After Dumping the Scumbag, I Ended Up with His "White Moonlight” - Chapter 9

7:30 PM. This was usually the time when Su Yichen, having finished his dinner, would be “Ge You Slumping” on his sofa.

The phone rang twice before it was picked up.

“Xiao Yi, you finally called me back!” Su Yichen’s voice crackled with a hint of dissatisfaction. He hadn’t heard a word since the quick text Qiu Yuyi sent upon landing. Only now, hearing the boy’s voice, did he finally let out a breath of relief.

“Sorry, sorry. I just haven’t found a moment to step away.”

Ever since seeing Xia Di’an, Qiu Yuyi had been in a state of high alert. He hadn’t been in the headspace to even look at his phone.

“As long as you’re safe. Have you eaten? What’s the house like? Are the other guests easy to get along with?” Su Yichen fired off questions like an overprotective mother.

“I’m just about to go eat. Everyone is very nice. The place.” Qiu Yuyi shifted his stance, leaning lightly against the balcony railing. He hesitated for a long beat. “The place is great too. Don’t worry.”

Su Yichen spent the next several minutes nagging him with advice. It wasn’t until nearly 8:00 PM that Qiu Yuyi managed to hang up.

When he stepped back into the room, Xia Di’an was clearly waiting. He arched an eyebrow. “Done with your call? Can we head out now?”

Qiu Yuyi nodded apologetically. “I’m sorry for making you wait so long.”

Xia Di’an didn’t say a word. He simply opened the door and walked out. Qiu Yuyi followed closely, sensing that Xia Di’an’s mood had soured. He didn’t dare speak again, silently trailing behind.

When the two reached the first floor, Cao Ziping hadn’t arrived yet. Qiu Yuyi noticed Hu Shasha crouching by the rabbit enclosure. She had found a carrot from somewhere and was attempting to feed it to the animal.

“That’s a young rabbit. It’s best not to feed it carrots,” Qiu Yuyi said, crouching down beside her.

“Huh?” Hu Shasha quickly pulled her hand back, looking flustered. “I didn’t know. Doesn’t everyone say rabbits love carrots?”

The nursery rhyme—Little white rabbit, white as can be, two ears standing up for all to see; loves eating carrots and greens so sweet, hopping and jumping, a darling treat—was something almost everyone grew up with.

Qiu Yuyi shook his head. “Not really. Young rabbits should only eat alfalfa hay and specialized pellets. Even when they’re adults, sugary things like carrots shouldn’t be given often; it’s bad for their teeth and causes bloating. Adult rabbits need unlimited Timothy hay and pellets.” He pointed to the white rabbit in the pen. “Even though it looks big, for this breed, it’s only four or five months old. They aren’t adults until six months.”

He explained it all with earnest care. He had raised a rabbit from primary school until his second year of high school, so he was well aware of the common misconceptions regarding rabbits and cabbage.

Xia Di’an had wandered over at some point, standing quietly beside Qiu Yuyi, listening to his lecture on rabbit care.

Hu Shasha looked at Qiu Yuyi with admiration. “You’re so knowledgeable! Did you have a pet rabbit before?”

Unused to such a gaze, Qiu Yuyi gave a shy, pursed-lip smile. “I did, but mine was a Holland Lop.”

“Since Xiao Qiu has experience, the rabbit is officially in your care!” Cao Ziping’s voice boomed from behind them.

He had just come downstairs and was delighted to hear Qiu Yuyi’s expertise. To a man who had never owned a pet, animal care was a daunting task. He still remembered the “terror” of being ruled by two rabbits and a cat in the previous season. He had seen the enclosure upon arrival and felt a wave of dread for the coming month, practically feeling the ghost of the scratches he’d received last year.

Now, seeing Qiu Yuyi, he felt the young man was practically glowing with a halo.

“I’ll take care of it,” Qiu Yuyi agreed immediately. When he first arrived, he was too anxious to notice the rabbit, but now that he was settling in, he felt a sudden urge to take the little creature home. He knew that these common white rabbits were rarely kept as pets; they were usually raised for food or laboratory use. Driven by a protective instinct, he took full responsibility for the rabbit’s well-being.

“Wasn’t there supposed to be a dog too?” Hu Shasha asked. She was afraid of dogs and had been relieved not to see one yet.

