Saving The White Moonlight's Substitute (5)

The man was tall, impeccably dressed, and devastatingly handsome. His eyes—an arresting blend of blue and grey—were the kind that lingered in one's memory. Distinctive not for their color alone, but for the way they carried an unshakable confidence. They seemed to strip away all pretenses, sharp and direct—like he had seen through countless people and countless lives. Ephraim had only ever encountered this kind of gaze from one person before.

It was humbling—being looked at like that. As if all the noise in the world had been turned down to a murmur, leaving only this man's presence to fill the silence.

Every inch of him exuded power, calm, and unwavering control. And just as Ephraim expected, the man didn't spare him a single questioning glance for the way he was dressed. He merely waited in composed silence for Ling Xiaoyu, or Ephraim, to acknowledge him—his deep baritone voice finally breaking the stillness.

"Ling Xiaoyu...?"

Ephraim flicked his hair back with practiced ease, the corner of his mouth quirking up.

"Yep."

The man took him in—slow, deliberate. Then he inclined his head faintly, the kind of polite gesture that felt almost regal without trying to be.

"Hello there. My name is Shen Yizhou—the person your sister may have mentioned."

"Oh, yes, absolutely. Hello, Mister Shen. It's a pleasure."

Shen Yizhou's was quiet for a moment before he nodded. He looked ready to help settle Ephraim into the car, his movements smooth and unobtrusive. Yet for a moment, he lingered—recalling Ling Jialei's instructions.

Treat him like a prince.

Don't overwhelm him.

Shen Yizhou's brow furrowed imperceptibly before he finally spoke again, voice as steady as ever—yet this time, with the barest hint of warmth curling at the edges.

"You look particularly nice in that dress, Little Yú... Oh—" He paused, his gaze flicking toward Ephraim with a rare touch of uncertainty. "Apologies. May I call you that? Jialei told me quite a bit about you. It feels as though we've already met."

The corners of Ephraim's lips twitched.

This guy... was unexpectedly sweet.

[Ephraim: Is that flirting? It's flirting, right?]

[Ephraim: Rachel?]

[Ephraim: Earth to Rachel?]

[Rachel: Oh dear, apologies. I was preoccupied with something. What do you want, darling?]

[Ephraim: He complimented me. I want to compliment him back, but I don't want to sound weird... like with the flight attendant earlier. What do I say, Rachel?]

[Rachel: Don't overthink it, honey. Just be yourself. Say the first thing that comes to mind that appeals to you.]

[Ephraim: Oh... okay.]

Ephraim's smile stretched wider—bright and disarmingly sweet. He leaned slightly forward, eyes flicking up through his lashes.

"Not at all. You can call me anything you want, Mister Shen... By the way—"

His gaze wandered—just a fraction—before snapping back up. The man's shirt was clinging to him like it had been personally victimized by his physique, the fabric stretched unforgivingly across broad shoulders and thick muscle.

"...You have such an impressive body, Mister Shen... Your wife's bra might fit you."

Rachel's laughter spilled through his mind—light and teasing.

[Darling...]

Shen Yizhou's brow twitched—so faint it was nearly imperceptible—but his expression remained composed, voice steady.

"I am not married."

Ephraim's grin curled lazily at the edges, mischief glinting in his eyes.

"Wonderful."

A beat of silence stretched between them—taut and oddly charged—before Shen Yizhou finally turned to open the car door, not a single muscle out of place.

[Ephraim: Rachel, that was flirting, right?]

[Rachel: Oh, without a doubt, darling.]

Ephraim twirled a strand of hair around his finger, fluttering his lashes at the man—only to receive the same flat, composed glance from the man that was looking at him over his shoulder. Shen Yizhou looked at him like he was just another face in the crowd—one he happened to owe preferential treatment to. It was a little humbling. A little irritating. And... fine, maybe a little hot.

