This story has been published by the author: Shi Xiaohuo, and has been authorized to be published exclusively on the Reading Stories app every day. Its associated account "Midnight Stories" has been legally sub-authorized for publication, and any infringement will be investigated

This story has been published exclusively by the author: Lion Xiaohuo , with the authorization of Reading Stories app every day. Its associated account "Midnight Story" has been legally sub-authorized and published. Any infringement will be investigated.

The woman's screams and cries filled the room.

Tears stained her cheeks, and her exquisite makeup and hairstyle were completely messy, making her look a little crazy.

Her eyes were fixed on the man not far away from her, and she kept cursing and attacking him with all the vicious words she knew -

"You will pay the price! I curse you, and your A bloodline so precious that it can never be loved and lose the love it wants."

The man didn't seem to pity this crazy woman.

There was no trace of emotion in his dark eyes, he just bore her anger calmly.

Of course, this is because there is a cold iron chain locking the woman in front of him. No matter how much resentment and impulse she had, she could not harm him.

"Send her away after she calms down." The man finally waved his hand impatiently and decided to leave the trouble to "professional" people.

The man hiding in the corner of the room stood up. His face was still hidden in the darkness and could not be seen clearly. But he walked almost silently, holding a shovel stained with mud in his hand, which shone coldly in the dim light.

The woman showed a desperate look, she had already prepared for the worst.

1

He woke up one early morning, and after opening his eyes, it took a while, but he still felt groggy. Above his head was a strange yet familiar chandelier. He vaguely remembered that the light glowed with a warm tone when it was turned on. But he couldn't remember where he was, who bought the lamp, and...

What year it was now.

He shook his head, feeling as if some scattered fragments were being picked up.

The memory slowly returned, and he remembered some vague memories of the past in a trance.

Someone once slept beside him, pointed at the ceiling lamp with a smile, and asked him if he had liked such an exaggerated Baroque style before.

He didn’t remember the other party’s voice, nor her appearance, but he vaguely felt that it should be a woman.

may be a very beautiful woman.

Because in his memory, he once hugged and kissed her intimately.

But now he looked around the room, the warmth in his memory no longer existed, he only felt bitingly cold.

He opened his mouth and tried to make a sound, but found that his voice was extremely hoarse. The feeling of thirst came over him suddenly, and he couldn't help coughing.

Someone outside the door seemed to have heard his movement and walked over slowly.

appears to be a woman wearing high heels.

Her footsteps stopped at the door of the room and she did not come in.

"Good morning, sir. Can I come in?"

"Come in."

Facing the morning light in the corridor, he saw Ah Li for the "first time".

That is an Asian girl with a small figure, fair skin, and black hair. Wearing a light-colored bubble suit with beautiful embroidery, she stood at the door cheerfully.

He felt that his heartbeat seemed to be beating a little faster.

2

"What is your name?"

"You call me A-li."

"A-li?"

"Pear's pear, sir."

"You are mine..."

The girl's calm look was disappointed for a moment, but she He quickly regained his composure and said in a calm tone: "You are my sponsor, sir. You put me through college, but I couldn't find a job, so you took me in to help here. I am now your housekeeper. "

" Hmm. "

How can such a young girl do such a good job as a housekeeper?He was suspicious subconsciously.

"Do you want breakfast?"

"...Okay."

Half an hour later, the man was sitting in the spacious restaurant, looking at the bacon, eggs and toast in front of him, subconsciously disgusted.

He couldn't help but look back at Ah Li, who was standing two meters away silently "waiting for the call":

"Do I usually eat these?"

"You asked me to prepare according to this."

"Then I can Want something else? "

" I want to eat noodles, steaming soup noodles. "

" I don't know why, but he seemed to see a flash of indifference in the girl's eyes.

Ah Li moved very quickly. Twenty minutes later, he had a bowl of noodles that satisfied him. The taste is not strong, but the aroma is fragrant. The soup base used has obviously been stewed for a long time.

"Ah Li, thank you."

Put down his chopsticks, he looked at Ah Li who was about to clear away the dishes, and then interrupted her action:

"Do you have time to talk to me?"

"Okay, sir."

Ah Li took him out of the room and came to the outdoor garden. The rich scent of jasmine overwhelmed them almost instantly. He looked at the large jasmine flowers blooming in the garden, turned back and looked at the embroidery on Ah Li's cheongsam, and frowned slightly.

"It's different." Ah Li showed an understanding smile.

"Then..."

"Sit down, sir." Ah Li helped him make a cup of black tea and sat down, "What do you want to know?"

"You keep calling me sir, what is my name?"

" Lu Xiuyan." Ah Li looked into his eyes and said with a smile.

But he was not only unfamiliar with this name, he even felt a little repelled by it.

"You don't like this name. So let me call you, sir." Ah Li explained, "This manor was a birthday gift you got when you were twenty years old. You put a lot of thought into it. I heard that the glass house , you designed it yourself so that you can still see flowers here even in winter. And these jasmine flowers are said to have been planted by you yourself."

Lu Xiuyan followed Ah Li's line of sight and saw the glass house not far away. , you can vaguely see the red roses blooming inside. He didn't know whether it was because the color was too dazzling, or because he wasn't used to the warmth of the sun yet, so his eyes didn't stop. For some reason, he seemed a little disgusted with every memory point Ah Li mentioned. But this emotion dissipated instantly when he turned his attention back to the girl.

