Liu Hui didn't know why Anqi chose this moment to return to Chuzhou, but after a brief consideration, he decided to rush there immediately, as he had many lingering doubts and things he needed to tell her.

Liu Hui had experienced a great deal over the past few years; he was certainly no longer the naive, green youth he once was in Chuzhou. Back then, he might have chosen death for the sake of Shu Yan, but he wouldn't do such a thing now. This wasn't because his feelings for Shu Yan had faded, but because he had matured significantly over those years. A person has many responsibilities beyond their romantic life. When someone begins to approach matters through the lens of responsibility, they have truly grown up.

This was also why Liu Hui had been so angry at his parents for imploring Master Zhiguang to seal his memories of Shu Yan back then, but now he understood their well-intentioned motives. The current Liu Hui certainly wouldn't blame his parents for their past decision; if possible, he wouldn't even want them to know he had recovered those memories. His parents were living happily now, and he didn't want to force them to relive the despair they once felt.

Liu Hui decided to return to Chuzhou, so he simply told his parents that he needed to return home immediately for some business matters and would come back once things were settled. Seeing Liu Hui’s tone was normal, his parents didn't think too much of it, merely advising him to take care of his health and not overwork himself.

After hesitating for a long time, Liu Hui finally called Hu Xian'er to inform her that he needed to return home right away. To his surprise, Hu Xian'er readily agreed and even told him to come back soon. Her straightforwardness rendered all the carefully prepared excuses Liu Hui had ready completely useless. Faced with Hu Xian'er's trust, Liu Hui felt even guiltier toward her in his heart.

What Liu Hui didn't know was that after hanging up, Hu Xian'er’s heart was being twisted with agony. She had figured out that Liu Hui was following in Anqi’s footsteps. Although she desperately wanted to tell him not to go back to China, a voice inside her kept urging her to trust Liu Hui, to believe that he would handle this matter properly.

Liu Hui notified the Luo family in the country and then, with a complex mix of emotions, boarded his private jet. Escorted by two hovering fighter jets, he flew towards Chuzhou Airport.

The cooperation between Xingkong Group and the domestic Luo family was currently in a golden age, so Liu Hui was not at all worried about his safety back home. Even if something unforeseen happened, with his skills as a God-level expert, and since Chuzhou was still within the five-thousand-kilometer radius controlled by Little Black, he could easily return to the "City of Stars."

Because Xingkong Group had informed the Luo family in advance, Liu Hui's private jet flew unimpeded all the way to Chuzhou Airport. After landing, Liu Hui boarded a customized armored vehicle that had been transported along with his jet. Following his vehicle were police cars clearing the way, dispatched by Chuzhou, and vehicles belonging to Xingkong Group's security personnel. Following the map imprinted in his mind, Liu Hui directed the convoy toward the direction of Shu Yan's old home in Chuzhou.

When Liu Hui once again saw the familiar street and the familiar courtyard of Shu Yan's house, he finally let out a long breath of relief. The street and the courtyard were exactly as they were in his memory. Even a subtle mark he had carved outside the gate out of boredom while waiting for Shu Yan was still there. Seeing these familiar sights, Liu Hui was finally certain that the memories sealed in his mind were genuinely real, not something forcefully implanted by some secret technique.

Liu Hui got out of the car and stood before the courtyard of Shu Yan’s house.

Desheng stepped forward and reported, "Boss, we have gathered the information you requested. After Shu Yan passed away, her parents fell gravely ill from grieving for their daughter, weeping day and night. They lingered like that for several years and passed away one after the other the year before last. It's said this street is slated for old town renovation, and the buildings, including this courtyard, are all scheduled for demolition. So, this courtyard is empty, unoccupied. Shu Yan's relatives come by roughly every six months to help clean up."

In truth, Desheng had always known Liu Hui had a lover in Chuzhou, but that lover was already deceased. Desheng was unaware that Liu Hui’s memory had been sealed. He was surprised by Liu Hui’s subsequent composure, as Liu Hui never mentioned his lover in Chuzhou. Unsure of Liu Hui’s intentions, Desheng dared not divulge certain happenings in Chuzhou. Now that Liu Hui was asking about Chuzhou, he immediately relayed the information he had investigated.

"Do you have the key to the gate of this courtyard?" Liu Hui asked.

"I got the key to this courtyard’s main gate from Shu Yan’s relatives. Boss, do you need me to open the gate right now?" Desheng inquired.

"Open it!" Liu Hui said calmly on the surface, though his heart was already pounding with excitement.

So, Desheng used the key in his hand to open the courtyard gate. Liu Hui walked in from the entrance, and the first thing he saw was the patch of earth inside the yard. Uncared for, that patch of land was overgrown with various weeds and wild flowers. A broken reclining chair sat in the yard, rocking gently in the breeze. Everything in this courtyard was exactly as it was in Liu Hui’s memory.

