It wasn't the familiar lavender detergent her mother always used, nor the faint aroma of books that lingered in her bedroom. Instead, the air carried the clean fragrance of fresh linen mixed with sunlight streaming through half-open curtains.

She slowly opened her eyes.

A white ceiling greeted her.

She blinked once.

Twice.

"Where... am I?"

Her voice came out as a whisper.

She pushed herself upright, feeling a dull ache behind her eyes. The room was beautiful—far too beautiful to be hers. Cream-colored walls, neatly arranged bookshelves, a large desk beside a floor-to-ceiling window, and a wardrobe that looked more expensive than everything she owned combined.

"This isn't my room..."

Her heart began to race.

She threw off the blanket and hurried to the mirror hanging beside the wardrobe.

The girl staring back at her was... her.

Long black hair.

Clear brown eyes.

Fair skin.

Everything looked the same.

"I'm still me."

A sigh escaped her lips before another wave of confusion crashed over her.

"If I'm me... then why don't I recognize this place?"

She searched every corner of the room, hoping to find something familiar.

Nothing.

On the bedside table lay a smartphone.

The screen lit up the moment she picked it up.

Monday, September 7.

7:02 A.M.

The wallpaper displayed a picture of herself smiling with several classmates.

She frowned.

"I... don't remember taking this."

Her thumb hesitated before unlocking the phone.

It opened effortlessly.

Hundreds of messages flooded the screen.

A class group.

Several private chats.

Photos.

Homework reminders.

Inside jokes.

Everything suggested she had been living this life for months.

Yet none of it existed in her memory.

A chill ran down her spine.

"...Did I lose my memory?"

She quickly searched for her identification.

Inside the school bag resting beside the desk was a student ID.

Qingshan High School

Name: Bai Chuxue (白初雪)

Class: Grade 11, Class 2

She stared at the card.

"My name..."

That was correct.

Her birthday.

Correct.

Everything was hers.

Except...

She couldn't remember attending this school.

She couldn't remember making any of these friends.

She couldn't even remember moving into this room.

A knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Chuxue?"

A gentle woman's voice came from outside.

"Breakfast is ready."

Mother?

The voice sounded warm.

Familiar.

But...

She couldn't remember it.

Her chest tightened.

She opened the bedroom door.

Standing outside was an elegant woman wearing a pale blue sweater.

The woman smiled softly.

"You finally woke up. Were you studying too late again?"

Bai Chuxue froze.

Her lips parted.

"...Mom?"

The woman laughed.

"Why are you looking at me like you've seen a ghost?"

Ghost.

That wasn't the right word.

She looked exactly like the woman in the family photos hanging along the hallway.

But Bai Chuxue couldn't remember any of those memories.

"I..."

Her head suddenly throbbed.

Broken images flashed before her eyes.

Rain.

A school gate.

Someone calling her name.

A boy standing beneath a black umbrella.

Then...

Darkness.

The pain disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Are you alright?" the woman asked, concern replacing her smile.

"I'm... fine."

She wasn't.

Not even close.

Breakfast felt strangely normal.

Her father quietly read the morning newspaper.

Her younger brother complained about mathematics homework.

Everyone acted as though this was an ordinary Monday.

Only Bai Chuxue felt like an actress forced onto a stage without a script.

She carefully copied what everyone else did.

She smiled.

Answered simple questions.

Avoided saying too much.

No one noticed.

Or perhaps...

No one expected anything unusual.

After breakfast, she picked up her school bag.

"I'll go now."

"Study hard," her father said.

Her mother smiled.

"And don't forget today's student council meeting."

Student council?

She nearly stopped walking.

Instead, she nodded.

"...Okay."

Outside, the autumn breeze brushed against her face.

The streets were lively with students wearing identical school uniforms.

Everything felt both familiar and unfamiliar.

She somehow knew the route to school.

Her feet walked automatically.

Like her body remembered even if her mind didn't.

Within fifteen minutes, she arrived before the large iron gates.

Qingshan High School.

Students laughed.

Teachers greeted one another.

The campus buzzed with life.

Yet Bai Chuxue felt completely alone.

A girl suddenly wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Morning, Chuxue!"

She nearly jumped.

The cheerful girl laughed.

"You look like you didn't sleep."

"I..."

The girl's name appeared automatically inside Bai Chuxue's mind.

Li Yiran.

How strange.

She knew the name.

But not the memories attached to it.

"You forgot our English homework again, didn't you?" Li Yiran teased.

Bai Chuxue forced a smile.

"Maybe."