It seems that only by seeing her can he maintain his original peace of mind.

"How long have I known you?"

"Well..." Ah Li blinked, thought for a moment and said, "This is the tenth year, sir."

Lu Xiuyan asked intermittently about his age, family, Ah Li They all answered patiently. So he found out that he was thirty-five years old, a "fool" who lived a comfortable life and was living on the huge inheritance he inherited after the death of his parents. The companies under his name are all handed over to professional managers, and he can earn a lot of money without having to worry about it himself.

He himself has been living in this isolated manor for the past three years, growing flowers, drinking tea, taking walks occasionally, and living a completely comfortable retirement life.

As for the sudden "amnesia" this time, according to Ah Li's explanation, it was because Lu Xiuyan accidentally fell into the artificial lake in the manor while taking a walk a while ago and broke his head.

"Don't worry, the doctor will come for your follow-up visit soon. The memory will be restored soon."

Although Ah Li spoke with honorifics from beginning to end, Lu Xiuyan always felt that the tone of her conversation with him was very relaxed, and there was no such thing as a housekeeper. The master's utmost respect.But compared to friends or family, the relationship between them is obviously another layer apart.

Such a strange sense of balance reaches its peak after night falls.

After dinner, Lu Xiuyan felt that his fatigue was becoming more and more obvious, so he decided to take a rest early. Ah Li thoughtfully led the way and led him back to the room where he woke up in the morning.

"Thank you, Ah Li."

"You're welcome, sir."

Ah Li stood at the door and did not leave.

"Is there anything else?" Lu Xiuyan stopped unbuttoning his clothes and looked at the girl with some confusion.

"Do you need my help?" Ah Li asked with an almost respectful attitude, lowering her head and not looking into Lu Xiuyan's eyes.

"Help?"

The girl did not answer.

But in the night atmosphere, Lu Xiuyan only took a few seconds to realize the other party's hint. His eyes quickly swept over the girl's beautiful cheongsam. This is indeed a cheongsam that is too gorgeous to be suitable for a "housekeeper". But what if this housekeeper also has a secret relationship with the owner of this manor?

Everything seems to have become logical.

Lu Xiuyan took a few deep breaths subconsciously.

He had a shameful thought the moment he understood what Ah Li meant. It was as if this body had a mind of its own, clamoring to take the girl into its arms.

Such despicable thoughts made him feel ashamed.

"No need. I want to rest."

"Okay sir. Good night."

3

Accompanied by Ah Li, he spent a full half month recuperating in the manor. During this period, except for the workers who came to "delivery" every Thursday night, and the gardeners and cleaners who only worked when Lu Xiuyan was resting, the entire manor was so quiet that only the movement of small animals could be heard. Ah Li became the only person he saw and communicated with.

This sounds really weird.

To be precise, it sounds like he is under house arrest here by Ali.

however is not.

What he does and eat every day are his own choices. Ah Li always obeyed his "instructions".

They "seem" to have an ordinary master-servant relationship. In addition to sitting together and drinking tea every afternoon, he would ask some stories about him and about Ah Li's past.

She would always talk about the past with a nostalgic look on her face.

She would start many stories about Lu Xiuyan with "I heard", which was obviously not familiar to her. As for her own story, Ah Li will tell more details.

For example, she remembered the day she met Lu Xiuyan for the first time. She was wearing an old sweater left by her mother and waiting for a free meal at a nearby relief station.

It was her second winter abroad, but she lost her dependent relatives and her source of income. Her foreign language is not very good, so she took a long detour to find this relief station that had not yet started distributing food. Most of those waiting in line with her were homeless people, and they looked at her with malicious eyes.

"You picked me up when you were passing by." When Ah Li talked about all this, her smile became more relieved, "You gave me the first full meal in months. You also promised to provide I study. "

" It sounds like I am an idle fool. "

"Thank you for being idle and giving me a chance to be reborn. "

Lu Xiuyan brought Ah Li back to school and enrolled her in school. I hired a tutor for her and helped her get into a good university. And Ah Li was very grateful to this "benefactor" from beginning to end.

"You didn't find a job after graduation?"

"Yes, I followed my temper and studied art-related majors. But there were few job opportunities. My resume was not impressive, so I didn't find a job.When you found out, you didn't blame me, but gave me the job of running the estate. "

" Ah Li, are you happy now? "Lu Xiuyan felt a little guilty when he thought about what he had vaguely felt about his relationship with Ah Li, but he couldn't help but ask.

Ah Li was stunned for a moment, but soon put on a bright smile.

"Of course, sir. . "The girl said in a light tone, "I have never had such a happy time. "

That was probably the happiest and most genuine smile Lu Xiuyan had seen on Ah Li's face in half a month.

Lu Xiuyan still had many questions in his heart. But seeing the girl's smile like that, he actually He was a little afraid and did not continue to ask. One night in the third week, he was awakened by the sound of cars outside the window. He walked to the unclosed window in a daze and saw other people in the manor through the glass for the first time. Wearing a rubber-shoe shovel, the other person looks like a gardener and is talking to Ah Li who is "working" in the garden. She is holding a pair of sharp scissors and is "dismantling" the jasmine flowers. Demolition should be more like destruction.

