Fu Linzhou froze.
Qin Se let out a snicker from the side, draping an arm over Su Qingsi’s shoulder. “Qingsi, stop teasing him.”
“This is Fu Linzhou, your ex-boyfriend. You really don’t remember him?”
Su Qingsi furrowed her brows, her delicate face full of confusion.
She looked at Fu Linzhou, then at Qin Se, but in the end, she only gave a gentle shake of her head.
“Fu Linzhou?” She repeated the name as if reading it off a stranger’s face.
“I’m sorry, I don’t remember you.”
The room fell silent.
Guests who had been murmuring among themselves all turned to look, their eyes gleaming with the thrill of watching a scene unfold.
Fu Linzhou stood rooted to the spot, his fingers clenching at his sides.
She didn’t remember?
Three years ago, on the worst night of his life—when the Fu family was in the throes of internal turmoil. His father lay in the ICU, his uncles had joined forces to force him out, and the company’s stock was plummeting.
He had received her breakup message that same night, his heart shattered by her.
Now she was back, with a face even more captivating than it had been three years ago, looking at him with the most innocent eyes, saying she didn’t remember him.
Fu Linzhou suddenly found it absurd. So what had his love and hatred meant back then?
A joke?
His voice carried an undeniable chill. “Su Qingsi, are you playing games with me?”
Su Qingsi seemed startled by him, shrinking back behind Qin Se, leaving only half her face visible.
That alluring face was now frightened by him, written all over with timid unease, her doe-like eyes glistening as she looked at him.
“Mr. Fu, I truly don’t know you. Are you sure you haven’t mistaken me for someone else?”
Fu Linzhou stared at her, the fury of betrayal overriding his reason.
She was afraid of him? What right did she have to be afraid of him?
She was the one who had ended things without a second thought, who had left without a word, who had walked away when he needed her most!
And now she was putting on the act of a victim, hiding from him, fearing him, as if he were some irredeemable villain?
“Qingsi was in a car accident not long ago.”
Qin Se hesitated for a moment, then suddenly spoke up.
Fu Linzhou turned to look at her. “What?”
“A car accident, overseas.” Qin Se repeated, her tone laced with sympathy.
“It was pretty serious. After she woke up, she’d forgotten some people and things. The doctor said it was selective amnesia—the brain’s protective mechanism.”
“But I never expected she’d forget you too.”
Fu Linzhou was stunned.
He turned to look at Su Qingsi.
She was still hiding behind Qin Se, only her eyes peeking out.
There was no love in those eyes, no hatred, none of the complicated emotions from before—only pure fear and confusion.
Fu Linzhou didn’t know what to say for a moment. She had actually forgotten him?
Then where was he supposed to put the anger of these three years, the bitter suspicions, the resentment that churned in the dead of night?
In the restroom, Wen Yirou stood before the mirror.
Her makeup was flawless, her dress expensive, but her eyes were filled with panic and unease.
She had heard the commotion outside, and she’d caught snippets of the gossip.
Su Qingsi was back.
That legendary first love, the woman Linzhou had pined over for three years, had suddenly returned.
Wen Yirou’s fingers dug tightly into the edge of the sink.
She couldn’t panic.
The one by Fu Linzhou’s side right now was her—he was the one who had held her hand and brought her to this banquet, and she was the one who had been with him for the past six months.
No matter how beautiful Su Qingsi was, she was in the past.
Wen Yirou took a deep breath, touched up her lipstick in the mirror, and then pulled open the restroom door.
She walked out, passed through the corridor, and was about to return to the banquet hall when she heard hushed voices of several women coming from behind the door of the nearby emergency exit.
It was those socialites who had just looked her up and down with contemptuous eyes.
“Did you see that? President Fu’s eyes were glued to her.”
“How could he not stare? With Su Qingsi’s looks and figure, how could Wen Yirou possibly compare?”
“A substitute is just a substitute. Once the real one returns, she has to obediently step aside.”
“If I were Wen Yirou, I’d want to find a crack in the ground to crawl into right now. So humiliating.”
“I heard President Fu was originally going to formally introduce her tonight. Well, now she’s become a joke.”
Wen Yirou quickened her pace and rushed into the banquet hall, where she saw the two standing not far away.
The man and woman with the most top-tier looks and charisma, inexplicably well-matched.
Her heart pounded erratically.
Wen Yirou knew of Su Qingsi. From the very first day she fell for Fu Linzhou, she knew there was someone in his heart, named Su Qingsi.
She knew she looked somewhat like Su Qingsi, knew that she could become Fu Linzhou’s contractual girlfriend, more or less because of this face.
She also knew that Fu Linzhou’s feelings for Su Qingsi were a first love, an obsession, a regret of wanting but never obtaining.
But she thought that as long as she was good enough, obedient enough, considerate enough, one day she could replace Su Qingsi’s place in his heart.
But she never expected that Su Qingsi would return.
And the returning Su Qingsi was even more beautiful, even more alluring than she had imagined.
Wen Yirou couldn’t help but call out, “Linzhou!”
Fu Linzhou didn’t turn around.
Wen Yirou quickly walked over and grabbed Fu Linzhou’s arm.
She was wearing haute couture today, several grades more expensive than Su Qingsi’s simple dress.
But at this moment, standing before Su Qingsi, that carefully maintained demeanor was completely exposed.
“Linzhou, let’s go.” Wen Yirou tugged at his sleeve, her voice trembling.
“I don’t feel well.”
Fu Linzhou didn’t move, still immersed in the shock that Su Qingsi had actually lost her memory.
Wen Yirou’s heart was in a panic. She raised her voice and called out again: “Linzhou!”
Fu Linzhou finally came back to his senses and looked down at her.
Wen Yirou raised her face, her eyes already red, filled with unease and unconcealable fear.
Her fingers clutched his arm tightly.
Fu Linzhou looked at her, then turned to glance at Su Qingsi.
One was the woman currently by his side, gentle and considerate, making him feel at ease.
The other was the first love who had once abandoned him, now returned with amnesia, yet breathtakingly beautiful.
His fondness for Wen Yirou was seven parts, his memories of Su Qingsi only three parts.
But those mere three parts easily halted his steps.
Wen Yirou’s voice was already full of grievance, “Linzhou, let’s go back, okay? I really don’t feel well.”
Fu Linzhou was silent for a few seconds.
He gave Su Qingsi one last look, a look that held amazement, daze, disgust, and complex emotions even he himself couldn’t explain.
“Alright.” He spoke, his voice tinged with exhaustion.
“I’ll take you back.”
He took Wen Yirou’s hand and turned to walk out.
Wen Yirou, being led by him, looked back once.
Su Qingsi was still standing in place, shielded behind Qin Se, her gaze clear, as if the confrontation just now had been nothing but an insignificant interlude.
Wen Yirou asked knowingly, “Linzhou, who is she?”
Fu Linzhou’s steps paused for a moment, his voice flat: “An old friend. Someone unimportant.”
Wen Yirou bit her lip and did not press further.
But she knew clearly in her heart.
The so-called unimportant person was a lie.
The moment she returned, she had made this man—who had always been calm, self-possessed, and aloof—lose his composure.