Chapter 96: What Is the Truth Behind the Hypnosis?

After finishing their meal, Lin Qingyou and Gu Xi were about to return to the company when someone suddenly called out to them.

“Qingyou…”

Turning around to see who it was, Lin Qingyou was slightly surprised.

It was none other than Leng Yifeng’s mother, Ruan Lan!

Although Ruan Lan was nearly fifty years old, she looked no more than thirty.

Her short hair was neatly trimmed, perfectly complementing her delicate features.

Short hair on middle-aged women often gives off a strong businesswoman vibe, but Ruan Lan was different.

Instead, her short hair added a unique charm to her.

She didn’t pursue luxury or extravagance but exuded elegance and refinement.

Her hairstyle was simple, yet her emerald-green jade earrings and the lustrous pearl necklace around her neck, paired with her sophisticated and graceful urban attire, made it clear that she had a meticulous sense of beauty and an unwavering pursuit of a high-quality life.

Every detail about her showcased her as a woman who took exceptional care of herself.

It was no exaggeration to say that Ruan Lan was the most well-maintained woman Lin Qingyou had ever seen.

She had even joked with Leng Yifeng before, “If your mom doesn’t age in a few years, people might mistake you for her brother instead of her son.”

That wasn’t flattery.

Ruan Lan truly knew how to take care of herself.

Her skin was flawless and youthful, making it impossible to believe she was almost fifty.

Even Lin Qingyou’s stunningly beautiful aunt, Xiao Xue, who was in her early forties, had started to show signs of aging. She had once said that if she didn’t dislike Leng Yifeng so much, she would have asked him to find out his mother’s beauty secrets.

“Lan Aunty, long time no see. You look even younger…”

Ruan Lan chuckled, “Your sweet words haven’t changed.”

“Aunty, did you come looking for me for something specific?”

Ruan Lan was a mysterious woman. If she didn’t want to be found, even her own son, Leng Yifeng, wouldn’t be able to track her down.

“I heard you and Yifeng had a fight? That there’s a conflict between you two?” Ruan Lan stared at Lin Qingyou. “Can you tell me why?”

“We didn’t fight. It’s just that since his leg has healed, it’s time for me to live my own life, isn’t it?”

Ruan Lan was sharp and immediately understood the underlying meaning in Lin Qingyou’s words. “Qingyou, if you’re upset because Yifeng didn’t tell you about his recovery right away, then let me apologize on his behalf.”

“I was the one who told him not to say anything. After his father passed away, life in the Leng family became difficult for us. His second uncle even took over the company. Back then, his uncle only let him go because he believed Yifeng was crippled and posed no threat.”

“Is that so?” Lin Qingyou’s beautiful eyes locked onto Ruan Lan.

That wasn’t important anymore.

Her gaze, however, held suspicion and doubt as she asked in a low voice, “Aunty, why did you hypnotize me back then?”

Ruan Lan froze.

She actually remembered?

Ruan Lan let out a soft sigh, her face showing a rare trace of tenderness. “Child, back then, you were in terrible condition. You were plagued by nightmares, constantly running a high fever, and utterly exhausted. Seeing you suffer like that, your father was beside himself with worry. So, after discussing it, we decided to hypnotize you.”

But Lin Qingyou wasn’t satisfied with this answer. She continued pressing, “Then why did you change my memories of Yin Hanyu into memories of Leng Yifeng?”

Ruan Lan hesitated for a brief moment.

She really remembered… but how much did she remember?

Regaining her composure, Ruan Lan explained, “Actually, when I tried to hypnotize you, I encountered some difficulties.”

“What difficulties?”

“You were strongly resistant. Your mind was filled with memories of your mother and Yin Hanyu… So the hypnosis process was extremely challenging. Just when things were at a standstill, Yifeng suddenly barged in from outside.”

“Perhaps it was this sudden disruption that caused a slight accident during the hypnosis…”

Ruan Lan’s explanation was flawless, leaving no room for suspicion.

Yet, Lin Qingyou furrowed her brows even deeper, as if trying to piece together a puzzle.

“So, because Leng Yifeng suddenly appeared, I mistakenly associated my memories of Yin Hanyu with him?”

Ruan Lan’s expression remained calm as she nodded slightly in confirmation.

But Lin Qingyou’s doubts only grew stronger.

Could the truth behind the hypnosis really be that simple?

Was it truly just an accident, as Ruan Lan claimed?

She couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.

She had indeed liked Yin Hanyu a lot, but what child didn’t love their mother the most?

Naturally, the person she had loved the most was her own mother.

So why could she vaguely recall memories with Yin Hanyu…

But when it came to her mother, her mind was completely blank?

The only things she knew about her mother were what her aunt had told her.

“Then, Aunty, can you undo the hypnosis?” Lin Qingyou asked. “I’m an adult now. I can handle my memories. I don’t want them to remain incomplete.”

“I can’t,” Ruan Lan responded indifferently.

“Why not?” Lin Qingyou pressed.

“Because hypnosis cannot be undone.”

“Cannot be undone?” Lin Qingyou was shocked.

“Have you remembered something?” Ruan Lan stared intently at her, not missing a single expression.

“I remember some childhood memories,” Lin Qingyou admitted. “Like going to school with Yin Hanyu… but the more I try to recall his face, the more it blurs… Until, in the end, it turns into Leng Yifeng’s face.”

“And your mother?”

“My mother?” Lin Qingyou shook her head in confusion. “Almost nothing…”

“I can even remember small details about Yin Hanyu’s mother, like her braiding my hair… But I can’t remember anything about my own mother.”

“Why is that?” Lin Qingyou lifted her gaze and stared at Ruan Lan.

Ruan Lan seemed to relax slightly. “It’s simple. The more you care about someone, the harder it is to remember them—because that was the source of your deepest pain.”

“But she was my mother,” Lin Qingyou asked anxiously. “Why would my mother cause me so much pain?”

“It was your mother’s death that caused you unbearable pain…”

“My mother’s… death?” Lin Qingyou froze.

In her memories, her father had told her that her mother died in a car accident.

But how she died, she had no recollection at all.

Her father had said that she had witnessed the accident firsthand, that she had seen her mother’s tragic death, and that the trauma had caused her to suffer from endless nightmares.

But she only remembered being told this.

She had no actual memory of the accident itself.

“Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. It’s all in the past…” Ruan Lan handed Lin Qingyou an invitation. “Three days from now is my birthday. I’m hosting a charity gala for the occasion. I hope you’ll come.”

Lin Qingyou accepted the invitation.

But her hands trembled uncontrollably.

It was happening again.

In her previous life, this very banquet had pushed her straight into the depths of hell…