After the Divorce, I Ended Up with My Ex-Husband’s "White Moonlight" [Transmigration] - Chapter 48

Yun Shu walked all the way to her front door, still struggling to believe what she had seen. When she pushed the door open, the housekeeper, Zhang Sao, was busy cleaning.

Zhang Sao’s perspective on Yun Shu’s sudden interest in cooking was identical to Ning Qi’s: she assumed the girl just wanted to show off for the master.

“Miss Yun is still insisting on cooking herself?” Zhang Sao asked, eyeing the groceries.

“Yes!” Yun Shu smiled. “You’re mopping the floor? Thank you for your hard work!”

“It’s no trouble,” Zhang Sao replied politely. “It’s my job.”

Zhang Sao watched Yun Shu enter the kitchen with a critical eye. In her heart, she felt Yun Shu’s skills couldn’t hold a candle to Ning Qi’s. Part of this was factual—Ning Qi had years of practice while Yun Shu was a student—but part of it was Zhang Sao’s own lingering affection for the former mistress.

Master says Miss Yun is a good cook, Zhang Sao sighed to herself. The butler was right: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. She felt a pang of sadness for Ning Qi but ultimately let it go, hoping the lady would find someone who truly cherished her.

“Mingze, you’re back!” Yun Shu ran out at the sound of the door.

“Mm.” Lu Mingze noted her apron. “Zhang Sao can handle the cooking. You don’t need to trouble yourself.”

“It’s fine,” Yun Shu said. She didn’t want to admit she disliked Zhang Sao’s cooking. Zhang Sao was old, and Yun Shu didn’t want to start an argument, so she figured she’d just handle her own meals.

“Fine, as long as you’re happy.” Lu Mingze didn’t push. He was exhausted; his schedule had been so packed lately that Zhang Sao usually had to deliver his meals to the office.

“Mingze, since you’re home, I’ll make your favorites.”

“No rush,” Lu Mingze picked up some documents. “I’ll get some work done first.”

Yun Shu sat beside him. She knew Lu Mingze had been seeing other women—not out of choice, but because of his grandfather. Old Master Lu was still alive and, having heard about the divorce, was determined to find a “suitable” match for his favorite grandson.

This was why Yun Shu had gone to probe Ning Qi. She needed to know if the person the grandfather favored was Qin Shi, and more importantly, how Qin Shi felt about it.

Thankfully, it’s not her, Yun Shu thought. She’d felt a strange sense of panic around Qin Shi from the start—a feeling she’d never had even when Ning Qi was still Lu Mingze’s wife.

“What is it?” Lu Mingze looked up to see her staring.

“I was just thinking… Mingze, did you know that Miss Qin and Miss Ning are very close?”

“Haven’t they always been?” Lu Mingze frowned. Qin Shi had become unrecognizable lately. He had warned her to stay away from that “gold-digger” Ning Qi, but she wouldn’t listen.

“I saw them at the supermarket today,” Yun Shu said, her voice wavering. “Miss Qin said that Miss Ning is… her girlfriend.”

“I know they’re friends—” Lu Mingze started, then the extra syllable registered. He stood up so abruptly his chair screeched. “What did you say? Say that again.”

“Miss Qin said… Miss Ning is her girlfriend.” Yun Shu repeated it clearly, syllable by syllable.

Lu Mingze, who had been standing tall, suddenly felt like a tree struck by a gale. He collapsed back onto the sofa with a heavy thud.

“Mingze! Are you okay?”

“Qin-Qin” or “Kiss-Kiss”?

While the Lu household was in shambles, the atmosphere at Ning Qi’s apartment was the definition of leisure.

Qin Shi sat on the sofa, and Ning Qi, like a kitten finding its favorite corner, nestled comfortably against her. The TV was on, but Ning Qi’s eyes were closed.

“Ningning,” Qin Shi murmured.

“I told you, don’t call me that,” Ning Qi replied without opening her eyes.

“I think it sounds nice.”

“It doesn’t.” To Ning Qi, that name brought back memories of being in a hospital bed with her parents and brother calling out to her in a panic. It was a name associated with the fear of leaving them behind. She couldn’t explain this to Qin Shi, so she tried to deflect. “How would you like it if I called you ‘Shishi’ or ‘Qin-Qin’?”

“You can call me ‘Qin-Qin’ if you like,” Qin Shi replied instantly.

Ning Qi snorted with laughter. “Why that one?”

“Because,” Qin Shi teased, “it sounds like you’re saying ‘Kiss-Kiss’ (Qin-qin).”

“Pfft!” Ning Qi sat up. “Miss Qin, do your fans in the city know you’re like this?”

“Probably not,” Qin Shi said seriously. “I don’t say these things in public.”

“True,” Ning Qi propped her chin on her hand. “I suppose I should be honored to see this side of you.”

“Oh, it’s more than an honor,” Qin Shi played along.

“You’re shameless!” Ning Qi giggled and lay back down, her fingers idly twisting Qin Shi’s sleeve into a knot.

“So it’s settled then?” Qin Shi asked.

“No way!” Ning Qi’s eyes were closed, but her mind was sharp. “I can’t call you that. I’d get goosebumps. You’re just trying to take advantage of me.”

“Fine, just use my name then,” Ning Qi muttered. “It’s more natural.”

“Alright.” To Qin Shi, the name didn’t matter as much as the person. But she found herself repeating Ning Qi, Ning Qi in her mind, finding a different sweetness in it every time.

After a while, Ning Qi rolled over. “Qin Shi, turn the TV down a bit.”

“I thought you were ‘just lying down for a minute’?”

“It’s nap time,” Ning Qi admitted shamelessly. She tugged at Qin Shi’s sleeve. “Qin Shi… I’m sleepy.”

“Go to the bedroom.”

“No.” Ning Qi refused. Being here was better; sometimes Qin Shi would give her a little shoulder massage. Plus, sleeping alone was boring. “I like it here.”

Qin Shi shook her head and turned the TV off completely.

“You’re not listening anymore?” Ning Qi asked, her voice thick with drowsiness.

“No,” Qin Shi stroked her hair. “Your sleep is more important.”

“Oh…” The wave of sleepiness finally crashed over her. Ning Qi mumbled a few more incoherent words, and her hand slipped from Qin Shi’s sleeve onto the sofa cushions.

Qin Shi looked at her, realizing this was the perfect moment to bring up a certain topic. If she didn’t say it while Ning Qi was in this semi-conscious, agreeable state, when would she?

“Ning Qi,” Qin Shi whispered.

“Mmm? What is it?” Ning Qi’s voice came muffled from beneath a throw pillow.

“Let’s not live here anymore,” Qin Shi said softly. “Okay?”