After the Early-Deceased White Moonlight of a Wealthy Family Returns (GL) - Chapter 62

Morning sunlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, wandering into the living room and leaving golden traces beneath the pot of the Pieris japonica.

Thin gauze curtains floated gently, bringing a trace of cool breeze. Dappled light and shadows fell upon the beige carpet, and the air was filled with a faint, fresh scent of lemon mixed with woody furniture.

“Awake?”

Shen You’an opened her eyes groggily, hearing a familiar voice. Thinking she was dreaming, she rubbed her eyes and looked toward the sound.

The woman was sitting in a small lounge chair nearby, dressed in loungewear, holding an iPad. The screen flickered with light, displaying dense rows of data and text reports.

Behind her, the wall clock ticked slowly, the second hand making a faint “click-clack” sound that intertwined with the occasional distant birdsong, making the entire space feel tranquil and warm.

The shimmering morning light enveloped her.

“A-jie…?” Shen You’an called out uncertainly.

“It’s me.” Su Wu put down the iPad and walked over. Her face, as she drew near, showed genuine concern. “How do you feel? Any discomfort?”

Shen You’an shook her head. “I… I’m fine.”

She quickly sat up straight.

“A-jie, when did you get back?”

“Not long ago.” Su Wu caught the blanket as it slipped, preventing the edge from touching the floor.

Only then did Shen You’an realize her secret use of Su Wu’s blanket had likely been discovered. She hurriedly sat back, clutching the blanket. Small, fidgety movements followed one after another, full of a desire to hide her embarrassment.

She wanted to explain: “A-jie—”

Wait.

Her sleep-befuddled brain gradually cleared as she woke up. Everything that had happened reappeared in the sea of her consciousness.

What on earth did she say to Su Wu yesterday while she was half-drunk? She suddenly gripped the blanket tight, her head lowering so far it almost grew into the floorboards.

“Want some water?” Su Wu helped her straighten her messy clothes. “I helped you call in sick to school today. After breakfast, rest for a bit and then take a shower. Change out of this outfit.”

Shen You’an had been so dazed when she got home yesterday that she hadn’t even managed to change her clothes.

“Okay, okay.” Shen You’an wished she could dive into the bathroom right this second. “I’ll go shower first, A-jie. I smell strongly, and I don’t like it.”

Su Wu: “Now you know you don’t like it?”

Shen You’an: “Aiyah…”

She squeezed the blanket and confessed honestly: “Actually, at first, I didn’t know we were going to a bar. We were just going to listen to a live performance. It’s what I told you yesterday—Meng Dongdong has a friend who plays the bass.”

“But then I got dragged along to the celebration party.”

“Mhm.” Su Wu looked at her. “I know. You also lost a game and had to kiss a lead singer.”

“!?!”

“No, no, no!” Shen You’an hurried to explain. “It wasn’t a kiss!”

She gestured with both hands in the air, not knowing where to put them for a moment. “It… it was just—”

“I lost a game! It was a penalty! That lady said I could kiss her anywhere! It wasn’t a ‘kiss’!”

“Oh.” Su Wu watched her panic like someone watching a fire from across a river, saying composedly, “So, where did you end up kissing her?”

Shen You’an’s eyes went wide. “I didn’t! I didn’t kiss her! I didn’t kiss anyone anywhere!”

Innocent! Her innocence!

“What’s the rush? I was just asking.” Su Wu tapped her forehead. “Go shower.”

“Oh—” Shen You’an trailed off, her voice lingering as slowly as her footsteps.

So Su Wu didn’t care after all.

She soaked under the shower head dejectedly for a while. To vent her frustration, she scrubbed herself clean from head to toe.

Shen You’an was sensitive to smells. Even though it had been a long time since she left the bar, she could still feel the residual scent of alcohol on her, and the tobacco particles in the air that had clung to her gave off an unpleasant odor.

Letting the water wash her mind clean, Shen You’an walked out.

The housekeeper didn’t come today; Shen You’an wondered if she had taken the day off too. Breakfast was made by Su Wu: a simple sandwich with a golden, sun-like fried egg in the middle, lush green lettuce, and two slices of salty Spanish ham.

