evolved.

The free and colorful world outside was far better than the oppressive, isolated ancient castle with its surrounding bodyguards.

“But…”

He was about to speak when the Taoist priest clapped him on the shoulder. “There’s no ‘but.’ Miss Jiang indeed no longer remembers those past events, right?”

Right?

Yes.

But while memories might be sealed, they were also extremely easy to untie!

Eventually, the Buddhist monk and the Taoist priest left the ancient castle.

It wasn’t that the Taoist priest had great strength, nor was it that the Taoist priest had persuaded the Buddhist monk.

It was because even the most powerful person has their own vulnerabilities.

The Master didn’t dare let the Madam know of their presence, so they had to leave. Along with them, the original maids and butler of the ancient castle also departed.

Before long, the large ancient castle occupying most of the mountainside was left with only two people.

At that time, the sun had just begun to rise, only half of it visible above the horizon. The morning light, combined with the overlapping mountains and mist, was indescribably enchanting. However, inside the bedroom, the man’s gaze was focused solely on the bed, his expression unable to conceal his anxiety.

After watching for a long time, his eyes grew tired. He rubbed his forehead, and when he looked up again, he found himself meeting a pair of bewildered eyes.

He felt a bit flustered and heard her say, “Who are you?”

Li Jueyan was stunned for a few seconds. “Have you forgotten me?”

Jiang Rao’s beautifully shaped brows furrowed.

She seemed to be thinking and remained silent for a while.

After some time, she tapped her head with her hand and looked at him with a hint of confusion. “Who am I…?”

Her voice was soft but not forced, and her expression was not fake.

Li Jueyan’s eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at her. Just as he was about to be unsettled by her unblinking gaze, he suddenly burst into hearty laughter.

“Hello.” He extended a hand. “I am your husband.”

Jiang Rao was stunned, her face turning bright red almost instantly.

She wanted to retort, but facing his determined gaze, she couldn’t find the words to argue.

Yet, every woman has her own intuition. Somehow, she felt that the situation might not be as it seemed, so after some thought, she couldn’t help but ask, “Are we married?”

“No, but if you want to get married, I can take you to the civil affairs bureau at any time. If you want a wedding, I can arrange everything, including the wedding dress, invitations, banquet, and guests, all ready by the next day at the latest.”

Jiang Rao was stunned.

But when she looked around the room and caught a glimpse of the scenery outside through the window, she felt that everything he said was not just bragging.

This man seemed capable of making all of it a reality.

“So, am I your girlfriend?” she asked.

“Fiancée.”

“Really?”

Really!

Even in dreams, it was all about you.

In this life, the next, and any future life… as long as I am alive, the only person I want to live with is you.

Li Jueyan almost spoke without thinking, but her amnesia felt like an opportunity to start over, breaking everything and allowing them a fresh start.

From now on, there would be no dramatic substitute marriages, no chasing and resisting scenarios.

There would be no tormenting experiences like those in nightmares.

He was just a new him.

She didn’t like him cursing, didn’t like him threatening people, didn’t like him using crude ways to flirt with her…

So he couldn’t touch those things.

After pressing his lips together, he looked into her eyes and said, “Everyone around knows I love you. Don’t you believe it? Or have you decided that after losing your memory, you don’t love me anymore and want to cut ties?”

Jiang Rao had never seen a man speak such straightforward love words.

Even if she had, she had lost the memory of it.

While personality is innate, much of one’s character is shaped by external influences during growth.

Now she was as innocent as a blank slate, and upon hearing his words, her face turned even redder. But whether in a past life or this one, she had always been a kind person.

So, after Li Jueyan finished speaking, she hurriedly said, “No… not at all.”

If they had truly been a couple before her memory loss, and she had forgotten him afterward, how heartbroken he would be.

“Do you still love me?”

Jiang Rao was almost mortified. But the man seemed determined to get an answer, even raising his voice with a questioning “Hmm.”

Li Jueyan had never seen her so embarrassed.

She had always been direct with him, as if she was constantly weighing and considering something. His advances seemed futile, and although he could sometimes feel her heart wavering, she could easily crush his sincerity with a single moment of hesitation.

But this time was different. He sensed that she was just shy, not avoiding him, so he continued to ask, “Hmm, hmm, hmm,” until she finally gave a slight nod.

Li Jueyan almost went crazy with joy.

Yet, he was also adept at pretending, knowing that showing his true emotions might scare her. So he leaned forward and embraced her. “I know you don’t remember anything right now and have forgotten me. It’s okay. Just fall in love with me again. Without memories, I’ll help you create new ones.” However, some emotions were hard to control, and words often betrayed him in moments of passion. “Jiang Rao, I love you. Whether you love me or not, I will only love you.”

After he spoke, he realized what he had just said.

As he stiffened and was about to pull away, he suddenly felt her hands, which had only lightly rested on him before, now tightly holding him.

Then he heard her say, “Don’t be sad. I’ll try to remember you quickly, and I’ll fall in love with you again as soon as possible.”

Afterward, she asked, “What’s your name?”

Li Jueyan’s stiffness was broken by her question.

His girl was surprisingly naive, daring to give him such a guarantee without even knowing his name.

He smiled gently. “My name is Li Jueyan.”

Silly girl, you don’t need to remember me quickly.

But please love me.

I will cherish you and protect you.

And love you forever.

——