I Am the White Moonlight that the Former Movie Queen Secretly Loves - Chapter 28

At six in the morning, the sky hadn’t fully brightened yet when the alarm clock rang on time.

Qi Sijia threw on a jacket, unfazed by the presence of an extra person in the house disrupting her usual routine.

She headed to the kitchen first. The porridge had been prepared the night before in the rice cooker on a timer. She took it out and transferred it to a clay pot to reheat, ensuring a better texture.

While waiting for the porridge to warm up, she made two pancakes.

Normally, one would be enough for Qi Sijia, but considering she had extra batter, she decided not to waste it and made an extra one for Meng Jiang.

After finishing these tasks, she took the leftover diced carrots from the pancake scraps, steamed them until soft, mashed them, mixed them with cat food, and placed the mixture in the cat bowl in its usual spot.

The big orange cat had just woken up, lazily and somewhat listless. Since it wasn’t mealtime yet, it wasn’t particularly interested in food. After playing with its toys for a while, it would come to eat when it got hungry. The big orange was a well-behaved old cat, having lived with Qi Sijia for so many years—it knew the rules and was clean.

Aside from yesterday’s illness, which had given Qi Sijia a scare, it was generally a very low-maintenance old cat.

By the time she finished all this, it was getting closer to her work hours.

In the guest room, Meng Jiang lay quietly on the edge of the bed, her long hair nearly touching the floor.

Qi Sijia glanced at her but didn’t disturb her.

She had breakfast alone in the dining room when her phone rang.

“Are you up yet?” Ye Qianqian sounded as if she hadn’t slept all night. “I brought you breakfast.”

Qi Sijia was about to say she had already eaten when Ye Qianqian suddenly raised her voice on the other end of the line, cursing inelegantly, “I don’t get why you live in this dump. There’s some commotion downstairs—a bunch of burly guys blocking the alley entrance. I can barely get my car through…”

“Never mind, I’m coming up. Fifth floor, right?”

Qi Sijia: “…”

A few minutes later.

Ye Qianqian stood panting at the door, holding a Michelin-starred breakfast in an exquisitely packaged box. The food, likely freshly made, emitted a steaming, fragrant aroma from the bag.

Qi Sijia blocked the doorway. Ye Qianqian looked up and asked, “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

As she spoke, she glanced around Qi Sijia’s home.

It had been years since she last visited, and she had intended to assess Qi Sijia’s living conditions. But when she lowered her gaze, she happened to spot two pairs of shoes at the entrance.

One of them was a pair of Dior’s globally limited-edition nude heels—definitely not a height Qi Sijia would ever wear.

Realizing belatedly, Ye Qianqian narrowed her eyes—already sleep-deprived from the night before, they were nearly slits—and asked tentatively, “You’ve got company?”

Qi Sijia answered frankly, “Yeah, one person.”

Ye Qianqian gritted her teeth and craned her neck to peer over Qi Sijia’s shoulder. With Qi Sijia slightly turned, it was easy to glimpse the full layout of the three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment through the gap.

And with that glance, Ye Qianqian’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.

Meng Jiang, who had woken up at some point, stood poised against the wall by the guest room door, still wearing last night’s outfit.

Her slit dress reached her thighs, and she had draped a loose white shirt over it. The wrinkled, oversized shirt clashed starkly with her expensive, well-tailored dress. Ye Qianqian recognized the shirt as Qi Sijia’s at a glance.

Their eyes met.

“Sister Jiang?” Ye Qianqian called out.

Meng Jiang gave a quiet “Mm,” acknowledging the greeting.

Ye Qianqian lowered her head, and when she looked at Qi Sijia again, her gaze had grown exceedingly complicated.

She stood frozen at the door.

Meng Jiang didn’t bother acknowledging her. At her level, it was always others who sought her out to speak, especially in such an ambiguous indoor setting. In a way, Ye Qianqian was Qi Sijia’s recent crush—her “boss.” Their encounter, though beneath Meng Jiang’s notice, still didn’t warrant a pleasant expression from her.

