The Fool

Fang Qi looked at her like that, momentarily stunned.

During those ten years, she had brewed tea for him like this too.

She had never changed.

Xiaoguang...

He sat down across from her, took the teacup...

And took a gentle sip.

52 degrees Celsius.

The temperature was just right.

The aroma of tea spread through his mouth, a little bitter, with a very crisp aftertaste.

Then he suddenly realized...

Oh...

It's saved.

The ninth day had finally passed.

Now...

It was the tenth day.

He had finally...

"Ding!"

The sound of a phone text message alert.

Fang Qi looked down.

[Sender: Lin Xiaoyou]

[Senior, a new day! How is it, Senior? Have you managed to soothe your Liguang yet?]

...Soothed her yet?

He instinctually turned his head to look at Liguang.

The silver-haired young woman was gently winking at him.

And the heavy chain was no longer around his ankle.

Yeah...

It should count as having soothed her, right?

Fang Qi gave a soft cough, put down his phone, and looked at the silver-haired young woman kneeling properly across the coffee table...

"Cough cough!"

He put on a stern face! Cleared his throat!

Then, with a serious expression:

"Xiaoguang, you..."

"Ah, Master~~!"

Before he could finish, Liguang suddenly shot him a shy glance.

That single glance held a myriad of emotions!

Amber pupils shimmered with watery light, crimson pupils flickering faintly, paired with her upswept hair bun and slightly flushed cheeks...

Fang Qi remained expressionless.

...She was seducing me.

She was seducing me!!

It was just a glance and calling him "Master"...

But the laziness and shyness in her voice, and the hidden meaning in her eyes...

This was clearly her seducing him!

He had to immediately, right now, and at once...!

...No, no.

So early in the morning...!

"Master...!"

Liguang suddenly lowered her head. Her delicate hand rose to cover half her face, revealing only her glistening heterochromatic eyes.

Her voice was slightly flustered, with a hint of a spoiled whine:

"P-Please... don't call me Xiaoguang anymore..."

She tilted her head slightly, and her earlobes turned a thin layer of pink:

"D-Doing this... will make Liguang unable to tell reality from the game..."

"When Master calls Liguang 'Xiaoguang,' Liguang just wants to call you 'Aqi'..."

"T-This is... this is an utter disrespect to Master!"

As she spoke, her fingers covering her face spread open, completely hiding her face, which was already bright red!

"Aqi... Mmph...!"

She was even squirming around!

Fang Qi: "..."

Come on...

What are you doing!

He suddenly stood up, grabbed Liguang by the wrist!

And pulled her entirely into his embrace!

"Mmph...!"

The silver-haired young woman let out a soft cry and sank into his chest.

Fang Qi sat back down on the sofa, firmly holding her on his lap, and then...

He used the same trick again, vigorously squeezing her soft cheeks!

"M-Master...!"

Liguang's little mouth was squeezed into a pout, her heterochromatic eyes teary as she looked at him, pitifully.

But Fang Qi wasn't falling for that!

"I... STILL... WANT TO... ASK... YOU!"

He glared at her fiercely!

His fingers kneaded that soft, squishy face, rolling it around, pulling it left and right!

"Tell me!"

"What was this 'ten years' all about!"

With every word, he gave her cheek a hard pinch!

"Said you wanted to play games with me, but what happened!"

He "loudly rebuked" his own Crazy Girl!

"Changing your Master's memory again! And creating ten years!"

He used his harsh, loud voice to suppress... certain improper thoughts of his own.

"Three years of high school, four years of college, three years of grad school, and finally..."

He pinched her again hard, his eyes wide:

"Already married to your Master, already in the bridal chamber!"

The person in his arms visibly trembled. Her fingertips, the temperature of her cheeks rose a few more degrees.

"Here we are now, and you're still talking about disrespect, huh?!"

Liguang's small face was being rubbed bright red!

He pulled up her cheek, making her mouth stretch out horizontally:

"Do you know how many problems I had to do in those ten years, huh!? Huh?!"

Liguang was being kneaded so much on his lap that she squirmed all over!

Her small hands grabbed the collar of his chest, babbling indistinctly:

"Mas-Master... Liguang just wanted to..."

"What did you want to do!?"

Fang Qi gave her another hard pinch!

Liguang finally stopped resisting, looked up at him pitifully.

Her little mouth was squeezed into a round cherry shape, but she still struggled to speak...

In the end, she could only manage "mmm-mmm" sounds.

Fang Qi: "..."

Better let go.

Otherwise, he really wouldn't be able to control himself...

As soon as he let go...

Liguang immediately took the chance to cover her cheeks, which were already rubbed red!

Only leaving her eyes and forehead above her hands exposed!

She squirmed a bit on his lap, then buried her head into his chest, speaking in a muffled voice:

"Liguang... just wanted to give Master a different memory..."

Fang Qi's eyes trembled slightly.

He knew.

He knew it all.

