Back Then, I Adored You

Lu Bancheng felt as if someone had struck him on his head, and his body suddenly froze. The window was open and a gentle night breeze blew into the room. Xu Wennuan continued to repeat her words and the wind made her voice drift back and forth between loud and soft.

“Lu Bancheng… Zero Degrees… Zero Degrees… Lu Bancheng… Lu Bancheng…” After a long time, she finally quieted down and fell back into deeper sleep. The wind raged outside the window and made the curtains rustle. As if he was a statue, Wu Hao remained frozen for a long time before he eventually moved his eyes and returned to his senses.

His fingers were still reaching out toward the corner of her eye, frozen in midair for some time. Unable to find it in himself to wipe away the tear, he gradually withdrew his hand. He then turned his head and gazed out the window into the dark night. The words that she had muttered over and over again echoed in his ears. “Lu Bancheng… Zero Degrees…”

Once. Twice. Three times! As if it is an endless dream…

After a long time, Wu Hao finally blinked and looked at Xu Wennuan again.

What kind of dream did she have? To actually call out his name out loud like that… And why was she at the foot of Lu Bancheng’s apartment building crying her heart out like that? Was it because of Lu Bancheng?

How could Lu Bancheng bear to watch her cry if he loved her so deeply? And with a twisted ankle, he just left her there! Why would Lu Bancheng drop me a text to pick her up instead of just helping her himself since he claims he would even risk his life for her?

Doubts surfaced in Wu Hao’s mind one after another as he sat next to her bed in a daze. It was only when the sky gradually brightened outside that he finally stood up and silently left Xu Wennuan’s apartment. After exiting her building, he stood by the road to smoke a cigarette. When he was halfway done, he snubbed it out and tossed it into the trash can before he walked to his car, pulled open the door, and got in. He started the car and stared at the cherry blossoms directly in front of him for some time before he stepped on the accelerator and left Xu Wennuan’s neighborhood.

The streets of Beijing were exceptionally empty at dawn, and Wu Hao sped for two laps around Second Ring Road. As he drove past the Beijing North Railway Station, he suddenly slammed on his brakes and exited the main road at the next exit. He then turned left and drove straight before turning right to head to Lu Bancheng’s neighborhood.

Wu Hao’s car came to a steady stop at the foot of the apartment building. After some time, he finally turned off the engine, got out, and walked to the building’s entrance. Many residents were already heading to work, so the elevator was busy. When the first group of people got off the elevator, he entered it and headed upstairs.

Wu Hao stopped in front of Lu Bancheng’s apartment door, where his eyes flashed before he raised his hand to press the doorbell. No one answered the door and, given that Lu Bancheng might still be in bed, he pressed the doorbell again. As it rang, Wu Hao finally heard some commotion behind the door. As it gradually opened, Lu Bancheng was saying, “Guoguo, didn’t you go get breakfast? That was fast!” as he turned and rolled his wheelchair out of the entrance.

Wu Hao looked into the house ready to reply, but the words never made it to his mouth when he saw Lu Bancheng in the wheelchair. Wu Hao was instantly shocked.