23: Chapter 23 Your Moonlight, My Moonlight: The Substitute Male Supporting Character 22

"Su Qingxue, calling me on video so late?"

He Jingjing appeared on screen, wearing pajamas and a facial mask.

"What's wrong? Need your strategist to offer some advice?"

After rambling on for a moment, seeing that Su Qingxue didn't respond, He Jingjing realized something was off.

Turning her head, she easily noticed Su Qingxue's abnormal expression.

"Did something happen at the banquet?"

He Jingjing's tone turned serious.

Su Qingxue didn't dawdle and explained the situation in detail.

"Girl, that's trouble!"

He Jingjing frowned and sighed.

"You and Meng Zhu are in a delicate phase right now. At a time like this, a competitor is better than someone who won't let go."

"I'm also very troubled. What should I do?"

"Girl, have you thought about coming clean? Telling him everything?"

Su Qingxue pursed her lips in thought, but ultimately shook her head.

"I'm a little scared. I want to wait a bit longer, until Meng Zhu likes me a little more."

"OK, I understand. Then just focus on building your relationship for now. During this time, I have one—and only one—piece of advice."

"What advice?"

Su Qingxue lifted her head from the pillow, listening intently.

"Boundaries!"

"Boundaries?"

"Yes!!"

He Jingjing nodded heavily, peeling off her face mask with a serious expression.

"Girl, a soft-hearted man can forgive you for anything, except for cheating!!"

"From now on, no matter how big or small the matter is, never meet with Gu Qingyan alone. Learn to protect yourself and don't give Gu Qingyan any chance to see you alone."

"Don't pay attention to him for anything other than work. A woman's sense of boundaries is the greatest sincerity she can offer a man."

"Just that?"

Su Qingxue couldn't help but feel it was a bit too simple.

"Of course. Sincerity is the ultimate weapon. When experts clash, it's simple, unadorned, and returns to the basics."

"If that doesn't work, add some flirting, acting cute, and playing the victim. Men... as long as you aren't afraid to be shameless, there's nothing you can't handle."

"I don't know how to do those things you mentioned!"

Su Qingxue looked conflicted, holding her phone with her eyes darting around. Visibly, her ears had turned red enough to drip blood.

"Don't be afraid, girl. I'll send you some green books another day. Study them well. As long as you can learn a few tricks, combined with sincerity, you'll be invincible."

Would that even work?

After hanging up, Su Qingxue tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She certainly knew what a "green tea" was; although she hadn't met one, she had heard of them.

But Meng Zhu is so smart, wouldn't it backfire?

She couldn't worry about that anymore. Since she didn't have a better plan, she might as well listen to He Jingjing and give it a try.

...

Thus, starting the next day, Meng Zhu quickly noticed something was wrong.

He clearly felt that Su Qingxue's presence had become stronger. She began to appear in front of Meng Zhu frequently, sometimes even working in the living room as if deliberately trying to keep him company.

Strategy one: Companionship.

Su Qingxue lingered around Meng Zhu whenever she had time, thinking of He Jingjing's words in her mind.

You need to build your presence. You need to make him get used to your existence, squeeze into his world, and understand and empathize with his emotions.

Also, you need to ask him for help often, let him feel needed, but don't overdo it. Keep a good balance.

"Hubby, can you help me get a towel?"

Is this the way to keep company? Is this how you build presence?

...

"He Jingjing, what do I do next?"

"Next is the main event."

"After he's adapted to the companionship, it's the advanced version of building presence. Strategy two: Seduction."

"This, I don't know how to do either. How do I actually do it?"

"It's simple. Start with a night raid."

...

Soon, one late night, Su Qingxue, with a flushed face, opened Meng Zhu's bedroom door with squinting eyes.

She didn't climb into bed immediately; instead, she paced back and forth for a long time.

According to the bullet comments, this was her strategy; she was pretending to sleepwalk.

Meng Zhu was naturally awake, but he was pretending to sleep.

Su Qingxue's strategy, including He Jingjing's advanced plan, strategy three—confession, were all completely exposed by the bullet comments.

Seeing Su Qingxue clumsily trying to please him with her best friend's help, it would be a lie to say he wasn't moved.

If he woke up now, the thin-skinned Su Qingxue would definitely be exposed and would then flee in embarrassment.

Since that was the case, he might as well grant her wish. It was just sharing a bed, after all; it wasn't like they were doing anything else.

Therefore, after hesitating for a long time, Su Qingxue finally slipped under the covers and successfully fell asleep in Meng Zhu's arms.

However, Meng Zhu soon fell truly asleep, while Su Qingxue, on the other hand, lay there with her eyes wide open, suffering from insomnia for half the night.

At the breakfast table the next day.

Su Qingxue got up early. To avoid looking guilty, she suppressed her nervousness and waited for Meng Zhu to eat breakfast together.

She could certainly hide from him, but that would be like writing "my sleepwalking is fake" on her face.

She had decided that as long as she was calm enough, no one could deny that she had sleepwalking disorder.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz!"

The phone on the dining table vibrated incessantly. Su Qingxue glanced at it, answered it, and put it on speakerphone while still busy with breakfast.

"Hello, He Jingjing? What's up?"

An excited voice came from the phone.

"Girl, how was last night? Last night..."

"That!!!"

Su Qingxue urgently interrupted He Jingjing, covered the phone, and turned off the speakerphone.

"That, the sleepwalking last night was nothing, I just walked into the wrong room."

She seemed to be replying to He Jingjing, but also seemed to be saying it deliberately for the person at the dining table to hear.

Who knew Meng Zhu would be even calmer than her? He looked up at her, his tone sincere.

"Is this sleepwalking of yours dangerous?"

"No!!"

"Of course it is!!!"

Answers spoken in unison, but with completely different meanings.

Fortunately, the speakerphone was off, and Meng Zhu didn't hear He Jingjing's voice.

"That, my sleepwalking rarely happens, and it's completely harmless. It's just that I like walking into the wrong room. Um, you eat first, I'm leaving."

Like a cat that had done something bad.

Meng Zhu watched Su Qingxue's retreating back as if she were fleeing, and couldn't help but chuckle.

Outside the door, He Jingjing's voice was still chattering away on the phone.

"Girl, are you stupid? Such a good opportunity, of course it's dangerous! And it's the kind of danger where he must sleep by your side to watch you at all times."

"What a great opportunity and excuse to share a bed. You really are hopeless."

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Su Qingxue took a deep breath.

"He Jingjing, I just feel like things have been too crazy lately. The progress is too fast, and I don't feel grounded. Let's slow down for now!"

He Jingjing was speechless.

"You people in love are so troublesome. Can't you just sleep together first? Feelings, this kind of thing, just get deeper the more you sleep together!"

Smiling helplessly, Su Qingxue hung up the phone while getting into her car to go to work.

However, having been comfortable for so long, she had almost forgotten about Gu Qingyan.

Never did she expect that trouble would arrive as soon as she got to the company today.

On the other side, Meng Zhu also learned of Gu Qingyan's actions from the bullet comments.

Could only say, is he worthy of being the male lead?

He doesn't make a move until he's ready, but once he does, it's a fatal blow.

If Meng Zhu didn't intervene, Su Qingxue would probably be finished this time.