Wearing thick gardening gloves, Ah Li cut off the flowers one by one, threw them at her feet, and then asked the gardeners to remove the entire jasmine flower.

Stopped at the door. A truck, the two of them cooperated like this, bit by bit, demolished all the beautiful jasmine flowers.

Lu Xiuyan couldn't see Ah Li's expression clearly, but he could feel the unconcealed resentment and anger from her actions. Angry.

He subconsciously took a few steps away from the window.

He didn’t want to see Ah Li like that.

“Miss, what should I do with these flowers? "The gardener asked.

"Send it to their Lu family's cemetery. If you like her so much, you probably want to stay with her even after you die. "

Ah Li's tone of voice was obviously sarcastic.

Obviously, this was her original attitude towards the Lu family.

She was not a docile housekeeper girl.

4

Lu Xiuyan disappeared in the garden the next day. When picking up the jasmine flowers, I tried to keep calm and asked the reason in a natural tone.

"Oh, the gardener found that they had parasites, so I took the decision to remove them all to prevent them from destroying the whole garden. "

" turns out to be this. "Lu Xiuyan saw the girl's calm face, but his heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and it was even difficult to maintain his composure, "What are you going to plant next? "

" Sir, you can grow whatever you like. Ah Li repeated what she should have said as a "housekeeper", "But if you still like Jasmine, you may have to wait a little longer." The quality of the recent jasmine seems to be not very good and cannot meet your standards. "

" Well, that won't be necessary for the time being. It's pretty good like this now, it makes the garden look very spacious. "

" Just like it. Ah Li put down the teacup and changed the topic:

"Compared to this... Sir, aren't you bored?" I stayed here for almost a month and only talked to me every day. Although I understand that your memory has not been completely restored, don't you want to go out for a walk? "

"I..." Lu Xiuyan opened his mouth, but did not agree immediately, "I can't remember my previous habits, and my current memory is limited to this place, so I don't have that much spirit of exploration. For me, the way I am now, there are enough new stories for me to learn every day. "

"Oh, about this..." Ah Li said with some distress, "I've always been embarrassed to remind you. But actually, I have one day off every week, sir. I mean, I haven't had a break in a long time since you woke up. I wonder if you can allow me to take a break this weekend? "

" of course. "

"Is it okay for you to be alone? "

" It doesn't matter, I'm almost familiar with it.Lu Xiuyan paused and added, "But I'm not sure if I can cook..."

"I will arrange for someone to deliver food to you. You just need to arrive at the restaurant on time every day." "

" OK, thank you, Ali. "

" This is what I should do. "

Early the next morning, Lu Xiuyan watched Ah Li leave in front of the window in the room. What came to pick her up was a dark red sports car . When the man in the driver's seat got out of the car and waited for Ah Li, he also looked at Looking in the direction of Lu Xiuyan,

looked like a young man, wearing a light-colored suit and a black shirt, with a few buttons on his chest casually unbuttoned, and a pair of sunglasses that were so exaggerated that they covered half of his face. . The light golden hair was particularly shining in the sun.

They were obviously very familiar with each other.

After seeing Ah Li appear, the man strode forward and "snatched" the suitcase from Ah Li's hand, and then stretched out his hand to rub her. - Lu Xiuyan also noticed at this time that Ah Li finally took off the cheongsam he was used to wearing and wore a light-colored dress. Her hair was no longer tied up. Wearing it casually.

This should be her true appearance.

For some reason, Lu Xiuyan felt with great certainty that he might be Ah Li's lover, or maybe he was her friend. Relationship, Lu Xiuyan, as her "supervisor" at work, didn't seem to have any qualifications to inquire about the other party's private life.

But at this moment, he really felt a little irritated.

Something was slowly getting out of control. He said that there were some unspeakable dark emotions in his heart.

There was a voice secretly telling him not to let her go.

She is mine, only mine.

She can’t go anywhere but here.

So, you have to go back! ? "

" Shhh... keep your voice down. "

Ah Li was sitting in the corner of the coffee shop, holding a cup of milk tea in her hand and drinking happily. The man next to her took off his sunglasses, revealing a pair of green eyes. He looked obviously Caucasian but spoke fluent Chinese.

"Zack, I told you, I have arrangements, you don't have to worry. "

" How could I not be worried! "The other party was obviously dissatisfied with Ah Li's attitude, and complained a little aggrievedly, "Every time you say it's okay, you drag yourself into more trouble. At that time, too, I had long felt that something was wrong with this man, but you insisted on leaving with him..."

"I just wanted to try to get out of there, maybe there would be new opportunities. The more you get, the more risks you are bound to take. "A Li put away her smile and revealed a bit of a sister's tone when talking to Zack, "We are almost successful, you just need to be obedient. "

" I will be obedient. But you also need to protect yourself. "

" I will. Ah Li promised, "It will be soon." We will not fail this time. "

She looked back at the TV in the coffee shop, which was scrolling with a message - "The Dark Story of the Chaebols". That was a hot topic recently. The chaebols who had been meddling in secret were beginning to be purged, and old accounts were being cleared. After opening it, reporters swarmed and dug up many incredible stories.

