LIVING FOR THE CITY
890 Words
Chapter 15
The decision to take Lin Yue to the city did not happen immediately.
The old couple were cautious people. Living in the quiet village for so many years had taught them that every step should be taken carefully.
Still, the thought lingered in their minds.
Lin Yue’s condition was strange. Although she appeared physically healthy, the occasional pain in her chest and the fragments of memories she described made them uneasy.
They did not want to ignore it.
Two days later, the sound of a car engine echoed down the narrow village road.
Lin Yue was in the courtyard watering the small plants when she heard it.
The sound was unfamiliar in such a quiet place.
Cars rarely passed through this part of the village.
She paused and turned toward the gate.
A dark-colored car slowly approached the old couple’s house before stopping outside.
For a moment, the engine remained running.
Then the door opened.
A man stepped out.
He looked to be in his early thirties, dressed in simple but well-tailored clothes that did not quite match the rustic surroundings of the village.
He glanced around the small courtyard before his eyes settled on Lin Yue.
His expression froze slightly.
Lin Yue felt a little awkward under his gaze and lowered the watering can.
Before either of them spoke, the old woman’s voice came from inside the house.
“Who is it?”
The man immediately smiled.
“Mom, it’s me.”
The old woman hurried out of the house, wiping her hands on a cloth.
Her face lit up with surprise.
“You came already?”
The man laughed lightly and walked forward to greet her.
“You sounded so serious on the phone yesterday. Of course I came.”
The old man followed shortly after, stepping out onto the porch.
“Hmm. You drove all the way from the city again.”
The man shrugged.
“It’s only a few hours.”
Then his attention returned to Lin Yue.
His eyes examined her quietly.
“Is she the girl you mentioned?”
The old woman nodded.
“Yes. This is Lin Yue.”
She turned to Lin Yue with a gentle smile.
“This is our son.”
Lin Yue bowed her head slightly in greeting.
“Hello.”
The man’s expression softened.
“Hello.”
For a moment, he studied her more carefully.
There was something unusual about the young woman standing in the courtyard.
Not her appearance — although she was undeniably beautiful — but the quiet aura she carried.
Even standing silently, she seemed strangely composed.
Almost… ancient.
He shook the thought away quickly.
“So,” he said, turning to his parents, “tell me everything.”
Inside the house, the old couple explained the entire story once again.
How they had discovered Lin Yue near the mountains.
How she had been unconscious for days.
How she could not remember anything about her past.
The man listened carefully.
Occasionally his gaze drifted toward Lin Yue, who sat quietly nearby.
When they finished, he leaned back in his chair.
“That’s certainly unusual,” he admitted.
Lin Yue felt slightly embarrassed.
“I’m sorry for causing so much trouble.”
The man shook his head.
“You didn’t cause anything.”
He paused before continuing.
“But I do agree with my parents about one thing.”
He looked directly at her.
“You should get a full check-up in the city hospital.”
Lin Yue lowered her gaze slightly.
“I see.”
“The village clinic simply doesn’t have the equipment needed to examine memory loss properly,” he explained. “In the city we can run more detailed tests.”
The old woman nodded firmly.
“That’s exactly what we were saying.”
The man stood up and stretched slightly.
“Well, since I’m already here, we can leave tomorrow morning.”
Lin Yue looked up in surprise.
“So soon?”
He smiled.
“The earlier we check, the sooner we’ll know if there’s anything wrong.”
She hesitated.
The village had become a place of comfort for her.
The quiet mountains, the peaceful air, and the kindness of the old couple had made her feel safe in a world she barely understood.
Leaving it felt strangely difficult.
But she knew it was necessary.
“…Alright,” she said softly.
Later that evening, Lin Yue stepped outside into the courtyard again.
The sky above the mountains was clear, filled with faint stars.
The quiet wind brushed gently against her face.
Tomorrow she would leave the village for the first time since the old couple had found her.
She did not know why, but a faint sense of anticipation stirred within her chest.
As if something in the distant city was waiting.
Behind her, the pendant resting against her collarbone gave a faint warmth.
So slight she almost didn’t notice it.
Far away, beyond the mountains…
In the vast city glowing with lights…
Someone else suddenly paused while walking down a crowded street.
He frowned faintly.
For a brief moment, his chest tightened with an unfamiliar discomfort.
He placed a hand against it.
“…Strange.”
But after a moment, the feeling disappeared.
He continued walking, never realizing that somewhere in the mountains…
A quiet change had already begun.
- Writer
