My 'White Moonlight' First Love Came Back, but I Don't Love her Anymore - Chapter 29

The snow had fallen for several days without any sign of stopping. Looking out from the window, one saw only a vast expanse of white.

The production of the variety show Romantic Skies had been temporarily suspended, and the wave of public outcry had finally come to an end. Luo Yuening had successfully identified the person responsible for orchestrating the scandal behind the scenes. It was Du Shangwei.

Zhou Wanyan had a general idea of why she had done it. From being threatened by Yan Jiuqing to becoming the target of this public relations storm, she wondered if one must become powerful just to escape the fate of being bullied.

Luo Yuening had already helped her so much, and this time, she had dragged Luo Yuening down with her. Zhou Wanyan did not care if she was criticized, but it was absolutely unacceptable for Luo Yuening to be insulted.

The night felt heavy with sorrow, even as the world outside was pristine white and the city lights glowed brilliantly. The floor-to-ceiling window reflected Zhou Wanyan’s figure. She looked out, her hand touching the glass. The coldness of the pane spread from her palm to her heart.

On the sofa, she lit a lady’s cigarette and leaned back slowly. The rising smoke swirled around her, gradually blurring her face. She wore a white silk nightgown with a slightly open neckline. Her dark hair was half-pinned up, and her exquisite collarbones were partially visible. Her usually gentle eyes were now covered in a layer of frost, making her look dangerous yet enchanting.

Jealousy can drive a person mad; it can also destroy them. Du Shangwei, it seems your relationship with Yan Jiuqing is not as deeply romantic as it appears. Zhou Wanyan frowned and extinguished the cigarette. The smell of the smoke was nauseating. She stood up and walked into the bathroom.

The next day, as soon as Zhou Wanyan went downstairs, she saw Yan Jiuqing’s car parked steadily at the entrance. The tree trunks were covered in snow. Yan Jiuqing stood by the car, a flicker of panic appearing in her eyes when she saw Zhou Wanyan.

Zhou Wanyan’s expression was flat. She had no desire to speak to her and tried to walk straight past.

Yan Jiuqing instinctively tugged at the corner of her clothes. Her voice trembled slightly with nervousness. “I have already made things clear to Du Shangwei. She will not give you any more trouble. It is completely over between her and me, but this all started because of me. Yanyan, I want to compensate you. I hope you will accept it.”

Zhou Wanyan stopped in her tracks. Her gentle eyes were full of coldness. Just when Yan Jiuqing thought she would be rejected again, Zhou Wanyan spoke. “Compensation? Fine. Tell me how you intend to compensate me.”

Hearing this, Yan Jiuqing’s eyes brightened instantly with surprise. “Let us find a place to talk slowly.”

They stepped into a Western restaurant where the air was filled with a faint floral fragrance. The venue had been meticulously decorated to look like a dreamland, creating a romantic atmosphere. Yan Jiuqing had booked the entire place, so the only sound was the classical music played by the live band.

“Yanyan, I used to be busy with work and had no time to accompany you. It was not until I lost you that I realized my motivation for work vanished when the person I love left. Yanyan, I am so glad you agreed to have dinner with me.”

Zhou Wanyan looked up. A glimmer of light flickered in Yan Jiuqing’s eyes. Her tone remained casual and indifferent. “Is it not Du Shangwei that you love?”

Yan Jiuqing responded quickly, as if afraid of a misunderstanding. “I did not understand my own heart before. I mistook an old sentiment for love. Through our daily life together, I realized I fell in love with you long ago. It is just that I realized it too late.” She leaned forward and pushed a yellow folder toward Zhou Wanyan. “Yanyan, this is my compensation to you. I guarantee that what happened last time will never occur again.”

Zhou Wanyan calmly opened the folder, scanned it briefly, and set it down.

Yan Jiuqing was startled. “Yanyan, did you look at it clearly?”

