Always Chasing My White Moonlight Omega - Chapter 22

“Yangyang?” Ruan Qingyu’s call came through just as Ruan Yang was in the middle of filming with the director.

Ruan Yang found a quiet corner to answer the phone. “Hello, Mom?”

“Are you busy, Yangyang? Do you have time to come home this weekend?” Ruan Qingyu sounded in high spirits.

“This weekend?” Ruan Yang thought about it, she was supposed to continue filming, but if she really wanted to take time off, the director probably wouldn’t say much.

But she didn’t feel like going back.

After a brief silence, she replied, “I’m traveling abroad with some classmates. I might not make it back. Is there something important?”

Ruan Qingyu’s voice instantly rose several notches. “How can you not come back? I told you before you left, your birthday is at the end of the month, and your father wants to throw you a birthday party. You have to come back, and bring all your classmates with you, understand?”

Ruan Yang had long since given up correcting Ruan Qingyu about that man not being her father. No matter how many times she said it, Ruan Qingyu never listened.

“Why is Uncle Xu throwing me a birthday party?” Ruan Yang’s tone darkened. “He never throws parties for Zhiyi-jie, but now he’s doing one for me. Does that even make sense?”

Ruan Qingyu almost blurted out, Why do you care about that little fox Xu Zhiyi? But remembering how Ruan Yang always got angry whenever she badmouthed Xu Zhiyi, she swallowed the words after barely a second’s hesitation.

“It just shows how much your father values me, Yangyang. Xu Rongjiang volunteered to do this for you, I didn’t beg him. He wants to formally introduce you to his friends. You can’t possibly turn down such a kind gesture!”

Would Xu Rongjiang really be that generous?

Ruan Yang had never believed that a profit-driven businessman like him would treat a daughter with no blood ties so well.

She was about to refuse again, but Ruan Qingyu seemed to anticipate it and cut in sharply, “Ruan Yang, I’m saying this very seriously.”

“You know I don’t have much to my name. I’m not capable of anything, I can only survive by relying on others. I know you’ve made something of yourself now, that you can earn money and take care of me. But I love your Uncle Rongjiang. I’m not blind to the fact that he’s never mentioned marrying me because he looks down on my background. But what if, what if this is a sign? You know how badly I want to marry him!”

Ruan Yang suddenly found herself speechless.

She knew. Her mother and Xu Rongjiang had been each other’s first love in their youth. Ruan Qingyu always said Xu Rongjiang had promised her back then that he would marry her.

It had become her mother’s obsession over the years.

“Fine. If you don’t care about me as your mother, if you want to see me humiliated in front of your Uncle Xu, laughed at by everyone then go ahead and keep playing abroad!”

With that, Ruan Qingyu hung up immediately, leaving Ruan Yang no chance to respond.

Phone still in hand, Ruan Yang stood rooted to the spot before letting out a long sigh.

Just as she turned to ask the director for leave, a playful whistle cut through the air.

“What’s with that face? Did your girlfriend dump you?” Su Xinzhi walked over with Jing Ziqi in tow, smirking. “Hey, Ruan Yang, need me to set you up with someone?”

He sneered, “I happen to know quite a few wealthy older Omega ladies. They absolutely adore young, pretty things like you. Want to give it a try? If even one of them takes a liking to you, you’ll be set for life.”

The bluntness of his words made Jing Ziqi, who was standing nearby, widen her eyes slightly.

Ruan Yang couldn’t be bothered to argue with him and turned to leave.

Su Xinzhi hated this about Ruan Yang the most, that cold, aloof demeanor, like some untouchable fairy, yet decked out in designer brands from head to toe. And when he asked around, it turned out she wasn’t even from some wealthy family. What else could she be but a kept woman?

What a joke. She got to study in the same production crew as him and was even personally kept close by the director, while he was stuck running errands for some assistant director all day?

Just thinking about it pissed him off.

With a mocking laugh, Su Xinzhi stepped forward and blocked Ruan Yang’s path. “What, not interested? You think you’re too good for the ladies in my circle? Do you even know who I am? Anyone from my circle could casually throw around more money than you’ll ever earn in your lifetime. Who the hell do you think you are to look down on them?”

By the end, Su Xinzhi was so worked up that he reached out to shove Ruan Yang’s shoulder.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Just as Ruan Yang was about to grab Su Xinzhi’s arm, another hand got there first, yanking his wrist back.

Ruan Yang turned her head Xu Zhiyi had appeared out of nowhere.

Xu Zhiyi first glanced at the injured back of Ruan Yang’s hand before forcefully twisting Su Xinzhi’s arm, forcing him to take a step back.