The answer seemed acceptable because Li Yiran simply giggled.

"You've been acting weird since Friday."

Friday...

What happened on Friday?

No matter how hard she searched her mind...

Nothing.

Inside Class 2, students chatted noisily before the first lesson.

The classroom felt warm.

Lively.

Comfortable.

Except she couldn't remember any of them.

She quietly sat near the window.

Apparently...

That was her seat.

Books already waited neatly on the desk.

Her handwriting filled every notebook.

Even the unfinished homework looked undeniably hers.

She traced the familiar penmanship with trembling fingers.

"I wrote this..."

So why couldn't she remember writing it?

The classroom suddenly became silent.

Someone had entered.

Girls immediately whispered.

Several students sat straighter.

Even Li Yiran smiled knowingly.

"He came."

Bai Chuxue looked toward the doorway.

A tall boy stepped inside.

His uniform was perfectly pressed.

Black hair.

Sharp eyes.

Calm expression.

Everything about him radiated quiet confidence.

He walked past everyone without speaking.

Yet every student seemed aware of him.

He stopped beside her desk.

For the first time...

His usually unreadable expression shifted.

Confusion flickered across his face.

"...Bai Chuxue?"

She looked up.

Something inside her heart skipped.

Not because she recognized him.

Because...

She felt as though she should.

His deep eyes searched hers.

"You look pale."

She stared silently.

Who was he?

Why did everyone suddenly look between the two of them?

Li Yiran covered her smile with a notebook.

"Don't tell me you two argued again."

Again?

Bai Chuxue's pulse quickened.

The boy sighed quietly before placing a carton of strawberry milk on her desk.

"You skipped breakfast yesterday."

His voice was calm.

Gentle.

"I thought you'd do it again."

Yesterday?

But...

She couldn't remember yesterday.

She couldn't remember him.

She couldn't remember anything.

"...Thank you," she answered carefully.

For a brief moment, surprise crossed his face.

Almost as if she'd said something unexpected.

He gave a small nod before walking to the seat directly behind hers.

Li Yiran leaned close.

"Seriously?"

"What?"

"You two made up already?"

Made up?

Bai Chuxue blinked.

"What do you mean?"

Li Yiran laughed.

"Very funny."

No.

It wasn't funny.

Because Bai Chuxue genuinely didn't know.

She discreetly glanced backward.

The boy had already opened a textbook.

His expression was as unreadable as before.

The name embroidered on his school blazer caught her attention.

傅景深

Fu Jingshen.

For some reason...

The moment she read his name, another fragment flashed through her mind.

A classroom at sunset.

Someone saying—

"If you forget everyone... don't forget me."

The memory shattered before she could see the speaker's face.

Her hand instinctively clutched the edge of her desk.

"What's wrong?" Li Yiran whispered.

"Nothing..."

But it wasn't nothing.

Not anymore.

The first two classes passed in a blur.

Bai Chuxue sat quietly by the window, pretending to listen to the teacher while secretly observing everyone around her.

Whenever a classmate greeted her, she smiled politely.

Whenever someone mentioned something they had supposedly done together, she simply nodded.

No one seemed to notice that she couldn't remember any of them.

But every passing minute made her chest feel heavier.

"Why do I remember my own name... but nothing else?"

She remembered how to read, write, solve math problems, and even speak fluent English. She knew basic facts about the world and recognized her own reflection.

Yet everything after that...

Her family.

Her classmates.

Her school.

Even yesterday.

It was all a blank page.

The ringing bell finally announced lunch.

Students immediately filled the hallways with laughter.

Li Yiran hooked her arm around Bai Chuxue's.

"Come on! Let's eat before the cafeteria gets crowded."

Before Bai Chuxue could answer, another voice interrupted.

"Chuxue."

She turned around.

Fu Jingshen stood a few steps away, one hand in his pocket.

His expression remained calm, but his dark eyes stayed fixed on her.

"I need to talk to you."

Li Yiran grinned mischievously.

"I'll leave you two alone."

Before Bai Chuxue could protest, her friend disappeared into the crowd.

Silence settled between them.

Fu Jingshen looked at her for several seconds.

"You've been avoiding me since this morning."

"I..."

"I didn't think you were still angry."

Angry?

Bai Chuxue lowered her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

The words slipped out instinctively.

For the first time, surprise appeared on his usually composed face.

"You apologized?"

"...Shouldn't I?"

He stared at her.

Something wasn't right.

Normally, Bai Chuxue would argue with him over the smallest things.