“Don’t read it. "Zack forcefully pushed Ah Li's head back, "You need to rest. "

"...I know. Ah Li took another sip of milk tea and said, "I'm resting now." "

" Okay, after you finish drinking the milk tea, go back to my place and take a nap. "

" OK, sir. "

They relied on each other to get out of that hellish orphanage, thinking that the world would become better, but they had to face a more cruel world.

But there are not so many lucky people.

They are just struggling to survive in the quagmire along with all living beings.

Zack took a big sip of black coffee and forced himself not to worry about it anymore.

6

Ah Li was away, and Lu Xiuyan seemed to be the only one left in the huge manor.

After finishing his breakfast in boredom, he finally started his belated "home adventure". The decorations in the corridor looked old, but Lu Xiuyan didn't have much interest in them. Just open the doors one by one and see if there are any "interesting" rooms.

Most of the rooms are boring and traditional. There are fully furnished suites with separate bedrooms, separate reception rooms, and a well-designed gymnasium. The equipment inside didn't look brand new, and it was obvious that he had been a man with exercise habits.

But now... Lu Xiuyan looked at the pale and thin young man in the mirror, and really didn't think he had the physical strength to try to resume exercise.

After wandering around the entire main building aimlessly, Lu Xiuyan was surprised to find that apart from the bedroom he lived in, there was no other room with a residential feel.

indicates that Ah Li lives in a side building next to the main building.

This is obviously a place for servants to live. Not only is the distance from the main building maintained at a delicate balance, but the structure is also much simpler.

Lu Xiuyan looked at the dark building, which was completely different from the off-white main building, and hesitated to check it out.

"Mr. Lu, long time no see."

Lu Xiuyan was hesitating at the gate and was startled by the sudden sound.

He turned around and saw the gardener standing in the corner, and subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. ——He once saw Ah Li talking to this man.

Lu Xiuyan nodded, trying to pretend to be familiar and said: "I haven't been in good spirits recently and haven't been out and about much."

"I understand. The lady explained the situation to everyone and said that you need to rest. We will do our part. Just don't disturb your work."

Lu Xiuyan thought of the man's appearance when Ah Li asked to destroy the jasmine flowers, and asked tentatively: "The jasmine flowers in the yard..."

The gardener's expression froze, and he was obviously a little unhappy. Comfortably avoiding Lu Xiuyan's gaze, he smiled perfunctorily and explained, "Those flowers were bitten by insects. We were worried that they would infect other flowers in the yard, so we temporarily transported all the jasmine flowers away."

The gardener's words were exactly the same as Ali's.

It seems that these flowers are really just transported because of parasites.

Ke Lu Xiuyan could not turn a blind eye to the gardener's avoiding gaze. The other party obviously didn't expect Lu Xiuyan to ask this question, and his panicked expression revealed too much.

"Really? Then buy a new batch of jasmine flowers and ship them over."

"...Yes." The gardener showed an expression of "Sure enough," and seemed not surprised by Lu Xiuyan's request.

So what special meaning does jasmine have to him?

"By the way, do you usually live there?" Lu Xiuyan stopped the gardener who was about to leave.

"Yes." The gardener followed Lu Xiuyan's gaze and at the end of his sight was the side building belonging to the servants.

"Where is Ah Li?"

"What?" The gardener looked at Lu Xiuyan in surprise, obviously not expecting him to ask this question.

"Um...Miss, I don't know where she lives. Our floor is all male."

The back of the gardener who almost fled made Lu Xiuyan's heart sink.

Ah Li is the manager of the manor. If she lives in the main building, no one will have any objections. But after he visited all the rooms, there was no trace of Ah Li's life.

If she lived in a side building, why did the gardener react...

Lu Xiuyan felt that his brain could no longer keep up with the speed of thinking this day. He desperately wanted to uncover the mystery about Ah Li, but he couldn't even recall his past. Overturning Ah Li's previous statement means that he has to look for the source of his memory again, but this does not mean that he can get more accurate information.

"Sir, do you want me to call Dr. An over?" The gardener asked with some concern when he saw Lu Xiuyan's frown.

"Yeah."

Does his family doctor know any other information?

Lu Xiuyan felt that he was constantly walking into the unknown darkness, unable to touch anything real, and it was still darkness when he looked back.

At this moment, he could only choose to move forward.

7

"Yaya? Mom has to go out for something. There is food in the refrigerator. Eat by yourself when you are hungry."

"Yaya, mom broke up. Mom is so sad..."

"Yaya, why were you born?"

"It would be fine if I didn't have you."

"If I didn't have you... I would definitely be able to live a better life."

The woman's voice repeatedly appeared in her ears like a spell. Even though she knew she was dreaming, she still felt as if she was still that little girl, weak and powerless, begging her mother not to abandon her or let herself go hungry.

"Ali!"

Zack's knocking on the door woke up Ali.

She opened her eyes suddenly, feeling that her whole body was sticky with sweat, and her heartbeat was beating fast.

"I'm fine." She sat on the edge of the bed and calmed down for a while. When her breathing stabilized, she opened the door and let the boy in.

