I Became the White Moonlight’s Ex-Wife (GL) - Chapter 18

After formally signing the contract for Killing Intent, Wen Su’s free time was split between studying the role and teasing Chu Jingshu. For the first few days, she thought Chu Jingshu was busy with her career and would have little time to spend with her. However, a call from her mother revealed that the company had been running smoothly for a while, and Chu Jingshu’s recent “busyness” was entirely focused on expanding new channels.

In other words, Chu Jingshu’s company had stabilized long ago and was even flourishing.

When Chu Jingshu returned, Wen Su took the opportunity to test her. To her surprise, Chu Jingshu didn’t flinch and insisted the company was still in chaos.

Even a fool would know what Chu Jingshu was lying for.

It was clearly to avoid divorce.

Realizing this only made Wen Su find her more adorable.

But when it came to acting, Wen Su was the professional.

“Do you need help?” Wen Su frowned, a hint of genuine concern in her eyes. “If you’ve run into any trouble, I can assist you.”

Chu Jingshu’s heart tightened, but she forced a gentle smile. Her eyes seemed to be immersed in water, with a beautiful, flowing light. She said, “No, thank you. You’ve already helped me so much recently. I can handle these things.”

“Don’t be polite,” Wen Su said disapprovingly, staring until Chu Jingshu looked away nervously.

“I genuinely don’t need it. Mom has already helped me a lot,” Chu Jingshu said sincerely. “If I still needed help with these things, the company would go bankrupt in my hands sooner or later. So, don’t worry about it; I’ve got this.”

Wen Su nodded as if realizing something, feeling Chu Jingshu’s words made sense. She casually asked, “How long until you can resolve these issues?”

This question set off alarm bells in Chu Jingshu’s mind. Was Wen Su eager to divorce her?

She lowered her gaze, her long, curled lashes casting a shadow that made her look particularly quiet and virtuous.

Just as Wen Su was admiring her profile, Chu Jingshu spoke. “Who can say for sure with things like this? I haven’t dealt with this kind of work before. Maybe three months, maybe half a year.”

Three months or half a year? If that were the case, the company wouldn’t last three months; it would definitely be liquidated.

Wen Su suppressed a laugh and said to her with a serious expression, “Don’t overexert yourself if you can’t solve it. I’m afraid your health will suffer. And it’s normal not to know how to handle many things when taking over a company for the first time.”

Relieved that Wen Su didn’t press further, Chu Jingshu finally relaxed and bent her head back to work.

Since Wen Su returned after wrapping Chronicles of Yunling, the two had developed a habit of working in the living room.

This started because Wen Su, after signing the contract, had been so absorbed in studying her script that she started analyzing the role right there in the living room. Chu Jingshu, upon returning from work, saw her concentrating and brought her own laptop to the living room to work alongside her.

It wasn’t until Wen Su snapped back to reality and looked up to stretch that she met Chu Jingshu’s calm, smiling gaze.

Chu Jingshu: !

Caught red-handed by Wen Su, Chu Jingshu blinked awkwardly, her fair earlobes turning a faint pink. If she hadn’t been wearing light makeup, Wen Su was sure her face would have been red, too.

Wen Su gave her no chance to explain, asking directly, “Were you watching me?”

Chu Jingshu was stunned. Her previously pink earlobes instantly flushed as if with blood. She cleared her throat to sound more innocent and pure. “Mhm. Is there a problem with that?”

She’d learned to talk back.

Wen Su looked at her thoughtfully, watching until Chu Jingshu nervously avoided her gaze and looked down at the keyboard. Then, Wen Su gave a light chuckle and said, “No problem.”

That laugh made Chu Jingshu’s cheeks flush, and her heart began to thump wildly.

Wen Su had never shown this side of herself before. The last time she heard this laugh was when they were putting on an act in front of Fang Yingru. But Fang Yingru wasn’t present this time, so they didn’t need to act.

Did her attitude mean…?

Chu Jingshu’s eyes involuntarily returned to Wen Su, who was already back to studying her script.

Feeling a sudden sense of loss, Chu Jingshu sighed quietly to herself. She reined in her fluctuating emotions and threw herself back into her work.

