After The Cannon Fodder Died, She Became The Female Lead’s White Moonlight (GL) - Chapter 31.1

Perhaps to compensate for the butterfly earrings she had taken back, Che Gulai went specifically to a jewelry store, intending to buy a new pair for Shen Sijin.

However, the store had limited varieties of butterfly earrings, and the colors were unattractive. Che Gulai wasn’t fond of any of them.

She remembered the Blue Morpho music box Shen Sijin had given her, so she showed the picture to the sales associate.

Che Gulai told the clerk, “Help me create a pair of butterfly earrings based on this picture.”

“Certainly, Madam, but a custom order will take some time.”

“That’s fine,” Che Gulai said, turning off her phone. “Just make sure it’s done well. I will come to check on the progress periodically.”

Che Gulai could already imagine Shen Sijin’s expression when she received this pair of Blue Morpho butterfly earrings.

She had neglected Shen Sijin a bit lately. Shen Sijin didn’t seem to cling to her as much anymore. In many moments, Che Gulai felt like Shen Sijin was slowly drifting away.

Che Gulai had a feeling of emptiness—of losing control—and she disliked that feeling.

Bai Mingyu felt that Shen Sijin had grown even thinner lately. Lying on Shen Sijin’s bed, she cupped her face and asked if she had been in a bad mood recently.

The two of them were currently in Bai Mingyu’s off-campus apartment. The atmosphere in the dorm was depressing, and Bai Mingyu didn’t want Shen Sijin to stay there, so she had been having Shen Sijin stay at her apartment to keep her company.

Shen Sijin smiled and said, “No, I’m fine.”

“Stop pretending,” Bai Mingyu said, stroking her hair. “Don’t you think I know you?”

Shen Sijin rested her head on a teddy bear cushion, facing Bai Mingyu. She slowly blinked, saying softly and gently, “I’m just thinking about something.”

“What are you thinking about?”

Shen Sijin was thinking about what she and Che Gulai should do next. She no longer yearned to continue their relationship. This romance was inherently meaningless, and there was no need to hold on.

She wasn’t getting any joy from this relationship anymore.

Che Gulai didn’t love her, and Shen Sijin would try her best to let go of her feelings for Che Gulai.

She was just figuring out how to tell Che Gulai that she wanted to break up.

Perhaps because she had loved Che Gulai with genuine sincerity before, her emotions were too profound, becoming a part of her very self. Breaking up now would be a painful, bloody ordeal.

But she couldn’t help it. She no longer had the nerve to hold onto this relationship.

She had accepted reality and was learning to slowly compromise and bear the bitter fruit of her own naivety.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it,” Bai Mingyu said. “Xiao Jin, do you still love Sister Gulai?”

Shen Sijin was silent for a few seconds.

She still liked her a little, but her affection was insignificant, nothing more than a handful of melting snow that no one cared about.

Shen Sijin shook her head. “I don’t like her anymore.”

She didn’t dare to like her anymore.

Liking someone was truly painful.

Bai Mingyu breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s good that you don’t like her. You deserve better.”

Shen Sijin forced a smile, not entirely believing her words.

Bai Mingyu then asked, “So, when are you planning to break up with her?”

“I will break up with her,” Shen Sijin murmured. “I definitely will.”

Bai Mingyu knew this decision was agonizing for her. She regretted her initial encouragement once again. To help Shen Sijin move past this memory quickly, she suggested, “Xiao Jin, let’s go out and have fun sometime. We didn’t get to last time.”

Shen Sijin lacked the energy and shook her head. “Maybe not.”

Bai Mingyu cupped her face with both hands. “No refusing! I’m taking you out to clear your mind and introduce you to some people. I’m sure you’ll like someone. Let’s start a new relationship.”

Shen Sijin shyly shook her head. “I don’t want to meet new people.”

“Don’t be shy,” Bai Mingyu said with a smile. “You’re so cute. Lots of people will like you. Hey, tell me what kind of woman you like, and I’ll find some candidates.”

“I don’t like women,” Shen Sijin said.

“You don’t like women?” Bai Mingyu was confused. “Then what about Che Gulai?”

“I don’t know. I just accidentally fell for her. But fundamentally, I don’t have any desire for women, or for men either,” Shen Sijin slowly explained.

Bai Mingyu debated. “Well, what kind of person do you like? Never mind, let’s try all kinds. I’m sure you’ll find someone you like.”

