My 'White Moonlight' First Love Came Back, but I Don't Love her Anymore - Chapter 17

“Didn’t you just ask me not to leave?”

“I…”

“I’m joking. Once I see that you’re okay, I’ll head out.”

“Oh.”

Another wave of disappointment washed over Luo Yuening.

Zhou Wanyan placed a glass of water in front of her and opened her palm, revealing a few white pills. “Take your medicine.”

“By the way, I remember you hate bitter tastes. Do you have anything sweet in the house?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Luo Yuening took the pills from her palm under Zhou Wanyan’s watchful gaze and swallowed them without hesitation. Her expression remained blank, as if she couldn’t feel the bitterness at all.

Zhou Wanyan blinked in surprise and gave a forced laugh. “I thought you were still afraid of bitter medicine.”

Luo Yuening pursed her lips, her gaze dimming. “I haven’t been afraid of it since six years ago.”

Since the moment you left, I haven’t been afraid of anything.

Zhou Wanyan suddenly felt that six years was a very long time. She finally realized that after six years, no one remains unchanged.

“That’s good then,” Zhou Wanyan said.

Luo Yuening replied, “The guest room is clean. You can rest there.”

“Okay,” Zhou Wanyan answered softly. “Call me if you need anything.”

As Luo Yuening turned to leave, she left behind a trail of cold fragrance that lingered at the tip of Zhou Wanyan’s nose for a long time.

At sunset, the sky faded into pink hues.

Zhou Wanyan emerged from the guest room. Standing 175cm tall with straight, slender legs, she moved with a light grace. She hesitated at the door of the master bedroom.

“Luo Yuening, are you awake?”

There was no answer.

Just as Zhou Wanyan assumed she was still asleep and turned to leave, the door pushed open silently.

“Zhou Wanyan,” Luo Yuening called her name softly.

Zhou Wanyan looked back.

She was met with the sight of snow-white skin and wine-red curls cascading over shoulders, radiating a captivating charm. Luo Yuening’s fox-like eyes held a subtle, alluring quality. Dressed in a black low-cut camisole dress, she looked enchanting even without makeup. The confidence and elegance she projected made it impossible to look away.

Zhou Wanyan’s eyebrows arched slightly. She had to admit that Luo Yuening was a dazzling presence, both six years ago and now.

Luo Yuening took a few steps forward, closing the distance between them. That familiar scent of snow lotus hit Zhou Wanyan again.

Luo Yuening lifted her chin with her habitual pride. Her eyes reflected Zhou Wanyan’s figure, as if they could no longer hold anyone else. Zhou Wanyan coughed twice, her fingers unconsciously clutching her clothes in a moment of restless energy.

Seeing this, a beautiful curve touched the corners of Luo Yuening’s lips, which she then pressed back into a cold, composed line. A spark of triumph flickered in her eyes.

“What’s wrong, Zhou Wanyan? Is your throat uncomfortable?” She knit her brows, feigning worry while a hidden sense of satisfaction played in her voice. “Could you have caught my cold?”

Zhou Wanyan burst into laughter, struck by how amusing the situation was. “Luo Yuening, how could I have caught it from you? Stop being so happy about it.”

Luo Yuening froze.

Fine. Very well.

The smile on her lips vanished, replaced by a cold expression. She bit her lower lip and said with a hint of annoyance, “Zhou Wanyan, you’re really something.”

In her mind, she thought: Completely devoid of romance.

Zhou Wanyan knit her brows, confused by the sudden shift. “It seems your illness is better. Your voice sounds full of energy.”

“I’m not better,” Luo Yuening snapped.

“Not better?” Zhou Wanyan paused, her voice turning concerned. “Then why did you come out wearing so little?”

She immediately turned to find some clothes. Watching Zhou Wanyan worry for her, the coldness in Luo Yuening’s eyes melted into tenderness.

She’s quite attentive. I’ll be the bigger person and forgive you for just now.

Zhou Wanyan handed her a wrap. “Put this on quickly.”

After dressing, Luo Yuening sat on the living room sofa, still harboring a bit of resentment over Zhou Wanyan’s earlier lack of reaction. Zhou Wanyan followed her into the living room.

The pink horizon was right before them. Both looked out the floor-to-ceiling window in silence, taking in the beauty of the sunset. Zhou Wanyan couldn’t help but recall a sunset they had watched together at Xuefu Mountain. She stole a glance at Luo Yuening.

Luo Yuening also seemed lost in thought. Zhou Wanyan didn’t know what she was remembering, or if she was simply captivated by the view.

After a while, Luo Yuening withdrew her gaze, a flash of loneliness in her eyes, before she secretly looked at Zhou Wanyan. Their gazes missed each other again, just as their paths had diverged over the last six years.

“What do you want for dinner?”

“Zhou Wanyan, why are you taking such good care of me?”

Zhou Wanyan’s body stiffened visibly. She hesitated, many reasons flashing through her mind before she settled on one. “Gao Yao asked me to.”

The sharpness in Luo Yuening’s eyes faded into a dull look. Her curls fell loosely around her face as she stared blankly at Zhou Wanyan.

