"I had a store like this near my high school. Sometimes after school, I'd go there to buy things," he said softly.
Emma found the topic incredibly fresh and intriguing—Jason's high school days, a time she had never touched, filled with the novelty of the unknown. She immediately tilted her head towards him and asked, "What were you like in high school?"
"I went to school," Jason replied succinctly.
Emma suddenly asked out of curiosity, "Did you have a puppy love in high school?"
Jason paused and slowly turned his head.
Emma was too nervous, looking at him eagerly, not sure what she wanted to hear from him. A person like him must have been outstanding from a young age; even if he didn't want to, there would be countless people with secret crushes on him, right?
Until Jason leaned slightly towards her, his dark eyes fixed on her, his voice carrying an enticing huskiness: "Before you, I never knew love."
Emma held the bottle she had just taken out of the cooler, a faint coolness seeping into her palm.
Although she comforted herself in her heart that it didn't matter, just as listening to a past story of Jason, there was no past, no old story.
He only had her.
Emma glanced around. At that moment, the convenience store didn't have many customers. The cooler they were standing next to happened to have a row of shelves that blocked the view from the cash register.
Swiftly, she stood on her tiptoes and directly kissed his lips.
Jason watched her kiss him quickly and then retreat several steps, as if afraid someone would see.
This was a legally married couple, yet she made it feel like they were sneaking around.
Emma stood a few steps away from him. Her originally cold palm gradually warmed up, even the mineral water bottle in her hand felt a bit hot.
She quickly turned her face away, twisted the cap, and took a sip.
After a while, the two strolled back to the hotel. It was now early evening, and the weather was not as hot as when they first came out. Occasionally, a cool breeze blew on their bodies.
The whole city exuded a leisurely atmosphere.
Jason glanced at Emma, who was holding his arm, and asked in a low voice, "Do you want to stroll some more?"
Emma shook her head and rubbed her eyes, looking a bit tired. It made sense; they had dinner at Jason's family mansion in Shanghai last night, and as soon as they got home, Jason received a call from Old Sun.
From Shanghai to Ho Chi Minh City, it had only been one night.
Emma also felt that time seemed to be infinitely stretched; the day was so long.
Especially after talking with her dad, the past flooded back into her mind again.
Dad's seven years.
Her seven years.
She wanted to talk about so much but couldn't find the words for many things.
Jason also noticed her fatigue, recalling that she was on the plane last night and then waiting for Ni PingSen this morning; she indeed didn't have enough rest.
So he directly took her wrist: "Let's go, go back and rest. You didn't sleep well last night."
Emma nodded.
So the two returned to the hotel. Emma took another shower, changed her clothes, and lay on the bed but still couldn't fall asleep. Until Jason came in, her eyes were still open.
"Can't sleep?" Jason asked in a low voice.
Emma didn't move, just quietly looked at him with her big, dark eyes showing a touching look. Jason couldn't help but feel heartache and squatted by the bed, gently stroking her long hair with his palm.
"Jing Xi, perhaps there are always so many unsatisfactory things in this world," Jason said softly. He knew that Emma was bearing a great deal of sadness that day, and no one could help her, not even he could.
After all, the one who gritted her teeth and persevered through those difficult years was her.
Even Jason came too late.
No one had experienced the kind of despair she faced at her worst, so now he could only stay by her side but couldn't bear all this for her.
Emma blinked and whispered, "I just happened to come across them, right?"
At this moment, Jason truly felt his heart aching uncontrollably.
There were so many disappointments in the world; why should his star have to bear so much?
Gently, Jason moved closer, touching his forehead to hers, and said in an exceptionally soft voice, "From now on, I will shield you from all the disappointments."
This is my promise and commitment.
Emma smiled lightly, her eyes curved, and there was a mischievous liveliness in them: "You said it."
As if she had tricked him.
Jason's nose rubbed against hers, and he said in a hoarse voice, "Yes, I said it."
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Emma's ears twitched, and she suddenly threw off the blanket, got up, and walked out barefoot on the cold floor without even putting on her slippers that were on the ground beside her.
When she reached the door, her hand on the doorknob, perhaps it was just room service or hotel staff outside...
Emma took a deep breath, turned the handle, and pulled the door open.
At the door stood Ni PingSen with a very simple bag. Upon seeing Emma, he seemed a bit embarrassed and smiled at her.
"Xingxing." He knew this was Emma's nickname, so he called out subconsciously.
Emma stood in place, stunned for several seconds, then rushed over and hugged Ni PingSen. She lay on his shoulder, her voice almost choked with emotion, saying, "Dad, thank you."
Thank you for coming back, thank you for being willing to come back for me.
Even though she had been worried, if it were the old Ni PingSen, Emma would have believed without hesitation that he would choose her over the whole world.
But now, her father had lost all memories of them.
