The White Moonlight is Both Competitive and Predatory - Chapter 10

“Have you not been resting well lately?”

The moment their eyes met, memories of the past rushed back to Yan Chi like a tidal wave.

That afternoon, Ji Yueting had stepped onto the landing, set down the mineral water bottle, and quickly strode back down the stairs. He left Yan Chi sitting alone on the steps, staring blankly as condensation formed on the bottle and rolled downward.

Yan Chi did not twist it open to drink. Instead, he picked it up and pressed it against his face. His skin was sensitive; he immediately flinched from the cold. His pale fingertips turned red from the chill as he gripped the bottle. He did not know where Ji Yueting had bought the water, but it was incredibly cold.

He sniffed, closed his eyes, and lowered his head, letting his face press against the layer of droplets. His tears hid among them and vanished, indistinguishable to anyone else. The initial stinging sensation faded, leaving only a swollen, lingering ache.

He should thank him, Yan Chi thought. But he did not have the energy today; perhaps he would do it next time.

By the time he returned to class, the mineral water had returned to room temperature. It looked no different from any other bottle of that brand in the world, with nothing special about it at all, yet Yan Chi treasured it. He tucked the water into his desk, pressing it against his neatly stacked textbooks and a pile of exam papers with near-perfect scores.

Yan Chi treated it as a gift. Even when he ran into Ji Yueting after school sometime later and the other boy did not spare him a single glance, Yan Chi did not feel disappointed. He simply watched him with a somewhat slow gaze, realizing late that the other boy truly had many friends. Whenever he walked down the street, people surrounded him in a crowd, making him difficult to approach.

This feeling was foreign to Yan Chi; he had never experienced or encountered it before. Because of Ji Yueting, the tiny seedling beneath the soil finally sprouted a few tender leaves.

The second year of high school passed quickly. The rumors dissipated, and everything eventually returned to peace. Yan Chi stopped hiding on the top floor. He made a good friend in Liu Muqing and gradually became more comfortable in class.

However, one afternoon, Yan Chi returned to class after a chemistry tutoring session only to see a male Alpha sitting in his seat. An uncontrollable surge of anger instantly rose in his heart. The boy was holding an opened bottle of mineral water, and Yan Chi’s desk was empty.

“How can you just touch other people’s things!” Yan Chi rushed forward and snatched the water bottle away. The boy was stunned by his reaction.

“What? I did not, wait, is this not Li Lin’s seat? I thought it was, so I did not think much of it. I am sorry.” The boy stood up, not caring much, and offered a casual apology.

In his eyes, it was not a big deal. It was just a bottle of water; if the other person really minded, he could just compensate him for it. But when he looked up and saw the Beta’s eyes red with anger, his casualness instantly froze. He became flustered by the faint moisture in the corners of Yan Chi’s eyes.

“Hey, you, why are you crying?” The boy panicked. “I really did not know this was your seat. Can I just pay you back? How much do you want? I will go get you two crates. Or Ganten water? That is more expensive than Nongfu Spring!”

Yan Chi said nothing. He simply screwed the cap back on silently and turned his head away.

“Say something. I will do whatever you want. I am apologizing to you!” The boy was very sincere. He was usually quite arrogant by nature, but looking at Yan Chi’s face and that expression of being too aggrieved to speak, he was instantly defeated. How could he make someone like this angry at him? Was he even an Alpha?

After a long time, Yan Chi finally acknowledged him, though his response was brief.

“Get lost.”

Aside from the day of Yan Lan’s funeral, this was the second time in Yan Chi’s life he had said that word. The Alpha looked embarrassed and out of place. Finally, under the gaze of the class, he fled in a hurry. Yan Chi spent the entire evening self-study session distracted, completing two fewer exam papers than usual.

When school let out, Liu Muqing stopped him. “Xiao Chi, what is wrong with you? Are you still angry at that guy? He is the math class representative from the class next door. He is actually okay. Just let him pay you back with two crates of water.”

Yan Chi lowered his head and blinked as if he were spacing out. He studied hard and always left very late; by now, there was almost no one left. The empty corridor made him feel a strange, groundless emotion.

So, he said, “But that bottle of water was given to me by Ji Yueting.”

“Wait, what?”

Without needing further explanation, Liu Muqing quickly understood the reason. In high school, one really did not need many reasons to like someone. Otherwise, stacks of love letters would not have appeared on Yan Chi’s desk year-round, and a person with a good temper like Yan Chi would not have gotten angry because someone else drank his bottle of water.

“So you like him?” Liu Muqing was startled by this secret and hurriedly asked in a low voice.

Yan Chi thought for a while and shook his head.

“Is it a crush then?”

Yan Chi still shook his head.

“Then what exactly is this?”

Yan Chi held the empty, light water bottle and said, “Muqing, he is very special.”

Various people always appeared in his world. Some cast glances at him, and others brushed past him in a hurry. The crowd was surging, and everyone was a part of it. But for Yan Chi, the Ji Yueting who lazily and recklessly threw a basketball and then chased him to the roof was a very special one. “Special” always arrives one step before love is born.

The glass cabinet door opened. Yan Chi took out the water bottle and looked at the label; it had expired about eight or nine years ago. Time really does fly. The person he could once only watch from afar had now become a presence he could touch at any time. This feeling was not bad.

After composing his thoughts, Yan Chi went downstairs to talk to Yan Fei. Halfway there, he heard Yan Fei on the phone, and her tone was not very pleasant.

“I have nothing to do with you. Do not even think about looking for Xiao Chi. If you dare, I will call the police. I am not joking!” Yan Fei said angrily. “We are already divorced. If you cannot remember that, go back and look at your divorce certificate. Do not come looking for me again!”

She pressed the end call button forcefully. Hearing a noise, she turned around abruptly and realized Yan Chi had been standing there for a long time.

