So I Had No Choice But to Stop Being the White Moonlight – Chapter 130
by Little PandaLanlan and Qianqian’s Honeymoon Trip
Belgium
“It is a bit tart.”
The fine, misty morning rain beat against the newly sprouted green leaves outside the window, washing their tender, youthful green completely fresh.
A layer of mist permeated the streets of Paris, weaving through the pedestrians, making the city seem both tranquil and bustling.
A layer of white condensation gathered on the car window, hazily reflecting a pair of eyes filled with a desire to explore.
Chi Qian pressed herself against the glass, looking out at the streets. The highly stylized, ancient architecture slowly retreated from her line of sight, lifting into a tiny, distant spire.
It was the Eiffel Tower.
During these past few days in France, Chi Qian had seen the Eiffel Tower and, on Louis’s recommendation, visited the Musée de l’Orangerie1 to see the Monet exhibition.
Chi Qian had deeply loved the Water Lilies murals Monet had gifted to the museum. While she had been standing beneath the paintings, temporarily lost in a trance, she had heard Shi Jinlan say in her mind that if she liked them, she could help bring them home for her.
Chi Qian recalled the last time Shi Jinlan had said she was coming to Paris and had asked what gift she wanted; the Eiffel Tower had flashed through her mind.
To prevent her own actions from somehow impacting the geopolitical landscape of the world, she had hastily rejected Shi Jinlan’s audacious proposal.
Sometimes, having a wife with special abilities was truly a headache.
And sometimes, having an overly enthusiastic host was also a headache.
What Chi Qian had originally planned as a four-day tour of France had been forcefully stretched into a seven-day tour under Louis’s passionate hospitality.
And after the seventh day, he finally brought Shi Jinlan to the Wine Estate he had originally wanted to show off to her.
However, this place happened to be in Belgium, which was Chi Qian and Shi Jinlan’s next intended stop, so it could barely be considered that he hadn’t delayed their schedule.
As for why a French Wine Estate had been established in Belgium, according to the cynical, free-spirited playboy himself, he felt there were simply too many vineyards in France, so he had set his sights on Belgium instead.
Chi Qian didn’t understand what these second-generation heirs were thinking all day, but she knew very well that the site selection for a Wine Estate couldn’t possibly be that simple. Having been groomed by their families for over two decades, how could they ever let sentiment take precedence over business?
Louis wasn’t completely confident in the speed of the local high-speed trains, so he brought Chi Qian and her party onto a private helicopter.
The deafening noise produced by the massive rotors constantly tried to breach the defense of their headsets. Chi Qian, who always possessed far more curiosity than the average person, looked out the window against the stiff, icy wind.
She watched as the towering skyscrapers were gradually swallowed by the spring greenery, and the mountains and rivers merged into one.
Beneath the vastness of nature, humanity seemed as insignificant as an ant. Amidst the tremendous noise, the world ushered in a peaceful tranquility.
Chi Qian held up her camera, recording this unforgettable moment.
A flat landscape brimming with the vibrant green of spring filled her vision. The perfectly symmetrical, human-disciplined garden design was so flawless that even from a bird’s-eye view, one couldn’t pick out a single error. It was incredibly soothing to look at.
Ancient castles were nestled within the lush greenery. One by one, they sat at distances neither too near nor too far, never interfering with each other.
Even though they possessed a height that would require a person to look up if viewed from close range, when seen from the air, they seemed no larger than the palm of a hand.
Chi Qian had always felt that Shi Jinlan’s Manor in Ningcheng City was big enough. Yet, after stepping off the helicopter, she realized that any single building here was larger than the one back home.
Extravagance.
The curtain call of an empire’s former glory was always heavily adorned in gold, silver, and pearls.
As Chi Qian sat in the sightseeing cart, this phrase suddenly popped into her head. She let out a quiet sigh for these seemingly ancient manors that had likely changed hands through countless owners.
At that moment, Louis turned his head to look at the back row where she and Shi Jinlan were sitting. “How is it? It covers a total area of sixty-six hectares—a number you people are very fond of2.”
Upon hearing this, Shi Jinlan gave a very faint smile. “But your people don’t.”
“They are them, and I am me,” Louis stated dismissively. The wind blowing from the side caught his long hair. Freshly styled and maintained, his golden locks were radiant and flowing, written all over with an aura of elegance and rebellion.
