Moonlight Allure - Chapter 30

Xiao Nianru looked down at the person in her arms, momentarily stunned, before asking softly, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I just finished showering, so my feet were a bit slippery.” Jiang Xueyin leaned on Xiao Nianru’s arm to steady herself, then let go as if nothing had happened.

A faint, sweet scent of orange pheromones lingered in the air. Xiao Nianru’s expression shifted. “You’re not wearing a scent-blocking patch.”

“Ah sorry, I forgot.” Jiang Xueyin hurriedly covered the back of her neck, but she couldn’t stop the scent from leaking out.

Xiao Nianru pulled a pack of lavender-scented patches from her bag. “Here. Don’t forget next time.”

Jiang Xueyin took them happily. “Thank you!”

“You weren’t an Alpha before, were you?” Xiao Nianru asked casually.

Jiang Xueyin gave a soft hum of affirmation, peeled off a patch, and handed it to Xiao Nianru. “Could you help me put it on?”

“Okay.” Xiao Nianru figured she was overthinking things; she assumed Jiang Xueyin had been a Beta in her past life, which explained why she constantly forgot the etiquette of being an Alpha. She agreed without a second thought.

As Xiao Nianru’s fingertips brushed against the sensitive skin of her nape, a tingly, numbing sensation washed over Jiang Xueyin. The cool patch was pressed against her gland, and Xiao Nianru’s warm thumb followed, smoothing it down to ensure it was secure.

“Thank you,” Jiang Xueyin whispered.

“You’re welcome.” Xiao Nianru walked past her toward the dining table and placed a bag of sweets on the surface. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I bought a bit of everything.”

Jiang Xueyin’s eyes sparkled. “Is Sister this good to every fan?”

“Perhaps it’s because you’re the only other person here from my world.” Xiao Nianru looked back and gave her a gentle smile.

Dazzled by her beauty, Jiang Xueyin’s mind went blank for a second. She quickly recovered and walked over to the bag. Her eyes lit up as she looked inside. “Orange bread, donuts, Mochi, matcha mille-feuille, cream puffs, there’s so much! Can I have the matcha one?”

“The whole bag is for you, don’t be formal,” Xiao Nianru laughed. “If there’s a flavor you don’t like, just give it to me.”

“I’m happy you bought them for me, but I can’t really eat orange-flavored things.” It wasn’t that she couldn’t, but the thought of the Scum Alpha’s orange pheromones made her stomach churn.

“I’ll remember that.” Xiao Nianru rubbed Jiang Xueyin’s head, truly treating her like a child. “You can’t be very old, right?”

“I’m an adult,” Jiang Xueyin blinked and whispered.

“I know; the second gender presentation happens at eighteen, after all.” The more Xiao Nianru looked at her, the more she found her adorable.

She thought of the rumors in certain circles and a mocking smile touched her lips. People like Lin Shan thought Jiang Xueyin was a lunatic. In their eyes, she was destroying her own foundation for no reason. They couldn’t understand her, so they called her crazy. But in Xiao Nianru’s eyes, Jiang Xueyin’s actions held a grit and bravery that had crashed into her world like a streak of brilliant color.

“What do you want for dinner? I’ll cook something for you,” Xiao Nianru offered.

“Don’t go to the trouble, Sister! I can cook too. Since I’m staying here for free, I have to do something, or my conscience will haunt me!” Jiang Xueyin stuck out her tongue. She had a bit of a knack for cooking—she wasn’t a pro, but as long as she followed a recipe, things usually turned out well.

“Alright, I’ll leave it to you then. Everything is in the fridge. I’m going to take a shower.” Xiao Nianru had spent the day in a harness on set and was covered in dried sweat.

“Leave it to me!” Jiang Xueyin patted her chest confidently. “I’ll show you what I can do.”

Jiang Xueyin went into the kitchen. There weren’t many fresh vegetables—just tomatoes, bok choy, and mushrooms. She decided on tomato and egg soup with enoki mushrooms, and sautéed bok choy with mushrooms. She didn’t even need a recipe for those; she finished them quickly by instinct.

