The night wind carried away Jiang Sixian’s torn questioning, leaving only the sound of wind in the empty mountain forest with no one to answer her.
Jiang Sixian sat silently in her car all night. The next day, she drove home, took a shower, and attended the previously postponed company meeting as if nothing had happened.
Since entering university, Jiang Sixian had lived like this for many years: drowning in memories at night while navigating social interactions during the day as if suffering from amnesia. Her heart gradually grew numb until one day she might completely forget herself and be cast into the abyss.
Time passed in the blink of an eye, and soon it was time for Ning Wenying and Jiang Qionghua to fly to the southern hemisphere.
When seeing the elders off at the airport, Jiang Sixian even leaned close to Ning Wenying’s ear and joked cheerfully: “I hope when you return this time, Mom will bring me back a little sister.”
Ning Wenying smiled and pinched her hand, chiding her: “Silly talk.”
Jiang Sixian laughed, not thinking her words silly at all. She hugged Ning Wenying one last time before sending her and Jiang Qionghua onto the plane.
On the same day they flew south, Jiang Sixian drove again to the place where Jiang Yi had disappeared, finding the spot where fragments of Jiang Yi’s clothing had been discovered.
That afternoon, she mustered all her courage and jumped into the somewhat turbulent river. But as her body sank beneath the surface, an inexplicable force compelled her to swim back up, not stopping until she reached the safety of the shore.
This sudden survival instinct frightened even Jiang Sixian herself. Pale-faced, she climbed ashore and leaned against a tree, covering her face as she alternated between laughter and tears.
She had thought she truly wanted to die, yet still lacked the courage. Her body’s instincts constantly reminded her that she still wanted to live—it was just that the grief and sorrow were nearly crushing her.
This failed attempt abruptly cooled Jiang Sixian’s head. After driving home again, she didn’t think about death for many days afterward.
Even when she dreamed of Jiang Yi at night and woke up crying, the pain though still heart-wrenching, wasn’t as unbearable as before.
She felt uneasy, even fearful. She feared that one day, she might truly forget Jiang Yi, and then Jiang Yi would completely disappear from this world.
But just as she was about to despair completely, a miracle occurred.
On her birthday, she finally received heaven’s mercy.
She remembered this day clearly—her twenty-fourth birthday. As in previous years, she held a party at the same hotel where Jiang Yi had once celebrated her birthday, inviting many business associates.
Nearly all the attendees were people she’d met during university or work, with almost none of her childhood friends present. She knew her own psychological block—she was afraid of seeing old friends because they would make her think uncontrollably of Jiang Yi, shattering her carefully constructed composure.
This day was actually like every other over the past six years—utterly mundane and unremarkable.
She donned her refined social mask, circulating among business associates who could benefit her like a flawless marionette.
Her makeup was exquisite, her smile radiant, just like the massive crystal chandelier above the venue—a perfect, flawless ornament.
As she moved through the crowd, she smelled their varied scents but remained unmoved.
A well-groomed business associate approached her, and Jiang Sixian offered a polite smile, casually thanking them. Then, in the air, she faintly heard someone say: “Look over here…”
For a moment, she thought she was hallucinating.
Jiang Sixian froze momentarily but paid it no mind. Soon, the voice spoke again: “Look over here…”
This time, Jiang Sixian clearly received the message. She knew no one was speaking beside her—this voice seemed to originate from the depths of her soul, so familiar it felt like she’d heard it a thousand times before.
At that moment, Jiang Sixian felt she’d lost control. She looked up, unable to stop herself from gazing forward. And there, at the edge of her vision, stood a young woman in a black suit.
Under the dazzling crystal chandelier, amidst the flowing crowd, that person stood straight in her black suit with a ponytail, looking directly at her.
When their eyes met, Jiang Sixian saw a face slightly more mature than in youth, feeling as if time had folded, creating a dreamlike illusion.
Was this a dream? Why was she seeing Jiang Yi?
If not a dream, why would Jiang Yi appear before her now?
Jiang Sixian’s heart began aching, her limbs trembling uncontrollably. She wanted to step forward but couldn’t move. She wanted to speak, but all cries stuck in her throat, leaving her voiceless.
At this moment, only tears surged forth, quickly flooding her eyes.
Through blurred vision, she saw that youthful phantom smile at her and wave: “Hi, hello…”
That faint whiff of cedar pheromones was like a sharp sword piercing through the crowd, stabbing straight into Jiang Sixian’s heart.
Her once-marked body quickly awakened, and Jiang Sixian immediately locked onto the scent’s owner—it could be no one else.
Jiang Yi… Jiang Yi… her Jiang Yi…
She lifted her skirt, her body like a broken puppet finally recharged, rushing toward the source of those pheromones.
Watching the retreating figure, Jiang Sixian ran forward without restraint.
