After the Divorce, I Ended Up with My Ex-Husband’s "White Moonlight" [Transmigration] - Chapter 46

“She’s doing great,” Ning Qi said, her voice laced with suspicion. “Why do you ask?”

“I was just wondering… Miss Ning, are you and Miss Qin good friends?” Yun Shu continued, her tone probing.

“Does that have anything to do with you?” Ning Qi’s confusion deepened. Yun Shu had no connection to her, and certainly none to Qin Shi. Why the sudden interest?

In the original novel, Yun Shu was the pampered protagonist. Lu Mingze treated her like a treasure; she barely had to lift a finger, spending her days focused on her designs while Lu Mingze fretted that she was working too hard.

So why is she here buying groceries? Ning Qi wondered. Where is the professional French chef? Even back at the Lu house, no one would have dreamed of making the “White Moonlight” cook.

What Ning Qi didn’t know was that Lu Mingze had sent a housekeeper, Zhang Sao, to care for Yun Shu. But Zhang Sao had no affection for this new woman; she continued to cook dishes according to Ning Qi’s old preferences. Since Lu Mingze never bothered to learn Ning Qi’s tastes, he didn’t notice. But Yun Shu hated the food, and unable to complain openly, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

“I want to cook some of Mingze’s favorite dishes,” Yun Shu said, looking a bit bashful.

Ning Qi understood. This was the same path the “original” Ning Qi had taken—though in that version, the meals usually ended up in the bellies of stray cats and dogs. In Ning Qi’s opinion, the strays were a much better investment than Lu Mingze.

“Do as you please,” Ning Qi said dismissively.

“Miss Ning,” Yun Shu hurried to step in front of her as she turned to leave. “I have something I want to ask you.”

“What is it?” Ning Qi realized she wasn’t getting away easily. Besides, a little recon on the “main couple” wouldn’t hurt.

“Miss Ning, do you know if anything has happened between the Qin and Lu families lately?” Yun Shu asked tentatively.

“Oh?” Ning Qi nodded. “Like what?”

“It seems both families are competing for a partnership with the same company. There’s some… friction. Miss Qin seems,” Yun Shu paused, her brow furrowing with distress, “she seems to be targeting Mingze.”

“It’s a business competition. There’s no such thing as ‘targeting.’ You’re overthinking it.”

“No,” Yun Shu lowered her voice mysteriously. “Miss Qin has asked to meet Mingze several times. She said she’d only back down if he agreed to certain… conditions.”

“Oh? What conditions?”

“She…” Yun Shu hesitated. “It seems Miss Qin wants to marry Mingze.”

“Nonsense!” Ning Qi snapped. What a load of rubbish. Even though she knew it was a lie, she couldn’t help the surge of anger. “Miss Yun, keep a better eye on your boyfriend. Don’t let him go around bark-tripping over people’s names and making up stories.”

“I know you don’t want to believe it,” Yun Shu said, seemingly unsurprised by the outburst. “Just because you don’t like Mingze doesn’t mean your friends feel the same way.”

“Is that so?” Ning Qi laughed. “I happen to know for a fact that Qin Shi has much higher standards. Miss Yun, try using your brain before you lie next time.”

“You’re so sure?” Yun Shu’s composure wavered. “C-University is full of talent, but few are as excellent as Mingze. How can you be so sure she hasn’t been moved by him?”

“That’s my business,” Ning Qi said. “But I’m curious—if you think it’s true, aren’t you worried about your position as his girlfriend?”

“I believe in Mingze,” Yun Shu said, a small smile returning to her face.

“Believe in him?” Ning Qi scoffed. “If you really believed in him, you wouldn’t be here trying to pump me for information.”

Ning Qi saw right through her. Yun Shu had heard some distorted rumor about Qin Shi using business leverage to force a marriage and wanted to verify it.

“I’ll tell you one thing,” Ning Qi said proudly. “Qin Shi already has someone. And her partner is a thousand—no, ten thousand—times better than yours. Rest assured, Qin Shi isn’t blind. She isn’t going to fight you for a piece of trash.”

The Grand Entrance

Yun Shu was stunned by Ning Qi’s vehemence. Seeing Ning Qi’s conviction, she felt a wave of relief, barely registering the “trash” comment. “If she already has someone, then I must have misheard. You know how rumors are… the more they’re told, the more they seem real.”

