After I Lost My Memory, My Wife Started To Chase Me - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Atonement

The farm stay had a wide variety of activities and covered a vast area. Yu Qing dragged Weishu up and down the mountain, having the time of her life for three days and three nights. In the end, Yu Qing ran out of energy and pulled Weishu back, ready to go home and enjoy a luxurious massage in her own bathtub.

“Isn’t it strange?” Yu Qing said while packing her souvenirs. “How come little Beige hasn’t called to bother us these past few days? Before, she would call at least ten times a day.”

Weishu spun her phone on her index finger, saying unhurriedly, “I wouldn’t know.”

“You haven’t been talking on WeChat?” Yu Qing asked casually.

Weishu’s spinning motion slowed down. Her expression looked unnatural. For some reason, Beige had been slow to respond to her messages these past few days. One message would get a reply three hours later. Once, on the mountain, Weishu took a picture of a beautiful orchid and asked Beige if it looked like the one in her garden. It wasn’t like she was asking to buy an entire island, so why did it take three hours to get a simple “yeah” in reply?

Was she still mad about her getting drunk? But she had been thoroughly punished, and Weishu wasn’t even mad about it. And before she left, Beige wasn’t angry anymore; she even wanted to come with her. Why had she suddenly started ignoring her? All of this was very unusual.

“Is she hiding a little fox at home?” Yu Qing, who loved a good gossip, heard the situation and egged her on. “You haven’t told Beige we’re coming back today, have you? Don’t tell her. Let’s do a surprise attack and go home to shock her.”

Weishu began to seriously consider the feasibility of this suggestion. She opened her chat with Beige. The last message was from seven this morning, when she had been woken up by her bladder and went to the bathroom.

SHU: “Honey, are you going to the office today?”

It was eleven in the morning, and Beige hadn’t even replied with a period. Weishu gritted her teeth for a few seconds, then paused and continued to grind.

“Let’s not,” Weishu said, looking down and typing. “I have to tell her. We have to report our whereabouts when we go out. Otherwise, she’ll worry.”

Yu Qing immediately gave her a side-eye, looking like she was saying, “Why are you so spineless?”

Weishu finished typing and sent the message. She narrowed her eyes and looked at Yu Qing. Yu Qing insisted, “I suspect Beige can’t perform. You’re so obedient and easy to take advantage of. If she’s been celibate for so long, there’s definitely something wrong with her.”

Weishu rolled her eyes. Yu Qing had said this over and over again, as if everyone in the world only thought about those things. Weishu was too lazy to argue with her. “Are you coming home with me?” Weishu asked.

Yu Qing said matter-of-factly, “Of course. If we leave together, we have to go back together. You don’t have to do a surprise attack, but I have to do some quality control for you.”

Weishu gave a fake smile and said quickly, “Then I’ll tell Sister Qin to leave work early today and go see her blind date. She should dress up and try to get out of the dating scene soon.”

Yu Qing immediately changed her expression, bouncing up from the ground like a spring and flopping onto the bed. She lay on her back with her hands clasped behind her head. “Miss Shu, you’re so generous. I just made a little mistake. I’ve always worshipped you like a god in my heart. What you say is the law. I’ll listen to whatever you say.”

Weishu gracefully lifted her chin and pointed at the pile of things on the floor. “You’re so lucky. You won so many souvenirs from the ring toss.”

Yu Qing immediately pulled herself out from under the covers, her eyes full of sincerity. “That’s not my luck. It’s because I went out with you. I got a little bit of your magic. These are all for you.”

Weishu raised an eyebrow. “All of them?”

Yu Qing nodded.

Weishu asked again, “The mini mouse, too?”

Yu Qing paused for two seconds and then nodded.

Weishu couldn’t hold back her laugh. “Haha, I was just teasing you. Kong Qin is free tonight. If you want to have dinner with her, you’ll have to make a reservation in advance.”

Yu Qing continued to pack her things. She took out the mini mouse and packed the rest of the stuff into a suitcase. If she really could have dinner with Kong Qin tonight, she’d give everything else to Weishu except the mini mouse.

…

The two parted ways at the entrance of Shu Se Studio. Weishu looked at her phone. It was one-thirty in the afternoon, and she still hadn’t heard from Beige. The driver asked where they were going next. Weishu thought for a moment. “Master, let’s go to Kuangye Company.”

