After Accidentally Marking My Stepsister's White Moonlight (GL, ABO) - Chapter 26

Although her emotions had calmed down thanks to Jian Mo’s reassurance, the moment Ye Wenjin recalled how naturally those words had been spoken, the restlessness in her heart simply wouldn’t subside.

This made her avoid even glancing in Jian Mo’s direction during dinner, keeping her eyes downcast as she focused on eating, not daring to say a word.

Butler Wu found this rather peculiar, his gaze shifting repeatedly between the two.

Jian Mo, on the other hand, remained composed as usual, acting as if nothing had happened—except for the faint glimmer of amusement in her eyes whenever she casually glanced at Ye Wenjin.

Ye Wenjin was different. She was far too easy to read.

Perhaps it was her youth, or perhaps her innocence, but her emotions were always written plainly on her face, making it obvious what she was thinking.

And with such a shy reaction, it was clear to everyone that something must have happened between them.

Butler Wu observed the two with a smile, his expression growing increasingly benevolent the longer he watched.

Yet as he continued watching, a trace of melancholy suddenly surfaced in his heart.

If only Madam were still here… She would have been overjoyed to see Miss Momo finding someone she liked, especially since Miss Wenjin was such a wonderful person—Madam would have adored her too.

Butler Wu sighed inwardly, a flicker of sorrow passing through his eyes before he quickly suppressed it.

This was a happy occasion—no need to dwell on such thoughts and ruin the mood.

Still, the thought of Madam inevitably led to the circumstances surrounding her passing, and a flash of disgust crossed Butler Wu’s eyes.

He swiftly adjusted his emotions, turning his kindly gaze back to Ye Wenjin, a smile returning to his lips.

Miss Wenjin truly was a good match.

Butler Wu continued watching the two with a pleased smile, noting the unmistakable chemistry between them—their progress seemed to be going smoothly, which delighted him even more.

Ye Wenjin’s embarrassment lingered far too long because of Jian Mo’s words. What made it worse was that she could feel Butler Wu’s gaze on her throughout dinner. Though there was no malice in it, she couldn’t help but feel self-conscious.

The entire meal left her in a daze, and it was only after finally finishing that she could finally relax.

It was still early. Ye Wenjin glanced at Jian Mo, hesitating before she eventually walked over to her, her face already flushing before she even spoke.

“Sister, I… can I go practice first?”

Jian Mo looked at her, and under that gaze, Ye Wenjin felt as if all her thoughts were laid bare.

Yet Jian Mo only chuckled softly. “Of course.”

Ye Wenjin wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she felt like there was something deeply meaningful in Jian Mo’s eyes as she said those words.

Too embarrassed to hold her gaze, Ye Wenjin thanked her and hurriedly turned to leave for the dance studio.

The temperature had risen over the past couple of days, making the air conditioning unnecessary.

Just from walking briskly, Ye Wenjin already felt a little warm. Since she had just eaten, she didn’t start practicing immediately. Instead, she sat on the floor, planning to refine the dance she would perform for the audition.

The audition wouldn’t just evaluate their technical skills—it would also consider their personal style.

What Ye Wenjin needed to figure out was how to adapt the choreography to suit her, showcasing her individuality.

She had been thinking about this for the past two days, but inspiration had yet to strike. For now, she could only focus on perfecting the dance itself.

Originally, she could have pondered over it during her break, but because of Jian Mo’s words, Ye Wenjin was so flustered that she couldn’t calm down to think clearly.

Staring at the video playing on her phone, Ye Wenjin’s gaze grew distant, her mind wandering unconsciously.

Sometimes, it felt like her thoughts weren’t her own, completely out of control.

The more she tried to calm down, the more restless they became, until the images in her mind galloped wildly into forbidden territory…

Ye Wenjin abruptly closed her eyes, covering her face with her hands, forcing herself to regain composure.

No more thinking! She had to calm down!

After repeating this warning to herself several times in her heart, Ye Wenjin slowly opened her eyes. But when she lifted her head and inadvertently caught sight of her slightly flushed cheeks and watery gaze in the mirror, she was startled and averted her eyes as if electrocuted.

Now too embarrassed to look in the mirror, Ye Wenjin decided to get up and change her clothes, finally managing to calm down.

