Moonlight Allure - Chapter 28

The cool rain, carried by the wind, brushed against her cheeks. Xiao Nianru masked the complex emotions in her eyes as she took Jiang Xueyin’s hand and held the umbrella over her to shield her from the storm. Her voice was tender:

“I’m taking you home.”

“Okay.” Jiang Xueyin gripped the warm hand, her vision gradually blurring.

In the shifting light and shadows, she felt as if she had returned to that day years ago. Xiao Nianru was only eighteen then, her voice clear and gentle: “Hey, the pond is beautiful, but you have to be careful!”

Back then, Xiao Nianru hadn’t judged her or questioned her like others did, asking what she couldn’t get over, or calling her “melodramatic” for having a good life, or telling her to think of how hard her parents worked to raise her.

Instead, she had reached out her hand and led her out from the places where the light didn’t reach.

That time, she had cried too. She hadn’t cried when she was ready to give up on herself, but once she was saved, she wept until she couldn’t draw a breath.

Now, Jiang Xueyin used Xiao Nianru’s strength to slowly stand up. Her legs were numb from crouching for so long; luckily, Xiao Nianru caught her.

CLACK.

A card fell from Jiang Xueyin’s hoodie pocket. Xiao Nianru leaned over to pick it up. It was a new ID card with the name: Jiang Xueci.

“Your name is Jiang Xueci?” Xiao Nianru arched an eyebrow.

“No,” Jiang Xueyin whispered. “My name is Jiang Xueyin. This is just the new identity Jiang Jue arranged for me.”

Xiao Nianru tucked the ID back into Jiang Xueyin’s pocket. “Let’s go.”

Xiao Nianru’s apartment wasn’t large—a simple layout with two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and one bathroom. In the entryway, a shoe rack sat beneath several umbrellas hanging on the wall. The moment Jiang Xueyin stepped inside, she was handed a coral fleece bath towel.

“Go take a shower and change your clothes.” Xiao Nianru handed her a set of fresh pajamas, sounding a bit helpless. “You’re an adult; didn’t you know to find a place to hide from the rain?”

“I was afraid I wouldn’t see you.” Jiang Xueyin hadn’t dried her face yet. Water tracked down her cheeks, making it impossible to distinguish between tears and rain.

Xiao Nianru instinctively reached out, her thumb brushing away a tear that had just escaped the corner of Jiang Xueyin’s eye. “You’ve seen me now. Go to the bathroom before you catch a cold.”

“Mmh.” Jiang Xueyin took the clothes, changed into slippers, and headed for the bathroom.

Xiao Nianru turned to the kitchen to boil some ginger tea. By the time it was ready, Jiang Xueyin emerged wearing the new pink pajamas, a faint flush on her cheeks and her hair wrapped in a drying cap.

“Dry your hair first. I’ve prepared ginger tea for you,” Xiao Nianru said warmly.

“Thank you, Sister Nianru. You’re so kind.” Jiang Xueyin gave a sweet, beaming smile and went to the balcony to dry her hair. She picked up the hairdryer and clicked the switch several times, but nothing happened. Just as she was looking confused, Xiao Nianru walked over.

“Sorry, I forgot to tell you the switch is on the back.” Xiao Nianru’s fingertips brushed against the back of Jiang Xueyin’s hand. Her warm breath fanned against Jiang Xueyin’s nape, leaving a tingly, numbing sensation.

Xiao Nianru suddenly paused. “You forgot to wear a scent-blocking patch again?”

The fresh scent of oranges swirled around her nose, and instinct urged her to lean in closer. This was her Alpha.

“I’m sorry. I forgot to bring them with me.” Jiang Xueyin lowered her head, her face hidden behind her damp hair.

“Dry your hair first. I’ll go get you one.” Xiao Nianru’s footsteps were hurried, almost as if she were fleeing the room.

Jiang Xueyin couldn’t help but curl her lips into a smile. She flipped the switch, and the roar of the hairdryer drowned out the sound of Xiao Nianru’s retreat.

After drying her hair, Jiang Xueyin walked to the dining table. The ginger tea was still steaming, accompanied by a porcelain white spoon and a transparent scent-blocking patch.

