I Am the White Moonlight that the Former Movie Queen Secretly Loves - Chapter 1

The weather in Ningcheng was gloomy today. At 3 PM on a weekday afternoon, inside the landmark sales center of the prestigious Jinbiao Mingting residential complex in the city center.

After seeing off the last client, the manager glanced at the dark, overcast sky. Considering the lack of customers, he decided to give everyone an early dismissal.

It wasn’t that their management was lax—Jinbiao Mingting was one of Ningcheng’s top-tier high-end residential communities. The property had been handed over a year ago, and only a handful of units remained. Combined with the dreary weather, it was unlikely any clients would come by to view properties.

So, he went with the flow and let the team leave early to relax.

However, when the notice was relayed, the assistant in the reception room misunderstood and thought they were having a team-building event in the afternoon.

She set out a fruit platter, coffee, and drinks, then connected the advertising screen in the sales hall to the TV and started playing a movie.

At that moment, the movie channel was airing an interview.

Just as Qi Sijia pulled her hat low and stepped into the sales center, Meng Jiang’s strikingly beautiful face appeared on the big screen.

Meng Jiang had impeccable poise—her seated posture was the epitome of elegance, honed through years of posture training.

Her long legs were slender and perfectly straight, pressed together at a textbook 45-degree angle under the lighting, showcasing their graceful curves.

Even an ordinary person sitting like this would be praised for their posture, let alone someone like Meng Jiang, a triple-crown film queen.

She seemed much more mature than in previous years, her emotions no longer worn on her sleeve. No matter how tricky the host’s questions were, she handled them effortlessly, delivering polished, diplomatic answers that left no room for criticism.

During the interview, her lips carried a faint smile, her phoenix eyes slightly upturned with a teardrop mole at the corner. If she ever smiled fully, she’d be an absolute natural-born enchantress.

Though outside of acting, no one had ever seen Meng Jiang’s smile reach her eyes.

Yet it did nothing to diminish the allure of her flawlessly striking beauty from every angle.

Most of the young women in the sales center were fans of Meng Jiang. At this moment in the interview, the host followed the script and asked the usual question about Meng Jiang’s love life.

Assuming she wouldn’t answer, the host even prepared a way to gracefully move on.

But contrary to her usual “I’m happily single” stance, Meng Jiang, in an uncharacteristic move, lifted her gaze to the camera with a hint of sultry amusement in her voice and said, “How should I put it? Though I hate to admit it, while filming First Love at 20 in 2019, I pictured my first love’s face.”

The moment the words left her mouth, the host was visibly stunned. “And then?”

“And then?” Meng Jiang’s lips curled slightly, as if she found the question amusing.

A soft chuckle escaped her, slow and deliberate. “I dumped Q.”

The drawn-out tone carried a hint of wistfulness—or perhaps unresolved regret.

The host was floored.

Who would’ve thought that at the peak of her career, Meng Jiang would not only openly admit to having a first love but also reveal that it was a woman?

Not that such a revelation would affect her much. After all, Meng Jiang wasn’t just a pretty face—she was an acclaimed actress whose talent outshone her looks.

This year, she had been nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress, and she had swept domestic awards with ease. Her acting had been praised by renowned international directors as nothing short of genius.

Given all that, Meng Jiang’s career-focused fans far outnumbered those who admired her for her looks. Even this bombshell confession wouldn’t make a dent in her career.

Still, faced with such a revelation, the host was momentarily at a loss, unsure of Meng Jiang’s intentions.

The interview was live, and the host’s expression was a mix of tension and caution as she took a deep breath.

In contrast, Meng Jiang herself remained the picture of effortless elegance, utterly unfazed by the uproar her words would cause. When she mentioned “Q,” her expression was as casual as if she were discussing the weather.

“Sorry, I was so surprised I forgot my lines. What girl could be that lucky?” The host snapped back to attention and seized the moment to ask.

Meng Jiang’s fingers tapped idly on her knee. Hearing the question, she looked up and replied to the host in a playful tone, “Isn’t it more like unlucky? After having a first love like me, no matter who they are, it’d be hard for them to find a better girlfriend than me.”

The subtext was clear: I’m the queen.

With her striking beauty and that one line, she left no room for argument.

Qi Sijia frowned in agreement—it was indeed extremely unlucky.