In the past seven years, his family was someone else. They were blood-related, but without memories, she was just a stranger he met once to him.
So, finally, thank you for choosing me, without hesitation.
Emma hugged Ni PingSen at the door, and Jason stood behind her, looking at her bare feet with a helpless expression.
Fortunately, Ni PingSen patted her shoulder and said with a smile, "Let's go inside first."
Emma felt a bit embarrassed, stepped back, and made way for Ni PingSen. When he looked down, he asked with a bit of helplessness, "Why aren't you wearing shoes?"
Hearing this, Jason immediately said, "I'll get them now."
He turned around and went back to the bedroom to quickly grab the slippers by the bed. Emma had tried to put them on but didn't manage to, so she just ran out barefoot.
When Jason brought the slippers out, Emma was already sitting by the sofa.
He went straight over, put the shoes at her feet, and said softly, "Put them on first."
Emma nodded, obediently put on her shoes. When she looked up, she found both of them staring at her feet, and she slightly curled her toes in embarrassment.
Ni PingSen looked at Emma and then at Jason.
He felt a sense of helplessness; it was like a dream. In the blink of an eye, he not only had a daughter but also a son-in-law.
"Dad, have you eaten?" Emma asked immediately.
It was getting dark, and she wasn't hungry before, but now that Ni PingSen was here, her spirit lifted.
This must be the joy that makes one spirited.
Ni PingSen shook his head, and Emma suggested, "Why don't we eat something together?"
She looked at Ni PingSen's expression carefully and, considering he must not be feeling either, asked softly, "The food in the hotel restaurant is pretty good. Shall we go have some?"
Ni PingSen nodded with a smile.
So they went downstairs together and booked a room for Ni PingSen. He had obtained legal status in Vietnam.
Emma looked at the name "Liu Sen" on his identification, her eyes narrowing slightly.
But she said nothing.
When they arrived at the restaurant on the third floor, the waiter led them to a window seat, and the three of them sat down. Outside the window was the of Ho Chi Minh City, with lights that, although bright, were far from the splendor of Shanghai.
"Although this place is not bad, I still think it can't compare with Shanghai," Emma said softly as she brought her gaze back.
Ni PingSen glanced over, his expression calm as he said softly, "Of course, that's Shanghai."
Emma thought for a moment and said, "Dad, we need to go to the Chinese embassy tomorrow. I want to restore your identity first, which will make it easier to leave the country."
Ni PingSen agreed; after all, he was not Liu Sen but Ni PingSen.
Although his current identification was genuine, it was like wearing a false shell.
Now he wanted to break this shell and be himself again.
Ni PingSen let out a self-mocking laugh and said, "Your dad doesn't even have the money to buy a plane ticket now."
He truly meant what he said, leaving everything to Liu Hui. As for Liu Hui, she didn't actually demand five million; in the end, she silently watched Ni PingSen pack his luggage and leave.
Ni PingSen only took a few changes of clothes.
When he was about to leave, Liu Hui held his arm, not speaking but not wanting him to go.
But in the end, Ni PingSen gently removed her hand and turned to leave.
The meal was rather silent, as so many years had passed without seeing each other, there was a sense of unfamiliarity and distance between Emma and Ni PingSen, as well as between Jason and Ni PingSen.
The estrangement brought on by time left everyone at a loss for how to close the gap.
Until Ni PingSen looked up at Jason and asked, "When did you and Jing Xi get married?"
Jason immediately gave a date.
Ni PingSen nodded and, while eating, seemed to remember something and immediately raised his head to ask, "How old are you this year?"
This question caused both Emma and Jason to pause with their chopsticks.
Emma turned to look at Jason, and it was clear that his expression was a mix of shock or something else.
Until he said in a deep voice, "I am thirty-three years old this year."
Emma raised her hand to cover the corner of her mouth, just managing to hide her suppressed laughter. Why did she detect a hint of grievance in Jason's tone?
Ni PingSen nodded across the table.
He had already lowered his head to eat, but in the end, he couldn't help but look up at Jason again.
"You are seven years older than Jing Xi."
Although this was a statement, both Emma and Jason sensed dissatisfaction in it.
Jason took a deep breath. So, the scrutiny from the father-in-law that he hadn't experienced before marriage had finally arrived today?
Ni PingSen had directly expressed his discontent with Jason's age.
Emma could no longer hold back and, before she burst into laughter, turned her head towards the window. Actually, the night view of Vietnam was quite beautiful.
*
They stayed in Vietnam for two more days to confirm Ni PingSen's identity. Although the embassy found his story too legendary, they ultimately provided the greatest assistance.
As for his past of smuggling into Vietnam, everyone treated it as a situational necessity and did not pursue it.
By the fourth day, they finally embarked on their return to Shanghai, with Jason's private jet waiting at the airport.
They entered the tarmac directly through the VIP corridor.
