The Cannon Fodder Ex-Wife Changes to Take the Black Moonlight Script - Chapter 22

Shang Shiqian had just arrived at the foot of the mahjong parlor building when her phone rang.

Glancing at the screen, she saw it was an unfamiliar number.

Neither her driver Old Ma nor her personal assistant Pu Feifei.

Probably a spam call.

Shang Shiqian decisively hung up and began climbing the stairs.

The mahjong parlor occupied the second floor of a narrow stairwell with dim lighting, where yellowed walls exuded the stale odor of tobacco.

The flashing red, blue, and white neon signs on the walls made the place look rather disreputable.

At this hour, Shang Shiqian should have been returning to Tianhao Garden, but she suddenly remembered Old Ma had the day off, and Wei Yixian hadn’t mentioned coming to pick her up.

Since she’d have to take the bus anyway, early or late made no difference. She might as well stop by the mahjong parlor first to make her presence known.

Chen Yixun had a part-time job on Friday nights and couldn’t accompany her, so she came alone.

After being rejected, Driver Lao Liu turned to Wei Yixian in the back seat: “Ms. Wei, she didn’t answer.”

Wei Yixian’s face darkened. “Call again.”

Lao Liu redialed, but there was still no answer.

Before he could speak, Wei Yixian already knew the outcome.

Lao Liu ventured: “Perhaps that phone doesn’t have this number saved? Might have been mistaken for spam?”

The implication was clear: Had Ms. Wei made Shang Shiqian save more numbers yesterday, this wouldn’t have happened.

Wei Yixian: …

Her voice turned frosty. “Find her.”

Lao Liu hurried out of the car, only to be stopped by campus security at the gate.

He had no choice but to call Driver Old Ma to contact Shang Shiqian.

Five minutes later, Lao Liu finally reached her.

“Ms. Wei, Ms. Shang is at Civilization Street.”

“Go get her.”

Civilization Street was a commercial food street, though it couldn’t compare to proper shopping districts.

It had developed decades ago alongside the establishment of East City University.

In land-scarce East City, buildings stood densely packed with narrow gaps between them, none particularly tall.

After urban renewal efforts, the area gained some semblance of a commercial district.

However, the street was lined with restaurants, hotels, internet cafes, and arcades. Sidewalk shops spilled their wares onto the pavement, while shared bikes in red and green cluttered the walkways. Amid the pedestrian traffic, delivery e-bikes weaved recklessly against the flow.

The entire street appeared chaotic and unkempt anything but civilized.

The car couldn’t enter, forced to park outside.

On Friday evening, the commercial street buzzed with activity.

The sudden appearance of this conspicuously luxurious vehicle immediately drew student crowds.

While few students might know cars, many recognized the silver figurine on the hood.

Someone ran the plates through an app and exclaimed: “Holy shit! 35 million! RR 110th Anniversary Limited Edition only nine globally, just one in East City!”

The surrounding students immediately gave wide berth.

This wasn’t something to bump into even a flake of the gold-dusted paint could bankrupt them.

Worried this ostentation might displease Wei Yixian, Lao Liu suggested: “Ms. Wei, should I park further away?”

“No need,” Wei Yixian replied coolly.

She wanted the attention.

The more witnesses, the better.

By the time Shang Shiqian arrived, the immediate vicinity had cleared, though passing students still discreetly snapped selfies with the car in the background.

As she approached, several prying eyes turned toward her from the shadows.

Shang Shiqian: …

Steeling herself, she got into the car and finally breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Wei Yixian’s familiar, albeit still gloomy, face beside her.

The world felt terrifyingly unfamiliar, but Wei Yixian’s presence brought her comfort.

“Why did you come to pick me up tonight?” Shang Shiqian removed her mask.

She had worn it all day and was thoroughly stifled.

Wei Yixian retorted unhappily, “Instead of playing chess at school, what are you doing here?”

“The school’s Go club had an event, so I went outside to play.”

Wei Yixian sneered inwardly.

Liar.

The Go club students said she had stopped coming to play there and was now Playing for Stakes outside to earn money.

Wei Yixian could guess Shang Shiqian’s reasons for wanting to earn money.

Only now did she realize that even without looking at this face, Shang Shiyu’s stubbornness and pride were identical to the Shang family’s.

Wei Yixian didn’t expose her. Instead, she held out a hand and said, “Give me your phone.”

Unaware of her intentions, Shang Shiqian obediently handed it over.

