The Cold CEO Chases His White Moonlight - Chapter 8

The moment their lips met, Gu Yunhui felt a surge of pleasure so intense it blanked her mind.

The joy compelled her to tighten her embrace of Ji Zhiwei and dive deeper.

Instinctively, Gu Yunhui parted Ji Zhiwei’s lips.

As their tongues touched soft, wet they immediately tangled together.

Ji Zhiwei felt as though her chest might explode, her mind already a complete blank.

She could taste the omega’s distinct flavor, the cool sweetness of pine smoke bursting in her mouth, mingling with her own gardenia scent.

The gardenia was decadent, thick like aged liquor, while the pine smoke carried a fruity sweetness, turning the kiss into wine.

Breath was stolen away.

Ji Zhiwei was utterly enveloped in Gu Yunhui’s presence, thinking of nothing, doing nothing.

Only when the physical need for oxygen became unbearable did she struggle, though even her push against Gu Yunhui was feeble.

For the first time, Gu Yunhui truly understood the magic of a compatibility rate above 95%.

In the past, no matter how much Gu Yunhui disliked Ji Zhiwei or sought to nitpick her flaws, being around her had always been comfortable.

Today was even more so.

They had only kissed, yet Gu Yunhui felt an uncontrollable desire, craving more.

Even her omega glands were acting up, her pheromones restless, inexplicably yearning for this alpha’s scent.

Pine smoke called out to gardenia.

Gu Yunhui pushed Ji Zhiwei away.

Ji Zhiwei collapsed onto the sofa, still unable to move, gasping for breath.

“Yun-jie!” After a long moment, Ji Zhiwei regained her senses and shifted her waist, hoping Gu Yunhui would release the restraints on her wrists.

But to Gu Yunhui, that soft, sweet voice sounded like nothing short of an invitation.

So Ji Zhiwei was pressed down again.

This time, she had a bit more experience, struggling to breathe between kisses, but ultimately, she was still overwhelmed by Gu Yunhui’s unusual enthusiasm.

“Zhiwei, do you need to work on your stamina?” Gu Yunhui sat up, wiping her lips, somewhat unsatisfied.

Had she known it would feel this good, she wouldn’t have waited three years.

Though, psychologically, she still felt a bit conflicted. After all, Gu Yunhui rarely let Ji Zhiwei touch her.

“Huh?” Ji Zhiwei was confused. What did this have to do with stamina?

And couldn’t Gu Yunhui tell just by looking at her body?

“Go learn how to breathe properly.” Gu Yunhui patted Ji Zhiwei’s cheek and finally remembered the restraints.

Once freed, Ji Zhiwei rubbed her wrists, her face flushed, stealing glances at Gu Yunhui.

Gu Yunhui was on her phone, probably handling work again.

So busy. Ji Zhiwei glanced around, picked up the torn pieces of her clothes, draped them over herself, and inched closer to Gu Yunhui.

“Go take your shower. Don’t cling to me.” Like a heartless scoundrel after a one-night stand, Gu Yunhui pushed her away.

Ji Zhiwei silently retreated to the bathroom.

Under the running water, she recalled the kiss, crouched down, and buried her face in her hands.

She was mortified yet unbearably happy.

Did Gu Yunhui kissing her mean she actually liked her?

And she was jealous, too not letting anyone else touch her, not even another alpha.

Ji Zhiwei turned the water colder, trying to calm down.

This attempt at composure took half an hour.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, she was still nervous, afraid Gu Yunhui might have already left.

But Gu Yunhui was sitting on the bed, working on her laptop.

Relieved, Ji Zhiwei removed her shower cap and snuggled up to her.

“You’re not changing into pajamas?” Gu Yunhui raised an eyebrow, noticing she was still in her bathrobe.

“I didn’t bring them in.” Ji Zhiwei’s face was still flushed, though it was unclear whether from the steam or embarrassment.

“Then don’t bother. Come here.” It was already quite late. Gu Yunhui closed her laptop and pulled back the covers.

Ji Zhiwei hesitated.

She was afraid things might escalate. But when Gu Yunhui made a request, she never questioned it.

Shedding the bathrobe, Ji Zhiwei obediently slipped into bed beside Gu Yunhui.

Yet, despite being held by Gu Yunhui, she was the only one left restless.

