After the Early-Deceased White Moonlight of a Wealthy Family Returns (GL) - Chapter 55

Shen You’an was not paying attention in class at all today.

Her eyes would fix on the blackboard for a moment, and then her mind would drift away. Just the thought of what was going to happen tonight made it impossible for her to stay calm.

Her seatmate watched her lean over the desk—sighing one moment, turning over the next, pulling out a book to flip through aimlessly, and then doodling distractedly in her notebook.

Meng Dongdong: “…?”

Meng Dongdong: “An-jie, are you feeling okay?”

Shen You’an: “Huh?”

Meng Dongdong: “Is it your period?”

Shen You’an: “…No, it’s not, thank you.”

“Then why are you acting like you’ve got ants in your pants?” Meng Dongdong was truly puzzled. “Got something on your mind? Talk to me.”

Shen You’an glanced at her, started to speak, then shook her head and buried her face in her folded arms.

“…” How strange, Meng Dongdong thought. It was her first time seeing An-jie like this. To boost her friend’s spirits, she secretly pulled out her private stash of images. “Look, a masterpiece.”

Shen You’an lowered her head in confusion. Under the desk, on the phone screen Meng Dongdong was covertly holding out, she saw a young girl with a collar around her neck; the other end of the chain was held by a woman.

Shen You’an’s pupils constricted violently: “…?!”

Her brain, which already felt things were heading in an ominous direction, took an even weirder turn.

“What is this?”

Meng Dongdong: “A ship I’m obsessed with. They’ve got a GL drama out recently. Holy crap, let me tell you, it’s so hot. The fan-artists’ ‘cooking’ is top-tier, too.”

Shen You’an: “…I’m asking what they are doing.”

Meng Dongdong: “Uh, well, you know… some light play?”

Shen You’an’s gaze was clear and uncomprehending as she looked at Meng Dongdong.

Meng Dongdong: “…”

“Wait here,” she muttered.

A moment later, she sent Shen You’an a “Super Secret Study Document.”

“Just read it,” Meng Dongdong said. “This is my years-long collection of related materials.”

Shen You’an fell into a silence the moment she clicked the first document.

No.

The things she had asked Su Wu to prepare were absolutely not for doing this!

Su Wu wouldn’t misunderstand, would she?!

Shen You’an didn’t have the heart or the face to look at any more files. The complex emotions she’d felt since waking up reached a peak.

Time dragged on until the afternoon. Shen You’an kept checking her messages. Usually, if Su Wu didn’t say otherwise, it was a silent agreement that she’d go home with Meng Dongdong. She kept lighting up her screen, but no messages from Su Wu appeared. Her heart was in limbo until a new notification popped up.

She opened it. It was from her biological sister.

[Celebrating my move tonight. Dinner together—what do you want to eat? Big sister’s treat.]

Alright. It felt a bit wrong to say, but Shen You’an admitted that while she felt a slight sting of disappointment, she also felt a wave of relief.

[Okay,] she replied.

Shen Huaijin replied instantly: [~]

Shen Huaijin: [If Xiao An has any friends she wants to invite, bring them along! Ask Meng Xi’s sister, too!]

So, Shen You’an asked Meng Dongdong.

Meng Dongdong grinned with a mix of smugness and shyness. “I won’t be going. I have plans.”

Shen You’an: “…”

Fine. I know you’re entangled with Ji Lan.

She shook her head helplessly and told Meng Dongdong to be careful. Meng Dongdong let out an “aiyah”: “An-jie, what are you thinking? Auntie Lan and I are just going to dinner.”

“My sister should be going to your dinner tonight! Hehe, let her congratulate Huaijin for me!” she added.

Meng Dongdong was right. For Shen Huaijin’s housewarming dinner, Meng Xi showed up. She even came to the school gate to pick up Shen You’an.

“Old Shen said she’s busy cooking at home and can’t get away, so she asked me to pick you up,” Meng Xi explained.

