What to Do If the White Moonlight Omega Falls in Love with Me - Chapter 41

About two hours later, Yan Qingran jerked awake. Her fists were clenched, and sweat soaked her back. The sudden tension caused the wound in her palm to split open, and blood seeped through the gauze.

As bright moonlight poured through the window, the dream she’d just had replayed in her mind. In the dream, she wasn’t sure of the date, only that it was a clear day. She encountered Cha Yuxuan at school, and standing beside Cha Yuxuan was none other than Quan Yinshiao. The two were chatting and laughing intimately, brushing past her as if she didn’t exist.

Feeling despondent, she left the school. While passing a small alley, she heard Cha Yuxuan’s cry for help. She spun around and ran inside, finding a helpless Cha Yuxuan surrounded by three or four thugs. Just as she was about to rush forward, Quan Yinshiao appeared out of nowhere. Grabbing her arm, he said with a beaming smile, “This is just a good show.”

Then Yan Qingran woke up, the echoes of Cha Yuxuan’s tearful cries still ringing in her ears. She picked up her phone, then set it back down, telling herself it was just a dream, yet sleep remained elusive. It was already midnight. Carrying dark circles under her eyes, she went to the bathroom. As the steaming water poured over her, the flow stung the wound in her palm, but it did nothing to ease the worry in her heart.

A life free of trouble had lasted too long; tranquility had vanished so abruptly that Yan Qingran had no idea how to deal with someone like Zhuang Wei, a wealthy heir raised in a family defined by intrigue. He had money and power; she had almost nothing. The only person she could think of for help was her father, far away in Dunburg. But distant water cannot extinguish a nearby fire. For now, she had to handle most things herself. Yan Bing could offer advice, but the actual legwork was up to her.

“I just want to break off the engagement,” Yan Qingran sighed. “Why did things end up like this?”

Zhuang Wei’s change in attitude was a major issue. When she first approached him to negotiate, he acted as if he didn’t care about the engagement at all, showing none of the arrogance or unreasonable behavior typical of a rich heir. If Grandpa knew Zhuang Wei’s true colors, he’d probably be filled with regret. Now, the most pressing concern was Zhuang Wei’s retaliation. Closing her eyes to recount the events, she noted several suspicious points.

First, why did he suddenly change his firm stance of breaking the engagement in a year to acting as his exclusive inhibitor? Second, why did he let go so easily at the end, without any sign of difficulty or craftiness? Third, why, after agreeing to the breakup, was his target of revenge Cha Yuxuan instead of herself?

After weighing several possibilities, she reached a conclusion: Zhuang Wei valued her more than she imagined. In other words, he wanted to possess her but was unwilling to be the one to destroy her. But why? She speculated that, for some reason, Zhuang Wei knew of her even before the initial engagement and had designs on her. It was getting more complicated. Yan Qingran sighed silently. Unable to find a deeper reason for his behavior, she gave up for now.

After washing up, she treated her wound and checked the time. It was 1:00 AM. Since it would be daytime in Dunburg, she dialed Yan Bing’s number. As expected, Yan Bing started complaining immediately. “Baby, don’t you sleep? It must be the middle of the night in Jing City. And as a corporate slave who just got off work, I need my rest.”

Yan Qingran ignored his half-joking grumbling. “If I’m not mistaken, you’ve probably just finished horse racing with those gentlemen and are currently enjoying coffee and pastries.”

Yan Bing’s hand froze mid-air as he lifted his cup. He cleared his throat and set it down. “Mary and I have already picked out several bags. I’ll bring them back for you in two weeks.”

“Mm,” Yan Qingran rubbed her temples. “Do you know the Zhuang Group?”

A glint flashed in Yan Bing’s eyes. “Of course. Mary has some business dealings with them. The person in charge seems to be Zhuang Chengjun’s second son, Zhuang Ruo. He’s handling family affairs here while studying in Dunburg. Quite a polite kid.”

“His brother isn’t polite at all,” Yan Qingran muttered internally.

Yan Bing continued, “I recall you’re engaged to one of their sons?”

“Yes, Zhuang Wei. I believe he’s the youngest.” Yan Qingran proceeded to tell Yan Bing everything about Zhuang Wei, including her suspicions and questions from tonight.

Yan Bing took a sip of his coffee, his expression shifting. He stroked his chin. “I might know the reason, but it’s just a guess, and it involves some of their family scandals. You don’t need to ask. As far as I know, Zhuang Wei is the least favored child, yet he has generated the greatest profit with the fewest resources. His talent far exceeds his second brother’s. He’s difficult to deal with.”

Yan Qingran’s heart sank. “So I can only stand by and watch?”

Yan Bing smiled. “Don’t worry about that. He’s a bit crazy, but his weakness is obvious. Next month, during the National Day holiday, I’ll invite Zhuang Ruo to return to the country with me. By then, things should be easily resolved.”

“Okay.” Yan Qingran leaned against the headboard helplessly. Everything had to wait for her father’s return; she felt utterly useless.

