Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
On her first day back at work after amnesia, Jono felt overall quite good. Her colleagues were friendly, and her boss hadn’t assigned her too many tasks.
Of course, everything would have been perfect if she hadn’t overheard her colleagues whispering in the restroom.
“You’re new here, so you wouldn’t know about the current state of Jin Architecture. It used to be Qiao's Architecture. Jono, she was the young lady of the Qiao Family. Later on… it seems she sold herself to the Jin Family Young Master to save the Qiao Family. Even though they changed the name, look at Jono now; she’s our Young Mistress. Who knows, maybe one day Jin Architecture will revert back to Qiao's Architecture!”
“I didn’t know that! I can’t believe Jono would sell herself for her family’s sake,” a girl exclaimed in surprise.
“What’s so surprising about it? To be able to sell herself to the Jin Family Young Master is something many women dream of!”
“That’s true. Jin Shao is charming and impressive; Jono really got lucky…”
“Alright, let’s keep this between us in the restroom. You don’t know that yesterday Jin Shao even sent someone to notify all department heads to keep this matter quiet from Jono. I’m only telling you because we’re friends…”
The voices outside grew quieter, and Jono couldn’t hear clearly anymore. She stood in the stall, feeling somewhat dazed.
Jin Architecture used to be Qiao's Architecture?
What kind of existence was Qiao's Architecture?
She couldn’t remember anything at all; not a single detail came to mind. Jin Chengyan hadn’t told her any of this.
If Jin Architecture was formerly Qiao's Architecture and she was the young lady of the Qiao Family, did that mean she sold herself to Jin Chengyan? Why was it like this?
Weren’t she and Jin Chengyan married willingly?
Jono felt a bit lost and unsteady as she sat on the toilet, supporting her head with her hands, overwhelmed by a throbbing headache.
But she couldn’t remember anything!
She took out her phone. There weren't many numbers in her contacts, but as she scrolled through them one by one, none of them rang a bell. She wanted to call Jin Chengyan to ask him what was going on.
However, when she found his number, Jono hesitated.
If Jin Chengyan wanted to tell her something, he would have done so already. So perhaps he didn't want to share it with her, or he thought it wasn't a big deal and didn't feel the need to inform her.
Suddenly, she spotted Qiao Chen's phone number. This was her younger brother; maybe he knew something.
Jono dialed Qiao Chen's number. After a long wait, he finally picked up, speaking in a hushed tone.
"Hey, sis, is that you? Did you finally remember me? Sis?" Qiao Chen's voice came through the phone, filled with suppressed excitement. He was still in class and had to keep his head down behind a thick textbook to speak quietly with Jono.
"Qiao Chen... I'm sorry, I still haven't remembered you, but... I have some questions I want to ask you." Jono closed her eyes, but her mind was blank; she couldn't recall anything at all.
Qiao Chen felt a bit disappointed but quickly recovered. Since his sister wanted to know something, it meant she was starting to regain her memories.
"Qiao Chen, are you on the phone during class? Do you want to get in trouble?" The teacher's voice suddenly cut in, startling Jono.
"Qiao Chen, you're still in class? Then I won't disturb you..." With that, Jono hung up.
Qiao Chen was left bewildered. His sister had finally called him, only to hang up abruptly!
He couldn't just let it go; he immediately grabbed his jacket hanging on the chair and ignored the teacher's shouting as he rushed out of the classroom.
"This Qiao Chen is getting more and more outrageous! If he doesn't want to study, then fine! Get out!" The teacher was infuriated by Qiao Chen's behavior. Can intelligence be eaten? Without effort, he wouldn't even get into college!
"Teacher, Qiao Chen really had something urgent; it seems his sister is in trouble. When he comes back, he'll explain," a girl sitting next to Qiao Chen chimed in with a clear voice.
The teacher rolled his eyes at the class monitor talking to Qiao Chen and continued with the lesson.
Qiao Chen rushed out of the classroom and climbed over the wall.
This high school was not as secure as the one Qiao Chen had attended before; there were no barbed wires on top of the wall, and no surveillance cameras around. At less than two meters high, Qiao Chen easily scaled it.
He immediately called Jono.
