Back Then, I Adored You

The others were touched by Gu Yusheng, making the atmosphere around them a little gloomy.

Despite their having been the greatest and bravest of soldiers, Gu Yusheng was talking about the delicate topic of love, and no one was particularly comfortable with this topic.

Finally, someone comforted Gu Yusheng prosaically. “Captain Gu, as the saying goes, ‘Keep the old, you get nothing new.’ Don’t be too obstinate—perhaps you’ll find your girl in the future.”

“Yes, it’s true. Everyone suffers a broken heart sometime in their life. The beauty of the first love is that it represents the beginning, but the first is not always the best.”

“So, Captain Gu, I propose a toast,” said another who raised his mug. “May you find your true love soon!”

Everyone lifted their mugs except Gu Yusheng, who remained motionless, as if he hadn’t heard anything.

They all turned their heads to look at him. He finally moved but, instead of grabbing his mug, he slowly stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, looked at everyone around him, and said more seriously than he’d ever said anything, “I will never love anyone else.”

The atmosphere became solemn again as he lit another cigarette.

I will never love anyone else.

There is a girl in my heart. How can I love someone else?

Even if I were to meet another girl in the future, I would only let her down.

No matter how wonderful another girl may be, she’ll not be my little troublemaker. And no matter how good I am, I will always belong to little troublemaker.

Gu Yusheng sighed deeply and then drank another beer.

The others began to drink, too, and, even though the topic had changed, Gu Yusheng remained stuck in his thoughts.

……

The wind was getting stronger, and the traffic had all but disappeared. By the time she finally saw Gu Yusheng walk out of the club with his friends, Qin Zhi’ai was extremely cold.

The group meandered to their hotel, next door to the Majestic Clubhouse, obviously having drunk too much. Gu Yusheng stood at the gate until his last friend had entered the hotel, and then he walked slowly to the parking lot.

Qin Zhi’ai wasn’t sure if he was drunk or not, so she followed him but kept at a good distance.

Just at the entrance to the parking lot, he suddenly rushed to the side of the road, bent down, and vomited in a trash can.

He straightened his body and swayed a bit before staggering to a nearby store to buy a bottle of water.

Drinking the water seemed to make him realize that he was in no condition to drive. He looked around to get his bearings and then walked to the curb.

He staggered while randomly raising his hand up and down, until a taxi finally stopped for him.

Qin Zhi’ai bit her lower lip, until she suddenly decided to stop another taxi passing by.

When getting in, Qin Zhi’ai handed the driver some cash and pointed at Gu Yusheng’s taxi, which was stopped just ahead at a red light. She told the driver, “Keep up with that taxi.”