Back Then, I Adored You

At 1:00 a.m. on February 27th, 50 hours before Qin Zhi’ai’s departure, shocking news rippled through the entire entertainment industry.

By the time Qin Zhi’ai saw the news, it was already noon, and she was ordering rice at a Chinese restaurant that was close to her neighborhood.

The restaurant was crowded so the wait was long. While Qin Zhi’ai fiddled with her phone, she overheard the discussion of two girls sitting at the next table. “Never would I have imagined that our Goddess Kou would be getting married so soon. To think I had always envisioned her being together with my Prince Charming… My hopes are dashed!”

“Tsk, if I were Liang Doukou, I would also choose to marry into a rich family. No matter how many people idolize your Prince Charming, there is no way that his charms can compare to the seduction of the rich and the powerful. Furthermore, the man she’s marrying is much more handsome than your Prince Charming…”

Upon hearing the words “Liang Doukou,” Qin Zhi’ai’s hands froze for a moment. After some time, she finally logged into her social media account, which she hadn’t looked at for a few days.

Topping the entertainment news was the headline “Wedding Bells Ringing for National Idol Liang Doukou.”

Qin Zhi’ai could roughly guess the content of the article. After a moment of hesitation, she tapped the headline.

The article was written by a hotshot in the entertainment industry, and the content read, “Liang Doukou will marry into a prestigious family when she ties the knot with Gu Company CEO, Gu Yusheng. The couple were childhood friends, and their union is a perfect match.”

Accompanying the article were a few photos. The first was of Liang Doukou entering the Gu Mansion. The second one was of Gu Yusheng sitting in a jewelry store and choosing a ring. And the third was of Gu Yusheng, Liang Doukou, Old Master Gu, Old Master Liang, and Liang Doukou’s parents having a meal together.

There was also a video to watch. Recorded with a cell phone, the video showed Liang Doukou smiling and chatting happily as she clung onto Old Master Gu’s arms. The scene was harmonious as they both entered the drama club together.

That news was posted at 1:00 a.m.

As Liang Doukou had been very popular over the past years, the post had already received more than a hundred thousand comments by noon.

The majority of the comments were congratulatory in nature. One comment in the thread had received almost a hundred thousand Likes: “I knew them in person and, as far as I know, they were already secretly married a long time ago. It seems that the news only appeared because they are preparing for their wedding banquet.”

By the time Qin Zhi’ai had refreshed the page, that comment had received a few thousand replies. Most questioned the validity of the comment, while others criticized it as fake news that was trying to collect Likes and comments.

Having previously pretended to be Liang Doukou and lived in Gu Yusheng’s house, Qin Zhi’ai was well aware of the truth in that commenter’s words.

She had already expected their engagement to be widely announced, but she had not foreseen herself to be stunned after seeing the news.

Only when the waiter served her food did Qin Zhi’ai shift her gaze away from her phone screen and set it down. Lifting her spoon, she maintained a calm face, lowered her eyes, and ate her food in silence, sometimes halting her chewing as if it helped her to think.

It took her one full hour before she finished her bowl of rice.