Su Wu didn’t seem to have much of an appetite; she rarely had an appetite for food. She would only eat a bit more when Shen You’an was eating with particular enjoyment. To Su Wu, eating was a physiological energy replenishment activity so simple it couldn’t be simpler.

Under Su Wu’s gaze, Shen You’an ate two sandwiches.

“Rest at home today, or go wherever you like.” Su Wu reached out to brush away a bread crumb stuck to the corner of You’an’s mouth. “I have to head back to the office in a bit.”

“Is the research going well?” Shen You’an asked.

Su Wu: “Progress is good.”

Since Shen You’an asked, she gave a general overview of the current situation.

“Regarding the special substance we discovered that day, the lab already has a solution. In the next day or two, we should be able to add a micro-injector to the inner layer of the collar. The problem you’re worried about shouldn’t happen in the short term.”

“I see,” Shen You’an replied.

She held the soy milk in front of her and took a few sips. Thinking of something, she suddenly blushed and didn’t dare look directly at Su Wu’s lips or chest. She grabbed a tissue and rubbed it back and forth on the table, meticulously gathering all the tiny bread crumbs into the paper.

“Cough.” She suddenly choked.

“Drink slowly,” Su Wu said helplessly. “No one is fighting you for it.”

Shen You’an didn’t dare speak. She tried to steer the topic toward serious matters: “So, A-jie, based on that special substance, have you found out who’s behind it?”

Su Wu shook her head slightly. “Not for now.”

Shen You’an gave an “aiyah”: “It’s okay, it’s okay. Once we’re ready, we’ll go check out Tian’ai.”

Su Wu: “Mhm.”

Su Wu: “Has Shen Yanchen contacted you lately?”

Shen You’an: “No. After he gave me that suggestion last time and told me to contact him once I’d decided, I just haven’t reached out.”

Shen You’an: “A-jie, do you think I should take the initiative to probe again?”

Su Wu: “No need for now. Your sister is handling things on Shen Run’s side.”

Shen Huaijin had openly returned to the Shen family these past few days. She had taken the initiative to talk to Shen Run about work. On the surface, Shen Run showed no signs of anything being amiss; he agreed generously and placed her in a middle-management position, saying it was to let her adapt.

“I do have something to share,” Su Wu said. “Just yesterday, a researcher in our group discovered that a blood sample collected from your genetic mutation state contains a biomarker homologous to the ‘Xenotype-7’ substance reported in recent literature by a foreign medical institution.”

“Huh?” Shen You’an was baffled.

Su Wu chuckled. “I’m being absent-minded.”

“To put it simply, your blood sample contains the core substance they put in their so-called ‘miracle drug’ ingredients.”

“That company claims this substance can bring people back from the dead and reverse diseases.”

“That’s too exaggerated—” Shen You’an remarked.

“Yes, so many people consider that company to be run by lunatics. Bringing the dead back to life is clearly a fantasy.”

Su Wu’s tone shifted.

“However, looking at the current situation, they might have actually discovered something.”

Su Wu looked at Shen You’an: “Does the name Aurora Serum sound familiar to you?”

Shen You’an thought for a moment and shook her head. “Never heard of it. No, wait—maybe I have, but I have no impression of it.”

“I spent some time investigating and found that this company was initially founded ten years ago.”

Shen You’an: “!?”

Shen You’an: “A-jie, do you mean this is related to the people behind Shen Run?”

Su Wu: “Mhm.”

“I’ve already sent people abroad to investigate the truth. It might take some time; I’ll let you know if there’s any news.”

Shen You’an: “Is it safe?”

Su Wu smiled. “Don’t worry.”

She checked her watch; it was nearly nine o’clock.

“You’an, I have to go now.”

Shen You’an was a bit reluctant, but she knew Su Wu had serious work to do. She got up to see her downstairs. A driver came to pick her up; after watching her get into the car, Shen You’an saw her off from a distance. Only after the car vanished did she go back home.

Meng Dongdong clearly hadn’t gone to class either. This was evident because the girl didn’t message her until two in the afternoon.

King Dongdong: Omg, I’m awake.

King Dongdong: That was a satisfying sleep.

Youan: hhh

Youan: Did you get drunk again yesterday?

King Dongdong: Not much!

King Dongdong: Xiao Yu and I hadn’t seen each other in so long. After the celebration party, we went for a second round of drinks, hehe.

