Moonlight Allure - Chapter 36

Xiao Qingyu’s brow arched, her eyes darting between the two of them. With a playful grin, she chirped, “I actually have a class this afternoon, so you two go ahead! I’ll sit this one out.”

“That works,” Xueyin nodded with a smile, secretly relieved. She had things she needed to discuss with Nianru in private.

The three of them had a light meal at a Western restaurant. Afterward, Nianru had the driver drop Qingyu off at her university first. Once she climbed out, the car was quiet, leaving only the driver in front and Xueyin and Nianru in the back.

“Does it feel very uncomfortable?” Nianru glanced at Xueyin’s smooth nape. A transparent scent-blocking patch was pressed over the gland, emitting a faint, calming trace of lavender.

“Actually, as long as I don’t smell it, I’m fine. I don’t think there’s anything physically wrong with my body. It’s likely,” Xueyin lowered her voice instinctively, “likely a psychological issue.”

She caught the driver’s eyes in the rearview mirror and stopped. This wasn’t the right setting to continue.

Nianru reached out and gently ruffled Xueyin’s hair. “It’s alright. We’ll know for sure after the hospital visit.”

“Okay.”

At the hospital parking lot, they used the self-service machines to register before heading to the waiting area outside the examination rooms. There were few people around, most preoccupied with their own errands; no one paid them any mind.

Xueyin finally picked up the thread of their conversation. “The, the ‘trouble’ I mentioned before. It’s because I saw someone else in the mirror.”

“Who did you see?” Nianru’s heart sank, her voice betraying a faint, almost imperceptible tremor. To see someone else in a reflection—no matter who it was—was a chilling omen.

Xueyin lowered her voice to a whisper. “I saw someone who looks exactly like me. I’m not sure if it was a demon of my own making, or the other Jiang Xueyin.”

“Someone identical.” Nianru murmured. “And then? Did she just appear?”

“She, she spoke to me,” Xueyin said vaguely.

“What did she say?” Nianru pressed.

Xueyin looked up into Nianru’s worried eyes and hesitated. How could she repeat those poisonous words? She kept her answer ambiguous. “Just accusing me of being a coward. Things like that.”

“So, which possibility frightens you more?” Nianru’s expression remained gentle, but her fingers restlessly toyed with the strap of her bag.

The monitor nearby chimed; they were on number 13. Xueyin was number 15.

Fingering the slip of paper in her palm, Xueyin whispered, “The latter. I’m afraid she’ll come back to hurt you.”

“Regardless of what happens, I have already divorced her,” Nianru said firmly. “You don’t need to worry.”

Xueyin’s voice grew urgent. “No! Even if she’s divorced you, she won’t let you go! She nearly drove you to your death!”

She had fought so hard to derail the original plot. She wanted the Scum Alpha to stay dead in that other world, just like in her dream—erased forever from any place where Jiang Xueyin existed.

Nianru froze. “How, how much do you know?”

“Everything. I know the original path this world was supposed to take, and I know my presence has already shattered that narrative.” Xueyin’s lip trembled. “Sister Nianru, do you want her to come back?”

“I believe in you. And right now, this is enough.” Nianru patted Xueyin’s shoulder gently, her touch grounding her. She glanced at the screen. “It’s your turn.”

“Okay.”

Inside, Xueyin explained her symptoms, and the doctor ordered a battery of tests. When she emerged with a long trail of forms, she gave a helpless shrug. “These tests will take hours. If you have things to do, Sister, you should head back.

I can handle this alone.”

“I have nothing else on my schedule today. I’ll stay with you,” Nianru said warmly.

They started with a routine blood test. It was autumn now, and Xueyin was dressed in a trench coat over a knit sweater. She slipped one side of the coat off and rolled up her sleeve. The nurse was efficient; after drawing the blood, she pressed a cotton ball to the site and gestured for Nianru to hold it—clearly mistaking their relationship.

Nianru didn’t mind. She naturally took over, pressing the cotton ball down while her other fingers curled around Xueyin’s arm.

“Thank you,” Xueyin whispered.

“You’re welcome.” Nianru guided her to the seating area and helped her pull her coat back on. “Are you cold? If you are, I can grab a heat pack from the convenience store.”

“I’m fine.” Xueyin shook her head. Her eyes flickered with a hidden hope as she asked tentatively, “Can I lean on your shoulder for a bit? I’m a little tired and want to rest.”

Nianru hummed an agreement and drew her closer. “It’s still early. Rest for a while.”

Xueyin wasn’t sleepy at all; she just wanted to be near her. The warmth from Nianru’s embrace radiated through her, and her heart hammered so loudly she feared she might faint from the sheer intensity of it.

About two minutes later, she felt the fingers on her arm loosen. Nianru had likely disposed of the cotton ball. But Xueyin didn’t want to move. She mimicked the slow, steady breathing of sleep, savoring the warmth for a long moment before finally opening her eyes and pulling away.

