After The Cannon Fodder Died, She Became The Female Lead’s White Moonlight (GL) - Chapter 26.1

This place was far from the city, and the temperature was cool, especially now that it was night; it was cold like water.

Shen Sijin, wearing only a thin sweater, rushed out.

Che Gulai sat on the sofa, her dark eyes utterly devoid of warmth. Her long eyes were half-raised, and her entire presence was silent, like a cold, heavy block of ice.

A murky shadow enveloped her, as if she were wrapped in dark tide water, making her true nature invisible.

Che Gulai never considered herself important to anyone. She only loved herself in this world. She was vicious and cold. Bai Yu once said she was a woman rotten to the core and would never find true affection, and she didn’t deny it.

She was indeed very wicked.

But she didn’t think there was anything wrong with that. She never yearned for the intense emotions of others. She was selfish and self-serving. No one could truly get close to her besides herself.

But Shen Sijin always surprised her again and again. She used to despise her, but now she could spout nonsense like calling her an important person.

Che Gulai, for the first time, began to wonder if Shen Sijin was the same Shen Sijin as before. Why else would the difference be so stark?

Is it a dual personality?

Che Gulai thought this possibility was strong. She slightly narrowed her eyes, planning something in her mind.

Shen Sijin was gone for a long time. Che Gulai walked to the window and watched Shen Sijin wandering around in the yard below.

She looked genuinely frantic, ignoring the cold temperature outside, searching intently. She occasionally bent over and coughed, making her figure look even frailer.

The moonlight was like water. The thin, delicate girl stood in the moonlight, looking like a small Princess and the Pea anxiously searching for her cherished treasure.

The moonlight stretched her slender silhouette long, giving her an air of deep loneliness.

Che Gulai observed this coldly, her expression indifferent, her face hidden in the shadows. No one knew what she was thinking.

After nearly an hour, Shen Sijin finally found the bead bracelet tucked in a corner where flowerpots were placed.

She must have been startled by a caterpillar crawling on her hand while admiring the potted plants, causing her to frantically shake her hand and accidentally drop the bracelet.

Her brows relaxed. She quickly ran back to the room. “Gulai, I found it.”

She showed her the bracelet as if seeking praise. “Look.”

Che Gulai’s emotions were faint. “Mhm.”

“I thought I’d never find it.” Shen Sijin put the bracelet on, saying with lingering fear, “You scared me to death.”

Her face was paper-white, her lips bloodless. Due to the constant coughing, her clear eyes were tinged with a moist red. But she seemed oblivious to her condition. Her expression only showed the pleasure of relief, and she gave Che Gulai a sweet, obedient smile.

Che Gulai turned away, avoiding her smile.

“Let’s sleep,” Che Gulai changed the subject.

The room was pitch black.

The bed was large. They each covered themselves with blankets, keeping a deliberately distant space between them.

Shen Sijin lay on her side, looking at Che Gulai’s back.

This was the first time she was in the same bed as Che Gulai. Her heart was racing with nervousness, a frantic rabbit continuously bouncing in her chest.

She secretly, with very small movements, slowly moved closer to Che Gulai.

Little by little, like a snail inching toward its vine.

Che Gulai had her back turned, but her eyes were wide open. She wasn’t unaware of what Shen Sijin was doing behind her.

If circumstances allowed, Che Gulai would never willingly share a bed with her.

But the girl behind her moved so softly and cautiously. The slightest movement from Che Gulai would make her freeze like a startled rabbit, only to resume her slow approach after a moment.

Che Gulai, while annoyed, also found it amusing. She didn’t speak, quietly watching to see what she would do.

Shen Sijin was very, very close to her now. Her heart pounded heavily.

“Che Gulai.” Shen Sijin heard her own voice trembling with shyness.

“Mhm.”

“Can I hug you?”

Che Gulai paused. “No.”

“Ah.” Shen Sijin persisted. “Why? Aren’t we… dating?”

