Back Then, I Adored You

What kind of show was that? Her singing was more exciting than the Peking opera that performed earlier today but, now that the show has ended without achieving its goal, Liang Doukou is trying to leave early?

How can that be? Like Liang Doukou and Zhou Jing, I’ve also prepared a show for today, one that had not even started…

At this thought, Gu Yusheng calmly spoke before Liang Doukou could say her goodbyes. He announced, “Grandpa hasn’t even cut his birthday cake, and right now everyone here is part of our inner group. There’s a small drawing room upstairs so, if everyone is agreeable, how about we go up there and have the cake-cutting ceremony for Grandpa?”

After a pause, Gu Yusheng added, “Nobody has anything urgent to attend to now, right?”

Lu Bancheng responded first. “What urgent matters could we possibly have, as we all specially came here today to celebrate Old Master Gu’s 80th birthday. The cake-cutting ceremony is so important. How can we leave before doing that?”

Because Lu Bancheng had put it that way, Liang Doukou had to suppress her anxious desire to go look for Zhou Jing and stay for the sake of leaving a good impression with Old Master Gu.

Upon entering the elevator, Gu Yusheng instructed Xiaowang, “When we get upstairs, go to the lounge and invite my grandfather over to the drawing room.”

“Yes, Master Gu,” Xiaowang replied, and then he pressed the button for the second floor.

……

At Old Master Gu’s birthday party, the commotion that Zhou Jing had caused resulted in a complete disgrace for the Liang family, as well. Although everyone wore smiles, chatted amicably, and avoided all mention of what had happened downstairs, the drawing room’s atmosphere was persistently awkward. No one felt more uncomfortable than Liang Doukou, who sat beside her mother and barely talked while wearing a stiff smile.

Before the attendant could serve the cake, Mother Liang was afraid that Old Master Gu’s impression of her daughter had dramatically decreased, and she wanted to smooth it over. She had thought extensively about this before she finally said, “Xiaokou, that manager of yours is really too much! You need to hurry up and replace her before she further casts a negative light on you!” She tried to sound like she was lecturing Liang Doukou when, in reality, she was pushing the blame on Zhou Jing.

As Mother Liang continued talking, she gave Liang Doukou’s waist a subtle jab. Liang Doukou understood and then dropped her head and planted a look of remorse and guilt on her face. “Yes, Mom. I am completely at fault for what that woman has done. I could never have dreamed that something like that could happen…”

Liang Doukou raised her head as she continued speaking, her eyes brimming with tears. “I’m so sorry to everyone, especially to you, Grandpa Gu.”

The resolve of the guests to not discuss what had happened in the grand hall, to avoid creating more stress, suddenly became empathy as Mother Liang lectured Liang Doukou, who in turn continued apologizing. Whatever feelings the guests had about Liang Doukou’s wrongdoing dissipated and, eventually, they started comforting her.

“You can’t blame Xiaokou for this. After all, Xiakou isn’t her manager…”

“Exactly. Let bygones be bygones, and nobody should bring this up again. Even you, Mrs. Liang—there’s no need to scold Liang Doukou when things are fine…”

Despite all the kind words said to help smooth things over, Liang Doukou remained teary-eyed and continued to look guilty, lost, and pitiful. “No matter what, this is my fault. If I hadn’t gone on stage to sing, perhaps Grandpa Gu’s birthday party wouldn’t have been ruined.”

Gu Yusheng was sitting by the side and watching everything unfold with a calm face. The corner of his lips unknowingly curled into a light smile. He lowered his head and, as if the people around him didn’t exist, grabbed Qin Zhi’ai’s hand and started playing around by pinching it.