Chapter 3

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.

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