Accidental Amnesia

Why can't I remember?

2000 yuan could at least rent a spare bedroom! At least, that's what He Wanwan thought.

If Meng Lan lived alone, they could share the expenses, perhaps reducing the cost of living a bit, or even be roommates!

But when the car stopped at one of the city's most expensive flat, He Wanwan felt like she was in the wrong place.

—This place must cost at least ten to twenty thousand a month, right? (Meng Lan: Thanks, but at least eighty thousand.)

Jiang Cailang had a gentlemanly demeanor, holding a large suitcase as he followed the two girls. He Wanwan was speechless, surprised by everything she saw: the golden full-length mirrored elevator, the air filled with the scent of Bvlgari, and the stairs marked with the floors of the gym, swimming pool, and rooftop garden.

She felt like she had stepped into a world of luxury and excess.

"Lan Lan, is this your home?" He Wanwan asked.

"Mm," Meng Lan replied.

"Renting this must be expensive..."

"Never rented, maybe next time," Meng Lan said.

The elevator went straight to Meng Lan's apartment, and Jiang Cailang didn't enter. He said, "I won't disturb you two anymore. Don't forget to accept my friend request."

"Got it, thanks."

"Thanks, Brother Cailang!" He Wanwan said sweetly.

Meng Lan's home was very spacious, perhaps due to her long-term disciplined lifestyle without entertainment activities, the entire place seemed quite dull. He Wanwan looked at the pristine marble floor and wondered if she should change into slippers, or if rich people didn't need them?

Her feet fidgeted uncomfortably.

However, there were only two pairs of shoes in Meng Lan's home—one male and one female.

—But there was no sign of a man living here.

"You can sleep in the room on the west side," Meng Lan said. "There's a private bathroom in the room, and the sheets and duvet covers have been changed by the maid."

The flat was 230 square meters, with two living rooms, three bedrooms, a study, four bathrooms, and a cloakroom.

It was even larger than the plot of land they had back home!

Meng Lan didn't enthusiastically introduce her room, but instead opened the fridge and said, "There are fruits, salads, eggs, and bacon here. Help yourself if you're hungry."

It was already eleven o'clock in the evening, and Meng Lan knew that if she didn't sleep now, she wouldn't be able to wake up at seven-thirty in the morning.

She didn't feel like a savior to anyone, but rather hastily returned to her room to continue living according to her biological clock.

He Wanwan blinked and quietly closed the door. She suddenly felt that Meng Lan was a strange person, her helpful attitude was different from others, with a precise sense of indifference.

After Meng Lan finished showering, she started sending messages.

Meng Lan: [Please be vigilant, I've been feeling like someone is following me recently.]

Property Manager: [Miss Meng, please rest assured, I have already notified the head of security. The monitoring room is now 24 hours, with two security guards on duty, and four security guards patrolling. We upgraded the security system last month to ensure full coverage without blind spots.]

Meng Lan: [Thank you.]

(Jiang Cailang: ???)

The next morning.

Meng Lan woke up to a fragrant aroma.

He Wanwan had been busy in the kitchen for half an hour, making French toast, caramelized bacon, and red pepper, egg, and cheese rolls. Of course, she had to show her gratitude to her lifesaver with enthusiasm!

Meng Lan saw He Wanwan coming out in white silk pajamas and was slightly stunned. She looked much better than she did a few days ago, exuding a lazy yet luxurious charm.

Meng Lan sniffed the breakfast aroma and casually poured herself a glass of champagne. The scent of alcohol lingered on her nose, reminding her that if she hadn't gone to the bar by the sea that night, nothing strange would have happened. The bar owner had just added her on WeChat, and the cameras inside and outside the store should have captured her after drinking.

Meng Lan: [Boss, I lost my wallet at the bar four days ago. Could you check the surveillance footage for me?]

Meng Lan was a regular at the bar, and the owner knew her.

Bar Owner: [So careless? Was there a thief in our store? I'll look for the surveillance footage for you.]

The bar owner remembered Meng Lan from four days ago because she seemed a bit down that day. It wouldn't be surprising if she had been targeted by a thief.

Meng Lan: [By the way, the tequila I drank that day tasted strange. Where did you get the alcohol from?]

Manager: [That's not possible. You've drunk there so many times before.]

Manager: [Oh, I remember now! You didn't drink that day. You sat at the bar for a while, and I asked the bartender to give you a glass of lemon water, and then you left.]

Meng Lan: ?

Meng Lan checked her phone's transaction records and indeed found no expenses from that night.

Strange.

Meng Lan turned to He Wanwan, who was eating lava egg, "What about you, my great benefactor?"

He Wanwan, with her mouth full, asked, "What's wrong?"

"Right before you entered the hidden world, were you about to go to 7-Eleven to buy something?"

"Yes."

"Do you have a payment record?"

"Yeah!" He Wanwan opened her phone, and the bank information showed that she spent 12.23 yuan on May 1st. She shook her phone, not knowing why Meng Lan was asking.

Meng Lan fell into thought: Am I the only one with a memory deviation?

Manager: [I remember now, you did order, but then you said you didn't want it and didn't want to drink.]

Meng Lan: When did I say I didn't want to drink?

The manager sent the surveillance video.