Shen Sijin couldn’t argue with Bai Mingyu and was eventually dragged along. Bai Mingyu took her to a beautiful mountain resort.

Bai Mingyu had brought many people. She was well-liked, and her friends were just as enthusiastic as she was, taking good care of Shen Sijin.

Shen Sijin was naturally shy and didn’t easily blend in. Fortunately, Bai Mingyu’s friends were very outgoing and brought her into their activities.

“Xiao Jin, are you feeling a little happier?” Bai Mingyu put her arm around Shen Sijin, watching the group preparing a bonfire party.

Shen Sijin held a butterfly kite. Bai Mingyu’s friend had given it to her because they thought she looked like a child.

“Mhm,” Shen Sijin said, smiling softly.

“That’s all that matters,” Bai Mingyu said. She pointed to the short-haired boy ahead, the same one from last time. “He didn’t want to come, but he came along when he heard you were coming. What do you think of him?”

“Please stop trying to set me up,” Shen Sijin said helplessly. “Mingyu, I don’t want to talk about this right now.”

“Alright, alright.” Bai Mingyu took the kite from her. “No talking about it then. Our Xiao Jin’s happiness is the most important thing.”

“Let’s go fly the kite on the lawn.” Bai Mingyu held her wrist and walked toward the grass area.

The weather was lovely today, and the wind was strong. Shen Sijin, who had been exhausted from her grandmother’s illness and the betrayal in her relationship, felt her heavy spirits lift today.

Night soon fell. Some people had already started the bonfire party, with a whole roasted lamb hanging over the fire.

Shen Sijin sat next to Bai Mingyu, listening to everyone sing and play. She smiled faintly, sitting quietly and obediently.

“Singing is boring,” a girl suddenly said. “Let’s dance together.”

Bai Mingyu chuckled. “You dance. We’re all uncoordinated.”

“Oh, come on.” The girl laughed, running over and pulling Bai Mingyu. “Come, dance with me.”

“Hey, I can’t.” Seeing this, Bai Mingyu pulled a few others to join the girl.

Shen Sijin watched them play quietly. The short-haired boy suddenly sat next to her, keeping a certain distance.

“Here you go.” The boy offered her a bottle of fruit tea.

Shen Sijin took it and politely replied, “Thank you.”

The boy watched the others playing, saying, “Do you already have a partner?”

Shen Sijin was silent.

Not for long.

She thought.

The boy turned his head and smiled. “Don’t be nervous. I’m just asking. Although I’m interested in you, I won’t pester you.”

Shen Sijin lowered her head, unsure what to say.

“I’m just curious what kind of person you like.” The boy’s handsome face was lit by the firelight. “With your personality, your partner must really spoil you, right?”

The burning fire crackled.

Shen Sijin’s eyes dimmed, and her expression looked a bit listless. The boy felt he might have said the wrong thing and quickly apologized. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“It’s nothing,” Shen Sijin smiled carelessly. A hazy fog covered her previously pure amber pupils.

Someone called the boy over.

The boy scratched the back of his head. “I just thought you looked a little unhappy today, so I wanted to ask you.”

“We probably won’t see each other again. I hope your life is as wonderful as your name suggests.” The boy waved at her. “I’ll go now.”

As wonderful as her name suggests? (前程似锦 – a future like brocade)

Shen Sijin stared at the firelight.

Could her future truly be like brocade?

On the other side, Che Gulai was discussing the second half of the year’s plan with her shareholders. After the shareholders’ meeting, Che Gulai and Bai Yu stayed behind to talk a little more.

Bai Yu’s phone kept dinging. He picked it up, wanting to see who was constantly sending him pictures.

It was Bai Mingyu sending him many videos and pictures. His sister liked to share her daily life with him.

Since their business discussion was mostly over, and they were about to clean up and leave, Bai Yu clicked on the messages.

Che Gulai wasn’t interested in other people’s affairs, but she inadvertently glanced over and happened to see a picture in Bai Yu’s hand.

Bai Yu stared at the photo for a moment, then was about to swipe to the next one.

“Don’t swipe,” Che Gulai suddenly said.

Bai Yu was startled. “What?”

Che Gulai said flatly, “Can I see that picture?”

Bai Yu handed it to her. “Here.”

The photo was a group picture of young people dancing around a fire.

Che Gulai wasn’t interested in that, but in Shen Sijin in the corner.

