Moonlight Allure - Chapter 37

As expected, Xiao Qingyu caught her drift and declined with a polite excuse. “Ah, I’d love to join you, but I’ve already made plans with a friend. Let’s do it another day!”

Qingyu rarely had the chance to see Nianru in Country Y; there was no way she would have prioritized someone else at a time like this. She was intentionally giving them space.

Nianru didn’t press for details. She simply turned to Xueyin with a smile. “Shall we? Let’s go to dinner.”

Xueyin chose a French restaurant with a romantic ambiance, where a live pianist played elegant, soothing melodies. They sat directly across from each other as the music drifted through the room. The reviews for this place were polarized: those who praised it raved about the flavors, while those who complained focused on the slow service. To Xueyin, however, the slow pace was perfect—it meant more time with Nianru.

“By the way, how are things back home? Has Lin Shan made any moves lately?” Xueyin asked, leaning in.

Nianru lowered her voice. “Mingyue and the others are still investigating, but Lin Shan has been quiet recently.”

Xueyin tried to recall the plot details, but her memory was fuzzy; after all, Lin Shan had only been a minor antagonist in one arc.

“If you count it as a move, she recently invested in a new drama. Does that mean anything?” Nianru asked.

“Of course!” Xueyin’s eyes lit up. “I remember now!”

“Remember what?” Nianru asked gently.

Xueyin glanced around to ensure they weren’t being overheard. “She’s using that production for money laundering.”

“How do you know? On the surface, the project seems clean,” Nianru said, surprised. “I actually received a casting offer for it, but when I saw the Lin family among the investors, I declined.”

“Tell Ruan Mingyue to keep a close eye on it. There might be some ‘accidents’ during filming soon—they’ll use those to facilitate the laundering,” Xueyin’s expression grew serious.

Why did she remember this specific drama? In the original plot, Nianru had actually starred in it. Back then, Lin Shan’s downfall came much later. Before Lin Shan died, her brother-in-law—her main political backer—was ousted for bribery. That was why Lin Xi had finally dared to strike. When that money-laundering scandal eventually broke, it, along with the cruise ship case, had been used to crush Nianru.

Nianru didn’t ask for her sources. She simply nodded. “Alright, I’ll let her know.”

“But please, don’t mention I’m alive. The fewer people who know about me, the better,” Xueyin added, lowering her lashes.

“Don’t worry, I know how to handle it.”

Just then, a waiter arrived with two glasses of red wine. Nianru suddenly remembered something and spoke to him in English, requesting a glass of plain water instead.

“You just finished your checkup and the results aren’t out yet,” Nianru said softly. “It’s better if you don’t drink alcohol.”

“You’re so thoughtful. I didn’t even think of that,” Xueyin said, a sweet warmth blooming in her chest. Nianru only took a small sip of her own wine, perhaps afraid of becoming intoxicated in front of her.

After dinner, Xueyin took Nianru’s arm as they left the restaurant. “Should I see you back?”

Nianru’s eyes were clear. She shook her head. “It’s fine. I can head back on my own.”

“I’m worried. If you’re afraid of exposing my identity, I can drop you off at Qingyu’s place first and have her take you the rest of the way?” Xueyin’s voice betrayed her nerves. She knew Nianru wouldn’t refuse, but she hated seeing even a hint of hesitation on her face. She just wanted to linger in her company a little longer.

“Alright.”

Xueyin let out a breath of relief when Nianru agreed without protest.

“Have you been happy today?” Nianru suddenly leaned in, her voice a low murmur against Xueyin’s ear. Her long, soft hair brushed against Xueyin’s neck, sending a tingling, dizzying sensation through her.

The sudden proximity made Xueyin freeze for a second, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. She beamed at her. “Happy. So happy. It’s the best day I’ve had since arriving in Country Y.”

“As long as you’re happy.” Nianru ruffled her hair. “I’ll walk you back instead. I’m not drunk, don’t worry. Since Qingyu and I are staying close by, I’ll head back after you’re home.”

“Then I’ll tell Qingyu to come pick you up there?” Xueyin pulled out her phone and messaged her, completely forgetting that Qingyu’s excuse was that she was “busy with friends.”

Nianru didn’t call her out on it. She just smiled and said, “Okay.”

They strolled through the quiet streets of the city. The autumn night breeze carried a slight chill, making Xueyin shiver. “It’s getting cold. Did you bring enough clothes, Sister?”

“Why aren’t you worried about yourself?” Nianru took her hand to check the temperature. “Your fingers are freezing. You should have worn a heavier coat.”

Nianru started to take off her own jacket, but Xueyin stopped her. “I’m not cold, really.”

Xueyin desperately wanted to wear Nianru’s jacket—and have an excuse to meet again to return it—but she couldn’t bear the thought of Nianru catching a cold for her sake.

“Fine.” Nianru settled for putting an arm around Xueyin’s shoulders, pulling her close to share her warmth.

