Amnesia Trap (GL) - Chapter 46

Sheng Zhi had been pillowed on her lap one second and stood up abruptly the next. Because she moved too fast, her head felt a little dizzy.

Ji Qingfan’s tongue was truly silver. Moving words spilled out effortlessly, and ambiguous actions followed just as easily. No one was more of an enchantress than her.

—But then again, it was Ji Qingfan who had now entered her trap. On the surface, Sheng Zhi was on the first level while Ji Qingfan was on the second. But in reality, Sheng Zhi was in the stratosphere. In the end, it was hard to say who was manipulating whom.

At this realization, Sheng Zhi’s mood improved instantly.

The trip to Rao Hai wasn’t urgent; they still had a few days. Jiang Wanyin hadn’t messaged her, but Xia Xiyan had sent two, asking if she had time in a few days. Sheng Zhi was too lazy to type, so she sent a voice message.

“No time. It happens to clash with my business trip.”

Xia Xiyan replied quickly, also via voice: “A business trip? Then we’ll talk when you get back.”

Her tone sounded different from her usual playful invitations; for once, she wasn’t joking around.

Was there something important? Sheng Zhi raised an eyebrow slightly.

But as soon as the hypothesis surfaced, she dismissed it herself. Unlikely. If it were something truly vital, Xia Xiyan would have told her directly instead of asking if she was free. Since she didn’t say it outright, it meant the matter hadn’t reached that level of urgency yet.

Sheng Zhi curiously asked a few questions, but Xia Xiyan, despite the questioning, refused to tell her clearly, only stating she would find out when she returned. That mysterious, evasive act left Sheng Zhi quite hooked.

However, no matter how much she prodded, Xia Xiyan wouldn’t budge, so she had to temporarily suppress her curiosity. She’d find out upon her return anyway; it wasn’t as if she were going on a one-way trip.

Sheng Zhi didn’t tell Madam Sheng about going to Rao Hai with Ji Qingfan, but either Ji Qingfan had mentioned it, or there was someone else in the company arranged by her mother. Once Madam Sheng found out, she immediately made a video call, bombarding Sheng Zhi with instructions. The core message revolved around those seven words: “Listen to your Sister Ji.”

“I know, I know, I can practically recite it now,” Sheng Zhi said after half an hour of video calling, her ears feeling numb. She repeated in a drawling tone: “If there’s trouble, find Ji Qingfan; if unsure, find Ji Qingfan; if you don’t know what to do, still find Ji Qingfan.”

“But… I’ve memorized it; whether I actually do it is another story.” After saying that, before Madam Sheng could react, Sheng Zhi stuck out her tongue and made a face at the camera before hanging up.

Knowing her own daughter was a product of her own pampering, Madam Sheng laughed helplessly, shook her head, and edited a message to send to Ji Qingfan instead.

Rao Hai was specifically located in Nanrao. Although their stay wouldn’t be long, Sheng Zhi brought plenty of clothes—not like a business trip, but more like a vacation. She hadn’t intended to bring so much, but on the day she packed, Ji Qingfan insisted on helping her. Sheng Zhi decided to tease her by constantly making her fetch more clothes to pack; the end result was so much clothing she could change twice a day without repeating an outfit.

Recalling that day made her want to grit her teeth. Ji Qingfan’s composure was too stable. Setting aside how annoyed she might have been internally, she didn’t show a hint of it on the surface, remaining all smiles. Anyone else would have told her directly that bringing so much was unnecessary.

That was the scenario Sheng Zhi had envisioned—she’d wait for Ji Qingfan to complain so she could deliberately act like a “bratty princess.” But while her script for being difficult was ready, Ji Qingfan was flawless, leaving her no room to act. Throughout the process, she was as gentle and considerate as a perfect lover.

No matter how she was tested, she showed no temper. Whatever Sheng Zhi said, goes. After packing, she even held Sheng Zhi, whispering sweet words about how much she loved “Jiao Jiao,” asking for kisses, hugs, and closeness.

“I packed very seriously just as Jiao Jiao asked. Jiao Jiao must reward me.”

She pulled Sheng Zhi’s hand until it touched her cheek, rubbing against it softly. Sheng Zhi was left with no defense against such grinding persistence.

