Back Then, I Adored You

Xu Wennuan sat on the second step on the flight of stairs and stared at him dazedly. Her eyes were red from crying.

She was much leaner compared to when she had moved out of his apartment. She was pale, and her hair was a mess. She appeared to be in a bad state.

A sense of uneasiness and fluster glimmered in her eyes when she looked at him. It seemed as if she had landed herself in some sort of trouble and was here to beg for help but did not know how to start.

She continued to remain silent and did not seem to have any intention to speak. Lu Bancheng stared at her quietly for a few seconds and then, as if she didn’t exist, he retracted his gaze and turned his head. He looked up and began to key in the password with a calm expression on his face.

The beeping sound was exceptionally clear and piercing in the corridor.

As the door lock clicked open, Lu Bancheng reached out his hand and flicked on the light switch. The bright crystal lights were harsh, causing Xu Wennuan’s eyes to ache, but she hurriedly called out to him as he was making his way into the apartment. “Lu Bancheng.”

This time, her voice was much louder than before.

Lu Bancheng heard her clearly but did not turn his head around. He did not even pause in his tracks and simply lifted his hand to close the door. As it was gradually closing, Xu Wennuan seemed provoked. She jumped up in an abrupt move and dashed toward the door and forcefully stopped him from shutting it.

Lu Bancheng’s back was still faced toward her and his brows knitted into a slight frown, but he continued to pretend as if she wasn’t there and increased his strength in pushing against the door. She clearly could not win over him in strength and despite exerting all the force that she could summon, the gap between the door continued to narrow gradually. Disregarding the fact that the door was almost completely shut, Xu Wennuan reached out her arm through the gap between the door and grabbed tightly onto Lu Bancheng’s arm.

Lu Bancheng’s entire body jolted as if he was shocked by electricity, and he subconsciously swung his arms. His action caused Xu Wennuan to stagger a few steps backward, but her tiny hand continued to cling onto him obstinately. “Lu Bancheng, I have some matters to talk to you about…”

Lu Bancheng’s fingers froze and he stopped pushing her away; however, he still did not turn around to look at her, and he spoke in a calm, cold manner without a shred of nostalgia or sympathy. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think that there is anything for us to talk about.”

He then broke free from her grip, but she hurriedly raised her other arm and grabbed hold of him with both her hands as if she were holding on for dear life. He clearly felt the cold sweat on her palms, and when she spoke her voice was pathetically soft with a hint of pleading. “I can only look for you. I beg you, could you help me out? I know that you hate me but…”

She began to ramble incoherently. “But minimally, we are still acquaintances. Based on our acquaintance, could you please help me out?”

“Acquaintances?”

Lu Bancheng, who had been listening quietly to her speak, abruptly spun around and looked into her eyes with a harsh gaze. “If I did not remember wrongly, back then, weren’t you the one who was all too ready to pretend that we had never known each other?”

“Xu Wennuan, what am I to you? Someone who is casually at your beck and call?

“Let me tell you this. I will not help you out regardless of what help you seek from me. I would advise you not to waste your time on me. Instead of dragging it out with me, why don’t you seek other solutions? Thus, please leave my place immediately!”