Chapter 119
119 How Did You Remember?
His eyes flickered as he continued to stare at the old photograph.
Bai Qi was aware that Zhang Li Xue would have a copy of this photograph as well. After all, it was her aunt who brought her to the Bai’s residence and suggested they take a few pictures to remember.
It was just that... Bai Qi did not expect that Zhang Li Xue would bring it out at this time.
It threw him off his guard.
However, he should have expected that something like this would happen sooner or later. At the hotel a few days earlier, he ran into her friend and she seemed to have remembered him.
Bai Qi quickly forced himself to calm down. He raised his head to meet her eyes and saw her inquiring gaze. “What do you want to ask?”
Seeing that the man beside her was calm, Zhang Li Xue began to wonder if perhaps she had made a mistake. She began to hesitate.
But then again, she realized that if she did not speak now, there was no way that she would know the answer.
“When I was in kindergarten, there was this young boy who would often accompany me to play basketball,” Zhang Li Xue spoke. “This is the photo of me and that boy.”
.....
Bai Qi lowered his gaze to look at the photograph again. A faint sigh escaped him as he recalled the day his little fairy and her aunt came to his house to meet him for one last time.
“The boy’s name is also Bai Qi. Doctor Bai,” Zhang Li Xue continued. “I wanted to know if you and this boy are the same person?”
Once she finished her question, Zhang Li Xue continued to look at Bai Qi in silence. Her heart pounded hard against her ribcage. Waiting for his answer was making her anxious. She was never this anxious even when she was taking an exam.
Bai Qi was aware that Zhang Li Xue was looking at him, waiting for his answer. His fingers were pinching the photo as he weights the decision in his mind.
But if he tell a lie, his little fairy would definitely be angry.
He recalled her cold treatment at the hotel a few days ago and sighed. Being away from her and ignored was not something that he wanted to experience again.
He inhaled a deep breath before turning to look at her again. “How did you remember?”
There was a slight fluctuation in Zhang Li Xue’s eyes.
Bai Qi’s question had answered a few questions she had.
He was telling her that the person in this photograph was indeed the young him. He was the person who accompanied her to play basketball in kindergarten.
Her first teammate.
His words had also told her that he had remembered her. However, for some reason, he chose to keep this matter a secret from her.
“It was Fang Su Jin,” Zhang Li Xue said. “She gave me a few hints. Then, I went to ask my aunt about it. She told me about you and showed me this picture.”
The corner of his lips tilted up. He had guessed that Fang Su Jin should be the person who gave away this secret. However, Bai Qi was a little surprised to know that Zhang Li Xue’s aunt would still remember him.
“You... remember me,” Zhang Li Xue continued. “But... why didn’t you tell me?”
Zhang Li Xue recalled the day she had met him again at Mo Qing Huan’s wedding. Later, they met again in the hospital and he was introduced as Uncle Qi Zheng’s student.
He had many chances to tell her, but he continued to keep this a secret.
She was a little disappointed. Zhang Li Xue could not figure out his intention.
“I was worried that you wouldn’t remember me,” Bai Qi said. “I know who you are on the day we met at He Rong’s wedding. But you don’t seem to remember me. Not even after you learned my name. I thought... you have forgotten all about me. It would be embarrassing if I brought up the matter when you don’t remember me at all.”
Zhang Li Xue lowered her gaze. “It has been twenty years. There are a lot of things that I don’t remember much.” She was embarrassed by her poor memory.
The person who often practiced basketball with her was in front of her. However, she could not remember him at all.
“Are you upset that I didn’t say a word to you?”
Zhang Li Xue looked at him and nodded. “A little.”
She tried to imagine how she might not know about this matter if only Fang Su Jin had not realized anything. She might lose the chance of finding out that her childhood friend was right in front of her.
The thought made her heart ache.
“I’m sorry.” Bai Qi’s voice was soft. He felt guilty for keeping this secret for a long time.
Zhang Li Xue shook her head.
Memories from their childhood flooded her mind, making her smile.
“Doctor Bai, you have grown taller.”
Her comments made him chuckle.
That’s right... years ago, this girl had called him short. Later, he tried his best to grow taller. He drank milk and make sure he eat a balanced diet.
She told him to grow taller. Otherwise, she might not remember him when they meet again. But, when they met again, she still did not recognize him.
“Your game skills had improved a lot.”
Bai Qi couldn’t stop smiling. “Un... Someone told me that I should practice hard.” He practiced a lot and became very good at it.
A hint of red appeared on her cheek when she heard his answer.
There were a lot of things that she wanted to speak to him about. However, she didn’t know where to start. Zhang Li Xue recalled Bai Qi’s family and began to hesitate.
So many things happened to him. She did not know if it would be appropriate for her to ask.
After a brief hesitation, Zhang Li Xue spoke again.
“Doctor Bai.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you mind if I ask you another question?”
Bai Qi could already guess what she wanted to ask when he saw how she had reacted. He gave her a quick nod and spoke, “Go ahead.”
“What happened to your family?”