The Obsessive Beauty’s White Moonlight - Chapter 16

Even though Su Niannian had insisted she hadn’t called out to anyone, Qi Ning etched that “Sister” firmly into her mind. If that person wasn’t vital to Su Niannian, why would her expression be so overflowing with yearning when she remembered her?

During her hospital stay, Qi Ning used every resource at her disposal to dig into Su Niannian’s past, yet she came up empty-handed. The records showed Su Niannian was an only child with no cousins, nor any friends close enough to be called “Sister.”

The less she found, the more agitated Qi Ning became. She was desperate to know what kind of person could command such a lasting place in Su Niannian’s heart.

“Qi Ning, look.”

“Hmm?” Qi Ning brushed aside her racing thoughts and flashed a smile. “What is it?”

They had just finished meeting with the lawyer and were in a taxi heading back to the police-monitored hotel. Over the last few days, they had finalized everything regarding the escaped convict; this time, he was facing the death penalty.

There would be no more escapes. It wasn’t the ending Qi Ning had originally designed for him, but perhaps it was a better one.

Su Niannian handed her phone to Qi Ning, trying to sound casual. “I have five properties under my name. See if there’s one you like.”

Qi Ning blinked. “Niannian?”

“Your home was destroyed by that man. Before it’s repaired, come stay with me.” As she spoke, Su Niannian’s head bowed lower and lower, clearly afraid of being rejected.

Qi Ning let out a soft, delighted laugh. It seemed the backup residence she had prepared wouldn’t be necessary for now.

When no answer came, Su Niannian’s tone dipped. “I mean, if you don’t want to live together, I can just give you the keys. You can stay by yourself.”

“Can we still sleep together?” Qi Ning leaned in close, mischievously blowing a faint breath against the stray hairs on Su Niannian’s forehead.

Su Niannian: “!”

Startled, Su Niannian flinched back, but Qi Ning was already prepared, catching her with an arm wrapped around her waist.

“Careful now.”

Su Niannian glared at Qi Ning, her eyes screaming a silent protest.

“My mistake,” Qi Ning apologized instantly with mock obedience.

To ensure Su Niannian wouldn’t retract the offer, Qi Ning took the phone before the girl could grow truly angry and scrolled through the listings. A mountain retreat, a seaside villa, a traditional courtyard house in the city center.

Qi Ning: “…”

It seemed she still hadn’t fully grasped just how wealthy her Niannian was.

“What’s wrong?” Seeing Qi Ning’s silence, Su Niannian grew anxious. “You don’t like any of them? I could always buy a new one.”

Before she could finish, a pair of slender, elegant fingers tilted her chin up. Qi Ning’s lips curved into a half-smile, adding a touch of sultry charm to her gaze. “My little heiress, does this mean ‘Sister’ can rely on you to take care of her from now on?”

As she spoke, she let her thumb graze Su Niannian’s jawline with lingering ambiguity.

Su Niannian froze as if she’d been petrified, staring blankly at Qi Ning. It wasn’t until Qi Ning leaned in as if to kiss her that she finally snapped out of it.

“You—you.” After scrambling for distance, Su Niannian stammered for a long while before finally forcing out a coherent sentence: “It’s, it’s not out of the question.”

Having said that, she jerked her head away, forgetting to hide the glowing red tips of her ears.

Qi Ning, wanting to see more of her reactions, leaned in further to tease her. “Really? Niannian is so good to me. I suppose I can start my life as a shut-in who never has to go to work.”

This reminded Su Niannian of something. “You’ve been away for so many days. Won’t the clinic fire you?”

Qi Ning answered without thinking, “The psychiatric clinic doesn’t have many patients; they don’t need me there constantly. Besides, I’m the owner. No one is going to fire me.”

Su Niannian went still for a moment. “A psychiatric clinic? You’re a psychiatrist?”

“Did I not mention that?”

After another long silence, Su Niannian slowly looked up. “The first time we met, you touched my hand.”

Qi Ning blinked.

“Then you said you were a doctor and you insisted on a private examination.” As she spoke, Su Niannian’s face darkened, her tone shifting toward a low, teeth-gritting growl.

The thought that she had foolishly taken Qi Ning for a general practitioner and let her take “medical” liberties made Su Niannian burn with shame.

Hearing Su Niannian bring up this old debt, Qi Ning remembered her own behavior, and her body stiffened. Bad move. I teased her too far.

“Niannian?”

“Niannian.”

Inside the kitchen, Su Niannian was expressionlessly chopping dumpling filling. Outside, Qi Ning was calling her name piteously, with Tongtong crouching by her feet. Seeing Su Niannian continue to ignore her, Qi Ning shuffled into the kitchen. “Niannian, let me help you.”

Su Niannian didn’t say a word, but the rhythm of her chopping grew louder and more aggressive.

Using her height advantage, Qi Ning observed Su Niannian’s expression. Her cheeks were slightly puffed; she was clearly still sulking. However, her eyes kept flitting toward Qi Ning out of the corner of her eye—her face practically screamed, I’m easy to coax, so come coax me.

So cute, Qi Ning thought. She resisted the urge to poke Su Niannian’s cheek and instead picked up a scrap of leftover dough.

Su Niannian’s gaze followed her movements in secret. She watched the dough shift and change in Qi Ning’s hands, slowly taking the shape of a small animal.

So nimble. Su Niannian dazed, unable to pull her eyes away from Qi Ning’s fair, slender fingers. The fluid grace of her movements looked like art.

A few minutes later, Qi Ning opened her palm to reveal a lifelike little rabbit. The dough rabbit was plump with long ears and a short tail; it was undeniably adorable. Seeing it, Su Niannian’s eyes lit up with irrepressible delight.

She instinctively reached out for the rabbit, but Qi Ning snatched it back, holding it just above Su Niannian’s head.

Su Niannian: “!!”

Holding the rabbit high, Qi Ning wore an innocent, slightly aggrieved expression. “The little rabbit says it made someone angry. It won’t go with you until it’s been forgiven.”

Su Niannian: “…”

Su Niannian turned away huffily, giving Qi Ning the back of her head. If you won’t give it to me, then don’t!

“Do you really not want it?”

“I don’t!” After her fierce refusal, Su Niannian pushed Qi Ning out of the kitchen. “Don’t cause trouble in here!”

Qi Ning was banished, but the little rabbit was left behind on the cutting board.

Once Qi Ning was out of sight, Su Niannian turned and pinched the white dough rabbit. “Ugly rabbit” she grumbled under her breath.

Despite her words, her movements were incredibly tender. She studied the rabbit for a moment, then found two red beans and carefully placed them as eyes on its face.

That done, her face flushed slightly as she marked several dumplings filled with red dates, intending to put them in Qi Ning’s bowl later. Eating red date dumplings on the Winter Solstice meant the new year would be filled with good fortune.

The red-eyed rabbit sat to the side, a quiet witness to her secret kindness.

Leaning against the doorframe, Qi Ning didn’t see Su Niannian’s little movements. Her attention had been caught by a phone vibrating on the coffee table.

Someone was calling Su Niannian and it was an unknown number.