The White Moonlight I Chased, the Divorce I Never Expected (GL) - Chapter 7

Under the streetlight, the warm breeze carried the sound of cicadas.
It stirred the thin fabric of Chi Yi’s clothes, cooling her still slightly damp skin.

Wen Ranqing stood there awkwardly, still holding out the towel.

Chi Yi knew very well.
Only by rushing straight here after landing could they have crossed paths at this time and place.
She did not know if it was just her imagination, but Wen Ranqing, who was always so composed, seemed a little… off tonight.

Other than that night of half-true, half-false passion, Wen Ranqing had always seemed like a cold, emotionless machine in front of her.
Chi Yi could not figure out what emotions swirled in those slightly red-tinted peach blossom eyes.

Was it regret?
Anger?
Sadness?

Each possibility felt absurd.
Chi Yi denied them all.

Maybe… embarrassment?
Maybe Wen Ranqing was furious because her little canary, who had never set defenses, had suddenly spread her wings and flown away, leaving Wen Corporation a mess and Wen Ranqing herself disgraced?

After thinking it through, Chi Yi decided this explanation made the most sense.
She even felt a little lighter inside.

Unable to keep watching Wen Ranqing stand there awkwardly, Chi Yi reminded herself this would be the last time she let herself soften.

She snatched the towel from Wen Ranqing’s hand a bit roughly and wiped her hair and neck in a perfunctory way.

Wen Ranqing was still looking at her, as if she wanted to say something but could not.

Chi Yi pressed the back of her neck and let out a short, cold laugh.
She decided to tear apart the false warmth between them once and for all.

“The compensation amount is just a drop in the ocean for Wen Corporation. I’m sure you won’t miss it.
As for those engineering projects, whether completed or under construction, if you need them—”

“I can accept cash instead. I would be happy to.”

Every road and bridge project Wen Corporation handled was a major one.
What Chi Yi was saying was practically asking for a chunk big enough to devour the whole corporation.

Wen Ranqing’s gaze shifted from Chi Yi’s bare ring finger.
There was a flicker of emotion in her eyes, but it was not because of what Chi Yi said.

“Converting it all to cash would be difficult,” Wen Ranqing said slowly.
“It is not possible in a short time. If you do not mind, I can transfer shares to you instead. I will give you an answer by tonight at the latest.”

Chi Yi began to wonder if the “coffee” she drank with Song Yan this afternoon had actually been alcohol.
Her head was spinning.

Wen Ranqing, the same woman who lived and breathed business, who would sacrifice anything for Wen Corporation, was now suggesting such an unprofitable arrangement?

Chi Yi could not understand it.
But she no longer wanted to be involved with Wen Ranqing in any way.

She narrowed her eyes and asked, “What if I mind?”

The slight pause in Wen Ranqing’s expression made Chi Yi feel a rare sense of satisfaction.

She turned and waved the towel casually.
“Take your time, President Wen. I am just a student. I have plenty of time to wait.”

“Xiao Yi.”

The grip on her wrist was light and cool, sending a shiver up her arm.
The faint scent of roses spread into the night air.

Chi Yi pulled her hand back after a moment.

She was getting annoyed at Wen Ranqing’s unpredictable behavior.
Her face turned cold, and her voice was sharp.

“Is there something else, President Wen?”

Chi Yi did not look back.
She did not see the thin red mist in Wen Ranqing’s eyes,
nor how Wen Ranqing bit down hard on her chapped lower lip, too afraid to touch her again.

Even if she had seen, it would not have mattered.
Chi Yi would have only found it ridiculous and incomprehensible.

Though Wen Ranqing felt utterly humiliated,
she still asked the question before Chi Yi could leave.

“Xiao Yi, why did you want a divorce?”

“You know the answer, President Wen,” Chi Yi said harshly.

She turned around.
The soft light framed her side profile, making her look perfect, almost painfully beautiful.

“Greedy for money, greedy for lust—
at least one of those, right?
Otherwise, I would be the one who lost everything.”

Chi Yi forced herself to look away, pretending not to care.
Yet deep inside, her heart ached more painfully than on any of the nights she had decided to leave.

It hurt because of the unfamiliar tenderness she saw in Wen Ranqing’s eyes—
the same tenderness Chi Yi had spent four years pretending to have.

Everyone thought Wen Ranqing was Chi Yi’s unreachable love.
But only Chi Yi knew that Wen Ranqing had someone else she could never forget.

Chi Yi had once caught a glimpse of a faded photograph tucked behind Wen Ranqing’s phone.
She could not see it clearly, but the long, waist-length hair in that picture had left a deep impression.

Not only had Wen Ranqing admired someone else since childhood,
but she had also treated Chi Yi as a substitute all along.

Chi Yi let out a bitter laugh.

She casually flicked her shoulder-length hair and asked, “Do you think it looks good, President Wen?”

Her laugh was wild and unrestrained.
In her eyes, she looked exactly like that defiant little lion cub from the other night.

Wen Ranqing said nothing.
But at the corners of her mouth, there was a small, indulgent smile.

At that moment, Chi Yi felt like a clown,
performing a ridiculous solo in front of someone who would never understand.

She turned and walked away without hesitation.

The summer wind brushed past, carrying a whisper too soft to catch.

“I really like it,” Wen Ranqing murmured.

Meanwhile

“Why are you so late?”

Crouching through the back door of the lecture hall,
Chi Yi quickly spotted the seat reserved for her.

She slipped into it, and before the classroom fully quieted down, Tan Jin leaned over and whispered.

