If I lose my memories, am I still myself?

Li Haojun stood in front of the living room's French window, gazing out at the courtyard. His face was faintly reflected in the glass, his eyes deep and focused.

The early morning drizzle had already moistened every corner of the small courtyard. The dark blue brick walls, the dripping banana leaves in the corners, the moss rising from the soil—everything was soaked by the morning's drizzle. The clear rain, soaking the blue bricks, slowly flowed over the French window, the entire pane of glass saturated by the gray, drizzling sky. Through the glass, Li Haojun's figure could be vaguely seen, standing before the window.

The door to the inner room opened, and Qin Wenjing emerged. Li Haojun saw her in the reflection of the window. She was wearing a dark green silk suspender pajamas, like a banana leaf in the rain this morning, and the stark contrast only highlighted her fair skin. Li Haojun turned and greeted, without further eye contact.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Qin Wenjing asked, smoothing her hair into a simple ponytail.

Li Haojun could only smile wryly, "I don't even remember what good sleep is."

Qin Wenjing simply pursed her lips and smiled, turning and walking away, saying, "Wait a minute, I'll make some breakfast." Li Haojun had originally wanted to follow behind, wanting to help out, but seeing Qin Wenjing's back, her fair shoulders, and her graceful waist, he felt a little awkward. So he turned aside and went to the dining room next to the kitchen, quietly set up the table and chairs, and sat down to wait.

The upper section of the partition between the dining room and the kitchen was decorated with hollowed-out wooden patterns, and some space had been used by Qin Wenjing, who laid out red wine, tea cans, and various seasonings. It seemed she had lived in this house for some time. Li Haojun surveyed the details of the room, trying to find traces of his past memories. But what caught his eye was Qin Wenjing's busy back, the unfastening and unfastening of her suspenders, the softness and sheen of the silk, her ponytail swaying with her movements, sometimes draped over her shoulders, sometimes covering her cheek, sometimes twitching with her turning her head... Through the partition, her hazy back was as hazy as his memories of her.

A moment later, Qin Wenjing placed a plate of hamburgers in front of Li Haojun, with beef and butter. She returned with oatmeal porridge, a fried egg, and a glass of milk.

"Thank you," Li Haojun thanked her after she sat down.

"Eat it, you're welcome." Qin Wenjing tucked her pajamas under her arm and sat down across from him. The table was small, and while the burgers tasted good, the aroma of milk wafted into Li Haojun's nose, forcing him to glance at the delicious food across from him.

Qin Wenjing gently stirred the porridge, still slightly hot, with a spoon. He said calmly, "You can't drink milk in the morning. You're lactose intolerant," and then looked calmly into Li Haojun's eyes.

"Thank you for taking care of me all this time." What else could he say? His memories only began here. "I..."

"Don't be so polite," Qin Wenjing's lips curled slightly, a smile froze in her lips as she lowered her eyes to the stirring spoon.

"You and I are just a couple, not married."

"It's just me, you..."

"Don't be like that. You've actually done a lot for me before..." Qin Wenjing looked Li Haojun in the eye again.

"Once you met a girl in the market. She was your type: a melon-shaped face, fair skin, a melancholic and serene expression, natural eyeshadow, and a slender figure. You passed her, but you turned around to take another look at her back because you thought she was a decent woman. Unexpectedly, she turned around after a few steps, but hesitated. And you cruelly left..."

"So, everything I do now is my own will..."

Li Haojun didn't know what to say, so he gently took her left hand, which was resting on the table, in his palm. His fingers were a little cold. After a while, Qin Wenjing gently pulled her hand away.

"Eat. I have to run some errands today. Come with me."