Chapter 42

*The Moon Runs to Me*
Qin Sang didn’t move. She took the initiative and said, “Didn’t you say you wanted me to give you a chance? It’s not impossible.”
Xie Yuncheng was slightly startled. “What do you mean?”
Qin spoke of “terms” with a straight face, sounding exactly like an HR interviewing a candidate. “After all, even joining a company requires going through a process—interview, final review, trial period. I think I can also give you a chance to be evaluated.”
She said it lightly. When she looked at him, her eyes were especially bright and clean. Her eyes were beautiful, full of feeling, yet the outer corners slanted slightly down, making her look especially innocent.
“An internship boyfriend,” she said. “How about it? Do you agree?”
Qin was testing his bottom line, and she also meant to tease him a little. She just wanted to know how far he could go.
But she wasn’t very confident either, so when she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, there was a trace of guilt.
Xie Yuncheng had prepared for the worst—that she wouldn’t want to see him again. This outcome, instead, was beyond his expectation.
He hooked his lips, delighted. “I agree. Then when can I start? Now?”
“Besides responsibilities and duties,” he added, “shouldn’t there also be a detailed list of the benefits I’m entitled to?”
Qin had never expected him to agree so quickly—and even climb the ladder the moment she gave him a rung, as if he’d been waiting for her to loosen up.
Her mood was complicated; she frowned slightly.
But Xie Yuncheng, as a high-knowledge talent who excelled at drawing inferences, grasped her weak point precisely—good at catching the key point, and even negotiating terms.
“For example, right now—”
He leaned in, the distance only inches. His voice was low, with a faint hoarseness. “Sang-sang, can I exercise the rights of an official boyfriend?”
He looked like he was asking gently, but his body was assertive, trapping her in this narrow space with nowhere to escape.
Qin’s heartbeat went uneven. Warm breath brushed her cheek. The eyes that were usually clear now carried a hint of darkness, as if something was stirring, waiting to ferment.
Her face grew hot; her body went a little numb. A restless heat rose inside her—like a wildfire ignited out of nowhere on a plain. At first it was only sparks, nothing to fear, but slowly it spread into a blaze, unstoppable.
The heater was on in the car. The warmth made her dizzy. Mixed with the man’s unrestrained body heat, it felt intensely invasive.
It wasn’t her first time having this level of physical proximity with the opposite sex, but never like this—so clear and direct a sense of danger. That fine, dense itch seemed to crawl out from inside her, from within.
“Sang-sang?” He called her, gaze deep. Even as his body pressed closer, his tone was still gentle, even carrying a low, hoarse smile. “Is that okay?”
Okay for what? Qin’s mouth was dry. She didn’t know if it was the alcohol, or the heater throwing her mind off balance. She only felt that the mint scent that usually smelled crisp and refreshing had turned into the best tool to numb her nerves—invading her sense of smell, then her hearing. His voice was low and heavy, as if with a hook, hooking away her reason; her thoughts drifted.
*Thud, thud.*
The dull sound of someone knocking on the car window jolted her awake. She looked out and saw a face pressed against the glass, eyes wide, as if peering into the car.
Qin was badly startled. She shrank back instinctively, clinging to his arm, fingers gripping tight.
Recognizing the face, she felt only misfortune. “Oh no—why is it her?”
Xie Yuncheng didn’t care that her grip wrinkled his shirt. Seeing her vivid expression and her frustrated look, he raised his brow. “You know her?”
Qin nodded, annoyed. “That’s our neighbor, Granny Sun. She watched me grow up; she’s basically half family. But she’s *very* gossipy, and she has a huge mouth.”
Originally, no one knew she’d returned to Ningjiang. Unfortunately, the night she came back, Granny Sun ran into her. The next day, news of her return spread through the whole neighborhood—bringing Wen Minzhu along too.
And now, of all things, she’d been caught again. In a few days, her situation with Xie Yuncheng would spread through all of Ningjiang—who knew how ugly it would sound? Late at night, meeting a man in a car?
Even though they’d done nothing, once stories were passed around, who knew what version it would become?
It wouldn’t be good. Qin decided to play dead. “Don’t make a sound. As long as we don’t get out, she can’t do anything.”
“Hide—quick. Don’t let her see your face.”
Like a thief, Qin tugged at him, signaling him to crouch down under the seat to avoid trouble.
Xie Yuncheng couldn’t help laughing. “Sang-sang, we’re dating normally. We’re not having an affair.”
“I know,” Qin sighed. “But other people won’t think that. Even if we’re clear, once it gets to other people’s ears, they’ll embellish it. They might even start rumors that I’m meeting a sugar daddy at midnight, doing something wild in the car, and getting caught red-handed by helpful citizens.”
