I Don't Remember

Meng Huai still looked as scruffy as ever as he sat beside Zhang Meimei's bed. A flicker of fear crossed the girl's eyes—an instinctive fear.

Meng Huai knew the effects of the gu poison had not completely faded, which was why she still felt afraid when facing him. Every kind of gu insect instinctively feared a gu master.

Meng Huai smiled gently. "You don't need to be afraid. I mean you no harm. I just wanted to ask whether you've offended anyone at school."

Zhang Meimei shook her head gently and said weakly, "I never argue with anyone, so naturally I haven't offended anyone. Who are you, and why are you asking?"

Her father hurriedly explained from beside her, "This is Dr. Meng from the hospital. He was the one who cured you yesterday. Answer his questions honestly. It'll help with your condition."

Meng Huai had always believed that matters like this should not be concealed. Gu poison was strange and sinister by nature. Without understanding the full story, there was no way to solve the problem!

Often, one tiny detail could be the key. Their line of work was different from others; even the smallest mistake could cost a life.

And not just their own lives, but someone else's as well. Everyone had only one life, and no one's was worth more than another's. They had to cherish them.

So he said bluntly, "You aren't sick. Someone poisoned you with gu. By rights, this shouldn't have happened, but it did. That's why I want you to think carefully about who did this to you!"

Zhang Meimei shook her head gently and struggled to remember, but still came up with nothing. She said cautiously, "I really don't remember. Could someone have made a mistake?"

A sharp gleam flashed in Meng Huai's eyes. This girl's reaction was unusual. Any ordinary person would have reacted with disbelief first.

After all, this sounded like something out of a fantasy. Yet the girl had not questioned it at all. She had merely said she did not remember. Something was definitely fishy!

Meng Huai picked up his flask and took a sip, then said with a drunken belch, "What you were poisoned with was insect gu. It may be the lowest grade of gu poison, but it can still kill.

"And killing is the only thing these low-grade gu poisons can do. Whoever used it on you definitely had sinister intentions!

"I don't know why you're protecting this person, but the fact that they wanted to kill you is beyond dispute. Is anything really more important than your life?

"And don't think you're helping them. Once they get a taste of success, they probably won't stop. More people will end up getting hurt!"

Hesitation appeared in Zhang Meimei's eyes, but in the end, she still said nothing. She only bit her lip hard, then closed her eyes.

Everyone could plainly see that something was being hidden. Zhang Meimei's father grew agitated and wanted to shout at his daughter.

But when he saw how haggard she looked, the words caught in his throat and turned into a sob. Then his tears began to fall!

Seeing how determined the girl was, Meng Huai shook his head. "Let her think it over some more. Whoever did this failed this time, and they definitely won't let it go.

"I'll stay here and wait for them to come. As long as they dare show themselves, they won't escape me. Once everything comes to light, we'll know exactly where things stand."

Zhang Meimei's eyelashes fluttered. She had clearly heard him, though she did not open her eyes. Still, she seemed to have made a decision.

Three days passed in a flash without the slightest development. Zhang Meimei cooperated fully with her treatment and recovered well, constantly asking to be discharged.

Meng Huai said with a smile, "Your body hasn't fully recovered yet. It's far too early to leave. Why not stay a few more days? It's not as though you have to pay!

"That person certainly knows how to keep their cool. They haven't shown up in three whole days. But if this is a contest of patience, I'm sure they can't beat me. Don't you think so, little girl?"

Zhang Meimei's expression darkened, and she turned her head away. She was clearly angry, as though blaming him for sticking his nose into her business!

Night soon fell. The girl quietly climbed out of bed and glanced toward the door. Two nurses were keeping watch there.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Meimei produced a small bottle from somewhere. Inside were two things that looked like fireflies.

Zhang Meimei opened the bottle, and the two little insects flew out. They circled the nurses once. Both nurses yawned, then slumped straight onto the counter at the nurses' station.

Zhang Meimei quickly changed her clothes and cautiously slipped out. She glanced around once more before walking briskly away. Her pace was anything but slow; she did not look ill at all.

To the left of the hospital was a small hill that had been turned into a park. At night, however, it was eerie and frightening, and few people lingered there.

Zhang Meimei climbed over the park fence and soon reached the hilltop. There was a pavilion there, with many fireflies flitting nearby, looking like ghostly flames.

Zhang Meimei said softly, "I know you're here. Why are you hiding instead of coming to see me? Didn't you want to kill me? Now I've come right to you. Go on, do it!"

Zhang Meimei called out twice in succession, and tears began to fall. She sat on a stone seat and sobbed, her tear-streaked face as delicate as pear blossoms in the rain.

The fireflies darted about, and someone in black with short hair appeared behind her. The figure looked like a boy, but had no Adam's apple!

She placed a hand on Zhang Meimei's shoulder. As soon as she spoke, it was clear that she, too, was a girl, though her appearance was androgynous.

She said apologetically, "I never wanted to kill you. I wanted to kill that bastard. But why did you have to protect him and rush to eat that piece of bread?

"If you hadn't met someone who could help you this time, you would have died. I may know how to use insect gu, but I'm not very skilled. I couldn't have saved you."

Zhang Meimei leaned against her and tilted her head up. "Because I love him. He's the man I want to spend my life with. I know how you feel about me, but we can only be close friends!

"Why did you have to hurt him? You'll only end up hurting yourself and others. I saw you tampering with that bread, but I couldn't bring myself to tell him. I thought it was just a laxative or something. I never imagined you knew such evil arts!"

The girl did not answer her. Instead, she looked off to one side, where Meng Huai sat on a rock, swinging his flask.