As they spoke, the cart arrived at the front of the vineyards.
A long gust of wind blew past, causing the grapevines to sway and tremble slightly.
The air rippled in the spring daylight, seemingly carrying the fragrance of grapes.
Louis was the first to step down. Gazing at the vines heavy with fruit, he continued his introduction to Shi Jinlan: “This is a new variety we’ve been researching. The spring temperatures were a bit high this year, so they’ve already successfully entered the fruiting and maturation stage.”
Saying this, Louis extended his hand toward Shi Jinlan as she prepared to step down.
He should have known, even before reaching out, that he was asking for a snub.
Not only did Shi Jinlan refuse to take Louis’s hand, she completely ignored it. She stepped down on her own, sweeping her placid gaze across the garden, and said, “You really did manage to develop it.”
“After all, we can seize the market ahead of time. Why wouldn’t we?” Louis replied with a light smile.
Chi Qian felt that Louis possessed a certain nonchalant grace often spoken of by the Chinese. Even though Shi Jinlan had rejected and entirely ignored him, he faced it with complete ease, his movement to withdraw his hand perfectly natural.
Thus, she also understood that this guy’s affection for Shi Jinlan only ranked beneath his absolute pursuit of profit.
He did indeed admire Shi Jinlan and adore her, but in the end, he was still a businessman—a cunning businessman.
Chi Qian knew this was exactly the nature of Shi Jinlan’s world. Someone could say they loved you one second, and abandon you for profit the next.
As she stepped out of the cart, she deliberately stomped hard on the footboard, expressing her dissatisfaction with this kind of world. Then, feigning curiosity, she interrupted Louis and Shi Jinlan’s conversation. “What variety of grapes are these?”
“Chardonnay,” Louis introduced.
Regardless of whether he and Shi Jinlan would remain business partners in the future, he was one right now.
Therefore, his attentiveness extended to Chi Qian out of the principle of loving the house and its crow3. Raising a hand to signal the waiting estate servants, he suggested to her, “Qian, would you like to try grape picking? Tasting a wine brewed from fruit you harvested yourself must certainly be a unique experience.”
“Sure,” Chi Qian accepted happily.
Her honeymoon was meant for having fun, after all.
The island’s climate wasn’t suited for growing grapes, and Auntie Zhou’s attempts to plant them around the hot springs had failed. As a result, Chi Qian was currently very curious about these short, climbing vines.
The estate servants were thoroughly prepared. Gloves, shears, a small basket… everything was provided.
Chi Qian politely accepted the tools they handed her and waved to Shi Jinlan. “I’ll go in first and wait for you.”
She wasn’t going to ask whether Shi Jinlan wanted to discuss business with Louis. The honeymoon was her home turf. If Shi Jinlan didn’t come to join her…
Hmph.
Chi Qian grumbled internally, but she maintained a perfect expression for Shi Jinlan.
Silhouetted against the light, Shi Jinlan watched the figure carrying a basket into the vineyard and nodded in agreement. “Alright.”
The warm afternoon sunlight draped over the vineyard. A light gray silhouette wove through the orderly rows of green.
Louis watched Chi Qian gradually walk deeper into the vines, her back blending seamlessly with the scenery. He seemed to realize something.
“Lan, I think I’ve just now realized something,” Louis said, showing a rare, thoughtful expression.
“What is it?” Shi Jinlan remained as impassive as ever. Her calm voice made it sound as though she already knew what he was going to say.
“The rabbit you used to talk about… it wasn’t a real rabbit, was it?” Louis asked, turning to look at Shi Jinlan beside him.
The wind wound past the grapevines and blew back over them. The steady, unbroken rhythm of Shi Jinlan’s breathing caught slightly in a quick exhalation.
Very softly, Shi Jinlan laughed.
Thinking back on it now, that truly felt like a very long time ago.
But even though Shi Jinlan knew the answer, she never gave a direct reply to such questions. Instead, she offered Louis an ambiguous reminder: “That is why I told you a long time ago—learn Chinese properly.”
Louis was smart, and he understood what Shi Jinlan meant.
Following her lead, he promised, “Next time… next time you see me, I will definitely speak fluent Chinese.”
Shi Jinlan responded with a polite, faint smile. “Then I will wait and see.”
