Peerless Beauty – Chapter 111

Forgetting

The forgotten one is her

Jian Qing retrieved a towel from the bedroom and walked towards the living room.

The glamorous starlet from the silver screen now stood helplessly in the center of the living room. Rain water streamed down her face, her soaked outer coat hung on the coat rack by the entrance, and she wore only a thin white cotton shirt. With eyes wet and glistening, she stared at Jian Qing as she approached. She resembled a rain-drenched cat brought home, afraid of being abandoned again.

Jian Qing handed her the towel, glanced down at her bare feet, then turned to the room to fetch a pair of summer slippers. She placed them at her feet, then went to pour a cup of hot water and set it on the table.

Lu Yinxi lowered her head, looked at the slippers, and slipped her feet into them. She used the towel to wipe away the rain and tears from her face, then dabbed at her wet and dripping hair.

Jian Qing sat on the sofa, arms folded, her gaze sweeping over her with a cold appraisal.

Ten minutes ago, this person had crashed into her arms crying, holding onto her tightly, begging her to take her home.

Gazes swept over them on the overpass, some people seemed to recognize her as a celebrity, whispering among themselves. A few people appeared to be walking towards them.

As if by an inexplicable coincidence, Jian Qing had picked up this person and brought her home.

Fortunately, she wasn’t a stranger; she had a name and identity, and moreover, was quite famous.

Even someone like her, who didn’t pay much attention to the entertainment circle, had heard the interns in her department discussing this person.

On the way home, this person had rambled on about things she couldn’t understand, saying things like “I’ve been looking for you for so long”, “Did you not see the last note I left you?”, “I’m 25 years old and an actress”, “How old are you here?”, “Are you still working as a doctor?”, “In reality, you’re not married and don’t have a partner, right?”…

Finding it annoying, she had said, “Shut up.”

And this person had obediently remained silent until now.

Still quite docile.

However, from time to time, she would look at her with those “having something to say but stopping oneself” and wet and glistening eyes, making her heart go soft and weak.

Outside, the winter rain fell in a lingering and continuous manner, tapping against the glass windows, creating a delicate sound.

In the quiet living room, the two of them, one sitting and one standing, silently faced each other.

“Speak,” Jian Qing, sitting on the sofa, broke the silence between them as her cold gaze swept over Lu Yinxi.

Lu Yinxi wrinkled her nose, opened her mouth, and let out a small sneeze.

She rubbed the bridge of her nose and looked at Jian Qing cautiously, without speaking.

Jian Qing let out a soft sigh, stood up, and went to the bathroom to run hot water.

She brought a set of her own clothes for Lu Yinxi.

Lu Yinxi took the clothes, hugged them to her chest, lowered her head, and sniffed the scent of the clothes.

A refreshing cool fragrance that penetrate one’s heart and lungs.

An aroma cut from the same mold with the person in her dreams.

Jian Qing’s facial expression froze when she saw Lu Yinxi’s action.

Lu Yinxi looked up at her, and her expression froze as well.

She must think I’m a pervert…

Lu Yinxi’s face reddened, and she began to explain, “I-I’m not—”

“Take a bath,” Jian Qing interrupted, pointing towards the bathroom. “I’ll give you an umbrella when you’re done.”

I’m not a pervert…

Seemingly given a polite request for a guest to leave, Lu Yinxi sat in the bathtub filled with hot water, hugging her knees, pondering Jian Qing’s every word and action.

It seemed like she didn’t remember her at all, didn’t remember anything that happened in the past year.

Was she really the “Jian Qing” from her dreams?

Or was she just someone with the same face, but with a personality that was not entirely the same – two different personas?

It’s like herself and the “Lu Yinxi” in the book, similar but not the same persona.

The hot water warmed her body, making it feel comfortably warm. Lu Yinxi submerged herself in the bathtub, puffed her cheeks, and blew bubbles.

Her heart sank to the bottom along with her.

If this “Jian Qing” and the “Jian Qing” she met in her dreams were not the same persona, then everything would be meaningless.

The one she loved was only the person in her dreams, not anyone else.

Even if they had the same appearance and similar temperament.

