Lucas was in a car accident. When I rushed to the hospital, his parents were fussing over him. The moment he saw me, Lucas frowned, “Who are you?” The room fell silent. After examining him for a while, the doctor regretfully told me, “Mrs. Gu, it seems Mr. Gu may be experiencing selective amnesia.” Selective amnesia? So after the accident, he remembered everyone except me. I curled my fingers, a bitter smile playing on my lips. Lucas glanced at me, his eyes filled with inexplicable disgust. His parents weren’t upset about his memory loss. Instead, they seemed particularly pleased. His mother put her hands on her hips, “Oh, son, it’s better that you don’t remember her. It’ll save you from all that trouble!” His father nodded, then gestured for me to step outside for a chat. Mr. Gu spoke bluntly, “Emily, Lucas forgetting you is actually a good thing.” “You should leave soon. It’ll be better for both of you.” “Your father still needs money, right? If you agree to leave, we can transfer the funds today.” Looking at the man before me, I was momentarily stunned. I bit my lip, about to speak when I heard his mother’s excited voice, “Who is she?” “Just a gold-digger who wormed her way into our family. It’s better you don’t remember her!” Lucas and I had been married for five years, spending the last three in an emotional stalemate. I always knew they didn’t like me, but I never expected them to force me out like this. And I certainly didn’t expect them to insult me. I gripped my purse strap tightly and smiled, “Alright.” “But besides the money for my dad, I want an additional $200,000.” I was dying anyway. I didn’t want to fight with Lucas anymore. At this point, I just wanted to suffer a little less in my final moments. $200,000 wasn’t much for the Gu family now. Mr. Gu agreed readily. He even allowed me to say goodbye to Lucas. Lucas had probably heard about all the “terrible things” I’d done over the years from his mother. He now knew that Sophia should have been the Gu family’s daughter-in-law. So he looked at me with particular coldness. I forced a smile, “Lucas, I…” I wanted to tell him he was free now, that he didn’t have to be with me anymore. I even wanted to tell him I was dying. After all, at this moment, he was still legally my husband. But he cut me off with a low hiss, “Get out!” I blinked back tears and turned to leave. I felt somewhat relieved, grateful that I had only been using him as a substitute all along. Otherwise, I’d probably be heartbroken right now. Although Lucas and I had been together all these years, we were like a couple bound by contract, emotionally miles apart. We kept our things in separate rooms. So it didn’t take long for me to pack up when I got home. I looked back at the house I’d lived in for five years, letting out a sigh. I couldn’t help but feel a bit sentimental. “Emily?” A familiar male voice called out. I turned to see Ethan. He looked more mature than before, but still maintained that gentle, refined air about him. As always, he greeted me with a warm smile. I carefully held my breath, stiffly calling out, “Ethan.” He was Lucas’s older brother. And the man I had admired for a long time. Just having him stand in front of me made my heart beat faster than usual. Ethan asked in surprise, “Emily, are you going on a trip? Why do you have so much luggage?” I froze in place, my body stiffening, “No, I’m just… moving to a new place.” “Is it because of Lucas?” He took the suitcase from my hand. He asked gently, “I know he’s going through a bit of a rough patch right now, which might upset you.” “But if you’re not in a hurry, I’d like to talk with you for a bit.” I didn’t know what he wanted to say, but looking into his eyes, I found myself following him without thinking. It wasn’t until he was pouring me tea that I noticed something different about him. He was wearing a wedding ring. “I got married!” Ethan explained with a smile when he saw my gaze fall on his hand. My heart sank, and I felt a bit dazed. I only snapped back to reality when I heard Lucas’s name. “Lucas has always been a bit full of himself. He gets cocky with compliments but sulks at the slightest criticism,” Ethan could go on for hours about Lucas’s embarrassing childhood stories. “In 2008, when Lucas was twelve, he was still a chubby kid. He had a crush on some little girl and would go out every weekend with a bag full of stuff. He even asked me to make him grasshopper figurines every week.” “That summer, I broke my leg and couldn’t even rest properly at home.” I suddenly looked up, confused, “In 2008, you broke your leg during