Standing in the yard, Liu Hui looked at the desolate land. The instant he recalled Shu Yan being pierced by glass on this very spot, contracting an unknown pathogen, and ultimately dying, his eyes reddened.

Suddenly, Liu Hui noticed a few faint footprints in the weed-choked yard.

"Has anyone been here recently?" Liu Hui pointed at the footprints and asked.

"Boss, those footprints should belong to Miss Anqi and A'Xia. The intelligence I received was that they were here yesterday," Desheng replied.

Liu Hui had awakened his sealed memories, so he was certain Anqi was Shu Yan. But why did Anqi know about Chuzhou, and why did she come to Shu Yan's house? Had Anqi sensed something? If so, was the sudden unsealing of his memories connected to Anqi?

Liu Hui's mind filled with questions. When he entered the house, he found traces that someone had been moving things around. Especially in the room where Shu Yan used to live, Liu Hui noticed that items had been rummaged through. The mirror on the wall had been wiped clean, and a photograph of Shu Yan that used to hang above the headboard was gone, leaving fresh marks beside it.

"Could it be that Anqi has recovered her memory and knows she is Shu Yan? Is that why she specifically came to Chuzhou to retrieve her belongings?" The thought made Liu Hui excited, eager to meet Anqi and get a clear answer.

Liu Hui mourned in Shu Yan's house for a while, saddened by the death of Anqi's parents, yet overjoyed by Anqi's potential recovery. His heart was a turmoil of sorrow and joy. As he left the courtyard, he told Desheng, "Contact the local officials immediately. Tell them this courtyard belongs to Xingkong Group, and they must abandon this planned old town renovation project right away, preserving this courtyard, even this entire street, as it is. Whatever losses they incur from stopping this project, we will compensate them fully."

Desheng acknowledged the order and immediately called Xingkong Group's specialists to negotiate with the local government.

Leaving Shu Yan’s house, Liu Hui's convoy continued through the city of Chuzhou. As the convoy passed the massive factory complex where Liu Hui had worked for several months, Liu Hui noticed the factory grounds were desolate, lacking the former prosperity. Upon inquiry, he learned that the factory had gone bankrupt and closed down three years ago.

Seeing all this, Liu Hui felt a wave of emotion. In the years since he left Chuzhou, the city had changed too much; it was entirely different from the impression held within his memory.

Liu Hui's convoy stopped in front of a small restaurant. Liu Hui got out and entered the small restaurant alone, finding a seat.

"Welcome. What would you like to order? Here is a menu for you to look at," a woman immediately approached, standing beside Liu Hui and handing him a menu.

"Chuchu, are you well?" Liu Hui asked the middle-aged woman with a stout figure, smiling faintly.

"You... you are... you are Liu Hui?" Chuchu suddenly shrieked.

"It's me, Chuchu. I came to see you today," Liu Hui said, smiling.

Who knew that Chuchu would suddenly grow angry, saying, "Liu Hui, go away. We don't serve scoundrels here."

Liu Hui asked in surprise, "Chuchu, what are you talking about?"

Chuchu retorted resentfully, "I don't speak to heartless men. Right after Yan Yan passed away, you completely forgot her. The last time I saw you, you pretended not to know me when I greeted you."

Liu Hui sighed and gave a wry smile. "Chuchu, I apologize. But don't you know who I am? I am definitely not heartless. After Yan Yan passed away, certain changes happened to me that made me forget about Yan Yan and you. That’s why when you called out to me at Bashan Airport a few years ago, I didn't recognize you at all—I didn't respond because I didn't know you. But now I remember you both, so I came back to Chuzhou to visit."

Chuchu hesitated for a moment before saying, "Liu Hui, did you really not remember me back then?"

Liu Hui nodded. "Yes, I had amnesia then."

Chuchu finally relaxed, sat down, and said, "I thought you were an ungrateful man who forgot old friends once you became successful. Now that you’ve explained, I've finally laid this matter that weighed on my heart to rest."

Liu Hui looked at Chuchu's cheap clothes and rough skin and asked, "Chuchu, how have you managed all these years?"

Chuchu’s eyes immediately dimmed. She said, "The factory we worked at went bankrupt three years ago. All of us employees were laid off, and I couldn't find suitable work. It wasn't until two years ago that I managed to open this small restaurant; it barely keeps me fed. I’ve worked tirelessly these past two years, only just paying off the debts from opening the restaurant."

