My 'White Moonlight' First Love Came Back, but I Don't Love her Anymore - Chapter 19

The wrap party kicked off in a bustling atmosphere. Inside the venue, everyone was immersed in the joy of completing the project, enjoying this rare moment of gathering.

“We’ve wrapped! It hasn’t been an easy journey. My thanks go to everyone in the crew. It was your professionalism that allowed me to focus on shaping my character. I hope this work is seen by everyone, and I wish you all a smooth future.”

Luo Yuening stood on the stage, her posture elegant and her voice cool. She radiated an aura that kept others at a distance. Today, she wore a black silk slim-fit gown with a low-key luster and premium texture. The hem was cleverly tailored to reveal her slender ankles as she walked. The bold V-neck design was striking, paired with a simple diamond necklace that enhanced her powerful, elegant, and confident presence.

As she finished, the crowd below applauded enthusiastically. Luo Yuening exchanged a glance with Director Lin Qi and walked straight off the stage. Her steps were composed, her high heels clicking against the floor. She headed directly in one direction, clearly having a destination in mind.

But surprises often happen when least expected. An obstacle suddenly appeared in her path.

“Hello, Teacher Luo. I played Rong Yan in The Era of Splendor. I’m so happy to have had the chance to act with you. I’ve always admired your delicate interpretation of characters. May I add your contact information?” Xia He blocked Luo Yuening’s path, offering flattery.

Luo Yuening declined decisively, her voice cold. “No.”

Xia He hadn’t expected the scandal-prone Luo Yuening to be so indifferent. For a moment, she didn’t know what to do and stood there awkwardly, trying to think of a response. Since Luo Yuening was a natural center of attention, most eyes in the venue were now fixed on them.

Xia He’s face flushed as she looked at Luo Yuening, her eyes pleading for help. Luo Yuening ignored her completely, stepped to the side, and walked right past her. Xia He was left alone to face the mocking gazes of the onlookers. She clenched her teeth, a sense of humiliation washing over her.

Luo Yuening stopped thirty centimeters away from a woman dressed in a cream-colored suit. Suppressing the joy in her heart, she kept her face calm and her voice casual. “Why are you here?”

Zhou Wanyan’s lips curved into a beautiful smile. “I’m considered part of the creative team for this drama too, so of course I had to come.” She then glanced at Xia He, who was still watching from a distance, and asked pointedly, “Do you know her?”

Luo Yuening turned slightly, her fair, soft hand picking up a wine glass. Her every move was elegant and fluid. She gently swirled the red wine, which gave off an inviting aroma under the lights. Her tone carried a hint of chill. “Why? Do you want to know her?” A flash of wariness crossed her eyes.

Zhou Wanyan replied, “No. She’s Yan Jiuqing’s friend.”

What she couldn’t figure out was why a close friend of Yan Jiuqing—given Yan Jiuqing’s hostility toward Luo Yuening—would proactively approach her.

Hearing this, Luo Yuening understood and let go of her sudden defensiveness. “She’s the third female lead. I had almost no scenes with her. Aside from filming, I never spoke to her on set.”

Zhou Wanyan smiled without a word, lightly raising her glass to clink against Luo Yuening’s. Luo Yuening took a sip of the red wine and knit her brows. As a faint fruity aroma filled her mouth, Zhou Wanyan slowly set her glass down, her eyes curving. “Not used to the taste?”

Luo Yuening gave a small nod and placed her glass back on the bar with a look of distaste.

“What a coincidence; I’m not used to it either,” Zhou Wanyan said. “Besides, your cold isn’t better yet. You should drink more hot water.”

With that, Zhou Wanyan asked a staff member for a glass of hot water. She then took off her cream-colored suit jacket and draped it over Luo Yuening’s shoulders. This left her in just a loose white shirt with sleeves fastened by exquisite buttons. Her hair, slightly curled at the ends, rested on her shoulders, looking gentle and composed.

Luo Yuening stood still, quietly waiting for Zhou Wanyan to drape the jacket over her. She then raised her hands to tighten it, preventing it from slipping. For a moment, as Zhou Wanyan moved close, Luo Yuening felt like she could breathe more easily.

As Zhou Wanyan stepped back to her original position, she noticed a strange expression on Luo Yuening’s face. She paused, realizing she hadn’t asked for permission before forcing the jacket onto her. Looking back, the move felt a bit inappropriate.

“Sorry. I saw that your cold hadn’t cleared up, so I took the liberty of putting it on you.”

That polite, formal tone was the thing Luo Yuening hated to hear most. She pressed her lips into a line, privately seething. If I didn’t want it, why would I have stood here so obediently waiting for you?

“Zhou Wanyan, sometimes you are very smart, and sometimes you are very foolish.”

