CHAPTER 46: SHE DOESN’T HAVE TO PRETEND

"Choose what you want to eat," Song Chengfeng said, sliding the menu across the table to Qi Jianyi the moment they settled into the plush seats of the private dining room.

Qi Jianyi accepted it, her fingers brushing lightly over the embossed cover before she flipped it open. Her gaze lingered over the luxurious spread, every dish seemingly more mouthwatering than the last. Once she had browsed through the list of tempting options, she lifted her eyes—only to catch Song Chengfeng watching her intently.

"What do you feel like eating?" she asked, her voice calm, though her mind had already pieced together a selection.

Song Chengfeng leaned back, his eyes never leaving her face. There was something endearing in the way she had carefully considered each option.

"I’ll eat whatever you choose," he said smoothly, the decision immediate. "You decide."

Qi Jianyi’s lips curled into a slight, almost imperceptible smile. There was a lightness to her as she flipped through the menu once again, her fingers moving faster now, spurred on by his trust.

"Any food preferences or allergies I should know about?" she asked, with a hint of eagerness, her pace quickening as though she were on the verge of finalising their meal.

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, as though amused by her growing excitement. Song Chengfeng’s response was soft but sure, "None. I can eat anything."

"Good," Qi Jianyi said, shutting the menu decisively.

"Then, how about roasted duck, meat buns, stir-fried vegetables, and mapo tofu?" There was no hesitation in her voice now. His willingness to go along with her choices had dispelled any lingering politeness, allowing her to take charge of the meal.

Without missing a beat, Song Chengfeng nodded and pressed the small green button embedded at the edge of the table to summon the waiter. The device was discreet, yet elegant, a subtle reminder of the restaurant’s high-end service.

Qi Jianyi glanced at the button, unable to suppress a small sigh of appreciation for such convenience. It was a luxury not everyone could afford—a button that meant neither customer nor waiter had to break their rhythm to ensure attentive service.

When the waiter entered, Song Chengfeng repeated the dishes Qi Jianyi had selected and, on a sudden whim, added, "Two watermelon juices as well." The heat outside was especially hot for some reason and Song Chengfeng suddenly craves for watermelon juice to quench his thirst.

Qi Jianyi offered no objections, secretly pleased. She had been craving something refreshing too.

As the waiter slipped out, the room’s previous quiet returned, settling over them like a blanket. Qi Jianyi’s eyes wandered around the space, taking in the tasteful décor that surrounded them.

The room’s lavish design spoke of wealth, its elegance apparent in the subtle opulence of the golden accents and intricate carvings. Everything from the silk drapes to the polished wood gleamed with an understated richness.

She could tell they had chosen one of the finest private rooms in the establishment. The atmosphere was refined, meant to impress, and it succeeded.

"Have you found what you’ve lost?" Song Chengfeng’s voice, cool and detached, sliced through the silence in the room.

He leaned back in his chair, one hand idly swirling the water in his glass. His gaze never left her, observing every small movement, every flicker of expression on Qi Jianyi’s face.

Qi Jianyi felt the weight of his eyes but couldn’t immediately grasp the meaning behind his abrupt question. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she met his cold, unblinking stare.

"Did I lose something?" she asked, her mind rifling through the past few days, coming up empty.

Song Chengfeng’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, "Didn’t you mention that someone stole something precious from you?"

The realisation hit Qi Jianyi like a jolt. Ah! Her lips parted in momentary surprise. Now she understood what he was referring to. The ’something’ lost was not a tangible object, but her life—her stolen existence.

The weight of his question settled heavily on her chest, like an unintentional dagger. Though she knew Song Chengfeng meant no harm since he had no idea what the ’thing’ stolen from her truly was, it felt as though he were unknowingly pointing out her helplessness, her inability to reclaim what had been taken from her.

But it wasn’t as if Qi Jianyi hadn’t tried. It was simply that she didn’t know where to begin. The diary she had discovered felt like a breakthrough at first, a promising lead in a trail gone cold. But soon, even that diary seemed like a dead end, offering more questions than answers, its pages echoing her uncertainty.

Still, Qi Jianyi was not one to give up easily. Not after reading the provocation from the original Qi Jianyi, challenge her to uncover the truth. The original Qi Jianyi’s final message had sparked something inside her—a flame of determination that refused to be extinguished.