The sky was covered with thick clouds. The air was humid, and a layer of mist condensed on the car windows. The pedestrians on the road became fewer and fewer, most of them rushing along. Before long, a heavy rain hit, and the cars crowded on the overpass, unable to see the road ahead.

“It’s going to be a traffic jam now,” the driver said, turning off the car’s stereo and turning the wipers to the highest setting. The cars moved as slowly as snails. Weishu looked at the map. They were still three kilometers from Kuangye Company.

“After the overpass, there are two more streets,” Weishu said. “Master, you can drop me off at the intersection of the second street.” The driver nodded. “Got it.”

Half an hour later, Weishu ran out of the car, covering her head with her bag. The rain hadn’t let up. It instantly soaked through her clothes. Weishu ran through the water. The two hundred meters made her clothes completely drenched. When she arrived at the entrance of Kuangye’s campus, the security guard looked at her a few times before he recognized her.

“There’s a car here. I’ll take you in,” the security guard said, wearing a raincoat. He quickly ushered Weishu in and drove her to the building’s entrance in his security car. It was still three hundred meters from the campus entrance to the company building. If Weishu had walked, there wouldn’t have been a single dry spot on her. The security guard at the door looked at the one at the entrance and gave a slight twitch of his mouth. He then opened the door with a straight face.

Weishu entered with her head bowed, not trying to get sympathy. The rain was just too cold. Especially after entering the company, the cold air seeped into her body. Weishu shivered fiercely. The front desk was a young woman who had just started. She was looking down and diligently recording visitor information. When she heard the door open, she looked up. Goodness! The woman had disheveled hair and was dripping wet, like a ghost. She looked very strange.

“Hello, do you have an appointment?” The front desk woman took a big step forward and blocked Weishu. Two minutes later, Zhou Yu received a call from the front desk. “Assistant Zhou, a woman who is completely drenched is here to see our CEO Bei. She says she’s CEO Bei’s sister.”

Zhou Yu frowned and thought. Beige rarely revealed anything about her family. She didn’t know if she even had a sister. “If she’s her sister, she should have CEO Bei’s contact information. Tell her to contact CEO Bei first.” Zhou Yu said.

The front desk on the other end was silent for a while. “She says that’s not necessary.” The front desk’s voice was a little strange.

Zhou Yu nodded. “Good, she’s gone then.”

The front desk paused. “Assistant Zhou… she didn’t leave.”

Zhou Yu was puzzled. “Then where is she?” The front desk swallowed, watching Weishu use her face to open Beige’s private elevator. She said with difficulty, “She used a face scan to go up. She took CEO Bei’s private elevator.”

Zhou Yu: ?! In the minute she waited by the elevator, Zhou Yu quickly went over all the rumors she had heard about Beige since she started working there. She was decisive, capable, incredibly smart, and had no interest in men or women. She was a standard new-age CEO. Beige founded the company herself and had the final say. Her privileges in the company included, but were not limited to, devices that could only be used with a face scan, fingerprint, or iris scan. There was the elevator, her office door, her various office devices, and the safe where the company’s confidential information was kept.

Because Kuangye was a cybersecurity company, it paid great attention to confidentiality. Employees on each floor could only use their employee cards to access their own floor. To go to another floor, they had to apply and be recorded every time. And Beige’s private elevator? No one but her had ever used it. According to the front desk’s description, the woman’s clothes were dripping with water. She simply said “no need” and turned to walk toward Beige’s elevator. The elevator sensed someone in front of it and automatically started face recognition. Then, a “ding” sounded. The screen turned green, and the elevator door slowly opened. The front desk woman watched, dumbfounded, as she entered the elevator as if no one else was there and pressed a button.

“Ding—”

The elevator arrived. Zhou Yu quickly straightened her clothes and put on a smile to greet the person in the elevator. “Hello,” Zhou Yu’s attitude was as bright as a spring flower. “Are you the person who came to see CEO Bei?”

Weishu was surrounded by cold air. Her lips were almost blue, and her whole body was without a trace of warmth. Zhou Yu’s smile didn’t fade, but her heart was pounding even harder. Who on earth was this person?

Weishu stopped walking when Zhou Yu spoke. She listened to her, her gaze moving from her face to her whole body, from head to toe. Finally, she withdrew her gaze and said a soft “yes.” Zhou Yu smiled and nodded, holding out a finger to guide her. “Then please follow me.”