“They will never be real,” Ning Qi said firmly.

“Perhaps they were just seen together a few times and the media blew it out of proportion,” Yun Shu mused. “I shouldn’t have mentioned it, but I thought as her best friend, she would have told you.”

“Don’t trouble yourself,” Ning Qi said meaningfully. “Even if they met, it was for business. I’d be more worried about which other women Lu Mingze is seeing that the media managed to get so confused. It seems he isn’t too worried about his girlfriend getting jealous while he’s out on the town.”

Yun Shu’s face paled. Before she could retort, Ning Qi spotted a figure standing a few meters away.

“Qin Shi! What are you doing here?” Ning Qi’s eyes lit up as she ran toward her.

“I finished early,” Qin Shi said, taking the grocery bag from Ning Qi’s hand with a smile. “I saw you hadn’t returned, so I came to look for you.”

“I bought all your favorites, and mine!” Ning Qi chirped like she was reporting a grand victory. “Since you’re here, I’ll just hitch a ride back with you.”

Yun Shu stood frozen, watching the interaction. She had felt something was “off” between them at the Jiang family banquet, but seeing them now, the realization hit her like a tidal wave.

“Miss Qin,” Yun Shu managed a greeting. She couldn’t let herself look defeated, even if she knew she couldn’t afford to offend Qin Shi.

Qin Shi ignored her at first, listening intently as Ning Qi rambled about the minutiae of her day. She loved hearing Ning Qi talk about every hour and every moment.

After a few minutes, Ning Qi finally asked, “So, how did you finish so fast today?”

“Not much to do,” Qin Shi laughed.

“Lucky! Otherwise, you’d never have the time.” Ning Qi glanced back and realized Yun Shu was still there, wearing a look of sheer, profound shock.

“You… you two?” Yun Shu gasped.

She knew about same-sex couples, but the idea of Qin Shi being… she couldn’t believe her eyes. But that patience, that doting look in Qin Shi’s eyes—could that really be just for a “friend”? Even with her own best friend, Ling Yan, she had never seen such a look.

“Miss Yun,” Qin Shi finally looked at her. “I haven’t even addressed the fact that you were slandering me in front of my girlfriend.”

“I—” Yun Shu hadn’t realized Qin Shi had been standing there long enough to hear everything.

“One thing you said was actually correct,” Qin Shi continued coldly. “President Lu has been seeing a ‘fair lady’ lately. But as for which young miss it is, you’ll have to investigate that yourself. Next time, Miss Yun, please keep your eyes wide open.”

Qin Shi took the bag in her left hand and reached out with her right to take Ning Qi’s hand, leading her toward the car.

In the Car

Ning Qi followed obediently. She knew Qin Shi wouldn’t waste time on Lu Mingze unless it was business, though she suspected the “fair lady” comment was a deliberate jab to give Yun Shu something to worry about.

“What are you thinking about?” Qin Shi asked as she pulled out into traffic.

“I was thinking,” Ning Qi leaned back in the passenger seat, clearing her throat and putting on a mock-stern face, “when exactly did you meet Lu Mingze? Come on, confess!”

Qin Shi burst out laughing at the “interrogation” act.

Ning Qi tried to keep a straight face but failed. “You have a girlfriend now! You need to know how to ‘stay clean’ and avoid ‘plucking wildgrass.’ How can you just go around meeting other men?”

“Does that mean I’m not allowed to meet any men from now on?” Qin Shi’s voice held a note of genuine, hopeful anticipation.

“Oh, no, it’s not like that,” Ning Qi said, her mock-sternness deflating. She had just been teasing.

In the book, the “White Moonlight” had used extreme measures to make Lu Mingze marry her. Even though Ning Qi trusted Qin Shi, a tiny part of her was still terrified of the “plot” becoming reality. If the book’s ending was inevitable, what would she do?

“I’d prefer it if you said I wasn’t allowed,” Qin Shi said softly.

“Huh?” Ning Qi was stunned. “Even as your girlfriend, I don’t need to control you like that. Everyone needs privacy.”

“I think it’s very necessary,” Qin Shi said firmly. She began to slow the car down, eventually pulling over to the side of the road.

Ning Qi looked at her, confused. “What’s wrong?”