8 Memory

In the narrow entrance hall, they exchanged a few more words, mostly trivial.

When Jiang Ranyun learned that Yi Feicheng’s flight to City A was early the next morning, she finally found an excuse: “Then you should get some rest early. I won’t keep you here any longer.”

She gently pushed him.

Instead of stepping back, Yi Feicheng stepped forward and held her tightly.

“Yi Feicheng…”

His voice was a little muffled and hoarse as he replied, “Wife.”

“...” Jiang Ranyun hesitated for a second, then raised her hand to stroke his head. “Be good, get some rest early.”

“Okay.” He slowly released her.

Under his gaze, Jiang Ranyun opened the door and left.

Yi Feicheng watched her enter the room across the hall.

After closing the door, cutting off Yi Feicheng’s sight, Jiang Ranyun leaned against it and took a deep breath.

She thought back to the beginning.

During her first film shoot, the crew was filled with big names, and the staff were a seasoned professional team. Jiang Ranyun often felt clumsy and ignorant, frequently making mistakes.

Fortunately, Yi Feicheng, who acted opposite her most of the time, was just as prone to making some basic, seemingly obvious errors in others’ eyes.

That gave Jiang Ranyun comfort—she wasn’t the only one in the crew who seemed unprofessional.

Back then, she felt close to Yi Feicheng, sharing a sense of “two fools sticking together for mutual warmth.”

In that movie, she played a lively, capricious princess, with elaborate and splendid makeup and costume. Every day, she couldn’t help but complain to Yi Feicheng, who played a young general, “This headdress is so heavy! My neck’s going to break! Hey, your armor can’t be light either, right?”

“Mm.”

“But it does look good. Your armor is really handsome. Today, we have wire work again... When I jump down, you have to catch me properly!”

“Okay.”

“Ah, I’m so worried about messing up my lines again. NGs are so annoying; I don’t want to waste everyone’s time.”

“You won’t.”

That day on set, a small accident happened. She jumped down from the palace wall, and he was also on wires, flying to catch her. He caught her but couldn’t land steadily. They fell to the ground, sliding several meters.

In those heart-stopping seconds, he held her tightly, protecting her head from hitting the ground.

When they stopped, the crew rushed over anxiously. “Are you okay, Ranyun? Feicheng?”

“I’m fine,” she said, trembling as she climbed off him. “I think I heard something break…”

She checked his arm and neck, worried he might have fractured something.

“No.” Yi Feicheng exhaled and slowly sat up.

“Can you keep filming?” the director asked.

Jiang Ranyun said, “I’m fine, but Feicheng…”

Yi Feicheng said, “I’m fine too. I can do it.”

He indeed had no fractures. But after filming ended that day, when they removed makeup and changed clothes, she overheard the makeup artist mention a large bruise on Yi Feicheng’s back.

That night, she bought ointment and brought it to him.

Standing at the door, she apologized, “It’s all my fault today. I misjudged the jump…”

Yi Feicheng said, “It’s not your fault.”

After a pause, he added, “I really am fine.”

She said weakly, “I heard from the makeup artist about the injury on your back… I bought you some ointment.”

She handed it to him.

Yi Feicheng took it and said softly, “Thank you.”

They both fell silent for a moment.

Yi Feicheng asked, “Anything else?”

She snapped out of it and waved her hand, “No, no, I’m going now. I won’t disturb you.”

Yi Feicheng always kept a clear line between acting and real life.

She quickly learned to distinguish acting from reality.

This is the discipline of a professional actor!

*

Waking up, the sun was already high.

Yi Feicheng’s flight at six in the morning had already departed, and he messaged her to say he’d land in City A at 10:30.

Jiang Ranyun squinted at the time—just ten o’clock.

She replied to Yi Feicheng with a read emoji and leisurely got up to wash.

When breakfast arrived, Ann sent a message saying the beauty brand she endorsed had a promotional campaign to post.

Jiang Ranyun bit into her sandwich, sipped iced coffee, and started her wonderful day with work!

She logged onto Weibo without checking the 999+ notifications, pasted the pre-edited promotional text, and posted.

Once sent, fans quickly retweeted, liked, and commented.

[Ranran, I’m here!]

[Ahhh, you finally remembered you have a Weibo, wife!]

[Baby, I miss you so much.]

[When will Sister Yun spoil us with fresh selfies? [Pleading]]

[Eighteen-grid post! Less than that isn’t true fan service!]

[Poor fans starving for your attention, please!]

[“Flying Birds and Green Mountains” is so beautiful… Yesterday’s update made me cry, baby your acting is amazing…]

[No Weibo updates must mean you’re dating, right? I’m not saying I want to see your love life, but why do official couples disappear right after announcing? [Crying]]

The last comment sparked a thread of replies.

[Feiran, take on a romance drama, give us seventy or eighty episodes to watch! [Starry eyes]]

[Are you crazy? We can’t watch if they’re filming. Besides, fake romance dramas don’t beat real love life. My suggestion: go on a dating show! [Heart]]

[I remember there’s a couple travel show about to air its third season, right?]

