Back Then, I Adored You

Qin Zhi’ai absentmindedly moved her eyes around. She looked at the housekeeper, but wasn’t really focused on her. After quite a long time, she was finally able to focus. She slowly recovered her composure and responded the housekeeper with a “huh?” She had spoken in a such low pitch that it could barely be heard.

“Mrs. Gu, lunch is ready. There’s too much sun outside. I think you should come inside.” The housekeeper noticed the ring and the dirty gift box in her hand. She asked in surprise, “Mrs. Gu, what is going on?”

…

Jiang Qianqian had an appointment with Wu Hao at three o’clock in the afternoon, but she purposely went to the café at two o’clock.

She took a seat on a sofa in the corner and used the camera on her cell phone as a mirror to keep checking her makeup.

Jiang Qianqian stood up and went to restroom at 2:45. She touched up her almost perfect makeup with a powder puff and lipstick. She curled up her mouth in the mirror before she walked elegantly back to the café in her high heels.

After she had just taken a seat, Wu Hao pushed the café doors open and walked in. He stood at the door and looked around to search for her.

Jiang Qianqian raised her hand up and slightly waved at him when he looked in her direction.

Wu Hao said something in a low pitch to the waitress who had greeted him before he walked over to Jiang Qianqian.

Wu Hao was taller than she had remembered. The bright smile on his face made him look more mature.

As he moved closer to Jiang Qianqian, she thought her heart was racing so fast that it would jump out of her throat.

Wu Hao stood next to the table where Jiang Qianqian sat, but he didn’t immediately take a seat. Instead, he apologized first. “I’m sorry to have made you wait for so long.” He pulled the chair out and gracefully took a seat.

His voice was deeper than before. Jiang Qianqian’s fingers trembled. She stared at Wu Hao and secretly took several deep breaths to calm herself down. She gave Wu Hao a smile and said, “It’s all right. I just got here, too.”

Wu Hao returned her smile and didn’t say anything else to Jiang Qianqian. He waved his hand to call the waitress over.

He didn’t look at the menu, just gestured for the waitress to pass the menu to Jiang Qianqian. Wu Hao said, “I’ll have a black tea. Thank you.”

Jiang Qianqian didn’t take the menu from the waitress, either. She said to the waitress without even thinking, “I’ll have the same thing, plain black tea.”

The waitress hugged the menu and responded to them with a smile. “I’ll be back with those soon.” Then the waitress walked away.

Jiang Qianqian and Wu Hao hadn’t seen each other for many years and were suddenly meeting here. They didn’t know how to start a conversation for a second, since it felt a little awkward between them. Wu Hao took out his cell phone out and pretended to be busy. He was simply browsing the news.

The waitress brought their black teas to them quickly. Wu Hao politely said thank you to the waitress and lifted up the cup to take a sip. He looked up at Jiang Qianqian and went straight to the subject. “You mentioned something in the WeChat message. What is going on?”

“Oh.” Jiang Qianqian responded and took her cell phone out from her purse. She searched for the two photos that she had asked others to take for her, then she pushed her phone in front of Wu Hao’s face. “Look, these two photos were taken last night at almost exactly the same time. There are two Sis Kous.”