Back Then, I Adored You

“Mm…” Qin Zhi’ai smiled lightly. “My flight is at noon.”

“Oh.” It was unclear as to what Gu Yusheng was thinking about, as he appeared unfocused and sounded slightly distracted. After some 10 seconds, he enthusiastically looked at Qin Zhi’ai and asked, “Are you done packing your luggage?”

“I’m done packing…”

Without opening his mouth, Gu Yusheng let out a barely audible “mm.” He took a cigarette out of his pocket, lit it, and deeply inhaled it twice. Through the veil of smoke, he gazed at the road before him that bustled with traffic, and he slipped into a daze once more.

Another long emptiness surrounded them, with only a few words passed back and forth between them. With their imminent separation, their spirits took a downturn.

What Lu Bancheng had said earlier during their meal together drifted back into Qin Zhi’ai’s mind. Subsequently, she remembered how the unconscious Old Master Gu had clasped onto Gu Yusheng’s hand that night and the words he had murmured as he was lying on his hospital bed. Her eyes began to sting and she looked down.

As she was about to bid her farewell, Gu Yusheng, who was still staring out into the street with a vacant expression, abruptly called out, “Qin Zhi’ai.”

The words that Qin Zhi’ai wanted to say came out as “mm?”

“Could…” he began and then stopped.

Could you not leave?

I know you’ve already started afresh, and I don’t want to inconvenience you.

Moreover, grandpa has yet to rouse and I have endless troublesome affairs to settle at home.

What can I do to make you stay with me?

But even if you did stay, you would still have to put up with my grandfather.

Now that you’re having a good life, if I truly loved you, then I would not have the heart to push you into this pit.

I’m no longer the youth of my past, nor am I the boy who had met little troublemaker when I did not know how to love another.

When one loves another, a part of our heart is selfish and will yearn to possess…

But once we are knee deep in love, our loved one will always be our first consideration in every step that we take and every decision that we make. We will consider whether or not our choice affects them and if we are being sufficiently good to them… Things as such… We would only want the best for the other party.

Gu Yusheng smiled in a self-derogatory manner and took a deep drag on his cigarette. The smoke seemed caught in his throat, choking him and making his eyes and nose swell. He held his breath until the sense of discomfort passed, and then he finally opened his mouth once more. The words “could you not leave?” that he had repeated numerous times in his heart came out as “Could I invite you for some coffee at the cafe across the street?”

…

The cafe was sparsely decorated with only five tables. Fortunately, it was late enough that only a few customers lingered in the cafe.

Choosing the table farthest from the front counter, Gu Yusheng and Qin Zhi’ai sat down. They each ordered a drink and as the waiter served it to them, a new song began playing in the background.

“Enjoy,” the waiter said, hugging his tray and bowing politely after serving the drinks.

“Thank you,” Qin Zhi’ai replied.

As the waiter was about to leave, the lyric in the song was “In another universe with another identity and background, I hope that I can still recognize your eyes.”

Gu Yusheng’s fingers trembled and ash fell off the tip of his cigarette. Turning his head toward the waiter, he asked, “What is this song?”

“Myth of the Stars & Moon,” the waiter replied before leaving.