Liu Hui looked at Chuchu, who now appeared like a middle-aged woman with a much heavier build, and felt a pang of sadness. Back then, Chuchu was actually a bit prettier than Shu Yan. He couldn't believe that in just seven years, Chuchu's appearance had changed so drastically. If Desheng hadn't thoroughly investigated Chuchu's situation beforehand, he wouldn't have recognized the person before him as the once-beautiful Chuchu. "Wife, what are you doing, chatting instead of serving customers?" A fat man with a coarse face emerged from the kitchen in the back, a spatula in hand and a cigarette dangling from his lips, hearing Chuchu's voice.

Chuchu, seeing Liu Hui look at the slovenly fat man, introduced him somewhat awkwardly, "Liu Hui, this is my husband. His name is Shi Hu, and he’s the chef at our restaurant." Then, Chuchu introduced him to Shi Hu: "Honey, this is Liu Hui, Shu Yan's boyfriend I told you about."

Shi Hu’s eyes were initially full of suspicion when he looked at Liu Hui, but upon hearing Chuchu’s introduction, his eyes suddenly lit up. He threw his cigarette butt on the ground, vigorously wiped his hands on his apron, grasped Liu Hui's hand, and said enthusiastically, "Mr. Liu, hello."

Liu Hui smiled and said, "Hello."

Shi Hu asked, "May I ask what Mr. Liu's connection is to the boss of Xingkong Group..."

Liu Hui stated, "That's right, I am Liu Hui, the boss of Xingkong Group."

Shi Hu immediately turned to Chuchu and said, "Wife, so what you said about being good friends with Mr. Liu Hui was true."

Chuchu glanced at Shi Hu but said nothing. Shi Hu then enthusiastically grabbed Liu Hui, wanting to talk to him. However, Liu Hui smoothly extricated himself. He gave Chuchu a business card and said, "Chuchu, we at the 'City of Stars' are still hiring in large numbers. If you both want to change careers and are willing to come work at the 'City of Stars,' take this card and find the staff at the Xingkong dedicated store in Chuzhou. They will contact me, and I will handle all the procedures for you."

Chuchu took the card, tears welling up in her eyes. Shi Hu, upon hearing Liu Hui’s words, became even more agitated. He kept bowing deeply and humbly proclaiming, "Thank you, Boss Liu, we are willing to come work at the 'City of Stars.' We will come once we tidy up a bit. We promise to work hard."

Liu Hui observed that the relationship between Chuchu and Shi Hu did not seem harmonious. Liu Hui sighed inwardly. Fate is incredibly wondrous yet elusive; who could have imagined that the once young and beautiful Chuchu would become so stout and aged after a few years, and married to such a coarse, fat cook?

After leaving Chuchu’s small restaurant, Liu Hui was led by Desheng to the gravesite of Shu Yan’s parents in the suburbs of Chuzhou. When they found the tomb of the elderly couple, they saw two bouquets of pure white flowers placed before the grave, along with evidence of recent offerings.

Liu Hui immediately knew this must have been Anqi paying respects to Shu Yan's parents. Anqi had gotten ahead of him again this time, intensifying the mysteries swirling in his mind.

Liu Hui took out the offerings he had prepared from the car, arranged them before the graves of Shu Yan's parents, and bowed to the tombs of the elders.

Liu Hui spoke, "Mom and Dad, I have found someone who resembles Shu Yan; her name is Anqi. If she is indeed Shu Yan, I will treat her well. Please watch over us from the afterlife and ensure we are happy."

After paying respects to Shu Yan’s parents, Liu Hui got back into the car and headed toward Shuzhou Province. According to news relayed by A'Xia, Anqi had already taken them to Shuzhou Province, reportedly heading toward the famous Taoist scenic spot there.

As soon as Liu Hui saw A'Xia's message, he knew Anqi was trying to reach the mountain stream platform in the Taoist scenic area. Anqi was likely searching for something there, so he rushed towards that mountain stream platform as well.

Liu Hui's convoy traveled day and night, finally arriving at the Taoist scenic spot in Shuzhou Province the next morning. He got out of the car, bringing Desheng and a group of security personnel, and entered the scenic area, following the path recalled from his memory.

Soon, Liu Hui found the mountain path leading to the stream platform. Following the route from his memory, he headed toward the platform. His physical condition now was many times superior to before, and the security personnel with him were also very agile. Thus, even though the mountain path had been destroyed by the super earthquake, they reached the location of the stream platform from Liu Hui’s memory in just one hour.

When Liu Hui once again saw the stream platform that had once resembled a paradise on earth, he stood frozen like a statue. The beautiful platform he remembered was completely gone before his eyes. The grave Liu Hui had built for Shu Yan back then was nowhere in sight.

The destructive power of that super earthquake had been immense; it had completely shaken down the entire suspended platform. The stream platform shattered and fell into the deep gorge below, which had since turned into a river. Under the constant scouring of the water, no trace of the stream platform could be found anymore.