King Dongdong: What about you? How did the call with Sister Su Wu go yesterday?

It would have been fine if Meng Dongdong hadn’t mentioned it; Shen You’an could have pretended nothing had happened. But as soon as she brought it up, all the words she’d said to Su Wu yesterday while she was groggy and incoherent came rushing back into her ears.

Would Su Wu think she’s a pervert?

Shen You’an didn’t even know how many times she’d said “I miss you” yesterday.

King Dongdong: Why is it quiet?!

King Dongdong: What’s the situation!

Youan: It’s nothing!

King Dongdong: Fine, fine, if you say it’s nothing, then it’s nothing~~

King Dongdong: Want to come out and play this afternoon? Since neither of us is in class.

King Dongdong: It’s rare for Xiao Yu to be here too. Escape room this afternoon? Or maybe a murder mystery game? You definitely haven’t played those; the stuff abroad isn’t as good as our local ones. You in?

Staying at home doing nothing would only lead to wild thoughts; she might as well go out and be active. Shen You’an accepted Meng Dongdong’s invitation.

And then, she perfectly evolved into what Meng Dongdong called a “super tank.”

Leaving the escape room, Meng Dongdong was smug, practically floating as she walked. “Whoa, first time I’ve felt this much security in an escape room. An-jie, you’re so cool!?”

Shen You’an: “Not at all.”

Meng Dongdong: “Weren’t you scared of that monster? My god, it looked so terrifying to me.”

Shen You’an thought to herself: My true form is scarier than that monster, there’s really nothing to fear.

Brimming with energy, Meng Dongdong dragged Shen You’an and Yu Shuyan to play the claw machine.

“Yo.” Meng Xi saw the post she made on her social feed. “So Meng Dongdong isn’t just skipping class, she’s being this arrogant about it?”

“What is it?” Su Wu asked casually.

Meng Xi opened the photo and held it in front of Su Wu. “Look at this, look at this.”

In the 4:3 landscape photo, Meng Dongdong stood in the foreground, taking a selfie while holding a small blue plushie. In the background of the shot, Shen You’an and a girl Su Wu hadn’t seen before were standing very close together, both studying the claw machine in front of them.

“That’s Xiao Yu—Yu Shuyan. She’s the daughter of a friend of my parents. She’s a musician now, a bass master. She’s already released albums and toured at a young age,” Meng Xi said.

“I didn’t ask,” Su Wu replied.

Meng Xi: “I’m bored and I like to introduce people, okay?”

Su Wu said nothing.

Meng Xi couldn’t keep things in. After a while, she leaned in, snatched the document out of Su Wu’s hand, and forced her to pay attention. “No, Old Su, I’m serious.”

“What are you actually thinking?”

Su Wu: “Thinking about what?”

Meng Xi: “You’an.”

Su Wu: “What is there to think about?”

Meng Xi huffed. “Stop faking it. Others might not know, but you think I don’t?”

Su Wu pinched the bridge of her nose. “Meng Xi, I’ve realized you’ve missed out on a fortune-making career.”

Meng Xi’s eyes lit up. “What, what?”

Su Wu: “If you had put all your effort into the matchmaking industry these past years, you might have unified every matchmaking corner in the country by now.”

Meng Xi: “…………”

She muttered, “What ‘matchmaker’? If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t even care.”

Su Wu saw through her thoughts: “You’re just anxious to see a showdown between me and Shen Huaijin, aren’t you?”

Meng Xi squealed: “How could you! How could I have such a thought!”

“You know me—the more urgent things get, the more I have to think about ‘unserious’ matters,” Meng Xi said. “The problems behind the Shen family… the more I investigate, the scarier it gets. I always feel Xiao An is involved. If I feel that way, you definitely know the truth better than I do.”

“So I was thinking—since we don’t know what will happen in the future, why not seize the present? Look at you. You’ve waited so long for Xiao An to come back. Are you really going to just be an ‘A-jie’ like this?”

“Meng Xi.” Su Wu’s voice lowered. “I don’t want to discuss this topic anymore.”

Seeing her like this, Meng Xi knew she had made up her mind.

“Fine, I’ll stop.” Her gaze shifted back to the photo. “But Old Su, don’t say I didn’t warn you. This friend of Dongdong’s—Xiao Yu—she looks like the type who likes girls too.”