If anything, there was a hint of narrow-minded prejudice, as if grudges had to be settled on a narrow path.

Meanwhile, Qi Sijia turned her head in response. Meng Jiang withdrew her gaze as if no one else were present, calmly glancing toward the kitchen. In the open-concept kitchen, a pot of steaming congee simmered.

“Have you had breakfast?” Meng Jiang asked, utterly indifferent to the others in the room.

Qi Sijia walked to the dining area, placing the Michelin-starred breakfast Ye Qianqian had brought on the table. She nodded and said, “I have.”

After speaking, she returned to the entryway, where a black travel bag sat on the shelf.

Qi Sijia took it down, and even from a distance, Meng Jiang could see her stuffing containers of food inside.

Surprised, Meng Jiang asked, “Leaving so early?”

“Yeah, going to work,” Qi Sijia replied without hesitation. Since everything had been laid bare the night before, she faced Meng Jiang this morning with complete composure. The only connection between them now was the kindness of Qi Sijia taking her in when Meng Jiang was in trouble.

Out of courtesy, Qi Sijia briefly explained, “There’s congee cooking at home. I made extra this morning. If you don’t mind, you can have some before you leave.”

“Or you can have this.”

Qi Sijia pointed at the Michelin breakfast, then turned to Ye Qianqian. “Did you drive here?”

Ye Qianqian nodded. “I did.”

“Then can you give me a ride?” Qi Sijia’s little yellow car was running low on gas, and for the past few days, due to the demolition issue, the young master of the Zheng family had been blocking the exit with a group of burly men.

Driving in and out had become inconvenient.

Ye Qianqian rolled her eyes, thinking, You really don’t hold back with me, do you?

Not only were you using the breakfast I bought to feed your “little lover,” but now you’re ordering me to drive you to work…

The moment the jealous thought of “little lover” crossed her mind, she suddenly realized how wrong it was. Could someone like Meng Jiang even be called a “little lover”?

This was a woman who didn’t need to maintain connections—her status alone was unshakable. Backed by the Meng family and armed with formidable skills, she was a powerhouse who played the upper circles like a fiddle.

Even now, Ye Qianqian couldn’t fully process the shock in her heart.

But upon closer thought, given Meng Jiang’s words and attitude toward Qi Sijia the night before, if there was something between them, it somehow made sense.

Right now, she truly couldn’t understand how Qi Sijia had ended up knowing someone like this.

The term “little lover” could never be pinned on Meng Jiang.

If anything, the idea of Meng Jiang keeping Qi Sijia would’ve been more believable.

Snapping out of it, Ye Qianqian quickly scanned the surroundings.

Fortunately, the two hadn’t shared a room the night before. There were two bathrooms—though one door was broken, it didn’t stop them from showering separately.

This realization slightly improved Ye Qianqian’s mood. Her gaze shifted to the living room, where a pair of wide, lazy eyes belonging to an orange cat stared back at her. The eerie sight made her quickly look away.

The kitchen door was also broken. The induction stove was on low heat, with a blackened earthen pot bubbling with porridge.

After her inspection, she concluded there were no traces of a one-night stand.

Ye Qianqian let out a long sigh of relief. Finally, she was in the right headspace to handle social interactions.

With a complicated look in her eyes, she said to Qi Sijia, “Wait a moment.”

Her face then broke into a smile as she walked over to Meng Jiang and bid farewell, saying, “Sister Jiang, I’ll take this kid to work first. I’ll treat you to dim sum another day.”

Meng Jiang didn’t say much, only slightly furrowing her brows and giving Ye Qianqian a glance with her arms crossed. “Sure,” she replied.

“Call Tu Nan along, why don’t you?”

Qi Sijia had no idea what the two were talking about, but when she looked up and saw Ye Qianqian’s smile frozen on her lips, she instinctively stole a glance at herself.