summer break and couldn’t go out?” Ethan nodded, not understanding my reaction. I felt the world spinning, my head starting to ache. I made an excuse and left early. Sitting on the couch at home, I stared at the photo of Lucas and Ethan on the opposite wall. I realized their eyes were very similar, both taking after their mother. But Ethan’s eyes were a bit rounder than Lucas’s. More like the boy I met when I was young. All these years, I had thought it was Ethan who brought me food and grasshopper figurines back then. Today, I finally learned that it had been Lucas all along. He was my savior. I curled up in bed, clutching an old grasshopper figurine. In my dream, I was back to when I was twelve, by the Reed River. Back then, my dad was generally okay with me, but he was an alcoholic. When drunk, he’d take out his frustrations on me. It happened every weekend. After being beaten, I’d run to the riverside and hide in a corner. That’s when Lucas found me. His eyes were rounder back then, and he was a bit chubby, but very agile. Seeing me crouched by the river, he slid over on his knees and picked me up without warning. I was small and skinny back then. He carried me effortlessly. I screamed and pounded on him, afraid he might be a bad person. He set me down on the roadside and asked cheekily, “Little girl, don’t you know it’s dangerous to be alone by the river? You’re so small, no one would notice if you fell in!” I rolled my eyes. Realizing this chubby boy was just trying to be nice, I retorted, “Psh! I wouldn’t fall in.” He playfully pinched my cheek. I swatted his hand away, but because my palm was swollen from my dad’s beating earlier, tears immediately welled up in my eyes. Lucas wasn’t very bright back then. He grabbed my hand and exclaimed, “Wow, you hit me and made yourself cry?!” Seeing my tears fall, he quickly tried to comfort me with candy. It wasn’t until I kicked him that he realized he had accidentally pressed on my injured hand, causing me to cry from pain. Lucas, at a loss, rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a grasshopper figurine. I had never had many toys growing up and had always envied others. When he brought out this little thing, it might not have meant much to other kids. But it was enough to make me stop crying immediately and even call him “big brother” sweetly. The young Lucas was pleased, losing himself in my praise. He proudly declared that he had made it himself and promised to make an even better one for me next time. Sure enough, the following week, he brought a new one. That summer was the happiest I’d had in years. Every week, Lucas would meet me by the river, tell me jokes, bring me snacks, and give me grasshopper figurines. He told me to call him brother, but I refused. I said I was twelve, not that little anymore. He scratched his head and puffed out his chest, saying he was thirteen, just a bit older than me. He told me that not all parents love their children, but we should love ourselves. His serious expression while lecturing me then made me laugh uncontrollably. But only I knew that I had etched his image from that time into my heart. It wasn’t until later when I met Ethan, who was a year older than me, and saw him skillfully making grasshopper figurines, that I realized I had been too young back then to understand what it meant to have a crush. And because I was so young, I forgot to ask for his name. I only remembered that the little “big brother” was a year older than me. So I missed out on all these years. But now, it’s too late. After moving to my new place, the first person to show up was, surprisingly, my dad. “Quick! Did your husband give you money? Give some to daddy, I need it urgently!” His eyes were clouded, filled with greed. He looked at me without any familial affection, as if I were just a tool. I pressed my lips together, blocking him at the door, “I warned you! That was the last time I’d help you solve your problems!” He had been an alcoholic for years, becoming violent when drunk. In the past, when he wasn’t drunk, he still had some feelings for me, but over the years, he’d gotten worse. After I married Lucas, he picked up other bad habits and even found a girlfriend seventeen years younger than him. He got scammed, buying luxury goods for his young girlfriend, getting into drunken fights. Each time, I was the one cleaning up his mess. This time, he even got into gambling. The Gu family had agreed to pay people to solve his problems on the condition that I divorce Lucas. Now, he was back again. But he was oblivious, grabbing my collar, “I need money! I