Back Then, I Adored You

“Right now???” It was already half past nine in the evening, and it would be strange, even inappropriate, for a man and a woman to rendezvous so late and unexpectedly by themselves.

“Yes, right now.” After Gu Yusheng replied to Xiaowang, he thought for a moment and then texted Xiaowang again. “Do not let her know that I asked you to ask her out.”

After Xiaowang texted, “Okay,” Gu Yusheng stood up, got his car key from the master bedroom, and drove to Qin Zhi’ai’s apartment complex.

He waited for some 10 minutes before she walked out of her apartment building, stood on the curb, and hailed a taxi.

Gu Yusheng didn’t open his car door open until he saw the taxi take a turn at the intersection. He got out of the car and walked into Qin Zhi’ai’s apartment building.

He ran up to her floor, found her apartment, and then checked up and down the hallway. He fumbled a fine iron wire from out of his pocket and pressed on it a few times before inserting it into the keyhole. He twisted the wire a bit and unlocked the door.

As he entered, he turned on the light and walked into Qin Zhi’ai’s bedroom, as if he knew Qin Zhi’ai’s place very well.

Because she’d packed almost everything in preparation for going abroad soon, Qin Zhi’ai’s bedroom was practically bare. The closet was almost empty, with only a few pieces of clothes hanging on the rack.

Except for some tissues on the nightstand, there was nothing else.

Gu Yusheng walked to her desk and found only cosmetics and hair accessories scattered to the side. But…

She must have been in a hurry when she got the call from Xiaowang. She left her computer on with her thesis on the screen.

Gu Yusheng looked away from the computer and leaned on her desk to scan her room again. This time, he noticed a pair of men’s socks on the loveseat.

Did he stay in her room last night and leave his socks behind?

Gu Yusheng stared at the socks for a second and pressed his lips together before he looked away.

He saw a suitcase near the balcony, one that looked familiar to him. A frown washed over his face as he remembered that little troublemaker had a suitcase like that when she had stayed with him.

Gu Yusheng straightened his back, slowly walked to the suitcase, and picked it up.

It’s pretty heavy. Has she already packed for her trip abroad?

What’s in here?

Gu Yusheng laid the suitcase flat on the floor and unzipped it. Just as he’d thought, it was full of clothes and shoes for all seasons, books, and a white bag.

The bag was heavy and stuffed, and Gu Yusheng opened it up, peeked inside, and saw a stack of organized letters.

He picked a few letters out; every one of them was from Mr. S. There was a red cloth bag underneath the letters. Gu Yusheng untied the red bag and saw a red folded money note and a gleaming necklace.

He took the necklace out and was shocked when he saw a tiny pearl on it.

After staring at it for some time, he pulled the paper money out with a shaking hand and unfolded it.

In clear, exquisite handwriting was the note “Gu Yusheng, I am Qin Zhi’ai. I have loved you for eight years.”