"Sis, where are you right now? I'm coming to find you!" Qiao Chen said briskly, already hailing a taxi.
Jono, a bit confused, replied that she was at Jin Architecture.
Half an hour later, Qiao Chen arrived in a flurry.
"Sis, have you remembered something? Or do you want to know something? Just ask, and I'll tell you everything!" Qiao Chen had not slept well these past few days, hoping that Jono would remember him; otherwise, he feared that no one in this world would remember him!
Qiao Chen disliked the feeling of loneliness.
Faced with Qiao Chen's excitement, Jono felt a mix of emotions—touched yet guilty. She truly could not recall anything.
In the empty stairwell, Jono only saw Qiao Chen in his school uniform, somewhat familiar yet unrecognizable.
"I want to ask you, is Jin Architecture the predecessor of Qiao's Architecture? If it is Qiao's Architecture, why was it renamed? And why did I marry Jin Chengyan?" Jono actually did not want to ask the last question.
She had never doubted her marriage to Jin Chengyan; she believed they were married out of love. However, this did not align with what she had heard.
But when Qiao Chen heard Jono's questions, he hesitated.
The bankruptcy of the Qiao Family marked the beginning of their misfortunes, involving Jono's betrayal by her best friend and fiancé, her father's death, and her relatives' indifference...
These were things Qiao Chen did not want Jono to know.
He hesitated now. In the past, he had hoped that Jono would remember him quickly so he wouldn't feel lonely.
But now, he didn't want Jono to remember, didn't want her to recall those unpleasant memories.
As for her marriage to Jin Chengyan, Qiao Chen had always been curious about why his sister married Jin Chengyan so suddenly. He had always thought she would end up with Huo Yawen.
Huo Yawen was so refined, so warm, and treated his sister so well. Yet in the end...
"Sis, the matters at the company might just be decisions made by the board. Even if it changes to Jin Architecture, it doesn't change the fact that it was originally Qiao's Architecture." Although Qiao Chen was still a high school student and hadn't paid much attention to the family business before, after the family's bankruptcy, he began to notice these complexities. He didn't want Jono to know too much.
Jono nodded. A company that large wouldn't find it easy to change its name; there were certainly many factors involved.
"Do we have any other relatives? Why is it only you, my brother, who has appeared? What about our parents?"
It seemed Jono's curiosity wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Qiao Chen paused for a moment.
Seeing Qiao Chen's expression, Jono realized it wasn't good news, and she braced herself mentally.
But when she heard Qiao Chen say their parents had passed away, she still felt a pang of sadness. It turned out that in this world, the only person she truly had a blood connection with was Qiao Chen.
No wonder Qiao Chen had been so emotional when he went to the hospital that day.
"Qiao Chen, will you blame me for not being able to remember you?" Jono felt this was her biggest regret.
"How could I!" Qiao Chen replied immediately. "It's not like you chose this. I actually hope you don't remember the times I acted foolishly. From now on, in your heart, I should be an outstanding brother—smart and ambitious! Wouldn't that be great?"
At Qiao Chen's words, Jono smiled.
"Since you've come out of school, let's go have lunch together. You seem to have lost a bit of weight," Jono said, gently patting Qiao Chen's head.
At that moment, Qiao Chen truly felt that his sister had lost her memory.
If it had been before, when Qiao Chen ran out of school, she would have grabbed his ear without hesitation and taken him back!
Now, she was just patting his head and saying she would treat him to a meal!
Qiao Chen couldn't help but think that his sister was even cuter after losing her memory.
"Sis, you're so nice! I haven't had a meal outside in ages. You have no idea how terrible the food is at our school for lunch and dinner; even pigs wouldn't eat it!"
"Even pigs wouldn't eat it, and yet you still do?" Jono teased.
Qiao Chen realized he had jumped into his own trap; he was even worse than a pig!
The two siblings chatted and laughed as they headed to the restaurant. Since Jono wanted to regain her memories, she figured she should spend more time with people she knew!
"Sis, do you want to eat Japanese cuisine?" Qiao Chen asked as they stood at the entrance of the restaurant, where Jono had intended to take him inside.
"Don't you like it?"
"But you don't like it!" Qiao Chen was well aware of his sister's tastes.