After that incident, the two seemed to have reached an unspoken understanding. Every time Chu Jingshu came home, she would see Wen Su studying her script in the living room. Wen Su would only realize the time was around nine o’clock when she heard the door open and close.

Though Wen Su wanted to take a break during these times, seeing Chu Jingshu sit across from her with her laptop made her reluctantly pick up her pen and continue analyzing the script.

This high-efficiency work allowed Wen Su to quickly absorb the script for Killing Intent, leaving her ready for filming.

Half a month later, filming for Killing Intent officially began. This time, all the shooting locations were manageable within the nearby film studios.

Because this cast was much more powerful than Chronicles of Yunling’s, many reporters came on the opening day. Wen Su wasn’t surrounded by too many, but their questions were anything but friendly, subtly implying that by taking this role, she was ruining the project.

Wen Su certainly didn’t give such reporters a good reception, merely giving them a cold glance before turning and walking away.

A few reporters were openly disgruntled, so Sister Jing stepped in to smooth things over and simultaneously intimidate them. Remembering Wen Su’s family background, the unwilling reporters had no choice but to swallow their pride, secretly planning to badmouth Wen Su on anonymous forums.

In the industry, even a superstar has to respect the media, or even the cleanest reputation can be smeared. Therefore, maintaining good relations with the media is a must-do for insiders. However, Sister Jing didn’t need to do that, as Wen Su had the capital to be courted by the media.

In contrast to the reporters’ unfriendliness, once the news of Killing Intent’s opening ceremony was made public, Wen Su’s casting as Xue Ruqiu, the double-agent female lead, received positive reviews from netizens.

This was probably the first time Wen Su had received mostly positive reviews since her debut:

“I pictured Wen Su when I read the book. Wen Su is really suitable for playing this cold, mature woman. She’s so A-list!”

“As a book fan, I’m following this drama. Wen Su’s presence alone perfectly fits Xue Ruqiu’s image and aura. The role couldn’t be more suitable.”

“Wen Su should take on more roles like this. She’s clearly a high-class beauty. Why act as those sweet, silly characters? It’s cringe-worthy.”

“WTF!!! It’s actually Wen Su!!! Why is she infecting a spy drama when she should be sticking to those Mary Sue dramas? Please, screenwriter, don’t turn this spy drama into a republican-era Mary Sue!”

“Don’t say that! I was looking forward to it, but now I’m scared. I really feel like it might turn into a republican-era Mary Sue.”

“Don’t worry. The male lead is Jian Wei. If it were going to be a Mary Sue drama, Jian Wei wouldn’t have accepted it. Repeat after me: This is a male-centric drama!”

“This is the most accurate casting I’ve ever seen in a remake. I hope the final product is just as good. I support it.”

“I bet this will be Wen Su’s most highly-rated role! /laugh /laugh /laugh”

“Did Wen Su change her manager? Her style has changed recently. Anticipating! /heart”

Sister Jing’s lips twitched when she saw the comment about changing managers.

She hadn’t chosen those previous roles; Wen Su had picked them herself. With Wen Su’s former acting skills, could she have dared to accept such a role for her? Would Wen Su even have been able to pull it off?

Sister Jing sighed. Thankfully, Wen Su had come to her senses and found an acting coach, or her reputation as a top manager would have been ruined by Wen Su.

After the opening ceremony in the morning, the intense filming began.

Wen Su’s excellent performance surprised everyone. The producers and director, who had initially worried about Wen Su taking too long and slowing down the schedule, all breathed a sigh of relief and were even pleasantly surprised.

They couldn’t understand what Jing Yiqiu was thinking. Wen Su was practically playing herself in this type of role. Why did she avoid similar female-centric dramas and insist on acting those emotionless, sweet, silly girls?

Completely unaware that she was being blamed once again, Sister Jing was busy running around handling Wen Su’s future schedule.

The cast of Killing Intent was much stronger than Chronicles of Yunling’s, with two veteran actors alone. While Wen Su’s acting was not as exquisite as the two seniors, she held her own in their scenes.

The entire crew’s perception of her changed almost immediately, and they felt it was a real waste of her beauty for her to have acted in those idol dramas before.

