The White Moonlight is So Scheming - Chapter 32

A sigh escaped.

 

Xu Qing nodded with a grim expression.

 

Receiving the affirmative answer, Shen Juexia’s face instantly turned pale. “Did my sister say anything to you?”

 

“President Shen only asked me to drive to the hospital to pick you up. She didn’t say anything else.” Xu Qing opened the car door, his gaze lingering for a moment on Shen Juexia’s deep blue T-shirt before he averted his eyes and lowered his head. “Second Miss, let’s get you home first.”

 

“Is there a charging cable in the car?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Hesitantly glancing in the direction Ji Zhijie had left, Shen Juexia bit her lip and bent down to get into the car.

 

At nine o’clock in the evening, the hospital corridor was silent, with only the occasional distant footsteps breaking the stillness.

 

The cold scent of disinfectant.

 

Mixed with the fragrance of flowers and high-end perfume.

 

The aroma in the ward was already overpowering, yet it couldn’t mask the decay beneath the “glamour.”

 

Closing his eyes, his mind was as restless as the incessant beeping of the heart monitor. Lying stiffly on the hospital bed, Shen Congjun furrowed his brows tightly.

 

Suddenly one slowed down, the other caught up.

 

Two kindred spirits could never truly drift apart.

 

They reached the car almost simultaneously. Curling her fingers slightly, a flicker of hesitation passed through Shen Juexia’s eyes.

 

“Miss, are you waiting for me to open the door for you?” Ji Zhijie raised an eyebrow, smoothly solving her dilemma as she pulled open the passenger door with practiced ease.

 

Her heartbeat accelerated abruptly. Suppressing the flutter in her chest, Shen Juexia rolled her eyes utterly harmless and took her seat in the passenger side.

 

Noticing Ji Zhijie’s earlier action, Shen Tinghan frowned almost imperceptibly: This little one seems to have grown up now.

 

Opening the rear door, Ji Zhijie settled into the right-hand seat.

 

The car moved under the streetlights, the interior filled only with the sound of steady breathing. None of the three made any attempt to break the silence.

 

Beneath the surface calm, undercurrents of hidden thoughts swirled.

 

Staring at the rearview mirror, Shen Juexia wanted to lighten the mood but feared she might ruin the fragile peace they’d managed to maintain.

 

Meanwhile, the two who appeared unruffled on the surface were, in truth, locked in a silent battle of wills.

 

“Ji Zhijie, where are you staying tonight?” Unable to bear the strange atmosphere any longer, Shen Juexia steeled herself and broached the subject.

 

Living in City S had been for Ji Zhijie’s studies. After she went abroad, Ji Wan had returned to City N to recuperate, leaving Ji Zhijie with no place to stay in City S now.

 

Gazing out the window at the city that was both familiar and foreign, Ji Zhijie lowered her eyelids and replied softly, “The research institute arranged a dormitory for me.”

 

“A dormitory?” Shen Juexia wrinkled her nose.

 

Ji Zhijie considered explaining that her dorm wasn’t what Shen Juexia might imagine, but in the end, she remained silent.

 

“There’s a spare room at home.” Signaling a turn, the woman’s voice seemed veiled by a thin mist as she steered with one hand. “If you don’t mind, you’re welcome to stay.”

 

The moment the words left her mouth, the little rabbit’s eyes widened in shock.

 

“Of course, I don’t mind. Thank you for your hospitality, Sister.” A shadow flickered briefly in Ji Zhijie’s eyes as she responded politely.

 

Had they truly made peace?

 

Or were they preparing to clash under the same roof?

 

She really wanted to ask each of them what they were thinking, but it was clear that the current environment didn’t provide the conditions for her to question them separately.

 

With two ticking time bombs hidden in her arms. Ones that could go off at any moment. Shen Juexia’s heart pounded wildly as she nervously pretended to be deaf and mute.

 

After a brief exchange, silence once again settled inside the car.

 

Beep… beep beep… The phone screen suddenly lit up. Seeing the caller ID, Ji Zhijie instinctively frowned.

 

“Mr. Qiu, I’ve already refused you many times.”

 

“I know you’re very concerned about your mother, but the focus of my return to the country this time is on targeted drug research. Moreover, this trip was arranged last-minute, and I don’t have the qualifications to perform surgeries domestically.”

 

“Sorry, please try asking someone else.” With those final words, Ji Zhijie hung up directly.

 

“Didn’t you just return to the country today? How did a patient find you so quickly?” Shen Juexia leaned forward from the front seat, curiosity coloring her voice.

