Always Chasing My White Moonlight Omega - Chapter 65

After another busy day, the progress on the second day moved swiftly, and Ruan Yang’s crew wrapped up early.

Someone quickly relayed the news to Qu Shanshan, who practically waited at the entrance to intercept Ruan Yang the moment she finished packing up and was about to leave the set.

“Senior!” Qu Shanshan bounced over to Ruan Yang with a cheerful grin. “Are you done for the day? Want to grab a meal together?”

Just as Ruan Yang was about to decline, Qu Shanshan hurriedly added, “If you turn me down again, this will be the third time you’ve refused me.”

As she spoke, the corners of her mouth drooped, exuding an indescribable sense of grievance.

“I’m currently filming in Director Wu Jun’s crew, and there are so many questions I’m too afraid to ask him. You’re the only one I feel comfortable approaching. If you’re unwilling to help me, I really won’t know what to do.”

Given this reason, Ruan Yang found it hard to refuse. After all, Wu Jun was something of a mentor to her, and she didn’t want his filming progress to lag. After a moment’s thought, she asked directly, “Where are we eating?”

“You’re saying yes?!” Qu Shanshan was so thrilled that she nearly jumped for joy. “I’ve already reserved a restaurant. Just follow me!”

Qu Shanshan quickly headed toward a car parked not far away, then turned back and waved for Ruan Yang to follow.

Ruan Yang nodded and began walking. Out of the corner of her eye, she seemed to catch a glimpse of a slender figure.

If it had been anyone else, she might not have paid much attention, but this figure had been a constant presence throughout half of her youth. Even years later, it still appeared in her dreams from time to time.

She froze for a second and glanced in that direction, only to find that there was no one there.

It was as if it had just been her imagination.

Ruan Yang pursed her lips, withdrew her gaze, and continued forward, joining Qu Shanshan in the back seat of the car.

The driver, who seemed to have been waiting for a while, started the car as soon as they were seated. Slowly, they drove out of the film studio and headed toward the city center.

When they finally reached their destination, Ruan Yang got out of the car and followed Qu Shanshan into a private room on the second floor.

Ruan Yang had remained mostly expressionless until the waiter brought out the dishes Qu Shanshan had pre-ordered. As she took in the sight of the vibrant red spread before her even the vegetables were sprinkled with a generous amount of chili peppers she couldn’t help but furrow her brows.

Qu Shanshan sat up straight, using the tablecloth to seemingly cover something beside her. Excitedly picking up her chopsticks, she gestured toward the dishes and said, “These are all their signature dishes they’re delicious! What do you think, Senior? Don’t they look appetizing?”

Ruan Yang had never encountered such a shocking sight at a dining table. She hesitated to pick up her chopsticks, and when she finally spoke, her voice carried a barely noticeable tremor. “Do you really like spicy food?”

Ruan Yang’s question boosted Qu Shanshan’s confidence. Beaming, she replied, “Yeah! I’m from the southwest, where people love spicy food, so I ordered all these dishes. And since you like spicy food too, isn’t that a coincidence? It must be fate!”

“I like spicy food?” Ruan Yang tilted her head, her gaze tinged with scrutiny. “How did you know that?”

Is she surprised that I know her preferences? Qu Shanshan smiled and was about to blurt out without thinking, “Of course.”

But halfway through her words, Qu Shanshan met Ruan Yang’s probing gaze and suddenly realized that if she said it, wouldn’t she be betraying Sister Zhiyi?

So she quickly shut her mouth, her mind racing. After thinking for a moment, she finally came up with an explanation and chuckled, “Of course, I guessed it. What do you think? Are we in sync, Senior?”

Ruan Yang stared at Qu Shanshan’s poorly concealed smile for a while, recalling what the assistant director had told her yesterday.

Qu Shanshan had gone to see Xu Zhiyi. Did Zhiyi tell her this?

At this thought, Ruan Yang slowly picked up her chopsticks and sighed silently. “Mm.”

Did she believe it or not?

Qu Shanshan hesitated, but seeing Ruan Yang finally start eating and try every dish without showing any sign of displeasure, she finally relaxed.

It seems Sister Zhiyi really understands Senior Ruan Yang better.

Soon, she began eating as well, occasionally making small talk with Ruan Yang.

Ruan Yang didn’t seem to like talking while eating. After a few attempts at conversation, Qu Shanshan noticed Ruan Yang’s responses were lukewarm and decided to wait until after the meal to speak.

During a brief pause while picking up food, she glanced at the item on the chair beside her and silently cheered herself on.

Ruan Yang ate slowly, and by the time she finished, her free hand was resting on her stomach.

This hand was under the table, so Qu Shanshan didn’t see it. All she noticed was that Ruan Yang seemed to be eating attentively. As soon as Ruan Yang put down her chopsticks, Qu Shanshan quickly did the same.

Her heart rate peaked at that moment. She began silently rehearsing what she was about to say, the final version she had spent nearly all night perfecting.

The small private room suddenly fell into silence, so quiet that the rustling of the autumn wind outside could be heard.

Just as Qu Shanshan mustered her courage, straightened her back, and was about to speak, a sudden phone ringtone interrupted.

Ruan Yang had been about to look at her and listen, but as soon as the notification sounded, she immediately lowered her head, opened her phone, and entered a green messaging interface.

From her angle, Qu Shanshan could only see two messages from the other side but couldn’t make out the content.

The courage she had mustered instantly faded by half, but Qu Shanshan refused to give up. Clenching her fists on her knees, she was about to speak again when Ruan Yang suddenly stood up.

“I have something to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now. Thank you for today.” Ruan Yang seemed to be in a hurry, speaking rapidly. Without even a glance at Qu Shanshan, she grabbed her bag and swiftly left.

