After Dumping the Scumbag, I Ended Up with His "White Moonlight” - Chapter 16

“Brother Xia, you’re back.”

Qiu Yuyi’s eyes lit up the moment he saw Xia Di’an. He jogged over to his side, took the shopping bag from his hand, and said briskly, “You and Senior Shen can take your time catching up. I’m heading inside first.”

Xia Di’an didn’t stop him. His gaze remained fixed on Qiu Yuyi, watching him flee into the villa as if running for his life. A helpless, fleeting smile touched Xia Di’an’s lips.

Only after Qiu Yuyi had disappeared did Xia Di’an turn his attention back to Shen Nian. The smile on his face faded instantly.

Shen Nian looked at the man he had loved for over a decade in silence. Over the past two days, he had been quietly observing the interactions between Xia Di’an and Qiu Yuyi. He had gone from the initial fury of knowing they were roommates to a state of utter shock at how they actually behaved together.

Having known Xia Di’an since childhood, how could he not see that the man treated Qiu Yuyi differently? That was why he had sought out Qiu Yuyi the moment he saw Xia Di’an leave—he wanted an answer that contradicted the fear in his heart. But he had barely opened his mouth before Xia Di’an returned.

“Xiao An,” Shen Nian began, his voice strained. “What exactly did you mean just now?”

Xia Di’an slowly let a smile spread across his face.

At Night.

Everyone gathered in the small courtyard of Xia Di’an and Qiu Yuyi’s villa. Xia Di’an sat before the grill, expertly roasting chicken wings.

Noticing that no one was paying attention, Qiu Yuyi dragged a small stool over and huddled close to him. “Brother Xia,” he whispered. “What did you actually say to Senior Shen earlier?”

Not long after Qiu Yuyi had fled to the room, Xia Di’an had followed. But no matter how much Qiu Yuyi pried, Xia Di’an refused to divulge the details of their conversation.

Nearby, Shen Nian sat silently at another grill, focused on roasting lamb skewers without saying a word.

“You want to know?” Xia Di’an looked at Qiu Yuyi’s curious face with amusement. “I’m not telling. You can go ask your ‘Senior Shen’ if you like.”

“Fine, keep your secrets,” Qiu Yuyi pouted. His attention was quickly diverted by the chicken wings. He swallowed hard and said softly, “Brother Xia, can you add a little extra honey to my skewer?”

Xia Di’an shot him a subtle glance, a flicker of warmth in his eyes. “I know.”

“Then I’ll go help Sister Xuemeng,” Qiu Yuyi said cheerfully once he got his confirmation. Xia Di’an let out a soft laugh as he watched the boy run over to Lin Xuemeng’s side, rolling up his sleeves to wash the vegetables.

Earlier that afternoon:

“What is my relationship with Qiu Yuyi? Can’t you see for yourself, Brother Nian?” Xia Di’an’s face had been masked with a perfectly poised smile.

Shen Nian’s face went through a kaleidoscope of colors before he managed to suppress his emotions. “Xiao Yi doesn’t like you.”

“Heh,” Xia Di’an chuckled. “Calling him ‘Xiao Yi’ now, are we?”

Shen Nian was speechless.

“You might have misunderstood something.” Xia Di’an’s smile vanished, replaced by an expression of visible boredom and disgust. “Whether he likes me or not has never been the important part.”

Having known Xia Di’an since they were kids, Shen Nian had always seen him as gentle and poised, a man who met every situation with a smile. He never imagined Xia Di’an could look so cold.

“What do you mean?” Shen Nian asked, his voice cracking. He realized then that the Xia Di’an he had loved in his memories might never have existed at all.

“Because.” Xia Di’an’s voice was soft and slow. “Regardless of whether he likes me or not, he will be mine. If he doesn’t like me, I’ll just keep him locked away until he does.”

By the time a dazed Shen Nian left, the malice had faded from Xia Di’an’s face. He let out a light sigh and murmured, “What a hassle.”

“So good!” Qiu Yuyi’s eyes widened in delight the moment he bit into the chicken wing. The meat was tender and juicy, the skin glazed with honey and sprinkled with a handful of sesame seeds. “Brother Xia, you’re amazing!”

