novelraw Chapter 325: Cinderella and White Moonlight
Chapter 325: Cinderella and White Moonlight
A gentle breeze drifted through the night market outside the university, carrying the enticing aroma of various street snacks. It wove its way through the bustling crowd, fluttering the flags and banners on the stalls, making a rustling sound.
“Iced lemon tea, sour plum juice! Refreshing and delicious! Would you like one?”
Qian Lele remained crouched in her little corner, holding a rechargeable lamp. In front of her was a small blue pushcart with a foam cooler on top, which housed bottles of drinks surrounded by ice packs.
Her neatly arranged, handmade tea drinks, sold at 6 yuan a cup, paired with a tidy and modest stall run by a pretty university girl, had become a hit in the night market. People would frequently stop by to buy a drink, and she even had a few regulars now.
Following Tang Song's suggestion, she shifted from selling handmade bracelets to iced tea beverages, and her small side business was now in its prime.
Every day after work, she prepared 25 cups of drinks. Each cup yielded an average profit of 4 yuan, giving her a clean daily income of 100 yuan if she sold out. Of course, some days she wouldn’t sell everything, and the unsold drinks were considered a loss.
Still, the profits were very decent. At this pace, by the end of summer vacation, she would have earned over 4,000 yuan from her side hustle. Her originally budgeted 1,900-yuan computer could now have its budget upgraded a little more.
Thinking about this, a satisfied and contented smile appeared on Qian Lele’s face. She had her health, her limbs, and many classmates, friends, and teachers willing to help her. Life wasn’t as hard as it seemed.
As long as she persisted until graduation, she could fully devote herself to earning a living.
The only concern was the bleak job market in the computer industry. She wasn’t sure if she would find her ideal job, but she comforted herself: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I’ve already made it through the hardest times.”Just as she was envisioning her future, Zhang Wen, who was sitting nearby, suddenly let out a loud yelp.
“What’s wrong, Wen-jie? Did you burn yourself? I have an ice pack!” Qian Lele quickly stood up, looking concerned.
Zhang Wen had previously burned herself on the griddle while making sausages, and her reaction then was just as dramatic.
“It’s nothing, nothing,” Zhang Wen shook her head vigorously, her face flushed as she held her phone. “Bei Yuwei! It’s Bei Yuwei! She’s actually appeared on the streets of Yan City! Too bad it’s not in our area. If it were, I’d run over to see her right now!”
Recently, Zhang Wen had been obsessed with Listening to Falling Rain and had become a huge fan of Bei Yuwei. She’d even bought merchandise and stuck it on her camping trailer stall.
Hearing this, Qian Lele sighed in relief and sat back down.
The cold jelly vendor next to them curiously asked, “Zhang Wen, is the Bei Yuwei you’re talking about the one who plays Chu Ruolin in Listening to Falling Rain?”
“Yes, that’s her! Brother Liang, you should check Douyin; Bei Yuwei showed up at a women's clothing livestream in Yunsheng Plaza here in Yan City!” Zhang Wen exclaimed excitedly. “The host was completely stunned on the spot. It was hilarious! That livestream clip has already gone viral—it’s trending everywhere on Douyin, Weibo, public accounts. Everyone’s talking about it!”
Brother Liang pulled out his phone to check and couldn’t help but sigh. “What a crazy stroke of luck. That host, He Yiyi, is definitely famous now.”
“Yeah! She gained 200,000 followers in half an hour! Now her livestream has over 100,000 viewers, and the gifts keep pouring in. That’s the power of top-tier celebrities!”
Brother Liang, full of envy, joked, “Maybe I should start livestreaming my cold jelly sales. Who knows, I might just stumble upon a big break like that!”
Listening to their conversation, Qian Lele simply smiled without much reaction.
Things like this felt too far removed from her own life, like hearing about someone winning a five-million-yuan lottery.
“Lele! Lele!” A voice suddenly called out from afar.
Qian Lele looked up, smiling as she stood and waved her hand.