“You know what your Xiao An looks like and what her vibe is. What do the kids say these days? Oh, heavenly dish. If I were ten years younger, even I would try to pursue her.”

Su Wu: “You said the same thing when the new secretary joined the company. Are you a dog? Do you chase everyone you see?”

Meng Xi: “…………”

Meng Xi: “!?!”

God! Su Wu, why don’t you just lick your own lips and poison yourself to death!!

She turned around in a huff.

Su Wu: “You’re thirty years old. Can’t you keep a lid on your mouth?”

Meng Xi: “I’m just saying!”

It wasn’t like she was actually going to pursue her! Can’t a person even talk?!

And she says she doesn’t care!!

Su Wu took back the document Meng Xi had snatched and continued working. After Meng Xi left, she stared at it for a long time before taking out her phone and opening Meng Dongdong’s social feed.

She zoomed in on the photo.

The girl named Xiao Yu seemed to be saying something, and Shen You’an was listening very seriously.

The scene was very harmonious.

Su Wu watched for a while, exited, and resumed her work.

To be honest, she didn’t take Meng Xi’s nonsense to heart.

But when she discovered that Shen You’an’s GPS location began to frequently show a new spot—which she found out was Yu Shuyan’s home—Su Wu became somewhat attentive.

She started investigating all the information related to Yu Shuyan.

The electronic document was about ten pages long. The awards Yu Shuyan had won since childhood took up several pages.

Loving parents, warm family, open-minded, supporting their genius elite-university-graduate daughter’s pursuit of music.

Yu Shuyan was even a permanent donor to a raccoon conservation center.

Regarding the band, she wrote many of the songs herself—composing and writing lyrics with healthy, positive themes, using rock to call for love and peace.

Su Wu skimmed through it.

She pushed the screen away, leaned back, and the work chair swayed slightly. She stared at the ceiling.

Kids these days… why are they all so outstanding?

---

The day Su Wu brought home the improved special collar, Shen You’an was uncharacteristically not at home. She didn’t return until nearly midnight.

When the door opened and she saw the lights on, her eyes lit up with joy. “A-jie?”

Su Wu picked up the remote and pressed pause; the boring TV show finally came to an end. “You’re back?”

Shen You’an put her things down and walked toward her. “I’m back! A-jie, you came home today too!”

Su Wu: “Mhm.”

Su Wu: “Why so late? Where did you go?”

She was asking despite already knowing. Su Wu knew exactly where Shen You’an had been.

Shen You’an: “N-nowhere.”

Su Wu’s eyes darkened. This was the first time Shen You’an had hidden her whereabouts from her.

“Nowhere? And you’re just getting home this late?” Su Wu put down the remote. “You’an, you have secrets.”

Shen You’an was not good at lying, especially to Su Wu. After a moment of internal struggle, she said honestly, “I went to Xiao Yu’s house.”

“What is there to hide about that?” Su Wu smiled.

Shen You’an whispered: “Because there are some things I can’t tell A-jie.”

Su Wu’s smile faltered for a second. “What?”

Shen You’an acted as if she were fleeing: “I really can’t say! A-jie, A-jie! I’m going to my room to put my stuff away! I haven’t finished my homework yet!”

She ran extremely fast.

As soon as the door closed, Su Wu’s smile vanished.

Meng Xi’s words crept back into her mind. That crow-mouth… surely she didn’t actually call it?

Thinking carefully, You’an was pure; the ten-year gap left her with a lack of understanding of real life and a narrow social circle. A peer like Yu Shuyan would indeed have a certain attraction for her.

Regarding Yu Shuyan, based on the records, Su Wu truly found her beyond reproach.

That’s fine, Su Wu told herself. The waters behind the Shen family ran too deep; she hadn’t even uncovered the true nature of Aurora Serum yet.

She had worried that with Shen You’an’s personality, if she found even a hint of a clue, she would likely volunteer to solve it. Su Wu had always been afraid she would be the first to meet with disaster and become a target.

Though Shen You’an was already a target.

But if she could be kept away from danger even by a fraction, it was a good thing.

At a time like this, having a distraction and making new friends was a good thing.

“You’an.”

Su Wu sat on the sofa. Seeing Shen You’an walk out of the bedroom, she called out to her. “Are you busy?”

