In any intimate relationship, being honest with each other about your feelings is incredibly important. Though expressions of love in words can sometimes feel frivolous, they’re still essential.
At the very least, Ye Can no longer tormented herself day and night over those lost memories. Lin Zixi didn’t have to agonize endlessly over whether they should meet or what might happen if they did, just because of those differences.
They had confirmed one thing to each other: Ye Can could still remember. How much she recalled and how long it would take to remember everything remained unknown.
The Ye Can standing before Lin Zixi was her Ye Can. She might have changed a little, but she existed, she was real, she was observed, and she was loved.
If their lives were a story, it would inevitably lead to this ending: After years together, Ye Can finally regained her memories. On a bright spring morning, with a gentle breeze blowing, Ye Can ran toward Lin Zixi and gave her a long-overdue embrace.
Thinking of it that way made life feel full of hope.
When Ye Can visited Dr. Yang again, she was practically glowing with joy. In the dim light, she confided in the doctor, “I’ve decided to record every single thing I remember, and I won’t feel lost anymore. I’ll even try reaching for her hand.”
“I want to fight for it, to seize my future from the hands of fate.”
Dr. Yang listened to Ye Can’s confession with a pleased smile. “Then I’m truly happy for you. Ye Can, you’ve learned to cherish what’s right in front of you and to understand the meaning of ‘life.’ I believe fate will favor someone who treasures themselves.”
Ye Can smiled faintly. “Even without fate’s favor, it doesn’t matter. What gets me better has never been some vague, ethereal thing like destiny—it’s me.”
“It’s what I want, what I’m fighting for. Everything is for myself. So I don’t need fate’s pity.”
“I just want what I want.”
To live or to die—that was Ye Can’s own doing. She made her choice and walked down that path. It might be fate, but all fate began with a single choice.
Dr. Yang gave a satisfied smile. “That’s wonderful. Congratulations on rediscovering your desires.”
Desire was the fundamental drive for living in this world. For Ye Can, Lin Zixi was her supreme desire.
As time passed, she remembered more and more. Those lost moments from the past came back like puzzle pieces, forming clear pictures.
She didn’t deliberately tell Lin Zixi about slowly recovering her memories. Instead, she just invited Lin Zixi to revisit those familiar places. Lin Zixi never pressed her on how much she’d remembered; she simply went along with these dates that echoed their past in perfect understanding.
They reminisced about the past while exploring a future that would make them both happy.
Their frequent meetings lifted Lin Zixi’s spirits even more, and her condition improved. During her latest check-up, the doctor reduced her medication and confirmed her recovery was progressing.
Hearing this from Lin Zixi made Ye Can thrilled. That afternoon, after leaving the hospital, Ye Can planned to take Lin Zixi out for a nice meal.
But Lin Zixi clearly had other ideas. Once in the passenger seat, she said to Ye Can, “There’s a place I want to check out with you.”
Ye Can looked puzzled. “Where?”
Lin Zixi smiled at her, buckled her seatbelt, and nestled lazily into the seat. “You’ll see when we get there.”
Next, Lin Zixi gave Ye Can an address. Ye Can shrugged, started the car, and replied, “Alright then, as you wish.”
It was deep autumn now, and the dropping cold air hung like a thin mist over the city. Sunlight filtered through a chill veil, casting a pale glow on the increasingly bare trees lining the highway, adding vivid color to the desolate autumn scene.
Ye Can drove farther from the bustling city, entering a quieter residential area. Following Lin Zixi’s directions after entering the villa district, she carefully headed to the deepest part, toward the largest villa.
As she drove, Ye Can asked, “Do you own property here too? I thought you only had that one apartment.”
Lin Zixi smiled. “Sort of.”
Ye Can wasn’t surprised; she knew Lin Zixi could afford a villa. Steering around a bend, she said casually, “I see. That’s nice. Why not move in here? The house is bigger and quieter, right?”
Lin Zixi pursed her lips and gazed out the window at the villas sliding past. Softly, she said, “Maybe it just feels too big. Or maybe the time isn’t right yet.”
Ye Can was confused. “The time? What time?”
Lin Zixi replied, “The right moment.”