Her steps quickened, her strides lengthened, until with a sudden grasp, her hand closed around a warm wrist. In her heart, she cried: Finally, I’ve caught you.
Barely holding onto her precarious composure, Jiang Sixian looked up at the woman before her with a smile, trying to call out: “Jiang… Jiang…”
She thought she’d receive a passionate, bone-crushing embrace. But no… nothing… what answered her was an awkward, puzzled, somewhat flustered smile of unfamiliar politeness.
In that instant, Jiang Sixian suddenly understood why Jiang Yi had lived but never sought her out, why she’d waited six long years.
Because her Jiang Yi didn’t remember.
She’d forgotten their past, forgotten those nightmare-like events, living alone in this world for six years like someone newly arrived.
Jiang Yi hadn’t lied to her—she’d even forgotten Jiang Sixian’s existence.
Realizing this was like being caught in an avalanche for Jiang Sixian. Fortunately, after so many years of grabbing at similar-looking strangers on so many streets, she’d grown accustomed to this flavor of disappointment.
This small setback didn’t discourage her—merely finding Jiang Yi was joy enough.
Jiang Sixian quickly dried her tears, dismissed all interfering matters, and eagerly took Jiang Yi to confirm her miracle.
Fortunately, whether then or now, Jiang Yi could never refuse her.
Even more delightfully, among so many Omegas, Jiang Yi had recognized her pheromones and extended an invitation. Despite being such an Alpha, she’d only invited Jiang Sixian.
Even without memories, Jiang Yi’s body remembered it had once briefly possessed an Omega. Realizing this, Jiang Sixian wept with joy.
A flame delayed six years ignited between them. Though not in heat, when Jiang Sixian embraced Jiang Yi, she felt herself burning.
This was her fire of desire, her life’s light…
That night, holding the indistinct Jiang Yi, Jiang Sixian felt a previously empty, missing part of her soul finally filled completely.
Pinning Jiang Yi beneath her, watching her burn with fever, skin flushed and trembling with pleas, Jiang Sixian suddenly thought this must have been how the younger Jiang Yi looked too.
Begging her to stop, begging to keep distance, yet ultimately throwing herself into Jiang Sixian’s arms to be enveloped.
Jiang Sixian had never been with any Alpha before, let alone one in rut. But the Alpha before her was even clumsier, more helpless, more fearful.
Though the one burning with heat, though someone was helping, she acted like the violated one, curled in a corner, enduring until tears streaked her face.
Jiang Sixian knew—this was still the Jiang Yi who feared troubling others, the Jiang Yi who would protect her no matter what. So each time Jiang Yi regained clarity, Jiang Sixian would kneel before her, cradle her face, lick away her tears, and coax her to open her arms for an embrace.
Occasionally, the bodily fever would strip Jiang Yi of reason, and she’d grope blindly for Jiang Sixian’s embrace, unconsciously calling: “Jiang Sixian… Jiang Sixian… Jiang Sixian…”
Each call plunged Jiang Sixian deeper into this dream. In their scorching embrace, Jiang Sixian suddenly remembered that night when she’d knelt, held in Jiang Yi’s arms, leaning down as Jiang Yi injected pheromones into her body.
Countless nights, Jiang Sixian had imagined that if no one had chased them that evening, she would have sat astride Jiang Yi’s lap, devouring her, enveloping her, kissing her, smearing every inch of Jiang Yi’s skin with her own pheromones.
This was her Alpha… hers…
This cognitive realization satisfied Jiang Sixian body and soul. She’d revisited that temporary marking night endlessly in dreams, ravaging her Alpha like a wild beast. Jiang Sixian persisted until Jiang Yi’s heat subsided and her breathing steadied.
Sitting astride Jiang Yi, once the burning passed, she laid her down to rest.
That night, Jiang Sixian sat on Jiang Yi’s lap, gazing down at her, tracing her features and lips amidst the room’s lingering scents.
She stayed awake all night, mind painfully clear in extreme excitement. Looking down at the slightly matured face beneath her, only at dawn did she realize this wasn’t a dream.
Her youthful fantasy had solidified, traversing time, shedding sorrow’s weight to return to her.
They’d reunited, but Jiang Yi didn’t remember her.
No matter—even under different circumstances, they’d found each other again.
As dawn broke, Jiang Sixian made a decision. Rising from Jiang Yi’s body, she opened her laptop and casually drafted a report.
She wouldn’t let Jiang Yi leave her again.
No matter the cost, no matter the methods, she would keep Jiang Yi by her side.
If Jiang Yi wouldn’t believe her, she was willing to lie endlessly, act recklessly, stop at nothing to make her stay.
Because she knew—if she obtained then lost Jiang Yi again, this time she would truly go completely mad.
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