After the Early-Deceased White Moonlight of a Wealthy Family Returns (GL) - Chapter 51

Meng Xi and Su Wu met up. Seeing that Su Wu expressed no surprise at her arriving alone, Meng Xi couldn’t help but ask: “Why don’t you ask me why I’m by myself?”

Su Wu turned the steering wheel to make a U-turn, checking the traffic to her left while answering, “You’an went out to handle business today as well.”

Meng Xi: “…You really called it!”

Meng Xi continued: “During lunch, I asked her to come with me so the three of us could talk and clear the air. But she said she had plans. Xiao An is going to meet Shen Yanchen, and Shen Huaijin was worried about her, so she decided to tag along nearby.”

Meng Xi nudged her: “Hey, Old Su, why are you being so quiet?”

Su Wu: “What is there to say?”

Meng Xi scratched her head, looking a bit troubled. “I mean, about you, me, and Shen Huaijin… and You’an too. She’s back now. You two…”

“Meng Xi,” Su Wu said firmly. “I understand your intentions. I know it’s hard for you to be caught in the middle. You don’t need to stress over the relationship between her and me; that’s for the two of us to handle. You are my friend, and she is also your friend. As for whether she and I can be friends again, I’m not sure.”

Meng Xi sighed. “Why? Because of what happened ten years ago?”

“No.” Su Wu had always been clear about what she wanted, whether in business or friendship. “When You’an went missing, she blamed me, and I blamed myself as well. When she lashed out at me back then, it felt like both pain and a form of release. In that context, I knew Shen Huaijin felt the same way I did. But I cannot agree with the choices she made afterward.”

Meng Xi had a headache, her words catching in her throat. “Old Su…”

“She ran away for ten years,” Su Wu said. “I can’t act like nothing happened. You’an can look at it from her perspective and feel bad for her. I can’t. I have someone else I need to feel bad for.”

“Alright, I get it.” Meng Xi gave up on her persuasion. She knew that some cracks, once formed, were nearly impossible to mend.

Furthermore—she thought about what happened after she drove to the seaside cottage to pick Su Wu up.

“You and Xiao An… have things progressed to that step yet?” Meng Xi asked cautiously. “From the look on Shen Huaijin’s face, she seems to know nothing about what’s going on between you two.”

Su Wu: “…?”

Su Wu: “Which step?”

“You know, the night of the cruise gala…” She was a bit hesitant at first, but after getting a few words out, the floodgates opened. “Later, when I went to fetch you? I felt then that the atmosphere between you two was a bit off. Given Xiao An’s personality, what would you have to do to make her run away from home? And in the early morning at that…”

Meng Xi added significantly: “Su Wu, she’s still young.”

Su Wu: “…”

A sharp glare from Su Wu’s eyes pierced right through Meng Xi’s heart.

Su Wu: “Since you’re so good at using your imagination, shall I put you in charge of the new project?”

Meng Xi: “…Damn. I’m talking about major life events and you bring up that dog-crap work. Don’t be like that, Old Su! It’s terrifying!”

Su Wu: “Is that really how you see me? You think I would lay a hand on her against her will?”

Meng Xi: “…”

She didn’t answer. Her eyes wandered, and she gave a light cough.

During the years when Su Wu’s condition was at its worst, Meng Xi had forcibly dragged her to see Tang Lin. Su Wu suffered from severe auditory hallucinations and occasionally even visual ones. Once, while crossing the street, Su Wu insisted she saw Shen You’an on the other side and charged forward recklessly. It scared Meng Xi half to death, fearing she’d be sent flying by a car.

Sometimes, Meng Xi felt that Su Wu’s illness had never truly gone away—it was just hidden. It was tucked away within her extremely disciplined, almost self-flagellating schedule. How much could a person who never rests and wishes she could split herself in two really care about herself? Her sickness had never been cured.

Over the years, there were people who hated Su Wu and people who followed her; those who admired and liked her were innumerable. But she had always locked herself away, refusing to establish connections with anyone outside of work or necessity. Meng Xi felt lucky she could stay by her side. She had met Su Wu during her softest years, not the years that followed.

Given the “wonderful” state of Su Wu’s mental health, Meng Xi was truly afraid she might try some “forced love” trope like the youngsters do these days.

After her thoughts spun around a few more times, Meng Xi stole a glance at Su Wu’s expression. It was perfectly composed, without a ripple.