“Divorce, is it Xu Cheng? Is he still looking for you?” Yan Chi’s brow furrowed. “Why did you not tell me?”

Seeing that she could no longer hide the truth, Yan Fei saw no need to keep it a secret. She simply said, “It is not that your aunt intended to hide it from you. This is a recent matter. You are so busy that I thought I should not disturb you. It is not complicated. His father and he went gambling again recently, and they racked up a huge debt. This time, even selling the family storefront was not enough to cover it. I suppose he is desperate for money to dare to come looking for me after all these years since the divorce.”

“He is still thinking about the inheritance your mother left you. A person like that is never satisfied and will eventually face retribution. Xiao Chi, promise me you will ignore him. He will stop after a while.”

Yan Chi understood the logic, but this piece of gum had been impossible to shake off for so many years. Similar things happened quite often. Although Yan Fei was a soft and delicate Omega, she saw things clearly in emotional matters. Once she sensed something was wrong after the marriage, she decisively separated and divorced him.

Unfortunately, that Alpha was a scoundrel. Years ago, relying on the fact that his family had a little money, he would always come to bother Yan Fei. Yan Chi had splashed him with mop water several times but could not chase him away. It was the same now, except the man had no money left and his attitude was even worse.

Reporting it to the police was useless for such matters. First, it did not meet the standard for a criminal case. Second, if it was just a matter of criticism and education, it was completely useless against someone whose skin was thicker than a city wall.

“Aunt, please be careful when you go out lately. I will consult a lawyer; this problem must be resolved as soon as possible.” Yan Chi withdrew his cold expression and patted Yan Fei on the back to reassure her.

Yan Chi never procrastinated. Having said he would consult a lawyer, he sent messages to several acquaintances that night. However, the responses he received over the next few days were largely the same. They amounted to “insufficient evidence,” “even if he goes in, he will be released soon,” and “the process takes a long time and is not worth the effort.”

Yan Chi was helpless. He did not want Yan Fei to worry further, so he handled the matter while trying to find as much time as possible to accompany her.

The studio was set to launch new products next quarter. As the person in charge, Yan Chi had countless things to worry about. In a while, a celebrity collaboration would also be launched. Even Qin Siming, who was essentially an intern student, was incredibly busy, let alone Yan Chi.

“Teacher, do you want to rest for a while? I see you have not even eaten lunch and have been busy until now.” Qin Siming knocked on the door, looking a bit worried.

Yan Chi had been used to being busy since the brand was founded. His stomach felt a bit uncomfortable, but that was a common occurrence for him, and he saw no need to mention it. “It is fine. You can go. I am almost finished here.” As he spoke, he turned back and concentrated fully on blending the proportions of the perfume.

It was half an hour later when he finally put his things down to take a breath. His phone was flooded with messages. Yan Chi had a bit of a headache; he rubbed his temples, wiped his hands, and began to reply. Processing them one by one from top to bottom, Yan Chi only saw Ji Yueting’s message at the very end.

Ji Yueting: [Are you free today? I happen to be taking Chi Chi out for a bath and deworming. I just do not know if Teacher Xiao Chi’s studio would welcome a visit.]

Ji Yueting: [If you are very busy, we can talk later. No rush.]

Ji Yueting: [[Image][Image]]

Looking at the little white cat hiding in the carrier, Yan Chi’s mind cleared up instantly. He called him directly.

“Are you finished with your work?” Ji Yueting seemed to have been waiting and asked knowingly as soon as the call connected.

Yan Chi felt embarrassed. “Almost. There were too many things just now, and I only just saw the message.”

Ji Yueting: “No rush. I have only just finished here too; the timing is perfect. So, may I come over?”

Yan Chi laughed. “Of course. Could I possibly stop you from coming? Is it far from where you are? I will send you a location so you can see.”

“If Teacher Xiao Chi did not allow it, I would not dare to be so bold,” Ji Yueting followed Yan Chi’s lead, his attitude quite humble. “I see it. It is not far, only a few minutes away.”

“Alright, then come over,” Yan Chi said, pausing for a moment. “Last time you said you would give me a chance to meet Chi Chi, I thought you were joking.” He did not expect Ji Yueting to be so serious about it.

Ji Yueting gave a low chuckle. “Then remember this time: I never joke. I do what I say.”

Ten minutes later, the wind chime at the door gave a soft ring. The extraordinary Alpha pushed the door open and entered, his head almost touching the top of the glass door. He was carrying a white cat that weighed over ten pounds.

“You are here.” Yan Chi stood up from beside the coffee table near the door. As soon as Ji Yueting approached, he could not help but lean down to look at the cat through the small, grid-like opening.

“Oh, why are you hiding? Are you shy?” Yan Chi moved his finger. The white, fluffy mass suddenly pricked up its ears and cautiously approached. The kitten’s breathing puffed out, feeling warm and ticklish. Yan Chi felt his finger go a bit numb. Before he could react, Chi Chi grew bold enough to tentatively rub her wet nose against him.

“It is wet!” Yan Chi was surprised and having a lot of fun.

“She is timid. Doing that means she likes you very much.” Ji Yueting’s arm strength was amazing; the hand holding the cat carrier remained perfectly still, allowing the person and the cat to get to know each other.

His curiosity briefly satisfied, Yan Chi looked up, wanting to ask Ji Yueting to sit inside for a while. Before he could speak, Ji Yueting’s gaze suddenly shifted downward, landing below Yan Chi’s eyes.

“What?”

His words were interrupted by an action. A warm and slightly coarse fingertip brushed against the sensitive skin under his eye. Yan Chi blinked and shivered. But Ji Yueting did not seem to think anything was wrong. He only furrowed his brow slightly and asked him, “Have you not been resting well lately?”