Back Then, I Adored You

By the time Su Qing had put away her reports and looked back up at Qin Jiayan, he had already retracted his gaze and appeared emotionless.

“Jiayan, over here!” Xia Yi smiled and waved her hand when she caught sight of Qin Jiayan.

When Qi Jiayan heard her voice, he quickly contained his emotions, which had been stirred after seeing Su Qing so abruptly. He then walked up to Xia Yi.

Even though Su Qing was standing near Xia Yi and Father Xia, Qin Jiayan did not look at her again, as if she was a stranger. He supported Father Xia as they walked down the stairs one step at a time. He then opened the car door and helped him into the car before opening the passenger door for Xia Yi. After she got into the car, Qin Jiayan bent down and fastened the seat belt for her as he always did before he walked around the car and got in, started the car, and slowly started to drive away.

Qin Jiayan finally dared to look up into the rearview mirror to observe Su Qing, who stood motionless in a pink dress watching him drive away in a daze.

“Jiayan, we’ve imposed on you today,” Father Xia said with slight embarrassment. After having taken his medication in the doctor’s office, his stomach was feeling much better, and he leaned back in the car seat.

Qin Jiayan quickly shifted his gaze and replied respectfully to Father Xia, “Uncle Xia, you’re too polite. This is what I should do.”

“Thanks, Jiayan,” Xia Yi also said.

“Don’t mention it,” Qin Jiayan said as he flashed Xia Yi a friendly smile. When he looked in the rearview mirror once again, Su Qing was already gone.

Qi Jiayan’s lips tightened for a moment and, after a long time, he turned his eyes back to Xia Yi, who was seated beside him. Her warm, gentle voice consistently made Qin Jiayan feel slightly powerless.

Qin Jiayan and Xia Yi had originally planned to shop together for her engagement ring at three that day after work, but because it was already noon when they returned to the Xia’s house, Qin Jiayan ate lunch with them before he and Xia Yi headed to the mall.

Having been caught off guard when he had bumped into Su Qing earlier that day, Qin Jiayan was slightly distracted throughout the entire process of choosing the ring with Xia Yi. Whenever she tried on a ring, he would simply nod his head and remark that it looked nice without even looking at it.

Xia Yi finally narrowed down her favorite rings to three after trying on a dozen of them, and she was stuck not being able to make up her mind. When she finally sought Qin Jiayan’s opinion, he merely swept one look at them and pointed at the ring in the center without giving them more than a cursory look. “This one then,” he said.

Qin Jiayan didn’t know if Xia Yi was truly foolish or just pretending to be, but she smiled in acknowledgment despite his indifferent choice. She then cocked her head at the sales lady and said in an unusually cheerful voice, “Wrap this one up for me then. Thank you.”

Qin Jiayan felt a tight, oppressive feeling in his heart. He paid for the ring and, while the sales lady was still wrapping up the ring, he casually excused himself to use the restroom and left Xia Yi at the counter.

Once in the restroom, he was preparing to pull out a towel after washing his hands when he heard a familiar voice behind him. “Jiayan.”

Qin Jiayan instantly froze. It was only when the owner of the voice walked over to him that his fingers trembled slightly and he pulled out one hand towel to dry his hands while he slowly turned his head to look at the person approaching him.