Ji Zhiwei didn’t dare move much, but the heat pooling beneath her skin was unbearable.

“A bit bony,” Gu Yunhui remarked instead of closing her eyes to sleep.

“You could stand to eat more.” As she spoke, she gave a teasing pinch to a certain spot.

Ji Zhiwei nearly combusted on the spot.

The next morning, as expected, Gu Yunhui was gone.

JiZhiwei touched the bed, still warm. She must have just left. Frustration gnawed at her for sleeping so soundly that she hadn’t even noticed Gu Yunhui’s departure.

On the way, Ji Zhiwei opened her phone, only to be nearly drowned by a flood of messages.

So many again.

The last time she’d received this many was when someone had spread rumors about her. Surely this time couldn’t be…

She tapped into the forum first and then saw the photo.

A photo of her and Gu Yunhui kissing.

Ji Zhiwei’s phone clattered to the ground.

A deafening buzz filled her head. She barely managed to grab the subway handrail in time to keep from collapsing.

Someone picked up her phone and handed it back. Ji Zhiwei took it, unable to even utter a word of thanks.

Who took this? Who leaked it? The audition venue had been crowded she couldn’t even begin to guess the photographer’s position from the angle.

Staring at the photo, she felt dizzy, overwhelmed by sheer terror.

This was undeniable proof. Ji Zhiwei had no way to refute it.

No one would believe they were just rehearsing a scene.

And no one would overlook the fact that she and Gu Yunhui were involved. Though the photo was blurry, there were ways to spin it but all she could think was that Gu Yunhui was her patron, and now everyone would know.

Drowning in fear, she could barely breathe.

There was no way she could return to school like this.

Ji Zhiwei hid in the subway restroom, scrolling through the forum, only to find the scandal had already spread to Weibo.

If it had only involved her, things might have been manageable. But the post had dragged Yan Kexin’s name into it, accusing Ji Zhiwei of using connections to steal a role that was supposedly reserved for the rising star.

Fans of the soon-to-be TV queen descended like a storm, tearing into the unknown Ji Zhiwei with vicious insults.

Reading the hateful comments, Ji Zhiwei’s blood ran cold.

They called her an ill-mannered orphan and cursed her parents.

The problem was her parents really had died young.

No one had taught her many things.

Trembling, she pulled out a mask and put it on, stumbling out of the subway station in a daze, unsure where she was going.

Occasionally, she felt eyes on her. Ji Zhiwei broke into a frantic sprint, running until she’d left everyone behind.

When she finally stopped, she had no idea where she was.

The surroundings were unfamiliar and completely deserted.

Her phone had no signal. She couldn’t find her way back.

Ji Zhiwei couldn’t walk anymore.

A dull thud, she realized she’d collapsed onto the ground.

“Ms. Gu, there’s an entertainment news piece involving Miss Ji.”

The secretary hesitated repeatedly but ultimately decided to interrupt Gu Yunhui while she was busy adjusting the company’s strategic plan.

By now, several hours had passed since the incident of snatching the role was exposed on Weibo, missing the optimal time for public relations.

After all, Gu Yunhui wasn’t part of the entertainment industry, and her subordinates couldn’t possibly keep up with entertainment news all day.

It wasn’t until someone deliberately bought a trending hashtag that the secretary finally noticed.

“What is it?” Gu Yunhui didn’t even lift her head. The cold glare reflected off her glasses made her usually charming eyes appear frighteningly indifferent, a stark contrast to how she behaved around Ji Zhiwei.

“They’re saying she has a sugar daddy and is being kept.”

Gu Yunhui glanced at the secretary. “That’s it? That’s the truth.”

She had no intention of intervening.

In fact, according to the original plan, she had considered exposing this matter herself.

Of course, it was just a thought she most likely wouldn’t have gone through with it in the end.

After all, it would drag her into the mess.

“No, it involves you too. You’ve also been exposed.” The secretary handed over the tablet.

“You should’ve said that first. Why waste time on the rest? Others might not know, but you can’t possibly be unaware of why I keep her around, right? Whether the Ji family is good or bad, what does it have to do with me?”

Gu Yunhui snatched the tablet and saw the photo her blood pressure instantly spiked.

This Ye Pingsheng, how dare she set her up?

“Fine, leave. Tell those old foxes to wait another half a day. If they give you trouble, tell them they can leave if they can’t wait.” Gu Yunhui took off her glasses, visibly irritated.