Once on the plane, Ni PingSen was visibly surprised.
Upon entering the interior, even someone with Ni PingSen's composed nature felt his eyes open wide in amazement. The spacious cabin had several seats where one could lie down freely, and a bedroom at the back.
As for the restroom, it was far from the cramped cubicles found on ordinary planes.
The plane also had dedicated flight attendants who, as soon as they boarded, brought over fruits and refreshments.
Emma had flown on Jason's private jet before, but neither she nor Jason liked being disturbed, so the crew would only appear after they rang for service.
Today, however, the crew was exceptionally attentive.
At the moment, Emma sat with Ni PingSen, with Jason's seat separated by an aisle. Soon, a flight attendant approached again, this time carrying a stack of magazines.
The attendant respectfully placed them in front of them and said with a smile, "To help you pass the time during the long journey, we have prepared some magazines for you."
Emma glanced down at the cover of the magazine, featuring a handsome and proud face that was dazzlingly striking.
At this moment, Emma felt like applauding Jason.
What a subtle and unpretentious way to let her father know that he indeed had a fortune at home.
When Emma woke up, the sky outside was already late in the day. She made a call to Tang Mi, as she hadn't told anyone about her return yet.
Tang Mi quickly answered the phone, her voice filled with pleasant surprise: "Emma."
"Where are you?" Emma asked with a smile.
Tang Mi replied, "In Shanghai."
Emma nodded, "That's quite a coincidence, I'm in Shanghai too."
There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by Tang Mi's shrill exclamation: "You're in Shanghai? You're actually in Shanghai? When did you get back, and why didn't you tell me?"
It was indeed Tang Mi's style.
Emma laughed at her questions, nestled on the living room sofa, and just caught a glimpse of a tall figure appearing at the stair landing. She quickly said, "I just got back, do you have time these days? Let's meet up."
Tang Mi: "Of course I have time, I'm free right now."
Emma looked at Jason, who was wearing light gray slippers, strolling towards her at a leisurely pace. When he sat down, the sofa noticeably sank under his weight.
"Let's do it in a couple of days, I have some things to take care of tomorrow," Emma said.
Without further ado, she ended the call.
Jason looked at her and asked, "Tang Mi?"
"Mm, the agency gave me a two-week vacation. I can rest for these two weeks before going back to work," Emma leaned back on the sofa.
She had always been pushing forward, working hard to make everyone see her. This time, however, she was reluctant to completely relax and rest.
Jason asked her, "Do you want to go anywhere for fun?"
Emma shook her head without hesitation, "I don't want to go anywhere, I just want to lie quietly at home."
It was unlike her, but Jason nodded, "Then lie down."
However, Emma still looked at him and said, "I want to visit my grandmother and my mom tomorrow."
She hadn't been to pay her respects in the past year while she was abroad.
Her grandmother and grandfather only had her mother as their child, and her mother only had her as her child. If she didn't go to pay her respects, there might really be no one left in this world who would remember them.
Isn't it said that a person's true death is not the death of the body, but the moment when the world completely forgets about you?
Jason reached out and rubbed her long hair, gently pulling her to lean on his shoulder, and whispered, "I'll go with you."
The next day, when they woke up, the sunny Shanghai from yesterday was now covered in dark clouds.
Jason didn't have the driver take them; instead, he drove Emma there himself.
Before they went, Jason made a special trip to a flower shop to buy flowers to bring along.
By the time they arrived, a light rain had begun to fall from the sky. It wasn't heavy, and the two of them walked up with an umbrella. Until Emma looked at the three tombstones standing close together.
Her grandparents' graves were on the left and right, with her mother's in the center, as if the parents were gently embracing their child.
Emma stepped forward and placed the flowers in front of the tombstones. She quietly looked at the photos of each person on the tombstones.
Until she turned to look at Jason and said, "I suddenly feel a bit regretful."
Jason calmly looked at her.
Emma's face was clearly smiling, but her eyes were bright, and she whispered, "You are the kind of son-in-law that all mothers-in-law dream of, but unfortunately, you never got to hear my mom's praise for you."
It was truly regrettable.
Emma could even imagine that scene; if her mom was still here, the moment their marriage was exposed, everyone would call her mom to congratulate her on having such a son-in-law.
But all of this was just a picture in her mind.
Jason reached out and hugged her, finally unable to resist placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.
After a while, Emma turned her head from his embrace to look at the photo on the tombstone. It was a photo of her mom before she got sick, not only full of youthful charm but also particularly touching.
She blinked her eyes and whispered, "Mom, I'm sorry, I still couldn't bring dad back."
Over the past year, she had asked almost all the journalists in the Middle East, but there was no news.
She also understood that in such a place, it was too easy for a person to disappear without a trace.
"Before coming back this time, I thought a lot. For so many years, I've been bound," Emma looked at her mother on the tombstone and finally said what she wanted to say.
