The Moon Shines on Me (GL) - Chapter 32

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to not reply to your messages and make you rush all this way. I truly apologize.”

Shen Yuan stroked Gu Shiwei’s hair, then felt it wasn’t enough, so she lightly kissed her on the corner of the mouth.

Gu Shiwei was completely dizzy from the kiss, a little lost, but the moment Shen Yuan pulled back, she instinctively reached out and wrapped her arms around her.

Warm sunlight streamed in through the window, the pure white curtains lifted by the gentle breeze. Gu Shiwei couldn’t help but lift Shen Yuan’s chin and kiss her.

The fervent kiss was mingled with feelings of longing and separation, their breaths intermingling, utterly unrestrained, yet it simultaneously soothed two restless hearts.

They kissed for a long time before finally parting.

Shen Yuan zoned out for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Xie Tingxin is here?”

Her missing memories gradually returned. Shen Yuan suddenly remembered she had passed out in Xie Tingxin’s room yesterday. Where was she now?

Hearing Xie Tingxin’s name, Gu Shiwei frowned, then quickly smoothed it out: “She left after she saw me arrive.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuan licked her lips and said, a little nervously, “Gu Shiwei, there’s something I want to tell you honestly.”

Seeing her so serious, a bad premonition suddenly arose in Gu Shiwei’s heart: “What is it?”

Shen Yuan cautiously glanced at Gu Shiwei, then said, “Actually, my relationship with Xie Tingxin is quite extraordinary.”

Gu Shiwei: “?”

“She used to be my… best friend.”

Gu Shiwei: “??”

Shen Yuan took a deep breath and continued, “She and I were swapped at birth and only switched back when we were twenty.”

The knot in Gu Shiwei’s heart abruptly loosened. She hid the unusual look in her eyes and suddenly realized, “Yuan Yuan, so your real last name is Xie?”

Shen Yuan: “???”

Was that the point?

“The point is, I feel incredibly guilty towards her, but at the same time, I feel very…”

Shen Yuan deliberated, then chose a compromise word: “disgusted.”

“So you’ve been hiding it from me, not telling me your connection to Xie Tingxin, because you were afraid I would find out about your… past?” Gu Shiwei’s eyes flickered, her light-colored pupils staring straight at Shen Yuan, not giving her any chance to evade.

Shen Yuan nodded: “Yes, but later I figured it out.”

“Figured out what?”

A hint of nervousness shone in Shen Yuan’s eyes. She squeezed Gu Shiwei’s fingers, as if drawing strength from the touch, and stumbled out, “I figured out that I really like you… and I want to be honest with you… I hope you can see my most authentic self… and then—like me… the way I like you.”

Shen Yuan finished speaking anxiously, and silence returned to the ward. At that moment, the sound of cicadas faded into the distance, and even the breeze blowing in from the window seemed to still. Gu Shiwei could only hear their breathing and heartbeats. She looked down at Shen Yuan’s dark eyes, feeling momentarily transported to the clouds, lighthearted and joyful, like biting into a marshmallow, sweetness spreading from her head to her toes.

“I love every version of you,” she said.

Back to Jinghai

The next day, they flew back to Jinghai.

They had only been gone for a few days, but Riyue (Sun and Moon) had already stirred up a lot of trouble again. Zhaoyang (Sunrise/Morning Sun) was currently in fierce competition with Riyue.

In the original artists’ office, Lu Qingwan, seeing Shen Yuan finally back, pulled her aside to gossip.

“Our rival recently released several new outfits, they’re free, and the quality is comparable to anniversary collection items. I’m genuinely impressed, has the rival company become a charity?”

“Their official Weibo account is throwing shade at us again. It’s the first time I’ve seen an official account with such poor taste.”

“Sister Yuan Yuan, remember Mu Rui, who framed you? I just checked and found out she looks so much like you, how can they be so similar?”

…

Shen Yuan caught Lu Qingwan’s last sentence and turned to look at her phone in confusion.

