"Stay away from me, I don't know you!" I widened my eyes, filled with terror and resistance, and screamed hysterically at the person in front of me, my voice trembling. At that moment, like a startled fawn, I trembled all over and desperately shrank back into the corner.
"Junior Sister, you..." Seeing my unfamiliar and guarded appearance, he could no longer hide the panic on his face, and his voice began to shake as well. "Have you lost your memory?" Disbelief and deep worry filled his eyes, and he seemed frozen in place.
"Who are you? Get away!" I glared at him angrily, the fury in my eyes seeming to burn him to ashes, and my voice carried absolute rejection and disgust.
Seeing me so full of guard, his expression instantly turned incomparably painful, as if pierced by countless sharp needles, every single one sinking deep into his heart. His face paled instantly, and his lips trembled uncontrollably. "Junior Sister, it's me, Senior Brother Yanfeng. Do you really not remember me?" His voice carried a trace of pleading, trying to wake my memories.
"I don't know, I don't know anything, get away!" I held my head in both hands, feeling as if a swarm of bees was buzzing incessantly inside my skull, driving me to agony. I shook my head wildly, my hair falling into disarray.
"Fine, fine, fine, I'm going away, don't get excited." His eyes were filled with helplessness and heartache. He slowly stood up and walked away from the bedside with heavy steps. But after taking only a few steps, he stopped; truly worried that something might happen to me, he stood guard at the doorway, standing straight and looking sternly to forbid anyone from coming in to disturb me.
"Who am I? Where am I? My head hurts so much!" I hammered my head hard with both hands, veins bulging on my forehead. Groans of pain echoed continuously through the room, and tears streamed uncontrollably from my eyes.
"Junior Sister, you are the Junior Sister of the Lanjian Sect. Your name is Chu Hanxi, and you are currently in the Lanjian Sect." Hearing the commotion inside, he rushed in anxiously.
Seeing my agonizing state, a flash of reluctance crossed Mu Yanfeng's eyes. After a moment of hesitation, he slowly walked over to my side and gently comforted me, "You and Second Senior Brother went down the mountain earlier and encountered an ambush by experts from a demonic sect. Second Senior Brother... has sacrificed himself, and you lost your memory as a result." With that, deep sorrow and heartache washed over his eyes, as if the tragic scene were playing out before him once more.
"Stop talking, my head hurts so much!" I hugged my head tightly, feeling as if it were about to burst, my heart filled with agitation and pain.
"Then I won't speak for now, get some good rest." Mu Yanfeng sighed deeply, his face full of helplessness and heartache. He slowly stood up to leave, saying as he walked, "I'll go brew some calming medicine for you." His footsteps were heavy, every step carrying profound worry.
Taking advantage of his departure, I got up and secretly slipped out of the mountain gates.
"Hanxi!" Just after taking a few steps, Mu Yanfeng's anxious shout came from behind. Seeing my figure, his face instantly filled with tension and urgency. "Why did you come out? You haven't recovered yet, you can't run around." He shouted while speeding up his pace to run towards me.
"Let me go, I don't know you, don't grab me!" I struggled desperately, using both hands and feet, flailing wildly. I beat fiercely at the arm he reached out to grab me with, kicking continuously in an attempt to shake off his control.
My hair became disheveled from the intense movements, my face flushed red with extreme fear and resistance, and fine beads of sweat covered my forehead. Struggling, I shouted loudly, "Don't touch me! Let me go!"
Tears welled up in my eyes, threatening to spill over at any second. My breathing grew rapid and chaotic, my chest heaving violently, and I sank into a state of extreme frenzy and despair.
"Junior Sister, calm down. I would never hurt you." Fearing that I might run into danger by wandering off, Mu Yanfeng grabbed my arm tightly, his grip involuntarily tightening, his voice urgent and full of worry.
"Let go!" I glared furiously, roaring loudly, twisting my arm desperately to break free from his restraint. My heart was filled with resistance, as though he were the source dragging me into an abyss of terror. "Don't touch me! You inexplicable person!"
