Chapter Text
The first thing that registers in Liu Qingge’s brain is a scathing headache. That and the fact that he could feel a heavy weight pressed on his chest, making it hard to breathe.
The room is awfully warm, with sunlight peering through the window as rays of sunshine kiss his skin. The heat makes his head throb even more, and the body pressed against his isn’t helping.
Liu Qingge groans.
Right. A body. Why is there a body in bed with him?
With groggy eyes, he peers down to his chest to inspect the source of his discomfort. It takes a few seconds to clear his vision, and after three breaths of time, his line of sight finally sharpens and he gets a good look at the body pressed against his.
A man. A beautiful man at that.
He’s sleeping with a displeased pout carved in his mouth with the side of his face planted on Liu Qingge’s chest. He has a headpiece placed in the crown of his head and his long dark hair cascades down to his chest. His skin is as smooth and pale as porcelain, but there’s a flushed shade of pink dusking his cheeks. Liu Qingge may only be half-awake, but he doesn’t need a clear vision and a completely awake brain to discern that the body besides him is a beauty. The robes he’s wearing feels soft and looks pristine to the eye, with intricate patterns engraved within the fabric.
Liu Qingge finds himself waking up entirely. His eyes bore down the man’s countenance, gaze trailing over every crevice of his face from the bridge of his nose, his long eyelashes, and the small pout in his pink lips.
He’s undoubtedly a noble man. Liu Qingge could tell it solely on the way he looks and the way he dresses. Probably even an immortal cultivator if Liu Qingge would have to guess. There’s no way that a beautiful man like him could be a mere mortal — even if he is a noble man. This isn’t a type of beauty that could be encapsulated within the realm of mortals.
Liu Qingge’s train of thought pauses. If this man is a lofty immortal, why is he here in bed with him? What relationship did he have with him? What business would an immortal have with him? And what— what even happened last night?
Last night.
Liu Qingge stiffens in the bed.
Nothing. He could not remember anything. Of what he did the previous day, of where he is, and who this person beside him is. He’s sure his entire mind is awake and functioning already. Yet it could not conjure anything. There’s no memories. No information. Just a dark void of nothingness.
The throbbing pain in his head grows heavier.
He winces and unconsciously shifts his place in the bed. He wants to rub his templates with both of his hands, but his other arm is buried under the other man’s back — already numb and feeling like pins and needles.
So he settles for using his only available hand to rub his forehead. But the movement causes his bedfellow to wake. The man moves slowly, tilting his gaze upwards to Liu Qingge’s face in a muzzy stare, his eyes still half-closed as he inches his body closer for Liu Qingge’s warmth.
His befuddled gaze doesn’t last long. Liu Qingge’s too preoccupied with easing the pain of his own head that he doesn’t notice the exact moment his companion’s gaze clears: his eyes grow large, green irises almost popping out of their sockets, and his face hardens into a scowl. Then, a shrill shriek breaks in the air.
Liu Qingge doesn’t react quickly enough. The man raises his fist and lands a good blow into his chest, making Liu Qingge groan in pain, before inching away from Liu Qingge towards the edge of the bed as if he’s burned. He even almost falls down towards the floor.
Liu Qingge coughs as pools of tears start to form in his eyes, making his vision blur a bit. Some of the pain in his head has eased down, but now he has to deal with air almost getting knocked out of his lungs. He sends a glare towards his companion. If a part of him still had some doubts before, then he isn’t doubting now. This man — his companion, could only be a cultivator.
No mortal could ever land a punch like that.
The man mirrors his gaze with a glare of his own. Then, he challenges: “Who the fuck are you!?”
Liu Qingge lets out several fits of coughs. “I should be asking you that,” He glares. “I woke up to your body hogging me like a tree.”
The other man’s eyes widen as his cheeks start to deepen into a crimson hue. “W-why would I willingly sleep with you? I don’t even know you!” He splutters with wide eyes. Almost immediately, his face hardens into a vicious snarl. “You must have done something to me last night. Otherwise, why would I be here in bed with you!”