Jason turned his head to look at her and couldn't help but hold her hand.
They both knew what was binding Emma. Ever since her father disappeared, the thought of bringing her dad back had taken root in her mind like a seed.
Until it grew into a vine that shaded the sky, completely binding her.
So much so that she was once unwilling to move out of that dilapidated old house, fearing that her dad would come back and not be able to find her, not be able to find his way home.
So much so that this matter did not fade with time, but instead wrapped her tighter and tighter.
Especially after learning that Jason was related to Ni PingSen's disappearance, she knew this had nothing to do with him, and it was not a result he actively caused, but she still couldn't help but blame him.
On the way here, Ni PingSen bought a bouquet of flowers, but he no longer remembered Gu Mingzhu's favorite flowers until Emma told him it was baby's breath.
Now, Ni PingSen placed the flowers he bought in front of the tombstone, gazing intently at the photo on the tombstone.
Emma's appearance was largely inherited from Gu Mingzhu; they had a pair of identical eyes, mischievous and lively yet filled with determination.
For a long time, Ni PingSen said nothing, and Emma stood quietly beside him without speaking.
For some reason, every time they came here, the weather was always gloomy.
Even today was no exception.
The sky had been overcast since they got up in the morning, and now a light, continuous rain began to fall. The raindrops were not large, just gently tapping on their bodies, as if falling into their hearts.
Finally, Ni PingSen spoke: "I... I'm back."
He thought he wouldn't be too upset when he saw the photo on the tombstone, as his memories of her seemed to have vanished. But when he really stood here, the sorrow that rose from within seemed to have always been there.
For so many years, it was quietly buried in his heart, until this moment when he saw her black and white photo.
Even his eyes couldn't help but moisten.
Mingzhu, I'm back.
In a short while, Emma whispered, "Dad, I'll go down first."
She wanted to let Ni PingSen be alone with her mother for a while; perhaps he had many things he wanted to say to her.
After Emma left, Ni PingSen watched her leave, turned to look at the photo in front of him, and wanted to smile at her easily, but couldn't do it.
He suddenly lowered his head, seemingly not daring to look at the photo on the tombstone anymore.
"I'm sorry, Mingzhu," his voice choked, and after holding back for a long time, he finally spoke again: "How could I have forgotten you."
He forgot the existence of Gu Mingzhu, forgot how much he once loved her. But besides being sorry, he didn't know what else he could say.
After a long while, he comforted with a smile: "From now on, I won't go anywhere. I'll watch our star for you, watch her get married and have children..."
When he said this, Ni PingSen let out a bitter smile: "I forgot she's already been married."
"Look, time really flies. Our star has become someone else's wife so quickly. I'm sorry I didn't see the moment she got her marriage certificate, but luckily, they didn't have a wedding ceremony. I still have a chance to hold her hand and give her to the one she loves."
Ni PingSen paused, his voice carrying a hint of grievance as he said: "You have no idea how much it hurt when I heard my star tell me she married him because she loved him. Even though I had lost my memory, I still felt like my own little cotton-padded jacket was being taken away."
"When your father agreed to let you marry me, he must have felt the same way."
In the drizzle, he murmured incessantly, as if really chatting with Gu Mingzhu. He wanted to talk to her about Jingxi, about himself, but in the end, he looked at Gu Mingzhu, his eyes gradually filling with tears.
"I didn't keep the promise I made to you, will you forgive me?"
For so many years, he failed to keep the only request she made of him when she was dying—to protect their daughter—and he even lived with someone else for so long.
Mingzhu, will you forgive me?
But Ni PingSen would never know the answer. At that moment, Gu Mingzhu in the tombstone photo still smiled gently and shyly.
On the way back, Emma was driving, and Ni PingSen beside her was lost in thought and didn't speak.
Until they pulled into the garage and got out of the car to go home.
Ni PingSen looked around and asked, "This is the house you lived in after getting married, right?"
Emma nodded.
"I'm really sorry, Dad has nothing now, not even a dowry for you," Ni PingSen was filled with guilt. He should have prepared something for Emma's wedding.
But he came back penniless and even had to live with them.
Ni PingSen said, "I want to move back to our old house as soon as possible."
He knew they had an old house in Shanghai, not very spacious, left by Gu Mingzhu's father. In fact, his salary had never been low, but Gu Mingzhu had been in the hospital almost all the time, and their salaries were almost spent.
Even in the years after Gu Mingzhu's death, he had been earning money to pay off the debts they owed.
Naturally, he didn't have the financial means to change to a bigger house.
When the family situation improved a bit, his mother-in-law fell seriously ill. It was because of this that Ni PingSen was willing to work abroad for a year.
After all, the salary was almost double that of the domestic one, and the temptation was too great.
He thought it would be fine, but he was indeed quite safe while he was there.
Until the accident happened.