It was obviously not the first time that Zack discovered that Ah Li had nightmares. Although he knocked loudly, he calmed down after hearing Ah Li's voice and waited obediently for her to calm down.

"I'm fine." Ah Li repeated, "It's just that the environment suddenly changed, and I'm a little uncomfortable with it."

"It means you come to live with me too little." Zack said dissatisfiedly, "You have been staying here since then. Then she won’t have nightmares.”

Ah Li’s problem with nightmares has been with her for many years. But fortunately, after adulthood, perhaps due to changes in life and mental maturity, the frequency of nightmares has dropped significantly. Only occasionally when you are in an unfamiliar environment, you may be haunted by nightmares again.

"Maybe." Ah Li sighed and subconsciously curled up on the bed, hugging her legs with her arms in a self-protective posture, "I do think of her occasionally recently. I was so afraid of her when I was little. Abandoning her, even persisting in trying to please her. Looking back now, I'm actually a little glad that she left so decisively."

She raised her head and smiled at the worried boy: "It's okay, it's enough now. Okay."

"Ali, you can't leave me." Zack said dullly, "You promised me."

"I won't leave." Ali touched the boy's hair, "I promised you. No matter what happens, I will come back to you."

"I don't remember what happened when I was a child. I don't remember who my parents are. My memory of this world starts with you. So I will always remember what you promised me. "

Zack was sent to the orphanage when Ah Li was 10 years old. He was thin and small at that time, but his eyes were bright and he seemed to be observing everywhere very intelligently.

But he can’t speak or sign language, and even the dean doesn’t know if he can understand Chinese. This kind of person is still an anomaly in an orphanage. There was almost no need for anyone to take the initiative. After seeing Zack's obvious foreign features, all the children subconsciously began to keep a distance from him.

"Do you like it here?" Ah Li spoke to the "little brother" in this orphanage for the first time, and she was a little cautious.

Zack nodded and showed a happy smile.

Ah Li didn’t know until a long time later that Zack had lost all the memories before the orphanage, and her acquaintance with Zack became the starting point of all the memories in Zack’s life today. Just like a baby bird will cling to the first creature it sees when it opens its eyes, Zack also has an almost inseparable attachment to Ali.

"Okay, go to bed quickly. I'll make wontons for you tomorrow morning." Ah Li saw that Zack looked extremely sleepy and urged him to go to bed early.

"Okay."

coaxed Zack away, but Ali herself was completely sleepless.

She was lying in the small room where she had lived for almost three months. It was filled with a familiar atmosphere and someone she trusted was outside the door, but she still felt uneasy.

is faster.

She is almost free.

8

Lu Xiuyan’s family doctor, Dr. An, is a young man wearing black-rimmed glasses. When Lu Xiuyan appeared at the manor wearing a black suit, he thought the person coming was his lawyer.

"Long time no see, Mr. Lu."

"Doctor An?" Lu Xiuyan called out the other person's name with some hesitation.

Unexpectedly, he raised his eyes and looked at Lu Xiuyan carefully. After Dr. An confirmed that it was indeed Lu Xiuyan who was speaking, he breathed a sigh of relief:

"Okay, shall we talk here? Or should we go to your room?" Let's talk? "

" Let's go to the restaurant. "

" Dr. An walked into the restaurant in a familiar manner and poured himself a cup of hot black tea.

"It's been so long, you don't look like you're doing well. Why, are you too high?"

Lu Xiuyan was stunned, neither admitting nor denying.

"Hey, Lao Lu, you look like a dog now, but you really look like a weak and wealthy man." Dr. An crossed his legs, obviously very familiar with Lu Xiuyan, "Don't tell me, Your target this time is an orphan again, right? "

" What is Wang Ya, isn't she just an orphan? Why don't you wait so many years for her to be grateful to you? "Tell you?"

Lu Xiuyan was not used to Dr. An's tone of voice and couldn't help but frown.

"Ah, yes, I almost forgot. You thought the name was vulgar, so you gave me a new name. What's it called? Ali? Ali?" Dr. An didn't seem to notice Lu Xiuyan's sudden change in expression. He continued to mind his own business and asked, "Why, hasn't she been locked up by you? How is she doing now?"

"Hey! You promised me at the time that you would lend it to me to play with when you had enough. I I thought you called me here because of this matter." Dr. An obviously didn't notice Lu Xiuyan's increasingly ugly expression, and his careless appearance revealed his true nature, "Or have you found some new prey?"

Lu? Although Xiuyan has lost his memory, his basic understanding of the world has not completely dissipated. This man may not be a doctor at all. And "Call Dr. An" was just a code word he often used in the past. So the gardener understood his instructions.

The information revealed in "Doctor An's" words undoubtedly overturned Lu Xiuyan's previous assumptions about this manor and Ah Li.

He suddenly recalled his flash of control and didn't want to let Ah Li leave.

Everything seems to finally have a reason.

"Let's not talk about this. We haven't seen each other for such a long time. Let's have a drink together?" Lu Xiuyan suppressed his confused mood, pretended to be nonchalant and walked to the wine cabinet, and took out a bottle of white grapes in a familiar manner.

"White wine? I can see it's your little girl's preference."

This bottle of wine was indeed prepared by Ah Li.

"She has been on vacation recently." Lu Xiuyan said tentatively, "Occasionally she still needs to get some air."

