Back Then, I Adored You

…

Their meal lasted for three hours. After exiting the restaurant, Qin Zhi’ai suggested that they shop around the mall downstairs. After Xu Wennuan had heard the news about Lu Bancheng’s wedding preparations, she had done her best to stay in an upbeat mood while they ate, but now she was definitely in no mood to shop, so she gave a random excuse and said goodbye to Qin Zhi’ai, who appeared regretful but didn’t force the issue. As Qin Zhi’ai drove away, Xu Wennuan got into her car, started it, and slowly drove out of the parking lot.

The sun was glaring outside, and the streets were filled with people and traffic. Xu Wennuan held onto the steering wheel and flowed with the cars as she drove aimlessly until dusk, when she finally pulled over to the curb and parked. She sat there for a long time, confused as to where she was and how much time had passed. She eventually turned her head and looked out the window. Just as she had several nights ago, she had subconsciously arrived at the entrance of Lu Bancheng’s neighborhood once again, but now she no longer had the courage that she’d had that night to go upstairs to talk to him.

Xu Wennuan stared fixedly at Lu Bancheng’s apartment without blinking and only shifted her eyes away when they began to sting. She then started her car and began driving away. After a short distance, she spotted a familiar face through her rearview mirror, forcing her to reflexively slam on her brakes. To get a clearer view, she rolled down her car windows and, through the gates of the neighborhood, saw Lu Bancheng in his wheelchair, controlling it with his hands, as if he was taking a stroll in the neighborhood park.

That was the first time that Xu Wennuan was seeing him in his wheelchair, and the pain in her heart was indescribable. Her nose stung and her eyes became red as she lowered her head. When her emotions calmed down a bit, she looked up at Lu Bancheng once more.

He was moving along the road with ease by himself. From time to time, he would stop to watch the children playing in the neighborhood garden before he continued to move forward. Eventually the even ground sloped upward, and his wheelchair came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the road just as he began the incline. He looked down and fiddled with the remote control for some time, but the wheelchair failed to move. Eventually, he used his hands and began strenuously powering himself up the slope. As it became steeper, he drastically slowed down until he almost couldn’t push himself forward anymore.

Xu Wennuan could not bear to watch him struggling from her car. She suddenly pushed open the door, jumped out, and ran toward him. Just as his wheelchair was starting to go backward down the slope, she reached it and stopped it in time. Lu Bancheng lifted his head up and looked back with a puzzled expression on his face. At the instant he saw her, a look of surprise flashed between his handsome brows, but he quickly regained his composure and faintly smiled at her as he said, “Why are you here?”

“I…” Xu Wennuan paused for a moment before she continued to speak. “I met up with a friend at a nearby restaurant, and I coincidentally saw you when I was passing by the neighborhood.”

Lu Bancheng gave her another faint smile as if he believed her. “Thank you,” he responded.

“Don’t mention it,” Xu Wennuan replied while her eyes landed on Lu Bancheng’s thighs.

Lu Bancheng subconsciously lifted his head up and tried to block them from her view. “Had a little trouble.”