Most of the time, when Miss Ye acted furtively and awkwardly, unable to speak, it was usually due to romantic entanglements.

Thinking of Ye Qianqian’s girlfriend, Fu Chuchu, who had been exposed by the media yesterday, and connecting it to the “Tu Nan” mentioned by Meng Jiang—

It was almost certain that she had been caught cheating! And this “Tu Nan” wasn’t hard to guess—she must have some connection with Meng Jiang.

The air was thick with awkwardness. Qi Sijia hesitated for a moment before turning to Meng Jiang.

She was actually feeling a bit awkward herself, dragged into this by Ye Qianqian. But after all, Ye was her best friend, and Qi Sijia had a protective streak. After some thought, she spoke up in a slow, measured tone to defuse the situation: “We’re in a bit of a hurry, so we’ll head out first.”

Meng Jiang raised an eyebrow, a flash of striking, almost wicked charm accompanying the gesture, exuding an air of sharp disdain.

In the end, she said nothing, merely curling her lips into a light laugh. “Go ahead, then. In the future, wipe your eyes a little more when you wash your face.”

The implication was clear: your taste is terrible.

This was so typical of Meng Jiang. Back in college, she had always appeared polished and considerate on the surface, but in reality, she was the least patient person around.

To those she looked down on, her tone was dismissive and cutting.

Ye Qianqian probably hadn’t even realized what she’d done to provoke her, but Qi Sijia saw it clearly—Ye had now become the kind of player Meng Jiang despised the most.

At this thought, Qi Sijia smiled. “Got it.”

Meng Jiang: “…”

Her expression darkened further. Without another word, she turned her back on Qi Sijia and walked toward the kitchen.

Qi Sijia shrugged and tilted her chin toward Ye Qianqian, who stood frozen by the door in shock. “Shall we go?”

Ye Qianqian snapped out of her daze. Her eyes, already red from a sleepless night after being caught by paparazzi, now widened in panic like a rabbit’s, turning even redder.

–

In the car, Ye Qianqian stepped on the gas, still not fully recovered from the shock. Distracted, she accidentally shifted into the wrong gear and nearly caused an accident.

Qi Sijia swiftly pulled the handbrake, bringing the car to a stop, then switched places with Ye Qianqian to take the driver’s seat.

“Talk,” Qi Sijia said as she drove. “What’s going on with you?”

Ye Qianqian: “There were paparazzi tailing Fu Chuchu yesterday. Tell me, am I just unlucky? This is going to be fodder for those illegitimate kids of Old Man Ye to use against me, damn it—”

She caught herself before swearing further, glancing at Qi Sijia.

Rolling down the window, she lit a cigarette and took a drag, exhaling smoke with visible frustration.

“So why did you come to my place first thing in the morning—”

“To explain, of course.” After so many years as best friends, even if Ye Qianqian had certain feelings for Qi Sijia, she hadn’t voiced them. Besides, she wasn’t ready to “reform” for Qi Sijia just yet. The least she could do was clarify that her personal life wasn’t as messy as it seemed.

“Fu Chuchu is an artist under Ye Junyan’s company—forced on me. You get it.”

Ye Junyan was one of Old Man Ye’s many heirs, a contender whose abilities rivaled Ye Qianqian’s.

Qi Sijia nodded in understanding. “Has the media storm died down?”

Ye Qianqian didn’t respond, biting down on the cigarette butt and mumbling a vague acknowledgment.

“Who’s Tu Nan? Cheating, huh? Ye Qianqian, you’ve got some skills.”

At the mention of this, Ye Qianqian twisted her fingers together and stayed silent for a long while.

Qi Sijia didn’t press further—she didn’t know how to advise on such matters anyway. Deep down, she knew Ye Qianqian wasn’t the type to cross moral boundaries without reason.

After a stretch of silence, Ye Qianqian flicked the ash off her cigarette and shook her head with self-mockery. “Complicated.”