owe some people money. Your husband is so rich, help me out!” I felt utterly powerless. I couldn’t help him forever; my life was coming to an end. And now, Lucas had nothing to do with me anymore. I pushed his hand away, shoving him aside, “I won’t help you! And Lucas won’t either. We’re divorced.” His face crumpled, stammering that it was impossible. “That boy loves you so much! How could he divorce you!” His mind was jumbled, speaking incoherently. But slowly, I began to understand. It turned out my own father had gotten into trouble long ago, and when people were after him with knives, it was Lucas who helped him. It was also Lucas who had been supporting him all these years. The problems I had solved for him were just the tip of the iceberg. At that moment, I felt the world spinning. He kept shouting, “That fool treats you like his heart and soul, how could he possibly forget you!” My dad’s face was contorted, barely human anymore. I slapped him hard, seething, “Let me tell you, I’ve more than repaid any debt for raising me. Don’t come looking for me again!” “Soon, you won’t be able to find me anyway!” “I’m dying! I won’t have to bear your burden anymore!” I gritted my teeth, tears streaming down my face. He was stunned for a moment, then suddenly elated, “You’re dying! So your money is useless to you now! Give it to me!” I watched as he excitedly swore to give me a proper burial if I just gave him all my money. With a bitter laugh, I squeezed out one sentence: “Keep dreaming!” The doctor told me to be kind to myself in my final days. I decided to leave this place and move to a seaside town. Before leaving, I bought the best medicine I could afford, trying to minimize my suffering. In the coastal city, I watched the sunrise and sunset every day, cooked my meals, and occasionally pet the neighbor’s dog. It was peaceful, if a bit boring. Sometimes I thought about Lucas, but I never expected to see him so soon. And with Sophia. Sophia and Lucas were childhood friends, from families of similar status. She was tall, over 5’7″, with a slender figure and an intelligent beauty that charmed everyone who met her. If her family hadn’t sent her abroad for early studies, and if she hadn’t been so focused on her career that she didn’t come back, Maybe Lucas would have ended up with her instead of me. My dad said Lucas loved me, but I didn’t quite believe it. Because I knew there was always someone in his heart. And his parents and his collection of mementos all told me that person was Sophia. The year Lucas and I got married, Sophia couldn’t come back from abroad due to some issues. So she never met me. I had only seen her in photos. Naturally, Sophia couldn’t recognize me, but Lucas could. He frowned as soon as he saw me, as if looking at something distasteful. I smirked inwardly and turned to leave. But I heard Sophia’s sweet voice asking Lucas, “Lucas, do you know her?” I paused. Lucas coldly said he didn’t know me. But Sophia didn’t believe him: “Come on, we’ve been friends since childhood, I know you too well! That look on your face isn’t normal!” She jogged over and tapped my shoulder, “Hey there!” I turned around to see her bright eyes, filled with a smile. Lucas reluctantly followed, standing silently to the side. I forced a smile, “Hello there!” Sophia pointed at Lucas, curious, “Girl, you look so familiar! Do you two know each other?” “Yes!” Lucas suddenly spoke up. “No.” Our voices overlapped, making the situation incredibly awkward. I rubbed my nose nervously. Sophia burst out laughing, “What’s going on with you two!” She was much more lively than her appearance suggested. Upon learning we were college classmates, she insisted on treating me to a meal to uncover some secrets about Lucas. I was dragged along to join them at a table. Sophia was very talkative, especially knowledgeable about Lucas’s embarrassing moments. “I know all about his childhood antics. If I hadn’t been away when he got married, I definitely would have told his bride how stupid he used to be!” Sophia declared confidently. Lucas scowled, muttering, “You won’t have the chance anymore.” “Right, right! I know you’re divorced now, so I’ve missed my chance.” Sophia ate all the food Lucas had put on her plate, her eyes darting between Lucas and me. She propped her chin on her hand, “There’s such a weird vibe between you two!” I had been eating with my head down, but looked up awkwardly when she pointed this out, forcing a smile, “There’s nothing weird. We’re just regular classmates.” Sophia didn’t seem convinced, but Lucas insisted we were just ordinary