The White Moonlight I Chased, the Divorce I Never Expected (GL) - Chapter 27

In the study, Wen Ranqing sat obediently across from Chi Zhong. Her black hair had come slightly loose, partially obscuring her face. Several times, she opened her mouth as if to speak, but ultimately said nothing—stifled by the deep furrow between Chi Zhong’s brows.

The room was quiet except for the occasional sound of someone taking a deep breath. Chi Zhong, constrained by his innate sense of propriety and restraint, couldn’t bring himself to say anything harsh. No, if Chi Yi were here instead, then he would truly be giving her a proper scolding.

Not only because such a major matter had been hidden from him, her father, for so long—but because of the contract lying before him. He never could have imagined that the daughter he raised would sign something like this.

“Contractual partner”?
“Ends upon expiration”?
Complete nonsense.

Chi Zhong’s expression darkened. His mind was full of unanswered questions.

Four years was not a short amount of time. A lot could happen. He already knew Chi Yi’s feelings, and he also believed Wen Ranqing wasn’t the type to fake anything in front of him. So how had things reached this point, when they should have been fine?

Though Chi Yi was his own daughter, for all these years, Chi Zhong had treated Wen Ranqing like one too. As he once said: “Both sides of the hand are flesh.” When he finally spoke to her, his tone remained relatively gentle.

“Ranqing, Uncle knows you’re not someone who acts recklessly. Can you tell me—why did you do this?”

“Was there some hardship? Or…”

Wen Ranqing shook her head.
“No, Uncle… I did it willingly.”

“You know the Wen Group’s situation. They would never allow an Omega to take over the entire corporation alone. If not for Xiao Yi’s help, my father’s life’s work would have crumbled in my hands.”

“Please don’t be angry with Xiao Yi. She helped me through so much. If anything, I was the one who had little to offer in return… so please, don’t blame her.”

Every word she spoke was full of sincerity and protection. From a father’s perspective, Chi Zhong had originally wanted to ask whether she had truly never loved Chi Yi. But now, he saw—it wasn’t necessary.

Emotions can be simple, but they can also be endlessly complex. Even two people who love each other wholeheartedly can end up as strangers. After a long silence, Chi Zhong didn’t press for more details. He simply asked her one thing.

“I know Chi Yi was still interning at the Wen Group while she was in school. President Yuan also told me she’s very gifted in design and has solid experience. Since she was the one who proposed… this whole thing… a project like this couldn’t have been handed off so quickly. Be honest with me, Ranqing—has Chi Yi caused any trouble for you professionally?”

Bridge design engineers are held accountable for life. If your name is on it, you carry the responsibility forever.

Chi Zhong still didn’t know that the contract’s penalty clause was so severe that it could cause ownership of the Wen Tower to change hands overnight. He had spent his entire life working with integrity, and the idea of being careless or irresponsible on the job was something he could not tolerate.

“No. Xiao Yi, she…”

“Ranqing,” Chi Zhong interrupted, “don’t hide things from me. You know I can find out if I want to. Even if Cheng doesn’t tell me, I can speak to Chi Yi’s department manager or colleagues.”

Wen Ranqing froze. Chi Zhong caught the change in her expression and let out a disappointed breath. His voice carried a subtle coldness.

“Or is it that now that you’re divorced, even the doors of the Wen Group are closed to me?”

If it were a minor matter, Wen Ranqing wouldn’t have reacted like this. Chi Zhong had once sworn in front of Wen Ting and his wife’s grave that he would take good care of their daughter. If it turned out his own child, Chi Yi, had done something harmful to Wen Ranqing, he would have no face left to see them again. So, he deliberately adopted this confrontational stance—hoping it would push Wen Ranqing to speak up.

In the business world, Wen Ranqing would have remained completely composed. But when it came to Chi Yi, her calm shattered. Her heart tightened in panic, and she quickly shook her head.

“No, Uncle, please don’t say that…”

“Then answer me again. Has anything like that happened?”

