Turns out I Was the CEO's White Moonlight [Rebirth] - Chapter 10

The entire room fell into a dead silence.

No one dared to speak at this critical moment. They could only watch as Si Rui stood there, his face deathly pale, while Ji Wencheng poured the wine from the bottle with an expressionless face. In the quiet air, it seemed as if only the sound of the amber liquid gurgling out of the bottle could be heard.

The cold liquid soaked the young man’s bangs, streaming freely down his pale face. Even his clothes were thoroughly drenched, making him look utterly disheveled in an instant.

Unmoved, Ji Wencheng finished pouring the bottle of Hennessy, threw the empty bottle to the ground, and kicked it aside.

“Kneel,” he said coldly. “Apologize to him.”

Si Rui abruptly raised his head, his eyes wet and reddened as he looked at him. “Brother Wencheng, I didn’t.”

“Apologize,” Ji Wencheng repeated.

“But…”

“I said,” Ji Wencheng’s voice turned icy, ” a-po-lo-gize!”

Si Rui’s breath hitched. Chilled to the bone by the command, his eyes reddened instantly. Silently clenching his fists, he slowly bent his knees under the silent gaze of everyone, facing Shen Yelin’s direction, his face filled with humiliation.

Ji Wencheng watched his tightly clenched jaw, a sign of unwillingness, and said, “Tell me, what did you do wrong?”

“I…” Si Rui gasped, his voice strained, “I shouldn’t have spoken recklessly, slandering others without reason. I shouldn’t have cursed, thrown a tantrum, or tried to splash wine on him.”

“I didn’t ask you to apologize to me,” Ji Wencheng said. “Why are you apologizing to me? Did you insult me?”

Si Rui bit his lower lip, his face pale.

Shen Yelin, who had been watching the scene from the side, finally spoke up. “Enough, Ji Wencheng. Know when to stop.”

Ji Wencheng glanced at him and saw that Shen Yelin’s expression was calm, indeed not looking angry. Only then did he turn back to Si Rui, his lips moving slightly as he coldly spat out a word: “Get out.”

Si Rui trembled and immediately obeyed, scrambling out of the room.

“Wait.”

Shen Yelin called out to stop him, rising from the sofa and walking over to Si Rui, who was still kneeling on the floor. “Do you remember the question I asked earlier?”

“Yes.”

“Then tell me.”

Si Rui choked for a moment before saying, “I’m studying at an art school, debuted at a celebrity agency a year ago, and I’m 20 this year.”

Shen Yelin hummed in acknowledgment, then glanced at Ji Wencheng, whose expression was complicated. “Not bad. At least you didn’t stoop to messing with minors. There’s still some hope for you.”

Ji Wencheng: “…”

Wait, do you really think I’m that kind of person?

For a moment, he really wanted to grab Shen Yelin by the collar and protest indignantly.

Seeing Shen Yelin take the initiative to speak, everyone immediately understood that the matter was now behind them. They quickly gathered around, laughing and joking, trying to dispel the awkward atmosphere as soon as possible. Shen Yelin glanced at them but said nothing, only asking, “Is your phone broken?”

“No,” Ji Wencheng averted his gaze.

“Then what were you trying to do?” Shen Yelin said. “Disappear on everyone? How old are you? Your parents were so worried they called me. Aren’t you ashamed?”

Ji Wencheng pursed his lips in silence.

The sudden defensive attitude he displayed made those around him feel a hint of unease. They quickly interjected, “Wencheng, aren’t you going to introduce us? We’ve just been sitting here clueless, not even knowing this gentleman’s name. It’s quite impolite we should at least apologize, right?”

Ji Wencheng ignored them and turned to Shen Yelin. “How did you get in?”

Shen Yelin replied, “They opened the door for guests. I came in under the name of Yaoyu Entertainment. Why, is that not allowed?”

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

“Then tell me,” Shen Yelin lifted his gaze, his tone indifferent, “why didn’t you answer the phone?”

Ji Wencheng was instantly left speechless by the question.

He glanced at Shen Yelin, who seemed completely unaware of what had happened on the day of the birthday party. The words stuck in his throat unable to come out, yet impossible to swallow. After stewing for a moment, he sat down on the sofa and said to the group eagerly awaiting his response, “This is Shen Yelin, my childhood friend. Remember to call him ‘brother.'”

Everyone exchanged glances, piecing together the earlier remarks, and their hearts sank with dread.

There weren’t many prominent artists with the surname Shen at Yaoyu Entertainment they could be counted on one hand. On the other hand, the company had recently appointed a new CEO, rumored to be very young but exceptionally capable, with the entire company holding him in high regard. And that new CEO happened to be surnamed Shen.

Damn, thank goodness they hadn’t followed Si Rui in giving this man a hard time. Otherwise, would they still be sitting here so calmly? At best, they were just a bunch of hangers-on trying to curry favor with Ji Wencheng. This man was the real deal a genuine childhood friend someone they could never hope to compare with.

Taking another look at the man’s demeanor, they could now clearly see the air of someone raised in wealth and privilege, far beyond the ordinary.

Si Rui’s face had gone beyond pale.

Though he hadn’t experienced much of society’s harsh lessons, he knew there were people you could mess with and people you couldn’t. He had initially assumed Shen Yelin was just another ex-boyfriend Ji Wencheng had tossed aside. As the current partner, he thought he could freely bully and mock him. But now the situation had taken a sharp turn. Not only was Shen Yelin not someone insignificant, but he also came from a background comparable to Ji Wencheng’s precisely the kind of person Si Rui should never have provoked.

