After The Cannon Fodder Died, She Became The Female Lead’s White Moonlight (GL) - Chapter 23.1

“Mingyu, I told you she agreed!” Shen Sijin burst into the dorm and excitedly clapped Bai Mingyu on the shoulder.

Bai Mingyu was sitting on her bed looking at her phone. She was startled by the sudden jostling. After realizing who it was, she grabbed Shen Sijin’s hand to prevent her from continuing to pat her shoulder.

“Agreed to what?”

“Che Gulai! She accepted my confession!!” Shen Sijin’s eyes were filled with an undisguised smile. She was extremely excited.

“Confession?” Bai Mingyu repeated her words, then suddenly raised her voice. “You already confessed? That fast?!”

“Yes,” Shen Sijin was confused but still excited. “Didn’t you tell me to be brave? And she likes me too. We’re together now.”

Bai Mingyu: “…No, that’s too fast. You haven’t even chased her yet.”

“And Sister Gulai likes women, too? Is this really going so smoothly?” Bai Mingyu felt the swiftness was unreal.

“I’m really happy right now.” Shen Sijin’s pale face showed the satisfaction of having her wish fulfilled. “Thank you, Mingyu.”

“Thank me for what?” Bai Mingyu was still reeling from the unbelievable news.

“I’m surprised, too,” Shen Sijin said. “I was going to give her the butterfly music box, but it broke, and I thought my confession was doomed, but I didn’t expect her to like me too.”

“It’s the first time someone has ever liked me, Mingyu. I’m so happy.”

Bai Mingyu saw her eyes sparkling brightly, like glass beads glittering in the sun, and couldn’t help but be happy for her.

“Our Xiao Jin is so cute, someone was bound to like her,” Bai Mingyu patted her fluffy head. “A dream come true. You have to be happy from now on.”

Shen Sijin had never been this happy. She stepped forward and hugged Bai Mingyu.

To celebrate her friend’s new relationship, Bai Mingyu offered to treat her to milk tea.

“You can order whatever you want later. After that, I’ll take you out to eat,” Bai Mingyu said, giving her a big hug.

Shen Sijin smiled and nodded. Suddenly, there was a commotion ahead.

They saw a crowd of people surrounding a girl.

“The girl who’s surrounded is called Sang He. I hear she’s the school beauty. She’s really popular in the entertainment industry lately,” Bai Mingyu explained when she saw Shen Sijin’s curiosity. “Those are probably her fans.”

Shen Sijin didn’t pay much attention to the entertainment industry, and she rarely went online, except to check for news about Che Gulai.

“Sang He?” Shen Sijin murmured. “I think I’ve heard that name somewhere.”

“Don’t worry about them. Let’s go.”

Shen Sijin hummed in agreement. Just as she was about to leave, she casually glanced and saw a familiar figure. Her eyes lit up.

“Mingyu, could you please wait for me?” Shen Sijin said, then ran in the opposite direction.

“Che Gulai!” Shen Sijin called out from afar. Che Gulai paused in her steps and saw Shen Sijin running toward her.

“What are you doing at our school?” Shen Sijin asked, catching her breath and smiling brightly.

Che Gulai frowned almost imperceptibly, intending to come up with an excuse, but Shen Sijin had already answered for her.

“Are you here to see me?” Shen Sijin asked with surprise. “Is that right?”

Her eyes were twinkling, dazzlingly bright.

Che Gulai went along with her idea. “Mhm.”

Shen Sijin felt like she had a tail wagging happily behind her. Her cheeks felt a little warm. She wasn’t sure what to say or do between lovers.

She muttered for a long time before hesitantly saying, “Should we grab a meal together?”

Che Gulai’s dark eyes rolled. “Sure.”

“When?!”

“The day after tomorrow, in the evening. I’ll send you the location.” Che Gulai thought of something amusing. A slight curve lifted her lips. “I’ll take you to meet my friends.”

“Ah, so soon?” Shen Sijin felt shy. “We just started dating. Is it okay to introduce me to your friends already?”

Che Gulai smiled. “It’s fine.”

“Okay, I’ll be there on time.” Shen Sijin wanted to talk to her more, but remembering Bai Mingyu was waiting, she reluctantly said, “My friend is waiting for me. I can’t stay with you for long. I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Che Gulai said calmly. “You do what you need to do.”

Shen Sijin pursed her lips, but the words, “I want to hold your hand,” were too shy to say aloud.

Forget it. There’s plenty of time. It can wait.

She comforted herself.

“I’m leaving now, okay?” Shen Sijin was full of reluctance. “You should go back soon, too.”

Che Gulai nodded.

Shen Sijin suddenly turned back halfway and said with a smile, “Che Gulai, thank you for coming to see me.”

Che Gulai watched her back getting further and further away, then sneered and walked in the opposite direction.

On the other side, Sang He had just finished signing autographs for her fans and quickly slipped away to a secluded spot under a flower trellis.

“Sang He,” Che Gulai called her name, her voice unusually gentle.

“Sister Gulai.” Seeing her, Sang He immediately walked up and complained unhappily. “You’re so late.”

