After the Divorce, I Ended Up with My Ex-Husband’s "White Moonlight" [Transmigration] - Chapter 33

“Wh—what’s wrong? I was only joking,” Ning Qi stammered. After a moment of silence from Qin Shi, she realized she rarely joked with her. Could it be that Qin Shi simply doesn’t have a sense of humor?

As Ning Qi contemplated how to break the silence, Qin Shi spoke. Her voice was serious, her words measured and deliberate: “In the future, do not be so quick to trust others.”

“I’m not just trusting anyone!” Ning Qi thought to herself. In this world, the only person she truly trusted was Qin Shi. To be frank, as someone who struggled to navigate this new life, Qin Shi was the only one willing to talk to her, help her choose dresses, and escort her to galas.

Seeing Qin Shi sigh, Ning Qi quickly corrected herself: “Understood. I’ve noted it down.” However, she couldn’t resist a small mumble: “Then why were you so quick to trust me?”

Given how she had acted in the beginning, it would have been more natural for Qin Shi to be suspicious. Ning Qi knew she was a walking mystery, yet Qin Shi never pried; she simply continued to stay by her side.

At those words, Qin Shi’s frame trembled slightly. Before she could respond, a sudden commotion erupted from the crowd ahead, swallowing her words.

“No way? That fast?” Ning Qi was startled. She had to give it to Li Zhiyuan—the girl moved quickly.

“Want to go see?” Qin Shi caught her expression and guessed this was the “show” Ning Qi had mentioned.

“Yes.” Ning Qi wanted to see, but to avoid being “collateral damage,” she decided it was best to watch from a distance.

“Are you hungry?” Qin Shi asked suddenly.

“A little,” Ning Qi admitted, rubbing her stomach with an embarrassed smile. She’d had a light lunch and spent the afternoon getting ready; her stomach was quite empty.

“Let’s get something to eat first,” Qin Shi said with a soft smile. “I’m a bit hungry as well.”

“Eh?” Ning Qi blinked, surprised.

“What? Is the spectacle more important than dinner?” Qin Shi teased, raising an eyebrow.

“Let’s go then,” Ning Qi replied without hesitation. As for the drama over there? Let them have it. It was likely the usual tropes anyway.

The Scheme Unfolds

Earlier, Yun Shu had tried to drive a wedge between Ning Qi and Qin Shi. Now, Ning Qi considered this “gift” a form of reciprocation—one that aligned perfectly with Yun Shu’s desires. Since Yun Shu had just become Lu Mingze’s girlfriend and was dying for the world to know, Ning Qi was simply helping her announce her “sovereignty” to a wider audience.

“What did you find out?” Li Zhiyuan asked, reclining on a sofa as her informant approached.

“I checked. CEO Lu indeed arrived with Yun Shu.”

Li Zhiyuan sneered. “She plays the part of the ‘Pure Campus Goddess’ well. It turns out she didn’t lack suitors; she just looked down on the boys at school!”

“Exactly!” her friend chimed in. “She had her sights set much higher. She’s quite the schemer.”

“But… this is the Jiang and Huo families’ banquet. If we do something here…” the friend trailed off, worried.

Li Zhiyuan rubbed her temples. “Do you think I’m an idiot?” Lu Mingze’s ex-wife had warned her of the same thing. Did everyone think she was some brainless brute?

“No, no,” the friend corrected quickly. “I just worried you’d act on impulse.”

“I’m not that foolish,” Li Zhiyuan snapped. This was a celebration for the Jiang and Huo children. Unless she wanted to be exiled from C-City, she wouldn’t dare trample on the dignity of those two families.

If Ning Qi had heard this, she would have been shocked. In the original novel, Li Zhiyuan was the quintessential “brainless villainess” who acted without regard for herself or her family. The fact that she had investigated Ning Qi’s identity as Lu’s wife but failed to realize they were already divorced was proof of her incompetence.

“I’ll just give her a small lesson for now,” Li Zhiyuan said, a ruthless glint in her eyes. “We’ll settle the real score back at school.”

Red Wine and White Silk

Yun Shu returned to Lu Mingze’s side, finally feeling she could stand openly beside her Senior. As Lu Mingze conversed with others, she watched him with quiet admiration.

Everything was perfect—until a glass of red wine was “accidentally” dashed against her.

Yun Shu looked up to see a smiling girl from a rival department. “Oh! I am so sorry, Yun Shu! My hand slipped. I’ve ruined your dress.”

Yun Shu looked down in horror. The white gown was stained dark red. Li Zhiyuan had done it on purpose, ensuring the wine soaked specifically into the bodice. Within seconds, Yun Shu was once again the center of attention—not out of curiosity this time, but as the butt of a joke.

Lu Mingze, noticing the whispers, turned to find Yun Shu standing frozen and distraught. He excused himself from the elders and strode over.

“CEO Lu,” Li Zhiyuan said, her demeanor shifting instantly to one of polite regret. “Classmate Yun, I am terribly sorry…”

“What happened?” Lu asked.

