The Moon Shines Upon Me - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Reminiscence

 

After Shen Yuan gave her the address, silence fell over the car. Gu Shiwei turned on the in-car tablet and played Stefanie Sun’s “Encounter.”

 

The beautiful melody poured from the speakers. Gu Shiwei suddenly asked, “Shen Yuan, are you from the South?”

 

Shen Yuan’s eyes remained fixed on the road ahead. Hearing Gu Shiwei’s question, she gave a slight nod: “Mm.”

 

Gu Shiwei tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, asking another question during the song’s interlude: “Why did you come to Jinghai?”

 

“I got tired of the South. I wanted a change of environment.”

 

Shen Yuan’s calm thoughts were disrupted by Gu Shiwei’s question. She suddenly slipped into a memory of a thunderous, rainy night eight years ago.

 

“Mingyue, you are my daughter. You are not the daughter of the Shen family.” A hysterical voice echoed in her mind.

 

Jiang Yi, the Shen family’s nanny, told Shen Mingyue a cruel truth on her twentieth birthday.

 

Jiang Yi told her that she was the “fake” heiress who had been switched at birth, and that the daughter Jiang Yi had raised was the true bloodline of the Shen family.

 

The nanny was dying of illness. The reason she chose to reveal this secret before she died was so that she could hear Shen Mingyue call her “Mother” just once.

 

At that moment, Shen Mingyue was instantly enveloped by a massive wave of terror.

 

She wasn’t actually the Shen family’s daughter. Her father and mother weren’t her biological parents, and this gray-faced, sickly nanny was her only relative in this world.

 

The nanny was about to die, and she hoped to hear Shen Mingyue call her “Mama.”

 

But Shen Mingyue couldn’t say it. Even her name had been given to her by the Shen parents. For twenty years, Shen Mingyue had been the golden miss of the Shen family; her food, clothes, and lifestyle were all top-tier. Now, the nanny was telling her that all of it was a life she had stolen.

 

Shen Mingyue couldn’t accept it. She watched in despair as the nanny died in her arms.

 

She watched her last relative pass away with her own eyes.

 

Later, when the nanny’s daughter, Xie Tingxin, returned, a pained Shen Mingyue confessed the truth about their swapped identities. In that moment, fifteen years of friendship shattered. Shen Mingyue was kicked out of the Shen family that very night.

 

Later, she changed her name. The day Shen Mingyue left the Shen family, she became Shen Yuan.

 

From then on, she was no longer the “Bright Moon” (Mingyue) in the sky.

 

“Shen Yuan, what are you thinking about? You’re so spaced out.”

 

They had arrived at the address Shen Yuan provided. Gu Shiwei unbuckled the seatbelt for her, but although Shen Yuan’s eyes were open, her pupils wouldn’t focus.

 

She seemed to be in a trance.

 

Gu Shiwei patted Shen Yuan on the shoulder, and Shen Yuan finally pulled herself back from her memories.

 

Looking at Gu Shiwei close beside her, Shen Yuan saw her own pale reflection in the other woman’s glasses.

 

“I’m fine. Are we here?”

 

“We’re here. Do you want me to walk you up?” Gu Shiwei said, worried as she looked at Shen Yuan’s bloodless lips.

 

“No need, thank you.”

 

Shen Yuan opened the door and stepped out in one fluid motion.

 

It was as if the person who had just been lost in a desperate memory wasn’t her at all.

 

The song looping on the car stereo just happened to reach the lyrics: One day, the answer to my mystery will be revealed.

 

Gu Shiwei watched Shen Yuan’s receding figure, then sharply turned the steering wheel and drove away.

 

Zhaoyang.

 

Shen Yuan sat at her workstation, drawing while listening to Lu Qingwan and her colleagues discuss the “parachuted” CEO.

 

“I heard the new CEO is a returnee from abroad, and she’s a PhD student.”

 

“Have you seen her?”