There was indeed a photo on Lu Qingwan’s phone screen. Shen Yuan stared for just a moment and froze; this person… really did look a little like her.

“So her real name isn’t Mu Rui, I just found out Mu Rui is just her stage name.”

“She secured such an important position at Riyue at a young age, why would she ruin her future doing something so unethical, I just don’t get it.”

“And you have no quarrel with her, why did she target you repeatedly?”

…

Lu Qingwan was still rambling, but Shen Yuan suddenly looked pale.

So Xie Tingxin was playing the replacement trope here.

Even the stage name Mu Rui was quite meaningful if you thought about it.

In short, it was a psycho and a Stockholm Syndrome patient.

“What’s wrong, Sister Yuan Yuan?” Lu Qingwan stopped gossiping immediately when she saw Shen Yuan’s change in expression.

Shen Yuan returned to her usual blank expression and shook her head: “Nothing.”

She said goodbye to Lu Qingwan and then left the office.

After Work

When she returned, it was almost time to leave work. Lu Qingwan noticed the documents in her hand and curiously asked, “Sister Yuan Yuan, what job did you take on now?”

Shen Yuan: “Drawing an NPC original design sketch and several character original sketches.”

Lu Qingwan was busy drawing and just said ‘Oh’ without asking further.

Shen Yuan returned to her station and opened the drawing software. She first drew a rough draft, but before long, she sighed and put down her pen.

She stared at the computer screen for a few minutes, then, as if compelled, opened a new canvas.

She was so engrossed in drawing that Shen Yuan unknowingly worked overtime. When she finally looked up, most of the people in the office had left, likely gone out for dinner.

She picked up her phone and saw that Gu Shiwei had sent her messages half an hour ago, asking if she was done working and what she wanted to eat tonight.

Shen Yuan quickly packed her belongings and left the office.

When she went out, she indeed saw Gu Shiwei in the hallway.

Gu Shiwei was leaning against the window, radiating an air of “do not approach,” typing coolly on her phone.

“Buzz—”

Shen Yuan’s phone suddenly vibrated. She looked down and saw that Gu Shiwei had just sent her a few messages.

Zhao: Yuan Yuan, why aren’t you answering me QAQ

Zhao: I miss you, I want to see you right now ;(

Zhao: I can’t help but go look for you 0.0

Perhaps the emoticons Gu Shiwei used looked too pitiful, Shen Yuan gripped her phone, her heart melting.

She forced herself to walk over calmly, tapped Gu Shiwei on the shoulder, and in the next second, met a pair of accusing eyes.

She looked a little wronged.

Shen Yuan mumbled, “I just saw… the messages you sent me.”

Gu Shiwei’s eyes instantly lit up.

“Yuan Yuan, you’re finally done.”

Shen Yuan had previously told her that she didn’t want to expose their relationship at the company, so Gu Shiwei had forced herself to reduce the number of times she contacted Shen Yuan at work, only seeking her out in particularly urgent situations.

“Have you been waiting long?” Shen Yuan blocked the view from behind her and secretly held the hand that Gu Shiwei had hanging by her side.

This small gesture made Gu Shiwei’s heart flutter. Her mind went hazy, and all resentment vanished: “It wasn’t a long wait, just half an hour.”

“Next time, you can just call me; don’t worry about disturbing me,” Shen Yuan said.

Gu Shiwei vaguely nodded in agreement, then led Shen Yuan to the underground parking garage.

The car she drove each day was different. Today’s car, once the door was closed, made it impossible for people outside to see in.

Gu Shiwei had held back all day. While fastening Shen Yuan’s seatbelt, she couldn’t wait any longer and grabbed her chin, kissing her.

Although Shen Yuan knew people outside couldn’t see them, she could still hear footsteps and voices nearby. Her entire face flushed. She gently clutched Gu Shiwei’s collar, her eyelashes trembling as she responded to the passionate kiss.