Zhou Wanyan curled her lips slightly. “It is quite good, but never mind. I do not like eating old grass. With your status, President Yan, it should not be hard to find someone suitable. I came here today to make things clear: do not come looking for me anymore. I do not want any unnecessary trouble.”

The sweet smile on Yan Jiuqing’s face froze, then wilted like a flower hit by frost. She understood Zhou Wanyan’s meaning, and her resentment toward Du Shangwei grew.

“Yanyan, I will never love anyone else but you. Let us not talk about that for now.” Yan Jiuqing tried to change the subject. “Actually, today is a very important day. December tenth.”

Zhou Wanyan interrupted her suddenly. “Thank you for the reminder, President Yan, but I just remembered I have something to do. I have to go. Sorry.”

Yan Jiuqing reached out to stop her, but Zhou Wanyan left too decisively. At that moment, the band began playing a birthday song as they approached the table. One person pushed a cart carrying nine hundred and ninety-nine roses. The musicians realized the couple had become a single person and looked at each other, unsure of what to do, so they simply continued playing.

Yan Jiuqing glanced at the roses and quickly looked away. The meticulously prepared flowers now felt like a giant, mocking joke. The person was gone; who was the birthday for? “Take it away. Throw all the flowers away.”

Zhou Wanyan, you left in such a hurry. Is that person the one who promised to celebrate your birthday?

After leaving, Zhou Wanyan immediately checked her messages. She refreshed the interface many times, but there was no message from Luo Yuening.

It has been so many years. Perhaps she forgot long ago. She tried to find a reason to comfort herself, but the sense of disappointment in her heart was real. Inside the taxi, she could not help but click on Luo Yuening’s profile and type: What are you doing? She quickly deleted it. That seemed too intentional. She wrote and deleted, then wrote again. After half an hour, she finally sent a complete message.

‘Are you busy today?’

Zhou Wanyan breathed a sigh of relief and looked out the window. Her phone vibrated, and she checked it immediately, but the profile did not light up. A surge of disappointment hit her. Instead, a text arrived from an unknown number. ‘I am Du Shangwei. Let us meet.’

The fish had taken the bait.

Du Shangwei’s meeting place was a deserted park. It was a secluded spot where few people went, especially as the sun was about to set. Zhou Wanyan sent a message to the black profile on her phone, got out of the car, and walked toward the designated spot.

The sunset arrived, staining the sky pink as the sunlight grew dim. Zhou Wanyan scanned her surroundings cautiously but found nothing unusual. Du Shangwei emerged from the shadows.

“What will it take for you to leave Qingqing?”

Zhou Wanyan replied, “She is the one pestering me, not the other way around. Why would I cling to a cheater?”

Du Shangwei clearly did not believe her. She yelled, “Do not lie to me! If you are not obsessed with her, why were you just having dinner with her?”

Zhou Wanyan feigned surprise. “How do you know Yan Jiuqing and I just had dinner? Are you stalking her?”

A flicker of guilt crossed Du Shangwei’s face, and she denied it flatly. “I am not! Do not talk nonsense! Because of you, Qingqing wants to cut ties with me. She showed me no mercy. Did you say something behind my back?”

Zhou Wanyan sneered. “I am not as bored or as pathetic as you. You bought the hot searches to spread rumors about me. You probably thought Yan Jiuqing loved you, but you were afraid she would rekindle her old flame with me. You wanted to destroy me so I would disappear from her sight. What you did not expect was that she would break up with you because of it. Come to think of it, you and Yan Jiuqing are a perfect match. You are both equally insidious.”

Du Shangwei clenched her fists. If it were not for Zhou Wanyan, Luo Yuening would not have targeted the Du family. She would not have been scolded by her father or sent to a branch company. Now, Yan Jiuqing was breaking up with her because of the rumors. Zhou Wanyan’s words were fueling the hidden anger and resentment deep in Du Shangwei’s heart.

