Back Then, I Adored You

At that time, Qin Zhi’ai had already finished her first semester in high school and was on winter break. After the Spring Festival, she received a phone call from Xu Wennuan inviting her to skate.

When she arrived at the skating rink, she finally learned that apart from Xu Wennuan, there were a few of Wu Hao’s friends coming.

Gu Yusheng was one of them.

At the beginning, Qin Zhi’ai didn’t know he was there. After being introduced by Wu Hao, she said hello to the boys. When she went to rent skates with Xu Wennuan, she finally saw Gu Yusheng leaning against the wall, an unlit cigarette in his mouth.

Qin Zhi’ai thought that it was just a coincidence, but Wu Hao suddenly said, “Brother Sheng, this is my girlfriend’s friend, Qin Zhi’ai.”

Hearing what Wu Hao had said, Gu Yusheng didn’t hurry to respond. Instead, he lit the cigarette, eyes down, and smoked. He blew out a hazy smoke ring and leaned his head to look at where she stood.

The one that Qin Zhi’ai could only stare at secretly on normal school days was suddenly standing in front of her and considering her seriously.

Qin Zhi’ai felt her heartbeat race, and her breath suddenly stopped the second his gaze fell on her face.

Unlike the other boys, he didn’t look at her from head to toe or call her sweetie with a smile.

His eyes rested on her for not even a whole second, and he turned around after he nodded slightly.

By the time Qin Zhi’ai stopped looking at him, she had already been dragged to the seats by Xu Wennuan, a pair of pink skates put in her hands.

Xu Wennuan talked endlessly about how Wu Hao went to her home and gave her a gift during the Spring Festival while they changed shoes.

Qin Zhi’ai changed her shoes mechanically, for she was still shocked by how Gu Yusheng had looked at her. When she had almost finished changing into the skates, she suddenly interrupted Xu Wennuan, asking, “Does Wu Hao know Gu Yusheng?”

“Ah?” Xu Wennuan might have been shocked by the sudden change of topic, but she said, “Yeah, they’re roommates, and they’ve known each other since they were little, because they grew up in the same neighborhood.”

Xu Wennnuan was going to say something else, but Wu Hao came over, so she waved at Qin Zhi’ai and went into the skating rink hand in hand with him.

When Qin Zhi’ai had put the skates on, she stood up and glanced at where Gu Yusheng was.

He hadn’t changed into skates, but instead stayed leaning against the wall, smoking.

Qin Zhi’ai skated for a while and eventually came back to where she started. She saw him still standing there, a new cigarette the only change in his appearance.

When she met back up with Xu Wennuan in the rink after three hours of skating, she pointed to Gu Yusheng and whispered, “Why didn’t he hang out with us?”

“Whenever he acts like that, he must be in a bad mood. You didn’t see? How none of the other boys dared to talk to him?”

Upon hearing Xu Wennuan’s answer, Qin Zhi’ai finally realized that none of his friends had said a word to him, even though they had passed by him many times that afternoon.