Chapter 141: Phantom Plan (21)
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Jin Xiangdong looked at her. The corners of his mouth curved up. “I am not a person that would give up easily!”
“Suit yourself! But if you come and harass me again, I will call the police! Goodbye.” With that said, Lu Jia’er sat up. She put the book on the table into her bag and stood up, ready to leave.
Jin Xiangdong stood up as well and grabbed her hand. Lu Jia’er looked down on his hand and looked up slowly. As she did so, the expressions in her eyes turned cold. “Let go of my hand!”
“I have something else to say!” Jin Xiangdong said.
“Harassment is very despicable!” Lu Jia’er retorted. She tried to shake Jin Xiangdong’s hand away but failed.
Jin Xiangdong held her hand in a tight grip, as if he was afraid that she was going to run away. “I have business to talk with you!”
“My contract with BUA has been terminated. What business are you talking about?” Lu Jia’er remembered clearly that the next day after Jin Xiangdong took her to that hypnosis session, she mailed him the termination notice and Jin Xiangdong had signed it.
Jin Xiangdong let go of her hand slowly and replied, “BUA Tech is the financial sponsor for research projects undertaken by the Department of Psychology in B University. You are the designated person in charge of those projects.”
Lu Jia’er was taken aback by this information. “When did this happen?”
“The contract was signed yesterday!” Jin Xiangdong replied.
Lu Jia’er could not help but grin grimly. “I really find you ridiculous! I suggest you find someone better qualified than me. I am not worthy!” Having said that, Lu Jia’er left without looking back.
Jin Xiangdong did not go after him. Instead, he just watched, silently, as she walked out from the coffee shop. The glow in his deep eyes died down.
When he was about to look away, get up and leave, someone familiar came over. “Brother Xiangdong!”
Jin Xiangdong looked up. It was Yuan Miaomiao.
“Miao Miao!” Jin Xiangdong greeted her politely.
“Can I sit here?” Yuan Miaomiao asked with a smile.
“Sure!” Jin Xiangdong nodded.
Yuan Miaomiao took the seat more than happily.
“I have to say thank you for your kind favor!” Jin Xiangdong expressed his gratitude again because previously, Yuan Miaomiao introduced him to her grandma, Professor Fang Yu.
Yuan Miaomiao did not bother with formalities. “If you want to thank you, then buy me a cup of coffee.” She said, smiling.
Jin Xiangdong did not decline. “Okay.”
Yuan Miaomiao ordered Caramel Macchiato and Jin Xiangdong got coffee noir.
Looking at Jin Xiangdong who was sitting across her, she asked, “Last time, you asked my grandma for help. Was the matter solved?”
“Yes. But I do have to pay a visit to your grandma sometimes and offer my humble apology.” Jin Xiangdong said.
“Humble apology?” Yuan Miaomiao was confused.
“There was some trouble.” Jin Xiangdong did not give a frank answer.
It was not Yuan Miaomiao’s position to question closely. She asked another question after she observed him for a moment. “Brother Xiangdong, you don’t look well. Is there anything wrong?”
“No.” Jin Xiangdong resumed his calmness.
Yuan Miaomiao added. “Well... I did not mean to eavesdrop but I was sitting nearby. I saw you and Professor Lu here. Did you... break up?”
They broke up! Any outsider would interpret Lu Jia’er’s indifference to him as a sign of breaking up. Who could have known that the underlying truth was so complicated?
For Jin Xiangdong, Lu Jia’er’s memory being replaced was something more terrible than break-up. Usually, when a couple broke up, at the very least, they still had the memory of being together. However, in Lu Jia’er’s mind, Jin Xiangdong had been replaced by that Ian that came out from nowhere.
This was harder for Jin Xiangdong than a break-up. Besides, he had to accept the fact that Lu Jia’er was an AI. Talk about a double blow.
Since Yuan Miaomiao had made this assumption, Jin Xiangdong did not feel like arguing with her. He just followed her lead. “I am planning to win her over again!”
“Did you really break up?” Yuan Miaomiao appeared to be surprised.
“She was in a small car accident half a month ago. When she woke up, she forgot about me.” Jin Xiangdong’s explanation was half-genuine and half-sham.
Yuan Miaomiao was astonished. She asked at once. “What is the doctor’s diagnosis?”
Jin Xiangdong did not give an answer, which Yuan Miaomiao took as a sign of his sadness. So, she said words of comfort. “It must be the cerebral cortex that has been damaged if she lost her memory after the accident. Out of self-protection, the area that processes memory is closed. Whether she can recover is dependent on how much is enclosed. Has she lost recent memories or all of them?”
“Recent memories.” Jin Xiangdong replied.
Since Yuan Miaomiao’s major was in biology, she knew the function of each individual organ inside and out. “If it is recent memories, then it is the hippocampus that has been injured! If you want to help her recover her memory, then tell her stories of you, take her to places that you used to visit or bring her to your mutual friends. Tell her about the past!”
Jin Xiangdong nodded. “Sure. Thank you, Miaomiao.”
Yuan Miaomiao smiled. “Brother Xiangdong, you are always so polite.”
