Back Then, I Adored You

He was not condescending toward her. After the talk, he smiled and walked past her while holding a file.

She had seen him on their official website last week. He was the CEO of the company.

Standing with a coffee in her hand at the half-open door, Qin Zhi’ai froze. She regained her composure, pushed the door open all the way, and walked in.

The desk facing the door was messy and piled high with files. The office chair was empty. Qin Zhi’ai frowned and scanned the room.

At the bay window, she saw a man she could not be more familiar with. His back faced her, and his left hand was braced on the window with a burning cigarette between his long, elegant fingers. He held the phone to his ear with his right hand. Occasionally, he would agree with whom he was talking—”Hmm, got it,””Okay, no problem,” and finally “See you in the evening the day after tomorrow.” His voice was nice and casual, just like that of Gu Yusheng.

When he hung up the phone, the office became quiet.

Qin Zhi’ai’s stared at Gu Yusheng’s back with no idea of what was going on.

Gu Yusheng raised his hand up and took a puff. As he exhaled the smoke, he seemed to sense that someone was in his office with him. He slightly turned his head and looked at Qin Zhi’ai.

She stood like a statue in shock. Her bright, big eyes stared at him without blinking. He turned around fully to face her and cleared his throat to break the silence.

Qin Zhi’ai’s black eyes moved, but her face remained frozen.

Gu Yusheng finally initiated a conversation. “What’s up?”

Qin Zhi’ai’s entire body began to shake. The coffee she held spilled over the cup’s rim and burned the back of her hand. She began to stammer, “I, I…”

She had planned everything she was going to say at her first meeting with the CEO, but at this moment she forgot all of it. She couldn’t even come up with a complete sentence. Her face became scarlet with embarrassment, and she nervously bit her lips. She finally looked down when no words would come out of her mouth.

Gu Yusheng had not been too enthralled with his new position until now. Her innocence and pureness made him suddenly feel happy. The cold, aloof expression on his face suddenly thawed. He straightened his back and walked toward her. He stopped to stub out his cigarette and then continued. He stopped directly in front of her and glanced at the coffee cup in her hand. “Is this for me?”

He took the cup from her before she could answer and took a large gulp. He looked down and admired her hair on the top of her head. Noticing the forms she was holding, he asked, “Is this your first day on the job?”

“Yes,” Qin Zhi’ai responded, while nodding and passing her documents to him. Gu Yusheng did not take them. Instead, he turned around and put the coffee cup on the table. He pulled a tissue from the tissue box and passed it to Qin Zhi’ai.