After the Divorce, I Ended Up with My Ex-Husband’s "White Moonlight" [Transmigration] - Chapter 19

The day after the birthday banquet, Huo Yan finally realized that Lu Mingze was searching for a woman. “What kind of woman is worth this much effort from you?”

“You’ve seen her,” Lu Mingze said. “The one you helped last time.”

With that reminder, Huo Yan remembered. “Her? The one who cries all the time?”

“She doesn’t cry all the time,” Lu Mingze frowned. “That time was an exception.”

“Fine,” Huo Yan didn’t dwell on it. “But you have a wife—why are you looking for this girl?”

As Lu Mingze’s childhood friend, Huo Yan was one of the few who knew Lu Mingze had feelings for Qin Shi. Initially, Huo Yan had supported him, but since his cousin Qin Shi clearly wasn’t interested and Lu Mingze had married someone else, Huo Yan had dropped the subject entirely.

“I don’t have a wife anymore,” Lu Mingze said. “I’m divorced.”

“Divorced?” Huo Yan thought about it and understood. It was an arrangement made by Lu’s mother; now that she was gone, it made sense that Lu Mingze would end the marriage.

“So what are your plans? Did you divorce just to marry her?” For a moment, Huo Yan thought his friend had lost his mind. He had only seen the girl twice, and both times she was in tears. Did his friend actually have a type, and was that type “perpetual victim”?

“I haven’t thought about it,” Lu Mingze said, his mind in a state of confusion. Marry Yun Shu? It was as if he was hearing the word for the first time.

He hadn’t intended to marry Yun Shu—at least not yet. He knew deep down he viewed her as a substitute for Qin Shi. Huo Yan had seen her, and Qin Shi had seen her, yet neither had noticed the resemblance. He had always believed he loved Qin Shi, but something was quietly shifting.

“Forget it, I won’t pry,” Huo Yan dropped the topic. He wasn’t particularly interested in his friend’s private life. Who Lu Mingze loved was his own business. “However, the girl you mentioned—I saw her yesterday.”

“You saw her?” A flash of wild joy appeared in Lu Mingze’s eyes.

“On Zhongyuan Road.” Although Huo Yan wasn’t interested in the drama, he added a warning: “How does she know you? Could there be some…”

He left the thought hanging, but Lu Mingze understood. “No, you’re overthinking it. I was the one who sought her out. She’s a student at C University.”

“A junior?”

“Mmh.” Lu Mingze nodded and stood up immediately. “I’m going to find her.” He had been asking around for news of Yun Shu for days without success.

He was still furious about the divorce, but that anger was reserved for Ning Qi. That woman… well, as long as he never had to deal with her again, he could let it go for now. Of course, if she ever crossed him again, he wouldn’t hesitate to add fuel to the fire. As for Yun Shu, he didn’t know what he wanted yet; he just knew he had to find her.

“If you go now, she won’t be there,” Huo Yan’s words stopped him. “You should ask someone else. If she’s a student at C University and it’s summer break, is she a local?”

“No, but since she was here yesterday, she clearly hasn’t left the city.”

“Fine.” Huo Yan sighed. “Since we’re brothers, I’ll help you look.”

Ning Qi had sent Qin Shi her exact address. Since she was expecting guests, she had tidied up early, waiting for Qin Shi and the little girl.

When the doorbell rang, Ning Qi heard a familiar voice and ran to the door. “Qin Shi!” She looked around, but didn’t see the child. “Where’s your cousin? Didn’t she come today?”

Qin Shi shook her head with an apologetic smile. “We had planned on it, but she was feeling a bit under the weather yesterday, so I didn’t bring her along today.”

“Is she alright?” Ning Qi asked with concern.

“It’s nothing serious. Once she’s better in a couple of days, I’ll bring her to meet you.”

“Great!” Ning Qi realized she had been chatting in the doorway. “Qin Shi, come in, come in.”

She stepped aside to let Qin Shi in and noticed she was carrying a gift. “Oh, you really didn’t have to.”

“It’s my first time visiting,” Qin Shi smiled. “And as a student, she should at least bring something for her teacher.”

Ning Qi scratched her head. She hadn’t even taught her a single note yet!

This was Qin Shi’s first time at Ning Qi’s new place. The apartment wasn’t large, but it was full of the warmth of a life being lived. “Have you been living here all by yourself?”

