“What happens to you.” Ying Qingcang gave Chen Huan a wink while he was helping Liuliu to sit.
Chen Chen looked at him with tears in her eyes. “I… I…” she said.
Chen Huan couldn’t help saying, “Liuliu, say it if you want!”
“Mom…” Chen Chen covered her face and asked, “Did you see Tuan Zi?”
“I… I did!” Chen Huan did not know where her memory stopped and she dared not to say it.
Ying Qingcang patted Chen Chen’s head and said, “Tell us the story from the very beginning.”
“Then you must promise me not to blame me!” Chen Chen raised up her hands and continued, “Tuan Zi is me and brother Xiao Rui’s daughter…” Seeing Ying Qingcang and Chen Huan were both blank-faced, she asked them in wonder, “Why are you not excited?”
Chen Huan presented a twisted face and exclaimed, “Ah! Really?”
Ying Qingcang leered at her and asked, “And then?”
Chen Chen confessed to them how they stole Jiang Rui’s sperms and gave birth to Tuan Zi and how she met Jiang Rui by accident. Then, she said, depressed, “I came back home fearing that he might take Tuan Zi away from me.”
“How did you know Jiang Rui was Ying Rui? Haven’t you forgotten him?” Ying Qingcang said. “We didn’t tell you about Ying Rui’s existence since you lost your memory.”
“I didn’t know it at first!” Chen Chen stamped her feet and continued, “My friend told me. It’s Ah Zi whom I went back with! She also told me Jiang Rui wanted Hei Feng. But I’m Hei Feng. Now he’s not only grabbing Tuan Zi from me, he’s also arresting me!”
Chen Huan covered her head and asked, “Are you sure?”
“Or else?” Chen Chen asked stupidly.
Ying Qingcang glanced at her and said, “I see. I’ll contact Jiang Rui later, so he won’t arrest you.”
Chen Chen covered her chest and asked, “Will he listen to you? He’s rude now.”
“Liuliu, brother Xiao Rui was a filial child. Don’t worry.” Chen Huan patted her, though she felt too shocked and actually not comfortable with it.
The child must like Jiang Rui dearly or she would not have kept her memory about him and only wiped out the fragment that she was shot.
“Shall we call him to come and you tell him in person?” Chen Huan proposed.
Chen Chen shook her head immediately and said, “No! He’s so rude. I don’t want to meet him.”
How could she remember Jiang Rui only but forget the love between them…?
“I’ll tell Xin Qing.” Ying Qingcang rose and said while at this moment Chen Chen waved hands flatteringly. Then she looked at Chen Huan in a sneaky manner. “Mom, you won’t blame me for it, will you?”
Having not reacted to it, Chen Huan asked, “Blame you for what?”
“Blame me for my leaving home for so many years. I even became an unmarried mother.” Chen Chen dared not come home fearing her family would not approve of her deed, especially Boss Wan, who hated soldiers most.
Chen Huan sighed, thinking that the child’s memory was totally mixed up.
“It’s good for you to come home. I’m too happy to be angry! We all like Tuan Zi. Don’t worry!”
“That’s great!” Chen Chen grinned and continued, “Can I eat something? I’m so hungry.”
Chen Huan gave her chopsticks. “Take your time!”
Ying Qingcang then told Xin Qing about Chen Chen. She was glad to know that for at least it was far better than what was antic.i.p.ated.
“What does that mean? Does mom forget dad?” Tuan Zi asked with her eyes wide open.
Xin Qing patted her head and said, “Just as grandma told you, her condition’s much better.”
Lowering down her head, Tuan Zi said after a thought, “It’s fine. Dad can still pursue mom! He promised me to bring us back.”
“Liuliu doesn’t want to see Jiang Rui. She’s afraid of him.” Ying Qingcang said, “you must tell Jiang Rui about her first and see what he would say.”
Jiang Rui’s showing up in the office shocked Bear.
“Bo… Boss! You… you’ve been driven out by the Wan family?”
Jiang Rui glanced him surly and asked, “It’s working hours. No personal affairs.”
Bear thought it not surprising to be driven out.
“Boss, may I just ask a question? Where’s Ah Zi? Won’t she come back?”
Had it not been for Bear’s words, Jiang Rui would have forgotten Ah Zi. He thought that woman fled with Wan Yi just as soon as she arrived on the island, vanishing at all.
“She got a new target.” Jiang Rui said honestly.
Bear was frustrated and said, “Boss, I want to ask leave to go to the Wan family.”
“Go,” Jiang Rui nodded and said. “So long as you can land the island.”
Once upon a time, Jiang Qianren broke into the base of the Wan family and was tortured almost to death. Boss Wan hated the country and the military, which was well known.
“Fine. Let’s be serious. How’s Bai Ziqi?”
“That guy’s like a totally different person.” Bear sucked his teeth and continued, “he’s obedient and you can train him in whatever way you like. He won’t resist.”
Jiang Rui nodded and said, “It must be attributed to Bai Li. He must have said something to him for he was the single offspring of his generation in the Bai family, though they got Bai Kai and my little uncle in the elder generation. However, I’m much more remarkable than Bai Ziqi.”
“So the old Mr. Bai gets anxious.” Bear rubbed his jaw and asked, “Will he align with the Lu family through marriage?”
