Back Then, I Adored You

He supported his head on his hand, with the window frame supporting his elbow, while his other hand rested on the steering wheel. He stared straight ahead but occasionally, when the secretary would become excited with what she was saying, he would tilt his head slightly to take a glance at her. Subsequently, he would also reply to her with a few words.

When the car was about to drive past Xu Wennuan, Lu Bancheng seemed to have caught sight of her standing by the road, because he turned his gaze toward her. The distance between them as his car cruised by made it difficult for Xu Wennuan to clearly see his expression, but she did sense his entire aura dimming the moment he turned to look at her.

He quickly retracted his gaze and turned back to look at the secretary seated in the passenger’s seat. A hint of a smile crept into his eyes, and he became the gentle and easygoing Lu Bancheng again.

Xu Wennuan only managed to blink her eyes slightly when Lu Bancheng’s car had already passed her. Lifting her arms, she waved her hands twice to hail an empty taxi and got in.

The traffic light ahead was red, so the taxi stopped some 150 feet from where Xu Wennuan had been picked up. Seated in the backseat, she was glancing out the car window and, within a few seconds, she saw Director Li stagger out of the entrance of Jin Yuan with the help of his assistant.

Based on his appearance, he was clearly drunk. His steps were shaky and, if not for his assistant supporting him, he would have fallen down numerous times. Before he could reach the side of the road, Director Li doubled over and began to throw up, much more seriously than the two times that she had thrown up earlier. His body convulsed as he vomited, as if he was in extreme discomfort.

Xu Wennuan’s taxi was close enough to them that, in the silence of the night, she could vaguely hear their voices.

“Director, are you alright?” Director Li’s assistant asked, as he patted him on his back.

Director Li merely continued to vomit, when suddenly his assistant yelled out in a muffled voice, “Director, why are you puking blood? Let me send you to the hospital now…”

Puking blood?

Before Xu Wennuan could react, the traffic light changed from red to green, and the taxi drove on slowly. Soon, Director Li and his assistant disappeared from her line of sight.

Why did Director Li drink so much? He even threw up blood as a result… Was it because he was happy about signing the contract with Lu Bancheng?

Xu Wennuan’s own stomach began to churn again. Afraid that she would throw up in the taxi, she hurriedly closed her eyes and stopped her imagination from running wild.

……

When the taxi pulled up to Lu Bancheng’s apartment building, Xu Wennuan paid the driver, got out, and stood outside for some time to enjoy the night breeze before going inside.

Upon exiting the elevator, Xu Wennuan staggered as she dashed up to the door. After entering the password, she yanked the door open and went inside. She kicked off her stilettoes and casually threw her purse onto the shoe rack before dashing toward the dining room without even putting slippers on. Just five feet from the dining room door, Xu Wennuan suddenly heard a gentle voice coming from the dining room.

“Master Lu, do you want condensed milk and brown sugar in your coffee? How much do you want? Perhaps I could add my favorite ingredients and, if that doesn’t suit you, then I can change my taste to suit yours…”

Xu Wennuan came to a sudden halt. Through the open door of the dining room, she saw Lu Bancheng leaning against the dining table. He was looking down at his cellphone, and the secretary who had been in his car earlier was standing in front of the counter making coffee with a blissful look on her face.

He actually brought that woman to his apartment to drink coffee?