“What movie do you want to watch me perform in? I’ll accompany you,” Louis asked.
Elisa thought for a moment and finally chose “Champion,” a movie recently released by Louis. The movie tells the story of a young man with low intelligence but extraordinary athletic talent. He is noticed by the national table tennis team and goes on to overcome all obstacles to win the championship.
The plot is simple but well set. Currently, the market lacks these kinds of passionate movies. In addition, Louis’ acting is excellent. Even Elisa, who originally had no interest in sports-themed films, watched it with great interest. This movie is worth repeated trips to the cinema. It’s no wonder it sits at the top of the box office rankings, well-deserved.
In the movie, Louis plays the role of a fool impeccably. Not only is he not annoying, but he’s also quite adorable. The movie sets up many tear-inducing scenes.
Elisa’s eyes were reddened by one such scene in the movie.
“Brother, I want to eat candied haws. All my classmates have tried them, only I haven’t. I really want to taste them,” she said.
“When brother has money, I will buy many candied haws for you,” Louis replied.
…
“Brother, are you leaving? Will you come back? Will you not be able to come and pick me up anymore? I want brother to carry me all the time,” Elisa said.
“Brother has to go out to make money. Doesn’t Sweetie want to eat candied haws?” Louis replied.
The scene shifts, with the brother getting into the car and the little sister running after the car. Her short legs stumbled and she fell to the ground. Sitting there, she cried loudly, “I don’t want candied haws, I want brother. Brother, come back and carry Sweetie. Sweetie’s feet hurt…”
Elisa’s heart was touched, her eyes moistened, and her breath quivered. Louis noticed her unease. In the dim light, Elisa curled up in the corner of the sofa, hugging her knees.
He had only known Elisa for a short time, but in his impression, Elisa was very strong-willed. She was fearless on stage, indifferent to the malice of others, almost too composed.
Sometimes, Louis felt that Elisa was devoid of emotion, like a cold-blooded animal.
But at this moment, Elisa, like the little girl “Sweetie” in the movie, curled up on the side, crying silently.
Louis wasn’t good at comforting people, so he brought water, fruits, and tissues all in front of Elisa.
Elisa took the tissue.
Louis silently watched Elisa. The movie continued to play, but neither of them focused on it. He felt that Elisa was hiding a lot in her heart.
“Why are you crying?” he asked.
“Because I thought of some past events,” Elisa said, looking at Louis’ face, asking, “What is your relationship with Hamish?”
“He calls my mom aunt. I’m not familiar with him.”
“You grew up in the White family?”
Louis frowned, “Are you suspecting my background?”
“No, I just find it strange. I was in Bankshire, and I never saw you before. It’s like you suddenly appeared these past two years,” Elisa casually found an excuse. Their social statuses were different, so it was normal not to have met before. Besides, Elisa was in Bankshire, and the White family was in Chiwood, so there was no connection.
Louis didn’t doubt it. Whatever Elisa asked, he earnestly answered, “I only returned to the country in the past two years. I had been abroad for medical treatment due to my heart condition.”
“Heart condition?” Elisa’s gaze held urgent inquiry, hoping to find some loophole from Louis’ face, but there was nothing.
Louis replied, “I was born with a heart condition.”
Suddenly, Elisa asked, “Have you ever forgotten anything important in your memory?”
“Forgotten?” Louis shook his head, “My memory is sometimes not good. I don’t know if I have forgotten anything.”
Could Louis have amnesia? Elisa had been hypnotized by Hamish, losing all memory. During that time, she was like an idiot, believing everything others said. But Louis’ situation seemed different from hers.
“Have your legs ever been broken? Do you have any gunshot wounds?” she asked.
“No, I haven’t had these injuries. Why are you asking this?”
Disappointment struck like a sudden chill in winter. Elisa stared at the left side of his chest.
“What’s wrong with you? Elisa, are you trying to find out about my past?”
Elisa looked at Louis’ lips, suddenly leaned over, and touched his face with her right hand, brushingAutumn was a fool, but Louis was not. Autumn was an orphan who had always been in the country, but Louis was not. From all indications, he wasn’t him; he just looked like him, much like how “Aoife” looked like “Elisa.” Was it possible that Autumn’s soul had been reborn in someone else’s body? But why didn’t he remember her?
Elisa was caught in a knot, as if she had stepped into a quagmire and the more she struggled, the deeper she sank. Despite her intentions to keep her distance from Louis, she couldn’t help but approach him. She gave hope and disappointment in equal measure, and although Louis genuinely cared for her, she had other thoughts, which tainted their otherwise friendly relationship.
Autumn…
Autumn…
“Little Crybaby, stop crying. Come, I’ll carry you home, and I’ll get you candied haws… Little Crybaby, this time you have to find your own way home. I can’t carry you anymore…”
She wanted to see his face, to hear him call her “Little Crybaby” just once.
The sudden movement from Elisa froze Louis in place. He looked at her, his gaze fixed on her eyes, which held a deep sense of sorrow. She seemed to be looking at him, yet not at him.
Her cold hand touched the edge of his lips, a seemingly intimate gesture that felt incredibly distant.
Elisa released her hand, shifted her gaze, and fiddled with the mobile phone lying on the sofa. Glancing at it, she noticed it was almost 10 o’clock.
“I’m a bit tired.”
“In that case, go upstairs and rest.”
Elisa stood up. She would sleep in the guest room, next to Louis’ bedroom.
“What time will you leave in the morning?”
“At seven.”