"It seems that your training was very successful." Dr. An raised his glass to Lu Xiuyan and asked, "When will she come back? ? I haven’t seen her for a long time. Are you still letting her wear that lifeless cheongsam? "That cheongsam suits her very well."

"My Brother Lu, you are still thinking about that after all these years." Who?" Dr. An's eyes widened, and he even rolled his eyes speechlessly, "It's been almost 10 years, can't you look at yourself more clearly?

Lu Xiuyan knew that he had finally asked the key to the matter.

"An...Mr. An."

Seeing "Doctor An" look surprised by his title, Lu Xiuyan continued to explain:

"I seemed to have been injured a while ago, and I lost my memory after I woke up. Call you. I came because I thought you were my family doctor, so I needed someone to check me out. But from what you said, it seems that you just entered this manor under the guise of a doctor. I hope you can answer some of my questions. "

"Doctor An" was stunned for a while. Seeing that Lu Xiuyan was still looking at him seriously, he still shook his head somewhat unacceptable.

Suddenly, he remembered something and strode out of the restaurant and walked straight to the garden. ——Standing in front of the area that originally belonged to Jasmine that had been "tended", he suddenly laughed.

"Lu Xiuyan, I don't know whether I should pity you or be glad that you really don't remember."

Lu Xiuyan still has many questions, but "Doctor An" seems unwilling to talk to his friend who has lost his memory.

"Come to me again when you remember everything."

Lu Xiuyan did not catch up.

He looked at the other person's hurriedly running back, which was completely different from when he arrived, and felt as if there was a hole in his heart, empty.

Of course he also wants to get his memory back.

But now, he is a little afraid of getting back those memories.

9

"Hello, is this Ms. Li Li?"

Ah Li was wearing a plaid shirt and jeans, a pair of black-rimmed glasses, and a ponytail. She looked like a young girl who had just graduated. She was stunned for a moment when she saw the woman opening the door, and then immediately showed a polite smile.

"Who?"

"It's like this. Recently, the community wants to do a special issue to promote young mothers nearby. We are reporters from the local TV station. After getting the consent of the community, we will come to ask you to accept an interview."

Zack is holding it next to him. He showed his work ID card and showed a friendly smile: "My name is Zack, and this is my partner."

"...Oh, the community has called me before. Please come in."

Although Li Li was very friendly to Zack He spoke fluent Chinese and was a little surprised, but he quickly recovered and opened the door to let Ah Li and the others in.

This is a single-family villa on the outskirts of the city. The surrounding environment is very good, with large woods and artificial lakes. It is so quiet during the day on weekdays that only the faint chirping of birds can be heard.

Ah Li let Zack walk in front, and she was a few steps behind, slowly observing this small house full of warmth.

is completely different from that cold manor.

"Wow, this smells so good. Is it this flower?"

"It's jasmine." Li Li explained with a smile, "I like jasmine very much, and my husband gives me a bouquet of fresh jasmine every day."

"Your husband loves you very much."

"Well, I am also very grateful to him. It was he who let me know that such love still exists in this world."

Zack's lens shows this woman with slightly fine lines at the corners of her eyes smiling gently. The beige cheongsam on her body is embroidered with a large jasmine flower. Her whole person exudes the aura of a happy little woman. She spoke Her tone was soft, and she looked at Ah Li with a little fondness for the little girl. She seemed very happy to see Ah Li.

The outline of the interview had been read to Li Li in advance, so the entire interview ended quickly.

"Ms. , thank you very much for your cooperation. Ah Li closed the notebook in her hand and motioned for Zack to put down the camera, "There is one last question that is not on our interview outline. It just came to my mind. I wonder if you are willing to answer it." You can listen to the questions before making a decision. "

" OK, please say it. "

" Your life can be considered smooth sailing in the eyes of ordinary viewers. For you, what is the biggest regret in your life, or the thing you regret the most? "

" Don't say anything about not meeting your husband so early! Ah Li smiled and added, "I won't accept this bowl of dog food." "

" Well... Actually, before I got married, I had a very bad relationship. Li Li's smile faded a bit, but her tone of voice remained calm, "The person I was dating at that time had a complicated family. He grew up in such a family, and he was a little extreme psychologically." I didn't notice it at first and just indulged him blindly. It wasn't until later that I couldn't bear it anymore and ran away. "

" I regret it very much. If I could face his abnormality more clearly at that time, I might be able to leave him earlier and persuade him to receive treatment. I later heard that he had also dated other people, and I hoped that his new partner would discover the problem early and persuade him to receive treatment. "

Li Li looked a little sad. It wasn't until his daughter suddenly started crying that he raised a smile and patiently walked over to comfort her.

Ten minutes later, Ah Li and Zack said goodbye to Li Li and left this beautiful building. The small villa.

The interview ended like this.

Ah Li was in a daze for a long time.

She felt a lot of confusion, confusion, and even anger.

Why did she do this? Being "chosen" by Lu Xiuyan and becoming the victim?

"Ali..."

"Zack, I'm fine. Ah Li took a deep breath and showed a somewhat forced smile, "I just didn't expect that she would be such a woman." "

Li Li looked full of happiness. She didn't resent her past, and even openly told that memory as a regrettable story.