Wen Su’s “supernormal” performance increased filming efficiency. They even managed to film scenes scheduled for later that day. By the time they wrapped in the afternoon, Wen Su was too tired to talk.

It just so happened that her father had called the day before to invite them over for dinner tonight. Chu Jingshu had wanted to politely decline, citing her busy work schedule, but Wen Su had already accepted:

“You can ask Mom if you don’t understand anything,” Wen Su suggested seriously.

Chu Jingshu’s heart dropped. This was exactly why she didn’t want to see Aunt Wen and Uncle Shen. Aunt Wen would surely ask about the company’s recent situation, and then her lie would be exposed.

She wasn’t afraid of Aunt Wen knowing she lied to Wen Su; she was afraid of Wen Su knowing she lied to her.

If Wen Su found out, then…

Chu Jingshu remembered her sister asking Wen Su, “Why don’t you like my sister,” when they were waiting at the company.

She also wanted to know the answer but was terrified of hearing it.

Chu Jingshu composed herself, her beautiful almond eyes full of earnestness. She smiled sweetly and said, “I still want to do it myself. Can you trust me a little?”

“Don’t force yourself,” Wen Su said disapprovingly, already guessing her intention.

Chu Jingshu shook her head. “How am I forcing myself? This is the company Grandpa founded, and I hope to guide it onto the right track. Mom has helped me enough; I don’t want to trouble her anymore.”

Before Wen Su could reply, she blinked playfully. “Otherwise, I’ll look completely useless.”

Wen Su gazed at Chu Jingshu for a moment, making the latter nearly lose her composure. Only then did Wen Su relent. “Alright, I won’t tell Mom.”

Chu Jingshu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Thinking that Aunt Wen might bring it up tomorrow, she seized the opportunity and nervously fiddled with her fingers. “Actually… I’ve kept something from Mom.”

Wen Su looked at her questioningly.

Chu Jingshu cleared her throat, her slender, fair index fingers intertwined. These little gestures were incredibly cute.

“I told Mom a lie. She thinks the company is already on the right track,” Chu Jingshu said, watching Wen Su. Seeing a slight change in her expression, Chu Jingshu quickly added, “I just didn’t want Mom to worry about me. Please, don’t expose me then!”

Wen Su almost couldn’t hold back her laughter. She didn’t know whether to praise Chu Jingshu for her cleverness or laugh at her for deceiving her again. If she didn’t know Chu Jingshu’s capability well, she might have genuinely been taken in by her words.

However, too many lies are hard to cover up. How would Chu Jingshu manage to explain this one?

Suppressing her laughter, Wen Su frowned, feigning consideration.

Seeing her like this, Chu Jingshu felt relieved. Whenever Wen Su made this face, it meant she was open to discussion.

She quickly added a few more sentences. “I won’t push myself. If I really can’t solve it, I’ll ask Mom for help. The situation is still under control right now, even though I’m not as competent as Mom thinks…”

By the end, Chu Jingshu’s tone had dropped significantly, and her look of disappointment and guilt made Wen Su feel reluctant to make her upset.

Wen Su “reluctantly” nodded in agreement, emphasizing, “You absolutely cannot force yourself.”

Chu Jingshu finally broke into a bright smile and couldn’t help but grasp Wen Su’s hand. “Thank you for helping me so much and agreeing to my requests. I don’t know how to ever repay you.”

Wen Su suppressed her smile, her dark eyes filled with sincerity. “It’s nothing. Don’t mention it.”

After wrapping up filming, the first thing Wen Su did when she got home was wash her hair and shower. Wearing costumes in this weather, she felt like she smelled sour and terrible.

With that scent, who could eat? She was more likely to feel nauseated.

By the time Wen Su was washed and dressed, Chu Jingshu had just arrived home.

“I’ll go upstairs to drop off the files, and then we can leave,” Chu Jingshu said, raising the folder in her hand and giving Wen Su a charming smile.

Wen Su made a casual gesture, and Chu Jingshu went upstairs with a light step.

While waiting for Chu Jingshu, Wen Su couldn’t help but yawn. She was truly tired now. Though today’s scenes were dialogue-heavy, they were physically and mentally exhausting, and she hadn’t had a proper nap. If she hadn’t promised to have dinner at her parents’ house, Wen Su would have gone straight to bed.

