Back Then, I Adored You

Returning to the party room from her fourth trip to the bathroom, Qin Zhi’ai walked fast in case it was almost her turn.

She pushed the door open and headed directly to Xu Wennuan, who was sitting next to the karaoke machine. “Nuannuan, is it my turn yet?”

She tugged at Xu Wennuan’s arm while glancing at the machine. When she noticed her song had been cut, she wrinkled her brows. As she was about to order her song again, she heard Xu Wennuan greeting someone. “Hi, Bro Sheng!”

Bro Sheng? Is it Gu Yusheng? Isn’t he at dinner with the school administrators?

Qin Zhi’ai’s back stiffened before she followed Xu Wennuan’s eyes to see who she was talking to. As she turned around, there stood Gu Yusheng. She had no idea when he had arrived.

He was wearing the same suit he’d worn that afternoon, but he’d taken off his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons. His collar bones were attractive, sexy even.

He held a cigarette between his fingers, the tip glowing in the room’s dim light.

He seemed to have noticed her a while ago. He nodded with a smile to respond to Xu Wennuan’s greeting, and then he rested his eyes on Qin Zhi’ai’s face.

He looked at her like he had when they were at the school in the waiting room—serious with a hint of inquiry.

Qin Zhi’ai’s heart raced a bit under his stare. She blinked and then looked away from him.

Noting the attention Gu Yusheng was paying to Qin Zhi’ai and thinking they had never met before, Xu Wennuan started to introduce them. “Bro Sheng, this is my friend…”

Before Xu Wennuan could finish, Gu Yusheng looked at Qin Zhi’ai and said, “What a coincidence,” ignoring Xu Wennuan’s introduction attempt.

Qin Zhi’ai smiled at Gu Yusheng as their eyes met. A little nervously, and trying to keep her voice steady, she replied, “Yes, it is.”

At that moment, Lu Bancheng walked by, grabbed Gu Yusheng by his shoulders, and led him away.

As Gu Yusheng passed her, she could smell his cologne. She looked up and met his eyes at the moment he turned his head to look back at her.

Perhaps it was her imagination, but she noticed the cigarette between his fingers was shaking. He walked more slowly. And he looked deeply into her eyes.

Qin Zhi’ai’s heart was racing under his stare. She remained frozen there, even as Gu Yusheng had walked far across the room.

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Xu Wennuan, standing next to her, turned around in astonishment. She blinked several times, shocked, and asked, “Xiao’ai, what did Bro Sheng and you mean by ‘what a coincidence’? Have you met him before? What other secrets are you keeping?”

Qin Zhi’ai blinked several times to regain her composure. She nudged at Xu Wennuan’s waist and leaned in to her ear, “Don’t say something like that. Mr. Gu came to my school to give a speech. I picked him up this afternoon.”

“Oh, I see. That is a coincidence.” Once Xu Wennuan understood, she pulled Qin Zhi’ai over to the karaoke machine. “Didn’t you want to sing? You missed your turn earlier, so Wu Hao cut your song. Go order it again.”