As she brought the dishes to the table, she saw the bathroom door open and the lights off. “Sister, dinner’s ready!”

The bedroom door opened, and Xiao Nianru emerged, her damp black hair falling over her shoulders. She was slowly running a cushion brush through it. “One moment, I’ll be there as soon as I dry my hair.”

Jiang Xueyin looked away and swallowed hard. “I’ll wait for you.”

In reality, her heart was hammering so hard she thought it might leap out of her chest. She sat down and rested her chin on her hands, staring at the steaming food. If only I never had to move out.

When Xiao Nianru returned, her hair was pinned up with a wooden hairpin, leaving a few soft strands framing her face. She looked incredibly gentle.

“I’ll get the rice!” Jiang Xueyin jumped up, her face flushing red for no apparent reason.

“Thank you.” Xiao Nianru took the bowl. “It looks delicious, you’re a good cook.”

“It’s nothing,” Jiang Xueyin said sheepishly. “I was in a hurry, so I just made something simple. I’ll make something better next time.”

“This is already wonderful.”

As they ate, Xiao Nianru set down her chopsticks. “By the way, I ran into Mingyue today. She asked me to tell you something: ‘Justice will not be absent.'”

Jiang Xueyin froze. “What?”

“Li Jiannan and Lin Shan have been released. Insufficient evidence; they couldn’t hold them for more than 72 hours.” Xiao Nianru lowered her voice. “Mingyue knows there’s a mole in the station. Even if she submits the evidence now, it’ll be useless. She has to cut out the rot within the department first before she can bring the cruise case back to the table.”

“So, she’s keeping the evidence?”

“Likely so.”

Jiang Xueyin let out a sigh of relief. She had been afraid the police were simply letting them go despite the proof. As long as Ruan Mingyue held the evidence, they would eventually face justice.

“It’s a good thing we moved fast and got Xiao Qingyu to Country Y. Lin Shan is out of options now.” Jiang Xueyin paused. “But knowing how obsessive Lin Shan is, she’ll probably find a way to get to Country Y.”

“She won’t be able to cause trouble there. Even if she shows up, Qingyu can call the police, and they’ll toss anyone on the entry blacklist out of the country.” Xiao Nianru took a sip of soup.

“True.”

“Aside from that, something strange happened today,” Xiao Nianru said, looking puzzled. “Xu Wei resigned. I asked why, and she said she won the lottery and just wants to go home and lie around.”

“The lottery? People actually have that kind of luck?” Jiang Xueyin was a legendary “unlucky” person. She’d never won so much as a cent on a scratch-off, and she always hit the “pity” pull in gacha games.

Xiao Nianru nodded. “Supposedly, she won two million. That’s enough for her to buy a house in her hometown.”

Two million? Jiang Xueyin thought. There was no such thing as a coincidence. She had only recently asked Jiang Jue to “handle” Xu Wei, and suddenly the girl wins the lottery? It was clear Jiang Jue was behind this.

Jiang Xueyin feigned surprise. “She’s going back to her hometown?” In the original novel, Xu Wei never had a plot point involving moving back home.

“She leaves tomorrow. I’m not sure if she’ll come back,” Xiao Nianru said, lowering her gaze. “If she doesn’t, I’ll need to find a new assistant.”

“Would you consider me?” Jiang Xueyin’s eyes lit up, and she blinked hopefully at Xiao Nianru. “I can take care of your daily needs and even help you on set—we can run lines together! I don’t even want a salary; just room and board is fine!”

“Even if I did hire you as an assistant, I wouldn’t let you work for free,” Xiao Nianru said warmly. “But Sister Li already knows about the situation; she said she would handle the arrangements.”

