So I Had No Choice But to Stop Being the White Moonlight – Chapter 124
by Little PandaI’m Not Going to Be the White Moonlight
New Life
As the sound of the vibrating phone faded, the tightly shut door to the emergency stairwell let out a heavy, slow creak.
Yuan Ming hadn’t managed to stop Song Tang; she pushed the door open anyway.
Bright light from the corridor spilled into the dim stairwell, illuminating dust motes dancing in its path.
Song Tang poked her head inside and saw Chi Qian sitting alone on the stairs. The long hair usually tucked behind her ears now hung loose around her face—whether disturbed by the wind from the door or for some other reason, it was hard to say.
“Why are you all alone? Where is Miss Shi?” Song Tang asked, glancing around curiously.
“Ah Lan took a phone call. I think it was from the company about some emergency, so I’m waiting for her here.” Chi Qian’s heart was still pounding. Unsure whether she should be grateful for that sudden interruption, she feigned calmness as she answered.
“Oh~” Song Tang clearly didn’t quite believe her. A meaningful, teasing glint flashed in her eyes. “So that’s why you wouldn’t even answer my calls.”
“The… the signal is bad here,” Chi Qian fibbed. Her ears burned, acutely aware that this was not a good place for a chat. She hurriedly suggested, “Why don’t we go look around first? Who knows how long Ah Lan’s call will take. We can just have her come find us later.”
“Sure, where to?” Song Tang nodded, following Chi Qian out of the stairwell.
Another movie had just let out. As Chi Qian and Song Tang discussed their plans, they politely stepped aside to make way for a passing pregnant woman.
But mid-conversation, Song Tang turned her head and noticed Yuan Ming still lingering by the emergency stairwell, looking down at her phone.
“System matters?” Song Tang asked sharply.
“Mm.” Yuan Ming nodded. As if not wanting to spoil their fun, she added, “Just a small issue. You two go on ahead.”
“Alright.” Song Tang nodded a bit reluctantly, watching Yuan Ming slip away and vanish into the stairwell, unnoticed by the crowd.
“Why so reluctant to part?” Chi Qian teased.
Song Tang stared at the empty corner where Yuan Ming had vanished, her gaze clouded. “You don’t understand. I’m worried…”
“Worried about what?” Chi Qian tilted her head, completely lost.
That question instantly snapped Song Tang’s rationality back into place.
She looked back at Chi Qian, masking her expression with feigned disgust. “Worried that the System’s issues won’t be so easy to handle, of course. We finally get to come out, and I end up having to go on a ‘date’ with just you.”
“Tch, I’m also stuck ‘dating’ just you for now, aren’t I?” Chi Qian retorted, slinging an arm around Song Tang’s shoulders. “Let’s go, let’s go. We’ll head downstairs and see if anywhere sells high chairs.”
As expected of the country’s largest shopping center—owned by Shi Jinlan—it was a dazzling, overwhelming place to wander.
Following the map on the central island directory, Chi Qian and Song Tang strolled along, the cool air conditioning brushing past their steps. Finally, at the end of a corridor, they found the home goods store they were looking for.
Inside the store, the air conditioning blew in a gentle, steady breeze—cool and perfectly comfortable against the skin.
Perhaps a little too comfortable, as someone had laid down directly on one of the display beds.
His corpulent body was sprawled out like a soggy pancake. Chi Qian and Song Tang frowned in unison at the sight.
Before they could move to another section, a cry of alarm rang out from the adjacent clothing area.
“Miss, what’s wrong?”
“Hang in there, Miss, I’ll call 1201 right now.”
“Is there a doctor here?!”
…
At the first two sentences, Chi Qian was already on high alert.
When the final plea echoed out, her professional reflexes kicked in. She dropped what she was holding and sprinted toward the sound.
Display shelves blocked her line of sight like rows of little mountains.
Chi Qian swiftly navigated around them and spotted a woman clutching her belly, leaning painfully against a store clerk.
The loose maternity wear allowed Chi Qian to instantly recognize her—it was the same pregnant woman she and Song Tang had made way for at the movie theater.
Her light pink cotton dress was completely soaked through, and a small puddle had already formed on the floor.
Chi Qian realized in an instant: her water had broken.
How did this happen?
Forcing herself to calm down, Chi Qian stepped forward with professional composure and took the woman from the clerk’s arms. “Hello, ma’am. I’m a nurse. Follow my lead and take a deep breath to steady your nerves.”
“Little girl, I… I just felt something wasn’t right.” Seeing that a professional had finally arrived, the woman tightly gripped Chi Qian’s hand, voicing her terror. “I… I think I’m about to give birth.”
“Water breaking doesn’t necessarily mean immediate labor…” Chi Qian was about to comfort her, but paused, noting the woman’s absolute certainty. She shifted her question: “You have a history of premature delivery, don’t you?”
This question spared the woman a lot of exhausting explanation. She gave a weak nod. “Yes. Our first child was premature, but this one is coming even faster.”
The more anxious she grew, the more she wanted to detail her situation to the person helping her. She couldn’t help but ramble to Chi Qian, “I only came out today to buy a few baby clothes. I was supposed to check into the hospital tomorrow, but then… then…”
At this point, the woman sensed things taking a dire turn.
