Seeing the smile blooming on An Nuan’s face, Nangong Jin was genuinely happy for her.
But just thinking that An Nuan was like this for Shen Xizhou, his heart still ached. It felt as if a gaping wound had been torn open in his chest.
Li Tian also noticed An Nuan’s unusual demeanor.
Everyone noticed that An Nuan was different.
Nangong Jin stared intently at An Nuan, afraid that if he blinked, the person before him would vanish.
His heart was clenched tight.
His An Nuan seemed to have forgotten him. His An Nuan didn't remember him. In her heart and eyes, he no longer existed; only Shen Xizhou was present.
This realization terrified Nangong Jin.
He didn't understand why things had turned out this way. Everything had been fine this morning, but overnight, it seemed as if everything had changed.
An Nuan’s gaze was fixed on Shen Xizhou. Looking at Shen Xizhou standing not far from her, An Nuan felt a pang of sadness. She looked at Shen Xizhou, her voice tinged with grievance, "Xizhou, those… those things really weren't done by me. Please… please believe me, can you?"
"Xizhou, those things are…" An Nuan kept explaining.
Seeing Shen Xizhou’s lack of reaction, An Nuan let out a self-deprecating laugh. Heh, how could Shen Xizhou possibly believe her? He never had.
If he had truly believed her, she wouldn't be suffering like this now.
An Nuan’s gaze fell back on Shen Xizhou. She spoke cautiously, "Xizhou, Xu Ruowei falling down the stairs, it wasn't me. I also don't know what's going on with the child in her womb."
"Xizhou, it was Xu Ruowei who told me that everything was her plan. She also said she would take away everything by my side. She said, slowly, even you would belong to her."
"Xizhou, I'm pregnant, and the child in my womb is yours."
"But you don't believe me. You believe what Xu Ruowei said instead."
"Ye Qing and I are truly just good friends. There’s nothing more between us."
An Nuan said a lot. Since she woke up, her entire focus had been on Shen Xizhou.
Nangong Jin went over, wanting to speak to An Nuan, but she flinched away in fear. She even screamed loudly.
Nangong Jin watched the scene unfold, unwilling to accept it. He even wanted to step forward, grab An Nuan’s shoulders, and demand why, why she didn't remember him.
But in the end, he didn't. He was afraid his actions would frighten An Nuan.
It pained him that An Nuan didn't remember him. He was heartbroken, even wishing to destroy everything.
But after calming down, he thought it through clearly.
An Nuan was not to blame for any of this from beginning to end.
Things hadn't turned out this way because she wanted them to.
Nangong Jin fell into deep self-blame. He thought, if he had accompanied An Nuan today, perhaps all of this could have been avoided.
Endless regret engulfed Nangong Jin.
Nangong Jin was currently trapped in helplessness.
An Nuan glanced at Nangong Jin, but she was directly frightened by Shen Xizhou’s affectionate gaze.
"Who… who are you? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Sir, are you a friend of Xizhou's?"
"But I've been by Xizhou’s side for so many years, and I don't recall ever seeing you."
Nangong Jin watched An Nuan, listening to her words, and his heart was filled with immense pain.
Yet, no matter how much he hurt, he maintained a smile on his face.
He was afraid that if he got angry, he would scare An Nuan.
He didn't want An Nuan to misunderstand him because of it. He thought, since An Nuan didn't remember him now, it wasn't impossible to start anew, as if meeting her for the first time.
More importantly, this way, An Nuan wouldn't be repulsed by him.
An Nuan, she was his life, but it was all ruined.
He didn't even know what to do anymore.
Nangong Jin didn't answer An Nuan’s question, for he didn't know how to.
"An Nuan, An Nuan, what's wrong with you?"
"An Nuan, why don't you remember Nangong Jin? He is…"
An Nuan looked at Li Tian, her voice laced with a hint of apprehension, "Miss Li, please calm down. Can we talk about this properly?"
Miss Li?
Li Tian was instantly thrown into confusion.
Why was this happening?
Miss Li? That was how An Nuan had addressed her since they first met.
An Nuan had lost her memory. She had forgotten everything related to Nangong Jin.
"An Nuan, think carefully. What exactly happened?"
"An Nuan, you shouldn't be like this, An Nuan…"
Li Tian couldn't bear to see An Nuan’s entire focus on Shen Xizhou.
Shen Xizhou had done so many terrible things to her in the past, nearly costing her her life.
Yet now, An Nuan only recognized Shen Xizhou and was completely fixated on him.
What was going on? Why had this happened?
This was utterly unfair to Nangong Jin.
Nangong Jin had done so much for her, was it all for naught?
Li Tian stepped forward, intending to shake An Nuan awake again, but was stopped by Nangong Jin, who stood beside her.
"Nangong Jin, have all the efforts you've put into An Nuan over the years gone to waste?"
"You were about to get married, but suddenly this happened, destroying all your efforts. Are you truly willing to accept this?"
"Nangong Jin, yesterday you were both discussing the wedding. But now it's like this. Are you really willing?"
Nangong Jin's face was filled with dejection. He looked at Li Tian and let out a cold scoff, "But things have already come to this. What else can I do?"
"Should I tell An Nuan everything?"
"And then what if she knows?" Nangong Jin said with a slight laugh. "Put her in a difficult position, is that it?"
Li Tian disagreed with Nangong Jin’s words and stated firmly, "No, that's not it."
"How could this be putting An Nuan in a difficult position?"
"By telling her everything, An Nuan will know the truth. Her life won't be so easy then."
Li Tian looked at Nangong Jin with a heart full of sympathy. Even now, he was still thinking of An Nuan.
Li Tian turned to look at Shen Xizhou, hating herself. She spoke fiercely, "Shen Xizhou, shouldn't you step forward and explain things clearly?"
"What exactly is going on here?"
"Shen Xizhou, you're not going to be so despicable as to not explain and just accept this, are you?"
This was Li Tian's only worry.
Shen Xizhou had been bothering An Nuan constantly during this period. If she wanted An Nuan to give up, it would likely be difficult.