The glare in Liu Qingge’s eyes vanishes as a frown takes form in his face. “You don’t know me?”
“What idiotic question is that? Would I react to you like this if I did?” The man retorts sardonically.
Liu Qingge’s face twitches. His hands have unconsciously clenched into fists by his sides. Even though he’s only met him for less than a shichen, he already finds his companion’s company to be intolerable.
But he knows they won’t be able to get into the middle of it if they continue arguing. So despite wanting to put in a few more jabs, Liu Qingge only grits his teeth to swallow down his retorts. With effort and a restrained voice, he says: “I don’t know either.”
The man frowns. “What?”
“I don’t know who I am either,” Liu Qingge gets out. He looks down to avoid his companion’s gaze. “I… I can’t remember who I am.”
As much as he tries to resist, he feels warmth creep in at the back of his neck. The tips of his ears have started to redden and he grinds his teeth further to contain the rush of embarrassment that floods in his chest.
Liu Qingge could see the cogs in the man’s head whirring. The furious expression from his face drops and is replaced by confusion, followed by frustration, until he circles back into an enraged look again. “Do you think I’m an imbecile? How could you not know who you are!”
Liu Qingge couldn’t control the scowl that forms in his face. “And you? Who are you?” He challenges.
The man opens his mouth to retort but he ends up freezing midway. He closes his mouth as his forehead creases, eyebrows furrow, and the glare in his eyes vanishes. He opens his mouth again, but his words quickly die down his throat and could only be conjured into incomprehensible splutterings outside his mouth. His face grows softer, shedding down the sharpness that came from his rageful fit that Liu Qingge starts to get distracted by his beauty again. The man casts his gaze down and stares at the sheets in an empty look as if he’s looking distantly. The anger in his face has vanished completely and is now replaced by confusion. “I… don’t know.”
Silence.
Liu Qingge feels a sense of satisfaction rush through him. He suddenly wants to gloat. He doesn’t know why this man could elicit extreme reactions out of him, but Liu Qingge couldn’t help it. Whoever he is and whatever their past may be, this man could give rise to reactions out of him.
Liu Qingge huffs and crosses his arms over his chest. A smug look etches itself in the canvas of his face.
His companion is still lost in thought, staring at the bed beneath them and remaining completely unaware of the smug expression in Liu Qingge’s face. After a few seconds, he finally says: “Something must have happened to us.”
Liu Qingge arches an eyebrow.
“One of us losing our memories is bad enough— the both of us losing them isn’t a coincidence,” He continues, voice now growing firm in a suspicious tone. He finally glances up and meets Liu Qingge’s eyes. “We must have known each other before losing our memories too. Otherwise, why would we stay in the same room together?”
Liu Qingge doesn’t say anything, but he does take a closer glance at his companion as some of his earlier irritation vanishes. The other man is glancing down at the bed again with a focused look on his face. His eyebrows are furrowed, lips pulled in a frown, and his hands are placed awkwardly by his sides. For some reason, the sight feels wrong. Almost as if something is missing. His companion should be holding something — something like a fan. And he should —
“It’s better to find a place to settle that isn’t too far. Tomorrow, we can proceed with—”
Liu Qingge feels a spasm. In a second, an image of the man flashes in his mind. But it’s gone again all too quickly.
“What do you think you’re looking at?” A voice snaps.
Liu Qingge shakes away from his reverie and his attention quickly gets whipped to his companion. The man is scowling at him again with displeased green eyes and his arms cross over his chest. Liu Qingge opens his mouth to say what he just remembered, but upon noticing the displeased frown on the other man’s face, he bites back his words.
“Nothing.” Liu Qingge dismisses, gritting his teeth subsequently. This man didn’t trust him from the get-go. He would not believe it if Liu Qingge said that he remembered something if both of them can’t remember their identities.
That earns him a huff from the other man. “If you’re done daydreaming,” He begins. “This place looks like a lodging.”
Liu Qingge looks around.