She would cross her arms, glare at him, and refuse to admit she was wrong.

Today's Bai Chuxue...

Felt like a completely different person.

"...Did something happen yesterday?" she asked carefully.

Fu Jingshen frowned.

"You don't remember?"

Her heart skipped.

"I..."

A sharp headache suddenly pierced her temples.

Rain.

A black car.

Someone shouting.

Then...

Nothing.

She staggered backward.

Fu Jingshen immediately reached out and caught her wrist.

"Chuxue!"

"I'm okay..."

"You don't look okay."

His grip loosened after making sure she could stand.

"You've been acting strangely since this morning."

She forced a smile.

"I'm just tired."

He clearly didn't believe her.

Before he could ask another question, a middle-aged woman wearing a formal suit approached them.

"Miss Bai."

Both teenagers turned.

The woman bowed politely.

"Your father has requested that you return home immediately after school."

Bai Chuxue blinked.

"My father?"

"Yes."

The woman handed her an elegant cream-colored envelope sealed with golden wax.

"There will be an important family dinner tonight."

Without another word, the woman left.

Fu Jingshen watched the envelope.

"So... today's the day."

"The day?"

His expression softened.

"I guess our parents finally decided."

Before she could ask what he meant, the school bell rang.

Students hurried back to their classrooms.

Fu Jingshen looked at her one last time.

"Don't overthink it."

Then he walked away.

Leaving Bai Chuxue standing alone with more questions than answers.

That evening...

The Bai family mansion glowed beneath warm golden lights.

Luxury cars lined the entrance.

Several servants welcomed guests.

Bai Chuxue stood silently beside her parents.

Everything felt surreal.

"Smile," her mother whispered gently.

"Everyone is watching."

She obediently smiled.

A few minutes later, another black luxury car stopped in front of the mansion.

The servants immediately opened the doors.

A distinguished couple stepped out first.

Behind them...

Fu Jingshen.

He wore a perfectly tailored black suit instead of his school uniform.

For a brief moment, their eyes met.

He gave her a small nod.

Almost as if reassuring her.

"Why is he here?"

Her question was answered almost immediately.

Her father raised his wine glass.

"Thank you all for coming."

The lively conversations gradually stopped.

"Our two families have been close friends for generations."

The guests applauded politely.

"We have watched our children grow together."

Bai Chuxue's fingers tightened around her glass.

Something inside her told her she wasn't going to like what came next.

Her father smiled warmly.

"Today, the Bai and Fu families are delighted to officially announce the engagement of our children."

The room erupted into applause.

"...What?"

Bai Chuxue's mind went completely blank.

"Our daughter, Bai Chuxue..."

"And Master Fu Jingshen..."

"...will be engaged today."

Her breathing stopped.

"Engaged?"

"Me?"

She looked toward Fu Jingshen.

Unlike her, he didn't appear surprised.

He simply stood calmly beside his parents.

As though he had known this would happen.

"Everyone knew..."

"Except me."

Someone gently pushed her forward.

Her mother whispered,

"Go stand beside Jingshen."

Her legs felt numb.

She slowly walked until she stood beside him.

The applause continued.

Photographers began taking pictures.

Flashes illuminated the hall.

Fu Jingshen leaned closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear.

"You really don't remember."

She looked at him in shock.

"You know?"

"I suspected it this morning."

"How?"

"You looked at me like we had never met."

Her lips parted.

"...I'm sorry."

He remained silent for a moment.

Then quietly asked,

"What do you remember?"

She swallowed.

"My name."

"My birthday."

"How to study."

"That's all."

His eyes widened ever so slightly.

"You don't remember your parents?"

She slowly shook her head.

"My friends?"

Another shake.

"...Me?"

Silence.

"I don't."

For several seconds, Fu Jingshen said nothing.

Instead of looking hurt...

He looked worried.

Deeply worried.

Just then, an elderly gentleman walked onto the stage.

"As witnesses of this engagement, we invite the young couple to exchange family tokens."

A servant presented two velvet boxes.

Inside Bai Chuxue's box rested a delicate jade bracelet.

Inside Fu Jingshen's lay an antique jade pendant.

"They have worn these since childhood," the elder said with a smile.

"They promised each other long ago that one day they would become family."

Bai Chuxue froze.

"Since childhood?"

She stared at the bracelet.

The cool jade touched her fingertips.

The moment she held it—

A memory flashed.

A little girl laughing beneath cherry blossoms.

A young boy standing awkwardly beside her.

"Don't cry anymore."

"When we grow up..."

"I'll protect you forever."