For a moment, Jono was taken aback. After all, last night, Jin Chengyan had arranged for dinner to be Japanese cuisine, and she thought it wasn't bad.
"Did I used to dislike Japanese cuisine?" Jono asked.
"Yes." Qiao Chen quickly linked arms with her and walked away. "You didn't like raw food; you found it disgusting. You prefer stronger flavors. How about we go for French cuisine today? French meals take longer, so we can spend more time together."
Jono followed Qiao Chen, but she didn't hear him speak; her mind was consumed by the thought that she didn't like eating raw food.
If Qiao Chen knew, why didn't Jin Chengyan know?
Why had Jin Chengyan said nothing while watching her eat a lot of sashimi last night?
Did Jin Chengyan not know?
Do two people in love not understand each other's tastes?
"Sis, what are you thinking about?" Qiao Chen asked when he noticed Jono was distracted.
Jono snapped back to reality and forced a smile. "Nothing, let's go have French cuisine!"
The two walked toward the Western restaurant, just as two men were coming out. Qiao Chen found one of them familiar, but Jono was still preoccupied with thoughts of Japanese food.
That was until one of them called her name.
"Jono!"
Hearing someone call her, and it wasn't Qiao Chen, she stopped and looked in the direction of the voice. She saw two tall, handsome men.
However, one of them looked at her with a particularly complex expression that made Jono feel as if she owed this person something.
This was the first time Yan Beiting had seen Jono since her incident.
First, Jin Chengyan had been overly protective, and during her time in the hospital, he had prevented anyone from seeing her! Even when he tried to talk to Qi Ziluo about it, Qi Ziluo merely advised him not to add complications during such a tumultuous time.
Yan Beiting had been feeling down lately, wavering between giving up on Jono and continuing to fight for her. Today, he had been dragged out for dinner by Yan'an City.
What a coincidence, encountering Jono!
Jono looked at Yan Beiting, realizing that she couldn't even remember Qiao Chen, let alone her.
Feeling somewhat helpless, she turned to Qiao Chen for assistance.
However, during that time, Qiao Chen was busy with school and had no idea about the situation between Jono and Yan Beiting, so he couldn't help much.
"Do we... know each other?" Jono asked cautiously. "I'm sorry, I can't quite remember you because I've had an accident."
Yan Beiting stared at Jono in surprise, confirming that there was not a trace of recognition in her eyes.
Was Qi Ziluo hiding this from him?!
If it weren't for this encounter today, Yan Beiting would never have known about Jono's amnesia!
"Brother Three, since she doesn't remember you, let's hurry and leave! There's no need to linger!" Yan'an City immediately stepped in front of Jono and Yan Beiting. Had he known they would run into Jono, he wouldn't have brought the downcast Yan Beiting out!
This was practically asking for trouble!
But how could Yan Beiting agree? The Jin Family had kept the news of Jono's kidnapping tightly under wraps; even Xiao Yuanshan hadn't revealed a word about it to him. If he didn't figure out how Jono ended up like this, he wouldn't be able to sleep!
"Get away!" Yan Beiting pushed Yan'an City aside and stepped in front of Jono.
Jono was startled by Yan Beiting's fierce expression and instinctively took a step back.
Qiao Chen felt that Yan Beiting might pose a threat to his sister and immediately positioned himself in front of Jono.
"Who are you?!" Qiao Chen declared, unwaveringly standing guard before his sister, just as he did against Jin Chengyan and now against Yan Beiting.
Yan Beiting, however, had no intention of paying attention to Qiao Chen. He was only looking at Jono, his gaze gradually softening. Just now, he had frightened her, and he felt a twinge of regret.
But Jono shouldn’t be afraid of him. He had never done anything to hurt her; he only wanted to protect her.
“Jono, I am Yan Beiting,” he said in a low voice, filled with a sense of helplessness that only he understood.
If he had recognized Jono sooner when he returned home, if he had told her that she was the little girl he had missed for six years, would all these subsequent events have been avoided?
He didn’t know.
“Yan Beiting?” Jono repeated the name, with no recollection whatsoever. “I’m sorry…”
Jono had said “sorry” too many times these days. Saying it to someone she couldn’t remember made her feel useless. Why did a car accident and a head injury leave her unable to recall so many people?
