Back Then, I Adored You

When she had gone to receive Liang Doukou that evening, she had stood for too long at the door of Old Master Gu’s room. Later, Liang Doukou had asked her to go out to buy condoms, causing her to have been exposed to the cold wind for a long time. Then she’d been in the meeting for three hours. At the end of the evening, she had been exposed so long on the balcony that she felt unable to break the chill she felt throughout her body.

“What’s wrong with you?” Seeing her waking up, Gu Yusheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Qin Zhi’ai didn’t reply but only stared at Gu Yusheng in a daze.

Why is he in my room?

Did he stand on the balcony the entire time I slept?

Because she was silent, Gu Yusheng thought she was very uncomfortable, so without thinking he lifted the quilt off of her and started to bend over to pick her up. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”

Suddenly awake, her voice trembling with pain, Qin Zhi’ai said, “No, no.” She stretched out her hands in a hurry to prevent Gu Yusheng from picking her up.

Hearing her refusal, Gu Yusheng frowned,

Her face is so pale, and she refuses to go to the hospital?

He broke away from her hands, picked her up quickly from the bed, and headed for the door.

“Gu, Master Gu…” Qin Zhi’ai was very anxious, and she let out a muffled sound in pain.

Gu Yusheng walked faster, and as he raised his hand to open the door, Qin Zhi’ai blurted out, “I… I’m menstruating.”

His footsteps stopped abruptly.

Qin Zhi’ai closed her eyes, breathed slightly and intermittently said in a weak voice, “Maybe it’s because of the cold wind… It’s nothing serious. I’ll drink some hot water and be fine soon.”

Gu Yusheng stood in the doorway holding her and thinking about what to do next. He took her back to the bed and pulled the quilt over her. He then went to the water bar, boiled a pot of water, and delivered a cup to Qin Zhi’ai in bed.

Qin Zhi’ai said, “Thank you,” and as she reached out to take the cup, a pain cut through her abdomen and she drew back.

Gu Yusheng sat on the bedside and stretched out his arm to support her. He held the cup to her lips as she drank from it.

Qin Zhi’ai drank half a cup of water, shook her head at Gu Yusheng, and then moved her head away.

Instead of insisting she drink more, he put the cup on the nightstand. He stared at the frail woman lying in bed for a moment, got up, and left the room.

Of course, it’s normal for him to leave, to go back to his own room.

After all, we’re both alone and we have no real reason for being with each other. It’s quite inappropriate for us to stay in the same room…

Qin Zhi’ai pushed her sadness to the bottom of her heart, curled up her body, and suffered through the waves of pain.

Suddenly, the door swung open. Gu Yusheng held a bag in his hand. By this time, Qin Zhi’ai was in so much pain that her pajamas were wet from sweating.

He looked at her and said nothing. He pushed the bathroom door open and went in.

After a while, he came out with a hot-water bag in his hand.

Qin Zhi’ai was stunned but took the bag and placed it on her lower abdomen. Gu Yusheng was chilled having just returned from his errand in the cold outside. He stood at her bedside and asked, “Is your menstruation always on these same days of the month?”