Captive Moon: Redeemed the Wrong Temptress (GL) - Chapter 23

Bai Lan sank into an endless abyss. When she opened her eyes, she was surrounded by pitch darkness.

She tried to lift her hand but couldn’t move at all. Her body ached terribly, as if she were tightly bound in place.

All her senses had vanished. The suffocating silence pressed down on her chest, forcing her to gasp for air and choke out a mouthful of water.

Then came a violent struggle.

Bai Lan suddenly felt her consciousness detach from her body.

She finally saw it. She had fallen into the water, her head held under by someone whose face she couldn’t see, unable to surface.

The person looked to be no more than a child themselves. Despite their young age, their actions were brutally vicious.

Bai Lan watched as the child seemed to hear something, panicked, and quickly fled.

A group of adults arrived shortly after and rescued the five- or six-year-old Bai Lan.

Following her memory, Bai Lan watched her body being taken to the hospital.

As she remained unconscious, the woman beside her, who seemingly was her mother, grew increasingly anxious and began ordering a thorough investigation.

Bai Lan hovered around the woman, but no matter how she tried, she couldn’t clearly see her features.

Even the woman’s clothes and figure began to blur and shift when Bai Lan tried to focus on them.

If this is my memory… Bai Lan pondered, perhaps I can’t see her because I have no memory of her.

What happened next left Bai Lan silent.

The woman discovered the culprit; a child’s parents came to apologize, claiming their child was just playfully shoving and didn’t mean any harm.

The woman didn’t argue with them, but after Bai Lan regained consciousness, she slapped her across the face.

“…You are the future heir. Letting yourself be so easily manipulated is disgraceful.”

Bai Lan clearly heard the words.

Her soul froze colder than the ice in the polar icehouses.

Stiff and immobile, she couldn’t move.

Then the memories began replaying over and over.

The woman’s heartless words and her resolute slaps, each one landing repeatedly on Bai Lan.

Just as Bai Lan was about to collapse from the endless cycle, a voice shattered the surrounding walls.

“Elder Sister? Bai Lan, wake up!”

The voice drew closer, and warmth gradually returned to Bai Lan’s limbs.

The woman’s distant voice continued to echo incessantly.

But Bai Lan no longer wanted to hear.

She bit her lip, tasting a hint of copper. Borrowing the sharp pain, she finally opened her eyes.

“Bai Lan! You scared me half to death… Elder Sister, you’re finally awake!” Jiang Yunong met Bai Lan’s tear-filled eyes and immediately hugged her tightly.

Bai Lan’s throat was still constricted by the memories.

She could only struggle to raise her hand and return Jiang Yunong’s embrace.

“What’s wrong? Did you catch a cold? Or did you skip breakfast and have a hypoglycemic episode?” Jiang Yunong fired off questions one after another. “And what about the wounds on your arm? That long row—could it be from Tangyuan biting you?”

Bai Lan simply blinked, tears from her memories still clinging to her eyes.

She couldn’t remember who she was.

But from those words, she could tell she must have endured countless stifling, bitter, and rotten experiences in the past.

Just like her Master.

No wonder she was so indignant about Jiang Yunong’s plight, and no wonder she was able to think of a way to break the deadlock for her.

Bai Lan’s mind raced, her thoughts swirling so fast her head felt feverish.

Amid Jiang Yunong’s relentless pleas, Bai Lan seized her sleeve.

“Yunong, listen to me,” she said, a glint of mischief flashing in her eyes.

Jiang Yunong froze, rooted to the spot, and listened intently to Bai Lan’s plan.

“But… will this really work?” Jiang Yunong hesitated, sensing the unconventional approach.

“How will we know unless we try? Worst-case scenario, we just won’t finish. He’s not your direct supervisor, so he can’t fire you. At most, he might dock your performance bonus.” Bai Lan exhaled sharply.

Only now did she truly wake from the nightmare.

At least she was no longer that helpless girl, nearly drowned and gasping for breath, only to be scolded by her own family for being so easily manipulated.

At least… she had Jiang Yunong by her side, someone who would urgently care for her and pull her out of the mire.

“If all else fails, I can go back to the bar and work as a bartender to help you out.”

Jiang Yunong shook her head violently.

For some reason, she fiercely resisted this suggestion.

“I actually have a backup plan. Don’t worry, Elder Sister. Money won’t be a problem.”

At worst, Jiang Yunong could just muster up the courage to ask her aunt for an advance on her allowance.

Besides, she still had over a thousand yuan, which should last until her next paycheck. With a house and a car, even just her base salary was enough to support herself and Bai Lan.

“Don’t push yourself, Yunong. I can help you with some things too.”

It was then that Bai Lan realized she had a lot of free time and could do part-time jobs or side gigs.

“I’m not pushing myself,” Jiang Yunong said, stroking Bai Lan’s hair.

She was actually happy that Bai Lan had offered to help. Perhaps… she just didn’t want Bai Lan to return to chaotic places like bars.

“So, Elder Sister, you have to tell me honestly. What’s with these marks on your arm?”

Jiang Yunong grabbed Bai Lan’s arm and turned it halfway around.

“These are so red and scary. They look almost bitten. They couldn’t possibly be Tangyuan’s bite marks, could they?”

The two large crescent-shaped marks, overlapping each other, were simply too big for Jiang Yunong to imagine as Tangyuan’s teeth marks.

“Ah…” Bai Lan murmured, feeling a little guilty.

If it weren’t for the fainting episode, she’d still be feeling wracked with shame right now.

