After Rebirth, I Became My Ex's "White Moonlight" - Chapter 26.2

Upon entering, Ji Yun’s eyes instinctively scanned the room. This reflexive action felt like a needle pricking Cheng Siyu’s heart.

“Don’t worry, there’s no one here but me,” Siyu said with a hint of self-mockery before sitting on the bed.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just…” After confirming the room was empty, Ji Yun sat on a lounge chair.

“Mhm,” Cheng Siyu hummed softly. Ji Yun tucked away the explanation she had prepared and began talking about Jiang Shizi instead.

Through their conversation, Cheng Siyu gained a general understanding of the kind of person Jiang Shizi was.

Seven years ago, Jiang Shizi had already established herself in the entertainment industry with her superb acting. Simultaneously, her scandals were non-stop, involving both men and women.

However, she was only in it for the novelty; no one stayed by her side for more than three months.

That was until Qi Yan appeared. At that time, Qi Yan was just a naive young socialite who had just entered the circle. They met at a party, and Jiang Shizi charmed her almost effortlessly.

During this period, something happened: Jiang Shizi’s mother passed away. Rumor had it their relationship was strained, and her mother refused to see her even on her deathbed.

It was Qi Yan who stayed by Jiang Shizi’s side through the end of her mother’s life. It was also during this time that their relationship surpassed the three-month mark.

Everyone, including Qi Yan, thought Jiang Shizi would finally stop fooling around.

But on the day Jiang Shizi promised Qi Yan they would take their relationship public, she stood her up without warning. She sent a breakup text, saying she was bored, and was even caught by the media checking into a hotel with another lover that same night.

Afterward, she suddenly vanished from the public eye. Qi Yan searched for her for six months without finding a trace, eventually forced by her family to marry her current husband, He Jinnian.

“I see,” Cheng Siyu mused, recalling Qi Yan’s words when she rushed to the set yesterday upon hearing of Jiang Shizi’s return. Everything began to make sense. But her intuition told her that Jiang Shizi wasn’t someone who would abandon others so callously.

“So, you shouldn’t get too close to her.” Ji Yun’s eyes returned to their usual state, then her tone shifted as she turned her back, breathing slightly heavily. “My dress is pinching my wound. It hurts.”

Only then did Cheng Siyu notice that blood was seeping through the back of Ji Yun’s dress. She hurriedly helped her undo two buttons.

“Wait, let me find you something loose to wear.” She began rummaging through her luggage. Once she found something, she held the clothes and couldn’t help but bury her face in her knees, mocking herself.

It turned out that taking care of Ji Yun had become a matter of instinct, even knowing that Ji Yun’s own room was just a short distance away.

“Maybe I should just accompany you back to your room to change?” Cheng Siyu hesitated, about to pull the clothes back, but Ji Yun snatched them away.

“No, I want to wear yours.”

She then began unbuttoning her dress right in front of Cheng Siyu. Siyu dazed for a moment before snapping, “Go to the bathroom to change.”

“Then you carry me in. I’m in too much pain to move.” Ji Yun unceremoniously reached out her arms.

“Fine, just change here.” Cheng Siyu slapped her hands away and went to sit on a distant chair, turning her back to look at her phone.

“There are no pants.”

After a moment, Ji Yun’s voice drifted over again. Cheng Siyu was about to turn and point them out, only to find that Ji Yun had walked up behind her at some point. Siyu turned and nearly bumped into her.

Her breath hitched, and she forced herself to close her eyes. “On the chair.”

Hearing Ji Yun’s retreating footsteps, Cheng Siyu slowly opened her eyes and turned away.

She would not allow herself to fall into this abyss a second time.

Finally, when Ji Yun finished changing, Cheng Siyu turned around.

“I’ll head back then.”

Looking at Ji Yun wearing her clothes, Cheng Siyu felt an indescribable, complex emotion.

“Mhm, goodnight.”

Suddenly, with surprising speed, Ji Yun leaned in and pressed a light peck against her cheek.

“A goodnight kiss.” After saying this and seeing Cheng Siyu’s face turn red to the tips of her ears, Ji Yun opened the door and walked out.

It took a long time for Cheng Siyu to recover. It had been so long; the last time Ji Yun had kissed her was years ago—back then, Ji Yun would only denounce her as disgusting and tell Siyu not to touch her.

Memories surged forth, turning into tears that fell from Siyu’s eyes.

It had been such a long time, yet this scene had appeared countless times in her fantasies in her previous life. Now that it was actually happening, it only caused her heart to ache with excruciating pain.

Just then, a knock at the door pulled Siyu out of her memories.

She hastily wiped her face with a tissue and went to the door. It was Zhao Xixi.

“The food at that hotel where the banquet was held is famous for being terrible. I knew you probably didn’t eat much, so I brought you a takeout container.”

Zhao Xixi spoke with her usual “sharp tongue but soft heart” manner. “Don’t forget to exercise after eating. If you get too fat from my feeding to get roles, I’ll cut you.”

“Xixi-jie.” Cheng Siyu took the bag from her, her eyes welling up again just after the tears had stopped.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong? I’m straight!” Zhao Xixi said, then seemed to remember something. “I thought I saw Ji Yun leaving your room just now. I thought I was seeing things, but it really was her. Isn’t she supposed to be in the hospital?”

“She…” Cheng Siyu hesitated for three seconds before inventing a simple excuse. “The water heater in her room is broken, so she came here to wash up.”

“Oh, I see. You two seem pretty close. I used to think you didn’t get along.”

“Uh, it’s just average. We’ve just worked together before. It’s mostly because I live nearby.”