She moved so fast that Qu Shanshan only caught a blur.

Anxious, Qu Shanshan wanted to stand up and stop her, but by the time her knees moved, Ruan Yang was already gone. Only the swaying door of the private room remained.

Couldn’t she have waited just a few more minutes?

The words of plea were already on the tip of Qu Shanshan’s tongue, but in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to say them.

Just a few minutes would have been enough.

She remained in that position for several minutes, staring fixedly at the doorway as if praying to the heavens that Ruan Yang would turn back and walk in again to ask what she had meant to say earlier.

But this was nothing more than a futile hope. After a long while, when the door had long since fallen still, no one reappeared.

Qu Shanshan finally gave up. She let out a long sigh, her entire body slumping as her back pressed against the chair.

She then tilted her head, pulled aside the tablecloth, and a beautifully wrapped bouquet of sunflowers leaped into view.

Forget it, she told herself, suppressing the disappointment that spread endlessly within her.

She would find another opportunity later.

After rushing out of the restaurant, Ruan Yang hurried to the roadside and waved for a taxi.

While waiting, she checked her phone again. The last message was from Jiangjiang a few minutes earlier, informing her that Xu Zhiyi had been asked out by someone, apparently one of her former lovers.

The moment she read that, Ruan Yang stood up, unable to stay even half a second longer.

Her long hair was slightly disheveled from the frantic run. She casually brushed the strands away from her forehead and replied to Jiangjiang: Do you know where Zhiyi is now?

Instead of texting back, Jiangjiang sent a location pin immediately.

This was unlike Jiangjiang’s usual way of chatting, but Ruan Yang had no energy to dwell on it. Just then, a taxi pulled up. She hurriedly got in and directed the driver to the bar according to the location Jiangjiang had sent.

Anxious and impatient, she urged the driver repeatedly. Under her insistence, the trip that should have taken half an hour was cut short to about twenty minutes before they arrived at the bar’s entrance.

As if Jiangjiang had witnessed Ruan Yang rushing into the bar firsthand, the moment she stepped inside, a room number and an access code arrived in her messages.

This was an upscale bar near the film studio. Since celebrities often came here to unwind, the second floor was specially designed with numerous private rooms.

Ruan Yang didn’t seek assistance from the staff. Instead, she hurried upstairs alone. The second floor was guarded, but when she showed the code to the security personnel, they let her pass without question.

Following the room number, she found the room where Xu Zhiyi was. She turned the handle and peered inside. Under the dim, flickering lights, only one person sat on the sofa, tilting a glass to pour alcohol down her throat.

Even in the low light, Ruan Yang recognized the figure as Xu Zhiyi.

She closed the door behind her and locked it. Taking a few steps toward the sofa, she immediately noticed a row of empty bottles on the table and another half-filled glass.

Someone else had been here just moments before.

Her heart sank. She stepped forward and pressed her hand over the mouth of the bottle Xu Zhiyi was about to pour from.

“How much have you had to drink?” The heavy scent of alcohol hung thick in the air. Frowning, Ruan Yang crouched beside the sofa and snatched the glass from Xu Zhiyi’s hand.

It took almost no effort Xu Zhiyi’s hand was limp, as if she had no intention of resisting at all.

Only when her hand was empty did Xu Zhiyi slowly open her eyes. The corners of her eyes were tinged with a seductive flush, and her breath came out in soft, languid sighs.

“Why did you take my glass?” she murmured lazily, each syllable drawn out by intoxication, sending a faint, tickling sensation through whoever listened.

She reached out to snatch the wine glass back from Ruan Yang but stumbled forward, collapsing entirely into Ruan Yang’s embrace.

Xu Zhiyi didn’t move either, simply leaning against Ruan Yang. Her position was slightly higher, and when she lowered her gaze, there was a rare hint of dullness in her eyes, softening her entire demeanor.

“Give it back to me,” she murmured.

“I’ll give it back to you,” Ruan Yang had to look up to meet Xu Zhiyi’s gaze, yet even in that upward glance, her tone remained cold and unyielding, exuding a sense of control. “But first, you have to tell me who the other person is and where they went.”

Hearing this, Xu Zhiyi seemed to sense danger. She hummed softly, pressing her forehead against Ruan Yang’s and gently nuzzling it.

“Acting cute won’t work,” Ruan Yang said, as unyielding as a machine. She gripped Xu Zhiyi’s shoulders and pushed her away, her amber eyes dark and intense like polished obsidian in the dim light. “Only after you tell me will I return the glass to you.”

Xu Zhiyi pouted unhappily, clearly reluctant to speak but desperate for a drink. “Does it even matter?” she grumbled.

Ruan Yang’s free hand suddenly pressed against Xu Zhiyi’s neck, then slowly moved upward, gripping her jaw and forcing her to lift her head, exposing the vulnerable curve of her neck. Leaning close to that pale, slender throat, Ruan Yang’s warm, faint breaths brushed against it, her lips and tongue teasing the skin so lightly it was impossible to tell whether she had kissed it or not.

The sensation was both ticklish and lingering, making it all the more unbearable.

“What do you think?” Ruan Yang whispered, her actions unceasing.

Xu Zhiyi’s hands instinctively rested on Ruan Yang’s shoulders, pulling her closer as if urging her to actually kiss her. But a drunk person had little strength, and Ruan Yang remained unmoved by Xu Zhiyi’s feeble efforts.

Obsession and jealousy coiled like chains, she restrained Xu Zhiyi, while the chains restrained her.

She continued to let her breath linger on Xu Zhiyi’s neck.

“Be good, Zhiyi,” she coaxed softly, “Tell me, alright?”

Qu Shanshan: Am I just a part of your play too?

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