Che Gulai looked at the dark surroundings. “I haven’t adjusted yet.”

“What do you mean, ‘not adjusted’?”

“This is the first time I’m dating a woman.” Che Gulai lied again with an expressionless face. “I can’t completely get used to it yet.”

This wasn’t her first lie. Most of what she said to Shen Sijin was flattering pretense, and she felt no shame about it.

It was the same this time, except for a peculiar, tight feeling in her chest.

Shen Sijin thought about it. Indeed. Che Gulai was originally the female lead of a romance novel and was supposed to like men. Her appearance had disrupted Che Gulai’s normal romantic orientation. It was normal for her to not be used to it.

She was rushing things a little.

Shen Sijin felt a wave of shame, realizing she had acted like a hasty aggressor.

“I apologize, I was too forward,” Shen Sijin whispered.

“It’s fine.”

“I’ll ask you again next time then.” Shen Sijin’s voice was soft, impossibly gentle in the dark, quiet room.

“I wish you a good night’s sleep.”

Shen Sijin, worried about making her uncomfortable, slowly retreated, rolling back to her original position.

Che Gulai, however, lay there with her eyes open, unable to sleep.

In the strange distant night, a surging tide had begun to rise in her heart.

The weather was gradually turning humid and warm. In the blink of an eye, the Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day) was approaching.

Just before the school holiday, Bai Mingyu asked Shen Sijin, “Xiao Jin, where are you going to sweep tombs for Qingming?”

Shen Sijin had no family in this world besides her grandmother. But since she had taken the original owner’s place, she thought she should visit the tombs of the original owner’s parents.

“Here in the local area.”

The original owner’s parents’ tombs were, after all, local.

“That’s nice. I have to travel far to sweep tombs,” Bai Mingyu was tidying her belongings. “It’s going to be stifling hot for tomb sweeping in this weather.”

Shen Sijin smiled.

On Qingming Festival, it rained lightly. Shen Sijin went to the tombs of the original owner’s parents.

She felt a little apprehensive facing the tombs of the original owner’s parents. After all, she had taken everything from the original owner, occupied her body, and gained the joy she had never experienced before.

After sweeping the tombs, she made a trip to Che Gulai’s company, wanting to deliver the Blue Morpho music box she had recently repaired to her office. She had promised Che Gulai this a while ago.

Most people at the company recognized Shen Sijin and knew her relationship with Che Gulai was unusual, so no one stopped her from entering the company.

While riding the elevator, Xiao Xu happened to be inside. Xiao Xu saw her, and because she was on the phone, she couldn’t speak, so she nodded politely.

Shen Sijin nodded back.

The elevator doors closed, leaving only the two of them in the space.

Xiao Xu was likely talking to Che Gulai, updating her on company matters.

Halfway through the conversation, Xiao Xu suddenly frowned. “Ms. Che? Hello!”

Shen Sijin turned her head to look at Xiao Xu.

Xiao Xu’s face grew increasingly solemn. “Ms. Che, what’s happening on your end? Hello, Ms. Che, hello?”

“What’s wrong?” Shen Sijin asked worriedly.

Xiao Xu kept calling Che Gulai, but the calls went straight to voicemail.

“There was a sudden, chaotic noise on Ms. Che’s end, like—” Xiao Xu frowned. “A car collision and sudden braking sound. Then Ms. Che suddenly lost contact.”

“Did no one answer?” Shen Sijin had a bad feeling.

“The phone is off.” Xiao Xu was also very worried. “Ms. Che went to sweep tombs at her old hometown alone today. She’s by herself. I don’t know what’s happened to her.”

“Do you know where she went to sweep tombs?” Shen Sijin asked quickly.

Che Gulai stood by the street, her expression grim.

Her surroundings were a mess, with various cars crashing and smoke filling the air.

She had come today to sweep the tomb of a former foster mother. This foster mother was a past guardian who had treated her relatively well, but sadly, she died due to poor health before raising her for long.