She seemed to feel that as long as she persuaded the lunatic to seek treatment, everything would be different. .

When Ah Li stood in front of Li Li and received such an answer, she understood for the first time why fakes would always be fakes.

Because she could never have such naive thoughts, because she had never had such complete happiness. Ah Li returned to the manor two days later than expected.

She had only been away for less than five days. When she returned to this cage-like place, she actually felt strange.

She did not go to Lu Xiu first. Instead, she carried her luggage and walked straight into a guest room on the side floor. Lying on the small bed with only the scent of soapberry, Ah Li tried her best to slow down her breathing.

Her tense spirit was forced to relax a little. After lying down for a while, she accidentally fell asleep.

What woke her up was a sharp knock on the door.

"Miss, sir is looking for you. "

Ah Li sat up in a daze, opened the door and found that it was already dark outside. She actually slept like this all afternoon.

"Sorry, I'm too tired. Ah Li yawned and explained to the gardener who knocked on the door, "I'll pack up and go right away. Could you please explain it to your husband?""

"...Okay. "

The gardener glanced at Ah Li who was wearing "casual clothes" with a complicated expression, and sighed secretly.

"Don't worry, I will change my clothes. " Ah Li promised.

"Actually, you don't have to..." The gardener swallowed what he originally wanted to say, "I'll go and get busy first. "

The two exchanged a tacit look and each returned to their work stations.

Half an hour later, Ah Li put on the cheongsam and walked to the door of Lu Xiuyan's bedroom.

Just raised his hand to prepare After knocking on the door, she heard the man's muffled "Come in"

She still knocked twice symbolically, then opened the door and walked in -

"Mr. "

" Ah Li, long time no see. "Lu Xiuyan's voice sounded unchanged, but when Ah Li lowered his head and waited for instructions as usual, she could feel his eyes falling on her, with a somewhat familiar yet unfamiliar look.

"Sir, I It was just a temporary delay of two days and I have already reported it to you. Ah Li explained in a calm tone, "I was a little tired in the afternoon, so I overslept and didn't come to see you in time. It's my fault." "

" report? Lu Xiuyan frowned and asked, "I wasn't the one who answered the phone when you called me. I didn't agree with you coming home late." "

" Sorry sir, I will be canceling my vacation for the next few weeks. "Although Ah Li apologized, she didn't apologize sincerely.

"Ah Li, are you my housekeeper? "

" Yes, sir. "

" So, housekeeper, why do you live in the side building? Lu Xiuyan's tone sounded questioning, "If I needed to see you for something urgent, would you still oversleep like you did today?" "

"Sorry, sir. "

Although she was being scolded, Ah Li's expression did not change at all. It seemed that she would not feel guilty at all because of her employer's dissatisfaction and was eager to explain.

Her attitude was not so much that she didn't care, but more like she was used to it.

"Wang Ya. "

The moment Lu Xiuyan read out the name, Ah Li finally looked up at him as he wished.

The man was holding her resume in his hand, and the girl on it was smiling stupidly at the camera, looking exactly like the one in front of him. This woman has a completely different look.

There was a hint of defensiveness and withdrawal in Ah Li's eyes that made Lu Xiuyan uncomfortable.

She seemed to be afraid of something.

"So you haven't forgotten your original name. Lu Xiuyan raised his eyebrows and even smiled, "Why do you have to call yourself Ah Li?" "

When Ah Li heard this, her original defensive posture faded a little, and she explained obediently: "Ah Li is the name you gave me. Sir, I also want to get rid of my past self. So this name is new to me.

Lu Xiuyan put down the materials in his hands and stopped worrying about Ah Li's name. The topic turned to her cheongsam again: "Then I don't like your cheongsam. Can I change it?" "

" is of course no problem. "Ali agreed readily, "But before that, I prepared a small gift for you during my vacation. What is "

"? "

" is a short video. I swear you won't forget her after watching it. "

Lu Xiuyan has been in a good mood ever since she came back from seeing Ah Li, and even her habitual backtalk felt familiar and missed. Of course she didn't really mean to punish Ah Li. It was just a back and forth quarrel. , it was full of warmth for him.

He almost didn’t remember the brief and vague memory when he first woke up. He only remembered that his body was full of desire for the girl in front of him.

He looked at the girl with anticipation. He took out his mobile phone, put it in front of him, and played a short video

"Sir, I went to visit an old friend of yours."Ali suddenly raised a strange smile, "I visited her child for you. She's doing well. "

The moment Lu Xiuyan saw Li Li opening the door, he understood that she was "that woman" mentioned by "Doctor An".

This woman looked very similar to Ah Li who was wearing a cheongsam at the moment.

A smile on her face The woman who looked at her daughter and recalled the love story with her husband.

The woman who once slept with him in this room.

"Ah..."

Lu Xiuyan couldn't stand it anymore.

The fragments of his memories kept returning to their original positions, but he didn't want to.

He didn't want to remember.

He didn't want to become the friend of "Dr. An", the man who ruined Ah Li.

He wanted to continue to be. This "sir" who has lost his memory and knows nothing is extremely dependent on Ah Li.

"Lu Xiuyan, look at her. You listen to what she says. "

The video comes to an end, the screen disappears, and only the voice of the answer to the last question is left.