Xie Yuncheng didn’t understand the entertainment industry, but he did know how frightening gossip could be. Especially after the recent public-opinion storm that had already dragged her into trouble—though he usually didn’t care, that time she had been implicated because of him, and he couldn’t not care.
Across the internet, emotions that can’t be vented in real life can be released without restraint. Maybe the internet doesn’t amplify malice—maybe some people simply use the virtual mask to deliberately stir trouble.
Xie Yuncheng’s gaze sank. “You can’t hide. The car isn’t off. She knows there’s someone inside.”
As if to prove him right, after standing outside for a long time without seeing what was inside, Granny Sun started pulling the door handle, shouting, “Who’s in the car? Come out.”
Worse still, Wen Shuyu came out to throw trash. Hearing Granny Sun’s shout, she thought something had happened and asked, “Granny Sun, what is it?”
Hearing her mother’s voice, Qin grew even more nervous. She hadn’t done anything, but being blocked in the car like this… even if she was in the right, it would be hard to explain.
Granny Sun was puzzled. “I don’t know whose car this is. It’s been parked here forever and the engine’s still on. It’s blocking the intersection—hard for people to get through. Old Liu’s dog has been barking for ages and nobody’s come down. ”
“Really?” Wen Shuyu walked over too. “Is there no number to call for moving the car?”
Granny Sun said, “No. The windows are tinted, and it’s dark—we can’t see if there’s anyone inside. What if it’s some criminal scouting the place?”
“No way…” Wen Shuyu thought the car looked a little familiar, but she wasn’t sensitive to cars. And the streetlight here was broken; in the poor lighting she couldn’t see the plate. There was no light inside either; she couldn’t tell what was going on.
“Why not?” Granny Sun went on. “A couple days ago, Third Sister told me her daughter-in-law’s villa got robbed too. The thief climbed in at three a.m., stole a bunch of jewelry—designer bags, watches—and even the family heirloom emerald bracelet Third Sister gave her daughter-in-law. The police checked the cameras and found the thief had been watching them for days, driving around their house every day, learning their schedule before striking. They still haven’t caught him.”
Hearing that, Wen Shuyu felt uneasy too.
This old district was mostly the elderly, women, and children. In their low old houses, the younger generation was basically never home—either working far away or away at school.
At night, it all relied on neighbors looking out for each other. If any unfamiliar car or face lingered nearby, they’d immediately alert others to prepare.
Wen Shuyu frowned, thinking, *If it really doesn’t work… call the police and let them handle it.*
Qin’s nerves tightened. Her grip on his hand became stronger. She was nervous, but didn’t dare speak loudly—only in a breathy whisper: “No police.”
If the police were really called, Granny Sun wouldn’t even need to spread it—her situation would be known across the neighborhood immediately. Then it would truly be impossible to wash clean.
“Don’t worry,” Xie Yuncheng comforted her. “I’ll handle it.”
Before she could ask how, she watched him open the car door. Qin didn’t dare make a sound; she closed her mouth, eyes fixed outside.
She didn’t know what he said. But the usually aggressive Granny Sun didn’t press; instead, she even smiled, patted him twice, then turned to say something to Wen Shuyu.
Not long after, Granny Sun went back. Wen Shuyu stayed a bit longer, seemingly speaking to him. Soon, Wen Shuyu also returned inside.
Qin got out of the car and walked up, confused. “What did you say to them?”
She knew Granny Sun’s gossiping abilities well. If she didn’t dig to the bottom, she wouldn’t let go easily.
“Nothing,” Xie Yuncheng said calmly. “I just told her I’m the Xie family’s grandson from Maojing Hutong, back to visit relatives, but I took a wrong turn.”
“That’s it?” Qin still found it unbelievable. She said skeptically, “Would my mom believe your nonsense?”
Wen Shuyu had met Xie Yuncheng before. Besides, it wasn’t his first time here. Getting lost? That might fool a three-year-old.
Xie Yuncheng didn’t comment. “She doesn’t believe it. But she won’t dig deeper either—she won’t expose her own daughter.”
Wen Shuyu indeed didn’t believe it. Perhaps the moment she saw him, she had already guessed Qin was in the car. She didn’t say it outright; she only helped brush off Granny Sun with a couple of lines. After the neighbor left, she asked him privately.
“Auntie asked whether we’re dating,” Xie Yuncheng said.
Qin was curious. “What did you answer?”
She hadn’t agreed yet.
“I said I’m pursuing you unilaterally,” Xie Yuncheng replied. “We’re still in the internship stage.”
His eyes were deep. He curled his lips. “It depends on when Sang-sang is willing to let me become official and give me a definite title.”