Wen Ranqing finally came to her senses. But by this point, there was no avoiding the truth. She had no choice but to speak plainly.

She explained to Chi Zhong in detail the cross-sea bridge project in Ningxing Province—what parts Chi Yi was responsible for, and why the project was on the verge of failing to meet its deadline.

Finally, she reiterated that the issue did not lie with Chi Yi and pleaded with Chi Zhong not to be angry at her. She had already reassigned others to take over those tasks.

Her words were earnest, and for a brief moment, Chi Zhong was visibly moved.

After a long silence, he rubbed the center of his brow and finally said:

“Go home for now, Ranqing. Tonight isn’t the right time for you to stay here. Leave the rest of this to me.”

“Uncle, please don’t—”

For once, Chi Zhong saw such urgency on Wen Ranqing’s usually composed face. A dull ache flared in his chest, and he instinctively pressed a hand over his heart, clearly uncomfortable.

Wen Ranqing grew alarmed. “Let me get your medicine.”

“No need. Just go home now, child,” he said, already walking toward the study door. “The wind’s picking up outside. It’ll be hard to get home if you wait any longer.”

—

Outside the study, Chi Yi had already been waiting for over half an hour. Her fists were clenched tight the entire time, her restlessness growing by the minute. She was deeply unsettled by how long Wen Ranqing hadn’t come out.

In Chi Yi’s memory, her father had always been a refined and gentle person. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like if he ever lost his temper. Would he, like others, erupt in uncontrollable fury?

No matter what, the divorce was a matter between her and Wen Ranqing. Why had he called Wen Ranqing in alone first?
Wen Ranqing… was someone who cried easily…

The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. Just as her nerves were stretched to their limit, the study door on the second floor opened. She stood up at once.

“Dad.”

She quickly studied Chi Zhong’s expression. Upon seeing it was still fairly calm, she let out a small breath of relief. At least on the surface, things seemed normal. But it wasn’t until Wen Ranqing finally stepped out that the weight in her chest truly lifted.

Unconsciously, she gave Wen Ranqing—now walking toward her—a gentle, sincere smile.

Wen Ranqing’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of it. Her breathing faltered. Then, almost without thinking, she followed her instincts and reached out to clasp that tense hand—her lips curving slightly in response.

“Ranqing, head home now. It’s late,” Chi Zhong’s voice called out from upstairs.

Chi Yi felt the hand holding hers tremble slightly, as if startled. A blush bloomed across Wen Ranqing’s radiant face. Oddly, it made Chi Yi feel strangely reassured.

Wen Ranqing bit her lip. That faint smile on Chi Yi’s lips left her flustered. She quickly let go of her hand, and even her voice sped up a bit:
“Xiao Yi… bring Uncle his medicine, will you? He’s not feeling well.”

Chi Yi barely processed the request. The only thing she heard clearly was her father telling Wen Ranqing to go home.

“…Okay. Drive safe, don’t go too fast. When you get hom—”

“Ahem.”
Chi Zhong coughed twice from upstairs.

Chi Yi abruptly realized how soft her tone had just been. Her throat tightened with embarrassment, her mouth suddenly dry.
“Go—go on, then.”

“…Alright.” Wen Ranqing replied softly, obediently heading out the door.

Once the door closed, Chi Yi stood frozen for a second before remembering the bottle of medicine on the table. Chi Zhong’s voice came from behind her:

“Come with me.”

As soon as Chi Yi stepped into the room, she could feel her father’s mood had shifted—he was no longer holding back as he had earlier. After giving him his medicine and helping him take it, she obediently stood in front of the desk.

Even so, she realized she wasn’t as anxious as she had been before. Wen Ranqing had given her the courage to face things honestly.

Chi Zhong picked up the contract again and skimmed through it. He turned his eyes away and let out a long breath, trying to digest everything. But the more he thought about it, the more unacceptable it seemed.

