Chapter 47
“Alright everyone, class is starting. Please make way.” Shu Ci ignored all the attempts to get close, a sly smile on his face as he stood up and walked toward the white moonlight.
Seeing Shu Ci head straight for him, the other boy froze for a moment. Before he could move, Shu Ci had grabbed his arm and led him to a seat in the front row, by the side.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Shu Ci casually stretched out his legs and leaned back in his chair. “Weren’t you looking for me? Actor Bai.”
On his way here today, he’d done some digging online. He not only learned the white moonlight’s name but also looked into the young master’s history. The reason he hadn’t shown up earlier was that he’d been away filming.
Bai Yue truly had the perfect white moonlight script.
He was a child star with exceptional talent. Backed by his maternal grandfather’s Chen family, he had become a top-tier actor at a young age and was recently nominated for a major acting award. He’d been popular and beloved his whole life, and his roles were deeply ingrained in the public’s heart.
As the star student of the Performance Department, he barely attended classes. Though he spent the entire year on set, he never missed a final exam and always scored high in every subject. Despite being in the entertainment industry, he was completely free of scandals, undoubtedly making him the white moonlight in countless people’s hearts.
Shu Ci had specifically watched a few of his most-shared clips. From a professional standpoint, he had to admit Bai Yue’s acting skills and emotional expression were masterful.
Talent like that, when used for good, could be a true artistic gift.
But if it went down the wrong path, it would be just like in the original novel. He would use his flawless acting to repeatedly crush the original Shu Ci, causing misunderstandings with Gu Lanzhu more times than all the miserable, groveling dramas he’d been through combined.
According to the original plot, Bai Yue had always carried a torch for his childhood sweetheart, Gu Lanzhu. He had rushed back immediately after hearing from his film crew that his beloved had become obsessed with someone else.
“You’re mistaken,” Bai Yue said, his expression serene, his eyes bright and clear.
He stared at Shu Ci for a moment before looking away.
“Oh?” Shu Ci narrowed his eyes, then smiled naturally. “Then I guess I was mistaken. Actually, I have a favor to ask you.”
Bai Yue frowned. His entire knowledge of the Omega before him came from seeing news in his friend circle about Gu Lanzhu being kicked into the hospital.
He had later learned that Gu Lanzhu had been completely fixated on this person lately, not only going to the Shu family residence to back him up but even calling the police when he couldn’t find him in City A.
What was this? A victor’s gloating? They had never interacted before, so what favor could he possibly have to ask?
“Go on,” Bai Yue said, clenching his fists and straightening his back.
He was terrified the next words out of Shu Ci’s mouth would be a demand to give up on Gu Lanzhu, but he still maintained a gentle and modest appearance.
Shu Ci took in his subtle movements, a faint smile playing on his lips. He took out his phone and held his QR code right in front of Bai Yue.
Shu Ci: “Add me.”
Bai Yue: “?”
“The professor’s here.” Shu Ci gestured toward the podium with his chin and lowered his voice, speaking with calm confidence. “If you don’t mind, we can set up a time to chat.”
Bai Yue was speechless, a flash of annoyance in his eyes.
“My schedule is packed. I don’t have time for idle chat with unimportant people.”
Shu Ci paused, then shot back, “Not even if it’s about your childhood sweetheart?”
The provocation made the fire Bai Yue was suppressing threaten to flare up, but he couldn’t ignore the words “your childhood sweetheart.” Not only did Shu Ci not make the possessive declaration he expected, but he had instead hit the nail on the head, touching on a secret he had hidden for years.
Those three words felt like a beam of light, warming Bai Yue to his core.
Damn it, he’d been completely played.
“You’re right. An actor’s time is precious; you really don’t need to waste it chatting with someone like me.” Shu Ci promptly interrupted his daze and pretended to put his phone away. “My apologies, that was presumptuous of me.”
Director Shu’s acting skills were on full display as he played hard to get, though he couldn’t quite hide the sarcastic edge in his voice.
But Bai Yue didn’t notice it at all.