 

“No, I can’t get into the President’s office.”

 

“I also heard she’s exceptionally beautiful.”

 

“She’s the daughter of the richest family in Jinghai; how could she not be beautiful? Does anyone know her name?”

 

“No idea. It was kept secret before, and it only leaked out after she returned to the country recently.”

 

“I heard that Zhaoyang was founded and named after ‘Little President Gu’ when she was born. The Chairman really loves her.”

 

“Well, her surname is Gu, regardless.”

 

Zhaoyang was a subsidiary of the Qingfeng Group, also known as the Gu Group. It was founded and expanded by the current Chairman, Ms. Gu Qingfeng. This “Little President Gu” had previously been following her foreign father in scientific research and had no interest in managing the company. If Ms. Gu hadn’t demanded her return recently, she likely would have continued her studies abroad.

 

Shen Yuan suddenly looked up from her digital tablet when she heard the new CEO’s surname was also Gu.

 

Seeing this, Lu Qingwan thought she wanted to join the discussion and hurriedly asked, “Yuanyuan-jie, have you seen this Little President Gu?”

 

Shen Yuan gripped her stylus and shook her head: “Never.”

 

It must be a coincidence; Gu Shiwei said she was just an intern.

 

Shen Yuan’s phone suddenly rang. She glanced at it; there were two unread messages on WeChat. The sender’s profile picture was a sun, and the nickname was just one character Zhao.

 

Zhao: Transfer 20.00.

 

Zhao: I’m Gu Shiwei. Add a note for my name.

 

Y: It’s working hours.

 

Besides, this was Shen Yuan’s private WeChat; she didn’t add colleagues.

 

Shen Yuan’s finger hovered over the delete button, but she didn’t press it. Given Gu Shiwei’s personality, if Shen Yuan deleted her, she’d probably just find an excuse to add her again the next time they met.

 

Forget it.

 

Shen Yuan twirled her pen and then decisively clicked the screen off. She would just ignore her.

 

Shen Yuan was new, and because Lu Qingwan looked after her, her workload wasn’t very heavy. With an hour left before clock-out time, she took her thermos to the pantry to get some hot water.

 

Shen Yuan had a stomach condition caused by long-term irregular eating habits. A year ago, she was even diagnosed with depression, but she had managed to pull through. Ever since then, she had been very attentive to her health.

 

Passing the restroom in the hallway, Shen Yuan suddenly heard a strange sound. It sounded like someone was crying.

 

Thermos in hand, Shen Yuan walked in. A person was standing at the sink, leaning over and sobbing. Hearing Shen Yuan enter, the person turned and looked at her. Her eyes were red; she had clearly been crying.

 

Shen Yuan recognized her. She seemed to be an intern who had joined around the same time as her. Her name was Luoluo.

 

“Are you okay?” Shen Yuan asked.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

Luoluo wiped the water droplets from her face, pulled out a paper towel to dry her hands and face, and stepped in front of Shen Yuan.

 

“Let’s walk together, Senior.”

 

“You can call me Shen Yuan.”

 

Luoluo stubbornly continued to call her Senior. A smile appeared on her lips, making her look like a completely different person from the girl who was just suppressing her sobs.

 

Employment has been difficult in recent years. There are many young interns like Luoluo; they have low wages, high workloads, and a lot of pressure it’s normal. Plus, some haven’t graduated yet; they are simple and inexperienced. It’s understandable if they can’t adapt to the work intensity at Zhaoyang. Shen Yuan didn’t ask her why she was hiding in the toilet crying. Once back in the office, she and Luoluo parted ways.

 

“Shen Yuan, why weren’t you at your station just now? There’s an evaluation during this one-month probation. Yesterday you left early. What if you fail the evaluation and can’t become permanent?”

