"Like the Moon in the Sky" - Chapter 17

The day was the beginning of Spring.

The weather had not yet turned warm. A cold wind howled outside, and the branches of the two-story tall tree by the window were swept up by the wind, slapping against the glass again and again.

The wind had no fixed rhythm, nor did the sounds it made.

Two taps, a pause, then three more taps.

But Zhu Jinyue seemed deaf to all these noises.

The sounds and objects around her suddenly faded into the distance, turning illusory.

The only thing that felt real was the sensation against her lips—the touch of another person.

Real, soft, and warm.

A messy, inexplicable thought flashed through Zhu Jinyue’s mind—one she herself found absurd:

These lips, so skilled at rejecting others, are actually soft when kissed.

The distance was too close. The man’s scent enveloped her from all directions, even seeping through their connected lips, surrounding her completely. It seemed to be a woody fragrance, cold and detached, like the snow on the night they met for the second time after reuniting.

Zhu Jinyue lifted her gaze and met Shen Qinghuai’s eyes.

Those eyes were no longer veiled in their usual mist, obscuring his emotions. Now, they seemed to hold countless feelings she couldn’t decipher. The moment she met his gaze, it was like suddenly falling into a whirlpool, giving her a sense of stepping into empty air—

Belated rationality returned at that moment, and Zhu Jinyue finally realized what she had just done.

She had actually been impulsive and kissed Shen Qinghuai!

How could she have been so impulsive as to kiss Shen Qinghuai???

She abruptly let go and took a large step back, lowering her eyes to avoid his gaze.

Yet, the warmth in the private room seemed to break through her skin, flooding into every limb and pore, burning her from head to toe.

The wind outside had unknowingly ceased.

The room was now utterly silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Shen Qinghuai had not spoken a word.

Zhu Jinyue kept her head down but could feel his eyes fixed on her.

The air seemed to grow thick and heavy.

The fingertips at her side curled involuntarily.

What’s there to stare at?

It was just a moment of impulse—I only kissed him.

Didn’t he say I could do anything I wanted?

Zhu Jinyue had always been bold, even when she knew she was in the wrong. Today, she had already lost her composure, but she felt she had to salvage her pride. She raised her head again, suppressing her underlying guilt, and spoke fiercely, “What are you looking at? Didn’t you say I could do anything I wanted? Don’t tell me you want me to take responsibility now?”

She met his gaze unflinchingly, only to find Shen Qinghuai smiling.

It wasn’t his usual faint, unreadable smile. The corners of his slightly narrow eyes curved deeply, and the warmth in those light brown eyes was almost dazzling.

It was as if he wasn’t the least bit offended by her boldness—instead, he seemed to be in rather good spirits.

Zhu Jinyue had never been able to decipher his thoughts even on ordinary days, let alone now when her mind was a tangled mess.

She had no idea what he found so amusing.

But although he wasn’t the easiest person to approach, most of the time, he was genuinely good-natured. It seemed he really wasn’t angry with her.

Shen Qinghuai looked at her with that smile and said, “Mm, you don’t need to take responsibility.”

Somehow, his smile made her face grow even hotter.

If she were a balloon, she would have burst by now—this time from the heat, embarrassment, and sheer awkwardness.

She didn’t want to spend another second in this private room.

“Good, since you don’t need me to, and we’ve finished eating anyway, I’ll be going now.”

With that, she turned and walked toward the coat rack.

But after just one step, a large hand suddenly wrapped around her wrist through her sleeve.

“Jinyue,” Shen Qinghuai called her name.

The force pulled her backward, and she instinctively turned back, nearly stumbling into his arms.

Her deer-like eyes widened as she looked up at him. “What are you doing? Don’t tell me you’re already having second thoughts?”

Shen Qinghuai was still smiling. He released her hand but didn’t step back as he had done last time. “No second thoughts.”

Too flustered to notice the difference, Zhu Jinyue asked, confused, “Then why did you stop me?”

Shen Qinghuai lowered his voice. “During dinner, I heard you say you drove here tonight?”

?

Why was he suddenly asking this?

Wasn’t this a rather abrupt change of topic?

“Yeah, so what?”

The distance between them was still close, and when she looked up, her gaze inevitably fell on his lips. The memory of what had just happened flashed uncontrollably in her mind.

The sensation of warmth and softness still seemed to linger on her lips.