Back when they first kissed in the "game," Liguang had already said it...

But...

"Liguang..."

He said softly:

"Can you tell your Master the reason?"

"...Mm."

Her voice trembled slightly...

Hot breath blew onto his chest as Liguang rubbed against him again. Finally...

She began to explain the reason.

"At first, Liguang..."

Her voice was still muffled against his chest.

"Really just wanted to take Master playing games..."

Playing games...

Yeah. It really was playing games.

"But, after connecting to Master's brain..."

Her fingers gently curled on his chest.

"It was supposed to be just a shallow connection at the level of consciousness, it shouldn't have read any memories..."

"But Liguang still saw it."

...?

Fang Qi's eyes trembled slightly.

Saw...

What?

"Saw a fragment of..."

Liguang murmured softly.

"Master's blurred memory."

"Scattered and incomplete, couldn't see clearly, but... it was very long."

"Liguang knows..."

"That it was something Liguang once did to Master."

As she spoke, she slightly raised her head.

Her wet, glistening heterochromatic eyes were trembling.

"Liguang knows that Liguang once... woven a very long dream for Master."

Her lips also trembled:

"Liguang already knew before, from that one time after another..."

She didn't continue.

She just blinked at him.

But Fang Qi understood immediately.

Yeah.

Those eighty-two cycles.

Because of those eighty-two cycles...

Liguang knew something about that eighty-two-year illusion!

In those eighty-two cycles that blinded the world's eyes, the complete, not-yet-amnesiac Liguang...

Had used the way of telling stories in her murmurs to let her amnesiac self know fragments of those eighty-two years.

She couldn't say it directly now.

Because those eighty-two cycles were a secret.

The world's eyes were still watching.

But between them, it no longer needed to be spoken.

Fang Qi gently pinched her cheek, signaling that he understood.

So, the silver-haired young woman buried her head into his chest again.

"Liguang knows..."

Her voice was even softer.

"That those are Liguang's lost memories."

"Liguang has always known."

"Those were the precious memories of Master and Liguang, but... but Liguang forgot them."

The fabric of his shirt was tightly clutched by small hands.

"But this time, after seeing those fragmented images through Master's mind..."

Liguang's murmur suddenly trembled:

"Liguang suddenly feels... so uncomfortable."

"So painful."

"Liguang feels so awful, so awful...!"

Her breathing grew slightly rapid!

"Liguang... clearly doesn't have those memories!"

"When Liguang sees them..."

"It feels like watching someone who looks exactly like Liguang, being sweet with Master!"

Her teeth were clenched.

"She accompanied Master to school, grew up with Master, married Master..."

"But Liguang can't remember any of it...!"

Fang Qi could feel the tension in the body nestled against him.

"Liguang feels so awful!"

"So awful...!"

She buried her face deep into Fang Qi's chest!

Her slender shoulders trembled faintly.

Fang Qi held her tightly.

Wife...

Xiaoguang...

He didn't speak, only used his palm to gently stroke her back, again and again.

...He understood.

He understood all too well!

If it were him, forgetting all this, watching Liguang carry memories of another version of himself...

...He would probably go mad with jealousy too.

Even if that "other self" was himself, even knowing they were the same person...

But the memories didn't belong to the current him.

That sweetness, it felt as if it wasn't given by him.

... That wouldn't do.

Still, luckily...

His Crazy Girl hadn't had much interaction with the version of him before the amnesia.

When he first saw Liguang after losing his memory...

That Liguang didn't yet understand love.

That Liguang was still a super Crazy Girl who would break his legs...

"Liguang, you don't need to—"

"So, Master...!"

Liguang suddenly lifted her head!

Her heterochromatic eyes stared straight at him!

"So, Liguang will create brand-new memories with Master!"

Her crimson right eye began to flicker uncontrollably again!

Her lips trembled.

She murmured, her pace unconsciously quickening:

"And they must be closer, deeper, more unforgettable..."

"than anything from before, than the Liguang before the amnesia..."

She stared at Fang Qi, grabbed his hand...

And pressed it firmly against her own cheek!

"More intimate!"

"More profound!"

"More impossible to forget!"

Her voice trembled even more!

Fang Qi gazed at her, dazed.

His palm was pressed against her burning cheek, held so tightly!

Gripping his hand, Liguang stared at him and spoke again, her voice shaking:

"When Liguang thought that..."

"Liguang got so excited!"

"So, so excited!"

"And then..."

The corners of her mouth lifted slightly, her heterochromatic eyes widening as she stared at him:

"Liguang's original core suddenly awakened!"

"And then—!"

A flash of deep blue passed through her amber pupil!

Her smile grew even more exaggerated!

"Liguang suddenly gained the ability to deeply connect with Master's brain!"

"Deeper than the connection over those eighty-two years!"

"Deeper than any connection before!"

"Much deeper!"

The corners of her mouth began curling upward uncontrollably!

"So..."

