Yamanashi Chiho returned to the room and stared at the young man before her. She asked in broken Chinese, "Excuse me, do you still remember your name?"
The young man looked blankly at Yamanashi Chiho.
After a long while.
The young man shook his head, indicating he did not know.
He did not know who he was, where he came from, or where he was going.
Seeing the pain on the young man's face, Yamanashi Chiho quickly said, "Don't worry, it's fine if you don't have a name. You can think of it later. For now, please rest well, and we'll talk about it when you remember."
Yamanashi Chiho asked a few more questions about the young man's background, but still received no answers.
Finally, she had to give up.
She then turned to inquire about the young man's physical condition and brought medicine to change his dressings. To Yamanashi Chiho's surprise, even though the young man had many severe injuries, when alcohol touched them, he did not show any signs of pain, merely frowning slightly at most.
This made Yamanashi Chiho even more curious about the young man's identity.
Seven days passed.
Then, something even more astonishing happened to the grandfather and granddaughter.
They had expected the young man to be bedridden for at least half a year before he could get up. To their surprise, he was already able to walk after only seven days.
Half a month later, the young man's external wounds gradually healed, returning him to a normal state.
A month later.
The scars on the young man's face gradually disappeared, revealing a handsome and lean face.
Yamanashi Toru, Yamanashi Chiho's grandfather, was not entirely pleased. He could sense his granddaughter growing closer to the young man, and he was unsure if this was a good or bad thing. Furthermore, Yamanashi Chiho had suddenly started learning Chinese, wanting to communicate more deeply with the young man.
After several unsuccessful attempts to dissuade her, Yamanashi Toru could only give up.
After all, his granddaughter was already twenty years old and had her own thoughts. As a grandfather, he should not interfere too much.
Besides, although this young man was as stoic as a block of wood and not very talkative, he was remarkably efficient when it came to work. He often accompanied Yamanashi Toru on fishing trips and was a great help. With the young man's assistance, Yamanashi Toru felt that life was improving day by day, and having an extra set of hands was no big deal.
Through Yamanashi Chiho's efforts, the young man finally remembered his surname – Chen.
As for his given name, he could not recall it for the life of him.
So Yamanashi Chiho named the young man surnamed Chen, Chen Wuming, which made Yamanashi Toru quite speechless, finding the name rather childish.
However, the young man seemed quite pleased with this name and was happy for Yamanashi Chiho to call him Chen Wuming.
Yamanashi Toru could only accept it.
As days turned into weeks, Yamanashi Toru noticed his granddaughter and Chen Wuming growing closer. Initially, they were somewhat reserved, but later they were inseparable. Yamanashi Toru was troubled by this, not because he disliked Chen Wuming, but because he considered Chen Wuming an unstable bomb.
It would explode one day.
After two months of anxious waiting, everything remained peaceful, which gradually eased Yamanashi Toru's worries. He began to plan for their future.
When Yamanashi Chiho learned of her grandfather's thoughts, she bit her lip and said, "Grandpa, what are you thinking? Chen Wuming and I are not in that kind of relationship, and I'm only twenty."
"Don't think I can't see it. You're clearly fond of Chen Wuming. Although his origins are unknown, he treats you very well. The last time you fell into the water while out at sea with me, before I could even react, Chen Wuming jumped in to save you. That proves he's a reliable man," Yamanashi Toru said, leaving Yamanashi Chiho in a state of internal conflict.
To say she didn't like him would be a lie.
For some reason, this Chen Wuming possessed a certain aura that attracted her, though she still had some reservations.
Yamanashi Toru said, "Since you think he's suitable, what are you hesitating about?"
"You're twenty, which is not young."
"If one day Chen Wuming regains his memory, he might even take you back to China. I have a feeling this Chen Wuming is someone of great importance, possessing the aura of a significant figure."
Hearing her grandfather's advice, Yamanashi Chiho became even more hesitant.
After much deliberation, she finally bit her lip and said, "Grandfather, I understand, but please allow me to consider it."
"What more do you need to consider?" Yamanashi Toru became anxious.
Yamanashi Chiho lowered her head and stammered, "If, if one day he regains his memory and discovers he's already married with children, wouldn't that mean I've held him back?"
Yamanashi Toru paused, having not considered this.
Both fell into silence. Eventually, Yamanashi Toru broke it, "Isn't life often about willful ignorance? If he does discover he's already married and has children, he likely wouldn't abandon you."
Willful ignorance?
Yamanashi Chiho also wished she could be ignorant, but she felt she would be holding Chen Wuming back.
"Grandpa, I'll wait another year or two. If Chen Wuming still hasn't recovered his memory by then, I'll decide whether to marry him."
Yamanashi Toru sighed and didn't press further.
Time passed.
Days went by.
Chen Wuming's face no longer showed the same impassive expression as before. He gradually began to smile and would intentionally protect Yamanashi Chiho.
During this time, Yamanashi Chiho experienced a mix of anxiety and happiness.
Three years flashed by.
On the third anniversary of Chen Jinzhao's sacrifice, heavy snow fell.
Yu Mengzhi, dressed in a black coat, held a baby girl with rosy cheeks and approached Chen Jinzhao's grave. The little girl was her daughter with Chen Jinzhao, named Chen Sinian.
As the name suggested, she was a reminder of Chen Jinzhao.
She also wished for her daughter to remember her heroic father forever.
Standing before the grave, Yu Mengzhi's face was extremely stern, only softening slightly when she looked at the black and white photo on the tombstone.
Little Sinian struggled a few times in her mother's arms. Yu Mengzhi quickly said, "Little Sinian, are you missing Daddy too?"
"Miss~"
Little Sinian replied in a childish voice.
This pierced Yu Mengzhi's heart, leaving her unsure how to respond.
Little Sinian looked blankly at the black and white photo on the tombstone, then lifted her small face to her mother and asked, "Mommy, when is Daddy coming home?"
Yu Mengzhi sniffled and said word by word, "Your daddy will come back. Little Sinian, you must remember your daddy's face and never forget him."
As she spoke.
Yu Mengzhi's voice grew hoarse, her eyes reddened.
Three years.
Three years had passed since that firefight!
For the past three years, day and night, she had longed for Chen Jinzhao to return to her alive, but each time she realized it was just her fantasy.
Even a dream of family reunion was a luxury for Yu Mengzhi.
"Chen Jinzhao, when will you return?" Yu Mengzhi asked again. The response was no longer the howling north wind, but Little Sinian's soft voice, "Mommy, don't cry. Daddy will come back. Daddy told me in a dream..."
Yu Mengzhi cried even harder.
Not far away.
Xu Yaoyao, dressed entirely in black, stood there. Three years had passed, and she had long since transformed from the girl she was into a beautiful and graceful young woman. Today, she had deliberately dressed in a cold, alluring manner, adding a touch of maturity to her twenty-two-year-old face.
A scholar dies for his confidant; a woman for her admirer.