Zhu Jinyue abruptly lowered her head again.

Shen Qinghuai’s voice sounded above her once more.

He had a remarkable voice—when it softened like this, it carried a tenderness that made one feel infinitely indulged.

“Driving while upset isn’t safe. Let me take you home, alright?”

He always seemed particularly concerned about road safety.

Whether it was because she had also lost someone dear and could empathize, or because she felt somewhat guilty for taking advantage of him earlier, Zhu Jinyue’s heart softened inexplicably. Before she knew it, she had already agreed.

“If you want to take me, then fine.”

It wasn’t until they reached the parking area and the cold wind brushed against her face that Zhu Jinyue finally regained her senses and realized the problem—

The reason she had been in such a hurry to leave was to avoid Shen Qinghuai.

Because of that impulsive kiss, his presence alone was the source of her embarrassment.

So, why had she agreed to let him take her home?

Her hands tucked into her coat pockets, lightly clutching her car keys, Zhu Jinyue glanced at the man walking silently beside her. She considered making up an excuse to send him back.

As if sensing her gaze, Shen Qinghuai turned to look at her.

Through the thin lenses of his glasses, his eyes met hers.

Then, as if guessing her thoughts, he asked softly, “Changed your mind?”

“…”

The excuse she hadn’t even fully formed died in her throat.

Putting on a brave front, she retorted, “Who’s changed their mind? I was just wondering—if you drive my car to take me home, how will you get back afterward?”

Shen Qinghuai smiled lightly. “I can just take a taxi back.”

Zhu Jinyue felt uneasy every time she saw him smile now. She mumbled an “oh,” pulled the keys from her pocket, and tossed them to him before heading to the passenger side.

As soon as she settled into her seat, Shen Qinghuai got in on the driver’s side.

The moment the car door closed, the interior became a completely enclosed space.

The cool, woody scent she had noticed up close in the private room earlier seemed to linger faintly in the air around her once again.

Zhu Jinyue paused slightly while fastening her seatbelt.

Why did I have to act tough just now?

But backing out now would mean double the embarrassment.

Forget it. I can just sleep in the car. If I sleep the whole way, I won’t have to worry about any awkwardness.

She lowered her head and secured her seatbelt. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the man in the driver’s seat placing his hands on the steering wheel. In the dim light, his hands looked elegantly slender, like cool jade or bamboo joints. Then, he tilted his head slightly and glanced in her direction.

It wasn’t just his smile that made her uneasy—even just being looked at by him now made her feel intensely self-conscious.

What’s there to keep staring at?

Her fingers tightened unconsciously around the seatbelt as she turned to glare at him. “Why are you looking at me again?”

Shen Qinghuai chuckled softly. “I just wanted to confirm if I should take you to the same place as last time.”

Zhu Jinyue had originally planned to return to the villa.

But that place was farther away, which meant even more time spent in this awkward situation.

“Yeah,” she replied quietly. Noticing he seemed to have more to say, she quickly cut him off. “I’m going to take a nap. Don’t make any noise and disturb me.”

Shen Qinghuai nodded and said, “Okay.”

—But the word “okay” made no sound.

It was as if she possessed some kind of magic that took effect the moment she spoke.

The spell she cast seemed to work instantly on the person named Shen Qinghuai.

Something in Zhu Jinyue’s heart felt lightly pinched, but her mind was already tangled with countless emotions. This small ripple of feeling was lost amid the embarrassment and unease, fading quickly without drawing notice.

She turned her face away and closed her eyes.

After a moment’s thought, she pulled her scarf up to cover her face completely.

The vicuña wool scarf was incredibly soft and, having been wrapped around her neck for a while, carried the warmth of her body heat. The moment it brushed against her lips, it easily reminded her of a similar, yet slightly more moist, sensation from earlier.

Beneath the scarf, Zhu Jinyue’s face flushed bright red once again.

The car started smoothly and pulled onto the road.

No one spoke inside the vehicle, and no music played. The utter silence made it even easier for wild thoughts to sprout and grow.

Buried in her scarf, Zhu Jinyue felt those few moments replaying over and over in her mind, impossible to suppress.

After what felt like both an eternity and no time at all, the car suddenly came to a stop.

Are we here already?

It shouldn’t be this fast, should it?

Zhu Jinyue tugged her scarf down slightly, revealing only a pair of lively, beautiful eyes.

