After Dumping the Scumbag, I Ended Up with His "White Moonlight” - Chapter 3

B City, Saturday.

Qiu Yuyi’s audition went incredibly well. The director had been lavish with his praise, claiming that in both appearance and acting ability, Qiu Yuyi was the “Yu Yang” he had envisioned. Although the contract hadn’t been signed yet, the staff member who escorted them out hinted that it was only a matter of days.

From the moment they left the hotel, Su Yichen’s smile hadn’t faded for a second. He kept praising Qiu Yuyi, insisting that those acting classes had finally paid off.

Qiu Yuyi’s eyes crinkled with joy, the gloom of the previous days lifting to reveal a much more vibrant expression. Instinctively, he pulled out his phone, wanting to share the good news with Shen Nian.

“Brother Nian, are you still angry?” After hitting send, Qiu Yuyi stared nervously at the chat box, waiting for a reply.

“Is something wrong?”

The response was fast. Within a minute, Shen Nian’s message flashed on the screen.

“Have you eaten yet? When are you coming back?” Qiu Yuyi thought for a moment before adding: “I miss you.”

He saw the “Typing…” indicator at the top of the screen. He waited nearly five minutes, but no message appeared. Eventually, after a long pause, a reply finally came through.

“Returning next week.”

Immediately followed by: “I have something to tell you next week.”

“Okay. Make sure to eat well and get some rest, Brother Nian.”

Qiu Yuyi waited a while longer, but as expected, there was no further response. He tucked his phone away, accustomed to this one-sided rhythm. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a sudden, inexplicable sense of unease about what Shen Nian wanted to “tell” him. His fingers unconsciously tightened around his phone.

“Xiao Yi!” Su Yichen shouted, realizing Qiu Yuyi hadn’t reacted to a word he’d said for the last several minutes.

Finding Qiu Yuyi lost in a daze, Su Yichen felt a bit speechless. It seemed his entire monologue had been for nothing.

Startled, Qiu Yuyi snapped back to reality and apologized profusely. “Sorry, sorry! I was just thinking about something. What were you saying?”

Forget it, I won’t hold it against him.

Su Yichen patiently repeated himself. “The movie won’t start filming for another two months. During this gap, I want to sign you up for a variety show.”

He saw the hesitation cloud Qiu Yuyi’s face immediately.

With a sigh of resignation, Su Yichen added, “Xiao Yi, I know you don’t like variety shows. But you haven’t worked in two years, and your last drama aired a year ago. The audience has mostly forgotten you. A variety show is the fastest way to rebuild your popularity.”

He watched Qiu Yuyi’s expression soften and struck while the iron was hot. “Don’t worry, I won’t pick anything that doesn’t suit you.”

Qiu Yuyi knew Su Yichen was working tirelessly for his future. During his first two years, Su Yichen had always respected his wish to focus solely on acting. For a rookie without a background to have a manager who truly respected their wishes was rare. He had always been grateful.

Guilt over his two-year hiatus finally outweighed his reluctance. “Yichen, let me think about it.”

Knowing this was as good as a “yes,” Su Yichen beamed. “Great! You think it over, and I’ll start looking. I promise to find a show that fits you perfectly and wins over the fans.”

“Thank you, Yichen.” Qiu Yuyi smiled. His round eyes were crystal clear, and his long lashes fluttered like a startled fawn.

Even though Su Yichen was used to this face, he still found himself dazed by it. He couldn’t help but think that if Qiu Yuyi had entered a survival show with this face, his popularity might have rivaled Xia Di’an’s by now.

Su Yichen reached out and ruffled Qiu Yuyi’s hair. “Come on, Brother Chen is taking you out for a feast to celebrate your successful audition!”

Monday, Rainy.

The Airport.

Xia Di’an’s fans had been waiting since the early hours of the morning. Some organized banners with military precision, while others managed the crowd to ensure they didn’t disturb other travelers. The hushed, excited chatter and the bright smiles on their faces spoke volumes.