After resting for over half an hour, she had mostly digested her emotions, and her state of mind improved accordingly.

Ye Wenjin’s rationality finally returned, at least enough to keep her thoughts in check, unlike before.

Taking a deep breath, she began warming up, stretching her body thoroughly before starting to practice the chosen dance routine.

Following the music’s rhythm, Ye Wenjin flawlessly replicated all the moves, yet she remained unsatisfied.

After one run-through, she paused to consider where she could make adjustments.

While thinking, she set up her phone to record, planning to review the modified routine later and refine it further.

After three or four relentless attempts, Ye Wenjin’s breathing grew uneven, her chest heaving slightly, but her brows remained furrowed—clearly still dissatisfied.

She needed some inspiration.

Lost in thought, she immersed herself in her own world, continuously tweaking, experimenting, and performing.

Only when large beads of sweat rolled down her temples did Ye Wenjin realize how exhausted she was.

Catching her breath, she turned to check the time, only to spot Jian Mo’s graceful figure standing at the doorway.

She didn’t know how long Jian Mo had been there or how much she had seen.

The moment she saw her, Ye Wenjin’s eyes instinctively lit up, her ears turning red.

This dance adaptation was still a work in progress, disjointed in places, and she had been experimenting relentlessly.

Her expression during the trial-and-error process hadn’t been the most composed.

And now, this half-finished product had been witnessed by Jian Mo.

Ye Wenjin’s ears burned, her cheeks warming with a tinge of embarrassment.

“Sister, when… when did you get here? Have you been watching long?”

Ye Wenjin hurried forward but stopped two steps away from Jian Mo.

Drenched in sweat from practice, she didn’t want to get too close, afraid Jian Mo might catch an unpleasant whiff.

So she restrained herself, keeping a polite distance.

Jian Mo’s eyes flickered, her smile unwavering. “Xiao Jin, why don’t you come closer? You’re standing so far away.”

Ye Wenjin hesitated but answered honestly, “I… I’m all sweaty. I didn’t want you to smell it. It’s not nice.”

Jian Mo’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Is that so? But I don’t mind. Come a little closer.”

Hearing this, Ye Wenjin still felt it wasn’t proper, but she didn’t want to refuse Jian Mo either. So she took two small steps forward, then lifted her gaze to meet Jian Mo’s.

Jian Mo smiled at her without saying a word.

Seeing this, Ye Wenjin inched forward like a snail, then glanced at Jian Mo again. When she still showed no intention of speaking, Wenjin had no choice but to move even closer.

Only when the distance between them had narrowed considerably did Jian Mo finally speak softly, “Are you tired from practicing? You’ve been dancing nonstop for almost two hours—it’s time to rest.”

Wenjin was startled to realize so much time had passed.

Observing her expression and recalling what she had just witnessed, Jian Mo mused, “Xiao Jin, are you adapting this dance?”

Wenjin nodded, instinctively voicing her frustration, “Yes, but I…”

She trailed off, hesitating.

Should she tell Jian Mo now? But she wasn’t sure if she could even secure the role yet. Wouldn’t it be embarrassing if she mentioned it now and ended up failing? What if she made a fool of herself in front of Sister?!

Thus, Wenjin fell into deep conflict.

Jian Mo’s eyes flickered slightly as she asked slowly, “Xiao Jin? Is this something you can’t tell me? A secret?”

Wenjin shook her head reflexively.

Jian Mo’s tone dipped slightly. “Ah… so, Xiao Jin just doesn’t want to tell me.”

Wenjin: “!”

She immediately abandoned her hesitation and hurriedly explained, “No, no! Of course I want to tell Sister!”

“The dance I’m practicing now is for an audition. There’s a group performance opportunity coming up, and our whole class will participate, but they need to select one lead dancer and a few supporting dancers.”

“I’m preparing for the lead and supporting dancer auditions, but…”

“I was thinking of inviting Sister to watch the performance only after I secured one of the roles. If I became the lead or a supporting dancer, then I’d hope Sister…”

She closed her eyes, letting the warmth rise to her cheeks. “I hope Sister can come watch me perform…”

Jian Mo remained silent.

Unable to bear the quiet, Wenjin nervously opened her eyes—only to meet Jian Mo’s smiling gaze. Instantly, her face burned hotter.