Looking ahead, she realized they had reached an intersection and were stopped at a red light.

No wonder it didn’t feel like we’d arrived yet.

For some reason, Zhu Jinyue found herself glancing sideways almost involuntarily.

The person in the driver’s seat was gazing ahead, his profile outlined by the dim interior light into an exceptionally pleasing silhouette.

Wait.

Why was she looking at him again for no reason?

Just as Zhu Jinyue was about to avert her gaze, Shen Qinghuai suddenly turned to look at her.

Their eyes met before she could look away.

Zhu Jinyue’s fingers curled slightly.

But Shen Qinghuai’s gaze shifted back almost immediately.

The countdown at the intersection paused at 50.

He released one hand from the steering wheel, effortlessly controlling the car with the other while his cool, slender fingers picked up his phone. He quickly typed a few words.

A second later, Zhu Jinyue’s phone buzzed.

She pulled it out and, not entirely surprised, saw a message from someone less than a meter away from her.

Shen Qinghuai: 【What’s wrong?】

Zhu Jinyue: “…”

She had told him not to make a sound and disturb her, and he really intended to stay silent the whole time.

Back in high school, he never listened to me this obediently.

Or is it that now, in his eyes, I’ve become some kind of witch who casts evil spells, and he’s the princess under my curse?

Perhaps because he hadn’t received a reply, Shen Qinghuai glanced over again. Still, he didn’t speak, but his expression clearly held a questioning look.

The traffic light had already jumped to 18 seconds.

If she replied now, it would probably really affect driving safety.

Zhu Jinyue’s emotions were too tangled to articulate exactly what she was feeling. In any case, awkwardness and discomfort remained dominant. Muffled by her scarf, she replied in a low voice, “It’s nothing. Wake me when we arrive. I’m going back to sleep.”

Shen Qinghuai nodded gently.

Zhu Jinyue turned back, pulled her scarf up again, and closed her eyes.

The car drove on, stopping and starting through several traffic lights. Finally, after one last stop, it remained still for a long time. The “cursed princess” beside her seemed to have finally reached the moment when the spell broke. In the silence of the car, he called her name softly.

“Jinyue.”

Zhu Jinyue hadn’t been asleep at all, but she felt that waking up the moment he called would be too obvious, so she remained buried in her scarf.

Shen Qinghuai seemed to let out a soft chuckle before calling her again.

“Jinyue.”

Zhu Jinyue pulled down her scarf, revealing a face flushed from being buried in the fabric, and looked at him with clear, bright eyes.

Shen Qinghuai turned his head to look at her, his voice still low, “Awake?”

Zhu Jinyue guessed he definitely knew she hadn’t been asleep, but since Shen Qinghuai wasn’t calling her out, she wasn’t foolish enough to expose herself.

She gave an “Mhm,” avoiding his gaze, which made her uncomfortable, and unbuckled her seatbelt. “I’m leaving.”

With that, she moved to open the car door.

Before she could step out, she heard the person in the driver’s seat call her name again.

“Jinyue.”

Why was he so persistent?

Zhu Jinyue paused and turned back to glare at him. “Why are you calling me again?”

Shen Qinghuai smiled and gestured toward the steering wheel with his chin, his tone still gentle. “This is your car. If anyone should leave, it’s me. Can you drive it into the garage yourself without any trouble?”

Zhu Jinyue had always been more responsive to softness than hardness.

In truth, she had been the one to take advantage of him today. Not only had he not gotten angry, but he had also driven her all the way home. No matter how bad her temper was, she wasn’t heartless enough to make him brave the cold wind to hail a taxi so late at night.

“You drive it back. Just bring it to Yuanjiang tomorrow.”

Without waiting for him to respond, she opened the car door and got out.

Shen Qinghuai’s gaze followed her through the window, watching until she disappeared through the entrance of the residential complex before slowly looking away.

This car was probably her own.

But it seemed she hadn’t driven it much. There were no decorations inside, except for a fluffy little cat pendant from “Another Village” hanging from the rearview mirror.

She really seemed to like this game’s merchandise.

Shen Qinghua leaned back in the seat, quietly watching the little cat pendant that had now stopped swaying. He let out a long, slow sigh—

He had truly thought there was no chance left.

Tonight’s events, for him, were nothing short of “finding a new path beyond the dark willows and bright flowers—another village.”