 

Turning off her phone screen, Ji Zhijie explained gently, “The surgery his mother needs is extremely complex. He’d already reached out to me through various connections before I even returned.”

 

“Then maybe you should.”

 

“I don’t have a domestic medical license right now. Besides, he once threatened me.”

 

Hearing this, Shen Juexia immediately withdrew her sympathy. Pouting, she muttered, “Then forget it.”

 

A mother needing an extremely difficult surgery, and the person just happened to have the surname Qiu. Qiu—that wasn’t a common surname.

 

Pressing her lips together, Shen Tinghan glanced at Ji Zhijie through the rearview mirror.

 

A sharp ringtone shattered the silence.

 

The phone screen glowed brightly in the dark. His eyelids fluttering weakly, Shen Congjun opened his eyes and reached toward the small table beside him.

 

Knock knock. Giving a perfunctory tap on the door, Shen Juexia entered the study.

 

Her silhouette stretched long by the night, Shen Tinghan stood by the floor-to-ceiling window as she spoke into the phone. “Alright, I understand.”

 

Hanging up and turning around, she met Shen Juexia’s slightly surprised gaze. Frowning, she asked, “What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?”

 

“Big sis, you’re not angry?”

 

Amused and exasperated, Shen Tinghan walked slowly toward her, raising an eyebrow. “Am I really that petty?”

 

Who knew?

 

Of course, Shen Juexia didn’t dare say that out loud.

 

Licking her lower lip, the little rabbit stared at her with wide, expectant eyes. “Then who were you calling just now?”

 

Noticing the poorly concealed curiosity and probing in the little rabbit’s gaze and guessing Ji Zhijie might have said something. Shen Tinghan answered calmly without hiding anything. “Work matters. I just called Zhang Yue to ask about something.”

 

!?

 

Ji Zhijie really could predict the future.

 

“She can’t foresee the future.”

 

?!

 

Even big sis—

 

“Neither can I.” The ice in her eyes melted at the little rabbit’s adorable reaction. Pressing a hand to her lips to suppress a smile, Shen Tinghan explained gently, “Everything you’re thinking is written all over your face.”

 

Realizing she’d been teased by Ji Zhijie again, Shen Juexia puffed out her cheeks indignantly and muttered under her breath, “That jerk I’m going to settle the score with her.”

 

She mentally added another black mark to Ji Zhijie’s record.

 

Looking up, Shen Juexia remembered the real reason she had come upstairs.

 

“Big sis, why did you?”

 

“What do you think, Xia Xia?”

 

Meeting Shen Tinghan’s gaze, her fingers tightening slightly, Shen Juexia answered earnestly, “Because you think she did well this time?”

 

“Passable, but not the main reason.”

 

Not because of that?

 

Then, what else could it be?

 

A sudden realization flashed through her mind. Swallowing hard, Shen Juexia cautiously asked, “Is it because you’ve had a change of heart now?”

 

“…”

 

After a brief silence, Shen Tinghan replied, “No change of heart.”

 

Feeling that any more random guesses might very well anger the beauty before her, Shen Juexia tugged at Shen Tinghan’s arm, shaking it playfully as she expertly cooed, “Sister, just tell me.”

 

Picking up the round mirror from the corner of the table, Shen Tinghan lowered her eyes and said, “Because of the mirror.”

 

“The mirror?” Staring at her reflection, unusually bashful, Shen Juexia wagged her tail happily. “Because I’m too good-looking?”

 

“Xia Xia seems very happy right now.”

 

The screen flashed with a familiar number.

 

A warmth spread in his heart as Shen Congjun touched the sensor switch of the bedside lamp.

 

Clearing his throat slightly, he swiped his finger across the screen and asked the person on the other end, “Why are you calling so late? Does Zi Cheng miss his dad?”

 

“Husband, something’s happened to Zi Cheng!” The voice was clearly frantic, though Jiang Mengqin’s expression remained calm as she looked at her son lying before her.

 

All drowsiness vanished instantly. Sitting up abruptly from the hospital bed, Shen Congjun’s voice tensed. “Don’t scare me! Explain properly. What happened to Zi Cheng?”

 

The phone was on speaker beside the table. Holding the pre-written script in her hand, Jiang Mengqin vividly described a sequence of events that had never occurred.

 

“How could you be so careless with a child!” Clutching a glass, Shen Congjun hurled it to the ground with force. “Didn’t I warn you already? This is a critical time. You should be watching Zi Cheng!”

 

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Mengqin struggled to suppress the fury in her heart.

 

Soon, she would be free from this misery.

 

For these last few days, she had to play her part flawlessly!