Ji Qingfan… truly looked like someone irredeemably infatuated with her.

The time in Nanrao was the same as in Jingbei, but the weather was much hotter. Although they were prepared before coming, the direct sensation of the rising temperature was very different from seeing a few digits on a weather forecast. Summer had nearly arrived here.

When Sheng Zhi and Ji Qingfan arrived, it happened to be the hottest part of the day at noon. The sun was scorching, making one’s vision blur from the heat.

Jing Mu arrived much earlier than them, reaching in the morning, accompanied by an assistant. Her attitude was very respectful; she waited in the arrivals hall dozens of minutes ahead of time.

“I’ve arranged for someone to send your luggage to the hotel. You haven’t eaten yet, right? Let’s have lunch first.” Jing Mu was smiling and enthusiastic. Only after they got into the car did she get in herself.

Sheng Zhi curved her lips and said casually, “We haven’t, indeed. CEO Jing is very thoughtful.”

Aside from a brief response when Jing Mu first greeted her, Ji Qingfan didn’t say another word to her, maintaining a faint, cool expression. Yet, Jing Mu didn’t feel slighted at all. After all, Ji Qingfan’s ice-cold personality was as famous as her excellence.

Despite knowing she shouldn’t think of such things, Jing Mu’s heart couldn’t help but flutter at this moment. Some people might not know, but she knew very well: Ji Qingfan and Sheng Zhi were in an emotionless political marriage. Recently, Sheng Zhi had lost some memories due to a car accident, and word was Madam Sheng was preparing to end the contractual relationship.

Who knew if this trip was a specific opportunity arranged by heaven just for her?

The natural scenery here at Rao Hai was beautiful and unique, but there was little shade. In some places, cars couldn’t enter, requiring a short walk. Inside the car with the air conditioning, the heat wasn’t obvious, but once they stepped out, the sun beat down directly. Ji Qingfan, having anticipated this, opened a UV umbrella.

With the shadow cast over them, although the air was still sweltering, it was at least no longer so blinding and stinging. Sheng Zhi squinted her eyes comfortably.

In this scene, Ji Qingfan looked more like Sheng Zhi’s assistant than anything else. Seeing this, the “deer” jumping in Jing Mu’s heart suddenly lost its energy.

Ji Qingfan held the umbrella, tilting it visibly toward Sheng Zhi. At this moment, the woman tucked a strand of hair behind Sheng Zhi’s ear and whispered something softly. There was no longer any “coolness” on her face; her eyes were filled with a tenderness that could almost drown a person.

It took a long while for Jing Mu to suppress her emotions, but her gaze couldn’t help but keep drifting toward Ji Qingfan, her thoughts in a mess.

They must be acting, right? Putting on a performance of a loving couple for the public…

Sheng Zhi didn’t notice Jing Mu’s gaze. She had been pampered by Ji Qingfan lately. Nearly a month was enough to make many things a habit, including being accustomed to another person’s presence.

After walking for a bit, Sheng Zhi fanned her cheek with her hand. It was lucky Ji Qingfan was holding an umbrella, or she would have withered in the sun. Unfortunately, the umbrella wasn’t very large—maybe just a bit bigger than a single umbrella. It was plenty for one person, but for two, they had to stay close.

She didn’t know what it was about Ji Qingfan, but while the surroundings were sweltering, her body felt cool to the touch, especially her hands. Walking side by side, Sheng Zhi couldn’t help but take her hand, leaning closer and closer. Normally, she wouldn’t stick so close to Ji Qingfan, but right now, she just wanted to be near her. Sheng Zhi felt like a furnace herself, radiating heat, whereas Ji Qingfan wasn’t nearly as hot—pressing against her felt extremely comfortable.

Fortunately, the walk wasn’t long, and they soon reached the restaurant. The waiter led them into a pre-arranged private room. Jing Mu said a few words to her assistant, not letting them enter. Only the three of them went inside, but the room was quite large—large enough to feel a bit empty.

Jing Mu smiled. “It’s quiet, and the view outside the window is quite nice.”

This room did indeed have the best view. Jing Mu’s state was a bit different from when they first met; her words were still enthusiastic, but she seemed somewhat restless. Nanrao had a lot of seafood, and the specialties were mostly seafood-based. Light, slow music flowed through the room. Exquisite and fresh dishes were soon served one after another.

