Back Then, I Adored You

“I’m alright.” Xu Wennuan adjusted her breathing and asked, “How about you?”

“I’m alright, too.” Lu Bancheng sounded genuinely nice, and he even smiled at Xu Wennuan after answering. In fact, Xu Wennuan lost herself in Lu Bancheng’s smile.

It’s been two months since I last saw him, but it feels like a century when I see him smiling…

Xu Wennuan quickly regained her composure. As she was about to say something else, he started to talk to her first from the car. “I’ve got something to handle, so I have to leave now.”

He failed to say, though, anything about future contact, an omission that caused Xu Wennuan to grip her clothes so tightly that her cheeks became pale. She tried hard to remain calm while slightly nodding at Lu Bancheng and saying, “Bye now.”

“Bye.” Lu Bancheng smiled and instructed the driver in front of him in a low tone, “Let’s go.”

The car started to move as the window was slowly rolled up, and by the time it merged onto the road all the windows were closed.

“Bro Bancheng, you didn’t go to America. Why did you lie to her?” the girl asked. After the car had driven a few blocks, she became angry when he still hadn’t answered her question and turned to Lu Bancheng, who was still watching Xu Wennuan in the distance. He still hadn’t heard her and said anything.

“Bro Bancheng, you don’t think I’m stupid, do you? I know who she is. I saw her pictures on your phone. I also know her name is Xu Wennuan. My aunt told me she’s your ex-wife. And when you were injured and in the hospital, you were calling her name every day for the two weeks you were in coma.”

Xu Wennuan’s figure had disappeared, but Lu Bancheng still fixed his eyes on the spot he had last seen her.

“Bro Bancheng… You still like her, don’t you? You have made yourself like this because of her. Am I right?”

“Made yourself like this?”

Lu Bancheng had been quiet, but these words had hurt him. He batted his eyelashes before he looked away from the window and laid his eyes on his own leg.

“Brother Bancheng, why don’t you want her to know you like her if you do like her? You saved her. If you had just told her that you like her, then you two could be together now. I didn’t buy that you were caressing my hair in the car just now because you like me… It’s because you want her to think that we’re in a relationship.” The longer Lu Bancheng remained quiet, the angrier she got.

Nervous that the situation might escalate, the driver said, “Miss Biao, let’s not talk about this right now.”

“I don’t want to talk about it, but I feel bad for Bro Bancheng. Can you tell me of anyone you know who is so stupid that he would do this to himself while still wishing the best for her? Who’s thinking for Bro Sheng then? I don’t care. I’m going to contact her and tell her what’s going on.”

“I dare you!” Lu Bancheng suddenly scolded her with no warning. She was so scared her mouth hung open, yet no words escaped. Her eyes, though, dulled in anger and she turned to smack the back of Lu Bancheng’s head.

“I am telling you one more time. Don’t go near her! I do not want you to interrupt her life. It is my business and has nothing to do with you!” As Lu Bancheng finished his tirade, the car stopped in front of the Lu family’s address.