A moment later, a young woman in a champagne-colored sleeveless dress walked over quickly and gave her a big hug. “Good evening, my dear Lele! I missed you so much!”
“Yao Yao, you’re back from abroad? When did you get back?”
Qian Lele had seen on her social media feed that Ding Yao had gone to South Korea with her parents.
“I got back to Yan City this afternoon, slept for a few hours at home, and now I’m heading to school to pick something up. Of course, I had to come and see you while I was at it.” Ding Yao adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose. “I knew I’d find you here. You’re such a busy little bee!”
The two of them chatted warmly for a while.
Ding Yao glanced at Qian Lele’s stall and smiled. “Looks like you’ve got 14 drinks left, right? I’ll take them all!”
Qian Lele was startled and quickly waved her hands. “No need, no need. It’s Friday night—these iced drinks sell really well. I’ll probably sell out in an hour.”
“That’s not what I mean,” Ding Yao said, taking her hand. “My friends are having a rooftop barbecue at home and invited me to join. I was already planning to buy drinks, and since you’re here, I trust your stuff. Saves me the trouble of running around.”
“Oh, I see,” Qian Lele replied, her face flushing a little. “Then that works.”
The thing she dreaded most was others pitying her, especially when it was her friend.
“Let’s go, let’s go. My car’s over there. Follow me!”
Qian Lele closed the lid of the cooler, bid farewell to Wen-jie, and quickly followed Ding Yao.
Ding Yao, dressed in her elegant and stylish dress and wearing sparkling sandals, exuded sophistication.
As the summer breeze blew, a pleasant perfume scent wafted toward Qian Lele, who gripped her pushcart tightly and lowered her head slightly.
They walked out of the pedestrian street and turned left at a corner. Ding Yao stopped by a Mercedes-Benz GLC parked on the roadside.
The car lights flashed, and the vehicle unlocked.
“Lele, just put everything in the trunk.”
“Okay, got it.”
Qian Lele placed her pushcart at the back and opened the cooler. She was about to load the drinks when she hesitated. Inside the trunk were a sleek storage box, some fruits, shopping bags, and gift boxes placed loosely. She was worried her drinks might crush something.
“Oh, right!” Noticing her hesitation, Ding Yao smiled and grabbed a shopping bag from the trunk. “This is a gift I brought back for you from South Korea—a pair of Adidas sneakers. They were on clearance, way cheaper than in China. There’s also some chocolate and face masks. They were on sale, and I couldn’t resist. I bought too much, so I’m giving you some.
“And don’t even think about refusing! The shoes are your size, and they’re non-refundable.”
As she spoke, Ding Yao shoved the shopping bag into Qian Lele’s hands.
She then swiftly placed the foam cooler and pushcart into the trunk.
“It’s so hot these days, and everyone loves iced drinks. Why don’t you come with me? We can have some barbecue, chat, and relax a bit. I’ll drive you back to school tonight.”
Ding Yao knew her friend well. To make money, Qian Lele worked day and night while squeezing in time to study. It was undoubtedly exhausting.
She was particularly sensitive and self-conscious deep down, and to avoid hurting her feelings, Ding Yao had deliberately come up with an excuse to bring her along, hoping she could relax a bit.
Looking at the white shopping bag in her hand and hearing Ding Yao’s words, Qian Lele pursed her lips tightly. After a long pause, she finally nodded and said, “Thank you, Yao Yao.”
“Let’s go, get in the car.”
“Mm.”
The engine roared to life, and the headlights illuminated the way ahead.
Sitting in the comfortable, soft leather seat, Qian Lele shifted uneasily. She understood Ding Yao’s kindness, but her heart felt even more nervous and conflicted.
Next weekend was Ding Yao’s birthday, and she had been thinking about what kind of gift she should buy. Last year, when it was her birthday, Ding Yao had not only bought her a cake but also gifted her an expensive down jacket.
She wanted to reciprocate with a beautiful, pricey gift to show her gratitude. But at the moment, she truly couldn’t afford much.
