Chapter 3: Reunion

In the distance, Li Xinyi was running toward me, step by step. Her long hair, loosened and wild, was tossed into chaos by the wind, but she merely swept it carelessly behind her and kept coming, clearly very excited. As she ran, she shouted "Savior!" at the top of her lungs, utterly unbothered by the curious stares of passersby.

At that moment, Chen Xingyi stood awkwardly at the street corner, watching the girl draw closer with each step. He had no idea how to respond to being called "savior," and could only rack his brain, trying to recall the contents of the note left on his desk that morning.

"Why did you ignore me yesterday when I called you?" Li Xinyi pouted, feigning annoyance—but to onlookers, she seemed more adorable than angry.

"Me? Are you Li Xinyi?" he asked.

Hearing that, her eyes lit up instantly. With a mischievous grin, she teased, "How did you know? Have you been secretly investigating me, or following me around?"

"Well... I'm not really sure how to explain it. I don’t exactly know how I know," Chen Xingyi replied, scratching his head with an embarrassed smile.

"By the way, why do you call me 'savior'?" he asked.

"What? You’ve already forgotten the heroic rescue? That’s pretty forgetful for a savior," she huffed.

"Heroic... rescue? You mean, me... and you?"

"What about me? Are you saying I’m not beautiful?" Li Xinyi struck a few playful poses, showing off her charm.

She truly was beautiful. If not for my amnesia, perhaps her image would have been etched in my memory forever. Strangely, though, I could recall the name of the movie that young couple was discussing in the elevator yesterday, yet for Li Xinyi—or the woman standing before me now—I couldn’t recall a thing.

“By the way, I never got to ask you: how did you get hurt on your head?” Li Xinyi asked again.

Just as I was about to answer, my phone rang. "Um... I'll explain in a minute. It's time for my follow-up appointment," I said.

With that, Chen Xingyi hurried into the hospital lobby, only to find Li Xinyi had followed him inside. As they entered, the nurse from his memory approached. “Here for your checkup?” she asked.

Chen Xingyi nodded.

“And this young lady behind you—is she family or...?” The nurse didn’t finish her sentence.

“Friend... she’s just here to accompany me,” Chen Xingyi quickly replied.

Seeing his flustered demeanor, the nurse clearly misunderstood the nature of their relationship.

“Friend! ...Ah.” She deliberately emphasized the word, hoping Li Xinyi would hear.

But Li Xinyi, standing quietly behind, seemed unconcerned with their conversation. Like a child entering a hospital for the first time, she gazed around curiously at everything.

Soon, the nurse led them to the neurology exam room on the second floor. The doctor was, as always, seated leisurely at his desk, sipping tea. When he saw us, he smiled and waved us in.

“How’s your recovery today?” he asked.

“Well... most of what happened yesterday I can remember, but there are some things I just can’t recall at all,” Chen Xingyi replied.

As he spoke, he glanced at Li Xinyi, who sat beside him, her brow furrowed in confusion at the seemingly cryptic conversation.

“The fact that you remember some things is a good sign. You’re recovering well. Rest up, and go with her to get your bandage changed. After today, just change it once a week,” the doctor said, gesturing to the nurse.

“By the way, did you come in yesterday too?” he asked.

“Yes, you were the one who saw me,” Chen Xingyi replied.

“Ah, getting old—I can’t remember as well as I used to. Too many patients. I suppose we’re both in the same boat,” the doctor said with a wry smile before signaling the nurse to take him for the dressing change. Li Xinyi followed, still deep in thought.

“Now do you understand why I don’t remember you?” Chen Xingyi asked, looking back at her.

The sudden question made Li Xinyi look up. “You lost your memory? ...But isn’t amnesia usually about forgetting things from before the accident?” After a brief silence, she added, “Wait—did you get hit by a car after saving me? No wonder you ignored me yesterday.”

The nurse, listening, chuckled. “His case is a bit different from typical amnesia. It’s a kind of memory disorder—like a computer that wipes its memory after shutting down. He forgets what happens each day by the next morning. But he’s recovering. Remember, I gave you that note and asked you to write down what happened each day?”

“I did write it, but what’s strange is, what I wrote and what actually happened don’t match up,” Chen Xingyi replied.