The little girl smiled brightly.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

The vision disappeared instantly.

Bai Chuxue gasped.

The bracelet slipped from her trembling hands.

Fu Jingshen caught it before it hit the floor.

"Chuxue."

She stared at him, breathing unevenly.

"I... I saw something."

His expression turned serious.

"What did you see?"

"A little boy..."

"A promise..."

"I think..."

Tears unexpectedly filled her eyes.

"I think it was us."

For the first time that evening, Fu Jingshen smiled.

It wasn't the polite smile he gave guests.

Nor the faint smile he wore at school.

It was warm.

Gentle.

Filled with relief.

"Then maybe..."

He carefully fastened the jade bracelet around her wrist.

"...your memories aren't gone."

"They're just waiting for you to find them."

Bai Chuxue looked down at the bracelet, her fingers lightly brushing its smooth surface.

If her memories were still there...

Why couldn't she remember them?

And why had she forgotten everyone...

Except herself?

Unbeknownst to both of them, a woman watched silently from the second floor balcony.

She held an old photograph of two children smiling beneath blooming cherry blossoms.

With a quiet sigh, she whispered to herself,

"So... the memories are beginning to return."

She folded the photograph carefully.

"But if she remembers the accident..."

"...everything we tried to hide will come back too."

Far below, the engagement celebration continued with laughter and applause.

Neither Bai Chuxue nor Fu Jingshen realized that their childhood promise was only the beginning of a much deeper secret—one that someone had desperately tried to keep buried.

The engagement banquet ended much later than Bai Chuxue had expected.

The luxurious hall slowly emptied as guests congratulated the Bai and Fu families before leaving one by one.

"Congratulations, Miss Bai."

"You and Young Master Fu make a wonderful couple."

"You've been childhood sweethearts for years."

Every blessing felt like a story meant for someone else.

Bai Chuxue smiled politely, but inside she felt hollow.

She remembered none of it.

Not the childhood they spoke about.

Not the promise.

Not even the moment her parents had decided she would marry Fu Jingshen in the future.

That night...

She stood on the balcony outside her bedroom.

The moon hung quietly above the city.

The cool autumn wind brushed against her face.

She raised her wrist and stared at the jade bracelet.

It gleamed softly under the moonlight.

"...Who was I?"

She whispered the question to herself.

"I know my name."

"I know how to live."

"But why don't I know my own life?"

The silence answered her.

A sudden knock came from her bedroom door.

"Chuxue?"

Her mother's gentle voice echoed from outside.

"May I come in?"

"Yes."

The door opened.

Mrs. Bai entered carrying a tray with warm milk.

"I thought you might have trouble sleeping."

She placed the cup on the bedside table before sitting beside her daughter.

"You've been unusually quiet today."

Bai Chuxue lowered her eyes.

"...Mom."

"Hm?"

"When did... I meet Jingshen?"

Mrs. Bai smiled.

"When you were five."

Five...

"So we've known each other for eleven years?"

"Yes."

Mrs. Bai laughed softly.

"You two used to fight every single day."

"...Fight?"

"You once pushed him into the fish pond because he stole your candy."

Bai Chuxue blinked.

"I did?"

"And he climbed over our wall just to apologize."

Her mother's eyes filled with nostalgia.

"You've always been inseparable."

Bai Chuxue forced a small smile.

"I wish I remembered."

Mrs. Bai's smile slowly faded.

She reached out and gently stroked her daughter's hair.

"Don't force yourself."

"The doctor said your head injury wasn't serious."

Head injury?

Bai Chuxue looked up immediately.

"...Doctor?"

Mrs. Bai froze.

"You..."

"You don't remember?"

"No."

Mrs. Bai sighed quietly.

"Three days ago you fainted near the school."

"Your classmates said you suddenly collapsed."

"The doctors couldn't find anything wrong except a small injury from hitting your head."

Three days ago...

Was that why everything had disappeared?

"Will my memories come back?"

Mrs. Bai hesitated.

"...The doctor said they might."

"Might?"

"Or they may return little by little."

Her mother smiled reassuringly.

"Either way, we'll help you remember."

She kissed Bai Chuxue's forehead before leaving the room.

"Sleep well."

The bedroom became quiet once again.

Bai Chuxue hugged her knees.

Three days.

Her memories had disappeared after an accident three days ago.

But...

Why did she have the strange feeling that someone wasn't telling her the whole truth?

The next morning...

Qingshan High School buzzed with excitement.

News of the engagement had spread throughout the campus overnight.

"Did you hear?"