classmates, claiming his earlier reaction was due to his post-injury confusion. I nodded along. Seeing she couldn’t get more information, Sophia pouted and went to the restroom. I poked at my food with my chopsticks. “Regular classmates?” Lucas snorted, glaring at me. I didn’t know what had gotten into him, leaving me confused. “Aren’t we?” I asked. “I’m a woman too, I can tell Miss Yu has feelings for you. I hope things work out for you two.” Lucas’s face suddenly turned ashen. He crossed his arms and turned away, ignoring me. We didn’t say anything else after that. Learning that I lived here, Sophia was so excited she nearly jumped. She grabbed my hand to add me on SnapChat, eager for me to show her around the local attractions. I couldn’t refuse her, and Lucas didn’t say anything. Sophia was a truly exceptional person. She had excellent grades in college and even held a personal exhibition before graduating. Her SnapChat showed her past works. That’s when I realized she was quite a well-known up-and-coming artist in the art world. I couldn’t help but feel a bit overwhelmed. No wonder Lucas’s parents didn’t like me. From every angle, I fell far short. With mixed emotions, I took them tide pooling. Lucas carried the bucket and tongs, watching Sophia’s antics with a smile on his face, looking completely at ease. It was so different from how he was with me. I felt a twinge of unhappiness. Sophia caught a small crab and ran to Lucas, showing off, “Look how amazing I am!” Lucas said, “It’s just a tiny crab, nothing to be proud of!” But he still pulled out a sun hat and put it on her head. Sophia adjusted the hat and ran off. He muttered under his breath, “How can she be so careless at her age? Not even bringing a hat, she’ll get sunburned.” He fell silent after speaking. We both paused. I suddenly remembered the early days of our marriage when we were still close. We went to the beach, and I got sunburned on the first day. My exposed skin was red and painful. As he applied ointment, he insisted I couldn’t go out the next day. But it was my first time seeing the ocean in my life. The next day, I couldn’t resist and snuck out. He chased after me, exasperated, and plopped a huge sun hat on my head, “How can you be so careless at your age? Aren’t you afraid of getting roasted?” For those seven days, he followed me around with a sun hat every day. I had wondered how a man could be so attentive, but now I realized it was because of Sophia. Later, I took them to a local seafood restaurant. Sophia ordered some seafood, and Lucas suddenly asked to add spicy razor clams. Sophia’s delicate brows furrowed, “Why add spicy food? Aren’t we here by the sea to eat steamed seafood?” “Neither of us eats spicy food.” As soon as she finished speaking, my chopsticks fell to the ground. My heart was in my throat. Lucas doesn’t eat spicy food, and he doesn’t eat razor clams. But I do. Whenever I ate seafood with him, I always ordered spicy razor clams. Lucas seemed to come to his senses, realizing his mistake. He ran his hand through his hair and canceled the order. When he turned to look at me, he suddenly asked, “Emily, what do you want to eat?” My whole body stiffened, afraid Sophia would catch on. But she just smiled at me warmly. Then I remembered that when Lucas and I got married, he had sent Sophia an invitation in English. It only had our English names, without any photos. I was listed as Emily Shen. I couldn’t help but feel relieved, then annoyed at myself. After all, I had been Lucas’s wife for five years. It wasn’t surprising that he remembered one of my small preferences. “Just steamed is fine, I can’t eat spicy food,” I said. Lucas looked at me thoughtfully after hearing this, his expression unreadable. Over the next few days, I showed Lucas and Sophia around the coastal city. I discovered that Sophia truly was a wonderful girl, deserving of everyone’s love. So before they left, I sincerely told Sophia, “I hope you find your happiness soon!” Sophia’s face turned red. She glanced at Lucas and whispered to me, “It’ll happen soon!” At that time, I didn’t understand what she meant by “soon.” My condition worsened, and the medication made me drowsy and lethargic. I couldn’t muster energy for anything. I frequently felt nauseous and vomited, sometimes even coughing up blood. I knew I didn’t have much time left. So when I saw Sophia’s post about an engagement ring, I was only stunned for a moment. Sophia was engaged. Both Lucas and Ethan had liked the post. Not wanting them to see me, I privately congratulated Sophia. I opened my chat with Lucas, where the