A moment later, she noticed two new contacts had been added: Wei Yixian and Old Liu, the driver.

Wei Yixian said, “Don’t ignore calls from now on.”

Shang Shiqian fretted, “What if it’s a spam call from an unknown number?”

“Don’t ask me about problems even a three-year-old could handle.”

Shang Shiqian quietly checked with her system: [Are three-year-olds really that capable nowadays?]

The energy-efficient system replied matter-of-factly: [Yes. Modern children are exposed to electronics at a very young age. Some three-year-olds are already proficient in using them.]

Shang Shiqian: …

She was worse than a three-year-old!

[Then teach me how to handle this.]

System: [Host can enable spam call blocking. Most phones now have built-in features to automatically block ads, spam, and scam calls or messages without missing legitimate unknown calls.]

As she set up the blocking rules under the system’s guidance, Shang Shiqian mused: [Eight years ago, you had to manually blacklist numbers or download apps. Who knew it’d be so convenient now?]

Wei Yixian, arms crossed, suddenly clenched the fabric beside her.

Shang Shiqian finished setting up her phone just before motion sickness could set in.

Putting it away, she sensed the oppressive atmosphere beside her.

Turning her head, she saw Wei Yixian’s face, pale and eerie under the glare of oncoming headlights from the opposite lane.

Shang Shiqian took off her bucket hat and held it up to shield Wei Yixian from the inconsiderate beams.

Only when the traffic light turned green did the headlights vanish.

Wei Yixian snapped out of it, her gaze dark and fixed on Shang Shiqian.

“Are you feeling unwell?” Shang Shiqian asked.

Suppressing the lump in her throat, Wei Yixian closed her eyes again and said, “You might hear some unpleasant rumors soon, but don’t dwell on them. I’ll handle it.”

Old Liu, the driver, thought to himself: Boss Wei, your way of ‘handling rumors’ is to openly pick up Miss Shang and make the rumors spread even faster?

Shang Shiqian assumed Wei Yixian was upset because of the Caged Canary rumors.

She reassured her, “Rumors are just rumors. Clarify them, and it’ll be fine. I won’t take them to heart.”

Wei Yixian saw that she still didn’t understand his meaning, so he made it clearer: “Our living arrangement has been discovered. In the coming days, there will undoubtedly be many prying eyes on you. For your safety, you’ll ride with me when going out from now on. Also, aside from coming to school, avoid those crowded public places.”

Shang Shiqian’s heartbeat suddenly accelerated: “What do you mean by ‘our arrangement’?”

Wei Yixian said expressionlessly: “Living together.”

“Oh.” Shang Shiqian’s heartbeat gradually returned to normal.

It was all that system’s fault, always talking about strategies and love.

See? Even such a simple meaning could be misunderstood!

Shang Shiqian pretended nothing had happened, but the Black Moonlight System wouldn’t let her off.

[Love Points 2%↑] [Heartbreak Points 6%↑]

Shang Shiqian: …

She asked: [Didn’t you say Wei Yixian picking me up wouldn’t increase Love Points anymore?]

The system said: [This time is different! The female lead knew picking you up would cause misunderstandings, yet she still came. And she chose the most expensive, most conspicuous luxury car from her collection. Such a domineering entrance, such a high-profile declaration of love, such a public claim—isn’t this the manifestation of love!?]

Shang Shiqian hurriedly interrupted: [Wait, what high-profile declaration? What public claim? What are you talking about?]

The embarrassment from her earlier misunderstanding hadn’t faded, and now this Little Black System was misleading her again!

The system insisted: [Rumors are spreading that she’s keeping a Caged Canary. Instead of clarifying, she publicly came to pick you up, confirming the rumors. Isn’t this a high-profile declaration of love?]

After a long silence, Shang Shiqian said uncertainly: [But she just said she’d handle it.]

[Let’s talk after she handles it. Before she does, all her actions can be considered as basis for Love Points increase.]

[Then are the Heartbreak Points because she didn’t go explain to her white moonlight immediately, letting the misunderstanding deepen instead?]

[Bingo!]

After some thought, Shang Shiqian finally found a word to describe Wei Yixian: [She’s really such a closet pervert.]

Wei Yixian: …

Driver: She asked for your number long ago, but you refused to give it. Now you can’t find her, how pathetic.

Shang Shiqian: Extra chicken drumstick for you.

CEO Wei: Don’t come to work tomorrow.

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