“Traffic,” Che Gulai said.

“Fine, I won’t hold it against you.” Sang He wrapped her arm around Che Gulai’s. “Let’s hurry. I haven’t even had time to get ready for the charity gala.”

Sang He was one of the most popular artists in Che Gulai’s company. She was beautiful and elegant, her features like the most stunning lotus in the lake, delicate and classic.

Due to her impressive acting skills and lively, charming personality, she had starred in many hit dramas and gained a huge following.

Che Gulai was unusually attentive to this artist under her management, often stepping in for her manager on important occasions.

Over time, Sang He also grew very fond of her. To her, Che Gulai was less like a boss and more like an older sister or a friend.

Che Gulai looked at her smiling face, her gaze distant, as if she were looking at someone else through Sang He.

“Let’s go,” Che Gulai said. “I’ve already arranged for the professional team to prepare.”

“Okay.”

Shen Sijin was nervous all the way leading up to their date. When the day arrived, Shen Sijin took a taxi to Lan City’s largest entertainment complex, following the location Che Gulai had given her.

She rarely came to such places. A server led her to a VIP room. All the way, she was so nervous that she kept digging her nails into her palm.

“We’re here,” the server stopped in front of a room.

“Oh, okay.”

Shen Sijin took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

Following the sound of the door opening, the people in the room all turned their heads to look. The previously noisy atmosphere quieted for a moment.

Shen Sijin felt her scalp tingle under the gaze of so many people. She forced herself to introduce herself. “Hello, I’m looking for Che Gulai.”

“Gulai, someone’s looking for you. Who is this?” a man shouted toward the woman sitting in the corner.

The woman put down her wine glass, looked at the nervous Shen Sijin, and slowly said, “Shen Sijin, come over.”

Shen Sijin felt as if she had found her savior and immediately sat down next to Che Gulai.

“This is my—” Che Gulai paused, then said meaningfully, “very good friend. Don’t scare her.”

The people seated here were all investors who had collaborated with Che Gulai. Their relationship was acceptable. There were both men and women.

Everyone here was sharp. They instantly understood what Che Gulai meant by her tone.

“Oh, Gulai, when did you get such a beautiful loli friend?” a woman with a sharp bob cut teased her.

Che Gulai smiled. “Are you envious?” she asked flatly.

The woman shrugged. “Not really.”

“Hey, little girl, what’s your name?” the man sitting in the center asked.

“Shen Sijin,” Shen Sijin said slowly.

“Sijin from ‘prosperous future’ (Qian Cheng Si Jin)?” someone interjected from the crowd.

Shen Sijin nodded.

“Nice name,” the man poured a glass of wine and handed it to her. “Since you’re Gulai’s friend, I’ll toast you.”

“No, no, no.” Shen Sijin quickly shook her head, rejecting with both hands. “I’m sorry, I don’t drink alcohol.”

“Come on—this is fruit wine. The alcohol content is low. It’s fine to drink a little.”

Shen Sijin looked at Che Gulai for help, whispering, “Che Gulai, what should I do?”

“They are my business partners, and it’s hard for me to refuse them too,” Che Gulai took a sip of wine, pretending to be troubled.

“Ah.” Shen Sijin believed her.

The man continued, “Little girl, if you don’t drink, you’re disrespecting me. Gulai, your friend seems quite ignorant.”

Shen Sijin was afraid of making things difficult for Che Gulai and afraid of embarrassing her. She hardened her heart. “I’ll drink.”

The people in the room cheered.

Shen Sijin sniffed the wine, subconsciously frowning. Then, facing the surrounding gaze, she chugged it down in one go.

“Cough, cough, cough—” Shen Sijin covered her mouth, her eyes streaming with tears from coughing.

Che Gulai curved her lips very, very slightly, then pretended to be concerned and patted her back.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m—cough, cough—fine.” Shen Sijin’s eyes were moist. She forced a smile. “I just accidentally choked.”

Someone else started cheering. “Not bad, little girl! I’ll toast you too.”

Saying that, the person poured her a full glass of wine.

Shen Sijin hesitantly accepted it. Although she didn’t know why these people liked using drinking to express friendship, she didn’t think much of it. She rarely socialized and assumed this was a normal social phenomenon.

Most importantly, these were Che Gulai’s friends. She had to make a good impression in front of her friends.

Only this way would she be more likable, and Che Gulai would like her more.

Shen Sijin took the glass, swallowed hard, and downed it in one go again.

“Gulai, how did you two meet?” the short-haired woman from before asked her.

Shen Sijin’s heart tightened. She knew clearly that Che Gulai and the original owner’s first meeting was far from friendly. Perhaps Che Gulai had forgotten those old events. Now that they were brought up again, how would she view her?

“We just met,” Che Gulai answered vaguely.

“Tch, boring,” the woman waved her hand. She crossed her legs and said to Shen Sijin with veiled meaning, “You’re very lucky, sweetie, to be friends with Che Gulai.”

After the woman spoke, the people in the room all chuckled knowingly, their smiles unkind, each harboring their own hidden thoughts.

