Moonlight Allure - Chapter 20

Xiao Nianru smiled and agreed. “Of course you can.”

“Really?” Jiang Xueyin took a step forward, her eyes wide with pleasant surprise.

A faint scent of lavender filled the air. For some reason, as Xiao Nianru caught the scent, she could actually feel the sheer joy radiating from it.

Xiao Nianru’s gaze flickered. “Really. Consider it a reward for helping me find my sister. Besides, it will help your studio get on the right track faster.”

“But.” Jiang Xueyin crossed her hands, looking conflicted. “By the time the studio’s preparations are finished, we’ll probably already be divorced. If I come looking for you then, will it be bad? Will it affect your reputation?”

“Why do you care so much about me?” Xiao Nianru looked at the numbers hovering above Jiang Xueyin’s head and couldn’t help but ask.

“Because I like you,” Jiang Xueyin blurted out. “I’ve liked you for eight years.”

Xiao Nianru murmured softly, “Eight years.”

Ten years ago, when she was sixteen, she had starred in her first movie and first showed her brilliance. Eight years ago, at eighteen, she had just entered the film academy for further studies and had stayed relatively quiet.

Back then, Jiang Xueyin would have still been in high school. They shouldn’t have had any intersection at all. However, since this Jiang Xueyin was a transmigrator, it made sense; in the real world, Xiao Nianru had indeed debuted at eighteen. So, Jiang Xueyin is a fan of mine? At that thought, Xiao Nianru’s gaze softened even further.

“Tsk, I didn’t expect to see such a passionate confession on this cruise! I haven’t seen a scene this exciting in a long time.” A frivolous, lecherous voice drifted from nearby.

It was Li Jiannan.

Dressed in a navy blue tailcoat with his hair slicked back, he looked like a refined gentleman, but he harbored nothing but malice. Remembering his role in the novel, Jiang Xueyin’s gaze turned somber.

Li Jiannan suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine.

But Jiang Xueyin quickly forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Young Master Li is getting engaged soon too, isn’t he? You could plan something like this for your own ceremony.”

“Me? Engaged? Why does everyone keep asking me that?” Li Jiannan pouted unhappily. “I’m not like you. I’m young and don’t want to be tied down by marriage. I haven’t played enough yet, I’m definitely not getting married!”

“Is that so? But I heard the Omega from the Sheng family is also on this ship. Word is, this entire cruise was prepared for your fiancée.” Jiang Xueyin began talking nonsense just to rattle him.

Li Jiannan burst into laughter. “Where are you getting this from? I’m not marrying anyone! But what about you? I heard you’re getting a divorce.”

“Fake news. It’s all that kid Song Siyuan stirring up trouble and driving a wedge between us. He even wanted to harm me and my Omega.” Jiang Xueyin unceremoniously dumped the blame on Song Siyuan, stealing a few glances at Xiao Nianru as she spoke.

Li Jiannan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “No wonder the Jiangs went after the Songs so hard. I was wondering, aren’t you relatives? Why was the crackdown so ruthless?”

The Song family had come to him for help, but he had been busy fooling around with a new flame and couldn’t be bothered.

Jiang Xueyin just smiled without answering.

“Forget it, who cares about him? Why waste breath on someone headed for a prison cell?” Li Jiannan threw an arm around Jiang Xueyin’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s go to the third floor for some pool.”

A flash of disgust crossed Jiang Xueyin’s eyes. When she turned back to Xiao Nianru, her gaze softened again, looking hesitant. She didn’t feel right leaving Xiao Nianru alone, but if she didn’t separate from her, it would be difficult to coordinate with the police.

“Tsk, look at you can’t bear to be apart for even a second?” Li Jiannan teased. He followed Jiang Xueyin’s gaze and winked at Xiao Nianru. “Miss Xiao, let me borrow your Alpha for a bit!”

“One moment, I need to tell her something.” Jiang Xueyin discreetly brushed Li Jiannan’s hand off and walked to Xiao Nianru’s side. She whispered, “Qiao Wanyi is on the ship. You can go find her.”

Xiao Nianru looked at Jiang Xueyin with a searching gaze, but in the end, she didn’t ask questions and simply nodded. Only then did Jiang Xueyin reluctantly part from her.

Li Jiannan draped his arm over Jiang Xueyin’s shoulder again. As they walked, he said, “Let’s go have some fun on the third floor. I’ll open your eyes to a few things.”

“Oh? Isn’t the third floor just bars and ballrooms? I should bring my Omega for that.” Jiang Xueyin glanced at the hand on her shoulder. If looks could kill, she would have chopped that hand off by now.

“True. Then I’ll take you to the first floor. There’s a private billiard room there that regular people can’t get into. I’ve never played a game with you.” Li Jiannan rubbed his chin. “How about it? Just a few rounds to test our skills?”

Jiang Xueyin twitched the corner of her mouth. “I am truly honored.”

“Speaking of which, what exactly did Song Siyuan do the day he got arrested?” Li Jiannan asked curiously. Since Song Siyuan had been his lackey, he felt like showing a bit of “concern.”

“Oh, he drugged the wine he gave me.” Jiang Xueyin’s tone was as cold as ice.

Standing beside her, Li Jiannan awkwardly retracted his hand from her shoulder. He felt a sudden chill. “Yikes! He’s into AA (Alpha-Alpha) relationships? Aren’t you cousins? He has that kind of taste? That’s perverse!”

Jiang Xueyin didn’t bother defending Song Siyuan. A cynical smile touched her lips, it was just one deviant judging another.

The public billiard room was large, with about ten tables. Li Jiannan led her to the edge of the room and opened a concealed door. Inside, there were only two tables.

A male Alpha was currently teaching a sweet-looking female Omega how to play. They were standing very close, and the electric cat tail the Omega was wearing brushed against the Alpha’s leg. The atmosphere was incredibly suggestive.

When the male Alpha saw Li Jiannan, he stopped immediately, let go of the Omega, and greeted him respectfully. “Young Master Li, would you like to.”

Li Jiannan’s eyelid jumped, and he cut him off. “No, no, I just brought a friend to play. Carry on.”

The male Alpha understood instantly and said with a smirk, “Got it.” He then placed his arm around the Omega’s waist and led her out of the room.

Jiang Xueyin narrowed her eyes, sensing a double meaning in their exchange.

“Come on.” Li Jiannan handed her a cue.

Before transmigrating, Jiang Xueyin had no interest in any ball sports except badminton, and she knew absolutely nothing about billiards. But the Scum Alpha had been an expert. Relying on muscle memory, she took a shot.

Predictably, she didn’t sink a single ball.

Much like the four languages, she felt a sense of familiarity with the skill, but she couldn’t actually execute it. The Scum Alpha could play; she could only manage a standard-looking pose.

“Tsk, turns out you’re just all show and no substance. I heard someone say your skills were quite good.” The mention of Song Siyuan made Li Jiannan frown; he was even starting to wonder if Song Siyuan had held “improper thoughts”

about him as well.

Jiang Xueyin set the cue down, acting nonchalant. “I’m out of practice. Since I’ve been with Xiao Nianru, I haven’t spent much time at the table.”

“I’m curious after three years together, don’t you two get bored?” Li Jiannan, a playboy who rotated partners like clockwork, couldn’t fathom it.
Jiang Xueyin just smiled and remained silent.