He didn’t have the chance to inspect their surroundings earlier when he had woken up. Much to his chagrin, his companion is right. The room doesn’t look bad and is big enough. It’s well-maintained and cleaned— too well-maintained even. There are no traces of decor or other furniture either. All that there is a bed, a trunk and some luggages, and a few handful of pouches.
They must be in an inn.
“You’re right,” Liu Qingge says. He gestures towards the trunk and pieces of luggage. “Andn these should be ours.”
His companion rolls his eyes, as if wanting to snap an obviously comment but chooses to withhold it at the last minute. The act doesn’t go unnoticed to Liu Qingge whose jaw instantly clenches. He’s about to open his mouth to offer a rebuttal, but the other man beats him to it and says: “Go out.”
“What?”
“Get out there and ask where we are,” The other man clarifies— orders. “If this is truly an inn, then the employees would know about us. They could tell us what happened the other day.”
Liu Qingge’s jaw gapes. The man isn’t wrong. Each observation he’s made and every hypothesis he’s raised makes sense. But irritation still floods his veins as he eyes the man who’s conveniently started to avoid his gaze leisurely. Who does he think he is for him to order Liu Qingge around? Why has he proclaimed himself as the leader of them two?
“I’ll look into our things while you do,” The other man suddenly declares, almost as if he’s already seen Liu Qingge’s rebuttals coming. He leaps from the bed and dusts his robes. “You should get going if we want to get answers.”
Unbelievable.
Since he also wants to get answers and to have this entire ordeal over, Liu Qingge simply swallows the complaints that have formed in his throat. He nods stiffly before getting out of bed himself and making a beeline towards the door.
He hears the other man start to look through their luggages by the time Liu Qingge pulls the door open. Underneath his breath, he mutters an inaudible curse and slams the door harder than he should.
He gets greeted immediately by a long hallway of rooms. Despite how annoying his companion is, he’s been right about most things so far. Liu Qingge can’t help but let some of his annoyance dissipate.
At least he’s sensible. It’s the only reason why I’m doing this. He reasons to himself as he walks down the hallway and goes down the stairs. If he’s lucky, he would get answers easily and he could (hopefully) go on his own way and make some space between him and that man.
When he reaches the first floor, he’s greeted by the sight of a few people. There’s a middle-aged man stationed behind a desk talking to them — no doubt the innkeeper. He’s conversing with them in an animated manner, his hands making gestures in the air. Eventually, the group of guests nod and give him a bow to which the innkeeper returns. When the small group of guests retreat, the innkeeper’s attention flies towards Liu Qingge. Before he could even speak, the innkeeper smiles at him. “Ah, Master Liu!”
Master Liu? So that’s his name?
Liu Qingge wordlessly walks towards the desk. Since Liu Qingge didn’t reply, the innkeeper’s forehead creases into confusion. “Master Liu? Is there a matter?”
How could he even explain this?
Liu Qingge clears his throat, his gaze casting downwards. “This… this one has encountered a problem.”
The innkeeper’s eyes momentarily grows large. Then he claps his hands loudly, nearly startling Liu Qingge. “Aiyah, why didn’t you say so in the beginning, Immortal Master? This lowly one will do his best in assisting you,” The innkeeper says. “Is it another matter regarding your wife?”
Liu Qingge’s brain halts. The rehearsed words he has in his head goes down the drain and his ear and mind moves past the words Immortal Master. Instead, his eyes widen, and he chokes: “W-wife?”
The innkeeper’s face drops alongside his hands which he had clapped earlier. “Yes, Master Liu. Is there a problem?”
That man— the man he woke up next to is his wife!? He’s married? And to that man?
Liu Qingge starts to feel fluttering in his stomach — all while feeling as if his stomach had dropped as well. He looks behind, dragging his gaze towards the staircase almost frantically, and holds onto the edge of the desk for support before glancing back at the innkeeper. “I-Is the man in my room my wife?”
If he thought that the innkeeper had been animated earlier, then Liu Qingge thought wrong. The innkeeper lets out a sharp gasp, face growing appalled, and slams his hands down the desk. Liu Qingge startles in return and flinches.
“Master Liu! Are you drunk!?” The innkeeper fires.