Yes, Jin Chengyan had told Jono that she had been in an accident and hit her head.
Yan Beiting’s voice caught in his throat. He and Jono were already fated to be apart; now, she didn’t even have the slightest memory left.
Seeing Yan Beiting like this, Qiao Chen couldn’t figure out what to do either. She could only say to Jono, “Sister, let’s go inside and eat!”
Jono looked apologetically at Yan Beiting before following Qiao Chen inside.
Yan Beiting watched Jono’s retreating figure, unsure whether to follow or leave.
In the end, Yan'an City stood before Yan Beiting and said earnestly, “Brother Three, don’t forget that even if Jono hadn’t lost her memory, she is Brother Yan’s wife. Now that she has lost her memory, she won’t remember you at all. Why cling to this? There are plenty of good girls in this world; I can help you find one! Let’s not compete with others!”
Yan Beiting withdrew his gaze and looked at Yan'an City. He wanted to say something but felt that Yan'an City might not understand him anyway, so he remained silent.
There would never be another Jono in this world.
Only Jono could make his silent heart beat again; only her smile could heal him.
Only Jono!
No one else could.
"Give me the car keys," Yan Beiting said, extending his hand.
When they came out, it was Yan'an City who had driven the car.
Yan'an City had no idea what Yan Beiting intended to do and refused to hand over the keys. Unexpectedly, Yan Beiting simply reached in and took the car keys from Yan'an City's pocket, hurrying away.
Yan'an City cursed under his breath. What kind of punishment was this? Couldn't he just quietly be a handsome man? Why did he have to be caught between Jin Chengyan and Yan'an City?
Yan Beiting drove straight to the police station and barged into Xiao Yuanshan's office.
As soon as Xiao Yuanshan saw Yan Beiting, his brows furrowed.
A couple of days ago, he had taken Zhang Long out and returned with serious injuries. Fortunately, Zhang Long wasn't anyone significant, so a few injuries weren't a big deal; he had managed to get through it.
He had also had an unpleasant encounter with A-Shan and nearly fought with Jin Chengyan.
He had long told his father not to get involved with the Jin Family's affairs, but he didn't know where his father's loyalty came from; he insisted on being so nice to the Jin Family!
In any case, he couldn't stand the Jin Family, especially Jin Chengyan.
This might also be partly due to his friendship with Yan Beiting.
"Jono was injured the day she was rescued. What happened? Why didn't you tell me anything? Also, I heard that you took the kidnapper out to see Jin Chengyan a couple of days ago. What's going on?"
"You're quite well-informed, aren't you?" Xiao Yuanshan chuckled.
"Tell me what's going on!"
Since Yan Beiting had come to him, Xiao Yuanshan felt there was no way to hide the truth any longer.
"Here's the situation: there are two testimonies. One favors Jono, and the other favors Ruan Shengyu."
"They were both kidnapped, so why are there two testimonies that benefit each of them?" This was what Yan Beiting couldn't understand.
"Let's put it this way: the kidnappers split into two groups. One claims that Ruan Shengyu orchestrated the kidnapping to get rid of Jono, while the other says that Jono planned the kidnapping to ruin Ruan Shengyu. But now Ruan Shengyu has a medical certificate stating she's mentally unstable and can't give a testimony, and as for Jono, well, you know—she's lost her memory," Xiao Yuanshan emphasized.
Yan Beiting looked skeptical. How did it come to this?
"They're also saying that Jono might be faking her amnesia to evade legal consequences."
"That's ridiculous!" Yan Beiting exclaimed, cursing.
"I'm not the one being ridiculous! I want to know the truth too! Why are you yelling at me?" Xiao Yuanshan found this case to be one of the most thrilling he had encountered in his years as a police officer!
Yan Beiting simply couldn't believe that Jono could be the mastermind behind the kidnapping.
"But what I really want to know is who hit Jono on the head. None of the kidnappers are admitting to it! Do you think it's possible that Jono did it to herself and then tried to escape…"
"Xiao Yuanshan, enough!" Yan Beiting interrupted him sharply, his mind racing. "Would you really be foolish enough to hit your own head?"