 

The speaker was a woman with short hair, about thirty years old, dressed like a workplace elite. Her name was Bai Yu, and like Lu Qingwan, she was an Original Artist. However, the Lead Artist had only asked Lu Qingwan to mentor Shen Yuan. Bai Yu couldn’t stand Lu Qingwan being so lenient with Shen Yuan, so she often came over to “educate” them.

 

She was older than Lu Qingwan and considered a senior. Lu Qingwan lowered her head, not daring to speak for a moment.

 

Shen Yuan didn’t want to argue. The company closed at six, and her clock-in records were very punctual. She knew very well whether she had been late or left early.

 

“But Sister Bai, the company rules say we finish at six. Yuanyuan-jie didn’t leave early yesterday. You say she left early—are you more powerful than the company? Did you set the clock-out time for 11:00 PM?”

 

Lu Qingwan’s weak voice suddenly rang out. Everyone in the office looked at her in shock. Their expressions seemed to say, Are you trying to get killed?

 

Bai Yu was notorious for her bad temper and meddling; no one in the office dared to provoke her. Lu Qingwan had only been here for a few months and already dared to talk back like that truly a fresh graduate, a newborn calf that doesn’t fear the tiger.

 

Shen Yuan was also surprised. Lu Qingwan’s personality had always been soft; she didn’t expect her to clash with Bai Yu to defend her. Fearing a conflict between the two, she quickly reached out and pulled Lu Qingwan behind her.

 

Shen Yuan: “Sister Bai, if it’s very busy tonight, I can stay and work overtime.”

 

The lecture Bai Yu was about to give was choked back by Shen Yuan’s words. Her expression didn’t look good, but she ultimately scanned the crowd of onlookers and dropped the idea of having a conflict with Lu Qingwan in the office.

 

“Then stay and work overtime.”

 

After Bai Yu walked away in her high heels, Lu Qingwan apologized to Shen Yuan with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, Yuanyuan-jie. I caused you to have to stay and work overtime.”

 

“It’s okay. It wasn’t your fault. I requested it myself.”

 

It’s not that Shen Yuan hadn’t worked overtime before. She had served as an Original Artist at a major firm for three years; staying up all night to rush out drafts was a common occurrence. It was precisely because she pushed herself so hard in those years that she ruined her health, which was why she started focusing on wellness later.

 

Shen Yuan had left the Shen family during her sophomore year. She took nothing with her; clothes, her wallet, and cards were all left behind. During her junior and senior years, she worked part-time while studying, often holding three or four jobs a day.

She finally struggled through to graduation and entered a big firm. To get promoted to Lead Artist, Shen Yuan worked harder than anyone else. At that time, she was truly trading her life for money.

 

Unfortunately, things happened later, and she ultimately didn’t get the promotion.

 

When Shen Yuan recalled those difficult times, she suddenly realized they felt like ancient history.

 

“Yuanyuan-jie, come on. Let’s eat first, then come back to work.”

 

Lu Qingwan took Shen Yuan’s arm and led her toward the company cafeteria.

 

Shen Yuan had never eaten dinner at the cafeteria. Previously, she had to rush to the milk tea shop by 7:00 PM for her part-time job, so she usually just grabbed something to eat on the way home.

 

“The cafeteria is on the first and second floors of the building behind us. Let’s take the elevator down.”

 

As Lu Qingwan pulled Shen Yuan into the elevator, she suddenly saw a tall figure at the end of the hallway facing them. The figure was backlit, and Lu Qingwan couldn’t see her face clearly, but judging by her silhouette, she was a great beauty.

 

“Do you know each other?” Lu Qingwan’s gaze moved between Shen Yuan and the woman.

 

“Not well.” Shen Yuan took only one look before looking away.

 

Lu Qingwan: “So you do know her? Should we ask her to eat with?”

 

“Let’s go. She doesn’t eat at the cafeteria.”

 

Shen Yuan suddenly interrupted Lu Qingwan. A wealthy young lady like Gu Shiwei, who wore different designer clothes and watches every day how could she eat cafeteria food like them?