Zhou Yu led her toward the meeting room. Weishu walked a few steps, frowned, and stopped. “Where are you taking me? This isn’t the way to Beige’s office.”

Weishu’s voice was clear. When she spoke softly, it had a cool, delicate feeling. Zhou Yu turned back. When she met her questioning gaze, the smile on her face froze. “…Right. CEO Bei has a cross-border video conference today. It’s expected to end in another hour. Please have a seat in the reception room.” As she said that, Zhou Yu’s heart pounded even harder. She didn’t know why, but she had a feeling she shouldn’t be here, and every time she opened her mouth, she would just make things worse.

“She’s in a meeting, which means she’s in the company today, right?” Weishu said. Without waiting for Zhou Yu’s answer, she smiled faintly, turned, and walked directly toward Beige’s office.

“Wait, you can’t just barge into CEO Bei’s office…” Zhou Yu’s words got stuck in her throat. Her eyes widened, and her expression froze in disbelief. In her line of sight, Weishu, all wet, walked in front of Beige’s office with a straight face. Before the face recognition at the door was even activated, she pressed her thumb on the password lock.

“Unlocking.” The password lock made an electronic sound.

Weishu entered the room without looking back and didn’t close the door. Goodness! She could use her face to get into Beige’s elevator and her fingerprint to unlock Beige’s office. Zhou Yu’s doubts vanished, replaced by a subtle new guess.

After a while, Zhou Yu entered with a tray. It had a clean towel and a pot of hot water on it. “If you’d like anything else to drink, you can tell me, and I’ll get it for you.” Zhou Yu put on a professional, friendly smile.

Weishu sat in Beige’s chair and looked at the computer. She had already unlocked Beige’s private computer and was frowning at the WeChat interface on the desktop. The open interface was the chat with her. Beige was looking at it before she left the computer. She had definitely seen her message but hadn’t replied for some reason.

“How much longer until her meeting is over?” Weishu said to Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu smiled. “Soon.”

“Didn’t you just say it was an hour?” Weishu asked, puzzled.

Zhou Yu continued to smile. “I’ve already informed CEO Bei that you’re waiting for her. She said she’d be here right away.”

As she spoke, there was a crisp sound of leather shoes behind her. The person was walking very fast, and their steps were a little rushed. Weishu looked over and saw Beige immediately. But Beige’s face was a little tired, and she didn’t look well. Then, she saw a familiar face, Shen Lan, walk out from behind her. Shen Lan was carrying a first-aid kit and stood behind Beige. She glanced at Weishu from a distance and didn’t enter the room.

Shen Lan said to Beige, “I’ll be going now.”

Beige nodded. “Drive safely.”

Shen Lan looked at Beige, wanting to say something, but the timing wasn’t right, so she just turned and left. When Zhou Yu’s call came in, Beige was in the middle of a hypnosis session with Shen Lan. She hadn’t been able to sleep for three days. The severe insomnia had a huge impact on her, even affecting her normal speech. Beige had forced herself to call Shen Lan. After learning about her condition, Shen Lan rushed over and tried everything to help her sleep. Beige had just gotten three hours of sleep. Shen Lan had repeatedly warned her not to overthink things, or the insomnia would further affect her physical and mental state.

But now, thinking of Weishu coming to the company to find her, an unspeakable irritability rose in Beige’s heart. Weishu stood up and watched Beige walk toward her.

“What’s wrong?” Beige touched her own face and looked at Weishu with heartache.

She couldn’t face Weishu right now. Or rather, she would definitely lose control if she faced Weishu. Before she knew the truth, she had pursued Weishu for so many years without asking for anything in return, proposing and confessing her love, feeling fulfilled in her own way. Not to mention now that she knew the reason. The boomerang had flown out and spun without a sound. Beige thought she would never see it again. But unexpectedly, one day, it came back and stabbed her from behind, leaving her bloody.

She could no longer be cold to Weishu. She could no longer avoid her questions or her declarations of love. All of this gave her a sense of guilt. She was eager and desperate to talk to Weishu, to ask her why she hadn’t told her. But at this moment, facing a confused Weishu, whose eyes were pure and innocent, Beige couldn’t say anything. The beautiful past, the dark memories, the ruined family, the wandering, the betrayal of her loved one—Weishu didn’t remember any of it. Beige didn’t know what she could ask of Weishu anymore. She had lost all her standing. Her heart was filled with guilt, and she only wanted to atone.