Liu Qingge’s face reddens, his tongue tied as he tries to come up with a defense. Of anything to say. “I—This one—”
“After you’ve upset your wife yesterday? How could you!?” The innkeeper continues, his tone growing firmer and sharper. Almost as if he’s accusing him.
Liu Qingge’s face falls. “W-what happened yesterday?”
“Unbelievable! How could you forget? Just yesterday you crawled to us and begged for guidance on what you should do to make it up with him! Your wife was rightfully upset— what, with you just letting some unknown woman hit on you!”
Liu Qingge’s jaw drops as his mouth lets out a few spluttering noises. He grips the edge of the desk firmer, trying to keep himself steady as his knees attempt to give up on him. His brain could hardly keep up with any of the information being given to him.
The beautiful man in the room is his wife. His wife. But then of course he is, who else could he be? Liu Qingge woke up with him draped over his body and pressed closed. They had luggage and belongings together that’s good enough for two people. Looking back, that man could be nothing else but a relative and someone intimate with him. But Liu Qingge had never suspected that he would be his wife!
We must have known each other before losing our memories too. Otherwise, why would we stay in the same room together?
Liu Qingge feels the back of his neck flush in color as the fluttering in his stomach becomes more unbearable. He thinks back to the image he woke up with. Of the man’s sleeping face, the blush in his cheeks, and the feeling of his warmth huddled with his. To think that this man is his wife and is married to him.
How had he gotten such a beautiful man to be his wife?
More than that, Liu Qingge had upset him. He couldn’t remember anything about himself, but did his past self lack sense that much? Why would he let some random woman hit on him when he’s married to a man who’s so beautiful he feels like an immortal? Or maybe it’s all a misunderstanding. Liu Qingge may not have his memories, but he still has a strong sense of his feelings and preferences. He would never be disloyal to someone he’s sworn loyalty to! He knows it!
And the innkeeper said that he asked them for help to make it up to his wife. Doesn’t that show his sincerity?
He couldn’t help but feel a sense of dismay. Now that their memories are gone, Liu Qingge has no idea if his past self had even been to make it up to him.
But then again, wasn’t his wife huddling into him when they slept? If he was still angry, why would he let Liu Qingge sleep with him?
Liu Qingge’s heart skips a beat at the thought.
“It seems you have no words to say, Master Liu?” The innkeeper’s voice breaks Liu Qingge out of his reverie. He says it in such a disappointing tone and he even crosses his arms over his chest and shakes his head.
Liu Qingge licks his lips to gather his words. How do you even tell an innkeeper that both you and your wife have lost your memories?
But the only way out is through. If he wants answers, he could only talk with the innkeeper honestly. And so, Liu Qingge answers bluntly: “Me and my wife both lost our memories.”
The innkeeper pauses. For a moment, Liu Qingge thinks that he’s broken him because he stopped moving. But then, he erupts: “What!?”
Liu Qingge opens his mouth to speak again, but he’s interrupted by a roaring feminine voice that cuts through the air. “Laogong! How many times do I have to tell you to keep your voice down, there are patrons still sleeping!”
A middle-aged woman dressed in similar-colored robes as the innkeeper comes in. She has a fierce look on her face while her hands are raised to her hips.
“Laopo, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!” The innkeeper immediately pleads. “It’s just that—” He cuts off, gesturing towards Liu Qingge in a frantic manner. “Aish! It’s just that Master Liu suddenly acted weird and now he’s told me that he and his wife both lost their memories!”
This time, it’s the woman who shrieks. “What!?”
“L-laopo! You were the one who said that there are still clients sleeping…” The innkeeper whimpers.
The woman scurries towards Liu Qingge and, discarding propriety, pulls his body forcefully to take a good look at him. “What happened? Was my foolish husband telling the truth?”
“Laopo, I would never lie to you!” The innkeeper exclaims.
“It’s… it’s true,” Liu Qingge answers, looking down. “I woke up confused that there’s a person lying beside me. My wife was too, and he even accused me that I must have done something to him last night for him to lie in bed with me,” Liu Qingge blushes. “I-I’ve only been aware of the status of our relationship because of your husband. I can’t even remember our names.”
