The road ahead was bustling with traffic.
Li Mengjue turned her head to glance at the alley behind them. Aside from her and Ruan Qingxiao, the dim path was empty; no third soul was in sight.
“They shouldn’t have followed us,” Li Mengjue said, finally releasing her grip.
Ruan Qingxiao stood in a daze for a moment. Having not heard a response for a while, Li Mengjue glanced back and saw Ruan Qingxiao absentmindedly rubbing her own fingertips.
It was just a quick grab; is she really that uncomfortable? Li Mengjue wondered.
Ruan Qingxiao seemed to snap back to reality, letting out a delayed “Mm.” However, her gaze still drifted involuntarily toward Li Mengjue’s hand. “Your hand…”
“What about it?” Li Mengjue thought for a second and added, “If you want to wash your hands, let’s wait until we get back.”
“…” Ruan Qingxiao looked slightly bewildered. She instinctively followed Li Mengjue’s expression with a small smile, only realizing her meaning a moment later. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean I was disgusted by you.”
“I know, you’re just not used to it,” Li Mengjue said considerately. “I’ll try not to touch you next time.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Ruan Qingxiao wanted to explain, but the words felt wrong as they reached her lips. How should she say it? Actually, I really want you to touch me? Or perhaps, Actually, I really want to hold your hand?
The latter sounded a bit better—less like a pervert.
Because she hesitated too long, she missed the best window for an explanation. Li Mengjue had already turned around, suggesting they head back early. Li Mengjue stepped into the light first, then turned to wait for Ruan Qingxiao.
As Ruan Qingxiao caught up, her eyes fixed on the back of Li Mengjue’s hand. She remembered the strange sensation from earlier—besides the thin calluses at the base of the fingers, there seemed to be a distinct, scar-like texture in the palm of Li Mengjue’s right hand.
There was one on the back of the hand, too.
It wasn’t obvious at a glance, but under the bright streetlights, a closer look revealed a faint, narrow scar. The scab had fallen off long ago, leaving only a pale trace. If one didn’t already know it was a wound, it could easily be mistaken for a mere shadow.
“Sister,” Ruan Qingxiao called out as they crossed the zebra crossing. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, “Was your hand injured before?”
“Hm?” Li Mengjue lifted her right hand to look. “You mean this?”
A “super-fan” would likely know about this injury. However, Ruan Qingxiao had lost her memory; she shouldn’t have noticed it, especially since it had healed quite well.
“Did you remember something?” Li Mengjue asked.
“…No.” Ruan Qingxiao shook her head regretfully. Then she asked tentatively, “Does this… have anything to do with me?”
“It has nothing to do with you, don’t overthink it,” Li Mengjue replied. “This wound is, in a way, a medal for acting bravely.”
“Was it from saving someone?” Ruan Qingxiao asked.
“You could say that. It happened over ten years ago,” Li Mengjue said lightly. “I was young and reckless, wanting to show off. By the time I realized what was happening, I had blocked a blow. It wasn’t a big deal, though. The other party was fully liable; they covered all medical expenses and mental damages, and even spent two years in prison.”
Li Mengjue spoke nonchalantly, but Ruan Qingxiao felt a sharp pang in her heart. It felt as though a giant hand had suddenly squeezed her chest, stifling her breath. She found herself unable to speak.
After a long silence, she asked in a trembling voice, “Did it hurt a lot?”
Li Mengjue replied, “I’ve forgotten.”
She turned around to see Ruan Qingxiao looking distressed and self-reproachful. She couldn’t help but chuckle. “It has nothing to do with you,” Li Mengjue smiled at her. “Besides, it stopped hurting a long time ago.”
Ruan Qingxiao gave a soft “Oh.” She seemed a bit downcast but said nothing more.
“Wait for me here a moment. I’m going to have a word with the security guard on duty.”
Li Mengjue stopped at the entrance of the residential complex and knocked on the guardroom door, mentioning again that someone seemed to be following them.
The security guard looked serious. “Teacher Li, I was just thinking about contacting you. You and your friend must be careful when entering and exiting these next few days.”