After a long time, she sighed. “You certainly are a loyal friend.”

Then why could you leave me so decisively back then? Was it just because you hated the fact that I liked you? And now, why are you taking such careful care of me just because of one request from Gao Yao?

Luo Yuening had so many questions, but she understood that in their current state, she lacked the courage to ask. She was afraid the connection they had finally rebuilt would break again.

Zhou Wanyan deliberately avoided the topic. “Let’s not talk about that. What do you want to eat?”

Luo Yuening turned her head slightly, her curls hiding the redness at the corners of her eyes. “Tomato and scrambled eggs.”

That was the first dish Zhou Wanyan had ever learned to cook for her.

“Okay.” Zhou Wanyan raised her hands, her nimble fingers easily tying her long hair back.

Luo Yuening stood up, gazing at Zhou Wanyan’s back as she headed to the kitchen. Her voice was calm but laced with an irrepressible bitterness. “Thank you for taking care of me. If you ever need anything, just let me know.”

Zhou Wanyan’s face remained calm, but her heart was in turmoil. She instinctively felt a repulsion toward Luo Yuening’s polite tone. As if out of spite, she replied, “Sure.”

After dinner, Zhou Wanyan picked up her coat to leave. Luo Yuening stood by, her mind racing. As Zhou Wanyan finished dressing, Luo Yuening’s nerves were at a breaking point; she still hadn’t found a reason to make her stay.

Fortunately, the weather worked in her favor. Three low rumbles of thunder sounded outside, followed by the pitter-patter of rain.

Luo Yuening looked up, her voice calm but hiding a sliver of delight. “It’s raining. It’s not safe to drive.”

“There’s a guest room. Why not stay the night?”

The rejection was on the tip of Zhou Wanyan’s tongue, but when she saw Luo Yuening’s slightly trembling shoulders, she swallowed it. “Okay.”

Back in her bedroom, Luo Yuening couldn’t contain her joy. She hummed the theme song from The Era of Splendor that she had recently recorded. She felt wonderful.

She took out a white nightgown she had prepared and stepped out of the bedroom. She had swapped her black camisole for a nightgown that was the same style as the one she gave Zhou Wanyan; the only difference was the color. This was her little secret.

Zhou Wanyan was waiting on the sofa.

“Zhou Wanyan, the underwear is new and has been washed. The nightgown is also new. Here.”

As she spoke, a faint blush crept onto Luo Yuening’s cheeks.

Is she shy? Zhou Wanyan asked uncertainly, “Why is your face so red?”

Luo Yuening’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly covered it up. “It’s too hot in the room. I’m just warm.”

Zhou Wanyan gripped the soft fabric of the clothes. She was half-convinced. “Then you can turn down the air conditioning, but not too low. You’re still sick and shouldn’t get cold.”

Luo Yuening urged her while nodding, “Zhou Wanyan, go take a bath. It’s already late.”

“…”

The guest bathroom was filled with steam. Her room was upstairs, right next to the master bedroom. About half an hour later, Zhou Wanyan pushed open the door, patiently drying her hair with a towel.

Downstairs, Luo Yuening had already bathed and was waiting on the sofa. Her wine-red curls were half-dry. Listening to the distant sound of the hairdryer from upstairs, the smile on her lips never faded.

Luo Yuening was secretly plotting her next move. Zhou Wanyan was like an innocent lamb, and Luo Yuening was the clever fox waiting for her to fall into a tempting trap.

A moment later, the hairdryer stopped. Luo Yuening stood up and walked upstairs with a graceful, swaying step.

Zhou Wanyan put down the hairdryer and stepped out of her room to check on Luo Yuening. The rain outside continued unabated. They met right in the hallway.

As Zhou Wanyan exited the room, her gaze shifted downward toward Luo Yuening, who was coming up the stairs. Because of their relative positions, her gaze inadvertently swept over her. Her breath hitched, and her mind went blank as she caught sight of the slight rise and fall of Luo Yuening’s chest and the glimpses of pale skin.

Zhou Wanyan snapped her gaze away, her ears turning a bright red against her fair skin. When Luo Yuening reached the top, she found Zhou Wanyan standing dazed at the top of the stairs, her eyes panicked and refusing to look at her.

Luo Yuening knit her brows in concern. “Zhou Wanyan, what’s wrong with your ears? Did you hit them on something?”

Zhou Wanyan’s heart raced. She wanted to say something, but her throat felt blocked. She could only follow Luo Yuening’s lead. “Yeah.”

The moment she spoke, Luo Yuening’s fingertips reached out. Under that cool touch, Zhou Wanyan felt a surge of heat that sent a tingling sensation through her. The coldness on her ear made her want to flee.

But seeing Luo Yuening’s worried expression and hearing the tension in her voice, Zhou Wanyan’s desire to run vanished like a burst bubble.

“Luo Yuening, I’m fine,” Zhou Wanyan said softly, afraid of startling her. “You don’t need to be so worried about me.”

“Who’s worried about you?”

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