...
The car stopped outside the Huajing Oasis residential area in Yuhua District.
Ding Yao pulled a plastic shopping bag from the glove compartment, filled it with the lemon tea and sour plum juice, locked the car, and walked with Qian Lele into the residential compound.
The lush greenery and high-end facilities made it look like a park.
The buildings in the complex weren’t very tall, and their light-colored facades were incredibly elegant.
Carrying the plastic bag, Qian Lele followed closely behind Ding Yao.
After a quick phone call downstairs, they took the elevator and reached their destination smoothly.
“Ding-dong~ Ding-dong~”
Ding Yao rang the doorbell, and the brown security door was quickly opened.
A sunny and handsome young man stepped out, wearing casual shorts and an oversized T-shirt. His spiky hair was trendy and stylish.
“Hello, Haoyu.” Ding Yao smiled, patting his shoulder. “Are Meiqi and the others here already?”
“They’re all here. You’re the only one left, Yao Yao. Honestly, did you really have to make a trip to school first?” the young man complained, his voice slightly nasal, probably because he had a cold.
Then, his expression froze for a moment. Looking surprised, he said, “So this is the Qian Lele you mentioned? Wow, she’s so pretty!”
As they walked inside, Ding Yao introduced with a smile, “This is Zhang Haoyu, my high school classmate. This house belongs to his family.”
“Hello,” Qian Lele said shyly, giving a small, polite smile.
Zhang Haoyu’s face lit up as he stared at her pretty face. “Nice to meet you, Lele. I’ve been asking Yao Yao to introduce me to a pretty friend, and she finally did something good today!”
“Alright, alright, don’t embarrass her. Lele is shy, and you’re going to scare her,” Ding Yao said, giving him a playful shove as she pushed him further inside.
The door closed with a “bang,” and Qian Lele, clutching the plastic bag, glanced around at the surroundings.
It was a duplex apartment, spacious and luxurious. The interior was exquisitely decorated and far better than the apartment owned by Teacher Jiang.
The three of them climbed the stairs to the second floor and opened the small door in the southeast corner.
A 40-square-meter rooftop terrace came into view, brightly lit.
The floor was paved with wooden planks, and flowers and plants were arranged around the edges for decoration.
In one corner of the terrace, there was a grill emitting tantalizing aromas.
Several young men and women were seated on lounge chairs under an umbrella, holding beers or sodas. On the table in front of them were skewers, snacks, and a cake.
“Yao Yao’s here?” “Yao Yao!”
“Isn’t this the Cinderella from our university? Yao Yao finally brought her out! Haha!”
Ding Yao rolled her eyes. “What Cinderella? Her name is Qian Lele. Yu Jiao, say it properly.”
“Good evening.” Qian Lele nodded politely, though she felt a bit out of place.
The person who had called her “Cinderella” was Du Jiao, a senior member of the university’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Club, but a year ahead of her. As for the others, she didn’t know them.
She had gotten used to the nickname “Cinderella.”
Her photo had once been posted on the university forum and stirred up some attention. Because of her frugal lifestyle and frequent part-time jobs, someone had started calling her that, and it just stuck.
After brief introductions, the group sat around the center of the terrace.
Ding Yao nudged the bag in Qian Lele’s hand and joked, “I brought you guys some iced drinks. No need to thank me.”
Quickly, Qian Lele opened the bag and began taking out the drinks one by one. “These are teas I made myself. The light yellow ones are lemon tea, and the dark ones are sour plum juice.”
Hearing this, Du Jiao picked up a can of sour plum juice and asked, “Lele, do you sell these at your stall? How much is it per bottle?”
“6 yuan,” Qian Lele explained nervously. “I used high-quality sour plum paste for the sour plum juice, with dried osmanthus added, so it’s quite flavorful. The lemon tea is made with red tea bags I bought at the market, and the lemons are very fresh too.”
From their attire, it was clear these people came from wealthy families.
Even the drinks and beer on the table looked expensive, so she was worried they might look down on her beverages.
