You Are the Cinnabar in My Heart

Who Are You?

Watching James Carter walk in, Lily curled up in the corner of the bed, eyeing him warily.

James Carter looked down at himself and walked into the bathroom without a word.

When he came out, his face was washed clean, but he was still in the same clothes.

Lily's eyes were inadvertently drawn to James Carter's face.

Despite wearing tattered clothes, she had never seen a man who could still exude an innate aura of nobility, indifference, and nonchalance, as if he were a king high above, showing no signs of being downtrodden.

It wasn't until James Carter approached her that she awkwardly averted her gaze, "You..." She meant to get a good look.

But the words changed on her lips, "Can you tell me who you are? Why am I in the hospital?"

James Carter sat by the bed, his eyes intensely focused on Lily, as if trying to absorb her into his gaze, "My name is James Carter, your husband. You had a car accident and forgot me. We were very much in love."

Lily was surprised, not expecting such a handsome man to be her husband, "We were very much in love?"

"Yes." James Carter reached out to hold Lily's hand, pressing it against his cheek.

Lily, feeling shy, tried to pull her hand back, but James Carter held it tightly, not letting go.

"Stop it."

Lily obediently let James Carter hold her hand, and after a while, she spoke, "How did we meet before?"

"Through a matchmaking service."

"Ah?" Lily was surprised, not expecting they had met through matchmaking.

"I was attracted to you and chased you for almost half a year before you agreed to try it," James Carter said, smiling at the memory of when he first met Lily.

"You and I were of marriageable age, tired of being nagged by our families, so we agreed to meet. At first, you didn't think much of me. It was only after I persistently pursued you that you compromised."

"Really?" Lily asked, doubtingly. She couldn't believe her past self would reject such a good-looking man.

James Carter chuckled lightly, "Of course. Before our trial marriage, you set all these rules, forbidding this and that."

"Trial marriage? Was I that... assertive before?"

"You weren't assertive; you just had strong opinions, but..."

"But what?" Lily asked curiously.

"Just occasionally a bit silly," James Carter laughed softly.

"Silly?"

"Like coveting my good looks, unable to extricate yourself."

"You're making that up!" Annoyed, Lily pulled her hand back and hit James Carter with a pillow.

James Carter pretended to be in pain, "Ow!"

Taking him seriously, Lily stopped her actions and asked worriedly, "Are you alright?"

"It hurts."

"Ah? Where does it hurt?" Lily anxiously started to get out of bed to check James Carter's injuries.

James Carter quickly pulled Lily into his arms, resting his chin on her forehead and chuckling lowly, "Just kidding."

Lily bit her lip, instinctively wanting to bite his shoulder, but when her gaze fell on his blood-stained clothes, she couldn't help but shudder.

Feeling her reaction, James Carter slightly pulled away and asked, "What's wrong?"

"You should change your clothes; let the doctor check if you're injured," Lily suggested, pointing at his clothes.

James Carter looked down at his dirty self, immediately releasing Lily, and nodded, "Alright, you be good and don't run around."

Lily obediently nodded her head.

James Carter bowed and kissed her forehead, "I'll be back soon."