The car rolled to a gentle stop at the gates of the Qin estate, but neither of them made a move to exit. The air inside the vehicle felt thick, saturated with all the words they hadn't said and the emotions they both struggled to contain.
Wu Mei's hand remained on Qin Yanzhou's, her fingers soft and unmoving, as if afraid that letting go would shatter whatever fragile connection they had just rebuilt. Outside, the city lights faded into darkness, replaced by the quiet grandeur of the Qin family's private grounds.
Qin Yanzhou's gaze was fixed on their joined hands. His brows were drawn together, conflicted, as though he was trying to unravel a riddle he didn't want to solve.
"You want me to love you," he said, not as a question but as a challenge.
She nodded, not flinching. "I want you to remember what we had. But even if you don't... I'll make you fall in love with me again. No matter how long it takes."
He pulled his hand away, suddenly cold. "You think it's that easy? That you can walk back into my life after disappearing for years and—what? Kiss me a few times and everything resets?"
Wu Mei smiled bitterly, the pain in her chest pulsing like a bruise. "It was never easy, Yanzhou. You and I... we've never been easy. But I'm here now. I'm not running anymore."
His eyes darkened. "No. You didn't run. You vanished. One day you were in my arms, and the next—nothing. No calls. No messages. No goodbye. Just silence."
"I died," she whispered.
His head jerked toward her. "What did you say?"
She met his eyes and quickly covered her slip. "I mean... it felt like I died. Being away from you—it was like living in someone else's life. One I didn't choose."
He stared at her, trying to read her expression, but she masked it well. The truth would sound insane anyway. Who would believe she had been reborn? That she'd returned to this life with all the memories of a future that had already passed?
The driver cleared his throat gently. "Mr. Qin... should I open the gate?"
Qin Yanzhou didn't look away from Wu Mei. "Yes."
The car eased forward again, and within moments, they were pulling up in front of the grand, stone-faced mansion that sat at the heart of the estate. The assistant opened the car door for Wu Mei, but she hesitated before stepping out.
"Do you really want me here?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Qin Yanzhou walked around to her side, his face unreadable. "You said you wanted me to believe you. So move back in. Prove it."
She blinked. "You're serious?"
"I've never been more serious."
She exhaled slowly and stepped out, her heels clicking lightly against the marble steps. The house loomed large before her, every window glowing softly, just like it had in the past—when she had once stood in this same spot, a different woman, a more naive version of herself.
Qin Yanzhou led the way inside, but his steps slowed as they entered the grand foyer. The silence between them stretched again, heavy and expectant.
"You'll stay in the guest room," he said suddenly, almost defensively. "Don't expect more than that."
Wu Mei gave him a half-smile. "I'll take what you give me. For now."
He turned to her, eyes narrowing. "Why now, Wu Mei? After all this time, why come back?"
She looked around the space that once felt like a prison and a sanctuary all at once. Her heart ached with the weight of what she remembered.
"Because I couldn't let our story end like that," she said. "Because I loved you then, and I love you still. And because in another life... I left too many things unsaid. I won't make that mistake again."
Qin Yanzhou stared at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "You speak like someone who's already lived this once."
Her heart skipped a beat.
"I've lived long enough to know that regret is heavier than hate."
He didn't reply. Instead, he walked ahead, leaving her at the base of the stairs.
Wu Mei followed silently, a quiet determination in every step. This time, she wouldn't let lies, pain, or fate keep them apart.
Even if he couldn't remember the past they shared...
She would make him fall in love with her again
One memory at a time.