Back Then, I Adored You

Chapter 6-11

Chapter 6: Prince Charming Next Door (6)
"What are you looking at?" Gu Yusheng suddenly squeezed Qin Zhi'ai's palm, hard. She snapped out of her trance and turned to gaze at Gu Yusheng. At that moment, the man looked like a changed person. His cold and stony face had melted into a gentle expression, and the disgust and resentment in his eyes had disappeared completely. Instead, calmness and gentleness took their place. With an elegant and clear voice, he said, "Greet Grandpa."
Upon hearing the word "Grandpa," Qin Zhi'ai instantly understood the situation.
Gu Yusheng was acting like two different people because he was putting on an act.
The one who always looked disgusted when he held her hand was his real self, while the one just then was simply a disguise to deceive his Grandpa.
And I was silly enough to panic at his sudden closeness just moments ago...
Qin Zhi'ai desperately repressed her self-mockery, forced a graceful smile towards Old Master Gu, who had walked over to her while she was lost in her thoughts, and greeted him. "Good evening, Grandpa."
Old Master Gu had already observed Gu Yusheng and Qin Zhi'ai's interactions ever since they had entered the room, and he beamed at seeing them so close. He called for the two to sit and Nanny Zhang to serve tea.
...
Just minutes after Gu Yusheng and Qin Zhi'ai had been at the Gu Mansion, Nanny Zhang ran over to report that dinner was ready.
After the meal, the couple chatted with Old Master Gu for a while before leaving the mansion.
The gentleness on Gu Yusheng's face when he bade old Master Gu farewell disappeared the moment he drove his car out of the Gu Mansion. His face hardened, and the chilly aura which he had been restraining was instantly released.
With his icy cold expression, Gu Yusheng drove wildly. When the car came close to the alley where Qin Zhi'ai had gotten in earlier, Gu Yusheng suddenly slammed on the brakes. The tires screeched as the car came to a halt. Gu Yusheng didn't even take a single glance at Qin Zhi'ai. He waved at her directly and gestured for her to "get lost."
The series of moves was too fast for Qin Zhi'ai to comprehend. She didn't respond to his gesture and stared at him with her big dark eyes, puzzled.
"Well? You should already know that I was just pretending in front of Grandpa. Did you really think that I'd drive you home?"
As he finished his last sentence, Gu Yusheng's tone was filled with ridicule and sarcasm.
Qin Zhi'ai then instantly understood that his gesture was meant to get her out of his car...
The idea had not yet completely settled in Qin Zhi'ai's mind before Gu Yusheng's chilling and sharp voice rang again. "I'll tell you the truth: don't even think about it! The thought of you having stayed in that house for so long makes me sick, let alone the thought of sending you back there!"
Feel sick... So he found the house disgusting simply because I was staying there?
Qin Zhi'ai's eyelashes trembled and her hand subconsciously tightened its grasp on her bag.
She didn't dare move for fear that her tears would cascade down if she moved even an inch, so she could only reach out for the car door handle in a daze with the hand near the window-side, yet she couldn't find the door handle.
Seeing that Qin Zhi'ai hesitated to get out of the car, Gu Yusheng's patience was immediately exhausted. He didn't even bother to talk to her, instead, getting out of the car, going over to the passenger seat, opening the door, hauling Qin Zhi'ai out, throwing her to the side of the pavement, and then slamming the door shut. He strode back to his seat, and without even a bit of hesitation, he stepped on the accelerator, driving away without looking back even once.

Chapter 7: Prince Charming Next Door (7)
The force was so overpowering that Qin Zhi'ai was thrown back a few steps before she slammed against a billboard.
The board was made of extremely durable, solid metal, and she could feel the sharp pain in her back when she slammed into it. She almost cried out.
Qin Zhi'ai closed her eyes and drew a few cold breaths. She leaned against the billboard with her stiff body for quite some time before the pain finally eased.
She straightened her body slowly and walked to the roadside. Gu Yusheng's car had already left. On the road, there were all sorts of vehicles with flashing red lights, sweeping past her at different speeds.
For some reason, flashbacks of the dinner that she had had in Gu Mansion just now came to her all at once. Gu Yusheng had pulled out her chair for her like a well-mannered gentleman, served her favorite dish to her, and even served her her favorite soup from the pot. His eyes were so sharp that he could pick out a fish bone from the fish that she almost already had in her mouth.
His performance was impeccable. He had successfully established himself as a perfect husband who doted on his wife. He had appeased his Grandpa, who wanted both of them to settle down, even if it was just in his dreams. His Grandpa had been so happy.
Seeing the smiles on Old Master Gu, all the people in the mansion were happy for him, too. However, even though Qin Zhi'ai was beaming, looking very blissful and content, nobody could understand her torment throughout the night.
She knew; he was just acting.
But even though she knew about it, she still couldn't control her pounding heart whenever he pretended to be kind to her, because Qin Zhi'ai loved him.
And it started a very long time ago.
Even though he couldn't remember her two years ago when they met, she still loved him.
Her heart didn't stop racing, and her face wouldn't cease its blushing, even though she knew all his kindness and mannerisms were just an act.
She was so afraid that her attraction to him would become obvious, revealing her real feelings, that she struggled the entire night to remind herself over and over again that it was just an act.
–
Qin Zhi'ai didn't realize how long had she stood by the roadside, staring into space, but when she finally hailed a cab home, it was already near eleven o'clock.
The lights in the living room were on. Qin Zhi'ai assumed that the housekeeper was still awake and didn't think about it too much when she dialed the password to unlock the door.
Someone from inside who had probably heard the sound of the door came to receive her. Qin Zhi'ai supposed it was the housekeeper, so she didn't look at the source of the noise. While she was putting on her slippers, the person spoke. "Young Mistress, welcome back."
Qin Zhi'ai froze for a moment, stiffening up a little before she looked at the person. The one who had come over wasn't the housekeeper, but Nanny Zhang.
Qin Zhi'ai didn't have the chance to ask why she was there, as Nanny Zhang explained first, "Young Mistress, you left your bracelet in the washroom while you were having dinner earlier."
As she was speaking, she handed a stunning, exquisite pearl bracelet to Qin Zhi'ai.
When Qin Zhi'ai reached out for the bracelet, she suddenly recalled that she had left it while she was washing her hands before the meal. As it was cumbersome, she had taken it off and left it there. Subsequently, Gu Yusheng had called her out for dinner, and she went without remembering to grab it.
"It's just a bracelet. I can retrieve it the next time I return to the mansion. It's too late for you to deliver it."