Back Then, I Adored You

Without considering his grandfather, Liang Doukou, or the viral news about him, he only wanted Qin Zhi’ai, who well knew he had convinced her.

She had loved him for so many years. She never dreamed that he would say something like this to her.

“I want you” comprised three simple words. Qin Zhi’ai was too emotional to say a word back. She only slightly nodded at Gu Yusheng.

He nodded to her as well after he saw her nodding. “You are in love with me, aren’t you?”

He continued before she could answer him. “Xiao’ai, can you wait for me?”

“Can you wait for me in Hangzhou? I will handle everything going on here and then bring you back to Beijing soon.”

After pausing for a second, Gu Yusheng continued, as he was worried that Qin Zhi’ai would not believe him. “I will definitely bring you back to Beijing, as soon as possible.”

He had sounded calm and casual when he had told her his story, but at this moment he sounded very certain.

Qin Zhi’ai knew he was going to handle the issue with Liang Doukou. She was touched slightly and looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

Gu Yusheng held his hand out and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye before he asked, “Do you believe in me?”

Qin Zhi’ai understood Gu Yusheng meant to ask her if she believed in him to bring her back to Beijing. She responded with “yes” in a quiet voice and, after a moment, added, “I believe in you.”

A smile crawled across Gu Yusheng’s handsome face.

When Qin Zhi’ai saw him looking so relieved, a smile crawled across her face, as well, with her eyes glistening with moistness.

Standing in the pavilion, Gu Yusheng and Qin Zhi’ai quietly looked at each other. Their eyes became red at the same time.

After walking Qin Zhi’ai to her apartment building, Gu Yusheng pressed the button on the elevator for her and watched her walk into it before he headed out of the apartment complex with his umbrella.

Gu Yusheng’s car was parked across the street from the complex gate. Xiaowang, waiting in the car, saw him walking out and immediately got out of the car and opened the passenger door for him.

Xiaowang then got in the driver’s seat, buckled his seatbelt, and asked, “Master Gu, are we going to the hotel?”

“No.” Gu Yusheng lifted his hand to check the time on his watch. It was not nine o’clock yet. “We’re going back to Beijing.”

They had rushed over to Qin Jiayan’s school around noon that day and had been busy since then. They hadn’t gotten any rest yet, but they were heading back to Beijing, a long flight from Hangzhou.

Xiaowang was tired, but he dared not to show it in front of Gu Yusheng. “Yes, Master Gu.”

He drove a bit before parking the car by the curb. Xiaowang took his phone out and checked for airline tickets. “There’s a flight tonight at 11. Is that okay?”

“Yes,” Gu Yusheng responded in a low voice.

Xiaowang booked tickets for both of them.

He started the car and drove for about 10 minutes in the rain while Gu Yusheng rested with his eyes closed. Suddenly, as if he just remembered something, Gu Yusheng opened his eyes and asked, “Did I make a mistake today?”

“No,” Xiaowang responded, without giving it any thought.

“I mean at Qin Zhi’ai’s home.”

Xiaowang immediately realized Gu Yusheng meant how he had behaved in front of Qin Zhi’ai’s family. He thought about it for a moment and then said the same thing. “No, you didn’t make any mistakes.”

“Really?” Gu Yusheng looked suspicious.

Xiaowang hesitated for a second and then told him the truth. “You did kiss their butts a bit much, though.”