Shen Sijin was sitting by herself, turning her head to talk to a short-haired boy. Her expression was soft and peaceful. The photo was a bit blurry, but she looked like she was smiling.

The smile was quiet and serene.

It was a smile Shen Sijin hadn’t shown her in a long time.

Che Gulai had originally planned to take Shen Sijin today to check on the progress of the butterfly earrings, hoping to make her happy and give her a treat. But Shen Sijin told her she had a very important engagement and couldn’t go.

Che Gulai thought Shen Sijin had something genuinely important to do. It turns out she was just going to chat with some boy?

Che Gulai sneered internally.

Someone as simple as Shen Sijin had learned to lie.

And she looked quite happy smiling.

How disgusting.

A nameless fire flared up in Che Gulai’s heart. Her face was deadly cold.

Was Shen Sijin’s recent aloofness because she was having a change of heart?

Looking at the smile in the picture, Che Gulai found it extremely grating. It must be because she had been too gentle with Shen Sijin recently, which allowed her to learn deception and become unreasonable.

Che Gulai’s eyes were dark and menacing.

Shen Sijin arrived home very late. As soon as she got upstairs, she found someone standing at her door.

“Who is it?” The sound-activated light in the hallway flickered on.

She saw Che Gulai’s face.

“What are you…”

“Open the door,” Che Gulai said coldly.

Shen Sijin didn’t know why she was here. She opened the door, and Che Gulai followed her in.

“Where were you tonight?”

Shen Sijin changed her shoes, not wanting to answer. “Nowhere in particular.”

“A liar,” Che Gulai said coldly, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall.

“Was the bonfire party fun tonight?”

Shen Sijin froze, then turned around. “You know.”

“Are you afraid that I know?” Che Gulai sneered. “Why did you lie, hmm?”

Shen Sijin was exhausted from the long drive.

“Are you angry?” She looked at Che Gulai, then suddenly spoke softly, her voice gentle, as if stating an ordinary fact.

“But you have been lying to me all along, Gulai.”

Che Gulai’s calm eyes wavered slightly. She narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”

Shen Sijin thought, Fine, let’s end this today.

There was no point in struggling anymore.

She didn’t answer Che Gulai directly. She knew Che Gulai would understand. There was a bouquet of white camellias in the living room. Shen Sijin touched the petals and said slowly, “Gulai, do you remember when I gave you a bouquet of white bellflowers?”

Che Gulai’s expression was blank. She didn’t remember the incident at all.

Shen Sijin knew she had forgotten.

She wasn’t overly hurt by it. She just spoke slowly, as if telling a story.

“After you succeeded with a major project, you held a celebration on a yacht. I went too, wanting to give you a surprise.”

Che Gulai seemed to remember the event, and her expression turned ugly.

“Many people were giving you flowers and gifts. I struggled to squeeze through the crowd and presented you with a bouquet of white bellflowers. I had run to many flower shops to find the freshest, most beautiful flowers, wanting to give you the most beautiful thing.”

Shen Sijin turned around and looked at her. “But you rejected my flowers and chose someone else’s instead.”

Che Gulai remembered the incident.

She had just accepted Shen Sijin’s confession not long before. At the celebration, she saw the flowers Shen Sijin presented to her.

How expectant Shen Sijin’s expression was then.

Her eyes were clear, holding the bouquet, her face full of sincerity.

What did she do?

Oh, she rejected them.

She rejected them in front of many people.

Just to watch Shen Sijin look embarrassed.

And what was Shen Sijin’s expression like then?

Her face instantly went white. Surrounded by the laughter of others, Shen Sijin lowered her head awkwardly, forcing a small, embarrassed smile, saying, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you don’t like this kind of flower. I… well, I’m going now…”

She couldn’t even speak clearly.

She hastily left afterward.

Che Gulai hadn’t paid her any attention after that.

“You remember now, don’t you?” Shen Sijin smiled. “I stayed on the deck all night. No one knew me. I was completely out of place with them, standing there in the cold wind for a long time.”

She sighed softly, a sad smile touching the corner of her eyes. “That night was really cold, Gulai.”

Che Gulai’s fingers clenched. She said coldly, “So what? What exactly are you trying to say?”

What was she trying to say?

It was simply those final words.

“Gulai, I love you,” Shen Sijin said painfully. “But you have caused me so much suffering.”

Just like that day when you didn’t accept my flowers.

“You’ve lied to me many times,” Shen Sijin slowly walked toward her, staring directly at her. “You don’t love me at all.”