The White Moonlight I Chased, the Divorce I Never Expected - Chapter 44

Chi Yi’s heart gave a heavy thump at the sight of her. Her gaze grew visibly heated.

Jiejie?

She rolled the word over in her mind again and again.

Chi Yi had called Wen Ranqing that all the time when she was younger—when she was being clingy, mischievous, or simply because she wanted to. Only rarely did she use Wen’s full name, and compared to that, she had always preferred the closeness of “jiejie.”

Wen Ranqing was wearing Chi Yi’s favorite perfume today. Her soft body pressed in close—without even the tiniest gap. Chi Yi’s heart skipped a beat, her throat beginning to feel dry.

If she had known Wen Ranqing would be this distracting at midday, Chi Yi would never have let her pick this flight. She had a meeting in the afternoon—barely an hour to spend in the hotel. There was no doubt the rest of the day would be a disaster in terms of productivity.

The atmosphere around them turned heady and suggestive. But in Wen Ranqing’s eyes, there was the slightest trace of unease.

They hadn’t seen each other for a few days. During that time, Chi Yi had kept her word, texting her often—even about the smallest, most mundane things. Her brief, to-the-point updates had carried a subtle intimacy that Wen Ranqing quickly picked up on. Like something soft sprouting inside her, she began to feel her way forward—learning, sensing, responding. Whenever she made a request, no matter how small, Chi Yi would fulfill it without hesitation.

But now Chi Yi was quiet for so long that Wen Ranqing couldn’t help but wonder—Was I asking for too much…?
Yet the way Chi Yi called her President Wen… that alone made her want to curl up in embarrassment.

“Xiao Yi…”

Wen Ranqing, flawless makeup and all, looked quietly heartbroken—like a little fox with drooping ears and downcast eyes, shy and unsure, gazing at her helplessly. She wasn’t sulking—she just didn’t know what to do.

She always called Chi Yi like that: softly, sweetly. It used to be gentle and slow; now it came with a teasing, drawn-out tone that made Chi Yi’s ears tingle. Ever since that day in bed when she’d heard Wen Ranqing whisper those two words, Chi Yi couldn’t hear them again without her mind wandering elsewhere.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to say it. It was just that—after everything—they carried a kind of taboo weight. It made her feel like she’d done something terribly wrong with the person who had watched her grow up.

And, in a way, she had.

She just hadn’t adjusted to the shift yet. A subtle discomfort lingered.

After a pause, Chi Yi reached up and tugged at the ribbon holding up Wen Ranqing’s hair. With the slightest pull, her thick, black hair tumbled down in waves, framing her face and making her look even more breathtakingly soft. The aura of authority she’d had just moments ago dissipated in an instant, leaving behind only a delicate vulnerability that tugged at the heart.

When Chi Yi finally spoke, her voice was slightly hoarse:
“President Wen.”

Wen Ranqing’s eyes brimmed with a faint red sheen, her breathing disordered. She didn’t hear the nuance in Chi Yi’s tone, only felt her own shame intensifying. Still in her heels, her legs were beginning to feel hot and weak.

“Xiao Yi…”

“…It’s jiejie…”

Face flushed, she whispered the words, breaking them apart in embarrassment just to get them out.

Chi Yi’s gaze darkened. At the sound of her soft voice, she finally lost all composure. Supporting Wen Ranqing’s waist and hips, she pinned her gently against the door and kissed her—hard.

This kiss was unlike any before. Chi Yi didn’t rush—she had all the patience in the world to coax her, to tangle with her.

Wen Ranqing’s back was pressed against the door, save for the places wrapped in Chi Yi’s arms. Emotion swelled in her chest like waves crashing again and again. Slowly, she melted under the kiss.

Chi Yi knew just how easily Wen Ranqing could be aroused—this time, the kiss lasted longer than before. Her lipstick had long since smudged away, yet her lips were still red and dewy. That neatly pressed dark dress? Completely wrinkled now—utterly unpresentable.

She let Wen Ranqing rest in her arms, breathless and dazed, and gently began to straighten out her crumpled clothing.
“Does President Wen think… this is better?”

