Back Then, I Adored You

However, he hadn’t expected that she would call him so suddenly. As if he was crushed by innumerable words, his brain froze for a little while, and somehow, he didn’t know where to start.

Qin Zhi’ai didn’t say any courteous words towards Gu Yusheng, just tightened her grip on her phone due to nerves and said in a low voice, “I booked a ticket just now.”

Gu Yusheng kept silent on the other end of the phone.

Qin Zhi’ai bit her lip, then said, “I’m going to Shanghai.”

Hardly had she finished speaking these words when there was a sound of an emergency brake screeching over the phone.

The car must have been going extremely fast. The tires were scraping across the road, creating a long, harsh noise before they returned to silence.

Qin Zhi’ai knitted her brows, asking, “Are you driving right now?”

Still, no one answered. After some time, Gu Yusheng’s voice could be heard over the phone. It was a very soft “yes.”

About ten seconds later, Gu Yusheng asked, “Are you coming for me?”

His direct and straightforward way of asking made Qin Zhi’ai feel a bit shy.

She clutched her phone tightly, holding her breath and staying quiet for a moment, then admitted in a dignified manner, “Yes.”

There was no reply, so her face was tinged with a faint blush. Afraid that she hadn’t been heard clearly, she stressed again, “I’m going there to see you.”

Gu Yusheng held his phone, staring blankly at the endless expressway ahead and feeling like everything was a dream.

He thought about her words several times in the bottom of his heart, then said in a clear and light, but tender, voice, “When? I’ll pick you up.”

“At five,” Qin Zhi’ai answered gently, then she added, “At Pudong Airport.”

The last time Qin Zhi’ai had gone to Gu Yusheng’s company, she had noticed by accident that the Shanghai branch of the Gu Company was located near the Huangpu River. Thus, she added, “The airport is a little far from your branch office, but I could only manage to find a ticket that landed at that airport.”

“That’s okay,” Gu Yusheng answered in a gentle and slow tone. “I see, call me when you get off the plane.”

“Okay, fine.” After saying this, she held her phone silently for a while. Thinking that Gu Yusheng had no intention to say anything else and that she had to go to the airport, she said, “Then I’ll be off.”

“Okay.” It seemed that Gu Yusheng was immersed in his own thoughts, since his reply was very unconcerned.

Qin Zhi’ai was about to hang up when Gu Yusheng called her abruptly. “Little troublemaker?”

Qin Zhi’ai stopped in the action of hanging up. “What’s wrong?”

“Are you feeling better?”

“I’m fine now…” Qin Zhi’ai answered vaguely. “I’ve been fine since this morning.”

“Okay…” Qin Zhi’ai thought that Gu Yusheng was about to say “see you” or something like that after this, but she didn’t expect that he would call her again. “Little troublemaker?”

Qin Zhi’ai couldn’t see Gu Yusheng’s expression over the phone, but from his tender and soft tone, she felt that he seemed to have many words to say, so she waited silently without hearing any reply.

After a little while, he finally said, “I’m sorry.”

Because Qin Zhi’ai had never thought he would apologize abruptly, she moved her mouth without knowing what to say. After finding the ring, she had intended to go to him in a hurry. What she was most eager to ask lingered in her mouth, like it would escape her lips at any moment.

“I…” After starting to speak, Gu Yusheng paused. Half a minute later, when he spoke again, his tone became more relaxed than it had been just before. “We’ll talk more later, after your arrival.”