The Chi family had been in government service for generations, and even now, the family upheld a proud tradition of integrity. How had his own daughter ended up doing something like this?

With a loud smack, the thin contract folder was slapped down in front of her. His hand trembled with anger. Chi Zhong stared at her for a long time before finally gritting out one word through his teeth:

“Absurd!”

“Dad, please don’t get so worked up—it’s bad for your heart.” Chi Yi reached out to help him, but was immediately met with a sharp glare that forced her hand back.

Though she wasn’t as nervous now, Chi Yi still felt guilt weighing on her. That was inevitable.

She understood that her father’s disappointment wasn’t just directed at her, but also rooted in his long-standing friendship with the Wen family—and his sense of duty to look after them both. She had, admittedly, treated the whole matter too flippantly.

Chi Zhong pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head as if he couldn’t even find the words. After a while, he finally spoke in a low voice:

“I don’t ask much of you.”

“There’s only one thing—go finish the Ningxing cross-sea bridge project. See it through to the end. Otherwise, don’t bother stepping into this house again.”

Chi Yi was stunned. Though the final stages of the project had felt rushed, the design had been refined to perfection. There was absolutely no question of it being substandard.

Still confused, she watched as Chi Zhong pulled out the technical notes and partial test results Wen Ranqing had left for him earlier. He handed them to her without a word.

She didn’t need much time—just two minutes of reading, and she understood everything. It really did have to be her who fixed this.

But… why hadn’t Wen Ranqing told her?

Someone like her would never just ignore a problem like this. Was it that she hadn’t found the right moment to bring it up? If so, Chi Yi could blame herself for having a poor attitude before.

But if… if Wen Ranqing never intended to tell her…

Chi Yi’s heart suddenly ached.

“…I understand, Dad.” Her mind was still spinning with questions, unable to snap back to the present.

“You’re going in tomorrow—and don’t come back for lunch.”

She had thought that line—“don’t come back if it’s not finished”—was just something her father said in anger. But now, it seemed he meant it literally.

Chi Yi hesitated.
“Dad… the company and home are still a bit far apart. I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here alone.”

Part of her concern about not pursuing the Wen Group–Mr. Wen project was for the same reason—she worried her father, just returned home, might have trouble adjusting. Uncle Song might not always be around to keep him company either.

For the first time in over twenty years of being his daughter, she was genuinely thinking of her father’s well-being.

“I’m almost fifty—can’t live on my own anymore?” Chi Zhong’s tone was a little harsh, though it stemmed from being moved by her concern. He sighed afterward.

“Don’t worry about me. Focus on your work. It’s not convenient to be running back and forth anyway. Just come back at night.”

He paused, then added meaningfully:
“This whole thing… I had to push Ranqing hard before she finally told me. Don’t misunderstand her.”

—

Chi Yi left the study, showered, and lay in bed still replaying that sentence in her mind.

It was absolutely in character for her father to be so forceful. But as for Wen Ranqing… why hadn’t she said anything sooner?

Chi Yi frowned. She had forgotten to turn off the overhead light when she entered the room earlier. It was too bright now. She reached up and switched it off, leaving only the soft glow of the wall lamp beside her bed.

She rolled over. Still couldn’t sleep.

There had been something odd about her pheromone levels today. She touched the back of her neck, restless, and opened her phone—going straight into the chat thread with only two messages in it. She stared at it but couldn’t bring herself to type.

She had overstepped a boundary earlier.
She shouldn’t be this concerned about her ex-wife.

Chi Yi stared at the screen, unmoving.

Then suddenly, the name “Wen Ranqing” changed to: “The other party is typing…”

Her heart skipped a beat—then began pounding, faster and faster.

A few seconds later, two messages appeared, back-to-back—

[Can you come out for a bit?]
[Just to the front door is fine.]

Chi Yi slowly sat up in bed. In the quiet of her room, her heartbeat suddenly sounded far too loud.

Nearly a minute passed before the next message came through—

[I want to see you.]