And there, standing blankly on the edge of the cliff, gazing in the direction where the stream platform once existed, was a thin woman. Behind her stood several other women, guarding her safety.

"Anqi..." Upon seeing the woman, Liu Hui was overcome with emotion and shouted out.

"Liu Yan, you came too." Anqi heard Liu Hui’s voice, turned back, and said with excitement.

Liu Hui walked forward and stood beside Anqi. Together, they looked at the vanished stream platform. Liu Hui silently pulled Anqi into his embrace.

Anqi wrapped her arms around Liu Hui’s waist in return and said mournfully, "Hui, everything here is gone. All my memories of you have vanished too; I can never find myself again."

Liu Hui immediately knew that Anqi was aware of her true identity. He said gently, "Anqi, everything that existed here represents separation and death from the past; it was too heavy. Now that it’s gone, doesn't that signify a new beginning?"

Shu Yan asked, "Liu Hui, who do you think I am?"

Liu Hui replied, "You are Anqi."

Anqi countered, "But I feel like I should be Shu Yan."

Liu Hui laughed, "Shu Yan or Anqi, as long as we are together, does it still matter who is who?"

Anqi looked up and asked, "Liu Hui, are you saying you are willing to accept me? Is that it?"

Liu Hui nodded. "Anqi, as long as you are willing, you can return to my side anytime."

Hearing Liu Hui's words, the knot that had tightened in Anqi's heart for so long suddenly unraveled. She said with immense joy, "Liu Hui, of course, I am willing to come back to you. You must know, I have waited for this day for far too long."

Liu Hui said with a hint of apology, "Anqi, you need to think clearly. I am already married. I love Hu Xian'er very much, and there is no possibility of divorcing her. If you choose to follow me, you will be at a great disadvantage..."

Anqi replied, "Liu Hui, perhaps this is what fate intends. Not only have our identities undergone earth-shattering changes, but there is also another person between us now. However, you should know that as long as I can be with you, nothing else matters to me." Anqi looked down at the river and said, "Liu Hui, I want to go down there and search. I want to see if I can find that sealed iron box you buried for Shu Yan. Perhaps seeing what’s inside will help me recall my previous memories."

Liu Hui suddenly asked with confusion, "Anqi, I’ve always wanted to ask: didn't you lose your memories? Then how did you know about this? That sealed iron box was something I specifically placed there after Shu Yan passed away; Shu Yan couldn't possibly have known about it."

Anqi explained, "I previously learned mind-reading techniques from a master mind-reader named Weijia. A few days ago, after you got drunk, I unintentionally discovered a memory chain in your mind, so I attempted to unlock it. Unexpectedly, I succeeded in unlocking this seemingly powerful memory lock. All my memories of Shu Yan came directly from the memories in your mind, which is how I knew about that sealed iron box."

Liu Hui fell silent for a moment and then said, "So that's how it was! I was wondering how I suddenly remembered things about Shu Yan. But those things are long gone anyway; do we need to search for them? You are Anqi now—isn't this change rather good?"

After a moment's thought, Anqi finally gave up the effort to find those diaries and CDs. Just as Liu Hui had said, since Shu Yan had lost her memories, and they were together now, there was no need to deliberately try to recall anything about Shu Yan’s past; the outcome was already set. Whether Shu Yan’s memories could be restored or not no longer held any importance.

Thus, Liu Hui and Anqi stood shoulder to shoulder beside the completely collapsed platform by the ravine, quietly remembering the past. Then, Liu Hui extended his hand toward Anqi.

Anqi paused, asking, “What are you doing?”

Liu Hui chuckled, “What else? Aren’t we going home?”

Anqi’s eyes lit up with surprise. “Liu Hui, are you saying you’re coming home with me?” Liu Hui laughed, “If we’re not going home together, what else did you have in mind?”

Anqi said with a hint of worry, “But I haven't figured out how to face Hu Xian’er yet. She definitely won’t accept me.”

Liu Hui replied, “Are we supposed to avoid each other until this problem is resolved? If you never try to face something, you’ll never have a chance to solve it. But once you start trying, a breakthrough might appear sooner than you think!” Anqi was intelligent; after a brief moment of thought, she smiled and placed her hand in his. Liu Hui grasped it firmly, and together they turned—leaving the ravine platform, which had been utterly demolished and vanished.

In the sky above, the thick clouds that had shrouded the four directions were finally driven away by the sun, allowing brilliant rays of light to pour down. Although the ravine platform had been ravaged beyond recognition by the great earthquake, losing all its former beauty, now, under the sunlight, it seemed to slowly begin regaining its original state, imbued once more with a hint of a heavenly paradise.