Seeing this, Zhou Wanyan continued to provoke her. “What is the matter? Was your Qingqing heartless when she dumped you? Do you know what she told me at dinner? She said, ‘Yanyan, I will never love anyone else but you.’ I asked her, ‘Is it not Du Shangwei that you love?’ Guess what she said?”

Zhou Wanyan stared intensely at Du Shangwei, watching the crimson tint in Du Shangwei’s eyes deepen. Zhou Wanyan let out a cold laugh that did not reach her eyes. Her gaze was mocking, as if she were looking at a clown.

“Yan Jiuqing said Du Shangwei was just a feeling she had not sorted out, but that I am the love of her life. So, Du Shangwei, why did you even come back to the country? You thought you won, but in my eyes, you are just a jumping clown. No matter what tricks you use, you will never have a shred of Yan Jiuqing’s love.”

At that, Du Shangwei finally lost control and lunged at her. Zhou Wanyan did not dodge and took several punches. Seeing that Zhou Wanyan was not fighting back, Du Shangwei became even more aggressive. However, as she raised her right leg, Zhou Wanyan kicked it, forcing her to put it down.

Zhou Wanyan then took a pair of black leather gloves from her pocket and put them on. She delivered a series of punches to Du Shangwei. Du Shangwei gasped in pain. She did not expect Zhou Wanyan to retaliate and instinctively tried to run. Zhou Wanyan kicked her to the ground, sat on her, and delivered a few more controlled punches.

“I am hitting you for the rumors. Every time you spread a rumor, I will hit you again. Do you dare to do it again?”

Du Shangwei pleaded, “I do not dare! I do not dare! I was wrong!” Her hair was a mess, her clothes were stained with dirt, and she had lost all her initial glamour.

Zhou Wanyan warned, “Stay away from me in the future. Do not involve me in your business with Yan Jiuqing again.”

Du Shangwei panted, her lipstick smeared across her face. “Okay. Are you not afraid I will call the police and ruin you?”

Zhou Wanyan got up and brushed the dust off her pants, her tone composed. “If you are not afraid of being abandoned by your father, then call the police. I do not care. But you do not want your father to be disappointed in you again, do you?”

With that, Zhou Wanyan walked calmly out of the park and into a black sedan that had been waiting at the entrance. The driver was a woman wearing a black hat and mask. Zhou Wanyan reached out, and a camera was placed in her hand. After checking the video carefully, she praised, “Not bad. The footage is very clear.” The video clearly recorded Du Shangwei hitting Zhou Wanyan.

Wen Xin replied while driving, “I am a professional, after all.”

Zhou Wanyan teased, “I give you a little praise and you get cocky.”

Wen Xin was an orphan Zhou Wanyan had donated money to save three years ago. After recovering, she had ended up becoming a paparazzi. Wen Xin’s eyes were bright and clear. “Sister, does it hurt? She looked like she hit you quite hard.”

Zhou Wanyan pretended to be casual. “Her strength is too weak. It does not hurt at all.”

“Oh. Is Sister going home then? Today is your birthday. If you are alone, I can stay with you.”

Zhou Wanyan felt a sense of comfort. “No need. I am tired today. Just take me home.”

The light of expectation in Wen Xin’s eyes dimmed. “Okay, Sister.”

The moonlight spilled over the earth under a starry sky. Zhou Wanyan held Wen Xin’s gift in one hand and opened her door with the other. The room was pitch black. Why is the entryway light not on? As she wondered, a flickering candlelight slowly emerged from inside.

“Yanyan, Happy Birthday!”

The lights in the room followed, turning on all at once. Luo Yuening stood there holding a bouquet of flowers, her smiling eyes losing their luster when she saw the gift in Zhou Wanyan’s hand.

Gao Yao held a cake carefully and urged, “Yanyan, come blow out the candles! Luoluo and I have been waiting for you for so long, we almost fell asleep. Besides, where have you been this late?”

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