The matter concerning Ji Zhilan came to an end, and she returned to the Ji family. Her father said nothing about it, and Grandpa Ji didn't want to interfere in his grandchildren's affairs.
Returning to the Ji family, Ji Zhilan was like a fish in water, eating what she pleased and spending as she wished, living a comfortable life.
When her health improved, she called Lu Cong and asked him to meet her privately.
When Lu Cong saw her, he raised an eyebrow and smiled, "What wind blows today that sister Zhilan remembers me?"
His gaze fell upon her flat abdomen, and he was taken aback.
Ji Zhilan pushed the menu towards him, "We divorced, and I lost the baby."
"Congratulations on regaining your single status. Tomorrow, your brother will introduce you to some good ones, guaranteed to be a thousand times better than that Jiang Cheng fellow." After a moment's pause, he quickly regained his composure and comforted her.
Ji Zhilan had already moved on from Jiang Cheng. He was now insignificant in her eyes. She smiled, "Don't mention him, brother Lu Cong, it's bad luck. Let's see what we can eat first, to thank you for taking care of me during this time."
"Taking care is an understatement; it's what I should do. After all, I've always treated you like a sister since we were young."
Lu Cong felt a little flustered during the meal.
Fortunately, it was just a meal, and Ji Zhilan didn't say anything else.
After the meal, she saw Lu Cong off.
Ji Zhilan glanced at Xiang Long behind her, "Let's go shopping."
A hint of difficulty appeared on Xiang Long's usually expressionless face. Protecting the young lady all day, he hadn't seen Li Laidi in a long time...
Ji Zhilan's eyes darkened, "What, is this small request too much for you?"
"No, Miss, you misunderstand. Which mall shall we go to?" Xiang Long immediately shook his head.
Seeing his decisive agreement, Ji Zhilan's mood improved. She raised her chin, "Go to the biggest one."
After a complete shopping spree, Xiang Long, with his hands full of bags, followed behind her. Ji Zhilan stopped and turned, saying magnanimously, "We'll stop here for today. Let's go back."
After escorting Ji Zhilan back to the Ji residence, Xiang Long bowed, "Miss, I'll head back to Mr. Ji's side now?"
Ji Zhilan was excitedly flipping through her purchases from the day. Upon hearing this, she said with displeasure, "Brother asked you to stay by my side to protect me. Are you unwilling?"
Mr. Ji had entrusted him with the protection of the young lady, which was a sign of his trust. Of course, he was not unwilling. However, if he were to stay by the young lady's side permanently, Xiang Long truly felt a reluctance in his heart...
He showed no emotion on his face and lowered his head, "Whatever the Miss commands."
Ji Zhilan snorted and took out her phone, instructing, "Now, take these things to my room."
"Yes."
Xiang Long had wanted to ask when Ji Zhixiu would transfer him back, but he was afraid to ask. In his hesitation, he first sent a message to Li Laidi.
【I've been by the young lady's side recently, protecting her. Wait for me. As soon as I have time, I'll bring you home to meet my parents.】
Li Laidi had rented a place for herself and brought her mother from the slums. No matter how her father searched, he wouldn't be able to find her to leech off her anymore.
She was eating when she received the text message.
"What is it, Laidi? Who sent you a text that makes you not even want to eat?" asked Mother Li. After some rest, her complexion had improved significantly.
Li Laidi came back to her senses and put down her phone, "Did I? Mom, it's a friend."
Mother Li shook her head. As someone with experience, how could she not understand? She was happy to see her daughter in a brighter mood. Mother Li picked up her chopsticks and took a piece of chicken, "Don't forget to tell me any good news."
Li Laidi nodded vigorously, "Don't worry, Mom. You are the most important person to me. I will definitely tell you anything."
Just as she was eagerly awaiting a reply, she heard a loud shout from downstairs. Xiang Long was startled; it was the young lady's voice!
Xiang Long quickly rushed downstairs, sliding directly down the banister with a flourish and a handsome pose, stopping in front of Ji Zhilan, "What is it, Miss?"
Ji Zhilan's heart pounded. The man before her was imposing, with a hint of urgency on his face. Was it concern?
Ji Zhilan felt as though her heart had come back to life after a long time.
"What happened?" he repeated.
"N-nothing," Ji Zhilan's face flushed. "I just saw a scary picture on my social feed, it was quite frightening."
She cursed herself inwardly for bad luck, yet felt it was a blessing in disguise.
"It's good that you're alright," he said, relieved.
Ji Zhilan looked up at him, "Are you very worried about me?"
"Of course," Xiang Long replied without hesitation, then added, "Mr. Ji sent me here to protect the young lady's safety. If anything were to happen to the young lady, Mr. Ji would surely not let me off."
Ji Zhilan felt a pang of disappointment, "Is it just because of my brother?"
"What?" He hadn't heard clearly.
"It's nothing." She picked up her phone again, "What's your WeChat? Add me so it's convenient for me to find you."
Xiang Long took out his phone, "Then I'll scan yours, Miss."
After adding each other on WeChat, Ji Zhilan felt that a relationship with Lu Cong was impossible. However, with Xiang Long, things could potentially develop.
After all, Xiang Long was one of their own. Even if he married her, he would never dare to trick her like Jiang Cheng did. He would definitely treat her well.
Moreover, asking her brother for a bodyguard would be an easy matter. Her brother would surely not refuse.
Having made up her mind, Ji Zhilan said with a pleasant expression, "You've been following me all day, so you must be tired. Go down and rest first."
Xiang Long nodded, "Thank you, Miss."