last message was from long ago. The bitterness in my heart was hard to bear. I buried my head in my arms, taking a long time to suppress my emotions. “Congratulations!” I sent the message quickly. But Lucas didn’t reply. Perhaps he was busy preparing for the wedding. Or maybe he was with Sophia. I didn’t know, but suddenly Sophia didn’t seem so great anymore. I felt a bit jealous of her. I took my medicine and dozed off until late at night. Suddenly, I heard a noise outside my door. Again and again, very regular, very polite. My heart started racing. I knew this knocking pattern all too well, having heard it for several years. But when I actually saw Lucas, I realized how much I had been hoping it was him. I had been longing for him to come find me. “Emily…” Lucas reeked of alcohol. He pulled me into his arms, calling my name over and over. His tears soaked through my clothes. My eyes quickly filled with tears too, and I gently wrapped my arms around his waist. Since realizing my true feelings, I had imagined countless times when he might regain his memory. If he did, would he love me? But now that the moment had come, I was nervous and afraid. Lucas pushed me into the room, whispering in my ear, “I still haven’t regained my memory. Why did you run away?” My heart tightened. Had he really recovered his memory? As I hesitated on how to respond, he suddenly collapsed on the floor, passed out. I looked at him, torn between laughter and tears. How could I forget that this guy passes out after one drink? For him to smell so strongly of alcohol, he must have been completely out of it. I didn’t have the strength to move him now. I could only bring a blanket and pillow, trying my best to wrap him up. Sitting beside him, I watched as the moonlight cast shifting shadows on his face. Lucas was a person favored by fate. He had excellent looks and a great physique. Even now, he still retained a hint of his youthful charm. Unlike me. I looked at myself in the mirror, hair a mess, gaunt and withered, surrounded by an aura of death. When Lucas woke up the next day, his whole body ached. He glared at me, demanding to know how he ended up here. I shrugged, “How should I know!” His head was pounding. It took him a while to remember that he had been drinking with friends last night. He clearly remembered calling a cab to go home. How did he end up here? The coastal city wasn’t far from their hometown, about 300 kilometers, a four-hour drive. I glanced at him sideways, watching as he discovered his ride history and gradually became frustrated. He cursed, sure that one of his “dog brothers” had played a prank on him. But I knew his friends well, each one a golden boy. They looked down on me. They were all happy when they learned about our divorce. He could get engaged to Sophia, so last night must have been his joyous bachelor party. Who would send him to me as a prank? And besides him and Sophia, who else knew my current address? I held my cup, lost in thought. Lucas got up and stared at my hands, suddenly saying, “You actually drink hot water now?” Before I could react, he froze. He clutched his head, looking pained. I was startled by his expression and quickly asked what was wrong. “Emily…” He started calling my name again. Over and over. It made me incredibly uncomfortable. I wanted to tell him to stop, that I would cry if he continued. Lucas slowly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, “Emily!” “We’re divorced?” I couldn’t help but take two steps back, bumping into the table. I forced a smile, “You remember now?” Lucas had remembered. He sat down with a grim expression, “You divorced me just for money?” Money? No, if it was for money, I should have clung to Lucas tightly, as that would have maximized my benefits. Lucas seemed to realize this logic too, his expression softening, “Is it because I forgot you that you divorced me?” He snorted, “After all, we had been in a cold war for so long before, and you never mentioned divorce!” Mentioning the cold war immediately chilled the atmosphere between us that had just started to warm. Come to think of it, it had been a long time since we had a calm conversation before the divorce. And the reason for our cold war was that I discovered things he had hidden. A diary, recording years of unspoken affection. When I placed it in front of him, he flew into a rage. He snatched the diary away, tearing it to shreds, his boyhood sentiments in tatters. He demanded to know why I had touched his things. I still remember how he pinned me down that day, his face full of anger: “Emily, how dare you!” I