As for Yaoyu Entertainment, even those with little knowledge of the entertainment industry knew it was a nationally renowned, established entertainment and media company, home to countless popular artists and directors, with investments in countless classic films. Now he had offended Yaoyu’s new boss and even called him a “lowlife” to his face.

Thinking about his yet-unfulfilled dream of becoming a star, Si Rui nearly fainted on the spot.

The blow was too much to bear.

Upon hearing Ji Wencheng’s words, Shen Yelin frowned slightly.

He had no interest in getting to know this crowd. The only reason he had come was at the request of Ji Wencheng’s mother. He turned to Ji Wencheng and said, “Find a quiet place. There’s something I need to discuss with you.”

Ji Wencheng, who had just sat down on the sofa and poured himself a drink, nearly spilled his wine at Shen Yelin’s words. For a moment, he feared his own actions had been discovered and that Shen Yelin was merely saving face by not bringing it up in public.

He set down his cup without a word, stood up, and nodded toward a waiter not far away. The waiter immediately understood and approached them, bowing respectfully. “Please follow me.”

The waiter led the way, guiding them into a secluded private room. Shen Yelin walked in, chose a single sofa, and sat down. He watched Ji Wencheng follow behind and close the door before speaking. “Xiao Xuan told me it was you who helped take me away the night before last?”

Ji Wencheng found a seat near him and sat down as well, nodding. “Yes.”

“And then? What happened?” Shen Yelin asked. “Tell me the truth. Don’t try to fool me.”

Ji Wencheng’s hand, which had been reaching for the water, froze mid-air.

He looked up at Shen Yelin, who sat calmly across from him, and realized for the first time how difficult it was to read the other man’s thoughts. Shen Yelin’s expression was far too composed, making it impossible for Ji Wencheng to determine whether he already knew what had happened that night.

After all, not everyone could accept the fact that a childhood friend of over twenty years harbored improper feelings for them.

Recalling the events of that night, Ji Wencheng couldn’t help but feel regret. He wondered if things would have been different if he hadn’t indulged in those extra drinks, allowing alcohol to cloud his judgment. Would he have dared to get so close to Shen Yelin otherwise? He had been driven to madness by the sight of Shen Yelin’s restrained breathing, his lowered eyes, and the faint, alluring redness at the corners of his eyes. In a moment of reckless impulse, he had leaned in, wanting to kiss Shen Yelin and mark him with his own scent.

And then, a sharp slap across his left cheek had jolted him back to reality.

Ji Wencheng had assumed that Shen Yelin was already sober at that moment, which explained his fierce resistance. Because of this, he believed Shen Yelin must now see him as a despicable scoundrel who would even prey on his closest friend. He hadn’t dared to answer Shen Yelin’s calls, fearing he might hear the words that would sever their ties forever.

If their friendship ended because of this, Ji Wencheng feared he would lose his mind.

If it were anyone else, he wouldn’t have hesitated to use his family’s influence and connections to force the matter. But when it came to Shen Yelin, all those wild thoughts vanished, replaced only by cautious attempts to please and careful efforts to conceal.

He couldn’t bear to see Shen Yelin suffer even the slightest grievance in his presence. If Shen Yelin asked, Ji Wencheng would do anything for him, no matter what it was. Yet Shen Yelin was different from anyone he had ever pursued and would always remain different. Their closeness stemmed from their childhood bond, but that same bond made taking their relationship further an almost impossible luxury.

Compared to losing their friendship entirely, maintaining it as it was seemed far better. Even if it meant only catching a distant glimpse of Shen Yelin, Ji Wencheng felt it was enough to satisfy him.

Having reasoned this through, Ji Wencheng forced himself to appear calm as he poured himself a glass of water. “It was nothing much. Halfway there, you said I’d been drinking too and shouldn’t drive. Since it was already late, I just booked a hotel room for you and didn’t take you home.”

Shen Yelin raised an eyebrow slightly.

What a shame, Shen Yelin thought. If only the lie could have been more convincing for instance, by also getting rid of the man who mysteriously appeared in his room. Then he might have actually believed the fabricated story Ji Wencheng had spun.

Since the other party could mistakenly assume Ji Wencheng was his sugar daddy, something was seriously off. Perhaps the scene of Ji Wencheng making advances toward him had been witnessed by that man, leading to such a wildly inaccurate guess, miles away from the truth.

“Really?” Shen Yelin asked again.

Ji Wencheng nodded earnestly, his expression sincere. During this time, he had crafted a set of excuses, ready to present them to Shen Yelin to gain his trust. However, just as he was about to start explaining, a sharp, needle-like pain suddenly pierced his mind. Immediately afterward, a flood of memories washed over him, turning his face pale.

He saw towering flames that seemed to devour the sky and the charred wreckage of a sports car. In the memory, he held lilies beaded with dew, his heart aching with a trembling pain as he attended someone’s funeral in a daze. Before the blurred portrait of the deceased, he silently offered the flowers, overwhelmed with regret amidst the soft sobs of those around him.

If only I had spoken up sooner, if only I had drawn closer to you,

Would the outcome have been different?

Ji Wencheng pressed a hand to his forehead, his brows tightly furrowed. The fleeting images made his pupils contract, and his heart ached with a fine, needle-like pain he couldn’t suppress. To his horror, he realized he recognized every single person at the funeral. Among them were Shen Xuan, weeping bitterly, and the sorrowful faces of the Shen couple but the one person he knew best was nowhere to be seen.

Terrified, he lifted his head, parting the fog of memory, and finally saw the face in the portrait clearly. The revelation made him lose his composure instantly, his fingers twitching violently, followed by an overwhelming wave of despair.

It was Shen Yelin.

This funeral belonged to Shen Yelin.