The Cold White Moonlight Desires Me Every Day - Chapter 35

Ni Yunshi’s delicate face immediately darkened. She swiftly slipped the ring onto her finger and tucked the jewelry box away.

“President Ruan prepared this,” Li Xiao said, downplaying his role to distance himself. “How could I possibly be worthy of pursuing President Ni?”

“Really? But this looks like a wedding ring. Isn’t that against company policy?” A cold glint flashed in Gu Hewan’s eyes.

“What are you, some relic from a bygone era? All you care about are rules?” Ni Yunshi retorted, rolling her eyes. “Tangtang and I are deeply in love. A ring symbolizing our relationship is perfectly normal.”

“But didn’t you already have a pair of silver rings from your student days?” Gu Hewan feigned ignorance. “Silver may not be as valuable as gold, but first love runs the deepest. Why don’t you ever wear that ring anymore?”

Silver is cheap?

LOL, back in my student days, I couldn’t even afford a pancake!

And how would I know what happened during their student days? How does this guy know more than I do?

“You seem to be quite close to Tangtang,” Ni Yunshi said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “She tells you everything, doesn’t she?”

“Xiao Tang and I have always shared everything,” Gu Hewan casually added, twisting the knife. Then she asked, “By the way, where did you put that silver ring? You didn’t lose it, did you?”

“No, I’ve kept it safe,” Ni Yunshi said, her gaze darting to the side.

“Of course. Xiao Tang used to eat only one meal a day to save up for it. Losing it would be truly heartless,” Gu Hewan sighed dramatically.

Ni Yunshi froze.

Last night, Tangtang pulled out a box that seemed to contain a silver ring…

It must be that one! Damn it, why haven’t I ever worn it?!

Ni Yunshi! What were you even thinking?!

Her frustrated, self-reproaching thoughts drifted out the office door, clear as day.

Ruan Tang stood outside, listening intently, her brow furrowing.

Does she really not remember anything from our student days? Did she lose her memory in an accident these past three years? Or is there some other reason…?

“Speaking of which, what was your reaction when Xiao Tang first gave you the ring? Was it the same as how you feel now?”

Inside the room, Gu Hewan pressed further, her tone dripping with gossip.

“Just because you’re here experiencing life and have nothing better to do doesn’t mean I’m out of work too,” Ni Yunshi snapped, her dislike for Gu Hewan simmering.

What’s with her? Why does she have to dig so deep?

This relentless, root-and-branch pursuit—why can’t she channel that energy into our ultimate goal: crushing housing prices?

I swear, I want to punch… Tangtang!

Ruan Tang stepped into the room, and the chaotic thoughts instantly froze.

Ni Yunshi’s haughty demeanor crumbled. Her eyes reddened, and her lips trembled slightly as she pouted. “Tangtang, you came at just the right time! You only got a ring for me, not Hewan, and now she’s jealous and mad at me!”

What a classic case of the villain playing the victim!

Ruan Tang’s eye twitched.

Gu Hewan frowned at the smear campaign, about to defend herself when Ruan Tang flashed a radiant smile. “Hewan, she’s been spoiled since childhood and never thinks before she speaks. Please bear with her.”

“It’s no problem at all. Your friends are my friends too,” Gu Hewan replied warmly, her own smile blossoming.

Only Ni Yunshi remained, her face dark enough to drip ink.

Chews on handkerchief—

What’s so funny?!

You don’t even have a ring from Tangtang! What right do you have to laugh?!

“Hewan finished work early, and it’s almost lunchtime. I wanted her to come get you for lunch first. Next time, don’t take someone’s kindness for granted,” Ruan Tang scolded Ni Yunshi, her face dark.

Ni Yunshi mumbled an “Oh,” her voice dripping with jealousy.

On weekdays, they usually ate lunch at the cafeteria on the third floor.

Though convenience was the main reason, Ruan Tang still ordered soup and dessert for Ni Yunshi, a dining habit she’d maintained since they first met.

As soon as the soup arrived, Ni Yunshi poured it directly over her rice.

“Huh?” Ruan Tang blinked in surprise.

“What’s wrong?” Ni Yunshi tilted her head, puzzled.

“Don’t you usually drink the soup first?” Ruan Tang reminded her of her usual habit. “It helps maintain your figure. Mixing soup with rice makes the rice mushy and easier to gain weight.”

“Nonsense,” Ni Yunshi retorted, already stirring the rice and soup together.

My stomach isn’t a storage box! It can’t sort and store things separately!

The rice and soup are going to mix in my stomach anyway. What difference does it make how I eat it?

If you really want to lose weight, just don’t eat. Get a portable urn—you and the urn together won’t weigh more than five pounds.

She mentally scoffed, completely unaware that these were the very theories she had once imparted to Ruan Tang with an air of superior confidence during their childhood.

After the meal, Ni Yunshi didn’t touch her dessert. Instead, she had it packed up and handed it to Ruan Tang to take back to the office.

That afternoon, Bai Mei’er called a meeting, and Ni Yunshi hurried off.

Ruan Tang sat behind her desk, her chin propped in her hands, gazing at the strawberry shortcake in the box.

Finally, she dialed a health consultant.

“The symptoms you’ve described typically indicate either a brain injury or a traumatic event that has triggered a personality shift and amnesia. For a proper diagnosis, it’s best to bring the patient to the hospital for a thorough examination,” the consultant advised objectively.

“Thank you,” Ruan Tang replied, hanging up with a renewed sense of urgency.

Three years wasn’t a long time, but it wasn’t short either. Given Ni Yunshi’s solitary struggles in the cutthroat world of power, anything could have happened.

As she pondered this, there was a knock at the door.

Gu Hewan had returned from outside. Noticing Ruan Tang’s troubled expression, she raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong? Didn’t you enjoy your lunch?”

“No,” Ruan Tang shook her head.

“Ah, so it was the person you had lunch with who’s got you distracted,” Gu Hewan guessed correctly.

Ruan Tang nodded helplessly. “I truly never imagined three years could change someone so drastically.”

Gu Hewan grinned. “Maybe it’s not just her habits that have changed—maybe she’s become a completely different person?”

“Hewan, your wild ideas are too far-fetched,” Ruan Tang sighed softly.

How could two people look exactly alike? Even identical twins have subtle differences.

Besides, she had been working tirelessly at Tangzhao Group for the past three years, seen by countless people every day. How could someone with ulterior motives have swapped her out?

The only explanation was that she hadn’t truly understood Ni Yunshi before. Now that they were finally opening up to each other, she felt this unsettling sense of disconnect.

Gu Hewan was about to speak again, but Ruan Tang quickly changed the subject. “By the way, how’s your project coming along? Have you secured all the necessary approvals?”

“A project this massive can’t be approved overnight. Plus, we’re still short-staffed,” Gu Hewan said, pinching the bridge of her nose wearily before sighing and adding, “Maybe we should add Shishi to the project team this time?”

“That’s not a good idea. It’s too far outside her field; she wouldn’t be able to adapt,” Ruan Tang frowned.

“But she’s a quick learner, and management principles are universal,” Gu Hewan urged. “Besides, don’t you want her to advance quickly within the group? A collaboration between you two would be a win-win situation.”