Meng Dongdong pretended to be jealous: “Wow, rotten big sis. You pick up Xiao An but not me.”

Meng Xi exposed her ruthlessly: “Ji Lan called the house and told Mom you weren’t coming home for dinner. Meng Dongdong, are you sure you want me to pick you up?”

Meng Dongdong pouted: “I was just saying.”

Meng Xi gave her a playful flick on the head. Once Ji Lan arrived to pick up Dongdong, Meng Xi drove off with Shen You’an. You’an clearly noticed that the moment Ji Lan saw her, the woman’s expression shifted slightly. Meng Dongdong, taking advantage of the moment no one was looking, pitifully gave her a “pretty please” gesture.

Shen You’an sighed inwardly.

“Is Meng Dongdong causing trouble again?” Meng Xi hit the nail on the head.

Shen You’an stayed loyal to her friend’s secret: “No, no.”

Meng Xi: “She’s got more tricks up her sleeve than anyone. If she bullies you, tell me.”

Shen You’an: “She won’t.”

She looked at Meng Xi and asked, “Sister Meng Xi.”

Meng Xi: “Yeah?”

Shen You’an: “Is A-jie going to dinner later?”

Meng Xi said exaggeratedly: “Eh, I actually don’t know. Forgot to ask. Why don’t you message her and ask?”

Shen You’an gripped her phone but said nothing.

Meng Xi found it strange: “Did you and Old Su have a fight?”

Shen You’an shook her head vigorously: “No!”

“Then why are you asking me whether she’s coming to dinner instead of asking her?”

Shen You’an felt a cold sweat. How could she tell her she was too embarrassed about her own proposal!

Seeing her looking like her ears were about to start smoking, Meng Xi thought to herself: Su Wu is really something. She says she won’t touch Xiao An, but look at how she’s teased the poor kid. Isn’t this just pure shyness? She tapped her screen and called Su Wu.

After a few seconds, Su Wu picked up. Her voice, cool as jade, spread through the car.

“Meng Xi?”

Meng Xi had it on speaker: “Old Shen is having a housewarming dinner tonight. You coming?”

Su Wu: “She mentioned it. I have things to do and won’t make it. You guys enjoy.”

She paused, then added: “Did you pick up Xiao An?”

Meng Xi chirped: “Yep, she’s in the car. You and Old Shen are something else, both asking me to pick up Xiao An. I know you’re worried! You can relax; she’s right here with me.”

“A-jie.” Since Meng Xi had mentioned her, Shen You’an had to speak up. “I’m in Sister Meng Xi’s car. Don’t worry.”

Su Wu: “Good.”

Su Wu: “Eat well. I’ll come pick you up as soon as I finish tidying up here.”

Shen You’an’s ears turned red again.

Meng Xi went “Ooh!”: “Where are you two going? I’ve caught you!”

Su Wu: “She has extra lessons.”

The woman’s voice sounded exceptionally serious and confident. “Do you want to come audit the class?”

Meng Xi immediately withered: “No, no, no. You two go ahead.”

She hated studying, and studying hated her.

Su Wu gave a light chuckle and said, “Hanging up now.”

Meng Xi: “See ya!”

After the line went dead, Meng Xi looked at the girl in the passenger seat. “Xiao An, are you more at ease now? Your Sister Su Wu hasn’t gone missing.”

Shen You’an’s mind was filled with the words “extra lessons” spoken in Su Wu’s deadpan tone.

Aaah—

What lessons? That was clearly, clearly…

Alright. Looking at it from another perspective, this was indeed a lesson belonging only to a monster.

She brushed her hair forward to hide her burning ears and asked, “Sister Meng Xi, since A-jie also asked you to pick me up, you must have known she wasn’t coming to dinner. Why did you—”

Caught in her little game, Meng Xi coughed: “Well, I just thought you’d be more at ease hearing it from Su Wu herself!”