Once they were both settled in the car, Ephraim had half a mind to toss out a few more playful lines—but the small scrap of conscience still left in him tugged at his sleeve. Maybe he shouldn't mess with the man while he was driving. Wouldn't want to be responsible for a ten-car pileup just because this guy was built like a walking thirst trap.

Instead, he turned his attention inward.

[Rachel: According to my calculations—based on the sparse breadcrumbs of timeline information in the original story—you should be entering the route approximately six months before the main plot begins. That means it's been at least half a year since Xu Jinyao began cohabitating with Wang Jianyuan.]

[Ephraim: So he's halfway into falling head over heels before getting his heart stomped on and his reputation dragged through the mud?]

[Rachel: Mmm, more or less. His life is currently on a steady path to ruin. Recently, there's been an escalating protest at his university. Some student body members, fans, and industry insiders are accusing half the student population of using nepotism and... let's say, extracurricular services... to gain more opportunities in the field.]

[Ephraim: Ohhh, I remember that mess.]

It was one of the early red flags—an incident that revealed Wang Jianyuan's cold, indifferent nature. At the time, Xu Jinyao brushed it off as a misunderstanding, but by the end of the story, he'd look back on it like the first domino in the tragic game of "How Did I End Up This Stupid?"

So when the protest got worse, he was caught up in it because someone in his class accused him of being a rich man's pet.

Since Xu Jinyao had no family or close friends, all he could rely on was Wang Jianyuan to help him—but Wang Jianyuan never showed up, never saved him, never stood up for him. Wang Jianyuan never denied any financial relationship between them while Xu Jinyao, in his whole-hearted naivety, still believed they were in love.

Xu Jinyao did manage to pull himself out of the protest through his own efforts, but the stain never quite left him. Whispers followed him for years—doubts about his talent, accusations that everything he'd achieved had been bought with someone else's money rather than earned through his own hard work. Even in death, those rumors clung to him like a curse.

[Ephraim: So I will just have to be the knight in shining skirt for him. That's nice. Will be easier to gain his trust after. When is the main protest anyway?]

[Rachel: Tomorrow.]

[Ephraim: ...]

He slumped dramatically in his seat, eyes turning glassy as he stared out the window. His whole soul suddenly very, very tired.

On the other hand, Shen Yizhou focused on the road with an unusual level of dedication. Partly because driving was not a skill he often put into practice. Usually, his driver, secretary, or assistant took care of that for him.

But Ling Jialei had specifically asked him to treat her brother like a prince. And what better way to show his sincerity than personally driving him from the airport?

Perhaps he hadn't thought this through.

What was the point of showing care if he couldn't even guarantee their survival?

The car suspiciously looped down yet another unfamiliar road. Still, Ephraim remained blissfully unaware, head propped against the window with half-lidded eyes, fully convinced that this tall, handsome man with the aura of a walking power bank surely knew what he was doing.

He was either the most trusting person alive or simply didn't fear death.

...Or perhaps he was just too tired to care.

All Ephraim thought was, 'Wow. This country sure needs to invest in their roads.'

They did miraculously reach Shen Yizhou's mansion in one piece… Well, expect for maybe a small, rather conspicuous scratch mark appearing on the rear of the car, but the main thing was that the humans were still in one piece,

Shen Yizhou's mansion was... well, for lack of a better word—a MANSION.

Ephraim may have grown a tiny bit egoistical the past week, thinking that he and his sister were probably the 'rich friends' in an acquaintance circle. But this man... this man compared to them equally.

When the main gates opened and the guards welcomed the master back, the car drove another few minutes—another few minutes—until it finally reached the entrance, where the old butler was already waiting.

The butler greeted as the doors opened.

"Master, welcome home. And—"

His eyes landed on Ephraim. There was a visible flicker of confusion before they darted back to Shen Yizhou, as if trying very hard to keep his expression professional. But the question practically screamed from his eyes—'I thought you were picking up a boy, not a wife?'

Shen Yizhou's large hand landed lightly on Ephraim's waist, gently pushing him forward.