“Sister…”

She called out shyly, unsure what else to say.

Jian Mo chuckled. “If you don’t get the role, does that mean I can’t go watch? Xiao Jin?”

Wenjin shook her head. “No, that’s not it! I just…”

She suddenly looked up, her bright eyes fixed on Jian Mo. “I just wanted Sister to see me as the lead or a supporting dancer.”

She had her own little motives—the lead and supporting dancers would undoubtedly draw a lot of attention, making it a great chance to shine. Naturally, she wanted Jian Mo to witness it.

After saying this, Wenjin grew too embarrassed to look at Jian Mo and began fidgeting with her fingers.

But then, thinking of her struggling adaptation, she couldn’t help but feel dejected.

“Still… I’m missing some inspiration for the adaptation. The dance isn’t quite polished yet.”

Hearing her honest admission, Jian Mo’s smile deepened. Seeing her distress over the choreography, she thought for a moment before suggesting, “In that case, why not go watch someone else perform? I believe Mei Yan is holding a performance in the neighboring city. Would you like to go?”

Wenjin’s eyes widened slowly, her words stumbling. “Mei… Yan? Which… Mei Yan are you talking about?”

Jian Mo laughed. “Do you know any other Mei Yan?”

Ye Wenjin froze. “I know… there’s only one renowned dance instructor, Mei Yan… but tickets to her performances are incredibly hard to get.”

Jian Mo smiled. “Don’t worry about that.”

Slowly emerging from her daze, Ye Wenjin’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Jian Mo.

She was overjoyed. Mei Yan’s dance troupe consisted of top-tier performers, and tickets always sold out the moment they were released.

She had wanted to see a performance for a long time, but either couldn’t get tickets or was too busy. So she’d never had the chance to experience it live.

And now, Jian Mo was saying she’d take her to see Mei Yan’s performance!

Ye Wenjin was so excited that she instantly felt all her exhaustion vanish.

Seeing her happiness, Jian Mo raised an eyebrow. “Alright, it’s getting late. Go wash up.”

Ye Wenjin nodded eagerly and hurried to tidy the dance studio.

Watching her haste, Jian Mo added leisurely, “Xiao Jin, I’ll be waiting in my room.”

Ye Wenjin’s movements halted abruptly, nearly dropping what she was holding.

She whipped her head around to look at Jian Mo, her face flushed but her gaze unwavering despite her soft voice.

“I… I understand, Sister.”

Jian Mo chuckled lightly and left first.

From then on, Ye Wenjin felt dizzy, the thoughts she’d suppressed earlier resurfacing with a vengeance. Especially when she knocked on Jian Mo’s door and heard her say “Come in,” her heart pounded wildly.

The room’s lighting was dim, the hazy glow suffused with an ambiguous atmosphere.

Ye Wenjin paused, swallowing hard before stepping inside.

Jian Mo laughed at her expression. “Xiao Jin, why are you still so nervous?”

Ye Wenjin’s face burned. She didn’t want to be nervous, but she couldn’t help it.

Around Jian Mo, staying calm was nearly impossible.

And… those intimate moments between them kept flashing through her mind—she wasn’t just nervous but deeply embarrassed.

Noticing her blush, Jian Mo watched her with amused interest.

Ye Wenjin’s eyes darted away. “Sis… Sister, stop… stop looking at me.”

Jian Mo slowly averted her gaze. “Fine, then I’ll leave it to you, Xiao Jin.”

Ye Wenjin immediately promised, “Don’t worry, Sister. I’ll do a good job guiding you!”

Jian Mo hummed in acknowledgment, letting her control the pheromones for guidance.

With her first experience, Ye Wenjin was slightly more adept this time.

She guided her pheromones, methodically untangling Jian Mo’s chaotic ones until Jian Mo was on the verge of overload before stopping.

Before coming, Ye Wenjin had resolved this would be purely professional guidance.

But the moment their eyes met after finishing, she found herself unable to look away.

As they held each other’s gaze, the air around them grew thick and heated.

“Not going to do it?”

Jian Mo’s voice was soft, her eyes shimmering like rippling water, irresistibly alluring.

And just like that, the thread of reason snapped effortlessly. Ye Wenjin gave up resisting, pressing forward with a kiss so reverent it bordered on worship.

She really was weak-willed.