Having your first love publicly joked about like this meant that, for the rest of your life, no matter who came after, breaking up with them would still be more dignified than this.

No longer looking at the radiant woman on the screen, Qi Sijia averted her gaze. Just then, she heard the real estate consultants in the sales office snap out of their shock and start chattering among themselves.

“Ugh, Jiangjiang had a first love? As a CP fan, I’m devastated today.”

“That first love is ancient history, right? Since Meng Jiang admitted it so openly, it’s clearly long over.”

“I just want to know—who was this chosen first love? After dating someone as stunning as our sister, could they ever measure up again?”

…

Even for someone as socially anxious as Qi Sijia, hearing “measure up” struck a nerve. It was like hitting a sore spot—she couldn’t listen anymore.

As if your sister is some celestial beauty?

Qi Sijia scoffed and feigned a cough.

At that moment, the real estate consultants in the sales office lobby turned their heads in unison:

…

Multiple gazes landed on her. Qi Sijia tugged her cap even lower, her voice magnetic and smooth: “Do you have any units for sale?”

The room fell silent for three seconds.

Truth be told, Qi Sijia’s outfit was a bit odd.

Her baseball cap was pulled down low, paired with a black face mask. From start to finish, she hadn’t shown her face, wrapped up tightly like some celebrity with an air of mystery.

But up close, aside from her slender waist and striking figure, her outfit was casual—a dark green hoodie with relaxed-fit trousers.

Her sneakers were the latest all-black model, their quality indiscernible. The whole ensemble gave no hints about her background.

The consultants at this high-end property sales office were quick on their feet. Even though it was almost closing time, a client was a client.

The on-duty consultant, SA, swiftly stepped out from the gossiping crowd.

After a practiced trio of smiles, SA led Qi Sijia to the designated client sofa.

“Would you like tea or coffee?”

“Coffee,” Qi Sijia replied.

…

A minute later.

“Miss, are you sure you don’t want to look around more? You’re paying in full upfront?” SA paused while holding the model, giving Qi Sijia a slightly surprised look.

“Yeah.”

On the side table sat a pot of Clivia miniata, its petals a soft yellow, crowding the pot in full bloom. It complemented the elegant, luxurious lobby perfectly—except for one thing: the fragrance was overpowering.

Pressing her lips together to suppress the urge to leave, Qi Sijia pulled her crossbody chain bag closer and took out a wallet.

Since she rarely went out, her bag held almost nothing—just a phone and a wallet. No touch-up lipstick, tissues, or even a parasol.

SA glanced at it out of the corner of her eye, baffled. What kind of woman goes out with so little?

Could she be some spoiled rich kid splurging recklessly?

But her age didn’t seem to fit. SA kept her doubts to herself and politely acknowledged the decision.

This was the first time she’d encountered a buyer who barely even asked about the unit’s orientation before committing.

It’s important to note that the prices at Century City weren’t cheap—even before the official launch, they had already been hyped up to match the cost per square meter in Beijing’s Second Ring Road.

Now, a year after the handover, buying at this point meant settling for leftover units with less-than-ideal layouts or overpriced first-floor villas and top-floor duplexes that offered poor value for money.

No matter how you looked at it, the prices were steep.

Yet, the lady across from her hadn’t even asked about discounts before opting for a full cash payment.

Still finding it hard to believe, SA held her breath and dutifully presented Qi Sijia with the available discount options.

“I can help you secure an internal company discount—”

Qi Sijia cut her off decisively. “Do you have any well-oriented units left?”

“The top-floor duplex, the crown jewel of the property, was sold last month. The remaining decent units are on the first floor, featuring a sunroom and a small courtyard. Priced at 88,000 per square meter, the total comes to 7.3 million. Rounding it down, that’s 7 million.”

Qi Sijia nodded. “Got it.”

She then pulled out two cards from her wallet. Under SA’s complicated gaze, she placed them on the table, first glancing at the Industrial and Commercial Bank card on the left, then at the China Construction Bank card on the right. After a few seconds, she hesitated and looked up at SA.

This was a more normal reaction—after all, buying a property worth 7 million shouldn’t be this straightforward.

SA, ever the smooth operator, offered an out: “Any difficulties?”

Avoiding the sales consultant’s probing look, Qi Sijia switched the left card to her right hand, swapping them back and forth a few times, unsure how to phrase her request.