This time, Chu Jingshu didn’t drive but had the driver, Xiao Zhang, take them.

By the time they reached the apartment where the Wen couple lived, it was already 8:30 PM.

Having not seen her daughter for a long time, Shen Baichuan couldn’t resist reaching out and touching the top of Wen Su’s head.

Wen Su’s expression instantly froze. When her father touched her head, her reaction was identical to the original owner’s: uncomfortable but not resistant. She just stiffened her face and let her father ruffle her hair.

Before Chu Jingshu could tease her, Shen Baichuan reached out and patted her head, too.

Chu Jingshu: …

Although she often did this to her sister, being touched on the head by an elder still felt awkward.

Wen Su raised an eyebrow at her. Chu Jingshu quietly looked away, pursing her lips.

Seeing the small interaction between the two girls, Shen Baichuan smiled in satisfaction. His daughter had finally started to open up.

However, that satisfaction vanished when he saw Wen Ruxian answering a work call. Shen Baichuan pouted helplessly, choosing to ignore his workaholic wife. He said to the two girls, “Let’s eat first. Don’t wait for her.”

Wen Su didn’t hesitate, taking her seat and picking up her chopsticks to eat.

In the Wen family, Wen Ruxian earned more and had a more volatile temper, but Shen Baichuan always managed to control her. Whenever the original owner angered her mother, she would hide behind her father, and her mother’s anger would dissipate upon seeing him.

“You two are too thin again. Are you working too much? No matter how busy you are, you must eat on time. Health is the most important thing,” Shen Baichuan frowned, glancing at Wen Ruxian, who had just finished her call. “Don’t be like her.”

“Don’t be like me in what way?” Wen Ruxian asked casually as she sat down next to Shen Baichuan.

Shen Baichuan replied coolly, “Like you, only remembering work.”

Wen Ruxian’s eyebrows shot up. “Who said that? I only remember you!”

Wen Su, who almost choked and finally managed to swallow her food, couldn’t help but look up at the middle-aged couple.

Shen Baichuan was easily embarrassed and slapped her hand playfully. “What are you saying in front of the kids!”

It looked like a firm slap, but Wen Su could tell the force was minimal, not even leaving a red mark.

While claiming not to talk like that in front of their children, they were actually flirting.

Wen Ruxian didn’t care and just smiled. “I’m just speaking the truth.”

Rolling her eyes internally, Wen Su looked away from the flirting couple and saw Chu Jingshu watching them with a smile. Besides amusement, there was a hint of envy in her expression, which touched Wen Su’s heart.

Noticing Wen Su’s gaze, Chu Jingshu turned her head and met those deep, dark eyes.

The Wen couple quickly noticed the girls’ subtle interaction. They exchanged a look, their eyes filled with a knowing, satisfied smile.

During dinner, Wen Ruxian predictably asked about the current situation of Chu Jingshu’s company. Chu Jingshu quickly glanced at Wen Su, then spoke about work with a seemingly composed but inwardly nervous demeanor.

Listening to Chu Jingshu’s ideas and future plans, Wen Ruxian was full of praise. She felt that even without the Wen family’s help, Chu Jingshu could manage the large company with her own capabilities.

Chu Jingshu’s business acumen was far superior to her father’s. Wen Ruxian was happy for her old friend; at least the Chu family wouldn’t fall into decline under Chu Jingshu.

After telling Aunt Wen all this, Chu Jingshu eagerly looked at Wen Su, who appeared completely unaware and calm.

Noticing Chu Jingshu looking at her, Wen Su looked back. Chu Jingshu gave her a playful, lively wink.

Wen Su mouthed the words:

“Little liar.”

Chu Jingshu was completely relieved now and smiled brightly.

Little liar it was. It wasn’t the first time Wen Su had called her that. Anyway… it sounded rather intimate.

Wen Ruxian, who was marveling at Chu Jingshu’s competence, saw the interaction between her and her daughter and started to have an idea:

It would be better if they started planning for a child soon.

Wen Ruxian wasn’t the only one with this thought; Shen Baichuan had been urging Wen Su for a long time.

“Your cousin’s daughter is almost a year old. Your mom and I were just thinking about what to send her last time. You should remember her as her cousin.”

