Chapter 6, Sweet Darkening

He reached out to take it, carefully flipping through it for a while, then looked at the crumpled piece of paper in his hand, which then fell onto her sleeping face, his fingers tightening slightly around the paper. An overwhelming flood of memories surged to the forefront of his mind, and he struggled with great effort to suppress them all. The clearer those memories became, the more intense the hatred grew. He did not wish to be bound by the events of the past, nor did he want to be controlled by her in matters of joy and sorrow.

He had been staring at that person's sleeping face for an entire night. No, perhaps he should not have brought her here from the very beginning. Regardless of whether she was pretending to have amnesia or any other situation, it had nothing to do with him. Did she feel fear in his presence? What did it matter to him? Was she thirsty or hungry? It was of no concern to him.

Upon hearing the sounds from the kitchen, Shang Hanzhi paused for a moment, then walked downstairs. The air was filled with the aroma of food. As he approached, he saw the woman skillfully cooking, placing the fried eggs and bacon onto a plate. Without any awareness of being in someone else's home, she opened his refrigerator, bending down to rummage through it.

Shang Han stared at the face and eyes on the screen, reminiscent of a director focusing on a close-up. A few rays of sunlight fell on his profile, and the slightly burning sensation from prolonged exposure brought him back to his senses. His neck and shoulders felt slightly sore, and he subtly furrowed his brows. He glanced at the watch on his wrist, then looked again at the bedroom that was now devoid of any figures. A trace of regret flashed in his eyes as he abruptly reached out to close the laptop and stood up to leave the study.

Zhong Li Jin stood in front of the mirror, inspecting her entire body. After confirming that her back was the area with the most scars, she put on her clothes with some frustration, wondering what she had done in the past to sustain so many injuries, leaving her otherwise fine body marred. How could she possibly show it to others in the future? Zhong Li Jin was taken aback, suddenly realizing why she would want to expose such a private part of herself to others. For whom would she do this?

The gaze of Shang Han suddenly flickered for a moment, he had once imagined such a scene, he had once... No, that was just in the past

When Shang Hanzhi saw her bend down, the wool sweater was pulled up, getting closer to the thigh area. He quickly turned his head away with a blank expression, adjusted his glasses, and maintained a serious demeanor

He has truly lost his mind

A fax machine on the bookshelf behind emitted a sound, and several sheets of drawings were transmitted. These are the results of Zhong Li Jin's brain and blood tests

A wave of inexplicable emotions surged within me, and then I realized what I was thinking. My face flushed, and I disregarded my still-damp hair, lifting the blanket and burrowing underneath it

Shang Han, feeling somewhat restless, curled his fingers and tapped on the table, thinking that Zhong Li Jin might be doing this on purpose. Perhaps she knew there were cameras inside? It was also possible that she was intentionally trying to divert his attention. He then raised his eyes and saw her delicate figure standing there, immediately averting his gaze. Two seconds later, he suddenly thought of something... With a slight furrow in his brow, he looked over again and lightly tapped the keyboard, enlarging the image of Zhong Li Jin's back on the screen... It was also possible that she was intentionally trying to divert his attention. He then raised his eyes and saw her delicate figure standing there, immediately averting his gaze. Two seconds later, he suddenly thought of something... With a slight furrow in his brow, he looked over again and lightly tapped the keyboard, enlarging the image of Zhong Li Jin's back on the screen...

Suddenly, a figure emerged in my mind: Shang Han, dressed in a white robe and wearing frameless glasses, elegant yet aloof, mysterious and enigmatic, exuding an air of superiority.

Such scenery, if not observed, is fine, but if magnified and viewed up close, it seems as if it is about to draw away a person's very soul

You have come down. He heard Zhongli Jin's somewhat joyful voice

Zhong Li Jin was startled awake by his attitude, recalling Shang Han's rejection and vigilance towards her, and remembering that she seemed to have done something that displeased him. She did not understand why she had forgotten; everything felt so natural. Holding the breakfast for both of them, she looked at him somewhat at a loss, "I am sorry"

Is it because life has not been good that he has returned again? He could not help but think this

With a gentle click of the mouse, her sleeping face fills the entire screen. Half of the blanket is bunched up in her embrace, covering the area below her nose, revealing only her closed eyes and elegantly arched eyebrows.