“I’ll drive you. Where are you going?” Louis asked.
Elisa shook her head. “I’ll just take a taxi.”
Her eyes indicated that she didn’t want to hear any more from him. Louis nodded, resigned to having his assistant deliver the clothes he had bought for her to the villa overnight.
The next day, Elisa was up very early, but to her surprise, Louis was up even earlier. She found him sitting on the sofa, the aroma of breakfast wafting in from the kitchen.
Louis handed the shopping bag on the sofa to Elisa. “Here are the clothes I got for you to change into.”
Elisa took a look, and at the bottom, she found the undergarments.
“How much do I owe you?” she asked.
“No need. Consider it my gift to you…”
Elisa gave him a wry smile. “A gift of undergarments?”
Louis’ face turned visibly red. Stammering, he said, “Just… a few thousand dollars, it’s not expensive.”
Although the price tags had been removed from the clothes, it was clear that they were worth much more than a few thousand dollars, probably at least six figures.
Elisa reached out. “Give me your phone.”
Dazed, Louis handed her the phone. Elisa swiftly transferred $100, 000 from her bank account to Louis’ Facebook account.
Hearing the transfer sound, Louis reached out to stop her, but it was too late. With a tap of her finger, Elisa had already sent the $100, 000 to his account.
“For you.”
Louis stared at his phone. “A hundred thousand? Why so much?”
“I’ve seen a thing or two in my life. These clothes couldn’t possibly cost just a few thousand. And judging by how well you’ve treated me, it’s clear that you wouldn’t buy me clothes worth just a few thousand. Keep the money. I don’t like owing money.”
Louis was both moved and distressed. He was moved by the fact that Elisa could sense his kindness, but distressed that she wouldn’t accept it.
Elisa took the clothes and went to change, finding that they fit perfectly. When she returned, Louis had already served the congee. While sipping the congee, Elisa took a good look at Louis. His eyes were bloodshot, and there were faint dark circles under them.
He hadn’t woken up early; he hadn’t slept all night.
Elisa had a small appetite in the morning, and with just half a bowl of congee, she was full. “I’m leaving.”
Louis checked the time. It was 6:45. He remained silent, disappointment evident in his eyes.
“I’ll walk you out.”
Elisa didn’t refuse. Louis took the bag and they both put on their shoes by the door.
Elisa had already ordered a ride-hailing car, which was waiting with its hazard lights on at the entrance of the villa area. She checked the license plate.
“My ride is here,” she said.
Louis moved forward to take the bag, but Elisa stopped him. “You don’t need to see me off.”
Louis stood still, not knowing how to ask her to stay. He watched Elisa turn away, just a hand’s reach away, yet he felt as if once she left, they might never meet again.
“Will we see each other again?” he murmured, cautiously pleading.
“Yeah, if there’s a chance, I’ll treat you to a meal,” Elisa smiled, waving her hand. “Goodbye.”
Louis stared at her for a moment, his lips curling slightly. He whispered, “You promised to treat me to a meal…”
Elisa got into the car, and the navigation system showed the final destination to be Bankshire Cemetery.
Elisa glanced at her phone; Louis had sent her a text.
“When you arrive, let me know you’re safe.”
Elisa replied with a simple “ok” and then switched to the weather forecast page.
During the rainy season, Bankshire was expected to have two weeks of rain. After half an hour of driving, the rain began, and the weather became increasingly foggy. As they went further, the rain grew heavier, and they encountered several traffic jams.
The driver chatted with Elisa, the rhythm of the windshield wipers accompanying their conversation.
“I think your voice sounds a bit like a celebrity’s, what’s the name… I have such a bad memory, I’m sure I heard it in the last couple of days.”
Elisa remained silent. With her current status as a social media recluse, she was afraid the driver might leave her halfway if he knew her name.
The closer they got to the cemetery, the heavier Elisa’s heart became, as if a stone blocked her way.
Fortunately, the latter half of the journey was clear. By the time they arrived at the cemetery, it was nearly nine o’clock. Elisa got out of the car, saying, “Thank you.”
The driver was friendly, “Take care, it’s raining outside, stay warm.”
Elisa nodded, closed the door, and just as the driver was about to drive off, he remembered something, leaned out of the window, and said to Elisa, “I remember now who your voice sounds like, that Elisa… Yes, your voice is as sweet as hers.” She even looks a bit like her, but it’s hard to tell with her wearing a mask. Still, Elisa wouldn’t use a ride-hailing service to come to a place like this, would she?
…
Elisa bought two bunches of lilies from a shop outside the cemetery.
Holding the two bunches of flowers and unable to carry an umbrella, Elisa left the umbrella in the shop. Her slender figure walked into the drizzle.
The most significant change was the cemetery. In the years since she had left Bankshire, there were many more tombstones in the cemetery.
Following her memories, Elisa arrived at her parents’ graves. She stood there for a long time, the cold rain seeping into her eyes and turning warm as tears.
“Dad, Mom, your unfilial daughter has come to see you…” she whispered, her voice hoarse and faint, almost ethereal amidst the rain, dissipating with the wind.
The photo on the tombstone had yellowed and become blurry. Elisa glanced at it, then quickly averted her eyes. She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to hold back her tears in the rain.
It had been too long… so long that she was almost forgetting their faces.
Elisa knelt down, her hand tracing the uneven carvings on the tombstone, suppressing her sorrow and forcing a faint smile.
“Mom, are you both doing well in heaven? Have you met the two lovely children, your grandchildren, even though they were only in my belly for a few months…?”