Back Then, I Adored You

Lu Bancheng took a glance at Gu Yusheng, knowing that he may have something to say, so he nodded and said, “Okay”.

Gu Yusheng remained silent as he made a turn at the intersection ahead, driving up to the Four Seasons Hotel.

…

It was early in the morning, so no one was in the hotel cafe except for a few waitstaff.

The cafe was immersed by soothing music. Gu Yusheng and Lu Bancheng followed the waitress to a table by the window.

After sitting down, the waitress handed them the drink menu. Gu Yusheng didn’t look at it directly, and signaled for Lu Bancheng to order some drinks.

Lu Bancheng had drunk a lot of wine previously, so he felt a little sick to his stomach. He only ordered a cup of black tea, and then Gu Yusheng said, “I’ll take the same drink.”

After the waitress left, Lu Bancheng adjusted the pillow behind his back so he would be more comfortable, then he asked, “Are you going to take the plane tomorrow morning?”

“Yes.” Gu Yusheng responded softly as he stared through the window at the city glistening with colorful lights.

“Haven’t you gone home?”

Gu Yusheng didn’t answer. He had indeed wanted to go back to visit his grandpa, but he didn’t want to meet that woman, Liang Doukou, at all.

Lu Bancheng understood what Gu Yusheng was thinking. After a while, he asked, “Then you really don’t want to go back to Beijing?”

I really had had no intentions of going back… If I hadn’t met that girl student in West University this afternoon.

Gu Yusheng continued staring out the window blankly, as if he’d been in a trance.

After little troublemaker had left, the gossip about him and Liang Doukou not applying for a marriage license had spread. His grandpa, who hadn’t punished him since his childhood, had become so angry after hearing the news that he slapped Gu Yusheng on the spot.

He had made his own plans for his life, and he would never marry Liang Doukou.

It had already been impossible before he had known little troublemaker, and even more so after he’d fallen in love with her.

His grandpa had always had a lot of disagreements with him, but his attitude had been so unwavering that his grandpa had no other choice. At that time, grandpa had been close to compromise that he was thinking of giving a 25% share of the Gu Company to the Liang Family as an apology.

He’d had no objection. The reason he had turned a blind eye to Liang Doukou over these years was to please his grandpa.

Until that night on Lu Bancheng’s birthday, he had received a phone call. He had been told that his grandpa had been in a car accident, and Liang Doukou sacrificed herself to rescue him.

His grandpa had escaped death twice thanks to the help of the Liang Family. His grandpa, who had previously intended to compromise, immediately had changed his mind. He forced him with unprecedented determination to get married with her, ignoring his ideas. He had given bride-price directly to the Liang Family, and had even set the wedding date.

At that time, Gu Yusheng had been really helpless, so he had gone to Shanghai to get away from Beijing.

Liang Doukou had been dying to marry him, hadn’t she? If he didn’t come back for a year, she might wait for him. If she didn’t give up for over a year, then he would be away for two years, or three years… Some day, the Liang Family would not be able to insist on their marriage. After all, the girl’s youth could not be wasted.

After only a day, he had thought of going back.

What it would mean if he had gone back, he understood.

But he was afraid that if he didn’t go back, he would really miss something.

After all… He had missed a lot.

He was afraid that if he hadn’t tried to grasp something in his life, he would end up alone, lonely and old, with nothing to show for.

The waitress brought two cups of black tea and sat them lightly on the table. “Please enjoy it, sir.”

Her gentle words stopped Gu Yusheng’s thinking as he stared at the blurred lights in the distance, peering slightly. He didn’t reply to Lu Bancheng’s question, but he said some inexplicable words. “Bancheng, I met a girl today, and I always thought it was her.”