Back Then, I Adored You

Just as Xiaowang began to panic, Gu Yusheng, walking in front of him and carrying all the bags, stopped in his tracks. As if he had suddenly recalled something, he turned and glanced at Xiaowang.

Taken by surprise, Xiaowang held his breath. Gu Yusheng scrutinized the beads of sweat that had broken out across Xiaowang’s forehead. Without a word, he turned and continued to walk.

As they were about to enter the apartment complex, Gu Yusheng looked at his parked car and, remembering a bottle of mineral water left in the car, he said, “Go get me my bottle of water.”

Xiaowang immediately got the water and handed it to Gu Yusheng, who had put down all the bags he was carrying on the ground.

Using the side-view mirror, Gu Yusheng proceeded to sprinkle some water across his forehead to make it appear that he was sweating. Feeling pleased with himself, he shoved the bottle back into Xiaowang’s hand and, looking at the sweat on Xiaowang’s forehead, he fished out a handkerchief from his pocket and held it out to Xiaowang.

“Wipe the sweat off your head,” he said.

Xiaowang had yet to grasp the motive behind Gu Yusheng’s actions and, upon seeing Gu Yusheng offer him a handkerchief, his legs began to tremble.

Why is Master Gu being so nice all of a sudden?

With quivering hands, he accepted the handkerchief and wiped it across his forehead sloppily before he forced himself to thank Gu Yusheng in a shaky voice. “Mas— Master Gu. Thank— thank you!”

Seeing the sincere look of gratitude on Xiaowang’s face, Gu Yusheng bent down calmly and picked up the shopping bags from the ground before continuing to walk toward the apartment building.

Xiaowang quickly scrambled to catch up with him.

As they entered the elevator once inside the apartment building, Gu Yusheng suddenly said, “You don’t need to thank me.”

“Huh?” Xiaowang was slightly astonished.

Gu Yusheng did not return Xiaowang’s quizzical gaze and continued to stare at his own reflection in the mirror in the elevator. He was carrying 12 bags and appeared to be sweating heavily. Pleased with himself, he turned slightly and replied to Xiaowang in a calm voice, “Instead, I should be thanking you.”

“Huh?” Xiaowang was even more confused now.

“If it weren’t for your complaint you shared while we were walking along the road, I would have never thought about carrying everything.” As he said this, Gu Yusheng cast a sideways glance at the bottle of water in Xiaowang’s hand.

“Here you are, casually drinking water, while I carry all these bags. I believe Mrs. Qin will definitely think of me as an exceptionally reliable person!”

Xiaowang was completely stupefied and, only after 10 seconds had passed, did he finally understand Gu Yusheng’s intention.

So, he was never genuinely concerned about me at all and was simply scheming!

I should have known he’d never be so kind without a motive.

As the elevator doors opened, Gu Yusheng walked out with the shopping bags. Scanning left and right, Xiaowang could not find a trash can in the corridor so was forced to hold onto the mineral water bottle.

Preparing himself to be used as a pawn by Gu Yusheng, Xiaowang pressed the doorbell.

…

After entering the apartment, Gu Yusheng flashed Mrs. Qin an elegant smile and said, “Mrs. Qin, while I was making a call earlier, I coincidentally passed by a nutrition store and thought I’d get you these items.”

Thereafter, he began to explain to her how each product should be consumed. Watching him in action, Xiaowang pursed his lips in discomfort.

Qin Zhi’ai’s mother gazed at Gu Yusheng with gratitude and continuously thanked him for his generosity. She even retrieved a towel for him to dry the sweat off his forehead.

The sight of this made Xiaowang feel increasingly sick. Unable to watch on any further, he silently turned his head to stare out the window.