“How so?”

“You know why I’ve managed to secure my position in the family so quickly these years? Even climbed to the top of Ningcheng’s socialite circle?”

Qi Sijia raised a brow. “Hmm?”

“Because I built the network connecting the Ye family to Beicheng’s interests. To put it bluntly… I’ve got connections in Beicheng.” Ye Qianqian paused, deftly lighting another cigarette. “Shen Tu Nan—she’s the one who brokered that connection for me.”

Qi Sijia knew Ye Qianqian had her wild side, but she never imagined the heiress would stoop to dirty deals for power and status.

Frowning slightly, she asked, “And yet you still cheated? Aren’t you afraid she’ll cut you off?”

“It’s just mutual benefit.” Ye Qianqian smirked bitterly. “That lunatic Shen has a white moonlight in her heart. I’m just a stand-in for the bedroom. Get it?”

Qi Sijia didn’t know what to say. She wanted to tell her to stop, to walk away.

With Ye Qianqian’s status, she didn’t need to go this far.

“Oh, but I do,” Ye Qianqian said, as if reading her thoughts. “Given how my old man spreads his seed everywhere, how else do you think I secured my position? Besides, Shen Tu Nan rarely has needs, and she hardly ever comes to Ningcheng. If she’s not even taking it seriously, why should I stay loyal? Don’t even think about it.”

Qi Sijia didn’t know how to talk her out of it, but she still felt the need to warn her. “Go apologize—to her, and to Fu Chuchu.”

Ye Qianqian rolled her eyes and took a deep drag. She was already irritated, even though she knew she was in the wrong.

But the people around her weren’t her choice—they were forced on her. How else could she keep the pack of ambitious half-siblings at bay?

Ye Qianqian was far more socially adept than Qi Sijia. She treated those around her well—her performances were convincing, but the only one she ever actually slept with was Shen Tu Nan. As for Fu Chuchu and the like, she never skimped on benefits.

And Fu Chuchu? She was probably just in it for the wealthy status, the money, the resources fed to her.

If anyone deserved an apology, it’d only be if Shen Tu Nan actually cared enough to confront her.

The thought of Shen Tu Nan—who insisted on blindfolds in bed—made Ye Qianqian nauseous all over again. She glanced sideways at Qi Sijia and swiftly changed the subject. “Enough about me. What about you?”

“What’s the deal with Meng Jiang?”

Her tone was tinged with jealousy. “I never knew you had any ties to her.”

Qi Sijia smiled. “Classmates.”

“Just classmates?”

Qi Sijia countered, “What else?”

Ye Qianqian scoffed. She didn’t buy it. After years of friendship, when had Qi Sijia ever brought someone home? And a woman like Meng Jiang—there was no way she’d lower herself to stay in Qi Sijia’s shabby little place.

Her mind raced with possibilities, but she kept her suspicions to herself, choosing not to voice the potential sparks between the two.

“Alright, remember what you said—don’t get involved with her. You might not know this, but I’m terrified of Shen Tunan. That lunatic has to play the obedient granddaughter around Meng Jiang. Those two used to run in the same circles. So let me warn you—Meng Jiang isn’t just some actress. Her social circle is way bigger than yours or mine, and she’s calculating, a smiling Buddha. Every connection she makes is driven by self-interest. If you go giving her your heart or something, I’m seriously worried you’ll end up worse off than me.”

Ye Qianqian still wasn’t reassured. “No, I have to educate you on just what kind of status she holds—”

Qi Sijia’s lips twitched. “Stop. I don’t want to hear it.”

“Why not?” Ye Qianqian paused, exasperated.

“Not interested,” Qi Sijia replied flatly. “So why bother learning about her background?”

A long silence followed before Ye Qianqian finally looked away from Qi Sijia’s face, cupping her cheeks as she burst into laughter. “Wow, you’ve got great taste—you don’t even want her. Hahahahaha!”