“I know this one!” Cao Ziping had asked earlier. “I heard it’s a pup from a rescue center. The crew took it for a bath; it should be here shortly.”

The four of them chatted as they left the guesthouse. Though it was dark, Xia Di’an was fully “incognito” with a hat and sunglasses. The others didn’t have such concerns. Hu Shasha, in a white sundress, walked closely beside Qiu Yuyi.

Two kilometers away was a food street featuring cuisines from all over. They decided to walk.

“Xiao Xia, now that you’re back in the country, are you planning a full comeback?” Without cameras, Cao Ziping’s tone was casual. “Do you want to stay an idol or move into acting?”

Xia Di’an had been quiet. Walking on the outside of the group, he caught the question and shot an intentional, sideways glance at Qiu Yuyi. “I’m focusing on music for now. I’m not considering dancing or acting for the time being.”

The other three were surprised. The music market was struggling, and most idols were desperate to break into film. With Xia Di’an’s popularity, he could land a lead role easily.

“You have a great voice. When the album drops, I’ll buy a few copies to support you,” Cao Ziping said, before turning to Hu Shasha. “And you, Shasha? Focusing on acting?” She nodded, admitting she was there to build brand recognition.

The summer breeze brushed against their faces, chasing away the residual heat. They reached the food street, which was still glowing with lights despite being past 8:00 PM. They settled on a highly-rated local restaurant for something light.

Since it was past the dinner rush, the place was quiet. Cao Ziping booked a private room to avoid public attention. Z City was famous for its seafood—cheap and incredibly fresh. He ordered a variety of shrimp, shellfish, and crab, along with seafood fried rice.

Qiu Yuyi loved seafood. Though he’d lost his appetite earlier due to seasickness, he was now starving. His eyes sparkled as the server brought out the dishes. Once the others started eating, he eagerly picked up a mantis shrimp.

Xia Di’an watched him. Seeing how skillfully Qiu Yuyi peeled the spiky shell without hurting his hands, a curve touched his lips. “You like shrimp?” he whispered, leaning close to Qiu Yuyi’s ear.

A flush crawled up Qiu Yuyi’s ears. He shifted uncomfortably to the side. “Yeah,” he whispered back, shooting a quick look at Xia Di’an. “I like almost all seafood.”

Xia Di’an nodded thoughtfully. Beside them, Hu Shasha took in the interaction, then lowered her head to quietly eat her rice.

After dinner, which Cao Ziping paid for, they walked back to settle their stomachs. By the time they entered “Shao Guang,” it was nearly 11:00 PM.

The moment they stepped in, a white blur came charging toward them.

“Ah! A dog!” Hu Shasha shrieked, ducking behind Qiu Yuyi.

As the blur stopped, Qiu Yuyi saw it was a snowy white Pomeranian. The pup was ecstatic to see them, standing on its hind legs in front of Xia Di’an, tongue lolling out happily. Hu Shasha gripped Qiu Yuyi’s sleeve in a death-grip.

Uncomfortable, he gently pried her hand away.

Xia Di’an shot a casual, unreadable look at Hu Shasha before crouching down to scoop up the puppy.

“This dog is a sucker for a pretty face,” Cao Ziping joked, seeing the pup settle instantly in Xia Di’an’s arms.

Xia Di’an smiled at the well-behaved dog. “Hey, little guy. What’s your name?”

The Pomeranian blinked and gave two sharp barks.

“He’s a rescue, so he probably doesn’t have one,” Qiu Yuyi said, his heart melting. He moved closer to pet the dog’s head. “He’s so cute. Why would anyone abandon him?”

“Let’s give him a name,” Xia Di’an said, his eyes softening as he looked at Qiu Yuyi.

After confirming it was a male, they began brainstorming. Qiu Yuyi, admittedly terrible at naming things, could only think of generic names like “Snowy” or “Bean.”

After Xia Di’an and Cao Ziping vetoed his first few suggestions, he had an idea. “It’s July right now. Let’s call him ‘July’.”

The dog in Xia Di’an’s arms tilted its head, ears twitching.

“Looks like he likes it. July it is,” Cao Ziping declared.

July became an instant shadow, his short legs pitter-pattering behind Xia Di’an wherever he went. Xia Di’an rubbed his forehead in resignation and turned to Qiu Yuyi.

“You don’t mind sharing the room with July, do you?”