Chapter 683: An Old Acquaintance
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After a whirlwind farewell with Guan Xin, Gu Zi sped off in her off-road vehicle. Gu Zi, having packed her things, was preparing to leave on her bicycle when a voice stopped her, “Little Zi, is that really you?”
Gu Zi looked up to find a young man she didn’t recognize standing before her. His face was etched with surprise, as if he hadn’t quite recovered from the shock of seeing her.
He was handsome in a refined way, with a pair of thin black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. Dressed in a knitted sweater and suit pants, his hair was styled in a trendy side part. Yet, there was nothing greasy about him. Instead, his appearance accentuated his handsome features, giving him an air of cultured elegance.
His expression became somewhat complex. Before Gu Zi could speak, he continued, “I heard you had left the city. I was quite disappointed, but then I found out you were coming to work at our newspaper. I was thrilled. Are you here to report for work today? Do you need me to show you around? It can be hard to find people at the newspaper sometimes.”
Gu Zi was a bit taken aback. Judging from his words, he seemed to be an old acquaintance of the original owner of her body. However, she couldn’t quite recall who he was, suggesting he wasn’t a particularly significant figure.
But since he had called out to her and they were going to be colleagues, she felt obliged to respond, “I’ve moved back to the city. I’m here to report for work, and I’ve already completed the onboarding process. I’m sorry, but who are you?”
Gu Zi reasoned that it was normal not to remember someone she hadn’t seen in a long time. It would be unrealistic to pretend to recognize him, so she decided to ask directly.
The man seemed relieved to hear that Gu Zi had already been onboarded. But when she asked who he was, a wave of disappointment washed over him. It seemed Gu Zi no longer recognized him.
Despite growing taller over the years, his appearance hadn’t changed much. But perhaps in Gu Zi’s heart, he was an insignificant figure, not worth remembering.
He said somewhat dejectedly, “I’ve been abroad for many years and just returned. We haven’t seen each other in a long time, so it’s understandable that you don’t recognize me. I’m Wu Hao. We used to share a desk at school, and before I went abroad…”
Upon hearing the name “Wu Hao,” Gu Zi’s memory began to stir. So this was Wu Hao, her primary school classmate.
However, after finishing the first year of junior high, he had gone abroad to study. Now he was a returnee. More importantly, she remembered that before Wu Hao went abroad, he had visited her at her home.
He had subtly expressed his feelings for her, but at the time, her heart was already filled with Gong Zhan. She had honestly told Wu Hao about her feelings.
Wu Hao was heartbroken, but he made a promise to her. If he returned to China and she was still unmarried, he would pursue her. Before she could reject this promise, Wu Hao had turned and ran off.
Gu Zi’s eyes flickered, overwhelmed by the information. It seemed the original owner had quite a few admirers. But now, this was causing her trouble. She realized she couldn’t be too warm towards Wu Hao just because they were colleagues now.
So when Gu Zi spoke again, her tone was colder, interrupting his reminiscing, “Those are all things of the past. Let’s not talk about them. My husband and I are very happy now. Maybe I can introduce you to him sometime?”
Upon hearing this, Wu Hao’s words got stuck in his throat. He felt a suffocating pressure in his chest, “Right, it’s all in the past. You’re not with Gong Zhan, but you’re married. That’s good.”
Wu Hao’s tone became increasingly despondent, his expression one of deep hurt.
But Gu Zi didn’t pay much attention to this. These were the emotional debts of the original owner, and she had no intention of filling in for her. Moreover, she had wasted enough time already. She didn’t want to continue the conversation and excused herself, “If there’s nothing else, I should get going. My children are waiting for me at home.”
Wu Hao’s heart felt as if it had been kicked hard. This was a thorough rejection!
But seeing Gu Zi about to leave, he stepped forward, “Alright, I just wanted to say, we’re colleagues now. If you need any help or have any questions, feel free to ask me. I’m willing to help.”
Gu Zi, pushing her bicycle, responded indifferently, “I believe we’re not in the same department. If I need help, I’ll ask someone.”
At this point, Wu Hao had been repeatedly rejected. He was starting to sober up. This time, it seemed he was truly going to lose the woman he had held in his heart for so many years!