The Moon Shines Upon Me - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Meeting Again

The next day, Shen Yuan boarded Bus 128 once again.

This time, no wealthy young lady suddenly jumped on.

Shen Yuan lowered her head and slowly bit into her red bean bun. After finishing breakfast, she leaned against the glass window as usual to rest her eyes and clear her mind.

About half an hour later, Shen Yuan got off the bus and walked into the company that had piqued her curiosity for years Zhaoyang.

As the elevator ascended, Shen Yuan suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure standing behind her through the reflective inner wall of the elevator. The person was looking at her with a face full of smiles.

“What a coincidence. You passed the interview?”

Gu Shiwei was dressed in a well-tailored suit. The watch on her wrist seemed to have changed again; the brand was unrecognizable, but it was even flashier than the one she wore yesterday.

“Mm.” Shen Yuan nodded, staring at the silhouette reflected in the elevator wall.

Ding—

When the elevator doors opened, Shen Yuan stepped out first. Today, she was wearing a New Chinese-style long-sleeved shirt paired with loose black wide-leg pants and white sneakers a stark contrast to the “workplace elite” look of the white shirt and suit trousers she wore on the bus that day.

Gu Shiwei stared at her relaxed back for a few seconds, her eyes flickering with unidentifiable emotions.

As a new hire, the company had arranged for someone to help Shen Yuan familiarize herself with the business. After receiving her employee badge, Shen Yuan was led to her workstation.

The person in charge of training her was a fresh graduate and Original Artist. She had joined the company a few months earlier than Shen Yuan and was already generally familiar with the workflow.

“Your name is Shen Yuan? I’ll call you Yuanyuan Sister then.”

Lu Qingwan suddenly corrected herself after seeing the age column in Shen Yuan’s file. She had assumed Shen Yuan was about the same age as her because she looked so young; she hadn’t expected her to be a senior-senior-senior-senior.

Shen Yuan extended her hand: “Hello, Miss Lu.”

Shen Yuan was a Southerner from Jiangcheng, while Jinghai was a Northern city. Most people here were a head taller than Shen Yuan. Combined with her fair skin and small face, she looked like a fresh college graduate; Lu Qingwan had just been fooled by her clean and elegant appearance.

Lu Qingwan stared at Shen Yuan’s refined and delicate face for a long while before scratching her head and saying, “Just call me Qingwan.”

Lu Qingwan had a very good personality, possessing the unique clarity and simplicity of a college student. Shen Yuan felt very comfortable interacting with her.

The day passed quickly. Their company officially finished work at six o’clock, implementing a “voluntary overtime” system. Shen Yuan had a part-time job at seven, so at exactly six o’clock, she picked up her cloth bag and prepared to leave.

“Yuanyuan-jie, are you leaving already?”

Lu Qingwan suddenly grabbed the corner of her sleeve, her eyes filled with shock.

Shen Yuan held her phone screen, which displayed exactly 6:00, in front of her and asked: “Otherwise?”

Overtime, obviously! Since joining the company, Lu Qingwan had “voluntarily” worked overtime every day just to leave a good impression on the leadership. She didn’t expect Shen Yuan to be so bold on her very first day, clocking out exactly on time!

She felt both envious and admiring.

“I have things to do. I’m leaving first.”

After saying that, Shen Yuan silently left the office.

Although work ended at six, very few people actually left at that time. When Shen Yuan stepped into the elevator, there was already someone standing inside—it was the woman she had met on the bus.

Shen Yuan was surprised for a moment but felt relieved once she remembered the woman was just an intern. Judging by her appearance, she didn’t seem like someone lacking money; she was likely working just to “experience life.”

From head to toe, she was very different from a “corporate slave” like Shen Yuan; they seemed like people from two different worlds.

“Your name is Shen Yuan?”

Gu Shiwei glanced at the badge on Shen Yuan’s chest, noting her name and position: Shen Yuan Original Artist Assistant (Probationary).

“Mm.”

Gu Shiwei suddenly took a step forward to stand side-by-side with Shen Yuan. “Since work is over, how about I treat you to a meal? My name is Gu Shiwei. Thank you for last time.”

“No need. I have things to do. I’m leaving first.”

Shen Yuan was in a hurry to catch the bus, so her pace was very fast.

Gu Shiwei stared at Shen Yuan’s hurried back, somewhat stunned. Do I look that scary? Why does it feel like every time we meet, Shen Yuan can’t wait to grow wings and fly away from me?

Gu Shiwei was an undeniable beauty, and her personality wasn’t as nasty as other “rich second-generation” kids. Consequently, both men and women loved to revolve around her. This was the first time she had encountered someone like Shen Yuan who kept pushing her away.

Despite looking so refined and well-behaved, her personality was… quite good at keeping people a thousand miles away.

Gu Shiwei had recently returned to the country, and there was a gathering to celebrate tonight. After work, she went directly to a high-end bar.

By the time she arrived, almost everyone was there. There were both men and women in the private booth, all of them young. They were all friends Gu Shiwei had grown up with; seeing her arrive, they all began to heckle her to have a drink.

“I’m not drinking. I drove myself here.”

After speaking, Gu Shiwei found a familiar figure under the dazzling lights and sat down.

“Young Mistress Gu is truly hard to invite. You’ve been back for a week and I’m only just seeing your face.”

The speaker was Lin Qinghuan, Gu Shiwei’s childhood friend and bestie. They hadn’t seen each other for over a year.

Gu Shiwei, the only daughter of the Chairman of the Qingfeng Group, had studied abroad for two years during her doctoral studies. After returning, she entered the subsidiary “Zhaoyang” as CEO. With beauty, wealth, and brains, she was the “child of another family” frequently praised by the parents in their social circle.