“I’ve got to try this, then,” Zhang Haoyu said with a smile, grabbing a can of lemon tea. He stuck a straw in, took a big sip, and gave her a thumbs up. “Nice! This is delicious! Hey, let’s exchange WeChat contacts. Send me the location of your stall later. If I feel like drinking, I’ll come straight to you.”
As he spoke, he opened his WeChat QR code and held it out to her.
Qian Lele froze for a moment before hastily pulling her phone out of her pocket to scan his code.
The people around them burst into laughter and began teasing.
“Are you really interested in the lemon tea? I won’t expose you!”
“You’re clearly smitten, aren’t you?”
“Lele, you better watch out!”
...
Hearing the teasing remarks, Qian Lele’s face instantly turned red. She instinctively glanced at Ding Yao, who was beside her.
Ding Yao leaned in and whispered with a grin, “What’s there to be scared of? It doesn’t hurt to get to know him, haha.”
She had actually brought Qian Lele here with this thought in mind.
Zhang Haoyu came from a well-off family and seemed reliable. In her eyes, he was a good match for Qian Lele.
“I...” Qian Lele opened her mouth but quickly fell silent again.
To her, everyone present was unfamiliar, making her feel uneasy. There were things she couldn’t say.
Because of her family circumstances, she had never even considered the idea of dating.
Du Jiao watched the teasing unfold between the two, and her face gradually darkened. Her eyes flickered as she clapped her hands, breaking into a smile. “Hey, hey, hey, can’t you see Lele’s not happy? Our Cinderella’s dream is a prince with a crystal slipper in hand—Haoyu might not even be good enough for her! Am I right, Lele?”
Caught off guard, Qian Lele stammered, “No, I’m not unhappy.”
“Oh?” Du Jiao leaned forward, fixing her gaze on Lele with a teasing smile. “So what you’re saying is… you do like Haoyu?”
“No, that’s not what I mean,” Qian Lele blurted out, biting her lip as anxiety flashed across her face.
Ding Yao immediately raised a hand, cutting off the conversation. “Stop, stop, stop! All of you, give it a rest!”
“Alright, alright, I was just joking. Look at you two,” Du Jiao said with a helpless shrug. She knew Lele’s personality well, having interacted with her in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Club, and she had a knack for pushing Lele’s buttons.
With her interruption, the awkward teasing atmosphere quickly dissipated.
The weather today was cloudy, with the temperature sitting at a comfortable level—perfect for an outdoor barbecue.
Everyone chatted while grilling various marinated skewers, drinking beer, and laughing about their university life and summer activities.
Qian Lele sat quietly beside Ding Yao, occasionally nibbling on a skewer handed to her by someone else. She maintained a reserved demeanor despite Ding Yao’s occasional efforts to draw her into the conversation.
The topics they discussed revolved around trendy clothes, bars, concerts, private restaurants, overseas trips, and exclusive clubs. Sometimes they talked about their families—about being company executives or even owners of large businesses.
Meanwhile, the lemon tea and sour plum juice that Lele had brought were largely ignored. The others preferred craft beer, freshly squeezed juices, or cocktails.
Lele sighed inwardly, her expression faintly helpless.
…
The breeze on the terrace grew stronger, and the sky darkened with thick clouds. The air carried the damp, earthy smell of impending rain.
“Yao Yao, it’s getting late, and it looks like there’s going to be a thunderstorm. I need to go back—I have work tomorrow,” Qian Lele said apologetically.
Ding Yao glanced at her watch. It was already 9:40 p.m.
Knowing her friend’s strict routine, Ding Yao nodded. “Alright, I’ll take you back.”
“Why don’t I take her instead?” Zhang Haoyu suddenly stood up. “Yao Yao, I think I saw you have one of Meiqi’s cocktails earlier—you shouldn’t drive.”
“Uh…” Ding Yao blinked and then, as if realizing something, said, “Oh, right! Then it’s settled. Haoyu, just drop her off at the south gate of the university. It’s only a few minutes by car.”
