The White Moonlight of Three Male Leads - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Yi Xiangsui

“Song Yuyan: “You don’t get it. This is my stubbornness as a student.”

He could come home and go straight to sleep without studying, but no one had the right to take away his right not to study after bringing his schoolbag home.

What if—just what if—he suddenly wanted to study and didn’t bring his bag?

Song Yuyan: “The more unreachable something is, the more you want it. Understand?”

He pondered a little and figured this probably applied to emotions too. You couldn’t come on too strong. Even if he had something on his mind, on the surface he still said to the system:

“For example, my broken family… I really wish I had one. Other people at least have a mom and dad. I have neither. I don’t even have a home…”

Seeing the system getting increasingly guilty, Song Yuyan smoothly changed the tone:

“I know it’s for the sake of the plot. A broken family is the basic setting for the White Moonlight. Dying young is also the tragic fate destined for White Moonlight. But even a White Moonlight is still a person—not some immortal who doesn’t eat or poop.”

Before the system could get touched by his empathy, Song Yuyan’s face turned serious:

Song Yuyan: “One sentence: System, I need money!”

“Let me advance 12,000 yuan, that’s not too much, right?”
He didn’t even bother to ease into it. Just straight up asked for twelve grand.

The system struggled for a while, but eventually gave in. Such an understanding host—he even sympathized with how hard things were for the system. How could the system not understand its host in return?

Mutual understanding was the path to a brighter future!

Once Song Yuyan got the money, he grinned like a fox, complimented the system a few times, and happily drifted into sleep.

He slept dreamlessly.

The next morning, Song Yuyan lay in bed reluctant to get up.

But young people are full of energy, and even if sleepy, it only lasted until he brushed his teeth.

Looking at his youthful reflection in the mirror, Song Yuyan’s smile bloomed like a flower.

He rubbed his face and stared at his bright-eyed self in the mirror. His expression gradually turned misty.

But it quickly sharpened with resolve.

If there’s a choice, who wouldn’t want to take charge of their own life?

He’d never had the chance before. But now that fate had dumped unimaginable wealth in his lap, of course he’d charge forward!

Fight? Then fight!

He wiped his face and walked into the morning light.

The sky was tinged with pink. The dawn clouds stretched across the sky, like a crimson cape draped across his shoulders.

While munching on a steamed bun from a street stall, Song Yuyan thought: Three male leads. If I successfully “capture” them, I get 100 million. If I fail, I lose 100 million.

Let’s just treat this as a dating game, then. To secure a carefree life in this world, he had to successfully “conquer” at least two of the leads.

Otherwise, he’d end up slaving for the system forever.

Of course, the more male leads he could conquer, the better.

In theory, the younger the lead, the easier to win over.

Among the three, the teenage Yi Xiangsui should be the easiest, right?

Besides, getting Yi Xiangsui first would help him build confidence for dealing with the other two.

Confidence changed everything—it even altered your aura.

Having firmly resolved himself, he finished the bun just as he felt someone watching him. He looked up and saw Yi Xiangsui staring at him.

Song Yuyan waved at him. Yi Xiangsui walked over.

Teenage Yi Xiangsui was truly captivating.

His face was almost unfairly good-looking. Even when silent, he didn’t come off as gloomy. In fact, his very presence seemed to brighten the sky.

Song Yuyan shaded his eyes with his hand.

It wasn’t an illusion.

The clouds actually parted, and golden sunlight spilled out.

Yi Xiangsui approached and noticed Song Yuyan’s dramatic gesture.
“What are you doing?”

“You want to ask what’s up with me?” Song Yuyan lowered his hand and looked him up and down.
“What else could it be? You’re too dazzling, obviously!”

He noticed Yi Xiangsui’s eyes flitted away. Wow, this guy is ridiculously easy to tease. New discovery unlocked!

“Do you always talk this directly?” Yi Xiangsui asked, clearly uncomfortable.

“You didn’t deny what I said—just said I was too direct,” Song Yuyan said with a sigh. “Granted, I am direct. I say what I mean. But the fact that you accepted that you’re dazzling—isn’t that a bit unhumble?”

Yi Xiangsui didn’t know what to say. He was never good with words.

Then Song Yuyan continued:
“Humility is a virtue, but excessive humility is just hypocrisy. You’re fine the way you are.”

A self-centered, happy winner in life. Fine, go ahead and enjoy your happiness. But just remember: someday, you’ll pay for that happiness with a lifetime of tears.

Thinking that, even though he knew Yi Xiangsui was someone he couldn’t relate to, Song Yuyan still looked at him with an odd sense of tenderness.

Yi Xiangsui wasn’t used to being looked at like that—with a smile that seemed to hold deeper meaning.