“All done? Put the patch on first.” Xiao Nianru came out of the kitchen, poured herself a glass of water, and sat across from Jiang Xueyin.

“Okay, thanks.” Jiang Xueyin sat down and took the patch, giving it a light sniff. “Is it unscented?”

“Yes,” Xiao Nianru replied. “I only have unscented ones at home. Do you prefer lavender? I can call a courier to deliver some.”

“Don’t go to the trouble!” Jiang Xueyin lowered her head and applied the patch. The cool sensation on her gland calmed her heart significantly. She picked up the spoon and took small sips of the tea. It was at the perfect temperature—a hint of sweetness spread across her palate, masking the sharp spiciness of the ginger. It was delicious.

Suddenly, a wave of warmth flooded her chest, and tears began to prick her eyes. “Sister, thank you.”

Jiang Xueyin had never had ginger tea before coming to this world. Since arriving, she had had it twice: once when Jiang Jue had a servant make it for her, and now, from Xiao Nianru’s own hand.

Xiao Nianru watched the Favorability meter rise and smiled. “Is it just a bowl of ginger tea? Are you really this moved?”

“Mmh.” Jiang Xueyin took another sip and whispered, “Actually, I really love your movies. I’ve watched every single one.”

Xiao Nianru was taken aback by the sudden shift in topic. After the original “Jiang Xueyin” had offended investors and directors, she had abandoned her career and never mentioned films again.

“Is that so?” Xiao Nianru smiled.

Jiang Xueyin began counting them off on her fingers, starting from Xiao Nianru’s debut at eighteen without missing a single title. These were, of course, the films from Xiao Nianru’s real life before transmigration. Xiao Nianru herself had forgotten some of the details, but she was now certain that Jiang Xueyin was a hardcore fan.

Since she was a fan, Xiao Nianru didn’t mind being a little nicer to her.

When Jiang Xueyin mentioned the final film, her head drooped for a moment as if lost in thought, but she quickly forced a smile. “But I’m lucky. I get to see you act again.”

“I see.” Xiao Nianru’s eyes held a hint of a smile. “When Xu Wei comes over tomorrow, I’ll have her bring some merchandise—magazines, signed posters, whatever you want.”

Jiang Xueyin froze. She realized Xiao Nianru had misunderstood her feelings as purely fan-based. Looking at Xiao Nianru’s gentle features, she asked herself: If I confessed and got rejected, wouldn’t I end up just like the original Scum Alpha? Besides, she had nothing now. What right did she have to pursue Xiao Nianru?

She finished the ginger tea, swallowing her unspoken love along with it.

“I’ll look at apartments tomorrow. I won’t stay here to trouble you,” Jiang Xueyin said, acting like a sensible, well-behaved guest.

“It’s fine. You can take your time finding a place.” Xiao Nianru suddenly remembered something else. “By the way, what about your photography studio?”

Jiang Xueyin shook her head. “The studio was registered under the name ‘Jiang Xueyin.’ Now I’m ‘Jiang Xueci’ on paper, so the studio no longer belongs to me. Besides, I can’t afford to maintain it anymore.”

“Do you like photography?”

“I do, but I’m an amateur. It’s just a hobby; I’d never even touched a professional camera before.” Thinking of the room full of lenses she had left behind, Jiang Xueyin felt a sharp pang of regret.

“Perhaps you could start with social media? Be an independent photographer?” Xiao Nianru traced the rim of her glass. “Once you develop a following, you can open your own studio again.”

“Okay, I’ll work hard.” Jiang Xueyin blinked, her eyes flashing with a clever, mischievous light. “But I’m curious, why didn’t you try to convince me to go back to the Jiang family? After all, being a Jiang would bring me far greater benefits.”

Xiao Nianru dazed for a moment before saying in a low voice, “You probably left because you weren’t happy there, right? If you want freedom, you have to abandon all external benefits and start from zero.”

She looked down and let out a soft laugh, her gaze tender. “You are very brave.”

“Thank you.” Jiang Xueyin whispered, lightly patting her flushed cheeks.

“You’ve said ‘thank you’ many times today. Really, there’s no need to be so formal.” Xiao Nianru stood up, placed the dishes into the dishwasher, and returned to the dining area. “I should be the one thanking you, thanking you for eight years of companionship.”