The Film

Yunjin Courtyard

After dinner, Shen Yuan was about to go downstairs for a walk to aid digestion, as usual, but Gu Shiwei stopped her: “Yuan Yuan, Lin Qinghuan recommended a few movies, said they have a lot of artistic merit. Let’s skip the run today and watch a movie together.”

Gu Shiwei said this while turning on the living room projector.

“Okay.”

Shen Yuan walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and, with a swish, pulled the curtains shut.

The room darkened, with only one dim light on. They sat side-by-side on the rug, gazing forward.

“Fingersmith?” Shen Yuan read the movie title on the screen and whispered it. It was her first time watching a double-female lead movie.

“Mhm, Yuan Yuan, let’s move closer.” Gu Shiwei shifted back slightly, pulling Shen Yuan entirely into her arms.

In the silent night, in a corner amidst the myriad of lights, two lonely souls clung tightly to each other.

When they reached the ‘teeth-grinding’ scene in the movie, Gu Shiwei suddenly couldn’t resist. She turned Shen Yuan’s chin and leaned in to kiss her.

With their lips pressed together, they were like two homeless souls who had found their home. All uneasiness and suppression drifted away with the mundane world.

In this moment, all that belonged to them was courage and joy.

“Yuan Yuan, your ears are so red.” Gu Shiwei’s voice was low and husky. When she spoke close to Shen Yuan’s ear, her lips intentionally or unintentionally brushed her earlobe.

“I love you.”

The hot breath combined with the soft voice brushed against her ear, striking Shen Yuan’s heart like an electric current. She felt a tingling sensation all over, her heart feeling completely full.

A moment later, her shoulders relaxed, and she leaned tightly against the person behind her.

“I love you, too.”

Gu Shiwei’s heart leaped, disrupting all her rhythm.

She suppressed the overwhelming joy bubbling up inside her, took hold of Shen Yuan’s shoulders, laid her down on her lap, and then lowered her head to kiss her tenderly.

The movie continued to play on the screen, but no one was watching or appreciating it. In this moment, their eyes could only hold each other, nothing else.

Cheeks, forehead, nose tip, lips, neck—all were kissed. Gu Shiwei narrowed her eyes, looking at the hazy-eyed Shen Yuan, and suddenly lifted her up with a surge of strength.

The sound of water echoed from the bathroom. Rose petals floated in the bathtub. Gu Shiwei held Shen Yuan and whispered close to her cheek. Whatever she said made Shen Yuan blush from head to toe.

Their eyes were both very bright, like the moonlight reflected in a lake. A breeze passed, rippling the clear water, and the waves took a long time to subside.

When they came out after their bath, the movie had finished playing. Gu Shiwei pulled back the curtains, letting the moonlight stream in.

When she finished tidying up and returned to the room, Shen Yuan was already fast asleep. Her long hair spread across the white pillow, half her face hidden in the darkness, the visible half still bearing a blush that hadn’t faded.

Gu Shiwei walked in, held her hand, and stayed by the bed all night.

The bright moon, the eight missed years, will wait for us in the future.

Gu Shiwei didn’t let go of Shen Yuan’s hand until dawn.

She made her lover a hearty breakfast.

When Shen Yuan woke up, the first thing she saw was Gu Shiwei’s magnified face. Her eyes were very bright, and her gaze seemed to carry warmth.

Shen Yuan had fair skin, so her blush was particularly noticeable. Under Gu Shiwei’s scrutiny, her cheeks slowly warmed up.

“My girlfriend is so cute.” Gu Shiwei smiled and kissed her on the corner of the mouth: “Are you hungry? Get up for breakfast?”

“Mmm, a little hungry.”

Gu Shiwei leaned against the doorframe watching Shen Yuan as she washed up, seemingly afraid she would disappear in the blink of an eye. Even while eating breakfast, she insisted on holding one of Shen Yuan’s hands, their fingers interlaced.

They had lived together and slept in the same bed before, but after last night, she was even more clingy, reaching the point of being practically inseparable.