“Do you know who I am?”

After the hot bath, Lu Yinxi, wearing Jian Qing’s clothes, walked up to Jian Qing.

The clothes were a size too big, a navy blue trench coat. Originally a style of steady maturity, when worn by her, it took on a casual air.

Jian Qing sat upright at a table by the floor-to-ceiling window, with a computer and two cups of hot coffee in front of her.

Raindrops slid down the glass window, revealing a faint view of the city’s hazy night scene outside.

The hazy night, falling rain, and cold beauty countenance composed a picture.

Although Lu Yinxi had yet to confirm if the person before her was her beloved, her heart still skipped a beat when that gaze swept over her, due to the identical beautiful face.

An uncontrollable heart flutter.

Jian Qing pushed a cup of hot coffee towards the opposite seat, gesturing for Lu Yinxi to sit down. She raised her chin slightly, glancing out the window: “Your billboard is right across the street.”

It seemed to have been changed about a month ago.

Recalling events from a month ago felt distant, as if it wasn’t just a month that had passed, but an entire year.

The coffee’s aroma lingering, Lu Yinxi sat down, cradling the coffee cup, her fingers anxiously rubbing the rim, struggling to control the palpitations in her heart and the surging emotions.

The person before her truly didn’t remember her…

Or perhaps, wasn’t the person she thought she was at all…

Lu Yinxi rubbed her temple and tried to ask the person across from her in a calm tone, as if making small talk: “Hello, what field do you work in?”

Jian Qing looked at her and replied, “Medical. I’m a doctor.”

Lu Yinxi thought to herself, of course I know you’re a doctor…

“Are you still working in clinical practice?” she rephrased her question, adding a self-introduction, “I used to study medicine too, before I entered the entertainment industry.”

Jian Qing said, “Yes.”

She didn’t respond to the latter half of Lu Yinxi’s statement.

If one were tactful, they should understand it’s time to end the conversation. But Lu Yinxi didn’t want to be tactful and continued along this topic: “That’s great. You’re suited to being a doctor, suited to staying in clinical practice…”

She had always loved the medical field, even if hurt by harsh realities, she still had the courage to rekindle her faith.

Jian Qing remained silent, watching Lu Yinxi.

Lu Yinxi hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Is your family doing well?”

In the book, or rather in the dream, the death of her mother was also a significant blow to her.

However, at that time, she had herself by her side, comforting her emotions, accompanying her as she emerged from the pain.

Jian Qing didn’t answer this question directly, lowering her head to take a sip of coffee.

Lu Yinxi seemed to see her initial appearance: cold, distant, silent, and reserved.

Having experienced her warmth and thoughtfulness before, to be treated so coldly now, the contrast was heartbreaking to the point of despair.

Lu Yinxi held her cup, looking out the window.

The courage she had mustered for conversation was shattered by Jian Qing’s coldness, leaving her at a loss for words.

Her nose tingled, her heart riddled with wounds, but her tears were spent, her eyes dry and unable to cry.

In the past, she liked to cry, only because she clearly understood that the person before her would comfort her, allowing her to gain sympathy.

Now, if she were to cry again, she feared it would only annoy the person before her.

She dared not cry, could not cry.

Lu Yinxi’s eyes only reddened slightly as she hurriedly lowered her head, gulping down coffee to conceal her emotions, swallowing both her sobs and the hot coffee.

“The rain is almost stopping,” Jian Qing said unprompted.

This sounded like she was asking her to leave.

Lu Yinxi glanced out the window again and stammered, “I’ll leave soon… when the rain gets a bit lighter, I’ll go.” She patched up her behavior, “Earlier outside, I mistook you for a long-lost friend of mine and lost control of my emotions… Thank you for bringing me back.”

“You’re welcome,” Jian Qing responded politely, raising her wrist to check the time. “I need to write a report. You can watch some TV.”

Lu Yinxi made a small “Oh” sound, and suddenly her stomach growled.

She lowered her head, covering her stomach, then looked up at Jian Qing.

She hadn’t eaten all day, bustling through the city’s streets and alleys, inquiring and searching for the whereabouts of the person before her.