“…Hey, wait.” He grabbed Shu Ci’s wrist and, quick as a flash, scanned the code and added him. “You’d better actually have something to say to me about him,” he ground out between his teeth.
Shu Ci smiled as he cleared the notification, set a nickname for Bai Yue, and then immediately sent him a large batch of censored files.
Each file was clearly labeled, including the various web materials and official notices about the Gu family’s Omega bride selection that he had organized from the original owner’s things, the doctor’s certificate proving he had been drugged, and the private surveillance cameras Gu Lanzhu had installed near Juqing Road that Lu Wanqing had found.
These were all materials he and Shen Ti had prepared before meeting with their lawyers.
The lawyers knew the evidence was real and reliable, but they weren’t willing to take on a lawsuit against the Gu Corporation. That didn’t mean the files were useless.
He never actually intended to meet and chat with Bai Yue. He just wanted to show him what his childhood sweetheart was really like.
He didn’t care if Bai Yue chose to believe it or if he would still stand firmly by Gu Lanzhu’s side after seeing it. Shu Ci’s first move was to plant a seed in Bai Yue’s mind—
He, Shu Ci, was an innocent victim, not someone Bai Yue could direct his anger toward. At the same time, he wasn’t a helpless pawn; he held concrete, original evidence that couldn’t be dismissed as mere rumors.
Bai Yue: ?
Bai Yue: This is what you wanted to say?
Bai Yue: What are you trying to do? Ruin him?
Bai Yue: …Shu Ci, tell me this isn’t real!
The professor was droning on about the course introduction. Shu Ci didn’t look at his phone again after sending the files. He dazedly reviewed knowledge that felt ancient to him and bolted out the door the second the bell rang—he had a meeting with the island management company. Today was the day to go over the accounts.
Bai Yue clutched his phone, wanting to chase after him, but he stopped halfway when he received a message from Shu Ci.
Shu Ci: Me, ruin him? Why don’t you think he’s the one trying to ruin me?
His legs felt as if they were filled with lead. Bai Yue stood frozen, unable to take another step.
The Gu Lanzhu in his memory was the big brother who shielded him from the wind and rain. When he had stood on the high platform, his legs trembling with fear, Gu Lanzhu had opened his arms, giving him the courage to take a leap of faith.
How could the person who gave him courage be someone who would take things by force?
His body swayed. He stumbled back a few steps, and before he could catch himself against the wall, his waist hit a pair of firm arms. Bai Yue came to his senses and turned to see a familiar short-haired woman.
She had no aggressive aura about her, only the faint smell of disinfectant clinging to her white lab coat.
“Shui… Shui-jie.”
Seeing Gu Lanzhu’s private doctor, Bai Yue quickly stood up straight. “What are you doing here? Is Brother Zhu…”
Strictly speaking, Yi Xing-shui had also grown up with them.
But Bai Yue was the youngest of the group, a good seven or eight years their junior.
Yi Xing-shui’s brow furrowed, and she scoffed. “Don’t you dare mention him to me. I was f*cking fired by your precious brother.”
She had helped Shu Ci escape the island, which Gu Lanzhu saw as a betrayal. He terminated her contract as soon as he got back.
She thought her family would have her back, but who knows what promises Councilor Gu had made to the family’s medical enterprise with the election approaching. Her grandfather had tried to force her to go and apologize to Gu Lanzhu.
Yi Xing-shui had always been obedient. As a Beta, she rarely had emotional outbursts, but this time, she was truly furious.
A doctor’s duty is to heal. No matter how indifferent she had been to Gu Lanzhu’s arrogance, she couldn’t turn a blind eye to Shu Ci’s suffering, especially since he was related to her Senior Brother. In the end, her conscience won out, and she could no longer be his accomplice.
In a fit of anger, Yi Xing-shui had argued with everyone in her family, loudly declared she was disowning them, and stormed out. A few days ago, her Second Senior Sister had pulled some strings and gotten her a post at the A University clinic, working in the infirmary.