Wait. Meng Xi caught a bug in Su Wu’s previous sentence.

“If Xiao An were willing, you—”

The car suddenly braked hard. Meng Xi nearly flew forward, saved only by her seatbelt.

Meng Xi: “???”

Su Wu: “The car in front braked suddenly.”

Meng Xi looked ahead. In the right turn lane, a driver and an old man on an electric bike were screaming at each other. Su Wu maneuvered around the bickering pair.

“Meng Xi, can I ask a favor? Don’t let a third person know about the things we just discussed.”

Meng Xi froze and turned to look at her. Su Wu was driving. She was always calm and rational behind the wheel; she didn’t get angry or react when boxed in, but her hands on the wheel and foot on the gas were faster than anyone’s—she always managed to weave through without losing out. Su Wu’s driving skills were excellent. In the first few years after Shen You’an disappeared, Meng Xi took Su Wu to a racetrack once to clear her head. Later, Su Wu became a regular and the uncrowned king of that track.

Her eyes were deep and steady. There wasn’t a hint of hesitation in her voice as she spoke.

“…You don’t plan to?”

Su Wu shook her head.

Meng Xi had originally wanted to tease her, saying that if Su Wu and Xiao An actually ended up together, Su Wu would technically have to call Shen Huaijin “Sister.” Now, those words couldn’t be said.

“Why?” Meng Xi didn’t quite understand.

“Why do you never confess to Tang Lin?” Su Wu asked in return.

Meng Xi muttered: “That’s different. We’re friends now, and she’s always seen me as a senior. She’s truly straight. Besides, she isn’t the ‘only one’ for me. It’s just that in all these years, it’s the first time I’ve liked someone who doesn’t like me back, so I care a little. Or rather, it’s not that she doesn’t like me, it’s just that her kind of liking isn’t what I want. But it’s enough.”

“I feel it’s enough as well,” Su Wu replied.

Meng Xi didn’t believe her for a second. “I’ll take those words with a grain of salt. If Xiao An ever gets a girlfriend or boyfriend at school, Su Wu, you have to notify me. No matter where I am, I will definitely rush back to see your reaction.”

Su Wu didn’t take the bait, firing back unhesitatingly: “I’ll be there when Tang Lin gets married. I hope you’ll be there too.”

Meng Xi: “…”

Meng Xi: “I lose.”

Su Wu: “I accept your surrender.”

Meng Xi: “Do we have to hurt each other like this?”

Su Wu: “You started it.”

Meng Xi: “Sigh, why aren’t we there yet?”

Su Wu shook her head, knowing she was changing the subject. Simultaneously, she asked Meng Xi: “Did you read the file?”

Meng Xi said: “I skimmed it before lunch. Honestly, I don’t have much experience with lie detection. You could have asked Tang Lin to find someone; the Academy of Sciences has plenty of talent.”

“I don’t trust anyone else,” Su Wu said. “I asked you to come along and watch because I’m afraid of my own misjudgment.”

“The person who caused the fire on the ship is named Xiang Yang, a long-time employee. The investigation shows he received a bonus last week and a promotion notice. The only conflict he’s had recently was when someone saw him arguing with someone from another department. Then, on the night of the gala, he suddenly committed arson. Meng Xi, what do you think?”

Meng Xi frowned. “It’s a bit strange. According to you, Xiang Yang’s life on the ship was good, and he had prospects. Why would someone like that suddenly decide to set fire to his workplace? Did he have enemies? Or was it just simple revenge against the person he argued with?”

“Nothing serious enough to warrant ‘enemies’ showed up in the investigation. Xiang Yang is just an average guy—vocational school graduate, reasonably good-looking, switched from flight attendant to cruise staff. He has a girlfriend and was preparing for marriage.”

Meng Xi: “…Strange. Could he actually be a closeted psychopathic killer? Let’s see what he says during the questioning.”

“Mhm,” Su Wu said. “If there’s anything I miss, you must remind me.”

“Don’t worry.” Meng Xi patted her shoulder. “Arson can be a big or small deal. There wasn’t widespread damage this time, and everyone was safe. Why do you care so much? It’s not like your usual style.”

Su Wu didn’t speak, her lips pursed, clearly in deep thought.

Meng Xi: “Intuition again?”

Su Wu nodded.

