My 'White Moonlight' First Love Came Back, but I Don't Love her Anymore - Chapter 18

Zhou Wanyan understood her habit of saying the opposite of what she felt, so she did not call her out. She simply said, “Luo Yuening, goodnight.”

Luo Yuening’s sharp gaze began to flicker. She stole a panicked glance at Zhou Wanyan before quickly averting her eyes. Her red lips pressed into a thin line as she feigned composure. “Goodnight.”

Tonight was destined to be a private storm for Luo Yuening alone.

Back in the master bedroom, the rain drummed against the windowpane, the rhythmic tapping intertwining with her heartbeat. She raised her hand, her fingertips tracing the condensation on the glass. The cold touch helped settle her restless heart.

Lying in bed, Zhou Wanyan thought back to the moment earlier. She realized that the nightgown Luo Yuening had given her was identical to the one she was wearing, differing only in color.

The night was peaceful, with only the sound of rain filling her ears. Zhou Wanyan let her thoughts drift. Two nightgowns with only a color difference seemed ordinary, yet they held an underlying, indescribable connection.

Zhou Wanyan tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Outside, the thunder rolled and the sound of the rain grew louder. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. For some reason, a restless irritation bubbled up inside her.

Finding herself idle, she turned on the bedside lamp to look at the room’s decor. The more she looked, the more she felt this was not a typical guest room. Who would hang their own sexy portrait on a guest room wall?

Right in front of her was a portrait of Luo Yuening. Her body was like a finely carved work of art, with smooth lines flowing from her rounded shoulders down to her narrow waist and shapely hips. Her expression in the photo was poised and natural, radiating an innate confidence.

Zhou Wanyan buried her head in the quilt, trying to hide from her own thoughts. Suddenly, a cry of alarm shattered the silence.

Zhou Wanyan sat up abruptly. Was that Luo Yuening’s voice?

Realizing this, she rushed out of the room, her hair falling messily over her face. “Luo Yuening, what’s wrong?”

“Zhou Wanyan, I’m scared,” a weak voice came from behind the door.

Immediately, three loud rumbles of thunder shook the sky. Another cry echoed from the room. Zhou Wanyan pushed the door open and entered.

She found Luo Yuening looking like a frightened cat, helplessly hugging her knees and curled into a ball. Her trembling shoulders betrayed her extreme terror.

Zhou Wanyan walked over cautiously and placed a gentle, soothing hand on Luo Yuening’s shoulder. “Luo Yuening, are you okay?” she asked softly.

The only response was the coolness of Luo Yuening’s skin. Without hesitation, Luo Yuening threw herself into Zhou Wanyan’s arms, wrapping her hands tightly around her neck.

“Zhou Wanyan, the thunder is too loud. I’m scared.” Her voice was delicate, and with the faint redness at the corners of her eyes, she looked utterly pitiable.

The moment Luo Yuening pressed against her, Zhou Wanyan’s tension became palpable. Her breath hitched for a second before returning to its normal rhythm. She slowly raised her hand and patted Luo Yuening’s back.

Luo Yuening pressed herself even more firmly into Zhou Wanyan’s embrace. Zhou Wanyan’s face flushed. “Luo Yuening… you’re holding me too tight. I can’t breathe.”

Hearing this, Luo Yuening only used more strength to bury herself in Zhou Wanyan’s arms. Zhou Wanyan realized that she was truly terrified. However, she remembered that Luo Yuening never used to be afraid of thunder.

Giving up her resistance, Zhou Wanyan comforted her in a low voice. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Don’t be afraid.”

Immersed in this warm embrace, Luo Yuening seemed to have found her anchor. She gripped Zhou Wanyan’s arms tightly, her trembling gradually ceasing as her emotions leveled out. Her fingers left marks on Zhou Wanyan’s fair skin.

Cradled in the embrace, Luo Yuening retracted all her sharp edges, exposing her most vulnerable side.

“When did you start being afraid of thunder?”

“I don’t remember.”

“Do you feel better now?”

“I’m still scared. Can you stay and stay with me?”

Stay with you?

Zhou Wanyan’s gaze turned complex for a moment. This was the first time she had seen Luo Yuening without her usual sharpness, as docile as a cat seeking comfort.

After a few seconds, Zhou Wanyan frowned. “My ex was a woman.”

In the crook of Zhou Wanyan’s shoulder, Luo Yuening’s gaze turned dark and somber, hidden from view. She whispered back, “Are you afraid I’ll do something to you?”

Zhou Wanyan was speechless. It seemed Luo Yuening didn’t mind.

The two lay quietly on the soft bed, with an invisible boundary between them like a deep chasm. Zhou Wanyan awkwardly clutched the corner of the quilt. Ever since she lay down, a faint, cold fragrance had been lingering at the tip of her nose.

Luo Yuening turned her head slightly. By the dim light of the bedside lamp, she gazed at the side profile that had appeared in her dreams countless times, now finally a reality. A smile of triumph touched her lips.

Wanyan, you’re still the same as before—you respond to gentleness, not force.