Just this morning, he had seen a suspicious figure outside the gate—a middle-aged, bloated man in black, sneakily taking photos of the entrance with his phone. The guard wanted to stop him, but the man was alert. He hailed a taxi and vanished the moment he heard someone calling out.
The guard had reported it and checked the surveillance footage, but found little. It seemed to be the man’s first time scouting the area. While there was no concrete proof he was the same person following them, the guard remembered Li Mengjue’s previous concern and warned her just in case.
“If you encounter anyone strange again, you must contact us immediately. We will be there right away,” the guard urged.
Li Mengjue thanked him for the warning and nodded.
“Sister?” Ruan Qingxiao saw her thoughtful expression. “Are there really… any leads on the stalker?”
Li Mengjue didn’t notice the stiff transition in Ruan Qingxiao’s voice. Instead, she pulled out her phone to check the latest news. “We can basically rule out paparazzi,” Li Mengjue said.
“…Why do you say that?” Ruan Qingxiao asked.
“There hasn’t been any entertainment news linking us lately. No gossip either.” (Though there were plenty of “shipping” videos and fan art). Li Mengjue calmly swiped past those sections, certain that no one had mentioned her and Ruan Qingxiao living together.
Perhaps Assistant Zheng was keeping a tight lid on things. So far, it was successful; even Manager Ling didn’t know Ruan Qingxiao was staying at her house.
If it were paparazzi, they would be after traffic or blackmail. They wouldn’t stake out for days without leaking a single word. Neither Li Mengjue nor Ruan Qingxiao had major scandals; they were established in the industry, and since they were both women, being seen living together wasn’t a world-ending event. It would simply shock those who thought they hated each other.
Therefore, blackmail was unlikely. If it were purely for traffic, the long-term surveillance made even less sense. The photos from the hospital alone would have been enough for a trending headline.
Li Mengjue turned her gaze toward Ruan Qingxiao. “Has Assistant Zheng found any clues regarding who might be targeting you?”
Ruan Qingxiao shook her head. “Not yet. There doesn’t seem to be anything unusual from my family’s side.”
What about other enemies? Li Mengjue remembered Ruan Qingxiao’s amnesia; they could only wait for Assistant Zheng’s update. “Maybe we’ll know once the stalker is caught.”
Li Mengjue decided to inform Assistant Zheng anyway. However, before the assistant could find anything new, the guardroom called.
“Teacher Li, it seems the man following you has been caught.”
It happened the night before. The strange man had been loitering outside again, but because it was dark and he was hiding in the shadows, the guard hadn’t noticed him immediately.
At the time, the guard was verifying the identity of someone entering—anyone without a keycard had to register and have the homeowner verify them. Just as he opened the gate for a delivery driver, he heard a scream and a familiar voice shouting “Catch the thief!”
The guard recognized the voice as one of their residents. The resident had a very distinct voice, so even though they were wearing sunglasses and a wig, the guard recognized them and rushed to help subdue the “thief.”
The strange man was taken to the police station on suspicion of robbery. After questioning, it turned out to be a misunderstanding.
The resident was also a celebrity who happened to be carrying a very valuable collectible in their bag. Having had a bit too much to drink at a dinner party, they had gotten out of their car early to walk and sober up. In their dazed state, their bag strap suddenly snapped just as the suspicious man in black was passing by. The resident instinctively thought he was a mugger.
In reality, the man in black truly was just passing by at that moment, and the strap broke due to poor quality. The man didn’t even know who the celebrity was.
The guard didn’t reveal the celebrity’s name, as it wasn’t relevant. But the man in black certainly was.
After a night of interrogation, while he wasn’t a thief, he wasn’t innocent either. His phone’s gallery was filled with voyeuristic photos taken from disturbing angles. His recent “subjects” were Li Mengjue and Ruan Qingxiao.
The guard didn’t know Ruan Qingxiao well, but Li Mengjue had lived there for a while and preferred walking, so he was quite familiar with her.
“I thought he was just a paparazzi photographer, but I didn’t expect… I didn’t expect…” The guard was indignant, trailing off as if the truth was too shameful to speak.
“Didn’t expect what?” Li Mengjue pressed.
“A peeping tom!” the guard finally blurted out. “Just a lowlife thug who spends his days doing shady things!”
