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Somewhere in the capital city, far away from the quiet life Lin Yue had, a storm was brewing.
The grand villa, perched on the highest hills of the city, was heavily guarded.
The towering iron gates, the luxury cars parked outside, and the twenty or so bodyguards stationed at various corners of the estate—everything screamed power and wealth.
Inside the massive study room, which overlooked the glittering skyline of the capital, a man stood in silence.
His tall frame was rigid, his clenched fists resting on the mahogany desk in front of him.
He wore a fitted black suit that hugged his broad shoulders, and his eyes—sharp as blades—were fixed on the trembling assistant before him.
"Still nothing?" The man's voice was cold and deadly quiet, but it held a weight that made the air feel suffocating.
The assistant bowed deeply. "N-No, Master. We've searched the hospitals, shelters, train stations, even reached out to underground channels. Not a single trace."
The man slammed his fist on the desk, causing a crystal paperweight to crash onto the floor and shatter.
"It's been almost a week! Do you all think my son vanished into thin air?!" he thundered.
The assistant flinched. "Forgive us, Master. We're doubling the search efforts. I've already mobilized our private investigators and locked in facial recognition across the district."
"Triple the efforts," Master snapped. "Monopolize every man we have if you must. And don't you dare mention this to the Old Master. If he asks—"
"He's on a business trip overseas," the assistant recited quickly.
At least he was sensible.
"Good." Master's gaze turned to the large portrait of a young man hanging behind his desk.
A tall, proud figure in a tailored suit. His only son.
The assistant bowed again and quickly exited the room, barking orders to the men waiting outside.
---
Meanwhile, in a modest apartment nestled in the quieter part of the city, the night was peaceful.
Lin Yue's home, though small, was filled with the warmth of laughter and a growing sense of companionship.
Almost two weeks had passed since her final confrontation with her family.
Surprisingly, none of them had contacted her since, and for that, she was immensely relieved.
Ah Yan, too, was settling into a rhythm.
From the silent, dazed man she'd found weeks ago with blank eyes, he had transformed into someone who smiled more often and even joked around when he was in a good mood.
He had picked up his job quickly, and every day he came back with stories of deliveries and quirky customers.
He wasn't just surviving anymore—he was adapting. Living.
They were in the kitchen that night, side by side, preparing dinner together.
The soft glow from the pendant light bathed the kitchen in a cozy hue.
Steam rose from the pot as Ah Yan stirred the soup, his sleeves rolled up, a towel slung over his shoulder like a pro.
Lin Yue was chopping vegetables, occasionally glancing at him.
"I get paid the day after tomorrow," he said, eyes gleaming with excitement.
She paused, knife in hand. "Really? That's great! Do you already know what you want to do with it?"
He looked away, a shy smile tugging at his lips. "Secret."
She laughed softly. "Secret? Well, now you're just tempting me to guess."
He grinned. "You'll find out. But only after I get paid."
She smirked, flipping the chopped vegetables into the pan. "Fine then. I have a secret too. "
He looked at her curiously. "A secret?"
"Tell me." He said enthusiastically.
"But you'll have to wait until after dinner."
"Tell me. Please."
"No. Until after dinner."
"Okay."
"Yup. You'll like it."
They finished cooking together, chatting lightly about their day.
Even in the simplicity of shared tasks and small talk, there was a growing closeness that neither of them acknowledged out loud, but both felt in the silent beats between laughter.
After dinner, they washed the dishes together, their hands occasionally brushing, sending tiny jolts of awareness between them.
When they were done, Ah Yan dried his hands and looked at her expectantly.
He said. "What's the secret?"
Lin Yue grinned and walked to the sofa where her bag rested. She reached in and pulled out a sleek black box.
Ah Yan blinked. "What's that?"
"Your present," she said, holding it out.
He stepped closer, curiosity brimming in his eyes as he took the box from her hands. He slowly opened it.
His breath caught in his throat.
Inside was a phone. Not the latest or high end model, but still a very decent one—sleek, black, and new.
He looked up at her, stunned. "You... bought me a phone?"
She nodded. "It's hard to communicate when you don't have one. And now that you're working, it's important for you to have one too."
He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.
For a moment, he just stared at her, his expression unreadable.
What he didn't know was that she had skipped lunch more times than she could count, worked extra hours, and turned down buying herself even a cup of coffee—just to save up for this.
She hadn't spent any of her recent bonuses.
Finally, he whispered, "Thank you... so much."
She smiled gently. "I'm glad you like it."
Ah Yan's hands trembled slightly as he held the phone, then looked back at her.
Despite his amnesia, despite having no past and no possessions, she had treated him with kindness and respect from the start.
Never once had she made him feel like a burden.
And now, she was giving him something he never expected—something that tethered him more tightly to this life.
To her.
He suddenly felt a swell of emotion rise in his chest, and for a moment, he didn't know what to do with it.
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