“My hand slipped. I didn’t realize I’d spilled wine on her.”

“You know her?” Lu noted her tone.

“Yes,” Li Zhiyuan said smoothly. “I am Yun Shu’s classmate, Li Zhiyuan. I feel awful about the dress. Miss Yun, please tell me the cost; I will compensate you in full.”

“Can you even afford it?” Yun Shu blurted out.

The remark made both Li Zhiyuan and Lu Mingze frown. While the dress was Haute Couture, no one at this banquet was so poor they couldn’t afford a single gown.

Li Zhiyuan cursed her internally but kept her face kind. “Yun Shu, it really wasn’t intentional…”

“It’s fine,” Lu Mingze cut her off. “Miss Li, since it was an accident, just be more careful next time.”

“Mingze!” Yun Shu protested. She saw the triumphant smirk Li Zhiyuan flashed her.

“Yun Shu,” Lu Mingze whispered her name firmly. He saw what was happening, but this wasn’t the place for a scene. Yun Shu suddenly realized how many eyes were on her. She also realized that the wine had made her bodice translucent. She instinctively clutched herself, feeling the stinging disdain of the women and the predatory gazes of some of the men.

“Here, take this,” a gentle voice said. Without looking, Yun Shu grabbed the offered jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

“I’ll take you downstairs to change,” Lu Mingze said, his brow furrowed as an attendant led them to a private lounge.

The Aftermath in the Lounge

“Mingze, I didn’t mean to…” Yun Shu started, realizing how foolish she had looked.

“Let’s not talk about it.” Lu Mingze removed the jacket from her—it had been handed to her by Huo Yan. Though grateful to his friend, he didn’t like his girlfriend wearing another man’s clothes.

“Did I embarrass you?” Yun Shu asked tearfully. Having changed into a spare white dress, she looked pitiful and fragile.

“No. It wasn’t your fault,” Lu said, looking weary.

“I know she did it on purpose,” Yun Shu cried, her tears like pearls. She realized her mistake wasn’t the spill, but her reaction. As Mingze’s girlfriend, she should have remained composed. “But when I thought about how it was a gift from you… I lost my head. I took my anger out on her.”

Lu Mingze softened. Her distress was born out of her devotion to him. “Yun Shu, you have a kind heart, but you must learn to distinguish the occasion. You cannot lose your dignity, even if someone provokes you. Do you understand?”

Seeing he believed her, Yun Shu’s grief turned to joy. “I understand, Mingze.”

The “Clever” Ning Qi

“Same old tricks,” Ning Qi sighed, shaking her head. Li Zhiyuan’s methods hadn’t changed from the book, though she seemed to have picked up a little bit of restraint.

Qin Shi had only caught the final moments. “Is this the ‘show’ you promised?”

“What did you do?” Qin Shi asked, seeing Ning Qi’s mischievous grin.

Ning Qi confessed everything in a low voice. In the restroom, she had correctly guessed Li Zhiyuan’s intent. She had simply “helped” by telling Li Zhiyuan that she and Lu Mingze were already divorced because of Yun Shu’s seduction.

Li Zhiyuan’s look of pity had been annoying, but effective. Since this was Qin Shi’s friend’s party, Ning Qi had warned Li Zhiyuan to keep it civil here. But back at school? Yun Shu’s peaceful days were over.

“Am I clever or what?” Ning Qi asked, seeking praise.

“Yes, very clever,” Qin Shi replied. Then she added, “How did you know she was looking for you because of Lu Mingze?”

Crap. Ning Qi had been too honest. She scrambled for an excuse. “Practice makes perfect! I’m very familiar with this ‘line of business.’ Lu Mingze is a jerk, but he has the face of a male lead. Plenty of girls get fooled by that face, and I’m usually the target they aim for.”

“I see,” Qin Shi said. Ning Qi breathed a sigh of relief and added, “Seriously, Qin Shi, never pick a partner based on looks. If you just want a pretty face, watch TV. Character is what matters.”

“You think his face is that good?” Qin Shi asked.

“It’s… alright, I guess.” Growing up with a handsome father and brother, Ning Qi’s standards were high. “But Qin Shi, looking at your face every day? I could eat three extra bowls of rice!”

“Is it better than Lu Mingze’s?”

“There’s no comparison,” Ning Qi giggled. “He’s not even on the same level as you.”

Qin Shi turned away, a faint smile tugging at her lips as if trying to hide it. “Come, let me introduce you to the others.”

As they walked, Ning Qi noticed Qin Shi’s ears were flushing red. “Qin Shi… are you blushing? Because I called you beautiful?”

“I am not!”

“You are!” Ning Qi teased, delighted to find that the cool, composed Qin Shi was so easily flustered.

The Encounter with Huo Yan

“Cousin,” a voice interrupted. It was Huo Yan, the eldest son of the Huo family—the quintessential “Second Male Lead” from the novel. He was the “warm man” who solved the heroine’s problems, paid for her housing, and helped with her children, only to be told, “I only think of you as a brother.”