[@AlwaysWithYou, that’s you, hurry and invite them!]

Yi Feicheng never appeared on variety shows, let alone couple shows.

Jiang Ranyun exited Weibo, switched to her photo album, scrolling through recent pictures to see if she could piece together an eighteen-grid post for fans.

At that moment, WeChat popped up with a message from Yi Feicheng.

[Arrived in City A.]

Jiang Ranyun replied, “OK.”

After some selecting, she finally gathered eighteen pictures.

She posted on Weibo:

— [I heard someone’s thinking of me~ [Flowers]]

Within a minute, likes, retweets, and comments surged over a thousand.

One comment was simply two words, rapidly pushed to the top.

Yi Feicheng: Miss you.

Jiang Ranyun read his ID three times before confirming it was really him.

The couple-fan community went wild.

[Ahhh, it’s the real deal!]

[I love this openness so much [Heart]]

[I’m dying from fangirling!]

[Instant like and comment, Yi Feicheng, don’t love too much!]

Jiang Ranyun: “...”

Didn’t they just see each other last night?

But she didn’t dare reply like that; it would only complicate things.

Maybe… just don’t reply?

But with how clingy he was, wouldn’t he ask why she didn’t respond later?

After hesitating for a few minutes, Jiang Ranyun decided to imitate Yi Feicheng.

She sent back a cool, aloof reply:

“Mm.”

*

By the time she arrived in City A, it was already late.

Jiang Ranyun left the VIP lounge and got into the car, surprised to see who was inside.

“Sister Ling.”

Ge Qiuling handed her a file. “Take a look.”

Jiang Ranyun opened it and found a script, though not the full version.

“What’s this?” she asked.

Ge Qiuling said, “Liao Sheng brought it, saying it’s the initial draft that Wen Shuchan is preparing.”

“Ah?” Jiang Ranyun couldn’t believe it. “They just gave it to me? Is it for an audition? When can I go?”

Ge Qiuling said, “Probably next month, but the exact time isn’t set yet.”

Jiang Ranyun said, “Great!!”

She was very happy to have a definite opportunity.

Ge Qiuling asked, “What’s going on with you and Yi Feicheng trending again? What’s the situation now?”

Jiang Ranyun happily hugged the script. “Just like that, his memory hasn’t recovered.”

“Must be hard on you,” Ge Qiuling said. “By the way, I contacted Song Zhiyuan’s side and arranged for you to record your song next Friday.”

“No problem.” Jiang Ranyun was in high spirits.

Two years ago, Jiang Ranyun bought a house in City A.

The housing prices were high, and though her residence wasn’t large, she finally had a home of her own, decorated entirely to her taste.

After shooting the brand’s advertising materials, she had the driver drop her at her apartment building.

Perhaps stirred by Yi Feicheng’s recent behavior, she was a little worried he might suddenly appear from some corner along the way.

Luckily, he didn’t.

It had been too long since she last came home. Upon entering, Jiang Ranyun first went to the sofa to touch her plush doll, then to the balcony to check on her resilient succulents.

The apartment was very quiet.

After playing with her teddy bear and phone for a while, Jiang Ranyun received a message from Ann with the schedule for the next day.

There was an interview with the main creators of “Flying Birds and Green Mountains,” including the lead actor, supporting cast, director, and screenwriter, to be recorded during the day, followed by a two-hour live broadcast for online viewers at night.

In other words, tomorrow… she would see Yi Feicheng again.

Realizing this, Jiang Ranyun noticed she had opened the chat window with Yi Feicheng.

He hadn’t messaged her all afternoon or evening.

In the past, this would have been completely normal, but now she felt strange and even worried that something might have happened to him.

Should she message him to ask?

...

*

The car left the hospital, stuck in traffic for a while.

Liao Sheng escorted Yi Feicheng back to his home in City A, reminding him, “Make sure to take the medicine the doctor prescribed.”

Yi Feicheng: “Don’t worry.”

That afternoon, after work, Yi Feicheng had planned to visit a jewelry store to look at rings, but a headache struck. Liao Sheng rushed him to the hospital.

They consulted a specialist for a thorough examination, who said the condition wasn’t serious, prescribed medication, and said it should recover within about a month. If not, come back for a follow-up.

Liao Sheng: “If anything happens, call me immediately. During this period, Xiao Luo and I will accompany you to your appointments.”

Yi Feicheng responded but seemed distracted.

As soon as he entered the house, memories of living there surfaced—neither too many nor too few.

What puzzled him was that none of the memories included Jiang Ranyun.

Liao Sheng said, “Alright, I’ll be going now. You—”

“Wait, Brother Liao.”

Yi Feicheng strode to the master bedroom, second bedroom, study, and bathroom, quickly surveying the place.

He confirmed that only traces of his own life existed here; there wasn’t the slightest sign of anyone else.

“Brother Liao,” Yi Feicheng looked at him, “Doesn’t Ranyun live with me here?”

Liao Sheng was speechless.