As she spoke, she pulled her car keys out of her bag and tossed them over. “The car’s parked on the left side of the east gate. You’ll find it easily.”
“Got it! Leave it to me!” Zhang Haoyu said cheerfully. He turned to Qian Lele with a smile. “Let’s go, Lele. I’m still recovering from a cold, so I haven’t had a single drop of alcohol tonight.”
Lele hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Thanks for the trouble.”
Although she understood his intentions, her cooler and pushcart were still in Ding Yao’s car, leaving her little choice but to agree.
After saying goodbye, the two of them walked out together amidst another round of playful teasing and laughter.
They exited the complex and made their way downstairs.
On the way, Zhang Haoyu chatted about Lele’s part-time job at the café. Lele remained polite but deliberately kept a bit of distance between them. This content belongs to novel fire.net
“Pitter-patter—pitter-patter—”
Raindrops began falling, landing on their exposed skin. The wind carried a slight chill.
“Wow, it’s raining! Finally, it’s cooling down,” Zhang Haoyu said, unlocking the Mercedes-Benz GLC and opening the passenger door with a gentlemanly smile. “Your carriage awaits, Princess.”
Lele’s expression froze momentarily. She hesitated but eventually climbed into the car with a slight awkwardness.
“Bang!” The door closed.
Zhang Haoyu got into the driver’s seat, started the car with practiced ease, and headed straight toward the university without needing navigation.
“I study in Rong City, same as Yao Yao. We’ll be seniors when the semester starts. After graduation, I’ll be working here in Yan City—the job’s already lined up, in Yuhua District.”
“The house in Huajing Oasis? My parents gave it to me as a reward for getting into college. It’s also meant to be a little love nest for me and my future girlfriend.”
…
Zhang Haoyu spoke casually about his life as he drove.
The rain grew heavier, turning into steady streams against the windshield as the automatic wipers kicked in.
Lele gripped her hands tightly, her gaze fixed straight ahead. She didn’t respond much, only occasionally murmuring an “Mm” in acknowledgment.
Her mind, however, was elsewhere, fretting about what to wear and what gift to buy for Ding Yao’s birthday on the 30th.
“Cinderella!” Zhang Haoyu suddenly called out.
Startled, Lele turned her head to look at him in surprise.
“Finally, a reaction,” Zhang Haoyu chuckled, drumming his fingers lightly on the steering wheel. “You know, I actually think the nickname suits you. In fairy tales, Cinderella gets her pumpkin carriage, puts on her gorgeous gown and crystal slippers, attends the prince’s ball, and lives happily ever after.”
He turned his head slightly to meet her gaze. “It’s a beautiful story, isn’t it?”
“Thank you,” Lele replied, her tone calm as she looked back toward the road ahead.
The car pulled over at a street corner.
They both got out and retrieved the cooler and pushcart from the trunk.
“I’ll walk you over,” Zhang Haoyu offered, tugging the pushcart along. “Walking in the rain is kind of romantic.”
“No need, I live right there in the teacher’s apartments nearby. It’s very close,” Lele replied.
“Don’t be polite with me. Come on,” he insisted.
Just as Lele was about to respond, her expression froze. Her eyes locked on a tall figure in the distance.
The man wore a plain T-shirt and jeans, holding two umbrellas—one in each hand. He walked toward them through the hazy layers of rain and night, illuminated by a dim streetlight that cast a soft, dreamlike glow over him.
Did Tang Song come to pick me up because he saw it was raining?
Lele’s mouth felt dry, and her heart warmed as if wrapped in a gentle embrace.
“Brother Song!” she called out, waving enthusiastically as she hurried toward him and slipped under his umbrella.
Feeling the warm heat radiating from him, she instantly felt at ease.
“I saw you weren’t back yet, and since it started raining, I thought I’d check on you,” Tang Song said, lifting his gaze toward Zhang Haoyu. “Were you out with friends?”