couldn’t escape, I could only struggle desperately, my nails scratching his face. When we saw the blood, we both froze. I felt some regret, thinking I shouldn’t have scratched so hard. But I was also angry – he had been keeping a record of his love for another girl, how could he blame me? After that, we didn’t speak for three years. I tried to make amends, but he wouldn’t acknowledge me. Now, bringing up the cold war again, My feelings for him immediately cooled. In those years when I was his wife, he could give me the cold shoulder because of his crush on Sophia. What about now? But he asked me, “Emily.” “Do you still like Ethan?” I was stunned by the content of his words, unable to move for a long time before turning my head. He gave a bitter smile, showing a rare moment of embarrassment, “Did you divorce me because of my brother?” “Because he got married, and you can no longer secretly watch him through me, so you want to divorce me.” This was absolutely ridiculous. “I didn’t divorce you because of your brother,” I said, enunciating each word. Lucas’s face immediately brightened. His eyes lit up with joy, “Not because of him? Then why?” Because I’m dying. So I wanted to set you free. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t say them out loud. A sharp pain shot through my abdomen, and cold sweat broke out on my forehead. “Lucas, don’t you know why?” “I divorced you so you could be with Sophia. Now that you’re engaged, you should leave.” Leave quickly. The pain was becoming unbearable, and my vision was starting to blur. But I didn’t want him to see me in such a miserable state, nor did I want his pity. Lucas looked bewildered, “What does this have to do with Sophia? What engagement?” A thunderous realization struck me, but the pain prevented me from thinking clearly. All my strength seemed to drain away with my cold sweat, and I felt myself falling backwards. I heard Lucas shouting nearby, “Emily!” Then everything went black, and I lost consciousness. When I opened my eyes again, everything around me was white, and the smell of disinfectant filled my nostrils. I was in the hospital. Lucas was still wearing the same clothes, with dark circles under his eyes, looking disheveled. Seeing me awake, his eyes immediately brightened, “Emily’s awake! Nurse, doctor!” After the examinations were done, he sat down beside me and held my hand, “Emily! How could you be so cruel?” “I don’t blame you anymore.” “It doesn’t matter if you like Ethan. I won’t hold it against you even if you married me to get close to him.” “Just please, don’t die, okay?” The doctor had told him about my condition. His voice was choked with tears. My eyes stung. If I had known I would have an attack, I should have sent him away earlier. I was saddened by his distress. And even more angry at myself. So he had known all along that I married him to get close to his brother. From the moment I met Ethan, I knew he had a girlfriend. I suppressed all my feelings, quietly watching Ethan from afar. When I confirmed he wouldn’t break up with his girlfriend, I was heartbroken and devastated, drowning my sorrows at nightclubs. It was Lucas who picked me up, lecturing me that a girl shouldn’t get drunk alone outside. After Ethan went abroad, I couldn’t keep up. Among the people I knew, only Lucas could bring me news about Ethan. So I approached him, followed him. Until both of Lucas’s parents fell ill, and Ethan was too busy with his studies abroad to come back. Lucas took over the domestic work and was swamped. That’s when we really got entangled. After waking up in the same bed with him, I told him to marry me, otherwise the scandal about the Gu family’s younger son couldn’t be contained. Lucas agreed with a sour face. Even though his parents disapproved, his friends were against it. Everyone said I was a gold digger, with a troublemaking father who would eventually drag Lucas down. He still married me. At the time, I consoled myself that I had no chance with Ethan in this lifetime anyway, so I could just watch him from afar. I collected news about Ethan, saved his photos. Only looking at them when I was in pain, giving myself some strength. I mistook my past fantasies about Ethan for love. But I didn’t know that Lucas had long discovered my special attention towards his brother. He also knew that Ethan had once occupied my heart. I opened my mouth to explain. But I didn’t know what to say. Tell him I had mistaken my savior, that I had thought his brother was him? This explanation seemed weak and unconvincing. Lucas suggested taking me back to our hometown. I