Xia Di’an watched him tenderly. Seeing the boy so happy brought a smile to his own eyes. “I’ll make them for you whenever you want to eat them.”

Qiu Yuyi nodded enthusiastically, though he didn’t take the promise to heart. He assumed that once the show ended, they would naturally drift apart. Xia Di’an sensed the boy’s skepticism but didn’t explain. He simply handed him another skewer.

So silly. Xia Di’an reached out and pinched Qiu Yuyi’s cheek.

Shen Nian, sitting diagonally across from them, hadn’t missed a single interaction. His face darkened. He will be mine. If he doesn’t like me, I’ll just keep him locked away. Xia Di’an’s words rang in his ears. Discovering that the person he had loved wasn’t who he thought they were was a shock—but Shen Nian realized his decade-long obsession with Xia Di’an had evaporated. However, looking at the innocent profile of the boy who had stayed by his side for two years, Shen

Nian’s gaze hardened. He couldn’t lose Qiu Yuyi. He wouldn’t let Xia Di’an win.

Sensing Shen Nian’s gaze, Xia Di’an shot him a knowing look. He turned back to the blissfully unaware Qiu Yuyi and pinched his soft cheek again. “Tsk. You little troublemaker,” he whispered.

After the BBQ, it was only 8:00 PM. Shen Jiashi suggested a game of Truth or Dare.

Here it comes, Qiu Yuyi thought. The inevitable party game.

Hu Shasha was the first to agree, her eyes sparkling. To everyone’s surprise, Shen Nian also agreed. They used a spinning water bottle to select the victims.

The first round landed on Lin Xuemeng. She chose Truth. Cao Ziping asked, “Of all the actors you’ve worked with, who is your favorite?” She chose Shen Nian, since he was present, earning a collective groan for such a safe answer.

The next spin landed on Shen Nian. He chose Truth. Lin Xuemeng asked, “Have you ever dated anyone in the industry?”

The room erupted in “Oohs.” After a long silence, Shen Nian replied, “Yes.”

The answer shocked everyone except Qiu Yuyi and Xia Di’an. Qiu Yuyi kept his head down, while Xia Di’an shot him a subtle, cold look.

The bottle then pointed to Qiu Yuyi. Nervous, he chose Truth. Before anyone else could speak, Hu Shasha asked, “Have you ever dated anyone present in this room?”

The air seemed to freeze. Cao Ziping was about to call the question invalid when he noticed Qiu Yuyi’s face was deathly pale. “I, I’ll drink,” Qiu Yuyi stammered, reaching for his glass.

What the? Cao Ziping’s eyes darted to Xia Di’an. Are they really?

Xia Di’an’s gaze had turned icy. He glanced at Hu Shasha before taking the glass from Qiu Yuyi’s hand. “I’ll drink for him.” He downed it in one go. Shen Nian felt a wave of bitterness; through the whole exchange, Qiu Yuyi hadn’t looked at him once.

Eventually, the bottle landed on Xia Di’an. He chose Dare. Shen Jiashi grinned. “I won’t make it hard for you. Pick someone here and confess to them.”

Cao Ziping frowned—how was that “not hard” for a celebrity? Shen Nian’s expression turned grim.

Without a second’s hesitation, Xia Di’an turned to the stunned Qiu Yuyi. “Xiao Yi, I like you,” he said softly. Then, he leaned in and placed a light kiss on Qiu Yuyi’s cheek.

Qiu Yuyi sat frozen, his hand flying to his face as his ears turned crimson. Xia Di’an just looked at him with a beaming smile, as if kissing someone on a national variety show was a casual daily occurrence. The rest of the group stared in stunned silence.

“Why did you kiss me in front of everyone?” Qiu Yuyi hissed later, grabbing Xia Di’an’s sleeve as the man headed to wash up.

“Wasn’t it a dare?” Xia Di’an laughed.

“A dare doesn’t mean you have to kiss me!” Qiu Yuyi’s face was flushed, his voice soft and flustered. “There are cameras everywhere, how could you just do that?”

Before he could finish, Xia Di’an leaned down and kissed the other cheek. “There are no cameras in the room, Xiao Yi,” he whispered, his voice slightly husky. “We’re the only ones here now. Can I kiss you now?”