Chapter 3

Once I entered the cycle of reincarnation, I would forget everything.

I would forget Shen Yan, too.

I was silent for a long time. At last, I said, “I’ve been dead for so long. I’m glad Shen Yan was able to move on.”

“Besides…”

I paused.

“I only wanted to see him one more time.”

That was why, when I drifted toward the Bridge of Helplessness, I had begged Granny Meng with all my heart.

I had asked her not to let me forget.

Granny Meng’s heart softened.

After seeking permission from the King of Hell, she kept me there.

She let me stay by her side and make soup.

Granny Meng sighed, took the ladle from my hand, and asked slowly, “When Shen Yan lives out his life and dies of old age, do you want to watch him enter the cycle of reincarnation with the person he loves next?”

I pressed my lips together and remained silent.

Granny Meng clicked her tongue.

She tossed the ladle back into the pot.

“Fine. Since you’re so devoted, and your soup is delicious—five years without a single complaint—I’ll let you go back and see him once.”

I lifted my head at once.

I stared at Granny Meng in astonishment.

“Really?”

“Of course.”

She snapped her fingers, and a puppet appeared in front of me.

“I made it to look like you. What do you think?”

And just like that,

I returned to the human world.

6

It was as if I had just woken from a long dream.

When I opened my eyes, the first rays of morning sunlight felt strange to me.

There was no day or night in the Yellow Springs.

I instinctively raised a hand to shield my eyes from the sun, and the Buddhist beads on my wrist came into view.

It had been too dark last night to see them clearly. Intricate designs were carved into them, almost like some kind of writing.

I was about to look more closely when a strong arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me toward him.

Then his other hand closed precisely around my wrist.

“You’re up early.”

Shen Yan’s voice was hoarse and lazy, edged with the irritability of someone who had just woken.

Unhappy, he buried his face in the hollow of my neck and complained softly, “Didn’t you used to love sleeping in?”

I laughed.

In the past five years, Shen Yan had seemed so much more mature and composed in front of other people.

I hadn’t expected that, in private, he was still the childish fool who loved sleeping in—and still had a grumpy streak when woken.

Perhaps his embrace was too warm.

I fell asleep again.

I don’t know how long passed before I woke.

The person beside me was gone.

I got out of bed, tidied myself up, and opened the door.

Hearing the noise, Shen Yan poked his head out of the kitchen and smiled at me.

“You’re awake? I’m making your favorite wontons. They’ll be ready soon!”

I was momentarily stunned.

I felt certain he had recognized me.

But in the next second, he said, “Sorry, I mistook you for someone else again.”

I pressed my lips together in a smile and shook my head.

The wontons were ready soon.

He brought them to the dining table.

When I picked up my spoon, he looked nervous.

Only after I had eaten one without changing my expression did he say, “I forgot to ask what you liked, so I made wontons. I wasn’t sure if you’d like them.”

I lowered my eyes slightly.

“Anything is fine.”

After all… I would be leaving soon.

He seemed not to notice how I felt and continued, “I’ve arranged a physical examination for you. I have a client meeting this morning, but it’ll only take about two hours. I’ll have my assistant go with you, then I’ll come find you as soon as I’m done.”

“Wait for me there, all right?”

His voice was full of regret.

“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have scheduled work during this time.”

“It’s okay. I can go by myself.”

I breathed a sigh of relief.

I was trying to think of an excuse to get out of his sight.

Granny Meng had only given me one day to return to the human world and look around.

I hadn’t expected things to turn out this way.

He was treating me as a substitute for myself.

If he stayed beside me all day, I truly didn’t know how I would manage to leave.

7

After we ate,

he was getting ready to leave when I suddenly remembered. I took off the strand of beads and said, “Shen Yan, your bracelet.”

He stopped in his tracks.

When he turned and saw me taking it off, his expression changed at once.

He quickly came over.

Without a word, he put it back on me.

Only when he noticed my bewildered expression did he slow down and say, “I gave it to you, so wear it properly.”

Before he left, he added, “Don’t take it off.”

“…All right.”

Why had he reacted so strongly?

I still couldn’t figure it out.

A sharply dressed man appeared in front of me. He nodded slightly and introduced himself.

“Miss Su, I’m President Shen’s assistant. President Shen has gone to meet a client. I’ll take you to the hospital.”

I nodded absently.

I studied every corner of the house.

He didn’t hurry me. He simply stood quietly beside me and waited.

After a while, I asked, “Is this where Shen Yan usually lives?”

“Yes.”

“Does he usually bring anyone home to stay overnight?”

“No, Miss Su. President Shen lives here alone.”

He paused, as though he understood what I was thinking, then added, “President Shen doesn’t have a girlfriend.”

“Oh. All right.”

I slowly walked through Shen Yan’s home.

His house was enormous.

It had a whole host of unused rooms.

When the time was nearly up, his assistant gently reminded me from behind, “Miss Su, it’s about time we went downstairs.”

“I’ll take you back after the examination.”

“Then you can look around more.”

…There wouldn’t be a then.

This house—

I probably wouldn’t have another chance to come back.

Even so, I went downstairs with him and headed to the hospital.

The examination was nearly over.

I could feel Granny Meng calling me.

I checked the time, thought for a moment, and said to the assistant beside me, “I’d like to take a walk in the nearby park. Please wait here for the results.”

“But President Shen told me—”

“He didn’t tell you to restrict my freedom, did he?”

I cut him off.

He nodded and finally gave in.

“Then let me call President Shen.”

He answered almost immediately.

I took the phone and explained first, “Shen Yan, the hospital feels stuffy. I don’t like it here. I want to take a walk in the nearby park.”

Shen Yan’s deep, magnetic voice came through the phone.

“Are you unhappy?”