“Oh.” Ye Can nodded and soon parked in front of a villa as instructed. They got out together, pushed open the ornate iron gate, and walked along the black-and-white pebble path through the deep green lawn to the front door.
Lin Zixi led Ye Can inside like a true homeowner. With a creak, warm sunlight poured through the open door into the spacious living room, scattering the long-sealed shadows into the dark corners.
They stepped in side by side. Looking at the empty hall devoid of furniture, Ye Can asked, “Haven’t bought furniture yet?”
Lin Zixi shook her head. “Not yet. I just renovated it recently and haven’t decided on furnishings, though I’ve been thinking about it lately. Come on, I’ll show you around first.”
Ye Can glanced around the bare living room and nodded. “Sure, let’s look around.”
Lin Zixi took Ye Can up the elevator to the top floor, the third level. The master bedroom and media room took up most of the space, along with a small study for herself. Without furniture, it was hard to picture fully.
Ye Can toured the third floor and commented offhandedly, “The rooms are spacious.”
Lin Zixi smiled. “Yeah, I think so too. I really like it.”
After circling the third floor, they headed to the second. It was larger, with guest rooms and a big study, plus an outdoor pool.
Fallen leaves drifted into the dry pool with the wind, lending an air of desolation. Ye Can offered a suggestion: “You could add a sauna on this floor. That way, after swimming, you can relax perfectly.”
Lin Zixi nodded and said, “Sounds good.”
After touring indoors, Lin Zixi led Ye Can to the outdoor garden. Unlike the empty interior, the garden buzzed with life.
Lin Zixi had planted cherry and pear trees here, and near the corridor, a large patch of camellias. It was late autumn, a time of withering, but amid the plants, one could glimpse the vibrant spring to come.
Ye Can thought it was a great place to live and told Lin Zixi so. Lin Zixi smiled and asked, “What do you think?”
Ye Can froze, taking a moment to catch on. Stammering, she replied, “Of course, I think it’s a great place.”
“Is it?” Lin Zixi smiled, standing before her camellias. She looked up at the empty villa and said softly to Ye Can, “Next month is my birthday.”
Ye Can responded quickly, “I know. How do you want to spend it?”
Lin Zixi turned, her gaze on Ye Can incredibly tender. “I want… to invite all my good friends here for a birthday salon. What do you think?”
Ye Can nodded eagerly. “Of course, that’s a fantastic idea.”
Lin Zixi’s eyes curved into smiles, sparkling deeply. “So, I need your help. This month… could you help me furnish this villa? Before my birthday next month, make it ready to host guests.”
In that moment, Ye Can’s heart was utterly captured by the woman’s smile. Without hesitation, she nodded. “Yes, of course.”
She had plenty of time—so much time—to spend with Lin Zixi, doing these little things together.
Over the next couple of weeks, Ye Can accompanied Lin Zixi to furniture stores. After cleaning the villa, they gradually filled it with their new purchases.
Then, Lin Zixi spent three or four days packing up her apartment and moving everything into the villa. Finally, it started feeling lived-in.
With the party coming up, Ye Can consulted Ye Shen’s housekeeper and found an excellent team to handle it. She even got the guest list from Lin Zixi and was surprised by the star-studded names from the entertainment industry: international star Meng Zhiqiu, rising Best Actress Jiang Yue, award-winning director Gu Yiyi, pop diva Xia Fanxing, and collaborators like director Yu Ming and famous photographers…
All told, around a hundred people.
Ye Can thought, Lin Zixi sure has a lot of friends. No wonder—over a decade in the industry sets you apart.
She asked doubtfully, “Will all these people really come?”
Lin Zixi thought for a moment. “I’ve called them all. Barring surprises, they should.”
Ye Can was stunned. “When did you call them?”
Lin Zixi smiled slyly. “Secret. Can’t tell you yet.”
Ah… why is this woman getting more enchanting by the day?
Ye Can took the list and huffed, “Fine, fine. Won’t ask then. Can you tell me about their habits, dietary restrictions?”
Lin Zixi replied, “I can share what I know, but the catering team will need to research the rest.”