Wen Ranqing could barely stand. Her arms, soft and slender, draped over Chi Yi’s shoulders. A light sheen of sweat clung to her skin. She didn’t even register what Chi Yi meant—still too lost in the afterglow of their kiss, her body and mind in disarray.

Seeing her like this, Chi Yi couldn’t bear it. She lifted her into her arms and carried her over to the leather sofa, speaking plainly and without pretense:

“You’re calling me ‘jiejie’ like that… it’s like I’m bullying my older sister or something. If you call me that in bed too…”

She trailed off, not wanting Wen Ranqing to misunderstand anything. She just wanted to express her true feelings—honestly, openly. If Wen Ranqing liked hearing her say it, she’d say it. But she also felt that Wen Ranqing deserved to know what was going through her mind.

Otherwise… one day she might not even realize how she ended up being completely devoured.

At first, Wen Ranqing didn’t fully understand. But after Chi Yi’s very physical example just moments ago, even someone as reserved as her couldn’t pretend not to get it. She was mortified, completely and utterly embarrassed. Every point of contact with Chi Yi was burning hot. And yet those lips—those soft, irresistible lips that had already turned her world upside down—just kept moving, refusing to stop until Wen Ranqing understood exactly what she meant. A feverish heat bloomed uncontrollably inside her.

Chi Yi held her close, arms wrapped tightly. Wen Ranqing had no way to push her back, no room to resist. Clumsily, she tilted her face upward, offering a kiss in an attempt to make Chi Yi stop saying such mortifying things. But Chi Yi only brushed her lips lightly and let her go.

“If President Wen wants to hear it…” Chi Yi’s lips were soft, fragrant. She restrained herself, pressing Wen Ranqing against the back of the sofa to help her find balance. She hadn’t even finished her sentence when Wen Ranqing, cheeks and ears burning, was already biting her lip, red all over.

Wen Ranqing had only one point of support, her balance completely reliant on Chi Yi. Her eyes stung with the threat of tears, and she trembled as she shook her head, too ashamed to speak. Just then, Chi Yi leaned closer to her ear.

The cool scent on Chi Yi’s skin was intoxicating, her voice husky and sultry. She whispered:

“Jiejie.”

So soft, yet it reached deep into Wen Ranqing’s soul and stirred it completely.

Burying her face into Chi Yi’s shoulder, Wen Ranqing curled her long, slender legs together beneath her skirt, trembling all over. She sounded weak, like she was pleading:
“Xiao Yi…”

She liked it. She really liked it when Chi Yi called her that. But somehow, it overwhelmed her entirely. She felt like her heart—like the tiny, newly sprouted seed inside her—might burn to ash from how flustered she was.

Chi Yi’s fingertips dug into her own palm, fighting to keep control. Wen Ranqing’s dress, already stretched tight by the way she was pressed against her, trembled beneath her hand. It was almost painful to not touch her—let alone stop herself from teasing her further.

The air between them was filled only with the softest sob-like breaths. After a long moment, Chi Yi finally pushed the heat back down and gently stroked her back.

“Have you had lunch?”

Wen Ranqing was practically dazed. She wanted to say “yes,” so Chi Yi wouldn’t insist on taking her out—wouldn’t waste any of their limited time together. But she couldn’t lie to her.

She shook her head faintly.

As expected, Chi Yi followed up with:
“Want to go get something to eat?”

Wen Ranqing bit her lip, still not saying anything.

Chi Yi understood. “How about ordering room service?”

Wen Ranqing pressed her face against Chi Yi again. She suddenly felt selfish—so selfish that she didn’t even want to give up the time it would take to eat a meal together.

She still hadn’t calmed down from earlier. After a long moment, she whispered softly,
“Aren’t you hungry…?”

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder—and how much more true that felt when you were freshly in love and had been apart for so long. Of course Chi Yi knew exactly what Wen Ranqing was thinking. She picked her up and started walking toward the bathroom.

“I had a late breakfast. I’m not hungry. I have work to get back to this afternoon, so once I leave, I’ll have food sent up to you.”

“But for now, how about a shower, and then we nap together for a little while?”

Her voice was gentle, her care meticulous. Wen Ranqing’s heart melted instantly, as though soaked in honey. Her eyes sparkled with affection, and she nodded sweetly.

