The Obsessive Beauty’s White Moonlight - Chapter 1

【Consciousness linking. Memory data transmitting. Model initializing.】

The moment Su Niannian opened her eyes, an overwhelming iron-rust smell hit her so hard her vision went black. A split second later, waves of piercing pain surged from every part of her body.

“Uuuh.” Su Niannian, who had grown up without ever suffering such misery, couldn’t help letting out a sound.

Just as she was about to roll on the floor from the pain, the system in her mind finally reacted:

【Pain-suppression module loaded successfully.】

The next second, her body suddenly felt lighter. The agony that had been tearing her apart receded enough for her to breathe—and finally look around.

She was sprawled over the edge of a bathtub. Inside was water so diluted-red it was almost overflowing.

The blood came from the vicious gash on her wrist—still bleeding even now.

Su Niannian’s vision dimmed. She cried to the system:

【System, system, I’m going to die.】

【System: “…”】

【You won’t die,】 the system reassured her. 【You’re still within the protection window. In one minute, your memories of the real world will be wiped, and your mission will start.】

Hearing this, Su Niannian hurriedly yanked a towel over, crudely wrapped the wound, and dialed emergency services with trembling fingers.

【System, I.】

Before she finished speaking, her consciousness blurred, and the last thing she vaguely heard was the system bidding her farewell.

【Su Niannian, renowned oil painter famous for works such as Swamp and Abyss, currently residing in Lakeside Villa District, was attacked in her home at 4 a.m. today by a suspect believed to be an at-large serial killer. As the sole witness, she has been placed under protective watch.】

A photo of Su Niannian was clipped to the case report. Her long hair was messy, her expression dark, her eyes dull—yet she remained stunningly beautiful.

“Dr. Qi, we’re here. Dr. Qi?”

Qi Ning’s fingers lightly brushed the tear-mole beneath the woman’s eye in the photo. Only when the young officer called her again did she lift her head.

“The villa district?” Qi Ning glanced out the window as she stepped off the car. “She wasn’t placed in the station or the hospital?”

“That’s right.” The young officer gave a helpless smile as she led the way. “After Miss Su woke up from her coma, she insisted on going home. She refuses to speak to us, won’t say a word about the suspect. We had no choice but to call you.”

She didn’t finish—because a burst of noise exploded from the villa’s second floor.

“Miss Su, please calm down!”

“Don’t jump!”

“Watch out!”

The officer flinched and looked up. A figure was perched on the balcony railing—looking like she could leap off at any moment.

Her instincts kicked in; she sprinted toward her colleagues—completely missing that Qi Ning had stopped in her tracks.

Beautiful.

That was the first thought that surfaced in Qi Ning’s mind.

The woman in danger had a cool, distant expression. Her seaweed-dark hair fell against her cheeks, her features were striking and ethereal, as if she had stepped straight out of a painting.

She didn’t seem to feel the cold at all. She wore only a long, thin dress, legs dangling idly over the edge, her exposed skin pale enough to disappear into the winter air.

Qi Ning found herself unconsciously walking closer, gaze fixed on her.

Below, several officers were desperately trying to talk Su Niannian down.

“Miss Su, everything can be resolved. Please step off the railing—we’re here to protect you.”

Meanwhile, officers upstairs had received orders to break the locked bedroom door as quietly as possible, hoping to pull her to safety without startling her.

Hearing the voices, Su Niannian slowly turned her head.

It was as if she had only just noticed the crowd below.

Seeing her finally focus on them, the officers all exhaled in relief—until she looked away again.

Officers: “……”

The young officer who brought Qi Ning muttered anxiously: “This is bad, she seems mentally unstable. Did the attack traumatize her? I heard artists are way more sensitive than normal people.”

“Let me speak to her.”

A warm, steady voice rose behind her.

Qi Ning stepped forward and looked up. At this distance, she could clearly see the woman’s pine-smoke-colored eyes.

Su Niannian had naturally pretty almond eyes—soft and gentle by shape, yet the faint upward tilt at the corners added a seductive sharpness. The tear-mole beneath her left eye tugged at something in Qi Ning’s chest.

It took Qi Ning several seconds to compose herself. Then she gave Su Niannian her most practiced, comforting smile.

“Miss Su, would you be willing to talk to me?”

Her tone was calm, patient, soothing—enough to make anyone instinctively want to trust her.

She had already prepared a strategy based on the case file and her own reading of Su Niannian’s state. But the moment she spoke, the woman on the balcony reacted in a completely unexpected way.

Su Niannian, who had been sitting still, suddenly straightened up. She placed a hand on the railing.

Like she was about to jump.

Qi Ning’s pupils shrank. She moved reflexively.

“Don’t move!”

Su Niannian froze.

Her eyes fixed on Qi Ning—as if awaiting her next words.

Qi Ning: “……”

Qi Ning paused, then spoke softly, testing her, confirming her:

“Go back inside. Wait for me to come up, alright?”

Several officers tensed.

They had spoken to Su Niannian countless times—she never responded, and when they insisted, she became even more uncooperative.

Getting her to obey was practically impossible.

“Okay.”

Huh??

To everyone’s shock, Su Niannian hesitated only a moment before nodding and stepping down from the railing.

As officers stared, mouths hanging open, Qi Ning adjusted her glasses—using the motion to hide the faint curl of her lips.

Such blatant special treatment, she couldn’t help but enjoy it a little.

If Su Niannian continued to surprise her like this, she didn’t mind adjusting her entire schedule for this case.

With that thought, she gave Su Niannian a warm smile.

Su Niannian blinked, the faintest blush touching her pale cheeks.

She looks very easy to fool, Qi Ning thought.