"Bai Chuxue and Fu Jingshen are officially engaged!"

"I thought they were only childhood friends!"

"They're both from powerful families."

"It makes sense."

Everywhere Bai Chuxue walked, students whispered.

She lowered her head, embarrassed.

Li Yiran rushed toward her.

"Chuxue!"

Without warning, she grabbed both of Bai Chuxue's hands.

"You actually got engaged!"

"...Apparently."

Li Yiran frowned.

"What do you mean 'apparently'?"

"I..."

Before Bai Chuxue could answer, Fu Jingshen entered the classroom.

The room instantly fell silent.

As usual, he walked calmly toward his seat behind her.

But instead of sitting down immediately, he placed a small paper bag on her desk.

"Breakfast."

She looked inside.

A warm meat bun.

Soy milk.

And a strawberry yogurt.

Exactly enough for one person.

"You skipped breakfast again," he said.

"I..."

"I wasn't hungry."

"You always say that."

He finally took his seat.

Bai Chuxue quietly looked at the breakfast.

"...Thank you."

From the corner of the classroom, several girls watched with jealous expressions.

"So gentle..."

"I've never seen him buy breakfast for anyone."

"They really are close."

Li Yiran simply smiled knowingly.

During literature class...

The teacher announced a group assignment.

"You'll work in pairs for the next month."

Students immediately began choosing partners.

The teacher glanced at the seating chart.

"No need to choose."

"I've already assigned everyone."

A few students groaned.

The teacher ignored them.

"Bai Chuxue."

"Yes, sir."

"Your partner is..."

He adjusted his glasses.

"...Fu Jingshen."

The classroom erupted into teasing laughter.

"What a coincidence!"

"They're engaged!"

"They'll definitely get first place."

Bai Chuxue felt her face grow warm.

She carefully glanced behind her.

Fu Jingshen looked completely calm.

"As expected."

The teacher continued announcing the remaining pairs.

After school...

Most students had already gone home.

Bai Chuxue and Fu Jingshen remained in the library.

Stacks of books covered the table between them.

Neither spoke for several minutes.

Finally...

Fu Jingshen broke the silence.

"How's your headache?"

"It's better."

"And your memories?"

She shook her head.

"Nothing."

He nodded thoughtfully.

Then reached into his school bag.

"I brought something."

He placed a thick photo album on the table.

"Our childhood photos."

Bai Chuxue stared at it.

"You kept these?"

"My mother did."

He slowly opened the first page.

There they were.

A little girl with two braided pigtails.

A little boy wearing an oversized baseball cap.

Both covered in chocolate ice cream.

Bai Chuxue couldn't help laughing.

"We looked ridiculous."

"You cried because I dropped your ice cream."

"You remember?"

"No."

She smiled sadly.

"I can just tell from the picture."

Page after page revealed another memory.

Birthday parties.

School festivals.

Family vacations.

The two of them growing older together.

She looked genuinely happy in every photo.

Especially when Fu Jingshen was beside her.

"...We really were close."

"We still are."

His quiet reply made her heart skip.

She looked at him.

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why me?"

"Your family is wealthy."

"You're handsome."

"Popular."

"You could marry anyone."

"So..."

"...why did you agree to this engagement?"

For the first time, Fu Jingshen didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he looked down at an old photograph tucked inside the album.

It showed twelve-year-old Bai Chuxue asleep on his shoulder during a train ride.

His voice was barely above a whisper.

"Because..."

"I've liked you for a very long time."

The library became silent.

Bai Chuxue forgot how to breathe.

"You..."

He smiled faintly.

"You don't have to answer."

"I know you don't remember."

"I'm not asking you to return my feelings."

"I just..."

He closed the album gently.

"...wanted you to know the truth."

Before Bai Chuxue could respond, her phone vibrated.

Unknown Number.

She frowned.

"Hello?"

No answer.

Only slow breathing.

Then...

A distorted voice whispered through the speaker.

"Bai Chuxue..."

Her blood ran cold.

"...Don't remember."

Click.

The call ended.

She stared at the black screen.

Her hands trembled.

Fu Jingshen noticed immediately.

"What happened?"

She looked at him, her face pale.

"Someone called me."

"What did they say?"

Her lips parted.

"They told me..."

"...not to remember."

At that exact moment, outside the library window, a man wearing a black cap quietly lowered his phone.

Watching the two students through the glass, he smiled faintly before disappearing into the crowd.

The game had only just begun.

And someone was willing to do anything to keep Bai Chuxue's lost memories buried forever.