"True enough. I heard Jono almost didn't make it," Xiao Yuanshan shrugged. Since it wasn't his problem, he felt like he was just watching a show.
However, Yan Beiting wasn't so calm. He furrowed his brow as he sat across from Xiao Yuanshan in silence for a long time before finally saying, "Do you think it could have been Ruan Shengyu who hit Jono?"
"This..." Xiao Yuanshan had never considered this possibility. "Why would a big star like her have a conflict with Jono? Besides, she is Jin Chengyan's wife. If she hits Jono, isn't she afraid of Jin Chengyan..."
At this point, Xiao Yuanshan couldn't help but pause.
He exchanged glances with Yan Beiting.
"It's precisely because Jono is Jin Chengyan's wife!"
...
Jono dropped Qiao Chen off at school and then headed to the company. In the afternoon, the Jin Family sent a driver to pick her up after Chuyu Xiu.
Chuyu Xiu poked his head out of the car window and called out to Jono, "Aunt-in-law, over here!"
Jono turned around, realizing there was no one behind her. Was this little guy calling for her?
She had heard from Jin Chengyan that he had a mischievous and adorable little nephew. Could this handsome boy be him?
The driver who got out of the driver's seat politely bowed to Jono, "Young Mistress."
As soon as Jono got into the car, Chuyu Xiu began to look her up and down.
"Aunt-in-law, you haven't lost any weight! That's good, otherwise Uncle would be heartbroken!" Chuyu Xiu nodded, confirming that Jono really hadn't lost any weight.
Jono looked at Chuyu Xiu with a somewhat dazed expression.
Seeing Jono's look, Chuyu Xiu suddenly realized, "Oh, Aunt-in-law doesn't remember me! I'm Jin Chengyan's nephew, Chuyu Xiu. My mom is Jin Mengli, and my dad is Chu Tiankuo. You are Jin Chengyan's wife, which makes you my Aunt-in-law!"
Chuyu Xiu introduced himself. In fact, Jono already knew all this because Jin Chengyan had informed her before. It was just that these days, Jin Chengyan had been so protective of her that no one had come to see her, which was why she couldn't match the face to the name!
"Hello, Chuyu Xiu!" Jono greeted with a smile. This little one was quite quirky and very likable.
"Aunt-in-law seems even more lively than before! I like the current Aunt-in-law even more! I just wonder if Aunt-in-law is still as timid as before! But I always feel that timidity doesn't change just because of amnesia!"
Jono thought to himself, "You know too much, Chuyu Xiu. Why don't you go ask the heavens?"
"Let's set off towards the Jin Family! There will be delicious food today!"
Today was the family banquet at the Jin Family, which was why a driver had come to pick her up. It was just that in the past, Jin Chengyan didn't really want to go home. After Jono's kidnapping incident, it seemed that the Jin Family had acknowledged Jono's identity and wanted to call them back more often.
This was the first time, but there would be a second and a third.
However, when they arrived at the Jin Family, they didn't wait for Jin Chengyan to return before starting the meal. Jono wanted to ask why everyone was gathered but Jin Chengyan was absent.
Unexpectedly, Jin Zhongshu said that Jin Chengyan had an important collaboration to discuss today and wouldn't make it back in time, so everyone could start eating first.
Without Jin Chengyan present, and with so many members of the Jin Family around, Jono felt a bit nervous since she didn't know anyone except for Jin Zhongshu, Melancholy, Jin Mengli, and Chuyu Xiu, whom she had met before. The others were all strangers.
Even Chuyu Xiu's father was someone Jono had never met before, so it was natural for her to feel anxious.
After dinner, during the tea gathering, the men went to a side hall while the women stayed in the living room. They had their favorite teas and some snacks and fruits while discussing topics that Jono wasn't familiar with.
She felt a bit bored but wasn't sure if she could leave early. She wanted to text Jin Chengyan but thought that since he was discussing business, sending a message would surely disturb him.
"Jono, are you and Ayan planning to have children? Women should have children earlier; otherwise, when they get older, it becomes difficult to conceive!" Family gatherings often turned into this—those who weren't married urging others to hurry up and get married, those who were married pushing for children, and once children were born, discussions about schooling would follow...