Cheng Siyu didn’t want others to know about her relationship with Ji Yun, so she lied casually.

“Alright then. Go eat quickly before it gets cold.”

Cheng Siyu took the still-warm bag from Zhao Xixi and watched her walk away before closing the door.

Staring at the lunchbox, she realized it had been far too long since she felt this kind of warmth.

That night, while reading her textbooks in bed, a notification chimed. It was a friend request from Jiang Shizi. She had forgotten to accept it earlier, and Jiang Shizi had sent it again today.

Cheng Siyu pressed “Accept” and set the phone down.

The next day, upon arriving at the set, everyone began working feverishly to catch up on the schedule. Too much filming had been delayed, and they had to make up for it now.

After several rounds, even Cheng Siyu felt exhausted. Although everyone was in good spirits, the frantic pace was inevitably draining.

During a break, Jiang Shizi handed Cheng Siyu a peppermint. This scene happened to be caught by Ji Yun.

She walked over quickly and sat not far from the two. Seeing this, Jiang Shizi sensed a strange hostility, but she didn’t think much of it and continued chatting with Siyu.

“Siyu, how old are you this year?”

“Twenty-two,” Cheng Siyu answered honestly. Her actual age in her previous life might have only been twenty-two; the remaining ten years were lived entirely for Ji Yun.

“Youth is wonderful,” Jiang Shizi sighed, seemingly recalling something.

“You aren’t old either,” Cheng Siyu replied. According to online data, Jiang Shizi should be 29, but she looked as if she were in her early twenties. Even now, playing the younger sister to her and Ji Yun, there was no sense of incongruity.

“The appearance hasn’t changed, but many things actually have,” she suddenly remarked.

Hearing this, Cheng Siyu also felt a pang of emotion. Ji Yun’s appearance hadn’t changed much in ten years, but her conduct and attitude were worlds apart.

“Siyu, I always get the feeling you don’t seem like a twenty-two-year-old,” Jiang Shizi said suddenly.

“Really? Maybe I just look older.” Cheng Siyu thought she was talking about her appearance; compared to so many beautiful women her age, she felt she was slightly plain.

“No, it’s your mindset and the way you talk. It feels like you’ve experienced more than I have.”

“Is that so?” Yes, after all, I’ve died once already. No matter how immature one was, they should become more sensible and cherish their life after that. Yet, she was still being naive—anyone else would probably be staying as far away as possible from the person who indirectly caused their death, but here she was, still entangled with her.

But this was destined to be a romance with no ending and no winner.

By the time Cheng Siyu snapped out of her thoughts, Jiang Shizi had gone to film a scene with Ji Yun. Having nothing better to do, Li Yexing came over to sit beside her again.

“Siyu-jie.”

“Mhm?”

“Just now, that person… that Ji-something, the one playing Lan Yulin.” Li Yexing struggled to remember the name, gesturing frantically.

“Ji Yun?” Cheng Siyu asked tentatively.

“Yes, Ji Yun. She was staring at you the whole time.” Li Yexing lowered his voice. “Does she… like you?”

“I’m not a million dollars, not everyone is going to like me. You’re probably overthinking it,” Siyu reflexively countered, then stood up to go to the restroom to wash her face.

When she came out, Ji Yun and Jiang Shizi had just finished their scene and were heading back to touch up their makeup for the next one.

“Some people have a mountain of romantic debts they haven’t settled, yet they’re already scouting their next target.”

It was Ji Yun who spoke, her words sharp and mocking—seemingly for Qi Yan’s sake, but also as a warning for Jiang Shizi to stay away from Cheng Siyu.

Jiang Shizi heard the sarcasm; she had heard such things many times. She simply ignored it, continuing to flip through her script.

Cheng Siyu said nothing. She knew Ji Yun’s personality better than anyone. Perhaps Siyu’s closeness with Jiang Shizi while Ji Yun was hospitalized had made her feel threatened.

She then went to a rest area far from the two and began studying her script. But not long after she lowered her head, she saw a figure who shouldn’t have been there: Ji Yan.

She was holding a bag. Since Ji Yun had already gone back to film with Jiang Shizi, she walked toward the rest area. Cheng Siyu wanted to find an excuse to leave, but Ji Yan had already spotted her.

“Siyu, is it?” Ji Yan clearly wasn’t familiar with her name, her voice tinged with doubt.

“Mhm.” Though reluctant, Cheng Siyu looked up to respond. She looked at Ji Yan and thought to herself: We look nothing alike.

“I’m Ji Yun’s cousin. I’m in a rush to catch a flight. Could you help me give this gift to Xiao Yun? Also, please tell her that I have something to do the day after tomorrow and won’t be able to spend her birthday with her.”

Birthday. It only then occurred to Cheng Siyu that Ji Yun’s birthday was approaching. It was ironic; it was also the anniversary of her death in her previous life.

The cake scattered on the floor, the ajar door, the two naked bodies on the bed, the sound of the car horn blaring incessantly in her ears.

By the time she snapped back to reality, Ji Yan was already far away, and the gift bag was in Cheng Siyu’s hand.

Looking at the bag, a thought began to form in Siyu’s mind.

Later, when Ji Yun returned from filming and saw the gift, she treated it like a treasure, saying with great sentimentality that she would wait until her birthday to open it.

Cheng Siyu simply watched quietly until her next scene began.

This scene was a collaboration between her and Su Mingshu. Their acting styles were surprisingly compatible, and it ended quickly.

“Sigh, it’s hard to find a sugar mommy.”

As they went back together to touch up their makeup, Cheng Siyu heard him mutter this complaint.