Forgotten Love - Chapter 18
At night, Gu Huaian and I lay back to back.
Sharing the same bed but dreaming different dreams, silent and wordless.
Eventually, I succumbed to sleep.
When I woke again, the night had deepened outside the window.
The distant high-rises had turned off their lights as the night grew late.
Only a faint spark flickered on the balcony,
Illuminating a small corner beneath the boundless darkness.
Gu Huaian stubbed out the cigarette that was nearly burnt out.
With a “click,” he lit a new one with his lighter.
He held the cigarette between his fingers, not smoking, just staring blankly at it.
I lay with my eyes open, silently watching his back.
If he were to turn around, our eyes would meet.
Unfortunately, he never did…
Not until he finished a whole pack of cigarettes did Gu Huaian finally get up.
Hearing the movement, I closed my eyes.
A slight chill, mixed with the faint scent of tobacco,
Drew closer and closer.
Just as it was about to touch my face,
It suddenly paused, then slowly withdrew.
The sound of footsteps faded away.
The door was gently opened, then closed even more softly.
I opened my eyes, suddenly feeling a sharp headache.
I got out of bed and took a painkiller.
But the medicine worked too slowly.
The pain still spread to my heart.
I curled up, trying to sleep.
But my mind uncontrollably replayed that phone recording.
Amid Yang Fan’s repeated explanations,
At first, Gu Huaian remained silent.
Later, he interrupted impatiently:
“What exactly do you want?”
“If it’s about borrowing money, then don’t bother.”
Yang Fan stammered a few words.
Just before the call was hung up,
He hurriedly said, loudly:
“Wait, Brother Gu!”
“I saw Lin Jiao today!”
After a brief silence, Gu Huaian calmly asked in return:
“…So?”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“Uh…”
Yang Fan was momentarily speechless.
He hadn’t expected that Gu Huaian, whose memory was stuck at eighteen,
Would be so calm-one could even say indifferent-
Upon hearing news of Lin Jiao.
But this time, Yang Fan was clearly prepared.
He hesitated only for a moment before throwing out another piece of information.
His words were vague, carrying a hint of deeper meaning:
“Brother Gu, I saw that Lin Jiao had a boy with her, about ten years old.”
“His features look exactly like you did as a child…”
The air suddenly grew still.
After a long silence, Gu Huaian’s strained voice came through.
He said, “Yang Fan, do you… have Lin Jiao’s contact information now?”