Lin Zixi shared what she knew. Ye Can listened, took notes, and gauged how close each guest was to her.
It took half a day for Lin Zixi to go over everyone’s interests and hobbies with Ye Can.
Watching Ye Can scribble notes frantically, Lin Zixi propped her cheek on her hand, tapped her face, and asked, “Ye Can, on the day of the party, do you want to bring friends?”
Ye Can didn’t look up. “Nah, I don’t really have friends. Not close to others anyway, so I’ll just…”
Halfway through, Lin Zixi cut in: “So, you don’t want to bring friends to meet me?”
Ye Can froze, finally getting it. She looked up into Lin Zixi’s deep eyes. “If you don’t mind me bringing colleagues, then sure.”
Lin Zixi smiled and replied, “I don’t mind at all. I’d welcome their arrival.”
Hearing this, Ye Can immediately had an idea. She decided that on Lin Zixi’s birthday, she’d bring her little assistant, the team usually handling industry connections, and oh yes, her deputy general Xu Jue as well.
The next day, Ye Can arrived at the company and handed out invitations to her little assistant, Xu Jue, and the others.
Everyone was a bit surprised, and Ye Can explained a little embarrassedly, “It’s a very important person’s birthday party. She asked me to bring friends, but I don’t really have any, so I’m counting on you all to help me save face.”
Everyone naturally misinterpreted it as a family elder worrying about her situation at the company and calling in colleagues to prop her up. Given all the afternoon teas they’d shared and the lavish meals over the past six months, no one had any objections and willingly helped Ye Can with this little issue.
Somehow the secret leaked out. That evening, after Ye Can got home and picked up her several-months-old niece, Ye Shen—who hadn’t meddled in her affairs for a long time—suddenly appeared.
Ye Shen stood to the side, watching Ye Can expertly hold the child, and said, “I heard you’re attending a friend’s birthday party and invited colleagues from the company?”
Ye Can wasn’t surprised that Ye Shen knew about her company situation. She held Xiao Xin in her arms, poked the child’s soft, chubby cheek, and only answered after making her giggle, “Yeah, what’s up?”
Ye Shen crossed her arms, gazing tenderly at Ye Can as she played with the child. “Nothing, just that this friend must be pretty special to you. Lin Zixi, right?”
Ye Can glanced up at her and nodded lightly.
Perhaps it was motherhood, but Ye Shen now radiated a gentle maternal glow. She smiled faintly and said warmly, “If it’s her, can I bring Xiao Xin along that day?”
Ye Can looked at her in surprise. “Don’t you dislike taking Xiao Xin out?” Because of that, she’d even turned down the planned full-moon celebration before.
Ye Shen smiled, rubbed her temples with a sigh, and said, “That’s true, but if it’s Lin Zixi, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to meet her.”
“Because that woman is really special to you, isn’t she? I think I should find a suitable chance to see her too, so things don’t get too awkward later.”
It was rare enough to hear such words from Ye Shen. Ye Can nodded, bounced Xiao Xin in her arms, and said, “If you want to come, then come.”
After saying that, Ye Can poked Xiao Xin’s powdery soft cheek and grinned. “Xiao Xin, Xiao Xin, want to come with me to see the big beauty?”
Xiao Xin giggled and blew a bubble of drool right at Ye Can.
Time flew by, and Lin Zixi’s birthday arrived in the blink of an eye. Right at midnight, Ye Can called Lin Zixi to offer her birthday wishes.
Lin Zixi’s voice sounded light and cheerful over the phone. When Ye Can brought up the birthday gift, Lin Zixi chuckled softly, “I think I’ve already received the best birthday gift this year.”
Ye Can knew exactly what she meant. Swallowing the joy swelling in her heart, she said sincerely, “But I think you’ll have even better ones.”
What could be an even better birthday gift?
Lin Zixi didn’t know, but Ye Can already did.
Early the next morning, Ye Can couldn’t wait any longer. She drove to Lin Zixi’s villa and threw herself into the preparations with her.
Ye Can hadn’t worn a long dress today; instead, she opted for a crisp white pantsuit. With her long hair loose and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, she looked utterly ascetic.