“That’s good, then.” Jiang Xueyin continued eating. She was impressed by how fast Jiang Jue moved. She had only been gone for two days and he already had the time to deal with Xu Wei. He was clearly terrified she might change her mind and try to return to the Jiang family. If she ever did, he could use this “interference” against her. Still, with Xu Wei gone, a major threat to Xiao Nianru had vanished.

Xiao Nianru finished her last bite and set down her chopsticks. “Tomorrow, I have to go to K-City for an on-location shoot. I’ll be away for about a week.”

“You’re leaving tomorrow? Can I see you off at the airport?” Jiang Xueyin gripped her chopsticks tightly, biting her lip.

“No need, the airport will be too crowded,” Xiao Nianru shook her head. “By the way, have you found a place to stay yet?”

Jiang Xueyin lowered her head, her lashes hiding the guilt in her eyes. “Not yet.”

“It’s alright,” Xiao Nianru said. “Stay for a few more days. If you run into any trouble, contact me. What’s your new number? Let me add you.”

“But.” Jiang Xueyin looked up piteously and showed Xiao Nianru her phone screen. It displayed the pending friend request she had sent earlier. “I added you the moment I got my number today. Did you not see it, Sister?”

Xiao Nianru dazed for a moment. “Sorry, I rarely check that section.”

She opened the interface, scrolled down, and accepted the request.

[I’ve accepted your friend request. Now we can chat!]

Jiang Xueyin stared at the words, her lips curling into a smile. “I’m so lucky.”

“Hmm?” Xiao Nianru raised an eyebrow.

“To be able to add my favorite idol on WeChat, and to be this close to her.” Jiang Xueyin’s heart beat faster as she gazed at Xiao Nianru’s picturesque features.

“I just figured, it must be lonely, coming here all by yourself.”

Though Xiao Nianru had been born into this world, she still carried a lingering fear. The environment and the people had once been entirely foreign. Even in kindergarten, she had dreamt of returning to the real world. As she grew up and built relationships, she still felt like an outsider looking in. Loneliness had never truly left her world.

Jiang Xueyin’s heart stirred. She asked tentatively, “Sister, you’re so good to me, what if I really fall in love with you one day?”

“Xiao Xue, I might not be as good as you think. Fan filters are thick; they can easily create illusions. If that day ever comes, please don’t lose yourself.” Xiao Nianru paused. “No banquet lasts forever. In the end, you are your own only reliable support.”

“Sister, I’m not like the old Jiang Xueyin. She gave up after meeting a setback, but I will pick myself up and walk toward my own future.” Jiang Xueyin’s gaze grew increasingly determined.

During her time at the Jiang house and her subsequent departure, she realized that to get something from others, you inevitably have to give something up. Only by becoming strong could she get what she wanted without being controlled. She was determined to build her own career and eventually stand as an equal by Xiao Nianru’s side.

“I look forward to it,” Xiao Nianru said with a gentle smile, Jiang Xueyin’s determined face reflected in her eyes.

That night, Jiang Xueyin’s sleep was fitful. She had fragmented dreams—dreaming that Xiao Nianru discovered her romantic feelings and kicked her out, or that the Scum Alpha returned while she drifted helplessly like a ghost.

When she woke the next day, she was alone again. In the bathroom bin, she saw a discarded scent-blocking patch, carrying the faint, lingering scent of Lily of the Valley.

While Xiao Nianru was away, she planned to go to a quiet park to practice her photography. She registered a new Weibo account with her new number and followed Xiao Nianru. She spent the rest of the day watching movies until the doorbell rang in the afternoon. Thinking it was her camera delivery, she walked leisurely to the entryway.

Jiang Xueyin had a habit of checking the peephole. Before transmigrating, she had lived in partitioned rentals and encountered strange people knocking on her door; the peephole had been her shield against danger.

Looking through it now, she frowned. The person outside didn’t look like a delivery person. It wasn’t winter, so why were they bundled up so tightly?

Dressed in grey workwear, wearing a black baseball cap and a black mask, their face was buried in shadows. She couldn’t see them clearly, but an inexplicable sense of dread washed over her.