"Old Qi, this is Ling Xiaoyu. Jialei's precious baby brother. You know, the one she threatened to break my limbs for if I looked at him wrong?"

Old Qi's gaze flicked to Ephraim again, slowly taking him in from head to toe—meeting the pair of very suspicious, very flirtatious eyes looking back at him under long lashes.

A pause. Then, the butler's smile returned, as smooth and practiced as if it had never faltered.

"Pardon my lack of manners. I was momentarily confused. Welcome, Master Líng. I am the old butler of this family. Please make yourself at home here and seek me out whenever you have a problem. I will do my best to serve the Young Master well."

Ephraim wondered if it was his own illusion that the words 'old' and 'young' had been particularly emphasized.

"Of course, Mister Qi. But please don't call me Young Master. It makes me feel... just a tiny off of a generation from you. Which still makes me sad so… Just Yuyu is fine. Jiejie calls me that — it feels more amiable to me."

Just a tiny bit? A tiny bit?

Ling Xiaoyu was in his early twenties. Qi Hanwen was a whole sixty years old — he'd held retirement banquets for people younger than him.

Qi Hanwen's smile froze for half a second before he smoothed it out, letting out a good-natured chuckle. Shen Yizhou, standing quietly at the side, found nothing out of the ordinary. After all, Ling Jialei had warned him beforehand about her brother:

"Very demure. Very mindful... but just a bit out-of-pocket, and maybe a tiny bit too free."

With an awkward laugh, Old Qi led them inside. Servants helped Ephraim settle into his room, arranging his luggage while Ephraim graciously thanked each one like a small imperial prince on a state visit.

Dinner was not a silent affair.

— Or rather, the whole table was silent except for one person.

Ephraim spent the entire meal talking to Shen Yizhou.

Well... 'talking' wasn't quite the word.

He interrogated him.

"What's your type?"

"Do you like femboys?"

"Drag queens?"

"Younger people?"

"Older people?"

"Men?"

"Me?"

"Do I have a chance?"

Qi Hanwen's clutched the teapot with both hands, looking like he might spontaneously combust… mostly perhaps due to the fact he was finding this rather funny. Everyone liked people facing the same struggles they did. Other's melons were the best kind of melons.

Meanwhile, Shen Yizhou sat with his back straight, eating quietly — not because he wanted to avoid answering, but simply because he hadn't gotten the chance.

There wasn't a single answer that Ling Xiaoyu couldn't question.

There wasn't a single question he couldn't come up with even more questions about.

By the time dinner ended, Shen Yizhou sat in his chair with the composed air of a monk who had attained enlightenment — yet somehow felt he'd over-shared.

He hadn't even said that many words.

Shen Yizhou stood up, going to leave for his room but Ephraim stopped him and asked with an innocent tilt of his head.

"Hey hey, Mister Shen. Do you mind if I feature you in some of my videos. I promise not to reveal your face."

She Yizhou looked at him for a moment. Cold. Calm, extremely close to Ephraim.

"...Why?"

His voice was low, steady — like the question had been filtered through five layers of suspicion before it left his mouth.

Ephraim grinned up at him, shaking his finger as he expressed brightly,

"The suited booted assets below your neck is enough."

There was exactly one second of heavy, suffocating silence.

Then he looked straight at Ephraim — eyes cold, voice completely flat:

"You're asking to objectify me."

Rachel immediately smiled when she heard that, humming lightly,

[Rachel: Seems like you met your natural predator, sunshine.]

Ephraim on the other hand almost short-circuited on the spot.

Because the thing is...

He WAS.

He absolutely WAS.

But having it thrown back in his face like that, all dry and deadpan, suddenly made him feel like some little pervert caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

But he wasn't embarrassed.

"Well, yeah. So it seems. You don't have to agree if—"

"I don't mind."

Rachel immediately giggled.

Inside Ephraim's head, Rachel immediately giggled.

[Rachel: Babe, he's giving consent. What are you gonna do with that power?]