“That’s just because you didn’t remember it clearly.”

After the nurse finished changing his dressing, Chen Xingyi and Li Xinyi left the hospital. The thought of being called “savior” that morning resurfaced.

“What did you mean by calling me ‘savior’ earlier?” he asked.

“Oh, that’s not important anymore. You won’t remember anyway. Just remember my name is Li Xinyi, and I know yours is Chen Xingyi—that’s enough.” She patted his shoulder with a smile.

She was quite tall—at least one seventy-five, he estimated—so it was easy for her to sling an arm around his shoulder.

“Let’s go. I have the day off, so I’ll treat you to lunch.”

With that, she pulled him along toward the little food street up ahead.

Since it was the weekend and lunchtime, the already popular street was even more crowded than usual. Whether it was his first visit or not, he couldn’t recall, but the throngs of people made it impossible to get his bearings. He could only cling to Li Xinyi’s sleeve and follow her lead.

Suddenly, a woman with a child squeezed between them. To avoid bumping the child, he let go of Xinyi’s sleeve and stepped back. Instantly, the dense crowd swept him away from her like a landslide.

Luckily, because they were both tall, he could still spot her in the crowd. Li Xinyi stood in place, scanning for him. He called out, “Excuse me, let me through,” as he tried to reach her, but the crowd only pushed him farther away.

This familiar scene reminded him of the dream he’d had the night before, where no matter how hard he chased, he could never catch up to the mysterious woman. Who was she? Could it be Li Xinyi? If so, what did it mean? Lost in thought, the present scene blurred, his head throbbed, and he stopped resisting, letting the crowd carry him wherever it pleased. If things played out as in his dream, perhaps if he gave up, she would suddenly appear behind him.

...

“Chen Xingyi, what’s wrong? Why are you just standing here?” Li Xinyi had somehow miraculously appeared right in front of him, wiping sweat from her brow and looking at him with concern.

He felt dazed—perhaps it was the heat, or perhaps her sudden appearance left him unable to distinguish dream from reality. He just stood there, staring at her.

“Come on, let’s go. Today’s weather and crowds are stacked against us, so we have to look out for each other. This time, don’t let go,” she said, grabbing his wrist firmly and muttering, “What luck! If I’d known it’d be this crowded, I wouldn’t have come... Excuse me! Be careful, there’s a patient here.”

Dragging him along, she used his condition as an excuse to get the crowd to give way.

Before long, Li Xinyi stopped in front of a small restaurant.

“We’re here at last,” she said, panting slightly as she led him inside.

The restaurant was a traditional eatery, small but bustling, every seat taken. Just as he thought they’d have to find another place, Li Xinyi beckoned him upstairs and into a private room for three or four people.

“There’s a private room? I thought we’d have to leave,” he said.

“The owner is a good friend of mine, of course he’d save me a place.” She tossed her head with a hint of pride. “Here’s the menu—order anything you like, it’s my treat.”

After ordering a few dishes, an awkward silence fell. He wanted to lighten the mood but could think of nothing; aside from his name, the note had nothing else written on it.

Li Xinyi, sensing the tension, tried to fill the silence with questions, but his replies were always the same three words.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” she asked.

That question stumped him. If he did, there was no sign in his phone or WeChat. Yet if he didn’t, why had he dreamed of the same woman every night? Though her face was always a blur, didn’t people dream of those they thought about during the day? Maybe he really did know her but had forgotten.

Seeing his silence, Li Xinyi sighed. “You’ve forgotten again, haven’t you?”

He nodded.

“Do you have a job now?”

“I don’t think so. I haven’t gone to work these days, and if I did, someone would have called by now.”

“We’re hiring a cashier at my shop. Since you’re not working, why not come for an interview tomorrow?” she suggested.

Her words brought him back to reality. He couldn’t sit at home forever waiting to recover, and his finances weren’t great—between hospital bills and changing dressings, he’d spent a lot recently. Still, he voiced his concern, “But with my memory...”

“It’s fine, being a cashier is simple. You just settle up with each customer—no memory needed. And besides, you’ll have me, won’t you?” Li Xinyi said with a wink.

Her playful assurance eased his worries. “Alright, I’ll go for the interview tomorrow—why not give it a try!”