didn’t agree, “I really like the sea. I want to stay by the coast.” His eyes darkened, his expression unreadable. He called his family, had his clothes mailed over, and insisted on living with me. “Whether you like me or not, you’re still my ex-wife. It’s my duty to take care of you,” he explained gruffly as he folded my clothes and put them in the closet. Sophia was indeed engaged, but not to him. I suddenly looked up, my eyes wide, “What?” He shoved the clothes into the wardrobe irritably, “I said, Sophia’s true love is her classmate from abroad!” “What kind of brain do you have, thinking someone who doesn’t even know my wife would have a crush on me!” “You congratulated her, and she came to tell me what a good person you are.” “Damn it!” I curled up in a corner, my mind in chaos. Sophia had a lover. Then what about Lucas? Lucas seemed to know what I was thinking and asked through gritted teeth, “You think I like her?” What else could it be? His diary was full of mentions of “little swallow.” Lucas took a deep breath, explaining uncomfortably, “That notebook was a birthday gift from Sophia. She likes to buy things with swallow patterns. When I wrote in it, I just liked to doodle…” Me: … “Besides, that diary is from a long time ago. I wrote it in middle school when I met a cute little girl. I was just starting to have feelings, it’s normal to have a first love, right?” He tried to explain, his voice getting lower and lower. “Forget it, there’s no point talking about this anyway.” “You like Ethan after all.” He said bitterly. But I felt my heart soften as I listened. I didn’t know who his first love was. But all his actions were telling me that he had once cared for me. Whether it was out of sympathy or something else. I should at least explain to him, “I’m sorry.” “I did, at one point, think I liked Ethan.” Lucas’s lips turned white from how hard he was biting them. “But later I realized I was mistaken.” I’m sorry, I only just realized that you were the one I was looking for all along. “Mistaken?” Lucas suddenly looked up. Seeing his expression of disbelief and joy, I smiled, “Yes, mistaken.” “It turns out I didn’t like him.” I like you. In every day we spent together. I was just blinded by my past notion of being saved. Lucas was very good to me. He could cook, and he made my favorite spicy chicken cubes exceptionally well, though unfortunately I couldn’t eat it now. He also knew I liked light green clothes, and when we went out, he bought me a light green shawl. The vendor praised, “Young lady, your boyfriend has good taste!” We both turned away, neither of us explaining the situation. When we got home that night, Lucas suddenly sidled up to me, “Emily, why didn’t you correct that person when they called me your boyfriend?” I thought for a moment, “Sorry, I just felt it would be troublesome to explain at the time.” His face fell, and he stormed off to make porridge, clearly upset. After washing the dishes, he couldn’t let it go. He snatched the TV remote, turned it off, and asked me, “Emily, does my presence bother you?” “When someone called me your boyfriend, you didn’t correct them just because it would be troublesome?” “Wasn’t there even a tiny part of you that didn’t explain because you liked it?” I curled my fingers. Of course it wasn’t because it was troublesome that I didn’t explain. I wanted people to misunderstand. But I’m dying. A dying person doesn’t deserve to talk about love. My illness was getting worse, and I was coughing up blood more frequently. Lucas, who had been ready to argue with me, was so frightened he didn’t dare say anything. Finally, after I fainted again, he cried. “Emily! Why are you being so cruel?” He cupped my face, kissing my cheek. I trembled all over, my heart shaking uncontrollably. “I’ve had my brother contact hospitals abroad. It’s all arranged. I’ll take you overseas for treatment.” “We’ll definitely find a way.” I slowly shook my head. Actually, I had overheard his phone call that day. Lucas had awkwardly called his brother. Ethan teased him on the other end, “It’s been three years since you inexplicably got angry and stopped calling me ‘brother’.” “Now you’re suddenly calling me ‘brother’ again, what do you want?” He had asked his brother to help find a doctor for me. But after reviewing my case, the doctors told him it would be very difficult. There was basically no hope. The night he received the news, Lucas cried for half the night. Then he wiped away his tears and came to see me, his eyes red as he asked, “Emily, can you forget about my brother?” “Can you stay and love me once?” I