So I Had No Choice But to Stop Being the White Moonlight – Chapter 99

I’m Not Going to Be the White Moonlight

“Come a little closer, I’ll tell you.”

The yacht cut through the waves, leaving a short line on the sea’s surface that was quickly erased by the surging water.

The land drew nearer. The sun’s scorching heat baked the earth. They switched from the yacht to a car, driving through suburbs embraced by lush greenery. Trucks laden with fresh flowers constantly drove alongside them, a procession of blossoms all the way.

            

Xiao Yu Island was under the jurisdiction of Can City, which boasted the largest flower market in the country. Countless fresh flowers were brought to market every day.

With the wedding just around the corner, most of the preparations were complete. Using the excuse of checking on the flowers, Song Tang invited Chi Qian and Shi Jinlan to come and relax.

The moment they lifted the curtain at the entrance to the Flower Market, a clamor of voices wrapped in a rich floral fragrance rushed to greet everyone who entered.

            

A riot of colors swirled and clustered together. Chi Qian gazed into the distance, unable to find a single place for her eyes to rest.

Song Tang had dealt with the owner here many times. She led Chi Qian to the stall where she had placed her order. “Boss, is this the batch you were talking about last time?”

“That’s right. This batch is the start of a new crop. Look, see how big the heads are.” The owner held up a freshly cut flower and passed it to Song Tang.

            

“What do you think? How is it?” Song Tang took the flower, but handed it to Chi Qian.

“It’s beautiful.” Chi Qian’s vocabulary felt inadequate. Staring at the bouquet of red flowers that seemed to burn like a flame, she had never thought a single color could be so pure and vibrant. “Our main color scheme is red, right?”

“Correct. Reds and oranges will work. The brown centers of the sunflowers can neutralize the palette.” Song Tang looked at the flowers on the owner’s stall. “These are the types we ordered.”

            

“They’ll look amazing when they’re all arranged together,” Chi Qian said, imagining it as she looked at the bouquet in her hands. She was both nervous and excited.

Marriage was truly a magical thing. Life wouldn’t suddenly change just because of a ceremony.

But people simply had no resistance to the day marked on the calendar, filling it with endless fantasies and expectations.

            

Wives.

Chi Qian silently repeated the word in her heart, just as Song Tang’s voice cut in.

“If I were you, I’d want to wear it twenty-four hours a day. What a beautiful diamond.”

            

Song Tang looked at Chi Qian’s empty hands with some dissatisfaction.

But Chi Qian just waved her hand, mostly in resignation. “It’s not convenient for work.”

Chi Qian used to think diamonds were just pretty and eye-catching; she never imagined their presence could be so overwhelming.

            

The stone was so dazzlingly brilliant that it completely affected her ability to work.

The day after Shi Jinlan’s proposal, she had been so lost in admiring the diamond that she almost burned the medicine she was brewing. Luckily, Shi Jinlan had covered for her, so her grandfather never found out.

So, from then on, Chi Qian had put the engagement ring back in its box.

            

The more precious something was, the more carefully it had to be guarded.

She would take it out again on the wedding day, sign the marriage certificate with Shi Jinlan, and then exchange rings once more.

When they were finalizing the wedding schedule, Shi Jinlan had even asked Chi Qian if they should buy another pair of diamond rings for the ceremony.

            

But Chi Qian had firmly refused.

Although it was true that the more sparkly things the better, she couldn’t be so unrestrained.

One diamond ring this big was enough for her. She wanted other gemstone rings, too.

            

Sitting opposite her, Shi Jinlan watched Chi Qian’s sly expression, which she thought was perfectly subtle. She saw right through her little scheme.​¹

She didn’t expose her, just let her be.

After all, she would have many gemstones.

            

And many diamonds.

She wouldn’t mind buying her a gem mine and, when the weather cooled down, taking her to try mining for gems herself.

They had plenty of time.

            

There was no rush.

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Of course, our Miss Chi had no idea she was about to own a gem mine. Right now, her eyes were only for the flowers. “There are so many flowers here. They’re so beautiful.”

“Then buy some to take back. They’ll last a long time in a vase,” Song Tang said, assessing the freshness of the flowers. She casually picked out a blue hydrangea she liked. “They’ll last right up until your wedding day.”

            

Chi Qian chuckled, clutching a bundle of red flowers, then selected two bouquets of lilies from the dazzling array.

She was a bit indecisive about the two lilies, unsure which was better, and turned to Song Tang, who was also picking out flowers.

But her gaze paused.

            

Chi Qian looked at the bouquet gradually taking shape in Song Tang’s hands and let out a thoughtful “Huh?” “Tangtang, why are you always picking blue flowers? I thought you’d prefer red.”

Song Tang also seemed a bit surprised. She stared blankly at the flowers she had subconsciously chosen.

Then she gave Chi Qian, and herself, a very reasonable answer. “Probably because they’re expensive.”

            

She laughed as she said it, putting on a greedy expression. “Blue is the most difficult color to cultivate in the world. Since President Shi is treating, it would be rude of me to refuse. If I don’t buy something expensive, how could it be worthy of President Shi’s status?”