“Do not tell others about this for now.” Jin Xiangdong reiterated.
Hearing this, Yuan Miaomiao picked up her cup of coffee and said, jokingly, “Brother Xiangdong, didn’t you know this? The more you tell someone not to say something, the easier the information is going to be leaked.”
“I trust that you will not tell.” Jin Xiangdong responded.
A glow rose in Yuan Miaomiao’s eyes. “Why do you trust me?”
“Instinct!” Jin Xiangdong said.
Though this answer was not exactly Yuan Miaomiao was hoping for, she was happy, nonetheless. It implied that she had left a good impression on Jin Xiangdong.
“I will keep it a secret.” Yuan Miaomiao said with a smile.
“Thank you,” said Jin Xiangdong.
Yuan Miaomiao replied with a faint smile and took a sip of her coffee. When she put her cup down, Jin Xiangdong saw some foams smeared accidently around the corners of her mouth.
Jin Xiangdong reminded her, gently. “The corners of your mouth.”
Yuan Miaomiao was embarrassed. She picked up a piece of tissue and wiped her mouth. But there was still a bit under her nose. Jin Xiangdong could not help but chuckle.
Yuan Miaomiao was stunned by Jin Xiangdong’s smile. It was not the first time to see him smile. That being said, every time, she was no less dazzled than the last time. In the old days, people used to describe a lady as when she smiled she was an extremely charming female. Right now, the man in front of her, when he smiled, by comparison, all other men became pale.
While Yuan Miaomiao was staring at Jin Xiangdong, lost in her thought, Jin Xiangdong turned over to her right.
Lu Jia’er, who came back in, threw a glance to Jin Xiangdong and said to Yuan Miaomiao, “Excuse me. I might have left my phone here!”
Yuan Miaomiao came back to her senses. She looked up and realized that it was Lu Jia’er here. Yuan Miaomiao stood up at once and just as Lu Jia’er expected, she found her phone in the corner of the couch.
Yuan Miaomiao picked the phone at once and handed it to Lu Jia’er. “Professor Lu, here.”
Lu Jia’er took it over. “Thank you!” She said to Yuan Miaomiao and was ready to leave.
But Yuan Miaomiao stopped her. “Professor Lu, wait!”
Lu Jia’er stopped and asked Yuan Miaomiao in a lukewarm tone. “Yes?”
Yuan Miaomiao was under the impression that Lu Jia’er had lost her memory of everything. “Don’t you remember me?”
“I do remember you, Yuan Miaomiao!” Lu Jia’er replied.
Yuan Miaomiao smiled. “Yes, I am Yuan Miaomiao. I have met you twice!”
“Do you need anything from me?” Lu Jia’er was very polite with her. It seemed Lu Jia’er was not interested in her.
“Can I have a cup of coffee with you?” Yuan Miaomiao extended her invitation.
Lu Jia’er looked at Yuan Miaomiao and then cast a glance to Jin Xiangdong who was staring at her on his seat. “I am sorry but I am busy!” Lu Jia’er replied.
“Then another time.” Yuan Miaomiao said.
“I don’t think we are that familiar.” Lu Jia’er said.
Yuan Miaomiao was a bit embarrassed to be turned down on the spot. Lu Jia’er left right away.
Jin Xiangdong watched as Lu Jia’er went but this time, Yuan Miaomiao joined his team.
A moment later, Yuan Miaomiao turned around and smiled at Jin Xiangdong, feeling awkward, “Professor Lu is a cold person.”
“Indeed.” Jin Xiangdong agreed with her description.
In the past, Jin Xiangdong only thought that Lu Jia’er was like him in that they both had a cold demeanor on the outside but were passionate inside. His view of her changed after the accident. He had no idea that she could be so distant to someone she was not interested in. She and he were so alike. It was hard on him but Jin Xiangdong had to admit that the Lu Jia’er that would treat others with coldness presented unique beauty.
It was just this beauty was giving Jin Xiangdong a hard time. Just now when he was sitting across her, looking at her face, he wanted to stroke her cheeks. He wanted to kiss her on the lips when his sight fell on her lips. He wanted to hold her delicate hands. Though with the knowledge that she was AI, he wanted to hug her.
He was so attached to her. On the other hand, she would push him aside. He had a taste of loss and heart-break.
This was what love was about. Besides the infinite sweetness, love could also generate endless pain!
Seeing that Jin Xiangdong was down spirited, Yuan Miaomiao felt upset as well. Even so, she continued to comfort him. “Professor Lu’s memory will recover. Brother Xiangdong, give it time!”
But those comforting words had little effect on Jin Xiangdong because he knew very well that the only way to recover Lu Jia’er’s memory was to replant her old memory. However, he could not even get close to her, not to mention to enter her system and restore her memory.
“Miaomiao, I have business to attend to so I have to go now. I will find time to visit your grandma.” Jin Xiangdong said.
Though unwilling to see him leave, Yuan Miaomiao said with grace, “Sure. When you want to visit my grandma, tell me. I will go with you.”
Jin Xiangdong nodded at her. “Okay.”