“I can’t help it. The company is too busy.”

A new official makes three fires; Gu Shiwei’s position as “Intern CEO” was not an easy seat to occupy.

Hearing this, everyone couldn’t sit still: “Your family is already the richest in Jinghai, why are you still pushing so hard?”

“I have to. I’m the only daughter the Gu family has.”

Originally, when Gu Shiwei graduated from her undergraduate program, her mother, Ms. Gu Qingfeng, wanted her to enter the Group. But Gu Shiwei’s ambitions weren’t in running a company; she later pursued a master’s and went to Australia for two years for her doctorate.

Gu Shiwei picked up some juice and took a sip, then added a moment later: “It’s not like I have a choice. There are billions in family assets waiting for me to inherit.”

Gu Shiwei had run away for six years. Those six years were her mother’s limit; any more and her legs would have been broken.

Hearing this, everyone in the booth suddenly felt the fine wine in their glasses was tasteless: “Hateful capitalists! We’ll fight you rich people to the death!”

Gu Shiwei realized she had provoked public anger and quickly said, “Tonight is on me. Order whatever you want.”

The crowd: “Everyone except the wealthy Miss Gu!”

The booth became lively again. They didn’t disperse until 10:30 PM. Gu Shiwei hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol, so she drove herself back.

After driving for about twenty minutes, Gu Shiwei suddenly spotted a familiar figure by the roadside.

Shen Yuan had just finished her part-time job and was slowly walking back. She was carrying a cup of caramel pearl milk tea a treat from an older colleague at the shop. After walking a short distance, a bright red Ferrari suddenly pulled up in front of her.

Shen Yuan glanced at it expressionlessly and walked around the car to continue forward. About ten seconds later, a great beauty wearing silver-rimmed glasses suddenly stepped out of the luxury car. She smelled of alcohol, but her face showed no signs of drunkenness. Her chestnut-colored wavy hair was now tied up, revealing an exquisite neck and collarbone.

Gu Shiwei reached Shen Yuan’s side in two steps, looking down at her: “Shen Yuan, why are you still wandering the streets this late?”

Shen Yuan looked up at her strangely: “Miss Gu, are we well-acquainted?”

Gu Shiwei leaned against her car with her arms crossed, her light-colored eyes fixed on Shen Yuan. “We’ve had so many chance encounters, and we are colleagues at the same company. Does that not count as being acquainted?”

Gu Shiwei didn’t know what was wrong with herself. In the past, she hated it when people tried to climb social ladders through her, but with Shen Yuan, she was the one constantly sticking herself to her. Crucially, Shen Yuan was dismissive of her gestures of goodwill.

“It doesn’t count. I only found out your name today.” After speaking, Shen Yuan picked up her milk tea to leave, but before she could take a step, her wrist was grabbed.

Gu Shiwei stepped forward, gripping that slender wrist, and continued: “Shen Yuan, I still owe you a meal. When are you free? After a meal, perhaps we’ll become acquaint.”

Splat—

The hand Shen Yuan was holding suddenly trembled, and the milk tea fell to the ground. In the next instant, she swiftly pulled her hand back, tugging her shirt sleeve down to cover the wrist Gu Shiwei had just touched.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I’ll go buy you a new one. What flavor do you like? Caramel pearl?”

Gu Shiwei didn’t expect Shen Yuan’s reaction to be so intense. She seemed to dislike being touched; the way she snapped her hand back was as if she had received a massive shock.

Shen Yuan looked down at the shattered milk tea and suddenly said in a very small voice: “Just pay me back the money.”

“What?” Gu Shiwei didn’t hear clearly.

“I said, just pay me back the money.” Shen Yuan looked up at Gu Shiwei, her eyes as calm and ripple-less as a spring. She pointed at the milk tea on the ground. “The bus fare plus the milk tea comes to twenty yuan in total. Once you pay it back, we’re even.”

Gu Shiwei frowned, a rare sight. Shen Yuan’s behavior in wanting to draw a clear line between them was too obvious. Was she really that repulsive? Her face was at least considered decent; why did Shen Yuan dislike her so much?

“Let’s add each other on WeChat,” Gu Shiwei said calmly. “I’ll transfer it to you.”

This time, Shen Yuan didn’t refuse. She stiffly pulled her phone from her cloth bag. After opening WeChat, she presented her receiving QR code to Gu Shiwei.

“You scan me. My camera is broken,” Gu Shiwei said, bringing up her “Add Friend” QR code instead.

After scanning it, Shen Yuan was stunned. She froze for several seconds before finally hitting the “Send Friend Request” button.

Gu Shiwei accepted it in a split second. Looking at the user with the kitten profile picture, she couldn’t help but smile: “I’ll transfer it when I get back. Come on, I’ll drive you home.”

Shen Yuan looked at the luxury car, hesitating to speak. After a long pause, she said, “No need. My rented place is nearby.”

Gu Shiwei looked at Shen Yuan’s thin, weak frame and her “dangerously beautiful” face, then said with firm resolve: “I’ve delayed you for so long, and it’s so late. I’m not comfortable letting a girl like you go home alone.”

“Get in the car.”

Gu Shiwei took hold of Shen Yuan’s sleeve and stuffed her into the passenger seat.

Gu Shiwei’s passenger seat never had anyone in it; Shen Yuan was the first. She had intended to help Shen Yuan with her seatbelt, but as soon as she turned her head, Shen Yuan had already skillfully clicked it into place.

“109 Happiness Road. Thank you for the trouble.”

Support The Moon Shines Upon Me