Back Then, I Adored You

While she was some distance away, Xiaowang spotted Qin Zhi’ai and, without waiting for her to walk up to him, he strode over toward her. She greeted him hastily and appeared to be looking for someone. Upon seeing this, Xiaowang explained to her, “Secretary Qin, Master Gu has some urgent matters and could not come. He arranged for me to pick you up.”

His being able to read her thoughts caused faint embarrassment to spread across her face, and she replied, “Oh.”

Smiling, Xiaowang reached out his hand to take over the luggage that Qin Zhi’ai was holding and pointed toward the car park to indicate for her to follow him.

Once in the car, Xiaowang passed her a bottle of water before they slowly embarked on their journey. “Secretary Qin, Master Gu said that he will contact you after he’s finished with his work, and he had instructed me to drive you over to his place to take a rest.”

His place? Is he referring to the villa where I lived for six months?

While Xiaowang talked matter-of-factly, Qin Zhi’ai knew what it meant to be allowed to visit Gu Yusheng’s house so late, and her face flushed crimson red. Out of embarrassment, she did not dare to look at Xiaowang and could merely reply “mm” softly as she pretended to maintain her composure.

As it was coincidentally the peak rush hour on a Friday, there was a terrible traffic jam on the road back to the city. The journey took a full two hours when it typically should have taken only 40 minutes.

Xiaowang did not drive the car into the courtyard but parked it at the entrance instead, from where Qin Zhi’ai already spotted the butler. Shortly after they had parked, the butler had already walked up to the car and pulled open the door to the backseat. Gu Yusheng had probably instructed her to wait for Qin Zhi’ai, as she politely greeted her upon first sight. “Miss.”

Xiaowang retrieved Qin Zhi’ai’s luggage from the trunk, and then the butler took over.

After Qin Zhi’ai said goodbye to Xiaowang, he drove off, and the butler courteously led Qin Zhi’ai through the courtyard.

As they entered the villa, the butler handed Qin Zhi’ai a pair of slippers. After she had stored her luggage, the butler led Qin Zhi’ai to the dining room and said, “Miss, Master Gu said that you can have your dinner first.”

It was already close to eight at night and, being pregnant, Qin Zhi’ai was starving. Thus, upon hearing the butler’s words, she smiled and sat down at the dining table after washing her hands.

Half an hour after she had finished eating, the butler served her a bowl of soup.

After drinking half a bowl, Qin Zhi’ai was too full to finish the rest of it and placed the bowl down. Before she could rise from her seat, the butler spoke once more. “Miss, it isn’t healthy to rest immediately after a meal. Perhaps I can accompany you on a stroll in the backyard?”

After some thought, Qin Zhi’ai said, “Alright.”

The courtyard was fully lit but, as they walked around the villa along the cobblestone path to the backyard, not a single light was on.

Initially, Qin Zhi’ai could still manage to see the road based on the light shining through the window facing the backyard.

However, Gu Yusheng’s villa was situated at the peak of the neighborhood with its back facing the mountains and, the further she walked, the darker it became. Eventually, it became so dark that she couldn’t sense anything other than the occasional faint fragrance of the flowers that bloomed in the garden.

Afraid that she would slip in the dark, Qin Zhi’ai stopped in her tracks.