Within ten minutes, Wen Ranqing was out of the shower. She hadn’t slept well all week, and the warm water had washed away her fatigue. Chi Yi lay beside her, and Wen Ranqing quickly grew drowsy. Her eyes began to close.

Chi Yi wrapped her arms around her from behind. Just then, the phone on the nightstand vibrated.

Chi Yi wasn’t sure if Wen Ranqing had fallen asleep yet. It might be something work-related, given the time. After hesitating for a moment, she reached over and picked it up carefully, dimming the screen as soon as it lit up.

It was a new friend request on WeChat:
[Miss Chi, did you like your birthday gift?]

Birthday gift?

Chi Yi frowned slightly. She remembered—she had indeed received a bouquet of vibrant, flamboyant flowers at the studio that day. One of the new designers had even joked that she must be very popular lately. Chi Yi had assumed the flowers weren’t from Wen Ranqing and hadn’t even looked closely at the elegant card inside. She had tossed them in the corner without a second thought.

Someone she didn’t know had found out where she was and sent flowers directly. Chi Yi felt instinctively that she should figure out what was going on. The profile photo felt oddly familiar, so she accepted the request—but with little patience, she put her phone down again without replying.

Half-awake, Wen Ranqing opened her eyes just a sliver. What caught her attention wasn’t the message on the screen—it was the cat-shaped charm hanging off the end of Chi Yi’s phone.

She had never seen that charm before.

Sleepiness overtook her. Half-asleep, Wen Ranqing murmured softly, “Xiao Yi… do you like cats?”

A moment passed. Her consciousness was already fading when she heard Chi Yi respond with a gentle “Mm.” That was all it took—Wen Ranqing drifted off to sleep.

The nap didn’t last long. It was light and restless. Half an hour later, Chi Yi stirred awake.

She sat up. Wen Ranqing still had her eyes closed, unaware of her movements. Her pale fingers clutched the thin blanket they’d used for a few days now, nose and lips half-buried beneath it. It was impossible to tell how long she’d slept—she just looked utterly exhausted.

Chi Yi felt a wave of tenderness and regret. Did I tire her out too much? Quietly, she slipped out of bed and changed clothes.

Before leaving, she ordered food from the Chinese restaurant downstairs—light dishes and nourishing soup—and scheduled it to be delivered two hours later. She left a note asking them to redeliver a fresh set an hour afterward if no one answered.

When Wen Ranqing finally woke, it was already 3:30 in the afternoon. Right on time, there was a knock at the door with her meal.

She pulled on a jacket and went to answer it.

The food was warm and comforting—simple, mild dishes, each one to her liking. Wen Ranqing ate slowly, her mood inexplicably lifted, taking small bites until she was completely full. Just as she put her chopsticks down, she received a few messages from An Li, who had accompanied her on the trip.

She opened them and saw several photos of a rare local breed of cat—gentle, affectionate, intelligent, and unusually responsive to humans. These cats weren’t common in China. An Li, an avid cat lover, had recalled a casual conversation during a consultation and figured Wen Ranqing might like them, so she sent the images along.

Just one glance at the photos, and Wen Ranqing immediately thought of the cat charm hanging from Chi Yi’s phone.

She also remembered that someone had apparently sent Chi Yi a birthday gift…

Her skirt—meticulously chosen—had been worn only half a day before Chi Yi had crumpled it beyond saving. Wen Ranqing pressed her lips together, staring blankly at her phone, emotions tangled and difficult to name. Her chest felt tight, sour, and uncomfortably full.

Of course someone else had sent Chi Yi a birthday present. Xiao Yi was so wonderful—there was no way she was the only one who wanted to celebrate her birthday.

Wen Ranqing lowered her gaze. She couldn’t help but wonder if her own gift had been too plain. It was their first birthday together since becoming a couple. Even though Chi Yi had said, “Seeing you is enough,” Wen Ranqing still wanted to give her a memory worth keeping.

She swiped through the photos slowly. Her eyes paused on one image An Li had casually taken—a shop window display.

Something clicked.

Wen Ranqing’s cheeks flushed pink.

In this part of the world, daylight lingered. It wasn’t until after 7 p.m. that the sky finally began to darken.

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