Jiang Xueyin rose from her chair, looking at Xiao Nianru as a sudden wave of bittersweet emotion surged in her chest. She desperately wanted to tell her it wasn’t just because of the movies. But she was afraid.

“Have you had dinner yet?” Xiao Nianru glanced at the clock on the wall, realizing it was already 7:00 PM, past the usual dinner hour.

“No, but I’m not hungry,” Jiang Xueyin said.

“Eat something, so you don’t wake up hungry in the middle of the night,” Xiao Nianru said with a smile. “There’s a bag of frozen dumplings in the fridge. I’ll go boil them.”

Xiao Nianru headed into the kitchen, and Jiang Xueyin followed close behind. “I’ll help! I, I’m very skilled at boiling dumplings!”

Back when Jiang Xueyin lived alone in her rental, she would cook for herself; when she felt lazy, a bag of frozen dumplings was her go-to meal.

“Alright,” Xiao Nianru chuckled.

The kitchen wasn’t large, and with two people squeezed inside, physical contact was inevitable. The range hood made a fair amount of noise, but it successfully sucked away the steam, keeping the temperature slightly warmer than the dining room. One added the water while the other stirred; they worked with a silent rhythm, as if they had lived together for years.

“Why is your face so red? Is it too hot in here? Why don’t you wait in the dining room?” Xiao Nianru looked at Jiang Xueyin’s crimson face, thinking to herself: Why is this girl so easily embarrassed?

In her eyes, most of her fans were quite young. Naturally, she viewed Jiang Xueyin as an innocent, starry-eyed kid.

“No, no, I’m fine.” Jiang Xueyin didn’t want to miss a single second of being near her. “I’m just so happy to be this close to my favorite star.”

Xiao Nianru smiled warmly. “As long as you’re happy. I was worried you’d be sad or lost regarding the road ahead.”

Jiang Xueyin stole a glance at her, then immediately looked away for fear of being caught, her movements becoming cautious and shy. The road ahead was long and its destination unknown, but with the person she loved standing beside her at this moment, she was content.

The dumplings were soon ready. Jiang Xueyin used a slotted spoon to scoop them out while Xiao Nianru turned off the stove.

“You should eat more. I don’t eat much at night,” Xiao Nianru said quickly as she saw her own bowl filling up.

Jiang Xueyin asked, “Is it for fitness reasons? I heard it’s best not to eat after 8:00 PM, but it’s only seven.” Despite her words, she carefully limited Xiao Nianru’s portion.

The two sat opposite each other, eating the steaming, fragrant dumplings.

“You mentioned writing a story for me earlier. Is it because the story is something that can’t be spoken aloud?” Xiao Nianru stirred the dumpling soup with her spoon, the rising steam momentarily obscuring Jiang Xueyin’s view.

Jiang Xueyin lowered her lashes, staring at the dumplings in her bowl. “Not exactly. It’s just the story of how I became your fan.”

“Thank you,” Xiao Nianru said. She glanced up at the Favorability meter above Jiang Xueyin’s head, it had reached 92%.

She had met many fans with favorability scores over 60%, but she had never seen one this high. She figured that such devotion couldn’t come just from a screen; they must have met in person before. But it had been too long, and she truly couldn’t remember.

After dinner, Jiang Xueyin helped clear the table, and they bid each other goodnight.

It wasn’t even 8:00 PM yet nowhere near the bedtime of a modern young person. Without a phone or a TV in the guest room, Jiang Xueyin found herself bored. After lying in bed for less than half an hour, she crept out of the room.

Xiao Nianru was leaning against the sofa in apricot-colored pajamas, reading a script. The warm light fell over her, making her features look incredibly soft and gentle.

Jiang Xueyin leaned against the doorframe, her gaze fixed intensely on Xiao Nianru. She felt a rush of heat in the gland at the back of her neck, an instinctive urge to draw closer to the Omega on the sofa. But she stayed put, watching silently.

Xiao Nianru was deeply focused, her eyes never leaving the pages. She even forgot to drink the water she had poured. It wasn’t until her eyes grew tired and she reached for the eye drops on the coffee table that she realized Jiang Xueyin was standing there.