Her phone vibrated. Meng Xi glanced at it; it was Shen Huaijin asking where they were. The sour vegetable and duck soup was already simmering in the pot; if they were close, she’d start stir-frying the vegetables.

“Coming, coming,” Meng Xi replied via voice message. “Don’t rush me.”

Despite her words, her foot pressed harder on the gas. Her car wove through traffic faster than those around it.

They arrived at Shen Huaijin’s place in record time. When the door opened, Huaijin was wearing an apron and thick oven mitts. She gestured for them to come in while turning off the stove in the kitchen.

Meng Xi looked down; slippers were already set out. The pair for Shen You’an was clearly a set with the ones Huaijin was wearing.

Tsk, how petty. Meng Xi suddenly really wanted to see the day Shen Huaijin found out her sister had likely been made off with by Su Wu a long time ago—not the “sisterly” kind of kidnapping, but the other kind.

“What are you plotting?” Shen Huaijin glared at her. “Come help me bring out the dishes.”

Meng Xi followed her with a weirdly cheerful grin that made the hair on the back of Shen Huaijin’s neck stand up. What is this woman planning now?!

It had been a long time since Shen You’an had eaten a meal cooked by her sister. Her mother was a good cook, and Shen Huaijin had clearly inherited the talent. The sour vegetable and duck soup was incredibly savory; You’an finished three bowls. Huaijin was so happy her eyes crinkled into lines. “I’m just glad you like it, Xiao An.”

She didn’t know that Shen You’an was eating frantically with a purpose. She figured if she ate more now, then later… when she saw Su Wu, she might be able to exercise a bit more restraint.

Appetite, right?

After the meal, Shen You’an volunteered to wash the dishes. Huaijin told her not to move and shoved the bowls into Meng Xi’s hands.

Meng Xi: “…?”

Shen Huaijin said: “Xiao An, if Su Wu doesn’t come back tonight and you’re afraid to be alone, you can stay here with me. It’s just across the hall, and I’ve kept a room for you.”

Meng Xi said sarcastically: “Oh, no need for that. It’s not that Su Wu isn’t coming back; she’s just coming over once she’s finished to pick Xiao An up. Keep dreaming.”

Shen Huaijin: “It’s so late, where are they going?”

Shen You’an forced herself to mimic three-tenths of Su Wu’s calm composure: “Extra lessons.”

Shen Huaijin remarked with emotion: “That’s a good thing. Xiao An, you’ve grown up. You used to hate extra lessons.”

Shen You’an: “Haha, yeah.”

Speak of Su Wu, and Su Wu arrives. There was a knock at the door. The woman was wearing a beige trench coat, a scarf draped lazily over her shoulders. She nodded to Huaijin as she opened the door but didn’t come in, peering inside from the threshold.

Shen You’an’s eyes lit up: “A-jie!”

Shen Huaijin invited: “Meng Xi said you just finished work. Have you eaten? Why don’t you come in for a bite?”

“No need,” Su Wu said. “Still have things to do.”

Shen Huaijin gave an “Oh”: “Taking Xiao An to extra lessons, right? What subject?”

Su Wu glanced at the girl who was busy putting on her shoes with her head down and said slowly: “Biology.”

Shen Huaijin: “Wow, Xiao An, you’re interested in science now?”

Shen You’an: “…Y-yeah, I guess.”

Shen Huaijin saw them to the car. As the door closed, You’an watched her sister’s figure grow smaller until it vanished. The whole world was left with only her and Su Wu.

“Don’t be nervous,” Su Wu said. “I’ve prepared all the tools we’ll need.”

“Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.”

Shen You’an nodded obediently, but her heart was wailing.

Meng Dongdong.

You really shouldn’t have shown me those ‘study materials’!!!

The car drove silently across the bridge, reached the coastal road, and eventually arrived slowly at the place Shen You’an hadn’t set foot in since she left that early morning.

Getting out of the car, she followed behind Su Wu, step by step.

The grey-white door opened.

Creak.

It felt like entering a foreign world.