“Mm.” Lele nodded, smiling brightly. “But I sold all my drinks, so thank you, Brother Song, for coming to get me!”
Tang Song smiled and handed her one of the umbrellas. “Let’s go.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Lele opened the umbrella and quickly walked back to Zhang Haoyu. “Brother Zhang, my roommate came to pick me up, so I won’t trouble you anymore. Bye-bye! Be safe on your way back!”
She took the pushcart and turned toward Tang Song, glancing over with a grateful smile.
Watching her leave, Zhang Haoyu’s gaze lingered on the approaching young man.
He was undeniably handsome, with a well-proportioned figure and black-rimmed glasses that gave him a steady, serious air. However, his plain clothes and slightly messy hair made him appear rather ordinary.
Just like Qian Lele, Tang Song’s appearance was equally simple.
Their eyes met briefly, and Tang Song gave Zhang Haoyu a calm nod before turning and walking alongside Qian Lele toward the entrance of the apartment complex.
Watching their figures fade into the distance, Zhang Haoyu shook his head with a smile and climbed back into the driver’s seat of the GLC.
He considered himself decent in every way. Since he’d met a girl he liked, he thought he might as well pursue her boldly. Time would prove that he was the real winner.
…
“Brother Song, my friend Ding Yao came to the night market to visit me today. Since she and her friends were having a barbecue, she bought all my drinks, and I went over to deliver them and had a few bites while I was there…”
“That guy you just saw is Zhang Haoyu, my friend’s high school classmate…”
“Have you heard? Bei Yuwei suddenly showed up on the streets of Yan City today, and she accidentally ran into a female livestream host. The scene was hilarious…”
The rain fell steadily, weaving countless fine threads under the dim yellow streetlights, like a mysterious veil draped over the world.
Occasionally, raindrops dampened her hair and the edges of her clothes, but Qian Lele didn’t mind. She kept talking about everything that had happened to her today.
It didn’t matter whether she thought the stories were interesting or not—she just wanted to tell Tang Song about them.
She didn’t know why, but an overwhelming desire to share her day had suddenly arisen within her.
…
The plane landed smoothly at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport.
A group of six disembarked and boarded a waiting business vehicle.
Leaning back into the zero-gravity seat, Su Yu closed her eyes, feeling somewhat fatigued.
From the passenger seat, her assistant Cheng Xiaoxi spoke softly, “Sister Yu, there’s been some news tonight about Songmei Fashion, which you asked me to keep an eye on. It’s related to our company.”
“Oh? Speak.” Su Yu’s eyes snapped open, her amber pupils clear and pure.
“An artist from our company, Bei Yuwei, appeared in Songmei Fashion’s livestream tonight at around 7 p.m., posing as a ‘lucky passerby.’ She even greeted the audience on camera. Due to her current popularity, the livestream host, He Yiyi, ended up trending on social media and gained nearly a million followers…”
Cheng Xiaoxi continued to elaborate on the subsequent impacts of the unexpected event.
Su Yu pondered for a moment, her brows slightly furrowing before gradually relaxing. Her slender, elegant fingers rhythmically tapped the armrest.
She responded calmly, “Understood. Arrange some high-quality endorsements and film resources for Bei Yuwei.”
“Got it, Sister Yu!”
Su Yu’s red lips curved slightly upward, a faint smile playing on her face.
Before this, no one on her team had dared to interfere with Tang Song’s operations by leveraging external influence. However, this time, one of their minor artists had inadvertently boosted his company’s performance without causing any negative fallout.
This proved that there was nothing wrong with what had happened.
The only regret was that the company involved was called Songmei Fashion, not Songyu.
“Oh, by the way,” Su Yu opened her eyes again, “what has Liu Qingning from Century Wisdom Education been up to recently?”
Cheng Xiaoxi glanced at her phone and replied softly, “She’s applied for a loan from the company. I heard she’s planning to buy a house in Yan City and has found a suitable property.”
Su Yu lifted her gaze toward the bright moonlight outside the window. Her expression turned complicated as she sighed softly.