"I won't let go." Seeing me so resistant to him, his expression turned somewhat hurt, a flash of pain crossing his eyes, yet refusing to let go out of concern for my health. "Your injuries haven't healed yet, let me take you back first." His tone was firm and unquestioning, his brows tightly furrowed, fine beads of sweat seeping onto his forehead.
"I'm not going back, I don't know you." I glared fiercely at him, my eyes full of resolve and indifference. I thought his words were sheer nonsense, and viewed every word he said with suspicion. "Who knows if you're lying to me? You're probably the one who made me like this in the first place!"
"You..." Caught between anxiety and pain, as he looked at my indifferent gaze, he suddenly recalled how I had looked when I first woke up. The determination in his expression loosened slightly, and he hurriedly released his grip. "Hanxi, did you remember something?" A trace of anticipation and caution lingered in his eyes.
"I can't remember anything, I want to leave this place." Looking stubborn and resolute in tone, I turned around and prepared to continue walking forward. "Humph, I don't believe a single word you said. Who knows if you just made it all up to fool me." My heart was entirely filled with rejection and distrust toward him.
"No." Seeing my clueless appearance, he grew even more certain that I had not recovered my memory. Concerned for my safety, he reached out to block my path again. "Until you recover your memories, you cannot leave." His voice rose a notch, carrying an unquestionable majesty.
"I don't believe you!" I turned my head away, refusing to look at him, suspicion and distrust dripping from my tone. "You keep claiming to be my Senior Brother, but I have no impression of you whatsoever. Who knows what your motives are!"
"You don't believe me?" His heart tightened; he hadn't expected me to say such things. The hand he had reached out to touch me stopped mid-air, then slowly retracted. Disappointment and disbelief filled his voice. "Junior Sister, I am your Senior Brother, the Senior Brother who raised you since childhood. How can you not trust me?" His voice trembled, laden with deep pain and helplessness.
"I don't know you, stop talking nonsense." I turned my face away, refusing to look at him, though my pace did not slow down. "Don't think you can make me believe you just by making up some random story, I won't fall for it!"
"Hanxi, you..." He looked at me with eyes full of pain and helplessness. "Do you really not remember me?"
"I don't." I said decisively, not a shred of warmth in my gaze.
"Fine." Mu Yanfeng pressed his thin lips together, his expression dimming. The hands hanging at his sides clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white from the force as he struggled to rein in the surging emotions within his chest. "Since Junior Sister wishes to leave, then go." His voice carried profound helplessness and loss, as if he had lost all his strength in a single instant.
Without hesitation, I turned around and bolted down the mountain.
"Hanxi!" Startled, Mu Yanfeng leaped into the air, his robes fluttering, and intercepted my path within a few breaths. Concern and urgency filled his eyes. "Don't run around, the mountain is dangerous." Veins bulged on his forehead, his voice sharpening with tension.
"You said I could leave." I glared at him, accusation dripping from my tone.
"I am not a man of broken promises, but your memory has not yet returned. If you rush down the mountain now, misfortune may befall you." An imperceptible plea edged his tone as he reached out to pull my sleeve, only to withdraw his hand just before touching fabric. "Best return to the sect with me first." Worry and anxiety filled his eyes.
"No, I'm going down the mountain!" I swung my arm hard, trying to shake off his obstruction.
"Junior Sister, do you hate me that much?" Hearing this, Mu Yanfeng swayed as if struck by a fierce gale, his face turning as pale as paper in an instant, his voice growing hoarse and trembling.
"Yes, I hate you." I said viciously, disgust plastering my face.
Plunged into an icy abyss as though his limbs had frozen solid, he stood frozen in place. "Why? Is it because I took on a female disciple?" His voice was fraught with confusion and pain, as if his heart had been torn into countless pieces.
"Let me go, I want to leave this place." I struggled with all my might, shouting aloud.
"I won't let you leave." Panic-stricken, he reached out and grabbed my arm tightly, gripping with such force that it felt as though he might crush my bones, terrified that I would vanish. "You don't remember me, if I lose you again, I..." His voice choked up, unable to continue.
"Don't touch me." I roared hysterically, tears welling up in my eyes.