The woman gapes at him and the innkeeper could only let out a small sob.
Eventually, she drops grasp on Liu Qingge and sighs frustratedly. “Aiyah, we need to get a doctor here soon. Something must have happened to you and your wife last night!”
“Did something happen?” Liu Qingge asks. “What did we do?”
The woman sighs again. “You both went out the entire day, so we have no idea. Me and my husband assumed that you took him out on a date to make it up to him. After all, you came to us and asked what you can do to gain his forgiveness!” She continues. “You left after eating breakfast and didn’t return until the night. Me and my husband even thought that the both of you enjoyed too much of your time alone together because you didn’t come back soon…”
“That’s true,” The innkeeper sighs. He looks at Liu Qingge dismayingly. “And now our time and effort of making you both reconcile is ruined.”
The woman grits her teeth and smacks her husband fiercely by the arm.
“Watch your mouth, you fool!” The woman exclaims.
“Laopo, I was only kidding!” The innkeeper cries.
Liu Qingge watches them silently as a weird feeling creeps in his chest.
“What… What is my wife’s name?”
The husband and wife halt their quarreling, their heads whipping towards his direction at the same time. The woman gives Liu Qingge a pitiful glance and sighs.
“Qingqiu. But I suppose something will explain it better,” She says. “Laogong, hand him the paper.”
The innkeeper nods and proceeds to hand Liu Qingge a piece of paper. “Here, Master Liu.”
Liu Qingge takes it from his hand and peers at it.
柳清歌 and 柳清秋. Liu Qingge and Liu Qingqiu.
He’s named Liu Qingge. And his wife is named Qingqiu. Clear song and clear autumn.
The color in Liu Qingge’s ears grows deeper and a faint shade of red starts dusking his cheeks. Eventually, he finds himself muttering: “I… see.”
The woman gives him another glance before letting out another sigh again. It must have been her umpteenth time sighing in the last minutes or so. But how could she not, when she witnessed the lovebirds quarrel yesterday and find out that they’ve lost their memories before they could even have any confirmation that they’ve made up?
That would not do! Not in her inn!
“Rest assured, Master Liu. We’ll help you,” She reassures. “There must be a way to get both of your wife’s memories back.”
“Our town is not that isolated, and there are multiple doctors within reach. We’ll surely call for one!” The innkeeper nods.
“For now, just go back to your room and explain everything to your wife, alright? We won’t let you leave knowing that something bad happened to the both of you!”
Liu Qingge grips the piece of paper firmer and glances at them with a determined glance. “Mn. This one understands and appreciates your favor.”
“Aiyah, of course you can rely on us! My husband and I have run this inn for years!” She exclaims. She and her husband aren’t new to strange cases in their business, but she would not let a pair of lovebirds get ruined by their lost memories. Not under her watch! “Now go! Give your wife an explanation, hm? And don’t you dare forget to tell everything and apologize. Do you understand?”
She gives Liu Qingge a fierce look that’s awfully similar to a sight of a mother sternly giving out orders to his son. The innkeeper behind her nods frantically and mouths You really should, Master Liu!
Liu Qingge gulps and only nods before turning around and heads towards the stairs.
He goes up with a lurching heart that’s beating like war drums in his ears. When he reaches their room, he feels the surging feeling of anxiety that’s been enveloping him grow worse.
Your wife was rightfully upset— what, with you just letting that woman hit on you!
He hasn’t even talked to his wife properly yet and Liu Qingge feels as if he’s already tarnished everything.
He grinds his teeth and lets out a terse sigh under his breath. It’s not like he can prolong his stay by the door for ages. He has to get in at some point and he’s bound to talk with Shen Qingqiu no matter what happens.
And so he swallows his anxieties and knocks on the door. Liu Qingge gets a few milliseconds to inhale another breath before the door suddenly opens and Shen Qingqiu’s face comes into view.