She had a lot on her plate today, and now she had to make time to deal with the mess Ji Zhiwei had stirred up.

Truly a member of the Ji family always causing trouble.

The secretary didn’t dare say more. It wasn’t like she could retort that she thought her boss had some genuine feelings for Miss Ji and was just being stubborn, right?

If she said that, she’d be out of a job by the afternoon, no way it’d drag on till tomorrow.

After the secretary left the office, Gu Yunhui repeatedly massaged her temples to keep herself from getting too worked up.

She called Ye Pingsheng, no answer. Then she tried Lu Peijiu still no answer.

A mess this big, and they’re pulling a disappearing act? No wonder the scandal had been trending for hours and was still hanging on the hot search list.

Gu Yunhui exhaled sharply and began ordering the team to suppress the hashtag.

She had signed a confidentiality agreement with Ye Pingsheng, so she couldn’t easily access the audition footage from yesterday.

Midway through giving instructions, Gu Yunhui finished reading the torrent of abuse Yan Kexin’s fans had hurled at Ji Zhiwei.

The insults were vile everything from cursing her ancestors eighteen generations back to her future descendants.

She had no idea what Ji Zhiwei had done to provoke them.

Gu Yunhui didn’t know Yan Kexin personally, only that she was from the Yan family.

Children of major families who ventured into acting were usually marginalized within their clans, holding little real power Lu Peijiu included.

But while the Yan family wasn’t at the top of the pyramid, they were still a prominent clan. Gu Yunhui wasn’t willing to antagonize an entire family over something like this.

She could only seethe silently for now.

What kind of people had the nerve to hurl abuse at a young girl like that?

Gu Yunhui bit down on her cigarette but didn’t light it. The touch of the cigarette against her lips brought back memories of their first kiss yesterday.

The lingering sensation of intimacy resurfaced, and she tossed the cigarette into the trash.

In the end, she still ordered the team to clean up the uncivilized comments.

Ji Zhiwei was just a young girl, after all. She shouldn’t have to endure such absurd vitriol.

Finally, Ye Pingsheng deigned to return her call.

Gu Yunhui answered the call, and before she could speak, the person on the other end hurriedly began apologizing.

“Cut the nonsense. Handle it quickly. If it’s not resolved, I’m pulling my funding, no room for negotiation.” It didn’t sound like something Ye Pingsheng would do.

Come to think of it, this kind of thing wouldn’t benefit Ye Pingsheng at all. The mastermind behind it was most likely someone from Yan Kexin’s side.

Ye Pingsheng, having been snapped at and hung up on by Gu Yunhui, didn’t dare to show any temper.

She had been filming in the morning and hadn’t noticed the situation in time.

Since the incident happened under her watch, she had to take at least half the responsibility.

Who on earth had the nerve to do this? Ye Pingsheng stared at the photos, trying to recall who had been sitting to her right the day before.

First, she needed to debunk the rumors. Ye Pingsheng shook her head.

She had seen Yan Kexin’s name on the audition list probably added by one of her subordinates.

But first, this person was far from matching Wen Ran’s image.

Second, Ye Pingsheng had watched her performances before. Frankly, they were all technique with zero emotion.

Ye Pingsheng had never planned to cast her in the first place and had been struggling with who to assign Wen Ran’s role to.

Then, by chance, Gu Yunhui sent someone her way.

JiZhiwei was the complete opposite lacking a bit in technique, but her emotional depth, or rather, her natural talent, was leagues ahead of this so-called future Best Actress.

Any director who genuinely wanted to make a better film would choose Ji Zhiwei.

Even if she was just a student with zero experience.

Technique could be learned and refined over time.

But natural talent? Some people could spend their entire lives without ever grasping even a hint of it.

Yan Kexin had been in the industry for five or six years and hadn’t won a single major award from the top three ceremonies, despite numerous nominations. That alone proved she had no real talent in this field she had already hit her ceiling.

How shameless, targeting a completely unknown student like this.

Ye Pingsheng finished drafting a Weibo post and hit send.

Seeing Ye Pingsheng’s update, Gu Yunhui finally let out a sigh of relief.

Only then did she remember she should probably check in on her poor little thing. She pulled up Ji Zhiwei’s number and called.

No one answered.

Support The Cold CEO Chases His White Moonlight