The two walked into the interrogation room. Hearing the sound, Xiang Yang didn’t even look up. He said in agony: “I told you! I don’t know! It wasn’t on purpose! I don’t know why I did it! Stop asking me!”

“Xiang Yang?” Su Wu’s voice was icy.

The man looked up abruptly. Recognizing her and Meng Xi beside her, his eyes lit up with the fire of hope. “President Su! President Meng! Save me!!”

“You caused such a massive scene on my ship, and you want me to save you?” Su Wu’s gaze was contemptuous.

Xiang Yang collapsed on the spot. “No, President Su! No! It’s not what you think! I… I don’t know what happened at the time either… I was like I was possessed… Yes! Possessed! That’s it!! President Su, you have to believe me!”

Meng Xi thought to herself that it was her first time seeing someone try to exonerate themselves this way. Looking surreptitiously at Su Wu, she found that Su Wu was actually asking seriously: “Possessed? Tell me, what exactly did it feel like?”

“You’re finally here.” Shen Yanchen was waiting impatiently in the private room. His first words upon seeing Shen You’an were as such.

Shen You’an was wearing a mask. She pulled out the chair opposite him. “Meng Dongdong said you have something very important to tell me. What is it?”

Ever since he’d decided to take down that annoying fake, Shen Zhirou, Shen Yanchen had been finding ways to get Shen You’an’s contact information. He’d arranged to meet her online.

Shen Yanchen didn’t answer, his eyes fixed on her mask. “There’s no one else here. Why are you wearing that? Take it off.”

“Suspected flu,” Shen You’an said. “I’m afraid of infecting you.” She moved to take off the mask.

Shen Yanchen scrambled back. “Forget it, forget it. This is fine.”

Shen You’an: “Mhm.”

Shen Yanchen: “So… that proposal I mentioned to you on the ship, what do you think?”

Shen You’an: “What proposal?”

Shen Yanchen was speechless. “The thing about Shen Zhirou! This is an absolutely lucrative deal for you. How about it? You An, I’ve looked into your situation a bit. I heard your family went bankrupt and you came here to stay with relatives?”

Shen You’an didn’t know how the school rumors about her had evolved into this.

“You…” She played along as if he’d hit a nerve, and added, “I don’t understand, Shen Yanchen. What do you mean?”

Shen Yanchen looked at her with a ‘do I really have to spell it out’ expression. “You’ve seen Shen Zhirou’s situation. The haute couture she wears, the gems she has—those things are all given to her by the Shen family. In fact, she isn’t my aunt’s biological daughter at all. That daughter died ten years ago. Now, no one in our family dares to mention her. My father won’t even let me see her photos or know her name.”

“That Shen Zhirou is just a total fake. They say my sister died saving her, and yet she’s this ungrateful!” As he mentioned Shen Zhirou, Shen Yanchen became emotionally unstable and indignant. “She’s just a pheasant who really thinks she’s a princess.”

“If you’re willing, I have a way to let you have everything she has right now.” Madness flickered in his eyes. “How about it?”

“Why me?”

“You saved me; I’m repaying the favor.” Actually, it was because she looked easier to control than Shen Zhirou. Shen Yanchen added, “In a word, are you doing this or not!”

Shen You’an acted as though she were tempted but hesitant. “This kind of thing… it’s not like you can just swap people out…”

Shen Yanchen let out an incredibly disdainful huff. “Although I don’t know the specifics, my father has his ways. As long as you perform well when you see him, and make him feel you’re more suited to play my sister than Shen Zhirou, you won’t have to worry about the rest.”

“I’ll tell you the truth: back then, my father even wanted me to try wearing girls’ clothes. Later, he somehow found Shen Zhirou, which is how she has what she has today.”

“What is she even supposed to be…” Shen Yanchen sneered. “Without me, without my father, who knows what village she’d be stuck in right now.”

“Is it really that magical?” Shen You’an said dubiously. “Shen Yanchen, I need to think about it.”

“Fine,” Shen Yanchen said. “Message me when you’ve made up your mind. Just use the number I used to contact you.”

“Okay.”

Shen Yanchen: “I’m heading out then. I have a gaming session with some people.”

Shen You’an bid him goodbye. Once the door closed, she tapped her watch, which showed an active call.

“Sister,” Shen You’an said. “He’s gone. You can come up.”