After the Early-Deceased White Moonlight of a Wealthy Family Returns (GL) - Chapter 16

The rest area of the ranch was a small pavilion located on a hillside.

Meng Dongdong stirred the coffee in front of her, her eyes constantly darting toward the person directly across from her. “Hey, who are you exactly? What’s your relationship with Sister Su Wu?”

Meng Xi kicked her own sister under the table. “Where are your manners? Is this how you were raised at home?”

Meng Dongdong let out a huff.

Meng Xi felt her temper flare seeing her like this.

Fearing they would start arguing, Shen You’an stepped in to diffuse the tension. “My name is You’an. I’m the sister of… of a friend of Sister Su Wu.”

This name and this identity were what Su Wu and Shen You’an had agreed upon. Since she had decided not to return to the Shen family, her name naturally had to change.

Meng Dongdong pressed further, “Which friend? Do I know them?”

Meng Xi had had enough. “What does it have to do with you? Meng Dongdong, I didn’t know your college goal was the Police Academy.”

Meng Dongdong pouted. “I was just asking. I’ve never seen her before!”

She was clearly consumed by curiosity. Even after Meng Xi stopped her from questioning, her eyes continued to linger on You’an.

This girl named You’an was quite good-looking. How to describe it? She had a very classic, orthodox beauty—large eyes with clear distinctions between black and white, looking like a little deer when she gazed at someone. At first glance, Meng Dongdong thought of the descriptions of “white lotus” heroines in old-school novels. But there was something different about this girl’s eyes. Like now—when she wasn’t smiling or speaking, just staring, it gave Dongdong an inexplicably eerie feeling.

Dongdong rubbed her arms, startled by her own strange association.

Overthinking is a sin, Meng Dongdong, stop it!

A message popped up on Meng Xi’s phone. She glanced at it and said, “Su Wu is coming over. I’m going to go meet her. You two wait here, okay?”

Shen You’an: “Sure, Sister Meng Xi.”

Meng Dongdong: “Sister Su Wu is coming too?! Oh yeah! What are you standing there for? Go quickly! Don’t keep Sister Su Wu waiting!”

Meng Xi: “…” You really are my biological sister.

With Meng Xi gone, the atmosphere between Shen You’an and Meng Dongdong became even more awkward. Intuition told Shen You’an that Meng Dongdong held a subtle, inexplicable hostility toward her.

Clink.

Meng Dongdong tapped her glass with a small gold spoon, shook off the coffee droplets, and looked at Shen You’an. “I’ve known Sister Su Wu since I was a child.”

Shen You’an blinked.

Meng Dongdong continued, “My mom said she even held me when I was born.”

Shen You’an remained silent.

Meng Dongdong stared at her.

Shen You’an: “You like her a lot?”

Meng Dongdong snorted. “Of course! Sister Su Wu is beautiful and amazing. Do you know? Back then, she took over the Su Corporation all by herself, eventually merged it into her own group, and founded ‘Glimmer.'”

“Anyway, Sister Su Wu is perfect in every way—much better than my sister.”

“Status-wise, our relationships with Sister Su Wu are similar; we’re both sisters of her friends. However, I think Sister Su Wu is closer to me.” Meng Dongdong lifted her head proudly, like a little swan. “So, even though you interacted with Lily today, it doesn’t mean much!”

So that was the root of the issue.

Shen You’an felt that Meng Dongdong was right. Her relationship with Su Wu should be closer than hers.

“You’re right,” she said agreeably.

Meng Dongdong, who had been holding a bellyful of competitive energy, suddenly deflated. “Huh? Oh…”

“You’re very cute,” Shen You’an said, looking at her. The girl’s chubby face had that arrogant glow that only comes from being pampered by family. “I think both Sister Su and Sister Meng Xi must be very happy to have you as a sister.”

This threw Meng Dongdong off completely.

Her face turned bright red instantly. She didn’t even know how to hold her coffee. She lowered her head and took a quick sip, tasting nothing but feeling her heart racing. Why was this person across from her not playing by the rules? Why was she praising her?

“Which ‘You’ is in your name?” Meng Dongdong asked.

“The ‘You’ written with three strokes (尤), and ‘An’ (安) as in peace. What about you?”

“Just ‘Dongdong’ (咚咚) as in the sound of a drum. My formal name isn’t this, but it’s too complicated to write, so everyone who knows me calls me Dongdong.”

“It’s very cute,” Shen You’an remarked sincerely.

Meng Dongdong felt the heat in her ears was reaching a breaking point. “…”

What is going on?

Is “cute” her catchphrase?

“How old are you?” Meng Dongdong started making small talk.

“Eighteen. And you?”

“A year younger than you.” Meng Dongdong added with emphasis, “But I won’t call you ‘Sister’!”

Shen You’an didn’t really care about that. “Just use whatever way makes you comfortable.”

“Oh—” Meng Dongdong brushed her hair and asked, “Which school do you go to? I’m at Beichen International. Maybe we’re at the same school. Though I don’t think I’ve seen you there.”

Shen You’an thought to herself that she hadn’t prepared for this question.

“I’m not in school for the time being,” she replied truthfully.

Meng Dongdong seemed to realize something. “Homeschooled? I used to want that so bad. Going to school every day is so annoying; there are so many rules. But now I think school is okay; you meet all kinds of… weirdos. Let me tell you, there’s someone in my class—”

When Su Wu followed Meng Xi over, this was the scene she witnessed:

In the European-style pavilion in the distant mountains, two young girls were chatting and laughing, the atmosphere harmonious. Shen You’an was laughing at something Meng Dongdong had said, her eyes curved like crescents. Even from a distance, one could feel her relaxation.

Meng Xi was surprised. “How did those two become so close suddenly? They were just bickering earlier.”

Su Wu: “Bickering about what?”

Meng Xi: “You know Dongdong has been eyeing your Lily for ages. When she saw Xiao An on the horse, she was screaming so much my ears nearly exploded. Now they’re acting like nothing happened. But Old Su, I really have to say, I’ve realized Xiao An shouldn’t spend every day with ‘old’ people like us—”

“You,” Su Wu corrected. “Not us.”

Meng Xi: “…” I give up.

“She’s only eighteen. No matter what happened in the middle, her life has just begun. This is the age of most vitality and hope,” Meng Xi said. “Have you thought about what to do with her later? Her situation—”

“I will discuss it with her.” Su Wu lowered her eyes and walked toward the pavilion.

Meng Dongdong, who was busy telling Shen You’an gossip, heard the movement, looked back, and let out a squeal: “Sister Su Wu! You’re here!”

Su Wu nodded to her, then looked at the girl still sitting quietly in her place.

Shen You’an looked at the woman in the white suit. What surfaced in her mind, however, was the person who knocked on her door last night and told her she was afraid of thunder. Her heart skipped a beat, and she avoided Su Wu’s gaze.

Su Wu walked over.

Meng Dongdong desperately tried to invite Su Wu to sit next to her, only to have her head pushed away by her own sister. Meng Xi sat down firmly, and Su Wu pulled out the chair next to Shen You’an.

“I heard Lily likes you very much?” Su Wu asked.