“Why are you so wet?” Beige quickly walked up to Weishu, touched her cold face, and said in a bitter, anxious tone, “Hurry and take off your wet clothes.”

Zhou Yu’s eyes widened in surprise. She wasn’t blind, was she? Was this her boss, who rarely smiled? When did her calm, reserved, and uninterested-in-women boss turn into this? The gentle words, the caring gestures, and the undisguised worry and anxiety in her eyes… who was this person?

On the other side, Weishu had already taken off her coat as if no one was there. Everything inside and out was soaked. Beige became even more anxious. She turned and went to find a towel. Zhou Yu confirmed the subtle guess in her heart. She lowered her head, shut her mouth, and quietly backed out, thoughtfully closing the door for her boss.

As soon as the door closed, Weishu spoke. “I came home and wanted to see you.” Weishu’s words were concise and without much emotion.

Beige turned off the air conditioner and wrapped her in a large towel. She didn’t respond to Weishu’s words. Instead, she wrapped her in the towel and held her close. Weishu didn’t move for a moment. She could feel that Beige was holding her very tightly and was trembling a little.

“I’m sorry,” Beige said, her voice trembling slightly. “It’s my fault.”

Weishu didn’t know why she was apologizing, so she didn’t answer. But the person behind her saw that she wasn’t saying anything. Her expression became even more tense. Her body slid down. Her position changed from hugging her from behind to holding her waist. Beige knelt on one knee, her face buried in Weishu’s side. Her fingers clutched her damp clothes. Her voice was even tinged with a sob. “Xiaoshu, I’m sorry. I was wrong. I’m sorry, Xiaoshu…”

Weishu was startled. “Get up. What are you apologizing for? If it’s because you didn’t reply to my messages, I forgive you.”

Beige’s body was heavy. Weishu used a lot of strength but couldn’t pull her up. Beige half-squatted on the ground as if she had no strength, only her arms holding her were tight. Fragile and sad emotions instantly filled the room. Beige’s face showed the familiar look of grief that Weishu had seen before. It was like a crystal full of fine scratches. A single touch would shatter it into countless pieces in front of her.

“It’s not that,” Beige’s voice was light and trembling.

Weishu was a little surprised and also a little heartbroken. “No matter what it is, I don’t blame you,” Weishu said, helping her up. “Get up.”

Beige gritted her teeth and shook her head, refusing to look up. She kept apologizing. “I’ve done too many things wrong, Xiaoshu. What should I do? I was wrong…”

Looking at the elegant, beautiful face covered in tear stains, Weishu’s heart felt as if a large hand had squeezed it hard. “Don’t be like this. It makes me so sad to see you like this.”

Beige looked at Weishu’s confused and sad expression. She knew her reaction had scared her. If she said anything more, Weishu would definitely notice something was wrong. After a long silence, Beige looked up, wiped the tears from her eyes, and looked at Weishu’s clear eyes with a precious tone. “Xiaoshu, tell me, what do you want?” Whatever you want, I have. As long as you want it, as long as I have it. She didn’t want to argue about anything anymore. She just wanted to cherish the person in front of her. No matter what she asked for, she would fulfill it.

Weishu felt that the atmosphere was a little heavy. She looked hesitant. “What do you mean?”

Beige pulled her hand closer, put it on her cheek, and rubbed it gently. “Xiaoshu, tell me, what do you want the most right now?”

“I want you.” Weishu said her most honest thought, even though she was confused.

Beige was stunned for a moment, then gave a bitter smile. Weishu chose to want her, even though she knew nothing.

“I’ve always been yours. You can’t push me away,” Beige said with a difficult smile. “Is there anything else?”

“Anything else?” Weishu frowned for a moment, then suddenly smiled. She used her finger to hook Beige’s chin. “I want revenge.”

Beige looked at Weishu without blinking. “Tell me.”

Weishu looked at her for a few seconds. Her smile grew brighter. “I’m talking about the ‘hitting’ kind of revenge you gave me.”

Beige didn’t hesitate at all. “As you wish.” If Weishu could vent her anger by hitting her, she would rather be hit hard than endure the torment in her heart.

But Weishu was just joking. She pouted when she saw how quickly she agreed. She let go of Beige’s chin. “It’s no fun. I’m not going to tease you anymore.”