In the past, her Dr. Jian would have gone to the kitchen to make a bowl of egg noodles or a vegetable rice pot.

Now, the person before her said impassively, “I ordered takeout for you earlier. It will arrive in 10 minutes.”

Unexpected thoughtfulness.

Still so considerate.

“Thank you,” Lu Yinxi smiled slightly, expressing gratitude once more, and then asked for contact information, “How about this, I’ll add you on WeChat and transfer the money to you.”

After exchanging contact details, Jian Qing took her computer and went to the study.

Lu Yinxi looked at her retreating figure and sought permission: “May I look around your home?”

“As you please.”

Having obtained the host’s permission, Lu Yinxi, like a cat in a new home, unabashedly scurried about.

A duplex apartment of about 100 square meters, with three bedrooms, one living room, one kitchen, two bathrooms, and one balcony.

Confirming that there was no scent of other people and no traces of a second person living there, Lu Yinxi’s face broke into a long-absent radiant smile.

She lived alone, with no male slippers, razors, or other such personal items in the house.

Most likely, she had no partner, nor any boyfriend who might come calling.

The takeout was pork rib soup and boxed meal, enough for two people.

Lu Yinxi guessed that Jian Qing hadn’t eaten either, so she carried the takeout to the study door.

The study door was open. Jian Qing sat at the desk, but on the computer screen wasn’t any academic report, but rather information about Lu Yinxi – her film and TV works, debut experience, media interviews… numerous and varied, about a dozen or so pages were open.

Seeing Lu Yinxi appear at the door, Jian Qing calmly closed the pages.

The two ate the takeout together at the dining table.

Lu Yinxi ate very slowly, because the rain outside had already stopped.

Once she finished eating, she would have to leave.

Having finally found her, Lu Yinxi was reluctant to leave so easily.

She ate for a full hour.

Before Jian Qing could ask her to leave, Lu Yinxi took the initiative to clean up the takeout boxes, picked them up, and stood, arranging the next meeting time: “The rain has stopped, I won’t bother you anymore. I’m leaving, Dr. Jian. Thank you. I’ll come back the day after tomorrow to return your clothes and, by the way, treat you to a meal.”

Jian Qing nodded, not trying to keep her, and watched her leave.

Lu Yinxi reached the ground floor, threw the takeout boxes into the trash bin, and looked up at the 17th floor.

She didn’t leave. Instead, she turned and re-entered the building.

The elevator in the building required a card to use. She waited for a while, but no one came to swipe their card. She took off her coat and silently began climbing the stairs.

17th floor, climbing one floor at a time. By the time she reached Jian Qing’s door, she was panting heavily, drenched in sweat.

Lu Yinxi leaned against the wall, looking at Jian Qing’s door. She sat down, resting against the wall, waiting for her breathing to steady.

Separated by a wall, just over ten meters apart.

She was very close to her now.

Once, she had been tangled in a thousand ways, wanting to stay away. Now, having finally found her, she was unwilling to leave even half a step.

Unwilling to leave, and also afraid to leave, fearing that if she left, she might never find her again.

Lu Yinxi silently kept vigil at the door, watching over Jian Qing, guarding the memories of the two of them.

The dim yellow light illuminated the hallway as she sat on the floor, knees bent, resting her head on her arms, planning to make do with sleeping there for the night.

Fortunately, there were no mosquitoes in winter, though it was a bit cold and the wind was a bit strong.

She had been rushing about all day and was so tired that she closed her eyes, falling into a drowsy sleep.

Suddenly, with a “zhi” the door opened, and a warm yellow light spilled out.

Lu Yinxi, sitting by the wall, squinted and raised her head. Seeing Jian Qing at the door, she felt as if a bucket of cold water poured over her, immediately becoming alert. She stood up to explain: “I’m sorry, I… I didn’t mean any harm, I’ll leave right away…”

---

The author has something to say:

The power of love makes one climb 17 floors~~~

*mini theater

Lu: Some people appear calm and unruffled on the surface, but secretly search for my information behind my back.

Jian: Some people say they’re leaving, but secretly squat by the door behind my back.

---

---