didn’t dare open my eyes. I didn’t dare answer. I want to, Lucas, I really do. That morning, I was feeling particularly good. I asked Lucas to bring me my shawl and push me to the seaside. Lucas received a phone call and asked me coldly, “When you asked for $200,000 back then, you only kept $30,000 for yourself?” “Huh?” I was enjoying the sea breeze, not sure why he was asking about this. “Your dad called me,” he said in a low voice. I suddenly looked up at him, “Don’t worry about him.” When I had asked for $200,000, I spent $10,000 on medicine, then brought some money with me to the coastal city. I gave the rest to my dad. After all, he had been good to me once. This was my last time helping him, fulfilling my filial duty. But I didn’t want to burden Lucas. His face darkened, “Your dad also told me he went to my house looking for you.” “He ran into Ethan and saw his grasshopper figurines. He said you had a few when you were little.” “Did you? Emily who lived by Reed River?” he asked, enunciating each word. My suspended heart finally settled. “Yes, I did.” I smiled faintly, “There was a chubby boy back then who said he could make them. He brought me one every week.” “At that time, seeing him was the happiest thing in my life.” So even though my dad would drink and beat me on weekends, I was still happy. Lucas knelt on the ground, burying his head in my lap, reproaching me, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” “I wrote so many diary entries for you.” “In those years when I first learned to like girls, my heart was full of you!” My hand froze in midair before finally landing on his head. I laughed through my tears, “I’m so angry!” “Back then, I thought you liked someone else. Who would want their husband to have someone else in his heart?” “Especially when you were so good to me at the time.” He had been very good to me then, taking care of me in every way. I gradually let go of my fantasies about Ethan and thought about having a good life with him. But it turns out, we were both foolish. After I died, Lucas took my ashes home. He ran into Ethan, who was with his wife. Ethan waved at Lucas, “Lucas, have you remembered everything?” Lucas paused, barely audible as he said, “Yes, I have.” “That’s good. Don’t keep fighting with Emily. Live a good life together.” “She’s not very talkative. As her husband, you need to take the initiative more.” Only then did Lucas realize that because his brother had just gotten married, his parents hadn’t told him about the divorce. They had only mentioned his car accident and forgetting Emily. Lucas forced a smile, looking down at the box in his arms. His eyes immediately reddened. “Okay.” He wanted to be with Emily, never to be apart again. Ethan noticed something was wrong with his mood. His gaze fell on the box in Lucas’s arms, and his pupils constricted. “Where’s Emily?” Lucas could no longer hold back his tears. He covered his face, choking out, “Brother, I’ve lost Emily.” Lucas thought back to that night when he was drunk. He had actually recognized Emily, which led to that incident. He was willing to marry her, but because she said, “If you don’t want to, we can live separate lives after marriage!” So he married her with a sullen face. They actually had a good period after the wedding. At that time, he secretly vowed to take good care of her, but two years later, he discovered her secret. Emily called out Ethan’s name when she was drunk, saying she wouldn’t like him anymore. She had secretly collected Ethan’s photos and plane tickets. Each item laid out before him spoke of Emily’s past crush on his brother. Lucas still remembered that feeling of anger and pain. He considered whether he should divorce Emily for her sake. After all, Ethan wasn’t married, and he had praised Emily as a good person. But he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He maliciously wanted to keep her, never divorce, never let them meet. Emily was truly ruthless too. She only approached him twice, then never said anything again. Every time Ethan said he had something abroad and couldn’t come back, Lucas was especially happy. When Ethan started dating, Lucas was the one who told Emily. He cruelly observed Emily’s expression, feeling pleased by her slight sadness. … When he woke up after the car accident and first saw his parents, Lucas felt an inexplicable disappointment. It wasn’t until Emily came that the disappointment gradually faded, replaced by contentment.
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296065”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring
Leave a Reply