"You don't need to call me Miss anymore. Just call me by my name." Calling her Miss felt too distant.
Xiang Long looked puzzled but didn't want to ask further, nodding again, "Understood."
As soon as Xiang Long returned to his room, the first thing he did was call Li Laidi.
...
It was arranged to take Jiang Mian to see a Chinese medicine doctor. Ji Zhixiu was decisive and had already made arrangements. It was only because of Ji Zhilan's sudden incident that it was delayed for a few days.
Before leaving, Jiang Mian tried to persuade him, "Look, my head doesn't hurt and my eyes aren't blurry anymore..."
The man's gaze swept over her, and Jiang Mian's voice trailed off.
She shook off Ji Zhixiu's hand and got into the car first.
Soon, Ji Zhixiu followed, holding her hand. The man lowered his gaze and soothed, "Be good, we're just going for a check-up."
Jiang Mian rested her head on his shoulder, "It's just a normal headache, really. Don't you think you're a bit too nervous?"
Ji Zhixiu's heart tightened. He hadn't figured out how to tell her about the memory loss she experienced.
"I'm very nervous about anything concerning you," he blurted out.
Jiang Mian's lips curved upwards, "Axu,"
"Yes, I'm here," he replied. From the moment he found Jiang Mian, he would always be there.
The renowned old Chinese physician that Ji Zhixiu found for Jiang Mian was highly respected in the medical community. It was only because Ji Zhixiu himself intervened that the physician was able to free up some time.
After taking Jiang Mian's pulse, he asked a few more detailed questions.
Finally, he looked up and said, "Please have Miss Jiang take a look at the medicines in my pharmacy. I'll write a prescription first."
Jiang Mian nodded and got up to follow the assistant.
After they left, Ji Zhixiu asked gravely, "How is it?"
"Her pulse is weak and her spleen and stomach are cold. As for the headaches Mr. Ji mentioned, only medication can regulate it for a complete cure, but I can't guarantee that her memory will be fully restored..."
"Why?" Could it be that Jiang Mian was destined to not remember their shared past?
"We don't know what memory she lost, but it must be something the patient doesn't want to remember. So, her brain has selectively forgotten, and the patient herself may not be aware of it. Forcing her to remember now would be putting her in a difficult position," he hesitated.
Ji Zhixiu closed his eyes and opened them again, "I understand."
As long as she was here, her memory wasn't that important.
As long as he remembered.
"I will prescribe her a course of medication that requires long-term consumption. You can contact me if any problems arise during treatment."
"Is it bitter?" Ji Zhixiu asked.
The renowned physician paused, "Good medicine tastes bitter, so Chinese medicine is naturally bitter. However, you can use a little less brown sugar when heating it to improve the taste."
"Okay."
When they returned, Ji Zhixiu instructed her, "I'll have your assistant keep a close eye on you taking your medicine. I'll watch you at home."
Jiang Mian pouted, "Understood."
When it was time to take the medicine after dinner, Jiang Mian realized she had agreed too quickly!
Jiang Mian had rarely been sick since childhood and had rarely taken medicine. When this bowl of Chinese medicine was handed to her, the smell alone was nauseating.
She pinched her nose and said pitifully, "Can I not drink it?"
"Okay, no," Jiang Mian answered herself. She took the bowl from Ji Zhixiu and, lightly touching the rim, said, "I'll do it myself."
Jiang Mian took a deep breath, made up her mind, and downed it in one gulp. Aiming for her mouth, she intended to drink it all at once, but she couldn't stand the taste. She only managed one sip, held it in her mouth, and then wanted to spit it out. Jiang Mian puffed out her cheeks and swallowed it down in one go.
The bitterness instantly spread through her mouth. Jiang Mian's brows furrowed. Looking at the half-bowl remaining, she pinched her nose again and finished it in one go.
Finally, the bowl was empty, not a drop left. If she had drunk any slower, Jiang Mian was afraid she would have thrown up.
Ji Zhixiu immediately peeled a pre-prepared milk candy and placed it in her mouth.
The sweet milk flavor instantly dissolved the bitterness. One was extremely bitter, and the other was cloyingly sweet. They were a perfect match at this moment.
Jiang Mian's eyes brightened. She beckoned with her finger, "Come here."
"Mm?"
Ji Zhixiu leaned down, not understanding. The next second, her soft lips pressed against his. Jiang Mian actively wrapped her arms around his neck, her chest puffing out. Her smooth tongue probed into his mouth, transferring both the sweetness and bitterness to him.
Her clumsy and unskillful kiss easily stirred Ji Zhixiu's heart. The man quickly took the lead, thoroughly exploring her mouth. Jiang Mian's body weakened, and she began to slide down.
Ji Zhixiu, prepared for this, firmly supported her body with his large hand, deepening the kiss that was offered to him.
After a long while, they separated. Jiang Mian's eyes were slightly raised, with a hint of moisture in them, "Is it bitter, is it bitter?"
Ji Zhixiu chuckled, "The medicine is bitter, but you are sweet."
Fearing she would be shy, Ji Zhixiu changed the subject, "I bought tickets for us to go to Jiangnan tomorrow. Take a look and see if there's anything you need to pack. Bring it all."
Jiang Mian's eyes lit up, "So soon."
Her face showed obvious joy, "Are it just the two of us going?"
"Of course not, Fan Cheng will be with us."
"Isn't Xiang Long coming with us?" Jiang Mian asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice. Usually, when Ji Zhixiu went out for non-business matters, he brought Xiang Long.
Mentioning Xiang Long, Ji Zhixiu paused, "He's with Zhilan. I'll have to go back tonight."