“Does Miss Ning know me?” Huo Yan asked, noticing her gaze.

“In a way,” Ning Qi smiled. “You’re in the magazines every day.”

“Is that how you met my cousin?”

“We met at a mall the day I returned to the country,” Qin Shi answered for her. “We became close quickly.”

Huo Yan was surprised. His younger brother, Huo Xuan, had joked about Qin Shi having a girlfriend—was it actually true? He dismissed the thought. “Since you are my cousin’s friend, please feel free to visit the Huo residence.”

Ning Qi watched him walk away. In the book, he eventually turned against the Qin family to help the protagonists. Had his feelings for Yun Shu already started because he gave her that jacket?

“Ning Qi, are you very interested in Huo Yan?” Qin Shi asked, stepping into her line of sight.

“Not at all.”

“I don’t recall seeing any business magazines in your room,” Qin Shi noted.

“When were you in my—” Ning Qi stopped herself. Qin Shi had been in her bedroom before. “I read them online! I read many every day.”

“Many?”

“Yes! Speaking of which, why haven’t I seen your photo in any magazines, Qin Shi?”

“I just returned to the country,” Qin Shi replied simply.

The First Dance

Later, Huo Han approached them. “Would you two like to dance?”

“I don’t know how,” Ning Qi said quickly. “Qin Shi, you go ahead. I’ll just watch.”

“Watching is boring,” Huo Han insisted. “I’m sure Qin Shi would be happy to teach you.”

“Shall we try?” Qin Shi turned to her.

“Is it okay?” Ning Qi looked at the couples on the floor.

“If you want to,” Qin Shi said, extending her hand. “I will teach you.”

“Okay,” Ning Qi whispered, placing her hand in Qin Shi’s. It was warm and steady.

“Step with your left,” Qin Shi’s voice guided her. Ning Qi focused intently on her feet, following every command. Each successful step brought a surge of joy.

Nearby, Jiang Bin whispered to his wife, Huo Han, “Why did you suggest that?”

“Isn’t it lovely?” Huo Han smiled. “One willing to teach, one willing to learn.”

“It is, but… they are both women. And one is divorced.”

“Qin Shi is looking for her own wife. If she isn’t worried, why are you?”

Jiang Bin gave her a thumbs up. “Fair point. Shall we dance then, my dear?”

A Moment of Tension

“Qin Shi, it’s not as hard as I thought,” Ning Qi said after a while.

“It isn’t. But to do it well takes practice.”

As Ning Qi looked around, she realized they were the only same-sex pair dancing. She felt a bit self-conscious. Suddenly, she tripped. Expecting pain, she closed her eyes, only to feel Qin Shi’s arms wrap firmly around her.

Ning Qi’s face turned bright red. She pulled away as if struck by an electric current. “Qin Shi, I—”

“You’ll get the hang of it,” Qin Shi said, her eyes dropping as she looked at her now-empty hands.

Just then, Lu Mingze approached. Seeing Qin Shi teaching Ning Qi had been an eyesore for him.

“CEO Lu, you have a girlfriend. You wouldn’t be here to ask my Qin Shi to dance, would you?” Ning Qi asked, shifting into a defensive stance.

“Is that forbidden?” Lu Mingze snapped. He looked at Qin Shi. “We haven’t had a chance to catch up since your return…”

“She isn’t dancing,” Ning Qi repeated. “Especially not with you.”

“Ning Qi, can you just—”

“No,” she cut him off. “Right, Qin Shi?”

“Yes,” Qin Shi agreed smoothly. “I listen to Ning Qi.”

Ning Qi felt like a cat whose tail was held high in triumph. When Yun Shu appeared, Ning Qi didn’t give them a chance to speak. “Since CEO Lu has company, we won’t disturb you.” She grabbed Qin Shi’s hand and led her away.

Parallel Lines

They ended up in the quiet of the backyard. Realizing she was still holding Qin Shi’s hand, Ning Qi let go.

“Does your heart ache?” Qin Shi asked suddenly. “Seeing him with another woman?”

“Why would I feel bad?” Ning Qi asked, bewildered. “I hope they stay together forever.”

“Did you ever love him?”

Ning Qi made a face of pure disgust. “Of course not.”

“But in the past…”

“In the past, I was just a student,” Ning Qi explained. “My father died saving his parents. I was alone. His mother insisted I live with them and marry him. I was young and overwhelmed, so I agreed. I never truly loved him.”

She smiled. “Actually, part of why I married him was because of you.”

“Me?” Qin Shi was stunned.

Ning Qi almost mentioned Lu Mingze’s secret crush on Qin Shi but bit her tongue. Her goal was to keep them as parallel lines that never met.

“I’m sorry,” Qin Shi said softly. “I didn’t know.”

“Don’t be. It worked out. I got a huge divorce settlement for doing basically nothing!”

“Was it worth it?”

“It was alright,” Ning Qi said, though she felt a pang for the original “Ning Qi,” who had wanted love, not money.

“And now?” Qin Shi looked at her intently. “How do you feel now?”