Chapter 8: The White Moonlight Arrives

Li Zhao asked, “So what’s this brilliant idea?”
“I think she’s deliberately ignoring Yan, trying to make him care about her more.”
Li Zhao’s mind was always filled with games, studying, or sleep—never things like this. He just grunted in response and dropped the subject.
Gu Shiyan picked up his phone and typed “Qizhi” into the search bar.
Li Zhao, tapping his notes on the blackboard, noticed Gu Shiyan hadn’t even looked up and leaned over to take a glance.
“Yan, when did you start following celebrities? And it’s a male idol—Qizhi?”
Gu Shiyan closed his phone, uncapped his pen, and started solving problems. With his eyes still on the page, he asked, “You know him?”
Li Zhao clicked his tongue. “Of course, it’s Qizhi! Back in high school, the girls in our class were crazy about him. He’s got tens of millions of fans online. If you walk down the street, you’ll never see his face—only his fans chasing after his shadow. And you won’t hear anything but screaming.”
Gu Shiyan paused for a moment but said nothing, only responded with a soft “oh” and kept writing.
“Wait, you’re already this far? It’s bad enough you’re smarter, but you’re more diligent too. Can you spare us a bit of pride?” Li Zhao glanced at his own progress—he was only halfway through.
“After this class, I need to go to the hospital to look after Su Mo. Listen carefully and let me have your notes, okay?”
“Just take my notebook. I won’t be in the next class.”
Li Zhao stared at him. “You finished the elective course in advance too? You’re terrifying. I’m applying for a new buddy.”
“I couldn’t sleep last night, so I wrote it out,” Gu Shiyan replied lazily.
Last night, he’d messaged Luo Xing and somehow felt she would reply. After two hours of gaming, out of boredom, he studied.
After this class, Luo Xing had no more lectures and was planning to go to the supermarket with Yun Cai and Ming An to buy snacks.
But someone stood in her way.
She looked up. The girl was a little shorter than herself, with eyes as round as grapes.
At first glance, one word came to mind: pure.
At the second, two words: first love.
And after a third look: white moonlight.
It was as if all these labels had been tailor-made for her. The moment you saw her, they sprang to mind unbidden.
Yun Cai and Ming An, standing beside Luo Xing, had the exact same thoughts.
The three of them were already planning how to praise this white-moonlight beauty in their group chat—definitely starting with a row of exclamation marks.
“Hello, I’m looking for Gu Shiyan. Do you know him?”
The three of them froze.
Behind them, Shen Que and Yao Xiangming came out. Shen Que handed Luo Xing her cup. “Did you forget your water bottle?”

Luo Xing was still wondering if this model beauty in front of her was the very white moonlight from the novel.
Lost in thought, she didn’t react in time to take the cup from Shen Que.
Calmly, Shen Que hung the cup’s strap around her neck and adjusted her hat for her.
This was the scene that met Gu Shiyan’s eyes as he walked out.
Sunlight poured through the glass windows onto the two of them.
Shen Que, dressed in a white T-shirt, was a head taller than Luo Xing and blocked the light from her eyes, carefully putting the cup around her neck and gently straightening her hat brim.
When he finished, Luo Xing turned and smiled at him, her hair haloed with light.
Even with the sunlight blocked, just standing there, Luo Xing was dazzling enough—like a living painting.
Su Mo stepped past Luo Xing to stand before Gu Shiyan, offering a faint, somewhat distant and uneasy smile. “Gu Shiyan, I have something to say to you.”
Her voice was soft and even, utterly unlike the excitement and agitation Luo Xing displayed whenever she spoke to Gu Shiyan, as if a mouse had just found a grain of pearl rice.
Ming An tugged at Luo Xing’s sleeve.
Luo Xing turned away, leaving with Shen Que and Yun Cai.
Gu Shiyan watched as Luo Xing’s figure disappeared around the corridor’s bend.
Li Zhao looked at Su Mo. “Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be resting with that leg of yours?”
Su Mo shifted slightly. “It’s fine. I can manage to walk.”
Seeing her like this, Li Zhao’s guilt deepened. “Do you need anything at school? Want me to carry you?”
Su Mo shook her head. “No, I just wanted to talk to Gu Shiyan.”
Li Zhao hesitated, glancing at Su Mo and then at Gu Shiyan. “Can’t you message him instead?”
Gu Shiyan came out and walked to the window ledge, flicking his lighter. In a flash, a flame danced, casting a warm hue over his cool features.
His lips held the ember of a cigarette, ash falling in soft sparks.
With his eyes lowered, he watched Luo Xing’s figure below.
She hadn’t gone far before Shen Que took an umbrella from his bag and held it over her.
Heh.
“Su Mo, if you have something to say, tell me. He’s in a bad mood today,” Li Zhao said, stopping Su Mo from moving forward.
Su Mo nodded and stepped back. “I can only say this to him. Can you give us a moment?”
Yi Chuan, who’d been scrolling on his phone behind them, laughed at her words. “Even if you go, he won’t say a word to you.”
Yi Chuan glanced at Li Zhao, waving his phone. “Yan says we should go ahead without him.”
Li Zhao looked at Su Mo’s leg. “Are you sure you don’t want me to take you back?”

Su Mo stubbornly insisted she didn’t need help, lowering her head to avoid further conversation.
Li Zhao had no choice. “Take care, then. If anything happens, it’ll be on me.”
Su Mo looked away as Li Zhao followed Yi Chuan.
Gu Shiyan rested his hand on the window, back slightly hunched, watching the figures below fade into the distance.
He couldn’t help but stub out his cigarette.
“Actually... I can smell the smoke,” Su Mo said gently as she walked over, noticing his thoughtful gesture.
Gu Shiyan didn’t turn around. A moment ago, he’d been annoyed; now, he was simply impatient.
He watched the dark, retreating forms below and spoke in a low, calm voice, “Get to the point.”
“This isn’t really the place for a conversation, is it?” Su Mo glanced at the restrooms nearby.
“Then leave,” Gu Shiyan said, straightening and looking at her without a trace of emotion.
Su Mo knew Gu Shiyan wasn’t exactly a good person. He’d always been aloof and proud around her, but at his core, he was well-mannered and civilized.
That word—leave—was the first time she’d heard it from him.
And he’d said it without a shred of feeling.
“So, the girl just now—the one with the handsome guy who put the water bottle around her neck—is she your girlfriend?” Su Mo’s voice was light and devoid of emotion, as if stating a simple fact.
“Don’t you understand plain speech?” Gu Shiyan tossed his bent cigarette into the trash and brushed past her to leave.
“If you don’t listen to me today, you might regret it,” she said.
Gu Shiyan’s steps halted. “Who doesn’t have regrets?”
Su Mo walked a few steps closer. “Isn’t one less regret better?”
“Whatever. Suit yourself.”
With that, Gu Shiyan went downstairs without another glance at her.
Su Mo watched his lazy descent, noticing that, for once, he wasn’t glued to his phone.
But a bit of his true nature had shown through.
That was something, at least.
Su Mo stared at the cigarette butt he’d discarded.
He really was a difficult person.