Wen Su: …Stop!

But stopping wasn’t in Shen Baichuan’s nature. Just a few days ago, Wen Su had received photos of her little niece from Shen Baichuan, which gave her a massive headache.

At first, Chu Jingshu thought Shen Baichuan was genuinely talking about sending a gift, but after a moment, she realized he was urging them to plan for a baby. The realization made Chu Jingshu blush, and she couldn’t help but glance at Wen Su.

Her porcelain-like skin was dusted with a thin layer of crimson. The casual charm stunned Wen Su for a moment. She was reminded of the surprise she felt when she first met Chu Jingshu and was struck by her sophistication and charm.

The contact over the past few months had almost made Wen Su forget that Chu Jingshu was an incredibly beautiful woman of captivating allure.

Seeing the girls like this, Shen Baichuan no longer worried about their unhappiness.

In truth, he didn’t necessarily insist on them having a child. It was just a parental suggestion to plan early if they had the intention. If they didn’t, it didn’t matter as long as they were happy.

After dinner, Shen Baichuan tried to convince them to stay, but Wen Su had a scene to film tomorrow morning, and the location was a bit far from here. It was more convenient to stay at their own place, so she declined.

On the way back, Chu Jingshu was deep in thought, feeling compelled to talk to Wen Su about the whole baby matter. Just as she was about to speak, she felt a weight on her shoulder and a familiar scent filled her nose.

Wen Su was leaning on her shoulder.

Chu Jingshu’s heart leaped with joy. She was about to tease her, asking if she was trying to be affectionate, when she heard a long, steady breathing.

She was asleep.

Chu Jingshu subtly adjusted her sitting posture, gently supporting Wen Su’s head to make her more comfortable.

Wen Su was indeed sleeping soundly and did not wake up.

Chu Jingshu instinctively held her breath. She raised her hand and lightly touched Wen Su’s cheek. After confirming that the latter was soundly asleep and completely unaware, she gently moved her fingertip, attempting to trace her features, but accidentally touched something warm and soft.

Realizing it was Wen Su’s lips, Chu Jingshu snatched her hand back as if electrocuted. She couldn’t stop staring at that finger, then, as if possessed, she raised her hand and touched her own lips with it.

Realizing what she was doing, Chu Jingshu nervously clenched her hand and hid it behind her back. All she could hear was her furiously pounding heart. She quickly pressed her hand against her chest, as if that would slow her heartbeat and prevent her from waking Wen Su.

Fortunately, Wen Su remained in a deep sleep, oblivious to her surroundings.

This feeling made Chu Jingshu even more tormented. She both wished Wen Su was awake and was relieved that she was truly asleep.

The complex emotions fueled an urge in her: the impulse to tell Wen Su the whole truth.

But when she considered Wen Su’s possible reaction, Chu Jingshu backed down.

If it were before, she might have been defiant, wanting to compete with Shen Manhui, but now she didn’t dare. She was afraid of losing.

Chu Jingshu looked down with a complicated expression at Wen Su, who was peacefully sleeping on her shoulder. A sense of sweetness welled up uncontrollably in her heart. Just let this moment last a little longer.

But no matter how much she wanted it to last, the road wasn’t that long.

When Xiao Zhang was about to drive the car into the garage, he heard Chu Jingshu in the back seat whisper, “Keep driving.”

Xiao Zhang: ???

He turned his head to look at Chu Jingshu, who was looking at him with deep eyes and motioned for him to continue driving.

He was about to ask why, but upon seeing Wen Su resting on her shoulder, Xiao Zhang chose to keep quiet. He silently continued driving, circling the villa area.

After Xiao Zhang had circled two and a half times, Wen Su finally woke up.

Wen Su opened her eyes confusedly. Realizing the car was still moving, she instinctively checked the time, and her sleepiness instantly vanished in surprise.

It should take less than twenty minutes to get home, yet it had been nearly an hour. Why weren’t they home yet?

“We’re not there yet?” Wen Su frowned strangely.

Chu Jingshu said without changing her expression, “It’s too dark. He got lost.”

Xiao Zhang: …

Xiao Zhang: What the heck, lost? Didn’t you tell me to drive in circles?