Yan Bing remarked casually, “The strange thing is, Zhuang Chengjun gave most of the power to the eldest son, Zhuang Ze. From what I can tell, aside from being steady, Zhuang Ze has no talent for business investment, nothing compared to Zhuang Ruo or Zhuang Wei.”

“I don’t care about that at all,” Yan Qingran thought, but she replied, “Maybe in Zhuang Chengjun’s eyes, steadiness is the most important quality.”

“It’s possible,” Yan Bing laughed.

Yan Qingran reached out as if to grasp the air. “So, what should I do in the meantime?”

Yan Bing looked out at the vast lawn before him. “It’s simple. Go win your honey back. Tell her directly that the engagement is off. I’ll talk to Yan Zhao on your behalf. Since Zhuang Wei did such a thing, Yan Zhao has no reason to let him keep harming you. After that, you just need to protect your girl.”

Yan Qingran could hardly believe her ears. “It’s that simple?”

“It wasn’t a difficult matter to begin with,” Yan Bing said easily. “As the old Chinese saying goes, ‘A twisted melon is not sweet.'”

Yan Qingran paused. “It sounds very out of character when you say that.”

Though Yan Bing rarely returned home and his Chinese had grown rusty, he was still Chinese at heart. “Don’t mind the details. My body is in the Cao camp, but my heart is with Han.”

Yan Qingran then spoke the words she’d kept hidden for a long time. “I want a younger brother or sister.”

Yan Bing nearly spat out his coffee. “Where did that come from?”

Yan Qingran said sincerely, “I want them to grow up by your side, to experience a different life for me, and to keep you two company.”

Yan Bing fell silent for a long time. When he had fallen out with Yan Zhao years ago, he hadn’t thought much of it. Mary’s pregnancy had been a complete surprise; she had told him her fertility was damaged and the chances were near zero. When Yan Qingran was born, the two young parents had no idea how to raise her. It was a hands-off, almost accidental upbringing. So, when Yan Zhao insisted that Yan Qingran stay in China for school, both Yan Bing and Mary agreed. Consequently, by age five or six, Yan Qingran was without her parents’ protection, surrounded only by a strict grandfather and a submissive nanny.

Receiving no reply, Yan Qingran added lightheartedly, “It’s okay if you don’t want more children. I was just suggesting it.”

“No,” Yan Bing explained somewhat urgently. Over the years, he and Mary had never used protection, yet she had never conceived again.

Yan Qingran felt a pang of sadness. “So, I was just an accident?”

Yan Bing chose his words carefully. “An accident, yes, but Mary and I never intended to abandon you. We simply didn’t know how to raise a child, and at the time, we were so busy stabilizing Mary’s family business that we had no time to look after you.”

Yan Qingran stared at the ceiling, feeling a bit lost. “I understand.” It was the explanation she expected. She could understand it logically, yet she couldn’t accept it emotionally.

Yan Bing ruffled his curly hair, looking frustrated. “I’m sorry.”

Yan Qingran chuckled softly. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Giving me life is enough.”

Yan Bing opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words. Many people choose not to let children tie them down when they are young, but parents as hands-off as he were rare.

Yan Qingran recalled a few shattered memories from her early childhood. She remembered running on the estate’s grass with chubby legs, followed by a panicked nanny. She knew “dad” and “mam” would return from outside the iron gates in a long, black car. She would always trip and fall right in front of them because she ran too fast, and then she would see two young, helpless, and worried faces.

Afterward, she wasn’t allowed on the grass. She stayed inside, where a kind female tutor taught her to read, write, draw, and do basic math. Once, she sneaked into her dad’s study, climbed the high leather chair, and used her crayons to scrawl “dad” and “mam” all over a paper filled with strange diagrams. Then she saw her dad’s dark face as he hurried to carry her away, while her mam whispered “oh my god” repeatedly. She couldn’t remember anything more.

Unknowingly, tears began to stream down Yan Qingran’s face. She hung up the phone abruptly, not even saying goodbye. Yan Bing stared at the “call ended” screen before sighing and walking away. Eventually, Yan Qingran fell into a deep sleep, her brows finally unfurling as she drifted into a dream world free of nightmares.

Cha Yuxuan hadn’t seen Yan Qingran for one day, thirteen hours, and fifteen minutes. According to the schedule she had memorized, Yan Qingran would definitely be at the teaching building this morning. A sleepy Yun Qi was dragged out of the dorm by Cha Yuxuan. After a quick, numb breakfast, they rushed to the building. With twenty minutes left before class, Yun Qi slumped onto the desk. “I’m sleeping for a bit.”

Cha Yuxuan handed her a tissue, explaining kindly, “Sleeping facedown makes it easy to drool.”

Yun Qi’s mouth twitched. Looking at that innocent, beautiful face, she swallowed her retort, placed the tissue on the desk, and took a nap.

Cha Yuxuan timed her exit to the restroom perfectly. As expected, Yan Qingran walked in just as the sun rose, wearing a solid-colored oversized hoodie with skinny jeans and Martin boots. Her hands were almost entirely hidden in her sleeves, only her fingertips visible. This was very “un-Yan Qingran.” Cha Yuxuan’s eyes widened; Yan Qingran never wore oversized clothes. To her knowledge, all of Yan Qingran’s clothes were perfectly tailored, and she had never seen this hoodie in the closet.

