Back Then, I Adored You

Her actions caused Lu Bancheng to glance at her through the rearview mirror. He saw her distinctly relax as a warm breeze blew into the car through the window and quickly dissipated the initial atmosphere in the car. He could clearly see Xu Wennuan gradually loosen her grip, and she exhaled a breath of air carefully out the window. She seemed as if she had just released a burden that had been heavily weighing on her.

So, she’s still resistant and panics even when we we’re together in silence…

Lu Bancheng looked down and hid his eyes, which had dimmed before he looked up again straight ahead at the road. He drove his car smoothly, but his grip around the steering wheel slowly tightened.

…

Lu Bancheng’s mother’s birthday celebrations were simple, just a reunion dinner with the extended family. When the car came to a steady stop in the courtyard of the Lu Mansion, Lu Bancheng got out first. When the housekeeper in the Lu Mansion coincidentally spotted him, she ran over hurriedly. “Young Master, Young Mistress, you’re here!”

Lu Bancheng gave her a warm, gentle smile before he made his way over to the passenger’s seat and opened the door for Xu Wennuan, who bent her body and got out of the car. The housekeeper, having already walked over to her, said sweetly, “Young Mistress, let’s hurry into the house.”

Xu Wennuan nodded at her with a smile on her face as Lu Bancheng closed the car door and casually took her hand, just as he had done the last time they’d visited the mansion. The gesture caused Xu Wennuan’s entire body to freeze, as if she was being shocked.

“Young Mistress, what do you like to eat? The Madam specially instructed me to prepare some dishes that you like to eat for lunch.” The housekeeper walked in front of them and, after she asked the question, turned around to look at them because Xu Wennuan still had not answered her.

Xu Wennuan resisted the urge to pull her hand away and followed Lu Bancheng into the house. While she tried to calm down her emotions, she replied, “I’m fine with anything. I’m not picky about my food.”

“In that case, I’ll prepare these dishes for lunch then. Young Mistress, are you alright with these?” The housekeeper then read out a lengthy list of dishes. Without paying attention to what she was saying, Xu Wennuan merely nodded her head randomly.

Once they were inside the house, upon seeing Lu Bancheng’s mother, Xu Wennuan immediately pull her hand away from Lu Bancheng’s grip, brought out the present that she had prepared, and presented it to her. “Mom, happy birthday.”

With his palms suddenly empty, Lu Bancheng stood rooted to the ground and looked down to glance at his hands.

As the housekeeper walked out of the dining room and passed him with the tea in her hands, she pressed him. “Young Master, why are you still standing there? Hurry and take a seat.”

Lu Bancheng looked up and stared at the sofa. Xu Wennuan, who was chatting with his mother, looked at him and lifted her heels. He wanted to walk directly to her, but by the time he took enough steps to almost reach her side, he clearly sensed the unnaturalness in her tone of voice when she responded to his mother. After a moment of hesitation, he stopped in his tracks. “Mom, I’ll go look for dad.”

“Alright,” Mother Lu replied and turned to continue conversing with Xu Wennuan.

Lu Bancheng turned and headed to the study. When he pushed open the door to the room, he turned sideways slightly and glanced at Xu Wennuan from the corner of his eye. The smile that she was giving to his mother was a radiant one, something he hadn’t seen in a long time.

It seemed that he made the right choice. She could only live freely and happily in his absence.