They reached Xueyin’s apartment building. The street was deserted; the locals here had little interest in nightlife, leaving the roads empty once the sun went down.

“That’s strange. Why isn’t Qingyu here yet?” Xueyin checked her phone and saw a new message.

[My, uh gathering with my classmates isn’t over yet! I can’t get away right now. Why don’t you let my sister sit in your place for a bit?]

Xueyin blinked and looked up at Nianru, whispering, “Qingyu is tied up with something and will be late. It’s cold out here—would you like to come up to my apartment for a while?”

Nianru hesitated for a heartbeat before finally nodding.

Compared to the luxury they were used to, this place was humble. The stairwell was unadorned concrete with dark brown railings, and small advertisements were plastered on the walls.

“Come in, Sister,” Xueyin said, unlocking the door.

Nianru stepped inside and looked around. The layout was simple: a shoe rack at the entrance leading to a tiny kitchen. There was no real living room; the sofa was placed directly across from the bed.

“You can sit on the sofa. I’ll get you some water.” Xueyin closed the door and filled the electric kettle.

“Thank you.” Nianru’s gaze landed on the mirror by the cabinet. “Is this the mirror where you saw the other person?”

“Maybe I was just under too much stress,” Xueyin said, sitting down beside her. She felt an immense sense of peace; as long as Nianru was there, the apparition was nowhere to be found.

“Give it time,” Nianru said softly. “Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

“Mhm, I know.” Xueyin rose to check the water, mixing in some cold water and testing the temperature with her fingertip before handing it to Nianru.

“Thank you.” Nianru cradled the warm cup in her palms.

Suddenly, a pitter-patter sound came from the window. Both turned to look. It had started to rain.

“It’s just a light rain, not a storm. Don’t be afraid.” Xueyin pulled the curtains shut, as if closing out the world. “I wonder if Qingyu has left yet. I hope she brought an umbrella. I only have one small one here; we’d both get soaked if we tried to share it.”

“If I take your umbrella, what will you do if it’s still raining tomorrow morning?” Nianru laughed.

“Then you’ll just have to come and pick me up!” Xueyin’s eyes flashed with mischief. “I miss being a passenger in your car.”

Nianru chuckled softly. “So that’s your plan? Fine. I was planning to come for you anyway, so you’ve got your wish.”

“Really? You aren’t just teasing me?” Xueyin’s eyes sparkled with genuine surprise.

“I keep my word. I’ll contact you when I’m nearly here tomorrow,” Nianru promised.

“Okay!” Xueyin nodded happily.

About ten minutes later, a knock sounded at the door.

“Who is it?” Xueyin called out instinctively toward the entrance.

“It’s Xiao Qingyu,” the voice replied from the other side.

Xueyin opened the door to let her in and poured her a glass of water as well.

“Good thing I brought an umbrella today, otherwise picking you up would’ve been a nightmare.” Outside, the rain had turned into a fine, drifting mist, and Qingyu’s shoulders were already slightly damp.

Nianru stood up. “Since Qingyu is here, I won’t impose any longer. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Mhm, see you tomorrow.” Xueyin held out her umbrella. “Take this with you.”

“No, that’s your only one. Qingyu and I can share hers,” Nianru said, shaking her head gently.

Xueyin stepped forward, pressing the umbrella into her hand. “Qingyu is already getting wet on her own; it’ll be worse with two people. Please, just take it. Don’t worry about me—if I absolutely have to go out, I can borrow one from the lady next door.”

“Thank you.” Seeing her persistence, Nianru stopped refusing and accepted the umbrella. “Then until tomorrow. Goodnight.”

“Mhm, goodnight.”

Nianru and Qingyu left together, leaving the apartment empty once more.

Xueyin sat back down in the spot Nianru had just occupied. She glanced at the mirror, and her expression shifted instantly.

She had completely forgotten about the mirror while Nianru was there. She should have asked Nianru to help her carry it downstairs and throw it away.

While Xueyin sat properly on the sofa, the bedsheet covering the mirror had somehow slipped off. The figure inside the glass was sitting with her legs crossed on the edge of the sofa, her gaze defiant and her tone thick with disdain.

“Is that it? I thought you were more capable than this! You go through all that trouble to get her into your home, someone even creates the perfect opening for you, and the result? You just drink water?”

“What else was I supposed to do?” Xueyin’s gaze darkened. “Our relationship is barely at the ‘friend’ stage. Did you expect me to just kiss her?”

“Who knows? Maybe one kiss is all it takes for the relationship to evolve.” The person in the mirror looked Xueyin up and down, letting out a mocking scoff.

“I am not you,” Xueyin said coldly. “Unless she shows that she actually likes me, I will not cross that line.”

“With an attitude like that, no wonder you haven’t won her over after all this time. Seriously, you should try it. When I first—”

“Enough. I don’t want to hear it,” Xueyin snapped. She stared at the flippant, provocative figure in the glass. “Why are you so desperate to instigate me into approaching Sister Nianru?”