Ephraim blinked. "Wait—what?"

Yizhou calmly expressed, "As long as you don't reveal my face... you may proceed."

Ephraim's jaw dropped.

Ohhhh, this man was what they called an 'ice-block'... How hot. Ephraim totally dug that.

"Why... are you agreeing so easily?"

Shen Yizhou didn't even look up.

"You said it yourself."

He looked Ephraim deeply in the eyes.

There was, in fact, no deeper thought behind it.

But what would Ephraim — who did not know this man — know?

To Ephraim, there was a budding sexual tension that threatened to shatter the Geneva Convention. Thoughts so deep, no one else could hope to understand.

"It's only from the neck down."

Ephraim was screaming in his head.

[Ephraim: SIR?? SIR, WHAT DO YOU MEAN ONLY FROM THE NECK DOWN? ARE YOU SECRETLY FREAKY?]

[Rachel: Ephraim. Honey. Let's get a grip on Delulu Land, okay?]

He tried to play it cool, clasping his hands behind his back like a well-behaved little prince.

"...You're really not worried about me turning you into thirst trap content?"

Finally — finally — Shen Yizhou glanced up.

His gaze dragged slowly from Ephraim's glossy lips... down to the delicate dip of his exposed collarbone... then lower, lower, all the way down to where the hem of that tiny skirt barely skimmed the tops of his thighs.

The man's dark eyes were as calm as ever.

"...Aren't you already doing the same?"

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[Rachel: Oh. Oh? Okay. Wow. Did not expect that. You may proceed to live in Delulu Land, baby boy. I don't know what's up with this man either at this moment.]

Ephraim stood there, smiling. Smiling through the absolute flustered meltdown happening in his soul.

Because — wow... This man had rizz.

Not just regular rizz — God-tier, detachment-core, heart-palpitating RIZZ.

Ephraim was almost jealous.

Well, not almost.

Very jealous.

"Great." He beamed like he'd just signed the man into a lifelong slavery contract and whipped out his phone. He leaned back against Shen Yizhou's chest, angling the camera.

"Meet my future beau. My bae. My pookie. He's my boyfriend. I'm not yet his pookie, though. Wish me luck."

He blew a few sweet kisses to the camera, then left — decisively.

Leaving Shen Yizhou — and his five layers of suspicion — standing there in the corridor.

Behind Ephraim's retreating figure, Rachel's voice floated lazily.

[Rachel: He's giving silent green flag. He just doesn't know it yet.]

[Ephraim: Heh heh heh, ikr~]

Shen Yizhou, on the other hand...

Within a single day, he had met a boy — and was already a trophy boyfriend in the boy's eyes.

Literally.

Shen Yizhou's was a tiny bit amused which was rare for him. But more than that, he was confused.

How was he supposed to explain this to his brocon friend — that her brother had declared, entirely on his own, that Shen Yizhou was going to be his?

Meanwhile, Ephraim was busy.

With Rachel's help, he'd already edited the video on the spot — dramatic slow pans from a strong, veiny hand to a pair of long legs... complete with sparkly filters and an emotional background soundtrack.

The caption read:

"Look what I found today~ My Future Beau <3"

The comment section was in flames before the video even hit ten minutes:

[ShrimpKing88: HELLO?? WHO IS THIS MAN???]

[GossipEmperorOfTheEast: SIS, YOU JUST GOT HERE, AND YOU'RE ALREADY FEEDING US DOG FOOD??]

[NotStalkingJustWatching: The way she introduced him like a limited-edition designer bag, I'm crying.]

[MarryRichOrDieTrying: Sister, I'm begging you, at least let us see his face before calling him your future husband.]

[HandsUpThisIsAShipHeist: I don't even know his name, but I support this relationship with my life.]

[MentallyUnavailable: I feel like this man is confused but accepting his fate.]

[FutureBeau'sUnpaidPRTeam: Future Beau, blink twice if you need help.]