Shen You’an: “No, no! I’ve finished my homework!”

There actually wasn’t much. The teachers at Beichen International were all like Buddhas; they didn’t assign much homework, focusing instead on self-study. During this time, Shen You’an had given up on saving her math and spent a lot of time reclaiming her drawing skills. She was even taking on some design work now.

“What is it, A-jie?”

“The previous collar has been remade.” Su Wu gestured for her to come over. “Do you want to try it first?”

Shen You’an became interested: “I do!”

She quickly walked over and crouched in front of Su Wu, pulling her hair back to reveal her slender neck.

Su Wu found her self-awareness both helpless and amusing.

She took out the collar. It looked better than the previous one—basic in style, but with some silver accents on the black base. However, while it looked ordinary, the interior was quite sophisticated.

“I also made a bracelet version. You can try both later and see which is more convenient.”

Shen You’an didn’t even think about it. “Let’s stick with the neck.”

She added: “I feel like for something like a sedative controller, it really has to be on the neck to be effective.”

The metal silently suctioned and locked onto the back of her neck.

“Is it tight?” Su Wu asked.

Shen You’an moved her neck. “Not tight. The size is perfect.”

“A-jie, how do you control this?” she asked.

Su Wu took out a card of tiny things that looked like circular adhesive stickers. She peeled one off, stuck it behind her own ear, and tapped it lightly with her fingertip.

Bzzzz—

An electric current surged from the neck nerves.

Caught off guard, Shen You’an’s body went limp. Su Wu caught her with both hands. “How does it feel?”

Shen You’an: “…Pretty good.”

She hurriedly pulled away from Su Wu and stated again with the serious attitude of a product reviewer: “A-jie, I really think this is good. The effect is outstanding. If I truly lose control, using this should buy you some time.”

“Are there other designs inside?” Shen You’an asked curiously.

“A suppressant developed specifically for the symptoms.” Su Wu inconspicuously withdrew the hands that had just supported her and lowered her gaze. “The specific effects are unknown; we’ve only done sample tests in the lab.”

“Eh, want to try it now?” Shen You’an suggested. “Aren’t we going to Tian’ai first thing tomorrow morning?”

Su Wu nodded and looked at her. “Can you?”

Shen You’an smiled, her eyes curving. “Why wouldn’t I be able to?”

She paused and asked: “Then—are we going over ‘there’?”

Su Wu analyzed rationally as usual: “If we want to test the actual effectiveness of the suppressant, the best scenario would naturally be to use it when you are closest to losing control. But it’s quite late; it’s a bit inconvenient to go over.”

She looked around.

“The bathroom is spacious enough,” she said. “What do you think?”

The bathroom was indeed the only place in the house suitable for a transformation. Everywhere else, furniture and decor could easily be caught in the crossfire.

However, Shen You’an hadn’t expected she’d have to stand in the bathroom wearing only a camisole. And Su Wu was right opposite her, leaning against the wall, waiting quietly.

She’d chosen the camisole herself, mostly because she was afraid other clothes would be torn by her wings again, which would be a waste. When she’d proactively suggested it, she hadn’t thought much of it. Now that she was actually in the bathroom, she suddenly really wanted to go back in time and cover her own mouth.

Is this proper?

Su Wu was fully dressed, while she was nearly half-naked.

A metaphor flashed through Shen You’an’s mind, though it was a bit crude: this situation really felt like she was constipated and someone was standing by to watch.

Shen You’an said bashfully: “A-jie, why don’t you… why don’t you go out and wait for me first?”

Su Wu: “Can’t transform?”

Shen You’an: “It’s not that…”

She was just nervous. Purely nervous.

Transforming intentionally wasn’t difficult for Shen You’an. But in the bathroom, dressed so lightly, facing Su Wu… it was truly hard for her to suddenly sprout wings and a tail like a mythological creature.

It was too, too, too ugly!!

Her face turned bright red. “A-jie, anyway, you… you go out first.”

Seeing her this embarrassed, Su Wu said okay, turned, and left the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind her.

As it closed, only she knew that the fingertips pressing on the doorknob were stretched tight from the force of her restraint.

You’an is hiding from her.

Why?

The photo from Meng Dongdong’s social feed flashed through her mind once again.