To SA, this behavior clearly signaled that she might be short on funds.

Just as SA was about to step in, Qi Sijia finally found the right words. Pressing both cards onto the table, she slid them toward SA.

Her voice was pleasant, like freshly melted snow seeping gently into one’s heart: “I don’t remember how much is on them. Could you try both?”

SA: “…”

Qi Sijia had been burning the midnight oil writing lately, and her memory wasn’t at its best.

Add to that the fact she hadn’t left the house in three months—there’d been no need to use her cards—so she wasn’t entirely sure which one held 10 million.

After a brief silence, she placed the cards down and, right in front of the consultant, entered her PIN to check the balance on each. Over the years, these two cards had accumulated a total of 20 million.

Not an astronomical sum, but more than enough for a property purchase.

Without even looking up, Qi Sijia remained completely unaware of how ostentatious this display appeared to others.

The gazes fixed on her grew noticeably more fervent.

Her expression cooled slightly, and she glanced toward the entrance three times.

She couldn’t stand crowded places.

Her severe social anxiety had progressed to a point where it was hard to define. Going three months without stepping outside was normal for her. That she had ventured out today to buy a house and sign a contract was nothing short of a groundbreaking personal milestone.

There was a reason behind this sudden property hunt.

It had been five years since she’d been in a proper relationship.

Every past romance had ended the same way—dumped within a month.

Finally, she’d met her current girlfriend, and their relationship had lasted longer than usual.

Her girlfriend didn’t mind her reclusive habits and was content with an online relationship. Despite never meeting or video-calling, she’d never once complained.

Their only argument happened yesterday when her girlfriend wanted to visit her place and hold her hand—only to be rejected.

She seemed upset.

Unsure how to make amends, Qi Sijia had turned to her readers in the author’s notes, asking for advice on how to make a relationship last…

Their suggestion? Secure a home before settling down.

The path of homosexuality isn’t an easy one to walk. While society has become more tolerant in recent years, it still doesn’t equate to legal marriage.

It’s best to buy a property as a form of security for your partner.

Qi Sijia thought this made sense, so she mustered up the courage to go out, determined to buy a home for love.

Now that the payment had been made, there was no way she could back out or give up halfway.

She forced herself to sit on the sofa, waiting for the sales agent to process the card payment.

Qi Sijia didn’t want to stay a moment longer. Her expression was indifferent, her tone cold: “Let’s sign the contract.”

With the money secured, the sales agent swallowed hard and said, “Of course, of course.”

As Qi Sijia was leaving, the sales agent pulled out a recruiting headhunter’s business card—just the one for part-time work—and handed it over.

The sales agent felt awkward and was about to switch to another card.

But Qi Sijia was in a hurry to leave, so the agent had no choice but to awkwardly tuck it into Qi Sijia’s pocket. “That has my contact info. If you have any questions in the future, feel free to reach out.”

–

As soon as Qi Sijia left, the real estate consultants who had witnessed the three-minute property purchase began chattering excitedly.

“She really splashed the cash.”

The sales agent shrugged. “No kidding. Just casually pulled out two cards—assets worth at least 20 million…”

“Is she a celebrity? Last month, Meng Jiang came here all covered up too, not showing her face.”

The sales agent glanced at the name on the contract—Qi Sijia.

An ordinary name.

She shook her head. “No. Probably just some loaded second-generation rich kid from Ningcheng.”

–

Qi Sijia had just picked up the housing contract and was in the underground parking lot when her current girlfriend, Shu Ran, called.

“Got a minute? I need to talk to you.”

“Mm…” Qi Sijia replied. “Urgent?”

“Pretty urgent.”

Qi Sijia happened to have a surprise for her too, but she hadn’t fully recovered from the earlier interactions. Still, since her girlfriend sounded urgent, she thought for a moment.

“How about somewhere quiet? Huaqing Garden, maybe?”

Shu Ran thought she’d misheard. She rubbed her ear, confirming the address was indeed the Huaqing Garden she knew.

Gritting her teeth, she thought, Qi Sijia’s been hiding things well.

Last time for her birthday, Qi Sijia had only gifted her a 100-yuan in-game skin, making her think she was broke. But now, out of nowhere, she suggests Huaqing Garden—a high-end private club.

Either way, Shu Ran had already decided to break up with her.

“Fine, you pick.”