In any case, there always seemed to be endless concerns about others' lives.
Called out by name, Jono looked up and saw Auntie who had asked her the question.
She truly didn't know how to answer that question. After all, every time she had been with Jin Chengyan, there had been no protective measures. She wasn't sure if they had ever used any before, but the thought of children had never crossed her mind.
She also didn't know how to respond and wanted to seek help from Jin Mengli, but Jin Mengli didn't provide the assistance she had expected.
Melancholy noticed Jono's embarrassment and lightly cleared her throat. "Jono is still young and wants to enjoy life for a couple more years. Just dealing with one Yuxiu is already a headache; if Jono were to have a child, wouldn't that be even more troublesome?" Melancholy replied calmly.
Auntie, hearing Melancholy speak, felt somewhat disgruntled. Wasn't it just gossip about Jono and Jin Chengyan's marriage having some hidden issues?
Wealthy families were the same; when there was nothing else to do, they enjoyed discussing scandals.
However, after Auntie mentioned it, Melancholy genuinely took it to heart. Naturally, she wanted to protect her daughter-in-law in front of the family, but when it came to Jono, Melancholy maintained the same attitude as Auntie.
When would Jono have children?
She found herself at a loss for words. In the end, it was Melancholy who noticed that Jono truly didn't know how to respond and understood that she had just experienced amnesia, so she decided not to press further.
But she did express her desire for a grandchild!
Jono felt overwhelmed. When she left the Jin Family Mansion, Jin Chengyan hadn't come; he seemed genuinely busy.
As she sat in the car, unexpectedly, Jin Chengyan's call came through.
"Jono." His voice sounded somewhat heavy, and Jono sensed he had something on his mind.
"What's wrong? Is the collaboration not going smoothly?" Jono instinctively comforted him.
That's one of the pros and cons of phone calls; when the other person says they're fine, you really can't tell if they are or not. You can't see their expression or know what they're thinking.
"Um..." Jin Chengyan replied softly.
Jono paused for a moment, never expecting that Jin Chengyan was truly feeling down because of their collaboration.
"It's okay, if this partnership doesn't work out, there will be another chance. With a company as big as the Jin Family, they won't miss one collaboration, right?"
Jin Chengyan didn't respond to Jono's words; he simply said, "Go home now and get a copy of the Contract from the safe. It's at the very bottom. I'm still at the Jin Family; can you bring it to me?"
"Sure, just wait a moment, I'll get it to you quickly!" Jono agreed without a second thought.
"The code is 900117." When Jin Chengyan said those numbers, his tone was slightly somber. He knew the significance of those digits and was aware that Jono understood their meaning as well.
Of course, this was something Jono had known before her memory loss.
"Okay, got it." Jono hung up without any sign of abnormality.
That tone left no hint of a flaw for Jin Chengyan to detect.
After hanging up, Jono instructed the driver to speed up towards Jin Mansion.
The car moved steadily and swiftly along the road. Before long, her phone rang again. She initially thought it was Jin Chengyan calling, but to her surprise, it was a message from an unfamiliar number. She almost dismissed it as spam until she noticed a few familiar names.
Jin Chengyan, Jono.
Was this related to her?
Opening the message revealed a long string of text accompanied by an image.
"Jono, you are the third party intervening in someone else's relationship, claiming Jin Chengyan for yourself. He does not love you; the person he loves is Ruan Shengyu. For her sake, he would give up everything he has, even his life! You? He ruined your innocence for Ruan Shengyu! Do you think you are together because of love? He has never loved you from the beginning! Don't trap him with your amnesia! Even if you possess his body, you will never have his heart!"
The accompanying image showed Jin Chengyan embracing Ruan Shengyu. The woman in the photo smiled gently while the man gazed down at her in his arms—a perfect couple!
Jono felt completely disoriented as she looked at the photo and text.
However, what surprised her even more was when she returned to Jin Mansion and opened the safe, only to find the contract lying inside—the one she had signed with Jin Chengyan.
A four-year marriage sealed with a piece of paper!
Jono was utterly flustered.
- End of Chapter -
Comment 0 Comment Count