“You bit yourself? Why?” Jiang Yunong gently traced her fingers over the cluster of bite marks.

Fortunately, Bai Lan hadn’t drawn blood. Otherwise, Jiang Yunong would have realized she was deliberately harming herself.

“It… it was itchy. A bug bite,” Bai Lan lied in a tiny voice.

“Don’t be angry with me…” She feared that if she saw Jiang Yunong’s angry expression, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from biting harder and deepening these marks.

“I’m not angry. If it’s itchy, just apply some ointment. I’ll get some itch-relief cream for you.”

As Jiang Yunong slowly applied the ointment, Bai Lan watched her earnest expression and gentle movements, her heart rate unconsciously quickening.

“Yunong.” Bai Lan couldn’t help but call out Jiang Yunong’s name.

“Mm. I’m feeling much better now. How about we clean the house together later? Or you could rest and I’ll take care of it.”

Bai Lan’s words washed away any lingering guilt. “I’ll help you. I’m not feeling that bad.”

******

The next morning, Jiang Yunong woke up in Bai Lan’s arms, and Bai Lan still gently massaged her temples and shoulders.

The soothing touch lulled her back to sleep.

Bai Lan kissed her ear, waking her up.

“Don’t do that so early in the morning!” Jiang Yunong’s ear burned crimson from the kiss.

“You know you love it.” The skin was practically turning purple.

Bai Lan gently touched Jiang Yunong’s earlobe, eliciting a shiver.

“I—I… Just stop that!” Jiang Yunong couldn’t bring herself to deny it, resorting to frustrated denial instead.

“We’ll finish work today, and it’s the weekend when we get home tonight,” Bai Lan said, hugging her close and pressing their faces together instead of kissing her.

“Is there anything you want to eat? I’ll learn how to make it.”

“Anything’s fine.” Jiang Yunong casually stroked Bai Lan’s cheek.

She never minded this level of intimacy.

“Don’t hold me now. I’ll end up wanting to take another day off.”

“Remember to eat! If you don’t, I’ll make you get up early next week and watch you eat!”

When Bai Lan saw Jiang Yunong out, she gave her a reminder.

“Be sure to eat…” Jiang Yunong waved her off and headed to work.

At the office, her usually friendly colleagues ignored her completely. Even Xiao Ya, who usually greeted her, only gave her a meaningful look instead of speaking.

Jiang Yunong spent the day as a ghost in the office, neither rushing nor dawdling over her work, as if the deadline next Monday didn’t exist.

Deng Tanxin’s people secretly observed her and reported back. Convinced he had won, he planned to fire her next Monday. He even popped open a bottle of champagne early and went to celebrate with his nephew.

Jiang Yunong leisurely slacked off until quitting time. It was the most carefree day she’d had since starting work.

Before leaving, she carefully locked away her computer and portable hard drive in her desk, taking nothing home. Everything was going smoothly.

But as she walked from the office to the parking lot, she saw the person she hated most.

“Xiaoyu… Xiaoyu!” Luo Yunjian hurried forward as Jiang Yunong walked past her. “You never replied to me…”

Jiang Yunong kept walking without stopping.

“You said I could text you. Did you even check your messages?”

“I shouldn’t have come to see you. I always come secretly, in secret… Yunong, Xiaoyu, can’t you at least… look at me?”

Luo Yunjian’s voice continued to echo behind her.

Jiang Yunong was in a hurry to get home, finding the voice increasingly irritating.

“Did I ever say I’d look at you just because you sent me a message?” She glanced at Luo Yunjian.

Jiang Yunong yanked open the car door, slamming it shut before Luo Yunjian could react, leaving her covered in dust.

“Xiaoyu, please. If you don’t want to see me or hear me talk, at least check the message I sent you?”

Luo Yunjian clung to the car door, preventing Jiang Yunong from starting the engine.

“There’s nothing to see. You don’t even know what you did wrong, yet you act like you’re the innocent one being dumped. Luo Yunjian, let me ask you this: if you still like me, why are you with Cen Yi?”

Her question stunned Luo Yunjian for a moment.

So Jiang Yunong only read the first part…

Jiang Yunong finally started the engine and accelerated away.

Luo Yunjian chased after the car for a distance, pleading.

“You just need to read the message. Everything will make sense then.”

These words left Jiang Yunong deep in thought.

In the end, she sighed but didn’t stop the car, accelerating back home instead.

Jiang Yunong’s mind was in turmoil, her thoughts jumbled and distracted by the recent events, preventing her from giving Bai Lan a sufficiently warm response.

“I need to take a shower first,” Jiang Yunong said hastily, rushing out and leaving Bai Lan behind, her heart pounding with anxiety and pain.

Jiang Yunong entered the bathroom but didn’t turn on the shower.

She didn’t even undress, just stood alone and secretly turned on her phone.

She even forgot to close the bathroom door.

Before Jiang Yunong could even read Luo Yunjian’s message, a warm, soft object pressed against her back.

“Yunong…” Bai Lan’s voice whispered past Jiang Yunong’s ear.

It was soft, carrying the faint fragrance of white yulan flowers, as intoxicating as ever.

“She’s just a heartless woman who abandoned you. What’s so special about her that she’s stolen your soul?”

Bai Lan’s tone was strangely gentle, yet not angry.

Her words scratched at Jiang Yunong’s heart, pressing down and stabbing at her vulnerable core.

“If you miss her… couldn’t you… look at me?” Bai Lan stripped off her clothes.

She spoke the resolve she had formed the moment she first came to Jiang Yunong’s side.

“I can be her substitute, taking her place to please you.”

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