He’s scowling and almost immediately raises an eyebrow towards Liu Qingge’s figure. Despite the unpleasant look he’s giving him, Liu Qingge doesn’t get the urge to pounce and bite back. The beating of his heart only fastens, and he swears it might beat its way outside of his chest.
“What are you waiting for? For the sun to set? Get in.” Shen Qingqiu snaps. Before Liu Qingge could even muster a response, he turns around and goes inside the room. Liu Qingge could only hum stiffly in response, before going in himself with a heavy beating heart.
“I’ve looked into the luggages. It’s undoubtedly ours,” Shen Qingqiu starters. “All of the things are good enough for two people. And this,” He points towards the trunk filled with opulent robes alongside a few fans and jewelry. “Is obviously mine. The other luggage should be yours,” He grimaces then looks Liu Qingge by the eye. “If you have a problem with that, then you should say so now.”
Liu Qingge glances at the trunk. Just as Shen Qingqiu proclaimed, it should be his. He may have lost his memories, but Liu Qingge is certain that all of those opulent things couldn’t belong to him. He’s not attracted to the shiny jewelry or the opulent robes — nor does he feel any attachment to them. And the way Shen Qingqiu already dresses is already a tell-tale sign. He doesn’t see any problem, those things definitely belong to Shen Qingqiu.
Plus… the sight of Shen Qingqiu laying claim over his belongings sends a buzzing feeling to Liu Qingge’s guts. Didn’t that mean that he must have spoiled his wife a lot before losing their memories? Those clothes, jewelry, and trinkets are undoubtedly not cheap or easy to acquire. And the couple from downstairs have claimed that he spent the rest of yesterday making it up to him.
Liu Qingge’s face warms.
“What’s the matter with you?” Shen Qingqiu frowns upon noticing his silence. “Do you have a problem with what I said or not?”
Liu Qingge shakes his thoughts away and swiftly shakes his head. “I don’t, those things are undoubtedly yours.”
Shen Qingqiu’s eyes widen, not expecting Liu Qingge’s immediate agreement. Then, he narrows his eyes into slits to look at Liu Qingge suspiciously. “You truly… don’t have a problem?”
Liu Qingge shakes his head again. “Mn, I don’t. I’m certain those things are yours. It aligns with what they told me downstairs.”
“What did they say?” Shen Qingqiiu questions, crossing his arms over his chest and tapping his foot on the floor impatiently. Liu Qingge watches him and couldn’t help but feel a sense of… warmth and satisfaction. Shen Qingqiu is truly acting like a spoiled wife. He must have really doted on him a lot before they lost their memories.
That’s right. He’s his wife…
Liu Qingge coughs and averts himself from Shen Qingqiu’s gaze momentarily. Shen Qingqiu continues to watch him with suspicious eyes. Liu Qingge lets out a tense breath.
“The couple who runs this inn told me that we’re immortal cultivators….” Liu Qingge begins. He glances back at Shen Qingqiu to watch his expression carefully. “... And that we’re married.”
The tapping of Shen Qingqi’s foot on the floor stops. Then his figure stiffens as his eyes grow wide due to Liu Qingge’s words.
Not wanting to make him worry, Liu Qingge continues hurriedly: “They told me that we spent the day out together yesterday and that we didn’t return until night. I had also apparently asked them for help the other day on how to make it up to you because I upset you… accidentally.”
Shen Qingqiu still doesn’t answer and remains unmoving. Liu Qingge’s stomach drops and his heart speedens up even further.
“I— they also gave me our names. It’s in this paper,” One of his hands fly out to give Shen Qingqiu the paper. “It’s the one we filled up when booking for this place.”
The gesture finally disrupts Shen Qingqiu’s frozen figure. He looks down and hesitatingly takes the paper from Liu Qingge’s hand. Liu Qingge watches nervously and swallows.
“Liu…. Qingge.” Shen Qingqiu suddenly says in an enthralled tone — almost as if he’s bewildered of the name rolling on his lips. His head is bent down, looking at the paper with his countenance hidden from Liu Qingge’s place.
