After Rebirth, I Became My Ex's "White Moonlight" - Chapter 16

Just as she stepped into the car, the scent of the same perfume Ji Yun wore rushed into Cheng Siyu’s nostrils.

Her expression stiffened as she fastened her seatbelt. She pretended to browse her phone with indifference, but the familiar scent continued to flood her senses, making it impossible for her to focus on the screen.

Ultimately, she put her phone down and looked out the window.

“Motion sick?” Ji Yun noticed out of the corner of his eye.

“No,” Cheng Siyu snapped back to reality, forcing a relaxed tone. “I’m just a bit drowsy after eating so much.”

“Then get some sleep. Shooting a cover is exhausting.”

The journey to the Xiyu building continued in silence.

“I’ll leave you here; I’m heading back,” Ji Yun said as he got out of the car to open the door for Cheng Siyu.

“Mm.” Cheng Siyu curled her lips into a slight smile. This was the first time she had received such treatment. For a fleeting moment, she had the illusion that if she hadn’t experienced the twists and turns of her previous life, she could perhaps take this for granted now.

Unfortunately, everything had long since changed, and there was no use dwelling on such thoughts.

Fifteen minutes later, Cheng Siyu was sitting in Ji Wanli’s office. Ji Wanli was standing before the floor-to-ceiling window, seemingly lost in thought over the scene of Ji Yun dropping off Cheng Siyu just moments ago.

“It seems I underestimated you.” Ji Wanli sat back down across from Cheng Siyu, his hand rubbing the cup on the desk a few times.

“Don’t forget, Mr. Ji, what you promised me.”

“Mm, someone will be up shortly to take you to the magazine shoot.” Ji Wanli met Cheng Siyu’s gaze, then spoke with a barbed tone, “I originally thought Miss Cheng was just an ordinary college student with no ambition for fame or fortune.”

It had to be said that the father and daughter were quite alike; they both had a habit of tucking insults into their favors, making one feel uneasy.

Cheng Siyu caught the sarcasm in his voice but chose to act as if she didn’t understand. Being able to grace the cover of Siyu’s new issue was purely beneficial for her—an opportunity many would fail to secure even if they paid for it.

In the afternoon, after Cheng Siyu finished the shoot and emerged from the Xiyu building, Zhao Xixi happened to be there. She excitedly asked Cheng Siyu if she needed a ride back.

“No need,” Cheng Siyu reflexively declined.

“Siyu, why do you look so gloomy? You finally shot a cover; you should be happy.”

As she spoke, Zhao Xixi reached out and pulled the corners of Cheng Siyu’s mouth upward. “There, that looks better.”

But the moment she let go, Cheng Siyu’s expression slumped again. Not wanting to dampen her friend’s spirits, Cheng Siyu intentionally struck a solemn pose and sighed with feigned depth:

“Sister Xixi, there are some things you’ll only understand when you reach my age.”

Zhao Xixi froze for a long moment, expecting some profound quote, only to hear this nonsense. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes and almost reached out to give Cheng Siyu a playful smack.

However, she suddenly remembered something and spoke up:

“Siyu, aren’t you about to sign with Xiyu? Guess who your manager is?”

Hearing this, an unpleasant thought surfaced in Cheng Siyu’s mind.

“That’s right, it’s me. It’s a good thing it’s you; otherwise, I wouldn’t know how to serve those A-list stars.”

Zhao Xixi revealed a smile that suggested her “conspiracy” had succeeded.

“Aren’t you a screenwriter?”

“Well, being a screenwriter involves getting bullied all the time. Since Director Tian retired, I figured I’d change jobs.”

“But…” Cheng Siyu wanted to struggle, but Zhao Xixi slapped her on the shoulder. “Happy collaborating!”

Fine. It seemed she didn’t have the power to choose for herself anyway.

Just as Cheng Siyu was half-reluctantly getting into her “manager’s” car, her phone rang.

“Hello.”

Seeing the caller ID was Ji Yun, Cheng Siyu instinctively lowered her voice. She didn’t want Zhao Xixi to know about the entanglements between her, Ji Yun, and Ji Wanli just yet.

But Zhao Xixi noticed instantly and reached over to turn down the car stereo.

“Are you finished with the cover?” Ji Yun’s voice came through the phone.

“Finished. I’m heading back,” Cheng Siyu replied.

“Good. I have to attend a gathering tonight, so I probably can’t be with you.”

“Mm, you could have just said this over WeChat,” Cheng Siyu answered. She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but Ji Yun seemed much more clingy in this life. In her previous life, she was the one shamelessly chasing him, but now it felt as if the roles had reversed.

“I just wanted to hear your voice,” Ji Yun said plainly on the other end.

“Have you heard it now?” Cheng Siyu rubbed her temples with a hint of helplessness.

“Mm. I’ll wait until you’re back at the dorm to chat again.”

“Okay.”

Then, the busy signal of a hung-up call came from the other side.

“Boyfriend?” Zhao Xixi asked tentatively. To her, Cheng Siyu didn’t seem like the type of “good girl” who was interested in dating.

Cheng Siyu pondered for a long time and finally remained silent, letting it be taken as a default “yes.” She didn’t know how to explain her relationship with Ji Yun to Zhao Xixi, and besides, she wasn’t sure how long she and Ji Yun would last.

“Then you have to be careful…”

“I know. I won’t let him affect me. If necessary, I’ll break up with him.”

Cheng Siyu interrupted the long lecture Zhao Xixi was about to give. Her expression turned cold in an instant as she looked out the window.

Zhao Xixi caught a glimpse of her expression and felt a sense of strangeness, as if she were a different person. She could only sigh:

“A woman’s heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea.”

Later, on the way back to the school, Zhao Xixi was drawn to a snack street near the gate. She insisted that Cheng Siyu accompany her to go on a “food crawl.”

Since Cheng Siyu had nothing else to do that evening, she agreed to Zhao Xixi’s request, treating it as dinner.

Zhao Xixi waved her hand grandly, saying she would treat her, and Cheng Siyu smiled and accepted.

The two of them walked and ate along the way.

“Siyu, you better cherish this now. Once you become a star, you won’t even have the chance to eat at street stalls.”

“Mm.” Cheng Siyu nodded, looking at Zhao Xixi, whose hands were filled with plastic bags of snacks. She secretly wondered how Zhao Xixi’s five-foot-tall frame could fit so much food.

“I decided against debuting as an idol back then because I was afraid, I couldn’t do this or that.”

As they wandered, they passed a boutique. Cheng Siyu intended to walk past, but Zhao Xixi pulled her inside.

After browsing for a while, Zhao Xixi didn’t find anything she liked, but she was distracted by a few handsome guys and started telling Cheng Siyu about the boyfriends she had in college.

“Hey, hey, look! The tallest one.”

Suddenly, Zhao Xixi pulled Cheng Siyu’s sleeve, signaling her to look toward the entrance. Her intention was for her to look at the handsome guy, but Cheng Siyu’s gaze fell on Ji Yun standing behind him. There was a woman next to him.

Cheng Siyu was no stranger to this woman. It was Ji Yan—Ji Yun’s cousin, the one he harbored hidden feelings for. The two of them were engaged in a pleasant conversation.

For a moment, Cheng Siyu’s mind went blank. She thought she would no longer feel sad over Ji Yun, but her heart still twinged with a slight ache, followed by a wave of bitterness.