“Let’s do the next one,” Xueyin said, her eyes curving into a smile.

Nianru checked her phone. “Are you sure? It’s only been ten minutes.”

“I was afraid your neck would get sore if I stayed like that too long,” Xueyin laughed, buttoning her coat.

The next few tests were entirely new to Xueyin. As a former Beta, she had never needed pheromone profiling before. The blood results were ready quickly—all normal—but the specialized tests wouldn’t be back until the next day.

They walked out of the outpatient wing toward the west exit. It was quieter there, leading past a small garden and onto a long, tree-lined street.

“Will you still be here tomorrow?” Xueyin asked as they strolled.

“Mhm. I have a shoot tomorrow afternoon, so I can come with you in the morning to pick up the reports.”

“You really don’t have to trouble yourself,” Xueyin said softly. “I’ll be fine on my own. You’re already so busy.”

Nianru ruffled her hair. “It’s fine. Think of it as a walk to clear my head. Besides.” She trailed off, a trace of loneliness crossing her features.

“Besides what?” Xueyin blinked, subtly slipping her arm through Nianru’s.

“Besides, if I’m with you, you won’t have to feel lonely.” Nianru thought back to her early days in this world. She rarely went to the hospital—not because she was never ill, but because she never dared mention her discomfort. To complain was to invite baseless scolding. Without money, her very life had been in the hands of that couple; she couldn’t even go to a clinic alone. Later, even when she had the means, she always went by herself. She missed her real parents terribly, but she was trapped here, cut off from even the slightest news of them.

“Mhm.” Xueyin leaned closer and nodded emphatically. “Not lonely.”

Nianru realized then just how close they were. She could almost see the tiny tremors of Xueyin’s eyelashes. It had been a long time since she had looked at her this closely. But she didn’t pull away.

As they reached a narrow cobblestone path through the flowerbeds, Xueyin naturally let go and stepped ahead. The path was only wide enough for one.

“Xueyin, don’t put so much pressure on yourself,” Nianru said suddenly to her back.

Xueyin stopped. “What?”

“Don’t let the ‘original’ Jiang Xueyin weigh you down, and don’t feel guilty for being in this body,” Nianru continued. “Some things were never your choice. You don’t need to over-analyze it, and you certainly shouldn’t let it consume you.

Self-reproach is a painful cycle.”

If one is consumed by an environment, one can leave it. But if one is consumed by the very nature of “self,” what is the cure?

Xueyin began to walk again, her pace slowing. “I know.”

She understood the logic, but she couldn’t help but loathe the original version of herself. She didn’t know if the dream of the Scum Alpha’s death was a vision or just a wish, but she hoped it was real. After that dream, she had felt a grim satisfaction; she felt that anyone who had hurt Nianru deserved nothing less.

Yet, she feared that even in death, the Scum Alpha might find a way back.

Xueyin stepped out from the narrow path and waited at the clearing for Nianru. Suddenly, Nianru tripped slightly; Xueyin reacted instantly, reaching out to catch her.

“Are you okay?” Xueyin asked, her hands grasping Nianru’s. As the warmth of their palms met, Xueyin’s heart began to race.

Nianru’s naturally wavy hair had fallen a bit out of place. She shook her head gently. “I’m fine. Thank you.”

A sudden gust of wind swept through, messing her hair further. Xueyin leaned in, reaching up to help her tidy the stray strands. “Do you need a hair clip or a bobby pin?”

“That would be helpful. The wind seems quite strong today,” Nianru said, looking down at Xueyin, her gaze flickering with a soft, unreadable emotion.

“It’s autumn now,” Xueyin murmured. She pulled a strawberry-shaped hair clip from her bag and used it to secure the fine, stubborn wisps of hair.

“Thank you.” Nianru reached up to touch the clip. “Do you like strawberries?”

“I love them—so much that if I see them for sale on the street, I can’t even walk past,” Xueyin replied. Her obsession with strawberries stemmed from a childhood where they were always out of reach. Her home had always been stocked with the fruits her mother preferred—tangerines, oranges, and persimmons. She couldn’t stand persimmons, and she didn’t care for citrus. But her mother never bought the strawberries she craved.

Nianru looked around the autumn landscape and said with a hint of regret, “It’s a pity, strawberries aren’t in season right now.”

“They’ll be back in three or four months.” Xueyin stretched comfortably before slipping her arm back through Nianru’s. “Let’s go find some dinner first!”

“Alright,” Nianru agreed.

As they strolled down the long street, they passed a family of three. The sight reminded Xueyin of someone else, and she decided to act with an air of magnanimous grace. “Sister, should we invite Qingyu to join us for dinner?”

“Good idea. Why don’t you give her a call?” Nianru’s eyes curved into a smile, followed by a soft, knowing chuckle.

Xueyin felt as though she had been seen through, but she dialed the number anyway. “Hello? Qingyu? Are you busy later? Do you want to have dinner with us tonight?”