“And you’re named Qingqiu. Liu Qingqiu.” Liu Qingge quickly says in a desperate attempt to come off as more convincing.
“Qingqiu.” Shen Qingqiu repeats as if he’s practicing saying the name.
Liu Qingge nods and watches carefully. Shen Qingqiu remains silent as he stays still looking at the paper. Silence protrudes the room, and Liu Qingge could hear nothing but his heart’s heavy beating that almost feels like war drums in his ears. The longer the silence stretches, the farther his stomach drops.
Then, something happens. Shen Qingqiu glances up from the paper and looks at Liu Qingge. More specifically, he looks him up and down in an inquisitive gaze, before looking back at the luggage he had pointed at earlier. Liu Qingge couldn’t tell what he’s thinking and the gesture of being judged sends his heart into further turmoil. But then Shen Qingqiu averts his gaze by glancing at the window, and says in a low tone: “I… suppose you really are my husband.”
Liu Qingge pauses. “Y-you believe me?”
“You fool, why else would we be in a room together and wake up e-entangled with each other,” He reasons out. Even though he’s looking away from him, Liu Qingge could notice the tell-tale signs of a blush in his cheeks. “The owners said so themselves so we have other accounts. Plus, you’re not too bad looking, so I-I really must have married you.”
Waves of relief flushes through Liu Qingge’s chest. The anxiety clouding his chest has eroded and he can’t help but let his face light up.
He had been prepared to engage in a more lengthy conversation in case Shen Qingqiu didn’t believe him, but he’s glad that his wife hadn’t. Maybe… It was both of their consciousness that made it so easy. They’re married aren’t they? Even if they lost their memories, they’re bound to gravitate to each other and like the other the same way. The same way Shen Qingqiu had gravitated towards that trunk filled with robes and fans while Liu Qingge felt nothing.
“I’m glad,” Liu Qingge smiles. He suddenly gets the urge to take a step forward to welcome Shen Qingqiu in his arms, but he knows that they don’t have the same intimacy as before and he doesn’t want to overstep. “I’ve also explained our situation with them. The owners told me that they would call for doctors to check up on us.”
“Can they bring us our memories back?” Shen Qingqiu suddenly asks.
“I can’t… say for certain yet,” Liu Qingge admits. Before Shen Qingqiu could reply, he takes a step forward towards him and takes his hand, making Shen Qingqiu let out a small gasp. “But I promise you, I’ll do what I can to get our memories back. And even if we can’t, my love for you won’t change and I’ll work for your affections again.”
Almost immediately, Shen Qingqiu becomes red as a tomato. “W-what the hell are you saying— you’re ridiculous!” He exclaims but makes no move to take his hand away. “Stop focusing on foolish things and find a way to get our memories back!”
Liu Qingge is tempted to lean in to wrap his arms around him. He thinks about the scene that greeted him when he had woken up and subsequently misses the warmth and feel of Shen Qingqiu’s body against his. Even though an hour hasn’t passed yet, he really shouldn’t have taken it for granted.
Then, all of a sudden, Shen Qingqiu stiffens in his hold. “Hold on.”
“What is it?” Liu Qingge asks.
Shen Qingqiu’s green eyes narrow again. “You told me that you had upset me and asked them for help to make it up to me before we lost our memories,” He says suspiciously. “Why was I upset?”
This time, it’s Liu Qingge’s turn to stiffen.
Shen Qingqiu's face dims. “What is it?”
Liu Qingge momentarily looks to the side before closing his eyes and sighing. He’s bound to tell Shen Qingqiu the truth and ripping it off would be better than prolonging it. And so, he admits: “I’ve wronged you… the innkeeper said that I had accidentally let some woman hit on me.”
Shen Qingqiu freezes. Then, his nostrils flare, he whips Liu Qingge’s hand away from him. “Get out!”
“Qingqiu, I—” Liu Qingge tries to reason out but the man makes a move to go on the bed, his back already facing him.
“Leave! Don’t touch me!” Shen Qingqiu huffs.
Just as the innkeeper had thought, their efforts to help the two of them reconcile have been ruined.