“Foolish?” Zhou Wanyan murmured, her eyebrows arching.

Luo Yuening blinked, her lips turning up in a look of helpless resignation. Suddenly, a woman’s voice interrupted the harmonious atmosphere between them.

“Wanyan, you’re here too.”

Zhou Wanyan expressionlessly drained the rest of her wine, ignoring the footsteps drawing closer. Seeing this, the look in Luo Yuening’s eyes as she watched Zhou Wanyan became unreadable.

Why drink wine you aren’t used to? Is your heart in a panic?

Yan Jiuqing appeared in a wine-red gown, her hem swaying with her steps. Her black curls were draped loosely behind her, a style far different from her previous look. Her lips were bright red, and her brow was full of coldness; her former sweetness had vanished.

When rivals meet, the tension is palpable. The bloodless battlefield was set. Luo Yuening quietly took a step closer to Zhou Wanyan, a move Yan Jiuqing saw as a blatant provocation. Yan Jiuqing was followed by only two people: her secretary, Lin Na, and her assistant.

Zhou Wanyan stood between the two, her back to Yan Jiuqing, remaining silent as she clearly had no intention of responding. Yan Jiuqing wasn’t annoyed; she simply met Luo Yuening’s gaze with a half-smile.

“Luo Yuening, long time no see. Come to think of it, you were a university classmate of mine and Wanyan’s.”

Yan Jiuqing deliberately emphasized the last part, as if reminding Luo Yuening of a history she no longer owned or asserting a dominance that had long since expired. The only person who can stand by Wanyan’s side is me. Luo Yuening, you lost six years ago, and you won’t win six years later.

Facing the provocation, Luo Yuening remained calm. Her steady gaze seemed to see right through Yan Jiuqing’s forced confidence. Her voice was steady and cold. “I was also a high school classmate of Zhou Wanyan’s. I’ve known her much longer than you have.”

Yan Jiuqing’s hands unconsciously clenched into fists, her knuckles turning white. Luo Yuening knew exactly what buttons to push.

It was then that Yan Jiuqing noticed the suit jacket on Luo Yuening’s shoulders; it was from the same designer as the suit trousers Zhou Wanyan was wearing. A flash of resentment crossed Yan Jiuqing’s eyes, and bitterness spread through her body, shattering her earlier confidence.

She looked at Zhou Wanyan and said softly, “Wanyan, say something.”

Zhou Wanyan didn’t even give her a look, responding perfunctorily, “President Yan is so busy with a thousand things a day, yet she still has time for a wrap party.”

Yan Jiuqing acted as if she didn’t hear the irony, assuming Zhou Wanyan was worried about her. “Huasheng has an investment in this drama, so of course I have to attend the wrap party. This is my job; Wanyan, you don’t need to worry about me.”

Zhou Wanyan suddenly burst out laughing, a laugh filled with exasperation at the absurdity of it all. “Yan Jiuqing, I never realized your skin was so thick before.”

Having spent years in the business world, Yan Jiuqing was able to deflect the insult with ease. “Wanyan, if saying that makes you feel better, you can say whatever you want about me.”

“Feel better?” Zhou Wanyan said coldly. “I’m not angry, so what is there to ‘feel better’ about?”

Yan Jiuqing continued, “Wanyan, although we’ve broken up, it’s not like we’ve become enemies who never speak again. Do you really need to have this much hostility toward me?”

Zhou Wanyan’s tone turned icy. “I only said two sentences, and you can’t stand it? What about before? What about the things you said to me that were a thousand times worse than these two sentences? Have you forgotten all of them? Yan Jiuqing, you should really reflect on what you’ve done. Since we’ve broken up, let’s just give each other some peace.”

With that, Zhou Wanyan turned and left the troubled spot. Luo Yuening’s lips pressed together, the temperature in her eyes dropping to zero as she gave Yan Jiuqing a look that was part warning and part fury. Then, she followed Zhou Wanyan.

The two arrived at the venue’s open-air terrace, where the night wind blew in gusts. Luo Yuening’s wine-red curls danced in the air, and her nose turned slightly red from the cold. She saw Zhou Wanyan standing by the railing, looking out into the distance with a lonely silhouette.

Luo Yuening spoke softly. “Zhou Wanyan, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me,” Zhou Wanyan replied gently. “I just felt a bit suffocated in there and didn’t want to stay, so I came out here for some air.”

“Who’s worried?”

“‘Who’s worried about you?’ Is that what you were going to say? I can hear your duplicity,” Zhou Wanyan said, turning slightly to look at Luo Yuening. Her eyes shimmered with a soft light, and though her voice was quiet, it carried a hint of a smile.

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