Casting his eyes to the outside through the window, Jiang Rui curled his lip corner and said, “What kind of shop do you think a woman would like?”
Bear became speechless…
In the evening, Xin Qing called Jiang Rui and told him about Chen Chen’s condition.
“The child likes you for she doesn’t forget you.” Xin Qing felt so pleased and she continued, “but now she’s scared of you and forgets that you like her too.”
Jiang Rui was delighted from the bottom of his heart. “That’ good. That’s good!” he said.
“Huh huh!” Xin Qing laughed on the phone. “It’s been a long time since the last time you were so happy.” “But it’s not the time to be happy. What’s your plan? Your dad advises you to not see Liuliu in case she should run away out of anxiety.”
Chen Chen’s fear for Jiang Rui was the remaining memory of her which meant she was afraid of this man by instinct and as she heard his name, her body would automatically send an alert.
“I see. When the summer ends, I will let her stay on the island for several months. In September, Tuan Zi’s going to the school and by then we will bother you to remind her.” Jiang Rui smiled and said, “I will prepare myself and take her back.”
Suddenly, Ying Qingcang said something though unclear, he then heard Xin Qing remind him, “We don’t know how much she remembers about those who she used to contact. You must be careful.”
“I will.” Jiang Rui hung up the phone. He thought Ah Zi was easy to handle but he needed to talk with the Wen family. As for others…
The next day, Jiang Rui let Bear did a thing, making a list of the men Chen Chen had kept in touch with over the half year.
“Who’s Zhou Yiting and Zhou Yiyun?” Jiang Rui pointed at the two women’s names.
Bear took a look and said, “Did you forget? The star we met when we are out to eat on the mountain top! You even let me call the director and now that one called Zhou Yiting had been in the crew.”
“These two were not important and we possibly won’t meet again.” After checking the list, he said, “Spread the word that Mrs. Jiang hurt her head and it’ll take a long time for her to fully recover.”
“Fine.” Bear thought it a good idea. Even if they meet some people, it would be a good excuse. When it was someone not important, they could just say they forgot it.
Jiang Rui then continued, “Let Xiao Si look for a store. Don’t rent it but buy it directly.” Seeing Bear was bewildered, he waved his hands and said, “Never mind. Call him over.”
Xiao Si was busy apologizing for Bear and planting roses in Ah Zi’s computer. Now hearing that Jiang Rui wanted him, he came soon carrying his computer.
“Boss!”
Jiang Rui handed him a piece of paper and he went, “Buy a shop as the instruction above.
“Find a place not too busy but with enough customer flow volume. It should not be too convenient or not convenient at all. It should be in good surroundings, no entertainment businesses. The size should be around 100 square kilometers, and it would be better if it has two floors…”
Bear wide opened his eyes and said, “Boss, what are going to do?” “Are you renting a shop or moving out?”
“Chen Chen can’t go back to school and she probably doesn’t want to go back too.” Jiang Rui thought opening a store for her would be lovely to her. But he had no idea what to sell. “Tell Ah Zi, we will give half the share to her and let her ask Chen Chen what kind of store she likes the best.”
Bear was glad to hear that for it meant Ah Zi would come back too!
“OK!” He gave Xiao Si a blow on the head and said, “I’ll ask Ah Zi and you go look for a store.”
Jiang Rui said after a thought, “Help me to make an appointment with Wen Pintang.”
Wen Pintang took a little guy with him when he arrived.
“Don’t mind him. You can go on.”
Jiang Rui rose immediately and was to leave. But Wen Zeyu said very politely, “I’ll stay by the side, and I promise I won’t say a word.”
“There’s no one home. I can’t leave him there.” Wen Pintang saw him smile and asked, “It seems the problem’s solved.”
“I didn’t expect you know Liuliu too.” Jiang Rui made him a cup of tea and asked, “Since when?”
Wen Pintang thought for a while and replied, “I only suspect it before. But when I met Xin Qing, she told me.”
Jiang Rui felt unhappy and said, “My dad has reason to beware of you.”
“Huh, huh. You can’t blame me since you don’t get it.” Wen Pintang’s eyes flashed on his son’s face who was staring at him anxiously.
He coughed and said, “When… will Liuliu come back?”
“How did you know she will come back?”
“Of course I know or you won’t sit here.”
Jiang Rui cast a glance at him and said, “When the school term begins, I guess, because Tuan Zi is going to school.” Then he found Wen Zeyu smiled at once. “What is your son laughing for?”
Wen Pintang took a sip of the tea and said casually, “Well. He got 100 scores in the exam so he’s happy.”
“Don’t a.s.sume me not knowing your plan.” Jiang Rui ignored him and looked at Wen Zeyu. “Do you want to go to school with Tuan Zi?”
Wen Zeyu nodded immediately and said, “Uncle, I’ll take care of Tuan Zi and I can a.s.sure you no one would dare to bully her.”
“What have you got to take care of her?” Jiang Rui glanced at him and said, “Skinny as a little chicken.”
“He’s been learning taekwondo.” Wen Pintang explained for his son.
Jiang Rui sniffed at him, “It’s for shows.”
Wen Zeyu rose and bowed seriously to him. “Uncle, what do you want me to do?”
“It’s too easy. Stay for two months in the army during the summer holiday.”
Before Wen Pintang said anything, he heard his son promised very a.s.sertively. “Fine, I’ll go!”
“What a… fool.”