Chapter 252 - Dream or Memory?

It was pure hell for Xiu Mei that day. Aside from keeping everything under control within the company, she also had to handle the queries from their global branches and partners abroad to pacify them that everything was fine.

She even had the nanny pick up Lu Qiang since she had to stay at the company for overtime. After personally attending the meeting with the board on behalf of the President, she had to continuously read the progressive updates from all departments and from all their branches.

That was not even half of the work she had to do that day. She was too busy to even remember the resignation letter that she received that morning.

It was already past eight when she crawled back home.

Xiu Mei doubled over and languidly took off her shoes when she heard a small sound of footsteps hurrying in her direction.

"Mom, welcome home."

She suddenly felt a warm peck on her left cheek. Xiu Mei raised her eyes and was immediately welcomed by the sight of her most adorable son, Lu Qiang.

Aaaaahhhh just the perfect recharge she needs!!

Xiu Mei didn't think twice. Tossing away the bag and shoes with her other hand, she immediately pulled her little one into a tight hug.

Of course, Lu Qiang happily embraced his mother with open arms.

"Only my little Qiang Qiang truly loves mom ah!" Xiu Mei exclaimed while pinching her son's cheeks and raining him with her kisses.

"I love mommy so much too!" He cheerfully replied. The two walked hand in hand while Xiu Mei asked about his day. He sat with her in the dining room as she ate her late dinner.

Xiu Mei spent the whole hour with her son and tucked him to bed afterward. After giving him a goodnight kiss, she stealthily left his room and went over to hers.

It was only after she finished taking a shower when she glanced at the wall clock and realized that it was already late yet her husband hasn't come home. She checked her phone with concern.

"Why hasn't he called at all?" She murmured under her breath.

The last message she received was from Lu Shao telling her that she didn't need to update Lu Chen regarding the issue today and that Lu Chen gives her the full authority to decide everything on her own.

But that was in the morning. Lu Chen didn't even call or message her the whole day.

Did something happen?

Xiu Mei stared at her phone before finally deciding to message him instead of calling him. He was probably doing his other work since he wasn't contacting her at all, just like the last time he disappeared without telling her.

Xiu Mei pouted while sulking.

Still, how could he not even message her ah? It's not like she wasn't aware of what he's doing. She's not even going to force her to go home.

But to think that he won't even send even a period, isn't that too much?

"Hmph. Maybe I should make him sleep with King for a week next time." She muttered as she went and lied down on her bed. She was exhausted for the whole day so she instantly fell asleep as soon as she lied down.

"You won't remember me." Xiu Mei almost jumped hearing the voice behind her.

Her whole body felt cold. Darkness blanketed her vision, and all she could hear was the eerie silence surrounding her. Her heart raced nervously, as she heard that voice whispering in her ears again.

"But I will come back."

"Because I hate people like you."

She could sense the anger and resentment from that voice. The more he spoke, the more it made her frightened because it was as if someone was going to strangle her out of nowhere.

But most of all, she was afraid because she couldn't see at all.

In a split second, she immediately regained her sight. It was still dark, but it was not entirely dark. This time, she could finally make out a silhouette crouching in front of her. She almost toppled backward, as she let out a muffled scream when the silhouette grabbed her by her hair and yanked her up close to that silhouette.

She immediately remembered. This was the man that she couldn't see his face in her dreams before.

Wait… was she dreaming?

This… should be a dream right?

"But it's not going to be fun if I make them suffer from just this." He pulled her closer to his face and this time, she had a clearer view of him.

The man… no, he wasn't a man.

The person in front of her looked young… but the rage on his face was not something you would normally see on a young person's face. Now that she thought about it, he wasn't even yanking her too up high. It was just a bit taller from her height as well.

"I'll pull you to another play. This… is just the prelude." He tightly held onto her chin, making her whimper in pain.

"You're going to be my puzzle piece that they won't even know that I've started with you."

He finally let her go, dumping her back to the ground. And then he covered her eyes.

"I won't let you remember meeting me, but I will come to you soon."

And then everything turned black for her.

It was the last words that she could remember.

"N-No... " She covered her mouth in disbelief as she recalled her dream.

No, it wasn't right to call that a dream.

She didn't recognize him in that dream. But… she could recognize who that person was now.

How could she not?

That was Albert Chen. He looked very different from the easygoing and smiling expression she often saw at work, but she wouldn't identify it wrong.

The person in her dreams was Albert. It was his younger self.

She was at a loss as she fell into a daze.

Was that a dream? Or was it a memory? Did that really happen when she was kidnapped back then?

But it wasn't in her previous statement record at all. How come she didn't have any recollection of that?

"I won't let you remember meeting me, but I will come to you soon."

….Perhaps he did something to make her not remember him?

B-But how? How's that possible? Was it even possible?!

I will come to you soon.

Xiu Mei gasped. If that really happened, then was that he meant?!

He came to her. If it was really him, then he really came to her.

But he also said that she was his puzzle piece.

Xiu Mei felt her head slightly aching from all her thoughts. His puzzle piece? How was that even possible?

Another pang of pain shot up making her whimper. She stopped trying to force herself in remembering anymore. Maybe her body and mind were too exhausted with everything that happened today and her body even felt heavy that she could barely find the energy to stay awake.

She'll just… think about it once she wakes up again.

Lu Chen didn't return home that night. The next day, Xiu Mei dragged herself out of the bed despite not feeling well at all. She wasn't sure if it was because she overexerted herself yesterday or if it was because of her dreams-- nightmare.

She didn't have any appetite to eat her breakfast, making Lu Qiang look at her with worry. He tried to make her rest at home for today but she assured him that she'll be fine. Knowing that he won't win over his mom, he scolded his dad in his mind again before messaging him to inform him about his mother's state.

Xiu Mei proved to be an invincible secretary of Lu Corporation. Despite feeling sick, she was still able to do her work with flying colors the entire morning that one wouldn't believe that she was not feeling well.

"Ms.Xiu, why don't you take a rest? You look like you're going to fall over any moment now." Her assistant looked over to her worriedly as she supported her body when she stood up from her seat.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine."

But as soon as she took a step forward, she immediately lost her balance and almost dropped on the floor if it weren't for her assistant.

"Ms. Xiu, please just go home for today! I really don't think you can continue working at this state."

She assisted her back to her seat.

"I'll be—hchkkkk!!" Xiu Mei felt her stomach getting queasy as she felt some kind of liquid rising from within her that threatened to escape. She immediately covered her mouth and with a newly found energy, she dashed to the bathroom and vomited.