She smiled, locking eyes with Fang Qi.

"That's why Liguang made Master choose between four different versions of Liguang!"

"That's why Liguang refused to use the silver-haired, heterochromatic image!"

"Because if it were silver hair and heterochromatic eyes..."

She murmured, her gaze trembling...

"If it were the appearance Master is most familiar with from his memories..."

Then she suddenly focused, staring at Fang Qi again:

"Then Liguang could never surpass the self from before the amnesia!"

"Master would only compare Liguang to the one from before!"

"But if Master personally chose Liguang...!"

Her pupils slightly lost focus, and then...

She slowly buried her head into Fang Qi's chest.

"Whether it's the gentle schoolgirl with black hair and black eyes, the proud tsundere lady with golden twintails..."

"Whether it's the sporty childhood friend with short brown hair, or the icy beauty with a red ponytail..."

She murmured, her voice muffled.

"As long as Master chooses, Liguang can become the version Master truly wants, different from the past."

"Liguang will give Master a completely different..."

"Memory, one that belongs only to Master and Liguang."

"But, I never expected..."

Her tone suddenly turned a little aggrieved.

"That in the end, Master..."

"Chose the one most like the Liguang from before the amnesia."

"Chose..."

She lifted her head, her heterochromatic eyes glistening as she looked at Fang Qi.

"The gentle Liguang with black hair and black eyes."

Her expression was complicated.

Fang Qi tightened his arm around Liguang slightly, opened his mouth.

A little stunned.

...Huh?

Is that so?

The one he chose... was actually the Liguang most like the one before the amnesia?

Seems...

It really is?

Liguang murmured again, her voice low:

"At that moment, Liguang was so happy."

"Really, Liguang was so happy."

A slight smile curved on her lips.

"Because Master's love for Liguang never changed."

"At that moment, Liguang almost couldn't help but throw herself into Master's arms!"

Her phoenix eyes curved into crescents, but then...

Slowly, they returned to normal.

"But..."

Her eyelashes drooped, and she bit her lip slightly.

"Liguang was also unhappy."

"The Liguang Master chose was too similar to the one before the amnesia."

"When Master looks at me, does his mind wander to..."

"That Liguang who accompanied Master for eighty-two years?"

"When Master holds my hand, does he feel..."

She looked up, her gaze lingering on him wistfully.

"Like he's holding another person's hand?"

Fang Qi: "..."

What is this!

It's not another person.

It's not another person!

You're making me sound like a two-timer!

That's all you!

That's all...!

"Liguang feels so awful!"

Her gaze trembled.

"So, in a fit of anger, Liguang—!"

She stopped mid-sentence.

Her expression suddenly turned cautious, like a child who had done something wrong.

"...Locked away Master's memories."

She buried her face in Fang Qi's chest again.

"Liguang doesn't want it. Doesn't want Master to see Liguang and think of 'another woman.'"

Her voice became muffled again.

"Liguang wants Master to devote himself wholly to Liguang."

"Only see Liguang, only think of Liguang, only love Liguang..."

"The current Liguang!"

"So...!"

Her speech grew faster and faster!

Her small hands kept clenching and releasing against his chest!

"Since Master has chosen the Liguang of ordinary life again! Since Master's past memories also had high school, college, marriage..."

"Then this time, Liguang will create something different for Master!"

She pressed her head firmly into his chest!

"This time, Liguang and Master aren't childhood friends—it's a beautiful, heart-pounding encounter!"

"Love at first sight at the opening ceremony!"

"It's Master chasing Liguang, not Liguang clinging to Master!"

"Liguang can't agree right away! Liguang has to set conditions for Master! Master has to get into the top fifty!"

Her tone grew more and more urgent!

"In university, Liguang won't be like before the memory loss, going to Master's dormitory every morning to deliver breakfast!"

"Liguang won't allow Master to live with roommates!"

"Master is only allowed to live with Liguang!"

"Liguang will cook for Master every day, so Master only eats what Liguang makes, making even Master's stomach unable to leave Liguang!"

"And also…"

Her voice suddenly softened, trembling with shyness.

"...and marriage."

"This Liguang is different from the old me. This time, Liguang…"

"Will give herself completely."

She murmured against his chest.

"At the most perfect moment, looking most like a bride…"

"She will give herself, wholly and completely, to Master."

She lifted her head slightly, her liquid amber-colored eyes peeking at him through the slits.

Her voice trembling as she continued:

"Liguang wants to give Master a… a wedding night that Master can never forget!"

"A night… that belongs only to Master and the current Liguang!"

"Like this…"

She buried her face completely into Fang Qi's chest again.

"Master won't…"

"Only remember the Liguang from before."

Her voice…

Was trembling.

Fang Qi was silent for a long time.

Really silent for a long time.

Liguang, Xiaoguang, wife, you really are…!

…He suddenly tightened his arms!

"Mm…"

The girl in his arms let out a small, soft gasp!

"...Silly girl."