Beige looked down in disappointment.

Weishu stood up and looked at her soaked clothes with disgust. “Can I use your bathroom to take a shower?”

Beige looked at the hidden door in the office. Inside was a small space with a bedroom and a bathroom. She would sleep there when she worked too late. “Of course,” Beige said, pulling herself together. She pushed the door open and led her inside. “There are toiletries inside, and hot water is centrally supplied. I’ll go buy you some cold medicine. Dry your hair before you come out.”

Weishu grabbed Beige’s sleeve, stopping her from leaving. “I’m not familiar with this place. You wait outside. I’m afraid someone will come in.”

Beige immediately nodded. “Okay. I’ll wait for you outside.”

Weishu walked into the room, holding the towel. As she turned, a successful smile appeared on her face.

…

“Ginger tea, and medicine to prevent a cold.”

Zhou Yu had a feeling she knew what her boss was going to say when she received the call. “Yes, boss.”

Beige looked through her schedule and pinched her temples. “What else is on the schedule?”

Zhou Yu said, “Not much. There are two department meetings this afternoon, for the publicity and R&D departments. And a business dinner tonight. Should I… cancel them for you?”

The moment Zhou Yu asked the last question, she felt a halo of professional ethics radiating from her.

Beige gave a faint “uh-huh,” implicitly agreeing to her suggestion.

The call ended. Beige loosened her collar, unbuttoned the top button of her shirt, and let out a long breath. She could hear the rustling sound of water from the bathroom. Weishu didn’t let her go back into the office, so she could only sit on the single bed in the lounge, staring blankly at the floor in front of her.

The sound of the water grew louder. After the showerhead was turned off, there was a “click” of the shampoo bottle opening. The shampoo she bought had a flip-top lid. As she rubbed her hair, Weishu stood closer to the door. The frosted glass door reflected a very blurry black shadow. Beige glanced over and then looked away.

A moment later, the showerhead turned on again. The water rushed down, hitting her skin and turning into a muffled stream. A patter. It was the sound of slippers on the floor.

Beige uncontrollably thought, Weishu’s arm wasn’t completely healed. She couldn’t lift it high. How was she washing her hair? She had to hold her hair with one hand while the other hung limply. Washing and wiping her body would be inconvenient.

When her thoughts got to this point, Beige couldn’t help but look toward the bathroom again and again. She was worried that it was inconvenient for her to shower and that she might fall. The frosted glass door in her sight became infinitely clear. The sound of water rang in her ears, getting louder and louder.

“Honey,” the bathroom door opened with a creak. “Can you get me another towel? The one I brought in fell on the wet floor.”

Weishu’s hair peeked out. Her voice sounded as moist and round as if it had been soaked in warm water.

Beige got up, found a new towel, and walked over to hand it to her. “Be careful this time. There’s only one left.”

Weishu pushed the door open as she walked over. She was only wearing a small towel to dry her hair. She had casually pressed it below her collarbone, but it didn’t cover much of her body. “Thank you, honey,” Weishu said, reaching out to get the towel. Her skin stretched, revealing more of the fair skin below her collarbone. “Do you have any clothes I can change into?”

As she spoke, Weishu pulled her arm back, revealing a glistening white shoulder. Her eyes were direct and clear. She had no idea what she looked like right now. The reaching, the taking, the pulling back—the movements were as smooth as flowing water, without any deliberate attempt to be coy or flirtatious. It was this unintentional provocation that was like a wad of cotton. There was no fault to be found, no place to start, and no way to vent the built-up tension.

Beige didn’t have much of a mind to appreciate it. Her voice was a hoarse whisper. “Yes.”

“Then can you find me a piece of clothing?” Weishu said, then closed the bathroom door. All the scenery in the bathroom was hidden behind the glass door, along with the hot, humid steam and Weishu’s flower-like smile.

Beige stood still for a long time without moving. The white image in her mind wouldn’t go away. It lingered in front of her eyes, a testament to her innocence and purity. It was her fault for not protecting Weishu, for letting her go from pure and innocent to silent and indifferent. It was her fault for witnessing Weishu’s pain and pretending she knew nothing.

Despite all that, Weishu still came back to her. In this way, with these eyes.

Beige trembled slightly. Her mind was a mess. She had to be a hundred, a thousand times better to Weishu. She would use her life to atone.