Zhong Li Jin did not find a new toothbrush in Shang Han Zhi's bedroom or bathroom, so she had to casually rinse her mouth a couple of times, wash her face, and tousle her hair before going out. After walking a few steps, she suddenly looked down at her feet and noticed that she was wearing a pair of large slippers. She wiggled her toes; these were Shang Han Zhi's shoes. Suddenly feeling very happy, she no longer had even a trace of the unease and fear she had felt when she first discovered her amnesia.

His expression was as cold as ice, "Zhongli Jin, leave." Depart from his sight, take your lies and falsehoods with you, and never appear before him again

However, these are not the main points

Shang Han stared at her, took a deep breath, and expressionlessly turned to walk towards the dining table, "Let's have breakfast."

Shang Hanzhi leaned against the back of the chair, her expressionless face rubbing her ears, her cold gaze fixed on her, and her thin lips pressed tightly together. She was not prone to scarring; on the contrary, she was someone who rarely left scars. So how many injuries and how frequently must she have been hurt for there to be any marks? It seems she was not living as well as he had imagined.

The sunlight filtered through the glass, casting a slanting glow on the brown floor. The pair of tightly closed eyes stirred slightly, their long and thick eyelashes fluttering gently. Gradually, they opened to reveal obsidian-like pupils, resembling a flower adorned with fresh dew slowly blooming in the morning, each petal delicate and glistening, captivatingly beautiful

After leaving him, she did not fare much better

Leave? No, regardless of her intentions, whether her amnesia is real or not, she will not be allowed to step out of here. He had told her not to appear before him; this is her own doing, her own doing!

Zhong Li Jin gazed at her reflection in the mirror, her skin glistening with a pearlescent sheen under the light. Her abdomen was flat, her waist slender, possessing all the necessary curves while lacking any excess. Truly, her body was as unabashedly sensual and fiery as her face. She hadn't paid much attention while bathing, but now, standing before the mirror, even she couldn't help but steal a few extra glances.

There is a scent in the bedding, faint yet discernible, somewhat cool and desolate, reminiscent of the smell of ice and snow. Zhong Li Jin rested her head on the pillow, clutching the quilt, and thought about this being Shang Han's bedroom, Shang Han's bed, Shang Han's clothes, and Shang Han's scent. The beautifully contoured peach blossom eyes involuntarily curved slightly, resembling two crescent moons, and after a while, she gradually fell asleep.

Unconsciously curling her lips, she shook her head and walked through the corridor, descended the stairs, and entered the kitchen with great enthusiasm

Realizing the impact on himself, Shang Hanzhi quickly walked into the bathroom of the study, took off his glasses, and washed his face vigorously. When he raised his head again, the elegant face in the mirror, covered with water droplets, appeared icy cold, like the stream in the mountain gorge exuding cold air in February. Putting on his glasses, which obscured his eyes, he still maintained that same refined indifference, as clear and cold as the stream yet dark and inscrutable.

Turning his head, he saw Zhong Li Jin holding a box of milk, smiling radiantly at him, as if they had not been apart for eight years, as if yesterday was not their reunion after eight years, with no gap, no trace of impurity, as pure as if they had never separated. The sunlight had no chance to enter the kitchen, yet at this moment, her smile was more dazzling and blinding than the sunlight outside the window

That kind of foolishness is sufficient after experiencing it twice

Zhong Li Jin moved closer to the mirror, turned around to face away from the reflective surface, and swept her hair forward. In doing so, she revealed her entire back, along with numerous faint scars on her back and arms. Zhong Li Jin reached back to touch them; the marks were too faint to feel any noticeable protrusions, which was a relief.