“Yes!” Ning Qi poured her a glass of warm water. “Have some water. I told you last time, where else would I live? This is my permanent home now.”

“Thank you.” Qin Shi took the glass. “I just wondered if you’d get lonely living alone.”

“A little,” Ning Qi admitted. To be honest, the first night had been more than just lonely—she’d been a bit scared. She’d left the lights and the TV on and listened to music until late before she felt safe enough to sleep. The next morning, she’d instinctively tried to call out to someone before remembering she was alone. It made her miss her family from her previous life.

But after a few days, she’d adjusted. In her past life, no one could be with her twenty-four hours a day anyway; she spent most of her time in quiet solitude. She was used to the feeling.

“But,” Ning Qi smiled suddenly, “you’re here today! And I’ll have your cousin to keep me company soon.”

“She’s very lively,” Qin Shi said. “I’m worried she might be too noisy for you.”

“I’d welcome it,” Ning Qi laughed. “I’ll be happy to have her.”

“Is that your piano?” Qin Shi pointed toward the instrument.

“Yes!” Ning Qi’s gaze followed hers. She had bought it the second day after moving out. She didn’t have much money then, but she hadn’t skimped on the piano. Still, it wasn’t like the piano she had in her previous life. That one had been a custom find by her father and brother; now, without those connections, she had to settle for something “good enough.”

“Is there something wrong with it?” Qin Shi noticed the momentary sadness in her eyes.

“No,” Ning Qi shook her head. “I like it very much. I just… remembered something else I used to value. It was a gift from someone very important to me.”

The original Ning Qi didn’t play piano, so the current Ning Qi had to frame her skills as something she’d “self-taught in private.” She had to be careful not to expose her past life—her parents, her siblings. It was difficult, given that her entire existence used to revolve around them.

“Let’s not talk about that,” Ning Qi sat at the bench. “Qin Shi, is there anything you want to hear? I’ll play for you.”

Seeing the woman’s bright, expectant smile, Qin Shi dazed for a moment. They had chatted so much, yet they had only met in person a few times.

“I… I don’t know much about music. How about you play that piece from the video again?”

“Sure!” Ning Qi’s hands hovered over the keys. she looked back and grinned. “It’s the only one I’m actually decent at!”

Qin Shi knew she was being modest. Qin Shi had studied music as a child; she knew Ning Qi’s skill was no exaggeration. Ning Qi had real talent—her mastery was deep, even if she hadn’t been “certified.”

In person, the experience was different. Ning Qi was incredibly focused, as if nothing else existed except the music. She was completely immersed. Qin Shi listened intently; hearing it live was worlds away from the recorded video.

When the piece ended, Ning Qi turned around to find Qin Shi sitting in a daze. Oh no, was it that bad? Is she traumatized?

Ning Qi tiptoed over, pressing a finger to her lips, feeling a bit anxious. Was Qin Shi’s previous praise just her being polite? Was the “live version” too much to handle?

“Ahem,” Ning Qi faked a cough. Qin Shi snapped out of it.

“Oh, I—” Ning Qi scratched her head, trying to change the subject. But Qin Shi spoke first.

“Sorry, I—”

“It’s okay,” Ning Qi said quickly, making an excuse for herself. “It’s my fault for playing poorly. I haven’t practiced in so long, I’ve gotten rusty…” Could it be my skills were always this bad? Were my parents and Sister Mu just being nice to me all those years?

“No,” Qin Shi shook her head. Seeing the girl’s genuine anxiety about her performance, she laughed. “You played beautifully. I was just so focused on listening that I lost track of time.”

“Really?” Ning Qi’s eyes lit up with joy.

“Really. I’m not lying.”

“That’s a relief.” Ning Qi relaxed. “I was afraid I’d be a terrible influence on your cousin.”

“You worry too much,” Qin Shi smiled, though a question lingered in her mind. If she played this well, why was she so unsure of her own level? Who exactly had taught her?

A knock at the door interrupted them. Both women looked toward the entrance. “Maybe it’s the rest of my things?” Ning Qi wondered.

She opened the door to find she was right.

“What are these?”

“Just some of my old belongings,” Ning Qi explained as she carried the boxes in. “Since I divorced Lu Mingze, I had to move everything out of the Lu estate. I dislike him so much that I just asked Zhang Sao to mail everything to me directly.