"I have some regrets..."

"Treatment. "

Li Li's clear voice came out, and Lu Xiuyan finally reached out and shook off Ah Li's phone uncontrollably -

"I don't know her! "

" is it? "A Li opened a secret compartment of the bookcase in Lu Xiuyan's bedroom with familiarity, took out a thick photo album, and opened it with a smile - it was full of photos of Lu Xiuyan and Li Li.

"But you The only one I have always loved is her. "

The man in the photo smiles tenderly. They look like a perfect match.

"I am very happy now. "

" I don't remember her. "

Lu Xiuyan's voice and Li Li's voice on the phone rang at the same time.

It sounded like two people were trying their best to distance themselves from each other, but they could not deny the inseparable relationship between them.

Ah Li's voice He raised his head a lot, and asked in an inquisitive manner:

"Look, does my face look similar to hers when she was young?" Especially when you are wearing this cheongsam that makes me sick, every time you look at me you look at me with love and hate. How could I not understand? It's just a substitute. I can pretend to know nothing. After all, you paid for my college education. But why do you still expect me to be a substitute and stay in this cage-like manor all your life? "

Lu Xiuyan's expression collapsed.

He opened his mouth, trying desperately to explain that he couldn't remember anything. But all the evidence in front of him made him unable to deny it.

These evidences told him that Lu Xiuyan was so disgusting. Alone.

"The Lu family has left you more money than you can spend in a few lifetimes, but the condition is that you will never step out of this manor. Why do you think they have this condition? "Ali's voice was calm and indifferent, and she told the truth that Lu Xiuyan was most afraid of word by word,

"Because you are a madman. When you fall in love with someone, you want them to be the only one in their world, even if you don't hesitate to destroy their original life. So you scared Li Li away and were imprisoned here. Then you found me, an unlucky poor man, thinking you could buy me everything with money, but you found that I couldn't do what you wanted, so you were very angry. "

As Ah Li narrated, Lu Xiuyan's mind flashed through some unspeakable scenes.

It seemed to be in a dungeon-like room, and Ah Li was chained in a corner by him with a face full of despair. .

"No, that's not possible..."

"You remember. Ah Li frowned and suddenly lifted up her skirt, revealing a hand-length scar on her thigh, and continued: "You locked me in that basement and you didn't allow me to leave." "

"I..."

"You know that you will never get Li Li in your life, so you want me to be your Li Li in your whole life.But my name is not Ah Li, my name is Wang Ya. Although I don't like this name, I hate the name Ali even more. "

Wang Ya slammed the photo album on the ground. Although she finally had a chance to vent her anger, she suddenly seemed to have no idea what to say to attack Lu Xiuyan. She suddenly stopped and gasped loudly. .

There was an eerie silence in the room.

The rich man lost his memory after being seriously injured, but a video brought by the housekeeper reminded him of the secret past.

11

"Miss, he can't remember. "

The gardener's voice suddenly sounded at the door.

He opened the door and walked in under the watchful eyes of Wang Ya and Lu Xiuyan, holding a shovel stained with mud and dried blood.

"I am consulting at the hospital. The doctor told him that his brain injury was too serious and it was a miracle that he could live a normal life and take care of himself. Recovery is impossible. "

" This can be used as evidence against him if you want. "The gardener raised the shovel in his hand and continued to explain in a calm tone, "But such a case may not be taken seriously. "

" is no longer needed. Wang Ya smiled nonchalantly, "Being trapped here for the rest of his life is the biggest punishment for him." But I accepted this amulet. "

Taking the shovel from the gardener's hand, Wang Ya did not look back at the man who was slumped on the ground.

She was not even willing to say goodbye to him.

Lu Xiuyan looked at Wang Ya's leaving figure dejectedly. , feeling heartbreaking sadness. He knew that he was a bastard in the past, but not all those memories came back. He had never hurt Wang Ya after losing his memory. Why couldn't he...

He braced himself and stood up. , wanted to rush out and catch up with Wang Ya.

Before he could take the first step, a cold blade suddenly stabbed into his body.

"You..."

Lu Xiuyan turned around in disbelief. Looking at this honest-looking man.

The other party finally broke through all the disguises at this moment, revealing his hatred -

"You should have died a long time ago. "

Before Lu Xiuyan could say anything, the blade was quickly drawn out and thrust in again.

In and out, over and over again, the man's eyes turned red.

Until his nominal boss was completely in a pool of blood. After losing his breath, he finally let go of the "murder weapon".

He walked slowly to the window and watched Wang Ya running briskly towards the door and hugging the man who came to greet her. I saw the girl who always acted coquettishly with me.

"Nanny, dad promised you that he would avenge you and come to accompany you soon. "

12

Wang Ya hugged her relatives outside the cage. Her heartbeat felt fast but steady.

She seemed to have been wandering for a long time and finally found her own harbor.

"Let's go, let's take you to eat crayfish. "

" OK. "

She got on the car leading to freedom.

She didn't hear the bloody and cruel struggles behind her, nor did she see the moment when a father who finally untied his knot fell from the building.

He failed to protect himself

But at least, the other one can be saved.

This is enough. (Original title: "Secrets of the Manor")

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