Batter My Heart,Mr Xi (Book 2)

Chapter XXVIII

Sunlight filtered through the gauzy curtains as Yang Zhilan stirred awake, her head feeling heavy yet oddly clear. A young maid who sat in a chair monitoring her immediately appeared at her bedside with a glass of water.

"Miss Yang, please drink this," the maid said softly, helping her sit up. "You gave us quite a scare earlier."

As Yang Zhilan sipped the cool water, the maid continued, "The Xi Patriarch has arrived. He's downstairs with Madame Xi and Mr Xi."

" Wait, didn't Xi Jinwei had some business to attend to. He's already back?"

The maid answered, "Yes, it's already been three hours since you fainted. When he heard the news, he immediately finished his business and came back. Right now, he is downstairs talking to the Xi Patriarch."

"I see."

Yang Zhilan could not believe she had actually fainted for three hours. They were getting out of hand and she needed to go to her doctor for an assessment again.

The maid requested for her leave and Yang Zhilan nodded. As she looked around the room, she realized she was familiar with it. She knew this room. Yang Zhilan's eyes wandered over the space, memories whispering at the edges of her consciousness.

The antique rosewood furniture, the delicate silk wallpaper with hand-painted peonies, the view of the lavender garden from the bay window - she'd seen it all before, countless times. Her feet carried her to the ornate desk by the window, muscle memory guiding her movements.

The first drawer revealed business files - quarterly reports, merger documents, all bearing Xi Jinwei's neat annotations. "These should be his." she murmured, carefully returning them. Her hands moved to the second drawer, pulling it open to reveal a small, intricately carved jewelry box.

Inside, nestled on dark velvet, lay an opal necklace. The moment her fingers touched the cool stone, memories crashed over her like a tidal wave.

The bookshop. The novel. The transmigration.

Meeting Xi Jinwei for the first time when he was being bullied, his cold demeanor masking something deeper.
Her mother and father odd relationship. Chi Minxia and Long Yue, her two best friends. The kidnapping when Jinwei fell off the cruise. Ling Zhirou coming into her life. The moment she was hit in the ferry. The water closing over her head.

Everything.

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she clutched the necklace to her chest, overwhelmed by the rush of memories. She barely registered the door opening until a familiar voice called out, "Laner?"

Xi Jinwei stood in the doorway, his usual composed expression cracking at the sight of her tears. "Are you alright?" He crossed the room in quick strides.

Yang Zhilan turned, hastily wiping her eyes. "I remember," she whispered. "I remember everything."

More tears fell despite her efforts to stop them. Xi Jinwei gently turned her face toward him, thumbs brushing away the wetness on her cheeks. "Isn't this what you want?"

She shook her head, voice trembling. "That's not it. It's just... it's so much. All at once. It's—" A sob cut off her words.

Xi Jinwei pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. "It's okay," he murmured against her hair. "You're okay." Xi Jinwei looked at the necklace that she had clutched so tightly in her hands. He wondered what was so special about it as they moment she took it, she suddenly remembered everything. And the fact that she had always been wearing it since her childhood, like it was some kind of protective charm. He was glad he kept it.

When her breathing steadied, she looked up at him. "You knew I was Wang Linxue the whole time right?"

"Yes."