She dusted off her hands with obvious disdain before lifting her gaze, her eyes icy as they locked onto Su Xinzhi. “Causing trouble here? Su Xinzhi, not everyone is going to indulge you.”

“Xu Zhiyi!” Seeing her intervene, Su Xinzhi’s expression darkened further. His face was practically black with anger. “This has nothing to do with you. Get out of the way!”

“And if I don’t?” Xu Zhiyi planted herself firmly in front of Ruan Yang, her brows slightly furrowed as she glanced back. “Are you okay?”

“…” Ruan Yang hadn’t expected Xu Zhiyi to show up. She flicked a glance at the nearby pillar, where she’d been planning to slam Su Xinzhi’s head into before lowering her gaze. “I-I’m fine.”

That trembling voice didn’t sound “fine” at all.

Xu Zhiyi’s frown deepened, completely unaware that she’d just associated words like “trembling” and “pitiful” with Ruan Yang.

She turned back to Su Xinzhi with a cold laugh. “Young Master Su has quite the temper, doesn’t he? What, did your father’s beating last year not knock any sense into that thick skull of yours?”

Xu Zhiyi was referring to the incident the previous year when Su Xinzhi had gotten into a fight and was subsequently beaten black and blue by his own father. The Xu and Su families had business ties, and the two had known each other since childhood, though they’d never gotten along.

Su Xinzhi’s face twisted. “Xu Zhiyi! Are you threatening me?”

Noticing how quickly his bravado deflated, Xu Zhiyi crossed her arms, her tone indifferent. “So what if I am? As long as it works, right?”

And it did work Su Xinzhi was terrified of his father.

He stood there, red-faced and speechless.

“From now on, in this production crew, if you see either of us, you walk the other way. Got it?” Xu Zhiyi smiled, though there was no warmth in it. “It’s for your own good. Understand?”

“Either of us,” of course, referred to Xu Zhiyi and Ruan Yang.

Su Xinzhi had known since childhood that Xu Zhiyi didn’t like him, and likewise, he didn’t like Xu Zhiyi either. At this moment, he was especially irritated by her to the point of gnashing his teeth.

Suddenly, a piece of news he had just learned flashed through his mind, and Su Xinzhi’s anger found an outlet, erupting all at once.

He glared at Xu Zhiyi, “Why should I listen to you, Xu Zhiyi? Do you still think you’re the high-and-mighty eldest daughter of the Xu family? Your dear father is about to throw a birthday party for the daughter of that mistress who’s trying to take your mother’s place, did you know that?!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, both Ruan Yang and Xu Zhiyi stiffened.

Ruan Yang’s first instinct was to look at Xu Zhiyi’s expression.

But from her angle, she could only see Xu Zhiyi’s hair, unable to discern what kind of expression she was wearing now.

She knew Xu Zhiyi would find out about this sooner or later, but she hadn’t wanted it to happen under these circumstances.

“Not only is he throwing a party, but it’s going to be a grand one! Your father has invited practically every important figure in the entire city of S!” Su Xinzhi suddenly laughed, watching the slight dilation of Xu Zhiyi’s pupils with immense satisfaction.

“That father of yours, who never once celebrated your birthday, is now throwing a party for another daughter! Do you know what this means, Xu Zhiyi? It means your dear father is about to announce to the world the status of your wonderful stepmother and stepsister. Xu Zhiyi, your mother—she’s going to be forgotten by everyone!”

At these words, Xu Zhiyi’s face turned deathly pale.

Ruan Yang clenched her fists, using every ounce of her strength to stop herself from rushing over and punching Su Xinzhi.

A chill surged up from the soles of her feet as she saw Xu Zhiyi’s shoulders trembling slightly.

Su Xinzhi left with Jing Ziqi, laughing.

After an immeasurable silence, Ruan Yang raised her hand, cautiously extending her fingers to touch Xu Zhiyi’s shoulder.

But just as she was about to make contact, Xu Zhiyi suddenly turned around.

Ruan Yang hastily withdrew her hand, the back of it scraping against the rough wall behind her, peeling another thin layer of skin.

It hurt.

The abraded skin burned faintly.

In stark contrast was the icy look in Xu Zhiyi’s eyes.

In the thick, suffocating silence, Ruan Yang felt her heart twist into knots.

Xu Zhiyi stood right before her, she had finally managed to close the distance to just two steps away.

She could have reached out and touched her.

But now those two steps felt like twenty thousand kilometers.

An insurmountable chasm.

Xu Zhiyi suddenly laughed, though it was unclear whether she was laughing at Ruan Yang or herself.

She coldly glanced at the back of Ruan Yang’s hand, no longer showing the same fervent concern for her injuries as before.

“Who would’ve thought, Ruan Yang,” Xu Zhiyi closed her eyes.

“You’re quite something.”

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