After Dumping the Scumbag, I Ended Up with His "White Moonlight” - Chapter 14

Night, 9:00 PM.

Qiu Yuyi was the only one left on the first floor. Xia Di’an had returned to his room early for a video conference with his agency. After tidying the rabbit enclosure and refilling the feed, Qiu Yuyi stretched, bid goodnight to the staff on duty, and prepared to head up for some rest.

He had been on high alert all day; now, he was so exhausted he wanted nothing more than to collapse onto his bed.

“Qiu Yuyi, we need to talk.”

As he reached the second-floor landing, he found Shen Nian standing there. It was unclear how long he had been waiting. His expression was unreadable, his gaze fixed firmly on Qiu Yuyi.

Qiu Yuyi hesitated. Thinking it would be better for both of them to clear the air sooner rather than later, he steadied himself. “Fine. Where?”

“My room.” Without waiting for a reply, Shen Nian turned and strode toward his door, pushing it open.

Qiu Yuyi shook his head. Shen Nian was as egocentric as ever, never bothering to consider anyone else’s thoughts. Shedding the last trace of lingering attachment in his heart, he glanced around cautiously to ensure no one was watching before following Shen Nian inside.

Thud. The door was shut tight.

A moment later, Xia Di’an’s figure appeared at the stairs. He lowered his head, his “peach blossom” eyes—usually so warm—now radiating a chilling coldness.

“Heh.” He let out a self-deprecating laugh that didn’t reach his eyes. A moment later, he turned and left the second floor with resolute steps.

Inside the room, silence reigned. Shen Nian looked sourly at Qiu Yuyi, who had leaned against the wall the moment he entered and remained silent.

Shen Nian was waiting for an explanation.

In the past, the moment Qiu Yuyi saw him, his eyes would light up and he would practically throw himself at him, wanting to be glued to his side every second. Now, Shen Nian measured the distance between them, and his face darkened instantly.

Suppressing a strange surge of irritation, Shen Nian spoke in a low voice. “Don’t you have anything you want to explain to me?”

What does he want me to explain? Qiu Yuyi thought for a moment. “I didn’t know Xia Di’an was going to be on this show when I signed on. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have taken the job.”

Is that what he wanted to hear? Shen Nian’s face turned black as coal. “Why the breakup?”

“Huh?” Qiu Yuyi hadn’t expected that question. He froze, unsure how to respond. What was he supposed to say? That he knew Shen Nian never loved him? Or that he knew he was just a substitute for Xia Di’an? It was too awkward to voice.

Seeing his silence, Shen Nian took a deep breath. “Where are you living now?”

“I rented a place,” Qiu Yuyi replied simply. He had no intention of sharing his new address. He didn’t understand why Shen Nian was asking these things—Xia Di’an was back, so shouldn’t Shen Nian be off chasing his White Moonlight?

Why bother with a mere stand-in?

Truth be told, Shen Nian didn’t understand his own fury either. Seeing that Qiu Yuyi clearly wanted nothing more to do with him, he let out a cold, angry laugh. “Fine. We’re all adults; let’s make this a clean break.”

As a look of relief flashed across Qiu Yuyi’s face, Shen Nian’s tone shifted. “Now, let’s talk about why you’re sharing a room with Xiao An. Cao Ziping said Xiao An suggested it. Did you two know each other before?”

Qiu Yuyi shook his head frantically. “No, not at all! Jiashi-ge hadn’t arrived yet, and we couldn’t let a senior like Brother Cao share a room, so Brother Xia chose me.” He sighed inwardly; Brother Cao had accidentally thrown him under the bus.

Shen Nian’s expression softened slightly, seemingly accepting the explanation. He studied Qiu Yuyi’s face. After some time apart, the boy’s face seemed smaller, his teeth lightly biting his pink lips, his large, round eyes looking at him with nervous intensity.

Shen Nian’s heart gave a sudden throb. During their relationship, he had only ever focused on Qiu Yuyi’s eye color; he had never truly looked at his features. He hadn’t realized how stunning Qiu Yuyi actually was.

He stared in a daze. Qiu Yuyi, feeling the weight of that intense gaze, felt his heart climb into his throat. He kept glancing toward the door, ready to bolt.

“Xiao Yi,” Shen Nian said, sounding momentarily lost. Before his brain could catch up to his mouth, he added, “If you regret it now, I can act as if the breakup never happened.”

Qiu Yuyi’s eyes widened. He was increasingly baffled by Shen Nian’s behavior. Why would I regret it? Regret not being a shadow anymore? Or was Shen Nian testing him, afraid he would become a stalker?