Listening to this, Chi Qian felt she was almost taken in by Song Tang’s act. Then she shook her head and said, “I think it’s because you like it.”

Chi Qian looked at the cool-toned bouquet in Song Tang’s hands and couldn’t help but think of her bar. She presented her evidence: “Look, even the color scheme of your bar is this shade of blue. So are several of the high-stools.”

            

“You’re as passionate as fire, yet you insist on using this System blue.” As she spoke, Chi Qian gave Song Tang a meaningful smile and teased her, “Admit it. You’re actually in love with the System.”

Hearing this, Song Tang reflexively broke out in goosebumps.

Was there anything more infuriating than telling a worker that she’d fallen in love with her company?

            

No.

“Ah Qian, don’t think I won’t hit you just because you’re about to get married.” Song Tang was menacing, raising a hand as if to strike Chi Qian.

Chi Qian reacted in a flash.

            

She had been a smart-mouth​² on purpose to tease Song Tang and had already prepared her escape. The moment Song Tang moved, she turned and ran. “Blehhh.”

But she hadn’t expected to be so cocky. As she ran, she kept looking back to provoke Song Tang and ended up running headfirst into someone’s arms.

She carefully protected the lilies in her hands the whole time, so the collision was quite solid.

            

A cloud of floral fragrance rose up. The familiar scent told Chi Qian who she had run into without even needing to look up.

“Careful.” Shi Jinlan gripped the wrist of the hand holding the bouquet, but the gentle force never hurt her.

The arched ceiling gathered the most intense heat of midsummer, pouring it over Shi Jinlan’s cool voice, making it seem to steam like a white mist.

            

The voice that fell upon Chi Qian’s ear sent her into a daze.

For some reason, the Shi Jinlan in her line of sight suddenly transformed into the her from a long, long time ago, sitting in a wheelchair.

And she was still holding her wrist, protecting her from a fall, letting her sit on her lap.

            

The freshly cut flowers were dotted with morning dew. The wind stirred their rich fragrance, blanketing the surroundings in purity.

The stems of the flowers pressed against Chi Qian’s palm. The two lilies swayed against each other, just like the two of them at this moment.

They were far too close. Warm breaths swirled with a scorching heat, and Chi Qian felt her heart pounding at an impossible rate.

            

But she couldn’t tell which version of herself it was.

“Ah Lan…”

“What did you see?”

            

Just as Chi Qian was about to speak, Shi Jinlan’s voice sounded again.

Chi Qian’s eyes held both surprise and expectation. “We’ve been here before, haven’t we?”

“Mhm,” Shi Jinlan nodded.

            

But not in this lifetime.

Because what Chi Qian saw, she saw too.

That long-forgotten feeling of powerlessness in her legs almost made her unable to support herself.

            

Dammit.

Just how many of their memories had the System devoured?

A flash of displeasure crossed Shi Jinlan’s brow but was quickly suppressed.

            

She looked at the lilies in Chi Qian’s bouquet, her fingers tracing the blooming petals. Then she lifted her eyes, her emotions now under control, and looked at Chi Qian. “For me?”

“Mhm.” Chi Qian nodded, looking at the sea of flowers in her hands with some distress. “But I feel like if I get both, I’ll need to add something else to embellish them.”

At this, Chi Qian lifted her gaze from the lilies to Shi Jinlan, seeking her opinion. “What do you think I should add, Ah Lan?”

            

Shi Jinlan calmly looked at the two vividly blooming flowers and said, “Actually, the lilies are wonderful on their own. Put them in a small-mouthed glass vase, and it’ll create a very artistic mood.”

But after saying this, Shi Jinlan paused.

She seemed to have a new idea. She crooked two fingers, beckoning to Chi Qian. “Come a little closer, I’ll tell you.”

            

“Oh.” Chi Qian let her guard down, thinking Shi Jinlan really had an idea.

But the moment she moved closer and uttered a single word, her mouth was covered. “Mmph—”

The lilies, held aloft on their elegant white stems, swayed and blocked the view.

            

The rectangular grid of the window let the sunlight fall upon their overlapping shadows. Shi Jinlan was both brazen and discreet, kissing Chi Qian on the lips.

Chi Qian’s heart was about to leap out of her chest. The floral scent was entangled with an inescapable lustful aura.​³ Her faint protest vanished as her hand rose and then stopped.

People could come by at any moment, so the kiss was as light as a dragonfly skimming the water’s surface.​⁴

            

Shi Jinlan cupped Chi Qian’s face and, at the very end, pressed and rubbed her lips against Chi Qian’s one last time before saying, as if in mockery, “Silly girl.”

Just a moment ago, Chi Qian hadn’t felt much about being tricked, but now she felt quite indignant.

The hand that had been halfway raised changed direction, grabbing Shi Jinlan’s collar. She bit down on her moist lips.

            

Her sharp teeth were abrasive, and Shi Jinlan sucked in a sharp breath.

She looked at the person before her, whose movements had been surprisingly swift, and saw a rare flash of annoyance in her eyes.