 

“Wahh… I don’t know either, husband. What should we do now? Should I call the police?” Forcing out tears, Jiang Mengqin feigned panic and confusion.

 

Yes!

 

Call the police immediately.

 

Her words seemed to remind Shen Congjun. Gripping his phone tightly, he was about to speak.

 

“Husband, who could have taken Zi Cheng?” Jiang Mengqin interrupted him just in time, her voice trembling. “If we act rashly and call the police, might the kidnapper retaliate and hurt Zi Cheng?”

 

“Husband, do you have any enemies?”

 

As if struck by a thought, his expression grew increasingly grim.

 

Clenching his fists, Shen Congjun gritted his teeth. “Don’t worry about it. I know exactly what’s going on here!”

 

Noticing her evasion, Ji Zhijie raised an eyebrow and asked coldly, “Then why are you dodging?”

 

She hadn’t even realized this angle before.

 

Only after Ji Zhijie brought up the topic of substitutes did it suddenly dawn on her.

 

Her delicate earlobes flushed crimson, as if about to drip blood.

 

Biting the tip of her tongue lightly, Shen Juexia covered her blushing cheeks. “I, I… I’m too embarrassed to look at you right now.”

 

“Tch.”

 

Unconvinced by her feeble excuse, Ji Zhijie pulled her wrist away from her face and leaned in closer. “Shen Juexia, look me in the eyes.”

 

Like a timid little rabbit, Shen Juexia wished she could bury her face in her belly.

 

Originally, I didn’t want to lay all the facts bare, but who would have thought Shen Juexia actually had the nerve to keep making excuses.

 

Cool fingertips gripped her chin, forcing her to lift her face. A shadow flickered through Ji Zhijie’s eyes as she asked, “Tell me the truth. If I didn’t look like this, would you still have come to provoke me?”

 

Shen Juexia swallowed hard, pausing for a few seconds before opening her mouth.

 

Seeing the hesitation in her eyes, Ji Zhijie flung her hand away and strode straight for the door.

 

Knowing she’d misunderstood again, Shen Juexia rolled off the bed and hurried after her.

 

“Even though my initial interest in you was related to your appearance, that doesn’t mean I see you as a replacement for my sister.” Clutching Ji Zhijie’s wrist tightly, Shen Juexia looked up into her eyes and said, “Ji Zhijie, you were always meant to be part of the Shen family.”

 

Ji Zhijie had intended to hear what other nonsense Shen Juexia could spin, but at those words, she froze.

 

Watching Ji Zhijie’s stunned expression, Shen Juexia sighed helplessly. “I knew you’d react like this. Hard to believe, right? Back then.”

 

“Shen Juexia, do I look stupid to you?”

 

“Not really? You’re not as clever as me, but still…” Halfway through, Shen Juexia caught her meaning and pouted. “You don’t believe me?”

 

Her initial eighty percent disbelief slowly dropped to fifty under Shen Juexia’s unwavering gaze.

 

“Do you have any proof?”

 

Spreading her hands, Shen Juexia reasoned, “Otherwise, how do you explain why you and Shen Tinghan look so alike? And why I resemble Ji Wan far more than you do.”

 

Ji Zhijie’s gaze swept subtly over Shen Juexia’s face. She’d never made the connection before, but upon closer inspection, it was just as Shen Juexia had said.

 

Her fingers trembled at her sides. Frowning tightly, Ji Zhijie pressed her lips together. “All of this is just your speculation. Without concrete evidence, why should I believe you’re telling the truth?”

 

“What do you mean?” Before Jiang Mengqin could finish, he hung up.

 

Glancing at the ended call screen, Jiang Mengqin idly stood up, flicking her nails.

 

The machine beeped urgently. Face dark with fury, Shen Congjun’s eyes burned with hatred.

 

“Shh!” Xu Li pressed a finger to her lips, raising an eyebrow. “As an English teacher, I’d love to see whether this scammer speaks to me in English or Chinese.”

 

Watching Xu Li’s eager expression, Li Yue shook her head helplessly, picking up a spare rib and focusing on her meal.

 

“Hello, Teacher Xu.”

 

Oh? Impressive. She even knew she was a teacher!

 

Eyebrows lifting toward Li Yue, Xu Li switched to speakerphone. “Hello, may I ask who’s calling?”

 

“Shen Juexia’s guardian, Shen Tinghan.”

 

Li Yue’s chopsticks clattered onto the table as she stared at the phone in shock before glancing at Xu Li.

 

Goosebumps rose on Xu Li’s arms. Instantly serious, she exchanged a look with Li Yue, swallowing hard before cautiously asking, “Director Shen, what can I do for you?”