Chi Yi took the small bread roll Tan Jin handed her and immediately began to eat.
She whispered back that Tan Jin was her savior.
She also complained fiercely about their only course in the last semester of senior year starting at eight o’clock in the morning, which felt utterly unreasonable.

Washing down the last bite of bread with some milk,
Chi Yi caught Tan Jin giving her a serious look.

With a guilty conscience, she quickly typed a message on her phone and showed it to her.

[Overslept. My house is too far now. The taxi cost me a fortune. My heart is bleeding.]

[crying emoji]

Tan Jin’s eyes, behind her black metal glasses, were full of suspicion.

Afraid Tan Jin would overthink, Chi Yi quickly tapped out another line.

[Played games until 3 a.m. Lost track of time. I swear it won’t happen again, my dear Tan! Please spare my life QAQ]

Of course, she would never admit the truth.
Last night she had stayed up scrubbing and cleaning the old family house all by herself.
She had been so exhausted that she had ended up sleeping on the moldy old sofa,
waking up with a sore back and a crick in her neck.

Chi Yi clenched her fists, stretched her back, and rubbed her neck painfully.

Seeing this, Tan Jin finally nodded slightly, satisfied.

[Your thesis defense is coming up soon. Stop spending all your time gaming.
Also, the advisor mentioned there are two internship spots left.
If you are interested, I can submit your name along with mine.
Take care of yourself.]

Chi Yi sighed in admiration.
Trust a straight-talking Beta like Tan Jin to squeeze three different reminders into one message.

But the last line was genuinely thoughtful.
Chi Yi rubbed the back of her neck, gave a dogged little grin, and made a playful gesture as if she were about to salute her.

With a loud clatter, her phone slipped from her sleeve and fell onto the desk, drawing a lot of attention.

Already halfway through her salute, Chi Yi simply turned it into a real one aimed at the teacher.
The whole classroom burst into laughter.

Their class advisor, a middle-aged man who had always shown Chi Yi a bit of favoritism, chuckled along but did not let her off easily.
Pointing to the projection screen, he said, “Alright, since you are so lively, tell us what problems exist with this route choice.”

Chi Yi glanced briefly at the diagram from the World Design Awards and answered fluently.

The advisor nodded approvingly.
“Sit down.”

Then he let his gaze sweep over the back row, where the usual group of slackers sat.

“Listen carefully, everyone.
She might not always pay attention in class, but she has the qualifications to do so.
Companies will fight to hire her after graduation.
You all, on the other hand, better start working on your thesis now.
If you fail the plagiarism check later, it will not just be your heads on the line but also your advisors’.”

Chi Yi held her forehead in frustration.

The advisor meant well, but his comments only made her more isolated.
She barely had any close friends among her classmates.
Now she probably had even more people looking at her with resentment.

In one corner of the classroom, two Alpha boys kept glancing at her, their faces full of open mockery.

Finally, the bell rang.

Chi Yi gathered from Tan Jin that the internship opportunity involved a geological survey project deep in the mountains for one month.

To someone like Chi Yi, it was like asking a senior surgeon to sort medicine boxes.
Yet for once, she seriously considered it.

Although, it was only for a moment.

“Heading to the library?” Chi Yi asked, stretching lazily as she grabbed a random textbook to tuck under her arm.

Tan Jin nodded.
“There might not be any seats left, though.”

“Let’s check anyway,” Chi Yi said, following her.

As they walked out, Tan Jin, dressed in a crisp white shirt with every button fastened properly, looked as prim and proper as ever despite the summer heat.

Chi Yi could not resist teasing her.

“I say, Lady Tan…”

Before she could finish, a hard shove from behind threw her off balance.

Chi Yi stumbled into Tan Jin, and both their books scattered across the floor.

Chi Yi frowned.
She recognized the two Alpha boys immediately.
They had been pointing and whispering about her earlier.

At first, Chi Yi thought it was just an accident.
After all, she had been blocking the aisle.
She bent down to pick up her books.

But then a loud conversation drifted directly into her ears.

“Did you see that video?”

“Which one? Oh, you mean Wen Ranqing? Man, it was hilarious. I’ve hated her for a long time. Last time my dad tried to meet her about an investment project, he couldn’t even get past the door.”

“Still, it’s pretty tragic.
I heard the Wen Corporation building kept its lights on all night yesterday.
Such a shame about that beauty.”

“What’s there to be sorry about?
A whore who has been ridden by thousands.
Maybe someday I’ll get a turn too.”

“Who the hell—?”

Before he could finish his sentence, Zhuang Qi found himself kicked flat onto the floor.

When he looked up and saw Chi Yi standing there, he grinned wickedly.

“Well, look who it is.
The famous Mrs. Wen—or should I say, ex-Mrs. Wen.
What’s wrong?
The good little girl gone bad?”

Chi Yi’s face darkened completely.

She struggled to keep her temper and suppress her rising spiritual energy.

She watched coldly as the notorious troublemaker stood up and swaggered toward her.

Everyone on campus knew about her connection to Wen Ranqing.

Chi Yi did not live in the dorms and only showed up for classes.
Her brilliance in academics combined with the nasty rumors around her made people think she was easy to bully.

Zhuang Qi scanned her cold, sharp features and sneered.

“What? Did I say something wrong?”

He leaned closer, smirking.

“Now that I look closer, you’re actually pretty good-looking. How about it? Come with me. I won’t mind.”

“I’ve got plenty of ways to make you feel good too.”