Then Chi Qian walked away with her lilies, declaring defiantly, “Miss Shi, I’m going to spend lots and lots of your money today!”

            

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And Chi Qian really did. She bought several huge bouquets in one go: for Chi Qingyan, for Song Tang, for Yuan Ming, for Yuan Ming’s parents, for Auntie Zhou, for Ah Qing and Imperial Consort Ling Ji… she returned, as they say, fully loaded.

After returning to the island in the afternoon, Chi Qian rushed to offer the fresh flowers to the two Imperial Consorts before the sun went down.

The ancestral hall was exceptionally quiet, not even disturbed by the chirping of cicadas.

            

Chi Qian looked up at the two Imperial Consorts. They looked the same as always, watching her with kind and benevolent eyes. She kowtowed a few times and left.

Who would have thought that just as her left foot crossed the threshold of the ancestral hall, Thirteen would appear with a long, drawn-out sound: “Meow— (Host! I’m back!)”

The little cat looked exceptionally proud, like a general returning from a victorious battle.

            

Chi Qian looked surprised and walked toward it. “Thirteen! Why are you back so late! I thought you weren’t coming back!”

“Meow~ (How could that be.)” Thirteen wagged its tail and came over to rub against Chi Qian.

【The bugs inside the System are finally almost suppressed. You have no idea what great risks I took these past few days to find the data you wanted. Sometimes I’d open a page of data and a bug would fall out. It scared this System to death!】 Thirteen watched Chi Qian sit down on a nearby rock, then deftly leaped onto her lap to complain.

            

“So, did you find it?” Hearing this, Chi Qian’s heart pounded with both anxiety and anticipation. “Is there a problem with my memories?”

【Yes!】 Thirteen said proudly.

【I looked up your information and found that there’s another lock on your current background story. But I spent a great deal of effort and couldn’t pick it. I looked through the keyhole and saw that the data inside is very chaotic.】

            

“Chaotic.” Chi Qian looked at the bracelet on her wrist, thinking of her own jumbled memories.

【And I heard something else,】 Thirteen added. 【It seems the recent bug infestation was caused by Shi Jinlan. That collapsed small world was because of her, too. So, some systems proposed to the Main System that it should destroy the world she’s in before she gets out of control—a brave warrior cutting off their own wrist. But the Main System rejected it!】​⁵

【It was the Main System that prevented this world from collapsing.】

            

“Why?” Chi Qian found this very strange. “This Main System of yours, is it really so benevolent toward the masses?”

【…It’s hard to say.】 Thirteen had to admit that after carrying out missions with Chi Qian these past few days, its faith in the Main System was no longer so firm.

“What if it wasn’t for the common people, but for a specific thing?” Chi Qian’s thoughts raced, her eyes shining with a clear light.

            

“And this thing can only be entrusted to this world. So it can sacrifice any other world, but this world alone cannot be destroyed.”

Chi Qian felt like she had found the answer.

Hearing this, Thirteen’s tail couldn’t help but stand on end.

            

“That’s the bargaining chip!”

Saying so, Chi Qian smacked her palm with her fist.

She had always been the one constrained by the System. Now, there was finally a way to let the Main System have a taste of having its hands tied. “Thirteen, can you pull up this world’s information? I think we can look for it.”

            

【Isn’t that like fishing for a needle in the ocean?】 Thirteen felt it was too difficult.

“Get your spirits up!” Chi Qian was full of motivation.

【Can we call Shi Jinlan to help? Her abilities are even stronger than mine. She’d definitely find it faster.】 Thirteen rolled over in Chi Qian’s lap.

            

“But how would she enter the System?” Chi Qian asked in return.

【Bind with me!】 Thirteen wagged its tail excitedly. 【It’s very simple for a Host to bind with a System. You just have to enter the name on the binding interface.】

Chi Qian felt that Thirteen was just trying to reduce its own workload and looked at it with some disdain. Then she tried to coax it, “Or maybe we could give Ah Lan a surprise?”

            

“Look how amazing she is. If you help her, wouldn’t that also be a way of currying favor with her?”

The moment she said this, Chi Qian felt Thirteen freeze in her lap.

The soft cat’s body suddenly became as stiff as a rock.

            

Chi Qian had no idea what was happening and was terribly flustered. “Hey, don’t be like that. You don’t have to freeze up even if you don’t want to.”

“Thirteen?”

“Thirteen!”

            

…

【Binding successful. Mission-Taker: Shen Lan.】

Just as Chi Qian was getting anxious and scared, the long-lost mechanical voice sounded in her head.

            

She froze, feeling the cat in her lap gradually regain its warmth and softness. She subconsciously looked toward the old tree to the side of the ancestral hall.

Shi Jinlan walked out unhurriedly, her lips parting slightly as she spoke, polite and refined, “I think it’s better to tell her. She might be very happy to be of service.”

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The author has something to say:

            

It’s not foreshadowing, it’s just that Lanlan is using an alias. She’s well aware that her name “Shi Jinlan” is already “infamous” within the system hhhhh

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Good luck to all the babies taking the college entrance exams!

            

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