He couldn’t explain why, but his heart itched.

He wanted to squeeze Song Yuyan’s face, make his expression collapse, maybe even make him cry.

But he couldn’t.
Not yet.

That would be too forward.
They weren’t close enough yet.
If only they could become good friends faster…

Yi Xiangsui kept his expression cool. Song Yuyan was a chatterbox, but even he couldn’t talk forever.

His throat would dry out eventually.

They walked to school together. On the way, they passed a convenience store where Yi Xiangsui bought a bottle of water.

As they stepped out, he shoved the water into Song Yuyan’s hands.
“For you.”

Seeing Song Yuyan holding the bottle in a daze, Yi Xiangsui asked with a smirk,
“Want me to open the cap for you?”

“No, no.”
Song Yuyan quickly opened it himself and took several gulps.

The transparent bottle pressed against his pink lips, leaving a small mark. Water trickled in—

Yi Xiangsui suddenly realized—he’d been staring at Song Yuyan’s lips.

Panicked, he looked away, afraid to even glance at that pale face, those dark eyes, those soft lips. So he looked downward.

There, his gaze landed on Song Yuyan’s Adam’s apple, bobbing as he drank.

Yi Xiangsui’s own throat moved in sync.

Flustered, he stared at the ground.
That should be safe.

Only the sound of drinking remained, yet somehow, even that stirred thoughts he didn’t expect.

Soon, Song Yuyan finished drinking and noticed Yi Xiangsui staring at the ground with a miserable expression—like he was owed millions by the universe.

“Thanks… Wait—are you hinting I talk too much? Is that why you gave me water? So I’d shut up?”

Song Yuyan was still smiling as he spoke, not self-deprecating but light-hearted.

He knew teenage Yi Xiangsui wasn’t the awkward, shy type. Back then, he didn’t have the burdens of fame. If he didn’t like someone, he wouldn’t even talk to them.

So giving water probably just meant he thought Song Yuyan’s throat was dry from talking.

Song Yuyan smiled brightly.
Come on, main character, just admit we’re friends already!

Just as he thought that, Yi Xiangsui spoke.

He glanced at Song Yuyan, then immediately looked away—like he was avoiding something.

Song Yuyan: “Don’t tell me that look means he thinks I’m ugly…”

He wasn’t that fragile, but come on—if he was going to “capture” the male lead, they needed mutual attraction. Not this one-sided chase.

If he couldn’t win him over by college entrance exams, he’d go full clingy mode.

Turn friendship into romance—make it tender, awkward, bittersweet!

Yi Xiangsui, unaware of Song Yuyan’s dramatic inner monologue, seemed to catch himself and looked back at Song Yuyan’s face.

His voice was clear as crystal:
“I just thought you might be thirsty.”

“…Aren’t you thirsty too?” Song Yuyan raised a brow.

Yi Xiangsui observed his expression. Seeing the twitch of Song Yuyan’s mouth, he wondered—had he said the wrong thing?

He pressed his lips together.

Oddly enough… he did feel a little thirsty.

But instinct told him—he shouldn’t say that.

That dry feeling in his chest was like a tiny flame, small but growing fiercer by the second, threatening to engulf everything.

He wanted to hold on to something—but didn’t know what.

He was suffocating.

Was this a physical or emotional suffocation?

Song Yuyan slung an arm around Yi Xiangsui’s shoulder and spoke slowly, word by word:
“I am thirsty. Thank you. We’re friends now, right?”

If the mountain won’t come to him, he’ll go to the mountain!

He wasn’t going to sit around waiting!

Okay maybe that was a bit crude… but if the male lead was going to act so awkward, he had to push things forward!

They were buddies now—shoulder to shoulder! That was normal between friends!

Yet somehow, maybe because of different orientations, even though Song Yuyan meant it platonically, the gesture felt especially awkward.

When he saw Yi Xiangsui blush, he grew even more uncomfortable.

He pulled his arm back and fanned himself.

Still hot.

To ease the tension, he shoved a candy into Yi Xiangsui’s hand. Earlier, while waiting at the register, he’d been lured by the rainbow display of candy and bought one.

Now was the perfect excuse to share it.

“Let’s be friends!”

Yi Xiangsui nodded.
“I thought we already were.”

Then he opened the wrapper and popped the candy into his mouth.

He’d originally felt dry—shouldn’t have eaten sugar.

But his body had betrayed him. The sweetness melted across his tongue, and suddenly, he didn’t feel dry anymore.

Just sweet.

Weird.

Friends are friends—why say it so seriously?
He really thought they were already friends.

At this moment, the world was peaceful, sunlight pouring down.

The boys were brimming with youth.

And the smile on his lips gleamed brighter than diamonds.