Back Then, I Adored You

A long time after he had spoken, Xu Wennuan finally blinked and looked at him. She didn’t say anything, but neither did she appear to have the intention to get out of the car. Lu Bancheng didn’t remind her again and merely settled in with her in silence inside the car.

As he was afraid that she would get cold, he turned up the heater, which made the faint sound of wind blowing through the vents the only sound in the car. After a long time had passed, Xu Wennuan finally returned to her senses and looked again outside the window. While Lu Bancheng clearly told her that they had arrived, she said, “We’re here?”

When Lu Bancheng heard these words, a piercing pain seared through his heart, and he nodded his head lightly at her with a gentle expression on his face. When she reached out her hand to unbuckle her seatbelt, he realized that she was going to get out of the car, so he hurriedly opened his car door, got out, and rounded over to her side to open the car door for her. She awkwardly sat motionless in the passenger’s seat and seemed to be lost in thought.

The cold wind was blowing toward them and, without his jacket on, Lu Bancheng was trembling from the cold. Just when he felt as if his hands and feet were about to freeze into ice, she finally got out of the car.

“May I take you in?” Lu Bancheng asked politely.

Xu Wennuan nodded at him without hesitation. Lu Bancheng took her purse from her, closed the car door, and walked her to the building. She remained preoccupied in thought and walked very slowly. Although Lu Bancheng was freezing cold, he didn’t rush her and simply walked alongside her at her pace. Upon entering the building, he pressed the button for the elevator, and when the door opened he raised his hand to hold it open. Lu Bancheng then passed Xu Wennuan’s purse over to her and reminded her that the door had opened.

This time, she took it over quickly before she looked up and took one swift glance at him. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but eventually without saying anything she entered the elevator with her head drooping down.

“Take a good shower tonight. It’ll help you sleep better,” Lu Bancheng told her after he pressed the button for her floor. He then looked at her briefly and, when he saw that she had no intention to speak, he slowly dropped his hand that was holding open the elevator door.

Just when he was about to press the close button, Xu Wennuan abruptly called out his name after being reticent for the entire night. Sounding as soft as a mosquito, she said, “Lu Bancheng.”

As he paused his fingers on the button, Lu Bancheng looked toward Xu Wennuan, who gradually lifted her head. “I… You…” She stuttered for some time before she bit her lower lip and poured out her full desire in one go. “Would you keep me company for a while?”

Although a long time had passed since they had left the bar, she was still afraid, not merely because Jiang Qianqian had almost torn her clothes off in a public place but also because she was reminded of the nightmare that had tormented her when that man had torn her clothes.

His patience and gentleness are helping me calm down quite a bit, but once he leaves I know I’m going to panic again…

Xu Wennuan’s eyes began to tear up. Seeing this, Lu Bancheng felt his heart wrench in pain, but he smiled at her and nodded his head.

Upon entering her apartment, Xu Wennuan headed straight for the bathroom to take a shower. Lu Bancheng rummaged in her kitchen for a long time before he finally found a tin of milk powder. When he checked the expiration date, he frowned at how old it was.