The green light turned on, and the car behind began honking impatiently.
Zhan Bei Jue crossed the intersection and found a parking spot by the roadside. He pulled over and looked at Jiang Nan Fang seriously.
"You really know me?"
"I really do."
"My name is Zhan Bei Jue?"
"You are Zhan Bei Jue."
"I'm from Nancheng?"
"You are from Nancheng."
"What do I do?"
"Executive and Chief Operating Officer of Zhan's Group in Nancheng. We deal in real estate, media, and electrical industries."
"..."
Zhan Bei Jue couldn't help but lower his head to examine his hands, realizing they could hold so much!
"What's our relationship?"
Jiang Nan Fang answered truthfully, "We were once husband and wife."
"Once? I was married to you, and then we divorced?"
"That's right. But we have four children."
Zhan Bei Jue found this fact completely unacceptable.
He had been married, divorced, and had four children…
In front of Min'er, he was a single man free as could be. He had just promised to help her out of her predicament, to bring her back home, and ensure her future was carefree.
Now, the reality was that he was married with four children?!
No, no, this was impossible.
"If what you're saying is true, and we were once so close, why can't I remember anything?"
"Those products might have been something I saw by chance in my life, so I remembered them. That doesn't prove anything."
"Honestly, I'm also puzzled by that. You remember the products, but how could you not remember me?"
Jiang Nan Fang remained calm.
"So, do you want to go to the hospital with me to get checked?"
"Check for what?"
"To find out why you're experiencing memory loss."
"Half a year ago, you were on a business trip to Switzerland and got into a severe car accident there. You disappeared afterwards."
"Yesterday was our first meeting in half a year, and you've become like this. Didn't you suspect your identity at all during these past six months?"
"Without this beard, you don't look like a Central European at all. Don't you think so?"
Zhan Bei Jue certainly knew he wasn't Central European and had indeed wondered about his identity.
But before he could search for the answer, it had come to him.
He felt a profound responsibility towards the four children he couldn't remember. What about Min'er?
She had been stuck in the quagmire for so long. If he abandoned her now, would she go mad?
Zhan Bei Jue couldn't imagine how devastated Min'er would be if all of this were true.
"It's too sudden. Don't say anymore. Let me be quiet for a while. My head hurts."
He bowed his head onto the steering wheel, holding his head with both hands.
His head was throbbing, and he was in turmoil. He felt he couldn't continue driving.
Seeing how distressed he was, Jiang Nan Fang knew that for him to acknowledge his past without his memories would require a gradual process.
So, she didn't blame him for his disbelief or try to force him.
Now that he was in front of her and safe, it was already a great comfort.
"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore. Don't be angry. Are you feeling unwell? How about I drive instead?"
Zhan Bei Jue suddenly lifted his head from the steering wheel and punched the seat hard.
"How could I have four children? I have four children! Where are they? Take me to see them!"
In his current state, meeting the children would surely upset them.
But… Jiang Nan Fang agreed.
"I'll take you to see them. Please don't get agitated, stay calm."
They switched seats. Jiang Nan Fang drove, and Zhan Bei Jue sat in the passenger seat.
He didn't say another word.
His eyes were fixed on the scenery outside the window, deep in thought. His fingers nervously fiddled with the ring on his hand.
Jiang Nan Fang knew he must be thinking about that woman far away.
That woman had done a lot for him in the past half-year, and she held a very important place in his heart.
He had accepted the fact that he was Zhan Bei Jue and was preparing to separate from her.
That's why he was in so much pain.
The car drove off the elevated road and slowly entered the suburbs.
Passing a gas station, Jiang Nan Fang pulled over.
She turned off the engine to refuel, and they both got out of the car.
Jiang Nan Fang asked Zhan Bei Jue.
"Do you smoke? I'll go buy you a pack."
He looked at the small convenience store with a dejected expression.
"Did I used to smoke heavily?"
"Not too much. You would smoke when you were in a bad mood. I'll go buy it for you."
The cigarettes were bought, but no smoking was allowed at the gas station.
Jiang Nan Fang said.
"Go smoke on the road ahead. Wait for me. I need to use the restroom."
She stood behind the car and watched Zhan Bei Jue's back as he walked towards the road, stopping under a large tree.
She took out a utility knife and made a deep slash on the rear right tire.
Then, she called Zhou Jin Bei.
"Call me in 20 minutes. Just say something, anything. I'm not going back tonight."
Zhou Jin Bei was very excited.
"Ah? Why? You've got my second brother back, and tonight you two are reconciling?"
"So fast! Didn't you say my second brother has amnesia? It seems his body still remembers you. You're amazing, sister-in-law!"
"Alright, stop blabbering. We'll talk when I get back. Remember to call, don't forget."
The car set off again.
Zhan Bei Jue's mood hadn't improved even after having a cigarette.
Jiang Nan Fang played some music, lightening the somber atmosphere in the car, and then she pressed down hard on the accelerator.
Soon, 20 minutes passed.
The car was speeding along the highway.
Jiang Nan Fang answered Zhou Jin Bei's call.
"Hello, is that so? Okay, I understand. Thank you, sorry for the trouble. Goodbye."
After hanging up, she smiled at Zhan Bei Jue and was about to explain something.
Suddenly, the car lurched violently and tilted to the left.
The dashboard started beeping.
Zhan Bei Jue instinctively looked towards the steering wheel, but Jiang Nan Fang was about to turn right.
He grabbed the steering wheel with his strong hand.
"Keep it straight, don't move!"
"The rear tire has blown. Don't panic, stay steady!"
"Slowly release the accelerator, brake, gently, slowly brake. Turn on the turn signal, watch out for cars behind, change lanes, go to the emergency lane."
Under his series of commands, Jiang Nan Fang successfully avoided the traffic and steered the car onto the emergency lane.
Once the car was stopped and the engine turned off, both of them had sweaty palms.
Jiang Nan Fang thought, "To create an opportunity to spend more time with you, Zhan Bei Jue, I'm risking my life."
Wiping the sweat from her hands on her clothes, Zhan Bei Jue immediately turned on the hazard lights on the center console.
Then he opened the car door, got out, and opened the trunk.
He skillfully lifted the hidden compartment in the trunk, took out the warning triangle from underneath, and ran about one or two hundred meters behind the car to place it.
Then he returned.
Seeing Jiang Nan Fang standing at the back of the car, looking at him with a lingering fear, he walked over and pulled her arm.