Back Then, I Adored You

After getting the waiter to foot the bill, Old Master Gu slowly walked out of the teahouse with the support of Nanny Zhang, who opened the car door and said, “Old Master, let’s get into the car.”

Supporting himself on his cane, Old Master Gu stood beside the car for a long time without moving. A gust of a summer night breeze blew into his face, refreshing his senses and energizing his body. Moving his murky eyes slightly, he bent down and got into the car.

Nanny Zhang looked straight ahead as she silently drove. When she stopped at a red light, she looked at Old Master Gu seated in the backseat through the rearview mirror. He was not looking at her but, as if sensing her gaze, he sighed lightly and spoke for the first time since the afternoon meeting.

“It seems that she did not just plan that accident. She even wanted to create a car accident to cause Miss Qin to miscarry last month when Yusheng and her went to a pregnancy checkup.”

Nanny Zhang only dared share her thoughts after Old Master Gu had breached the subject. “Yes, I didn’t dare believe it either. To think that Miss Liang is so vicious and actually did so many heinous things… Old Master, how could she be so heartless? You’ve treated her so well. How could she have been deceiving you for so long?”

Old Master Gu did not reply. Perhaps because he had sat down for so long that day, he raised his hands, balled them up, and then brought them down to below his lips. He coughed heavily to clear his lungs, and then the car was silent again.

After a few miles of driving, Nanny Zhang began to speak. “Old Master, back then, Miss Liang was the one who brought you the photos of Miss Qin. Today, she wanted to frame Miss Qin in the presence of so many people. Do you think that she could have done something to those photos intentionally?”

“It’s probably more complicated than that. Perhaps even the video that we have was actually recorded by her—” As he spoke, Old Master Gu began to cough violently.

“Old Master Gu, are you alright? Why are you coughing so hard all of a sudden? Are you unwell again?”

“I’m alright,” Old Master Gu replied, while raising his hands to pat his chest.

“Should I get Dr. Xia to come over and take a look?”

“No worries—” Subsequently, he coughed some more.

……

Although Gu Yusheng and Wu Hao had not been in contact recently, Wu Hao still attended Old Master Gu’s 80th birthday celebration. As he had an important meeting that afternoon, Wu Hao arrived to deliver his gift and briefly pay his respects before leaving.

Before he could walk up to his car after exiting the hotel, he was stopped by Jiang Qianqian, who’d been following behind him closely. “Wu Hao.” He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her.

Jiang Qianqian was wearing a dinner dress that did not highlight her pregnant waist; her two-inch-high wedges, though, were eye-catching. Seeing him stop, she hurried forward, asking, “Wu Hao, did you get my text message?”

Wu Hao lowered his eyes. Pursing his lips lightly, he nodded his head once.

“Then why didn’t you reply?” Jiang Qianqian asked with a hint of resentment in her voice.

They were standing directly opposite the entrance to the hotel where many acquaintances were coming and going. Wu Hao turned around and continued to walk to the parking lot. After Jiang Qianqian caught up with him, he lowered his head and stared into her eyes. Ignoring her resentment, he asked, “Didn’t you take the pills?”

“I…” Jiang Qianqian didn’t know how to reply and only managed to say one word before stopping. After some time, she eventually resumed, “Wu Hao, I really did not intend to lie to you. I…”