She stared at Chi Qian. Perhaps hearing that Chi Qian was a nurse had given her courage, or perhaps she was simply a bold person by nature. Gripping Chi Qian’s hand, she pleaded, “Little girl, you’re a nurse. Can you deliver my baby?”
Hearing this request, Chi Qian froze.
She had only resumed her profession a few days ago. And as for delivering babies, she had only ever done it for the rescued mother goat.
Humans and animals…
…they aren’t the same, right?
“Ah!”
Chi Qian was hesitating, but the woman’s condition left no room for it.
Another wave of contractions hit. The woman clutched Chi Qian’s hand, uncontrollably curling in on herself.
The rapid, frantic pulse beat against Chi Qian’s palm, striking her nerves with every throb.
The situation had escalated past the point where refusing would stop it from happening.
The woman was about to give birth right here, and Chi Qian was the only nurse in the entire vicinity.
Standing by and doing nothing would certainly spare her a lot of potential trouble afterward. The only problem was, Chi Qian simply couldn’t do it.
She had braved Chi Qingyan’s scoldings to bring home so many injured animals, and she had even saved an unconscious Shi Jinlan from the beach.
Having her—a rookie nurse—was still better than leaving this woman without any professional care at all.
“Keep taking deep breaths. I will help you.” Chi Qian gripped the woman’s hands firmly, taking a deep breath herself as she issued the reminder.
“Excuse me, please move.” Chi Qian supported the woman over to the display bed. After quickly assessing the area, this was the only suitable place for a delivery.
But the man, rudely awakened from his nap, was highly displeased. “What are you doing?!” he snapped angrily. “Can’t you see I’m sleeping?!”
“What are you doing?! Is this place meant for you to sleep? Save it for someone who actually needs it!” Song Tang didn’t hold back, directly confronting him.
“Hey, I think I am someone who needs it.” The man put on a shameless, sleazy display, sprawling himself further across the bed, refusing to get up.
“What is wrong with you?”
“Exactly, she’s about to give birth! What are you doing here? Show some basic decency!”
…
Such behavior clearly drew the ire of the crowd.
Condemnations rose from all sides. Seeing the pregnant woman Chi Qian was shielding, the man finally realized he couldn’t save face. He scrambled off the bed and slinked away in disgrace.
It was precisely during emergencies that the power of solidarity could be felt the most.
As Chi Qian helped the woman onto the bed, the bystanders pitched in, tearing open boxed bedsheets to set up a makeshift privacy screen. Others grabbed rubbing alcohol and disinfectant from the shelves, while the store clerks brought over freshly boiled hot water and brand-new basins.
Looking at the essential supplies rapidly accumulating around her, Chi Qian felt an inexplicable wave of reassurance.
This was the first challenge of her resumed career: a new life, a new beginning.
Chi Qian carefully helped the woman remove her soaked undergarments beneath the skirt, her gaze resolute. “I will make sure both you and your baby stay safe.”
Out in the mall, a melodious jazz track hit its final note, instantly replaced by the sharp strum of an electric guitar that pumped a frantic energy through the space.
While this side of the mall was boiling with urgent, heated activity for a sudden new life, another side remained far removed from the clamor, exceptionally quiet.
The click of high heels against the tiled floor formed a hushed, rhythmic cadence.
Yuan Ming walked into an empty lounge area on one side of the mall. Sunlight bathed the space in a bright, ethereal glow, and its white-themed layout gave it a faint resemblance to the interior of the System.
Stepping past a decorative white relief sculpture, Yuan Ming spotted the person sitting on the bench.
The bench had no backrest, so Shi Jinlan leaned her straight, languid figure against the wall behind it. Her long fingers rested over her knees, their pale, jade-like skin appearing almost translucent in the light—a true testament to the Creator’s bias.
A hint of subtle dissatisfaction bled into Yuan Ming’s gaze.
Shi Jinlan seemed to sense her arrival. She lazily lifted her eyelashes, her eyes falling on the shadow that stretched to the tips of her shoes. “You’re here?”
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Yuan Ming replied.
Shi Jinlan knew that her sudden phone call had been orchestrated by Yuan Ming; she had done it to spare her the awkwardness of bumping into Song Tang under those circumstances.
And Yuan Ming knew that the minor fluctuation in the System had been deliberately caused by Shi Jinlan—she was signaling that they needed to talk.
Chi Qian hadn’t been able to hear it, but with Shi Jinlan’s perception, she had overheard Yuan Ming and Song Tang’s dispute before they even reached the study.
“Have you really decided to travel to different worlds and undergo trials again?” There was no need for pleasantries between Shi Jinlan and Yuan Ming; the conversation cut straight to the point.
“Yes,” Yuan Ming nodded.
She looked at Shi Jinlan and, regardless of whether the other woman liked having her so close, sat right down next to her. “With you managing the System now, I can safely leave to complete the trial missions I never finished before. Perhaps once I complete them, I’ll have a deeper understanding of my responsibilities.”
“It’s dangerous,” Shi Jinlan countered.