Because of her S-class Alpha healing abilities, the wound in Yan Qingran’s palm had scabbed over, but it was still ugly, and she didn’t want Cha Yuxuan to see it. Cha Yuxuan looked away and headed for the restroom. Three, two, one. Just as she finished the countdown in her head, Yan Qingran called out to her.

“Does the invitation for the Mid-Autumn holiday still stand?”

Seeing her open expression, Cha Yuxuan felt a surge of joy. “You?”

Yan Qingran took a deep breath. “Yes. I’m free.”

Just yesterday, Yan Zhao had called her. He said both parties agreed to the breakup and that he would no longer interfere in her love life. He even told her to invite her girlfriend for the Mid-Autumn dinner. This quick resolution was largely thanks to Yan Bing. Driven by guilt, he used his and Mary’s influence in Dunburg to pressure both the Zhuang family and Yan Zhao, forcing a swift conclusion.

Cha Yuxuan nodded vigorously, her happiness plain to see. “Yes!”

Yan Qingran gazed at her and asked respectfully, “Can I hug you?”

A smile curled on Cha Yuxuan’s lips as she opened her arms. Yan Qingran stepped forward and pulled her into a tight embrace, a sense of fulfillment flooding her heart. Students and passers-by rushing to class looked at them with various expressions.

The bell rang suddenly. Yan Qingran released her, tidying Cha Yuxuan’s long hair without a hint of panic. “Let’s have lunch together. I’ll wait for you here.”

Cha Yuxuan wanted to say more, but Yan Qingran gave her a gentle push. “Go to class.” Though she had good grades and was liked by teachers, she still needed to study hard.

After Cha Yuxuan left, Yan Qingran walked up to the third floor. Under the surprised gazes of the class and Professor Yang, she knocked calmly. “Reporting.”

Professor Yang nodded expressionlessly, signaling her to enter, and continued his lecture. Yan Qingran sat in her usual spot, opened an architecture book, and took out her iPad to work on her own tasks, ignoring the lecture. When Professor Yang tapped the chalkboard several times and she didn’t look up, he grew irritated. It was one thing to be late, but she shouldn’t ignore the class just because her grades were good. He walked over to her desk and nearly died of anger; the book on her desk wasn’t even for his course, and her iPad showed an unfinished floor plan.

The surrounding students were silenced by the professor’s low aura. Yan Qingran looked up to see him on the verge of an outburst. She quickly glanced at the PowerPoint, then summarized the architectural characteristics and famous architects of various foreign countries during that period. She explained that she had already done the work and didn’t need to listen to the lecture.

Seeing that her explanation was comprehensive, detailed, and delivered clearly without notes, Professor Yang let her off. His expression softened as he returned to the podium. “Previewing is important, but I expand on many extracurricular topics. If you can all master foreign architectural history as well as Yan Qingran, you don’t have to listen either.”

The students began whispering. “How the hell is someone supposed to memorize all that? I’ve never even heard of some of that stuff.”

“Yan Qingran has changed. Usually, even if she knows the material, she gives the teacher face and listens. Today she just went for it.”

Professor Yang tapped the podium and expanded on what Yan Qingran had said. The classroom returned to its previous quiet, filled only with the sound of the lecture and the students taking notes. As soon as the morning classes ended, Yan Qingran packed her things and was the first one out of the room. She ran down to the first floor and waited by Cha Yuxuan’s classroom.

She calmly replied to WeChat messages, occasionally looking up until she spotted Cha Yuxuan and Yun Qi in the crowd. She smiled at them. “Lunch together?”

Cha Yuxuan seemed to forget everything Yun Qi had cautioned her about. She stuck close to Yan Qingran’s side. “Yes, yes!”

Yun Qi curled her lip, tugged her backpack strap, and followed them warily.

The noon sun was intense. Yan Qingran was prepared, opening an umbrella. Cha Yuxuan naturally took her arm, and the two were shielded by the shade, while Yun Qi, the “1000-watt lightbulb,” baked in the sun.

Yan Qingran said somewhat apologetically to Yun Qi, “Sorry, the umbrella is a bit small.”

“You definitely said that on purpose! So this is the real Yan Qingran!” Yun Qi thought indignantly. She pulled her hoodie over her head and muttered, “It’s fine. I have a hood.”

All the way to the canteen, Yan Qingran and Cha Yuxuan chatted and laughed in the shade, occasionally leaning into each other, while Yun Qi sweated profusely inside her hoodie. Once they reached the cafeteria, a sweat-drenched Yun Qi couldn’t take it anymore. She patted Cha Yuxuan’s shoulder. “Go ahead and eat without me. I just remembered I have something to do back at the dorm.”

Cha Yuxuan nodded understandingly. “Thanks for coming, go eat soon.”

Yan Qingran closed her umbrella, watching Yun Qi’s retreating back. “She seems a bit hot.”

Cha Yuxuan said playfully, “That’s because when she shines, she also gives off heat.”

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