Bai Yue’s eyes widened. “What on earth happened? But you’ve been with him for so many years.”
“I’m a person, not his life-sized accessory. He’d better get on with his revenge, because the worst he can do is kill me.” Yi Xing-shui rolled her eyes, too lazy to explain the details to Bai Yue. She just snorted, “And you’d better take a good, hard look at what kind of person he really is.”
“Do you need me to talk to him for you? Shui-jie, do you have plans for lunch? We could eat together.”
“No need. The world keeps spinning without Gu Lanzhu in it.” Yi Xing-shui flatly refused. She ran a hand through her hair and looked around. “I’m here to find Shu Ci. I heard he was in this classroom. You’re classmates, right? Where is he?”
“Shu Ci? Shui-jie, you know him?” Bai Yue suddenly remembered the materials Shu Ci had sent, which included many lab reports. He quickly hid the panic and confusion in his eyes and asked calmly, “He already left.”
“He’s gone? What bad timing.”
Yi Xing-shui wasn’t particularly close with Bai Yue. Without the Gu family connection, they didn’t have much to talk about.
She ruffled her hair in frustration. “Forget it, I’ll head back to my shift. If you see him, tell him to come find me at the infirmary.”
That guy, Shu Ci, was quick to reply to messages, but she had no idea when he planned on making good on his promise to have her Senior Brother treat her to a meal once he was back in City A.
Losing her job was no big deal, but it would be nice to see her Senior Brother and claim some credit.
With that thought, Yi Xing-shui shoved her hands in her lab coat pockets and strode away.
Bai Yue stood where he was, gripping his phone tightly.
After a moment of hesitation, he found Gu Lanzhu’s profile and tapped on it.
Juqing Road, 10 PM.
Shu Ci dried his hair, threw back the covers, and collapsed onto the bed. He took the camellia necklace from around his neck, holding the flower up toward the ceiling.
He had chosen the same island management company as Lu Wanqing. Trusting his cheap husband’s competence, he had even picked the same custom contract template. The company was efficient; after discussing the details today, they had sent a team to the island that afternoon to begin routine maintenance and survey the area for future operations.
That evening, Shu Ci practiced his pheromone mimicry in the storage closet under the stairs while reading the report the company had sent.
The details on infrastructure and port construction were all standard.
Additionally, after analyzing the terrain, soil, and climate, the company discovered that the mountains on Dragon Spine Island were suitable for growing tea. As a Puerh enthusiast, Shu Ci was ecstatic and immediately checked the box for tea production.
Further down, under the minerals section, he saw a line of text highlighted in red.
—Unknown substance discovered on the south side of the island. Does not match any existing minerals.
Below was a picture. The substance was a pure, crystalline purple, sprinkled with a flowing, fluorescent yellow that was exceptionally beautiful and dazzling.
Shu Ci stared at his necklace, frowning slightly.
This unknown substance looked remarkably similar to the color of the camellia flower on his necklace.
He remembered Lu Wanqing saying that Shu Changze had made it for him.
Was the necklace made of the same material as the mineral on the island? Why was it an unidentifiable substance? Was the research on Instability Syndrome that Shu Changze left on the island related to these materials?
The questions remained unanswered, and more strange things just kept piling up. With Lu Wanqing around, he would have had someone to talk to, to analyze things with. Now that he was alone, he felt utterly exhausted.
Shu Ci tried to sort through his thoughts, but before he knew it, he had drifted off to sleep.
In his dream, he saw Lu Wanqing sitting alone on a roof.
Below him was a disaster scene, bodies piled high. He looked up at the moon, a lonely figure.
A monstrous wave rose up, heading straight for Lu Wanqing. He didn’t move, as if letting himself be swept away by the storm.
…
Lu Wanqing’s eyes flew open.
He had just dreamed that Shu Ci was rushing toward him.
The movement woke Cui You. After a moment of calm, his eyes widened, and he fumbled in his pocket for an injection, tossing it over.
“How could your susceptibility period be starting now?”
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