With her current power, she could control the entire System, which meant she fully understood the true nature of what Yuan Ming was describing so nonchalantly.
It was akin to the heavenly tribulations described in the mythological tales of their world. If Yuan Ming passed through them smoothly, she would return with a massive increase in power. But if she became trapped…
In truth, if Shi Jinlan hadn’t awakened back then and dragged the former Main System into mutual destruction—forcing Yuan Ming to step up as the new Main System—Yuan Ming would have already trapped herself in this world, unable to return.
If one really thought about it, Shi Jinlan was half a savior to Yuan Ming.
Shi Jinlan’s gaze swept over her with distinct amusement, while Yuan Ming maintained her gentle, detached demeanor. “Even if it’s dangerous, I still have to go.”
Mirroring the shift in Shi Jinlan’s gaze, a smile surfaced in her eyes. “Besides, if I don’t come back, the entire System becomes yours.”
Those words were immediately met with a disdainful scoff from Shi Jinlan. “I wouldn’t even know what to do with the System.”
“You can use it to keep Ah Qian safe,” Yuan Ming replied, her tone remaining light and airy.
Yet the moment the words left her mouth, a profound seriousness filled her eyes. “Help me keep this from Ah Qian.”
“You shouldn’t hide it from her,” Shi Jinlan disagreed dismissively.
Yuan Ming shook her head. “I’ll hide it from whoever I can. I already can’t hide it from Ah Song anymore. I don’t need another person worrying about me.”
At this, the gentle warmth typical of her usual self returned to her eyes. She spoke to Shi Jinlan with utmost solemnity: “What if Ah Qian insists on accompanying me, just like Ah Song? That would be incredibly troublesome for me.”
“Lord Main System certainly loves to joke,” Shi Jinlan said, flashing a superficial, unamused smile as she stared blankly at Yuan Ming beside her.
Yuan Ming accepted the evaluation gracefully and instructed, “I will tell her I’ve gone abroad to participate in a project. You just tell her that the System has a massive vulnerability and that fixing it will drain a lot of my energy.”
Shi Jinlan knew that, overall, this endeavor was beneficial for Yuan Ming. She had never intended to stop her anyway, so she agreed. “Fine.”
But it seemed there was one condition:
“I’ll agree to this, but you must promise me one thing in return.”
“Name it,” Yuan Ming answered readily.
“Come back alive,” Shi Jinlan demanded tersely.
Hearing this, Yuan Ming’s expression froze.
It was an emotion she had never experienced before. Before she could even parse it, a reflexive smile broke across her face. “I’ll bring Ah Song back to celebrate the New Year2 with you two.”
Neither of them was the type to peacefully share a space for long. Before the atmosphere could devolve into open hostility, Shi Jinlan—having reached a consensus with Yuan Ming—stood up. She was heading to the furniture store whose location Chi Qian had just sent to their group chat.
“That was terrifying… how is there so much blood?”
“I can’t even imagine. If I lost that much blood, I don’t know if I’d have the strength…”
“Ugh, stop talking about it, I’m so worried.”
“The ambulance should be here soon.”
“I hope that jiejie ends up okay.”
…
It was at this exact moment that Shi Jinlan caught the conversation of two passing girls.
Her gaze snapped over to them. In the very next second, as if driven by pure reflex, her mind reached out to find Chi Qian.
Her spreading perception instantly detected a heavy, overwhelming stench of blood surrounding Chi Qian, accompanied by a chaotic jumble of noise that flooded Shi Jinlan’s ears.
Registering this, Shi Jinlan’s expression drastically changed.
Her steady stride shattered into a frantic rhythm. The wind caught the heavy hem of her coat as panic entirely consumed her mind.
Nothing can happen to Chi Qian.
A bustling crowd had gathered around the entrance to the home goods store; clearly, a major event had just occurred.
The sharp tang of disinfectant overpowered the store’s ambient aromatherapy, but the metallic scent of rust lingered, refusing to dissipate.
Shi Jinlan’s mind went completely blank. Her steps felt terrifyingly weightless.
She didn’t know where she found the strength, but she shoved her way through the crowd. Listening to the click of her own heels against the floorboards, she walked inside, step by trembling step…
It seemed the paramedics had already arrived. A figure clad in white stood against a green backdrop—a scene that felt like a nightmare repeating itself.
Shi Jinlan seemed to have forgotten how to breathe. Suddenly, a bloodstained figure stepped into her line of sight.
Chi Qian had her sleeves rolled up. Her normally bright and spirited eyes were drooping, making her look utterly exhausted.
The surroundings were deafening. Sighs, gasps, and overlapping chatter filled Chi Qian’s head to the brim.
Yet, as if suddenly sensing something, she lifted her head and looked into the crowd.
Shi Jinlan was standing right there among them.
Walking toward her.
Chi Qian didn’t know why, but the moment she saw Shi Jinlan, all of her exhaustion vanished.
Wearing a smudge-stained face, she flashed Shi Jinlan a smile. “Ah…”
But before she could finish, Shi Jinlan closed the distance in a single stride.
And pulled her into a crushing embrace.
She had thought she was going to lose her again.
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