Two years. Xia Di’an was finally home.

Inside the VIP lounge, Xia Di’an leaned against the wall, scrolling through his phone. It was flooded with messages asking if he had returned. His gaze remained indifferent as he skimmed them before sliding the phone back into his pocket.

His assistant, Xiao Miao, came running back after scouting the terminal. “Brother Xia, there are about a hundred fans out there. They’ve been waiting since dawn.”

Xiao Miao had a headache. It was common knowledge among fans that Xia Di’an’s studio had issued a strict “no airport greetings” policy. But after two years of silence, it seemed the fans couldn’t help themselves; they just wanted a single glimpse of him.

Predictably, Xia Di’an’s brow furrowed. A flicker of exhaustion crossed his beautiful eyes. He closed them and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Finally, his lips parted, and he spoke in a soft, melodic tone. “Forget it. We’ll take the regular exit. I can’t let them wait for nothing.”

Shen Nian watched a video of Xia Di’an on the news. Even after two years, he was just as beautiful as ever. His honey-brown eyes looked at the fans with a gentle warmth, a smile never leaving his lips. Perhaps due to the lack of sun abroad, his skin looked even paler—flawless and translucent. His hair had been dyed back to a soft, silky black, falling gracefully to his shoulders.

Shen Nian instinctively took several screenshots. Zooming in, his long, elegant fingers traced Xia Di’an’s cheek on the screen. A look of profound nostalgia flashed in his eyes.

Xiao An. My Xiao An is finally back.

He stood up abruptly, pacing the hotel room until he finally regained his composure. Only then did he dial the familiar number. As the phone rang, his heart rate accelerated uncontrollably.

After what felt like an eternity, the call connected. Shen Nian spoke before the other person could even say hello.

“Xiao, Xiao An, you’re finally home.”

If Qiu Yuyi had been there, he would have been stunned. The habitually cold and detached Shen Nian actually had a tremor in his voice.

After a long silence on the other end, the clear, refreshing voice that Shen Nian had dreamed of every night for two years finally spoke.

“Brother Nian.”

After hanging up, Shen Nian sat on the sofa, still vibrating with excitement. He had invited Xia Di’an to dinner tomorrow night, and after a moment of hesitation, Xia Di’an had agreed.

He immediately called his assistant, Xiao Yang, and told him to go to the house to fetch his latest bespoke suit.

Xiao Yang hesitated, cautiously asking what he should say if Qiu Yuyi asked questions. Having been with Shen Nian since his debut, Xiao Yang knew all too well that his boss had someone else in his heart.

He had spent the last two years communicating with Qiu Yuyi on Shen Nian’s behalf. Privately, he didn’t approve of his boss dating Qiu Yuyi while harboring feelings for someone else, but as an employee, he had to swallow his objections.

Now that Xia Di’an was back, the boss was even canceling important schedules just to see him.

Remembering how Shen Nian wouldn’t even take a day off for Qiu Yuyi’s birthday, Xiao Yang felt a pang of pity for the boy.

“Don’t mention Xiao An to him,” Shen Nian instructed after a pause.

Thinking of the decision he’d made to break up with Qiu Yuyi, he took a large gulp of wine. Soon. I’ll break it off after I finish filming this movie.

At the house, Qiu Yuyi folded the suit neatly into a garment bag and handed it to Xiao Yang. “Does Brother Nian have an important event coming up?”

The suit was a piece of high-end couture from Brand X. Since Shen Nian was sending for it so late at night, Qiu Yuyi was naturally curious.

“N-no,” Xiao Yang stammered. “Brother Nian just has a dinner engagement. He might need it for that.”

“Thank you for the hard work.” Qiu Yuyi looked at Xiao Yang with a gentle gaze. He was wearing a loose, cream-colored sweater, and under the warm glow of the living room lights, he looked like a painting.