Che Gulai was returned to the orphanage, and subsequent foster families lacked the same kindness as this foster mother. They were all trash.

Although this foster mother hadn’t raised her for long, she was the first person to treat her kindly. Che Gulai remembered this gratitude and visited her tomb every year.

This year was no exception. She was riding in a car with a friend of her foster mother to the cemetery today, but they were rear-ended on the road. Although the car they were in didn’t sustain much damage, the foster mother’s friend, being elderly, was greatly shocked and was now resting and groaning in the car.

Che Gulai glanced at her phone; the battery was dead.

With the day starting so badly, Che Gulai’s mood was terrible.

It was still a distance from the cemetery. Che Gulai had to take her foster mother’s friend back to rest first.

“Grandma Lanshun, I’ll take you back first.” Che Gulai got into the car, speaking to the elderly woman in the back seat.

“Aren’t we going to sweep the tomb?” Grandma Lanshun asked weakly.

“I’ll take you back to rest first.” Che Gulai started the car. “We’ll come back tomorrow.”

After dropping Grandma Lanshun off at home, Che Gulai told her daughter, “Sister Li, the car was scratched. Tell me the cost later, and I’ll transfer the money to you.”

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Sister Li, who was a decade older than Che Gulai, said dismissively. “It’s fine as long as you and my mom weren’t injured. Why worry about this?”

Seeing Che Gulai about to argue, Sister Li patted her shoulder. “Don’t bother me with this small matter. I’ll be angry.”

“Alright.”

Che Gulai ate dinner at Sister Li’s house and helped take care of Grandma Lanshun. It was nearly 8 PM when she started heading back.

Sister Li saw her off. “Come here to eat next time if you don’t feel like cooking.”

“Mhm,” Che Gulai replied.

Che Gulai had a decent relationship with this family. Grandma Lanshun was a good friend of her foster mother. When her foster mother was alive, Grandma Lanshun also helped care for her. Sister Li had also taken her out once or twice.

Later, when Sister Li’s family moved to another city, they rarely saw each other.

But every year when she went to sweep the tomb, Che Gulai would stop by to see them.

Che Gulai walked back to where she was staying. From a distance, she noticed someone sitting by the door. The figure was somewhat familiar, but the light was too dim to see clearly.

Before she could get closer, the person sitting there seemed to see her and instantly stood up, running toward her.

Che Gulai instinctively wanted to retreat, but then she heard a familiar voice and paused.

“Gulai!”

Shen Sijin suddenly hugged Che Gulai tightly.

“Shen Sijin?” Che Gulai could barely believe it.

“It’s me.” Shen Sijin held her tightly, then let go, asking anxiously, “Xiao Xu said you were in a car accident. Are you hurt anywhere? Why is your phone off?”

“Which question do you want me to answer?” Che Gulai shook off her hand. “How did you know to come here?”

Before she could answer, Che Gulai answered for her. “Oh, Xiao Xu told you.”

“I was so worried about you!” Shen Sijin’s face was full of worry. “Your phone was off, and I couldn’t reach you. I almost cried.”

“But you didn’t, did you?” Che Gulai said dismissively.

Shen Sijin was annoyed. “You’re making jokes.”

Che Gulai saw her eyes were red-rimmed and finally believed she had probably cried.

Che Gulai smiled, a smile that was hard to tell if it was mockery or something else. “Come inside.” She opened the door.

“Are you really okay?” Shen Sijin was still worried, following her and asking non-stop.

Che Gulai’s ears were ringing. She rolled her eyes, turned around, and suddenly pinched Shen Sijin’s lips, cutting off her words.

“Be quiet,” Che Gulai said impatiently.

Shen Sijin was frozen, like a cat whose scruff had been grabbed. She didn’t move. A faint blush crept up her ears, and her eyes were wide and round. After a long moment, she slowly nodded.