The guards in this complex are surprisingly well-mannered, Li Mengjue thought idly.
After the guard finished venting his frustration, Li Mengjue asked, “Do you know who else he photographed?”
The guard wasn’t entirely sure. “He’s not a local. He used to be a security guard at a school in City C. His phone had photos of girls in City C Middle School uniforms. The police have already contacted the local authorities and the school there.”
From the current evidence, the man was a creep—a voyeur who sold these photos privately. The investigation had already uncovered several illegal platforms.
However, based on the angles of the photos, Li Mengjue and Ruan Qingxiao weren’t the primary targets of the illegal trade because their photos were too distant and blurry—vastly different from the malicious, low-angle shots of the others. Even the most hardcore fan might not recognize them.
The voyeur claimed he was just visiting City A on vacation and happened to run into a big star, so he wanted to snap some photos to sell to the paparazzi for a quick buck. He was caught before he could get a clear shot. It was a plausible explanation.
“The police said they’ll contact you if new leads related to you two appear,” the guard concluded.
Li Mengjue thanked him and hung up.
Inside the room, Ruan Qingxiao was playing with the cats. The little calico was lazily napping in its bed, while the black kitten, ever energetic, was zooming around the room after eating.
Li Mengjue glanced at her. Ruan Qingxiao grabbed the black kitten by the scruff to quiet it down and looked up. “Did they catch the stalker?”
“It should be him,” Li Mengjue nodded, summarizing what the guard told her. “Do you have any memories of City C?”
“I think I’ve heard of it… it feels familiar.” Ruan Qingxiao paused, falling into deep thought. Her memory of places was slightly clearer than her memory of people or specific times. As she focused on the name of the city, fragmented images flickered through her mind.
Drizzling rain, long tree-lined avenues, a narrow stage, vibrant bouquets, an old-fashioned lectern, the repetitive sound of a school bell, and faceless strangers in backpacks walking by…
“C University,” Ruan Qingxiao said suddenly. She paused, then nodded with certainty. “I think I went to university in City C. I remember some… some places in the school.”
“City C, huh? What a coincidence.” Li Mengjue lowered her eyes and opened her contacts. “Then this might have something to do with a grudge from your university days. Assistant Zheng should know something, right?”
Ruan Qingxiao nodded. “We can ask her.”
Assistant Zheng did indeed know something. After hearing the details, she instinctively asked, “A middle-aged thug from City C? Are you sure?”
“Likely,” Li Mengjue said. “Do you know him?”
“No, I don’t,” Assistant Zheng denied. Her tone had shifted—surprise mixed with blatant disgust. She paused, then regained her composure. “However, I didn’t consider this direction. My oversight. I’ll send someone to investigate immediately. To avoid any misunderstandings, I’ll contact you as soon as I have a lead.”
Assistant Zheng hung up in a hurry.
Li Mengjue knew nothing of Ruan Qingxiao’s student days, and Ruan Qingxiao had no memory of her own past. The assistant’s brief words weren’t enough to piece the truth together. It was only certain that this was linked to Ruan’s college years.
The two stared at each other for a moment, not even knowing where to begin their own investigation.
Finally, Ruan Qingxiao spoke. “So I went to school in City C too.” She looked thoughtful, then surprised, then enlightened. “Sister Li also went to school in City C, so… I must have followed Sister Li there.”
—It seems my past self really did like Sister Li very much.
Li Mengjue’s expression turned subtle. She remained silent for a moment before repeating the information she just got from Assistant Zheng. “Assistant Zheng said we took the entrance exams in the same year.”
Back then, Li Mengjue wasn’t famous. She was an obscure “nobody,” financially struggling. Though her grades were good, she had to carefully weigh the costs of living and tuition. Even Li Mengjue herself hadn’t been sure she’d attend the film academy in City C until the very last moment. Meanwhile, getting into C University required a top-tier student to give their absolute all.
Ruan Qingxiao seemed to catch the subtext, yet also seemed not to care about the logic of it. She only looked at the result.
“Even without an agreement, we still ended up in the same city for university,” Ruan Qingxiao said with a smile. “We really are fated, aren’t we?”