Xiao Yang found himself momentarily dazed.

“You haven’t eaten, have you?” Qiu Yuyi asked softly. “The housekeeper made too much today. Why don’t you join me?”

Xiao Yang snapped out of it, his face flushing as he waved his hands. “No, no thank you! I have to get going, Brother Nian is waiting.”

He didn’t dare look Qiu Yuyi in the eye, fearing he’d spill the truth if he stayed any longer. He hurried away with the garment bag.

Watching Xiao Yang’s retreating back, a faint sense of doubt flickered in Qiu Yuyi’s heart. But he didn’t dwell on it. He pulled out his phone to reply to Su Yichen.

Su Yichen had just messaged him: the production team wanted him to come to the office tomorrow afternoon to sign the contract.

“By the way, I heard the cast and crew are having a dinner tomorrow night. You don’t have plans, right?” Knowing Qiu Yuyi was a homebody whose only close friend was himself, Su Yichen asked just to be safe.

“No plans. Don’t worry.”

With a heart full of excitement and joy, Qiu Yuyi sent a WeChat message to Shen Nian: “Brother Nian, I passed the audition! I’m going in to sign the contract tomorrow.”

After hitting send, a wave of anxiety washed over him. He worried whether Shen Nian would be unhappy about it.

Surprisingly, Shen Nian’s reply came almost instantly: “Good. It’s been cold lately; make sure to wear an extra layer tomorrow.”

Stunned by this rare display of concern, Qiu Yuyi froze for a moment. Then, a surge of happiness rushed through him, though his heart felt a bit raw and sentimental.

“Thank you, Brother Nian. Good luck with filming.”

Qiu Yuyi waited for a long time, but Shen Nian didn’t reply again. Still, that small gesture of care kept his spirits high well into the next day. He fell asleep that night with a smile on his face, dreaming that Shen Nian was smiling back at him and telling him how much he loved him.

“Well then, here’s to a successful collaboration!”

After the contract was signed, Director Zhang Huihai smiled and extended his hand to Qiu Yuyi. Zhang was only twenty-six; he had spent his career as a screenwriter and this was his directorial debut, so he was remarkably down-to-earth.

“A successful collaboration,” Qiu Yuyi replied with a smile, finally letting out a long-held breath.

Before the papers were signed, he had been constantly on edge, fearing some last-minute change despite the director’s obvious satisfaction. Now that the contract was official, he finally felt a sense of security.

After the signing, Qiu Yuyi and Su Yichen hitched a ride in Zhang Huihai’s car to the dinner location.

“Oh?” Upon stepping out, Qiu Yuyi realized he recognized the venue. On the rare occasions Shen Nian took him out to eat, it was always here.

The restaurant offered excellent privacy. During those meals, Shen Nian usually remained quiet. Occasionally, he would look at Qiu Yuyi with an incredibly gentle gaze—the kind that made Qiu Yuyi feel as if Shen Nian were looking through him at someone else. Whenever that feeling arose, he would quickly suppress his stray thoughts, telling himself he was just overthinking.

“This place has great privacy, and the food is fantastic,” Zhang Huihai said as they walked. “I wonder if the others have arrived. Except for the male lead, almost the entire cast should be here tonight.”

Qiu Yuyi followed closely behind Zhang Huihai. He was about to ask who the male lead was when they passed a private booth, and he suddenly froze in his tracks.

Inside, Shen Nian was laughing and talking with someone sitting opposite him. He hadn’t noticed Qiu Yuyi at the door.

Qiu Yuyi continued to follow Zhang Huihai in a daze, his steps becoming slower and slower. It was the first time he had ever seen Shen Nian look so genuinely happy. Even in those brief two or three seconds, he could see the unbridled joy in Shen Nian’s eyes.

But it was the person sitting across from him that truly shocked Qiu Yuyi. He couldn’t be mistaken.

That was.

Xia Di’an?