Perhaps the light was too bright, but Zhou Wanyan found herself unable to sleep. “I’m turning off the light.”

Luo Yuening loved and hated Zhou Wanyan’s calm composure. It gave her a chance to be close, but while Zhou Wanyan was steady, Luo Yuening’s own heart was in turmoil.

“Zhou Wanyan.”

“Hmm?”

“What kind of life do you hope for?”

“To have a happy home, I suppose,” Zhou Wanyan replied instinctively.

Hearing this, Luo Yuening recalled asking her the same question years ago, but the answer she received now was worlds apart. A sharp pain tugged at her nerves.

Zhou Wanyan, what exactly have you been through these past six years? It seemed what she had heard from friends was only the tip of the iceberg.

“You will. You definitely will in the future,” Luo Yuening replied firmly, her eyes shining with conviction.

Zhou Wanyan laughed softly, hiding the sadness that had just bubbled up. “What about you? Hasn’t there been anyone who moved your heart in all these years?”

“There is such a person,” Luo Yuening said, looking straight at her.

Zhou Wanyan looked back in surprise. “Then with all those rumors about you, wouldn’t that person get jealous?”

“Of course not. Because she doesn’t know I like her, and she doesn’t like me,” Luo Yuening said, her expression falling.

Zhou Wanyan lay flat on the bed and didn’t notice her companion’s mood. She joked, “I didn’t think there was anyone Luo Yuening couldn’t get.”

Luo Yuening remained silent. Zhou Wanyan realized too late that her joke might have stung.

“I’m kidding. You’ll definitely end up with her.”

“Really?” Luo Yuening asked in a hollow voice.

“Of course. You’re perfect in every way. Why wouldn’t she like you?”

Luo Yuening gave a faint smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “But I don’t want to like her anymore. Do you have a way to help me forget her?”

Zhou Wanyan analyzed the situation seriously. “The best way to forget someone you like is to fall for someone else. Obviously, I can’t help you with that method, but you could try to like someone else.”

Luo Yuening said casually, “It seems your advice isn’t very good. Have you forgotten Yan Jiuqing yet?”

Zhou Wanyan’s voice dropped several degrees in temperature. “If you didn’t mention her, I would have forgotten long ago.”

Luo Yuening’s smile grew bitter. “You haven’t forgotten.”

Zhou Wanyan didn’t argue. However, from the moment Yan Jiuqing betrayed her, she stopped loving her. What she hated most was betrayal. “I haven’t forgotten, but as for Yan Jiuqing, I only feel a deep, internal disgust.”

These words were like a reassuring pill for Luo Yuening. With that sentence, even the irritating thunder could be ignored.

The next morning, Zhou Wanyan left Luo Yuening’s house. The air after the rain was cool and fresh.

Once in her car, her mind was a whirlwind. As she buckled her seatbelt, she couldn’t stop her brain from replaying the scene from this morning. When she woke up, she found Luo Yuening curled up in her arms, with her own hand resting on Luo Yuening’s slender waist. Even through the nightgown, she could feel the warmth under her palm.

Lowering her head slightly, she had seen the rise and fall of Luo Yuening’s chest and her exquisite collarbones. How did we end up so close when we started so far apart?

Zhou Wanyan felt a wave of regret and pounded the steering wheel with her hands. Fortunately, she hadn’t been caught. Her phone rang, breaking her train of thought. It was Gao Yao.

“Are you back in Haicheng?”

“Of course not! I left Haicheng just to avoid Ren Li. She’s too persistent.”

“Persistent?”

“Yes, she keeps pestering me for your contact information. As your best friend, how could I just give your number to anyone?”

Zhou Wanyan sighed to herself. She had only met Ren Li once at Shangxitang. Her silence caused Gao Yao to misunderstand.

“Hey! Zhou Wanyan, you haven’t taken a liking to her, have you? You can’t like her!” Gao Yao shouted excitedly.

Zhou Wanyan didn’t understand the excitement and asked, “Why can’t I like her?”

Gao Yao stammered, unable to give a clear reason. “You just can’t! Because…” She let out a long sigh. “Ren Li is actually the illegitimate daughter of the Ren Group’s chairman, though they claim she was raised abroad. She was brought back eight years ago and then sent away again. She went to the same school as me. That’s how we met.”

“After getting to know her, I realized her intentions aren’t pure and she is very ambitious. There must be a reason why she is trying so hard to get close to you.”

Zhou Wanyan hadn’t really dealt with Ren Li, but Gao Yao’s words served as a warning. Still, she figured she wouldn’t have any more contact with her. “I understand, don’t worry,” she replied.

“By the way, how did things go with Luo Yuening?”

“She was the patient, and I took care of her.”

Gao Yao said meaningfully, “Wanyan, you really do know how to take care of people. Luo Yuening just sent me a message asking me to thank you properly on her behalf.”

“Why doesn’t she thank me herself?”

As the words left her mouth, the phone went silent. Zhou Wanyan’s expression froze. Damn it, why did I say that out loud?

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