The alcohol was going to Shen Sijin’s head. Her face was completely flushed, and her consciousness was very hazy. She thought the woman was envious of her and smiled foolishly. “Is that so? I think so too.”

She felt very dizzy. She leaned her head on Che Gulai’s shoulder, triumphantly showing off, “Gulai and I have a really good relationship. A relationship you can’t even imagine.”

“What kind of relationship?” the woman asked curiously.

Che Gulai shoved a grape into her mouth. “You’re drunk. Eat some fruit.”

Shen Sijin complained, “Che Gulai, you forgot. I don’t like fruits with seeds.”

Che Gulai moved away slightly, and Shen Sijin’s head landed on the backrest.

“Then what do you like?” Che Gulai asked coldly, patting her shoulder.

“Cherry tomatoes.”

Che Gulai shoved another cherry tomato into her mouth. “Be quiet.”

The crowd grew bored and started cheering again. “Hey, hey, hey, don’t pass out! That’s only a few drinks.”

“Do you want to keep drinking?” Shen Sijin tilted her head, her eyes filled with a pure innocence, her face red.

“Of course.”

“But the wine is so nasty,” Shen Sijin wrinkled her nose, tugging on Che Gulai’s sleeve, looking pitiful. “Che Gulai, do I really have to drink?”

Under the colorful lights, the girl’s amber eyes were moist and clear. Her snow-white face was flushed red, her lips were rosy, and her expression was deeply wronged.

Che Gulai’s ice-water heart cracked a very, very tiny hairline fracture. It was too small to be noticeable.

Quickly, Che Gulai reverted to her feigned expression. “If you really can’t drink, then don’t.”

The more she said this, the more Shen Sijin felt she was being difficult.

It’s just a drink. It’s not a big deal.

I can’t make things hard for Che Gulai. I can’t let her hate me.

Shen Sijin sat up. “I’ll drink.”

The people around her exchanged glances and began to ply her with more alcohol.

Che Gulai sat by, watching indifferently. The short-haired woman sat next to Che Gulai.

“Is this okay?” the woman said casually. “You despise this little sister. Is this really the right way to handle things?”

“I think it’s excellent,” Che Gulai watched Shen Sijin drink with a frown and said slowly, “It’s best for her to suffer.”

The woman shook her head, clucking her tongue. “It’s a pity this little girl thinks you’re so good to her. She doesn’t even know she’s being fooled.”

“Don’t interfere.”

The woman spread her hands. “I can’t control your wicked pleasure. I just hope you don’t regret it later.”

Che Gulai’s voice was cold. “Regret what?”

The woman chuckled softly, taking a sip of wine. “People who betray true feelings suffer many bitter consequences.”

Che Gulai also took a sip of wine, her eyes dark, her expression terrifyingly calm.

Shen Sijin eventually reached her limit. After a few more drinks, she collapsed onto the table, unable to move.

“The person you brought isn’t very fun, Gulai,” someone complained unhappily. “She couldn’t handle just a few drinks.”

Che Gulai said nothing.

“I’m just saying, the person you hate is quite cute,” a frivolous man in the room laughed maliciously. “She looks very innocent.”

Che Gulai sneered, saying coldly, “What she looks like is none of your business. Don’t harbor any thoughts about her.”

The man smiled indifferently. “Just joking. Didn’t you bring her here just to make fun of her? Why are you suddenly getting serious?”

She did despise Shen Sijin, and seeing her suffer brought her great pleasure, but the premise was that the suffering had to come from her. She would not allow others to fantasize or scheme about her.

“We’ve drunk enough. Everyone can leave,” Che Gulai stood up.

The people in the room left one by one. Soon, only the two of them remained.

“Get up,” Che Gulai looked at the dizzy Shen Sijin and lightly nudged her with her foot.

Shen Sijin groggily opened her eyes. Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly covered her mouth and ran to the restroom to vomit violently.

She leaned over the toilet, retching endlessly. Tears streamed from her eyes, and her expression was extremely pained.

Che Gulai leaned against the wall, quietly listening to Shen Sijin’s retching. Her expression remained blank, as if this was the only expression she would ever have when it came to Shen Sijin.

Shen Sijin stumbled out, completely exhausted. Seeing Che Gulai, she instinctively hugged her.

“Gulai,” Shen Sijin tightly embraced her, her voice husky. “Drinking is so awful. My stomach feels like it’s on fire.”

Che Gulai kept her hands in her pockets and didn’t hug her back. Her voice was flat. “Does it hurt a lot?”

“Mhm.” Shen Sijin complained muffledly into her neck. “It’s agonizing.”

Che Gulai’s lips curled into a cold arc. Shen Sijin, still clinging to her neck, passed out again.

“You have to suffer so I can be happy, Shen Sijin.”

Che Gulai whispered softly into her ear. She knew Shen Sijin was completely drunk and wouldn’t remember anything she said.

Che Gulai took Shen Sijin to a hotel. Just as she put her on the bed, Shen Sijin groggily reached out a hand.

“Gulai, hug me.”