As they sat there, Sheng Zhi felt something and frowned slightly. After a few seconds of hesitation, she simply stood up. “I’m going to the restroom.” She left in a hurry; before the words even finished, she was already out the door.

Seeing Ji Qingfan’s gaze follow Sheng Zhi to the door, Jing Mu cleared her throat softly.

“These are some of the new dishes in Rao Hai, just launched recently. I heard they’re quite good.” Jing Mu introduced the food on the table, setting the stage for a conversation.

Ji Qingfan withdrew her gaze and listened to Jing Mu, giving a slight “Mhm.” “CEO Jing has put in a lot of heart.”

The atmosphere was actually quite awkward, but with Sheng Zhi gone, only the two of them remained in the room. Jing Mu couldn’t help but clear her throat again, as if she found it hard to speak otherwise.

“You’re too kind. There’s no need for such formalities between us. Although I came with business matters this time, I hope we can interact as friends… Qingfan, may I call you that? If you don’t mind, you can call me by my name directly as well.”

Ji Qingfan looked at the expression on her face and suddenly curved her lips slightly. “Alright, Jing Mu.”

The person before her was so elegant, her smile appearing like a rare night-blooming cereus. Jing Mu’s heart rate accelerated, her palms sweating, as she once again realized clearly that they were alone. Dazzled by that smile, she wanted to talk more, much more.

“Then…” she continued.

However, before she could finish the sentence, Ji Qingfan’s phone chimed. Ji Qingfan’s attention was drawn to the sound. After a glance at the phone, she stood up. Her unfinished words were cut off. Seeing her rise, Jing Mu instinctively asked, “Is something wrong?”

“Jiao Jiao’s period came early. I’m going to bring her a sanitary pad,” Ji Qingfan said.

“…I see. Then hurry along,” Jing Mu said. Then, remembering the tenderness that had appeared on Ji Qingfan’s face earlier, her chest felt tight, and words spilled out uncontrollably. “But Qingfan, don’t you think you’ve been taking too much care of Miss Sheng this whole trip? Like right now—she clearly could handle this without you.”

Hearing this, Ji Qingfan paused and turned to look at her.

“It’s no secret that Miss Sheng has lost her memories of you. I heard she even intends to end her marriage with you. Doing things like this… she might just be intentionally making life difficult for you…”

Ji Qingfan didn’t stop her or interrupt. Recalling the smile Ji Qingfan had just given her, Jing Mu felt encouraged. She grew more convinced that the reality was exactly like the rumors she’d heard: a political marriage without affection.

“I see it very clearly. It’s always you, Qingfan, considering Miss Sheng at every turn—holding the umbrella, pulling out her chair… yet she acts like she’s entitled to it. Qingfan, aren’t you tired? You must be. You also need someone’s thoughtfulness and care.”

Jing Mu adjusted her breathing, trying to make her performance look as natural and sincere as possible. “In my opinion, Qingfan, you need a gentle, mature lover—the kind who can spoil you like a child… Of course, I don’t mean anything else by this; I just find it a bit hard to watch.”

They were both adults; the implication was far too clear. Jing Mu added a couple of sentences at the end to try and neutralize the inappropriate tone.

Ji Qingfan listened to her words, gave her a deep look without responding, opened the door, and left.

Jing Mu watched her back, unable to guess her thoughts for a moment, repeatedly dissecting the meaning of that look. Did she feel Jing Mu’s words had struck a chord in her heart, or did she feel a line had been crossed?

The more she thought, the more frustrated she became. She knew these words were inappropriate, sounding too much like someone trying to interfere in another’s relationship, but…

Upon reflection, Jing Mu felt it was simply Sheng Zhi being too inconsiderate. If Sheng Zhi could take good care of Ji Qingfan, she wouldn’t have said those things. She hadn’t done anything wrong. Ji Qingfan wasn’t in the best of health, yet Sheng Zhi not only made Ji Qingfan hold an umbrella for her but was pampered at every turn.

Indeed, a child is just a child. She still believed Ji Qingfan needed a more mature lover, not a spoiled young lady like Sheng Zhi who could only be doted on and indulged.

If the person by Ji Qingfan’s side were her, she would never be like Sheng Zhi.