With those words, Shi Jinlan reached out and took the grape-harvesting tools the servants had prepared for her as well. She left Louis standing alone outside, watching the interaction between her and her wife.
The grapes at the entrance were never quite as appealing, so Chi Qian had wandered deeper into the vineyard as she selected her fruit.
Shi Jinlan raised her gaze, searching for Chi Qian’s location. Finally, brushing aside layers of tangled greenery, she looked to the north, left of the entrance, and spotted her Chi Qian.
That light-colored dress was draped loosely against the damp earth. Sunlight fell upon the sheer fabric, illuminating the dust dancing in the air above it.
This person was never very cautious about wearing dresses. Woven green leaves and vast expanses of deep, rich colors clustered around her. She simply crouched there beside a vine, carefully picking out her grapes.
Perhaps because she was entirely absorbed in her selection, she had forgotten to gather up her hem. She was just a tiny figure hiding beneath the vines. She looked like a green grape spirit from a myth that had fallen to the earth and taken human form, making one desperately want to scoop her into a basket, pack her up, and carry her away.
After all, a grape spirit was still a grape.
The hand gripping the basket tightened sharply, but then immediately relaxed.
Neatly trimmed nails brushed over the woven wicker, producing a faint, almost imperceptible sound—much like an unbearable itch in the heart.
Shi Jinlan was staring greedily at Chi Qian crouching to the side when she heard Chi Qian speak without even lifting her head: “Finally decided to tear yourself away to keep me company?”
Hearing these words, Shi Jinlan seemed to recover a fraction of her senses.
Restraining herself and suppressing her dark thoughts, she stepped toward Chi Qian and replied calmly, “We only discussed a bit of work.”
As she said this, she noticed that Chi Qian was pinching half a bitten grape between her fingers. She proactively asked, “Is it good?”
“It’s terrible.” Chi Qian immediately wrinkled her nose. Shaking her head, she complained to Shi Jinlan, “It’s not sweet at all. It’s got a bitter, tart taste. My tongue is coated in that astringency right now.”
“Is that so?” Shi Jinlan murmured lightly, as if she also wanted to try it. “Let me taste.”
Since she had just been subjected to the bitterness herself, Chi Qian didn’t try to dissuade Shi Jinlan. Instead, with a mischievous streak, she offered the grape to her.
But little did she know, Shi Jinlan didn’t want the half-eaten grape in her hand.
Just as she extended her hand, a shadow fell over half her line of sight.
Shi Jinlan was coming for her.
The wind folded over her lips as a slightly cool, yet tenderly soft kiss pressed against her.
Chi Qian felt her chest relax, but as the tip of a tongue hooked over the edge of her teeth, her breathing suddenly hitched and stopped altogether.
The grape flesh had long since vanished from her mouth, yet another softness remained lingering inside.
She allowed Shi Jinlan to kiss her like this—enveloping her, sucking gently, rubbing back and forth. It was as if she were truly savoring a flavor.
The spring wind swept over the vast fields, curving around only to circle back.
The grape leaves shuddered and rustled in the breeze. Enveloped by the greenery, they were simultaneously out in the open, yet deeply hidden.
Chi Qian’s ears burned from the teasing. Just as she parted her lips to catch her breath, she heard Shi Jinlan’s voice—wrapped in a rush of warm breath—fall against her ear, giving her critique on the grape she had just tasted: “It is a bit tart4.”
The author has something to say:
Pigeon: Which kind of tart are we talking about here~
Qianqian: Pluck the pigeon’s feathers!
Footnotes
- The Musée de l'Orangerie is an art gallery in Paris renowned for housing Claude Monet's famous 'Water Lilies' (Nymphéas) murals. Louis's recommendation reflects classic Parisian cultural tourism.
- In Chinese culture, the number six (lìu) is considered extremely auspicious, symbolizing smooth progress and success (as in the idiom 'everything goes smoothly'). Louis is playfully acknowledging their cultural preference.
- A literal translation of the Chinese idiom 'ài wū jí wū' (to love a house and the crow on its roof). It means that when you care for someone, your affection naturally extends to the people and things connected to them.
- The Chinese word 'sè' (涩) literally means tart or astringent. In modern internet slang, it is also a homophone for 'sè' (色), meaning erotic, sexy, or 'spicy'. Shi Jinlan is commenting on both the taste of the grape and Chi Qian's allure.
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