Chapter 43

The two looked at each other in silence, and the living room fell quiet.

Xu Zhilu stared at Shen Siyan for a long time, unsure of what to say or how to respond.

As she thought about everything, she found herself at a loss for how to face him.

Sensing her discomfort, Shen Siyan pursed his lips and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing.”

Xu Zhilu lowered her eyes. “I don’t know what you’re thinking.”

Shen Siyan: “…”

He reached out and ruffled her hair again. “Then—”

“We’ll talk about the rest later.”

Xu Zhilu looked at him seriously. “I need to think about this carefully.”

Shen Siyan didn’t press her, and nodded.

“Are you hungry?”

He asked quietly.

Xu Zhilu looked at him in surprise.

Shen Siyan smiled suddenly. “Not hungry?” He raised his chin. “It’s quite late now. Are you sure you don’t want to eat something?”

Xu Zhilu checked the time and realized it was already lunchtime.

She nodded. “Order takeout. I don’t want to go out.”

“Okay.”

Shen Siyan didn’t refuse, took out his phone, and began ordering takeout.

“What do you want to eat?”

“Anything is fine.” Xu Zhilu really had no appetite at the moment and didn’t want to eat anything.

The reason she agreed to order was that she was a bit hungry.

Shen Siyan looked at her and ordered some of her favorite foods. After placing the order, he looked around and asked, “Did you sleep on the sofa last night?”

“Yes.”

Hearing this, Shen Siyan looked at her disapprovingly but didn’t say anything.

He sighed helplessly. “Okay.”

Xu Zhilu said nothing.

Shen Siyan thought for a moment and whispered, “Shall we go to the supermarket later?”

“Sure.”

They each sat on one side of the sofa.

Xu Zhilu stared at her phone, thought for a while, and sent a string of ellipses to Xin An’an.

Xin An’an: ?

Xu Zhilu: .

Xin An’an: Did Shen Siyan confess his love to you?

Xu Zhilu: …No.

Xin An’an: Then why are you like this?

Xu Zhilu looked at the message and didn’t know how to explain.

Why was she like this? Should she admit that what she now knew was even more frightening than Shen Siyan’s confession?

Xu Zhilu felt a headache.

She hadn’t anticipated this. Being reborn alone was already frightening enough, but to be reborn together with Shen Siyan and tragically lose part of her memory was overwhelming.

Xu Zhilu didn’t know why she had lost her memory.

She had read that people might choose to forget memories because they want to cherish them differently or because they don’t want to remember them.

Which was her case?

She wasn’t sure.

She glanced at Shen Siyan sitting quietly next to her, and many different images emerged in her mind.

There were scenes from when she first woke up in the hospital and Shen Siyan smiled at her, and moments after she was discharged when Shen Siyan pursued her and accompanied her in doing mundane things every day… and there were also memories of him proposing to her.

Many scenes played in her mind, like memories from old age.

Xu Zhilu didn’t know why she felt this way, but it was real.

She tried to erase those images from her mind, but it was impossible.

Once she thought of them, those images seemed to stay there and could never be driven away.

She was lost in thought, not even knowing what she was thinking.

It was a long time before she came to her senses when the doorbell rang.

“It should be the takeout.”

Xu Zhilu saw Shen Siyan get up and walk to the door.

After a while, he returned with the takeout.

Xu Zhilu glanced at the food and asked in surprise, “Why did you order so much?”

Shen Siyan tilted his head to look at her. “I just ordered what I thought you might want. I didn’t know what you’d prefer.”

Xu Zhilu was speechless.

She said “Oh” and sat down.

The two ate in silence, neither speaking.

Xu Zhilu ate absentmindedly, seeming distracted.

Shen Siyan didn’t rush her and just stayed by her side.

After they finished eating, Shen Siyan looked at her and asked, “Do you want to rest?”

Xu Zhilu glanced at the sunlight outside and frowned. “Forget it. Let’s go to the supermarket early and come back early. It’s too hot.”

Shen Siyan nodded. “Okay.”

_

The two of them packed up and went out.

The location of their house was quite convenient. There was a large supermarket nearby, and various shopping malls were further ahead.

Xu Zhilu needed to buy some daily necessities. After checking if they could be delivered, she bought everything she needed without hesitation.

They collected all the daily necessities and completed the shopping.

After paying, Shen Siyan moved forward.

Xu Zhilu quickly pulled him back. “What are you doing?”

Shen Siyan looked down at her. “I’m paying.”

“I can do it myself.” Xu Zhilu was a bit puzzled. “I don’t need your help.”

Shen Siyan paused, looked at her, and asked, “Lost your memory again?”

“?”

Xu Zhilu looked at him in confusion.

Shen Siyan said calmly, “Based on our previous relationship, it’s reasonable for me to pay.”

Xu Zhilu: “…”

“But we’re not like that now.”

Shen Siyan didn’t listen to her at all and said confidently, “It will happen sooner or later.”

“…”

Xu Zhilu didn’t know what to think and rarely refuted him.

Judging by the situation, it seemed there was really nothing to argue about.

After paying the bill, Xu Zhilu glanced at the total amount.

“I’ll treat you to dinner tonight.”

Shen Siyan was amused and turned to look at her. “What’s going on with you?”

“What?”

Shen Siyan took the small item from her hand and said clearly, “Paying me back?”

Xu Zhilu looked at him. “You ask even though you already know the answer.”

Shen Siyan smiled. “I am, but aren’t you doing this in vain?”

“…”

Xu Zhilu glared at him.

Shen Siyan smiled silently. “Okay, no need to be so polite. I’m not a stranger.”

Xu Zhilu found that Shen Siyan had said everything she wanted to say, leaving her no room for rebuttal.

She was quiet for a few seconds and could only follow him forward.

After arriving home, Xu Zhilu unpacked the items she had bought.

Soon, all the deliveries from the supermarket arrived.

The two of them weren’t in a hurry and packed slowly. Xu Zhilu noticed that Shen Siyan had a good temperament.

While she sometimes lost her patience during housework, Shen Siyan remained calm, as if nothing could affect his mood.