Qi Jianyi had abandoned her youth in pursuit of wealth once before, and now she knew, with the same burning resolve, she would leave this world behind if it meant finding the original Qi Jianyi.

She shook her head, meeting Song Chengfeng’s gaze. "No," she admitted, her voice steady despite the weight of the admission. "Unfortunately, I haven’t found it yet."

Song Chengfeng’s eyes softened, though his posture remained composed. "Do you need my help?" he asked, his tone offering a rare gentleness, an unspoken assurance that he was serious in his offer.

Qi Jianyi blinked, caught off guard. "Your help?" she repeated, her gaze locking onto his. Her eyes held an unspoken question, as though trying to decipher the sincerity in his words.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Song Chengfeng nodded. "Yes. I’m free these days," he said, his voice quiet yet firm. "If you need my help, just say the word."

Qi Jianyi couldn’t help the soft chuckle that escaped her lips. There was something almost absurd about his earnestness. Her face brightened as laughter bubbled up, the tension between them easing momentarily.

"Young Master Song," she said, a teasing glint in her eyes, "you’re truly the freest person I know at the moment." She paused, a smile playing on her lips. "I appreciate your offer, really, but no thank you. I don’t need your help."

A flicker of confusion crossed Song Chengfeng’s face. He hadn’t expected such a quick rejection. "Why not?" he asked, a faint frown creasing his forehead. He seemed genuinely puzzled by her refusal.

Qi Jianyi leaned forward, her tone becoming more serious. "Because I don’t even know where to begin," she said simply. "How can I trouble you when I have no idea where to look?"

Their conversation was abruptly cut short as the door to their private room opened, and the waiter stepped inside. Both Qi Jianyi and Song Chengfeng fell silent, an unspoken agreement passed between them to keep the discussion private.

After all, if word got out that the eldest young miss of the Qi family had something stolen from her, it would cause an uproar. People would line up to ’help,’ offering their services with ulterior motives.

Even worse, her parents would inevitably hear of it. The idea of her family getting involved filled Qi Jianyi with dread. She could already picture the flood of concerned faces, the endless questions, the suffocating weight of their attention. The thought alone made her skin crawl. She felt goosebumps rise along her arms, the imagined scenario leaving her uncomfortably tense.

No, she couldn’t let anyone else know—never. This was her burden to bear, her mystery to solve.

After the waiter left, Song Chengfeng put a plate full of meat buns in front of Qi Jianyi before he replied, "You should begin at the place where you lost that thing. Do you have any suspects? Anyone suspicious? If you have one then you should investigate them first."

The more Qi Jianyi listened to Song Chengfeng advice, the more guilty she became. Suspects? Clearly, the suspect was the original Qi Jianyi. But she couldn’t say that.

And the place where she lost her stolen life? Where does she even begin? Qi Jianyi slept in her dormitory room and when she woke up, she was at the original Qi Jianyi’s room.

The only secret she gained in that room was the diary she found last week. After that? Nothing.

Song Chengfeng planned has its merits but for Qi Jianyi it was almost useless. Qi Jianyi didn’t even know how to investigate herself. However, his words still wake some of her ideas.

Qi Jianyi decided to look into the original Qi Jianyi’s memories. She wants to delve deeper and figure out the reason behind the blurred vision.

If there’s anything Qi Jianyi was curious about after reading the diary, it was the fact that none of the experiences mentioned in that diary left any impression on her.

The original Qi Jianyi claimed that those experiences were her memories. Yet, Qi Jianyi couldn’t recall even a second of it though she had inherited all of the original Qi Jianyi’s memory.

Although she was puzzled by the fact. Qi Jianyi still believed that those experiences were real. It just couldn’t be remembered by her.

The original Qi Jianyi’s childhood memory was blurry and she could only pick one or two things from it. And most of the times, those memories paid no significant importance

After a moment of thinking, Qi Jianyi decided to venture deep in it by going to places that the original Qi Jianyi likes to visit. Maybe, in that way, she could trigger any possible memories.

"Well, I’ll think about it later," She nodded as a way to convey her understanding towards Song Chengfeng’s words.

The young master noticed Qi Jianyi’s subtle action of not wanting to continue the topic, he then nodded silently and stopped asking about it.