He steadied his nerves and said formally, “Don’t worry, Senior Shen. I will absolutely keep my distance. I’ve already blocked your number and WeChat; I won’t bother you again.”

So you can relax and pursue your White Moonlight, he added mentally. Then, he gave Shen Nian a bright, final smile.

Shen Nian’s face went through a kaleidoscope of colors before he finally gritted out a single word: “Out.”

That’s exactly what I was waiting for. The moment the word left Shen Nian’s mouth, Qiu Yuyi sprinted out the door and didn’t stop until he reached his room on the third floor, gasping for breath.

The door opened, and Qiu Yuyi looked up.

Xia Di’an stood there in a bathrobe, his hair still wet. A droplet fell from his bangs and landed right on Qiu Yuyi’s upturned face. His expression was blank, his “peach blossom” eyes unreadable. He stared until Qiu Yuyi shifted uncomfortably.

“You’re back?” Xia Di’an asked, his voice somewhat thin and cold.

What’s with him? Bad mood? Qiu Yuyi wondered. He felt incredibly unlucky—he’d just survived an ordeal with Shen Nian, only to return to the wrath of Shen Nian’s White Moonlight.

When Qiu Yuyi didn’t answer, the air pressure around Xia Di’an dropped even further. He suddenly grabbed Qiu Yuyi’s arm, pulled him into the room, and slammed the door shut. He pinned Qiu Yuyi against the door with his arms, effectively trapping him.

“Back from Shen Nian’s room?” he asked again.

How did he know? Then, it clicked. Qiu Yuyi realized Xia Di’an must have seen him go in. He was jealous.

“It’s nothing like that,” Qiu Yuyi explained quickly. “Don’t misunderstand.”

Xia Di’an clearly didn’t believe him, but his expression softened a fraction. Seeing this, Qiu Yuyi felt certain the man was jealous. “Truly, it’s nothing. Shen Nian and I are strictly senior and junior now. Nothing else.”

“Strictly now,” Xia Di’an repeated, refusing to let him off. “What about before?”

Qiu Yuyi winced. He had been so careful to keep the relationship a secret and had no intention of telling Xia Di’an the truth. As he struggled for an answer, Xia Di’an’s arms relaxed. Looking up, Qiu Yuyi saw the anger had vanished as if it had never been there.

“You broke up?” A smile tugged at Xia Di’an’s lips.

Qiu Yuyi paled. How does he know? Did Shen Nian tell him? Unsure whether to deny it, he lowered his head.

“I saw it at the restaurant,” Xia Di’an’s voice came from above. “Did he do it, or did you?”

“I did,” Qiu Yuyi admitted, giving up the struggle.

The smile in Xia Di’an’s eyes deepened. He let go of the boy and lightly pinched his cheek. It feels so soft. He couldn’t resist and pinched it again.

Qiu Yuyi grumbled internally about Xia Di’an’s mercurial moods. When Xia Di’an reached for a third pinch, he ducked under his arm. “I’m going to shower!” He grabbed his clothes and fled into the bathroom.

Middle of the Night.

Qiu Yuyi woke up feeling uncharacteristically hot. Opening his eyes, he realized something was different. His face went from red to black and back to red again.

He glanced at the sleeping Xia Di’an, debating whether to handle the situation in the bathroom, but his hand instinctively moved. It had been quite a while since he’d taken care of things, and the mutton he’d eaten for dinner wasn’t helping. A muffled moan escaped his lips.

Under the moonlight streaming through the window, Qiu Yuyi bit his lip and moved cautiously. Suddenly, a cold hand covered his.

His eyes filled with moisture as he looked to the left. Those “peach blossom” eyes were wide open.

“Xia, Xia—” Gege, he tried to say, his tongue tripping.

Before he could finish, Xia Di’an tilted his chin up and leaned in for a kiss. Qiu Yuyi’s brain turned to mush as he let the other man’s tongue slip inside. Then, Xia Di’an’s hand replaced his own.

Qiu Yuyi’s body went limp, a soft moan escaping him. He buried his head in Xia Di’an’s chest, his hands trembling.

Someone please tell me that didn’t just happen.

Qiu Yuyi buried his face in his pillow. Xia Di’an emerged from the bathroom to find Qiu Yuyi playing the ostrich, refusing to face reality.

Suppressing a smile, Xia Di’an said softly, “Xiao Yi, you should go clean up too.”

Seeing Qiu Yuyi’s bright red ears and pale neck, Xia Di’an’s gaze darkened.

Qiu Yuyi finally lifted his head, whispering tentatively, “Brother Xia, about just now. I was groggy. I know you were too, that’s why.”

“Don’t overthink it,” Xia Di’an interrupted calmly. “As roommates, we were just helping each other out.”