In the video, Meng Lan pointed at the bar table and whispered something to the bartender, then shook her head. After a while, the bartender brought a glass of lemon water, as if she was saying she wasn't drinking today. However, Meng Lan didn't even drink the water. After looking at the glass for a moment, she stood up, seemingly with a headache, staggered, hit her foot against a chair, almost tripped, but was fortunately seen by the passing bar manager, who helped her. She left the bar, turned right after leaving.

—Wait, she habitually turned left when leaving because turning right required a big detour to reach the parking lot.

In the video, Meng Lan stopped abruptly after turning right, as if she were pondering for three seconds, then kept looking behind her. Then, as if sensing danger, she started running until she ran out of the camera's range.

Meng Lan stared at the video, but she had no memory of any of it. What did she encounter when things went wrong? Why couldn't she remember anything?

He Wanwan poured Meng Lan a glass of orange juice, interrupting her thoughts, "I'll go to the supermarket today. What do you want for lunch and dinner, braised spare ribs or braised pork? If you want something light, I can also make seafood noodles. My little brother always says my cooking is delicious."

Meng Lan threw a shopping card from the dining table decoration plate, "Either is fine. The supermarket is only 300 meters away. I'll add your access card to the security door, so you can swipe your phone."

He Wanwan was puzzled. How could she freeload at someone else's house?

"Uh, how can I do that?"

"You're cooking. Our apartment's cleaner charges 120 yuan per hour for cleaning and cooking."

Meng Lan raised her head.

"Uh, that's not what I meant! Since you're letting me stay, I'll treat you to a meal!" He Wanwan nodded. She didn't want to be seen as taking advantage.

Meng Lan calculated. Buying meat was cheaper than cooking. She didn't understand the logic but followed He Wanwan anyway. She remembered her mother loved cooking braised pork, but after trying all the local restaurants, she still couldn't find the delicious taste, "Braised pork."

"Okay, you rest at home!" He Wanwan smiled like she was coaxing a puppy, "Give me the plates when you finish eating, and I'll wash them for you."

"We have a dishwasher."

"Oh, what's that?"

"The manual is in the cabinet."

"O-okay!"

Meng Lan, who usually lived like an old person, didn't know where He Wanwan's youthful energy came from, as if she enjoyed doing housework. However, she suddenly felt that having someone to talk to at home highlighted a lively atmosphere.

At noon that day, He Wanwan demonstrated her cooking skills. Meng Lan tasted the best braised pork and sweet tomato scrambled eggs she had eaten in the past five years. He Wanwan had never been so nervous cooking, after all, she only got a glimpse of the wealthy world when she went to the supermarket.

A small box of pork belly cost 120 yuan, and on average, a sterile egg cost 5 yuan each, but they weren't as big as the 50-cent eggs sold at her local market. The expensive ingredients almost made her feel like she was cooking for a state banquet!

In the afternoon.

Meng Lan was in the study browsing through the international headlines of the past three days, which was her mandatory course for making money in stocks. He Wanwan, on the other hand, was trying to use a robotic vacuum cleaner to clean the dust and carpets in the living room.

Her phone started vibrating.

[Incoming call: Gu Ye]

Meng Lan answered, "Did you find out?"

A warm male voice came from the other end of the phone, "Yeah, the person you asked me to check on is reliable."

Meng Lan made a "I knew it" expression, "Thanks, Cousin, I'll treat you to dinner next time."

The caller was her nominal "cousin", actually the son of her mother's friend—Gu Ye, who now worked in the serious crime unit of the police station. Generally, the two of them only contacted each other once or twice a month. They had grown up together, and since Meng Lan's mother died in a car accident, Gu Ye's mother had treated Meng Lan like her own daughter, and Gu Ye would also visit the family during festivals.

Gu Ye said, "No need, I called this time because I need to talk to you about something."

Meng Lan was taken aback, "What's the matter?"

"Have you gotten into any trouble recently, or has anyone been following you?" Gu Ye asked in a low voice.

Meng Lan never lied to Gu Ye, but she didn't know where to start with the hidden world. She hesitated for a moment before saying, "Yes, some things have happened recently, but I'm not sure if they're related to you. Can you tell me any details of the case that you can disclose? Maybe I can help you."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, "I'll come to your place tonight."

"Sure, there's leftover braised pork."

"You can cook?"

"There's someone at home."

"Are you in a relationship?"

Meng Lan: ...

"It's a girl."

"A girl is fine. My mom says you've needed someone to take care of you for a long time."

In the evening, Gu Ye arrived as promised. He was dusty, wearing field clothes, and there was a drop of sweat on his sharp jawline. He gracefully hung his coat at the entrance and changed into slippers before entering.

He Wanwan was coming out of the kitchen with a pot of spare rib and corn soup, "We have a visitor!"

Gu Ye looked at He Wanwan as if she were a family member and couldn't help but size her up. She was indeed a dignified and lovely girl!

Meng Lan came out and threw him a can of Fanta, leaning against the black and white open-plan dining area partition, "What's so mysterious? If your case involves less than a billion, I'll feel insulted."

Gu Ye's eyes darkened slightly, and he asked in a formal tone, "Stop joking around, I'm talking about serious matters. Meng Lan, do you know Qi Huan?"