My Hidden Moonlight

At the beginning of the school year, a new student joined Shuangshuang's class.

The transfer student had sharp features, was quiet and gloomy, and always seemed to be covered in bruises. He sat by himself in the last row, cold and distant.

The homeroom teacher asked Shuangshuang, the class monitor, to help him.

Shuangshuang stayed after school with him to do classroom chores, brought him breakfast, and helped him catch up on his studies. The boy remained unmoved and just as silent as ever.

Shuangshuang grew discouraged and almost decided to give up.

Then one day, rumors began flying around the school that he was nothing but the Shao family's dirty secret, an illegitimate son who had scavenged for rubbish at a construction site before they took him in.

His classmates all urged Shuangshuang to stay away from him.

After school, the boy stopped Shuangshuang.

In a pitch-dark alley, a meter between them, he lowered his eyes. His fingers clenched until they turned white, but he didn't dare come any closer.

"I'm clean."

His voice hoarse, he explained in a near-pleading tone, "I'm not dirty. Could you... not leave me?"

*

Many years later, Shao Yan was a business titan, able to turn the tides of the market with a flick of his hand. Gossip magazines dug up his dark past, and overnight Shao Yan became everyone's model of success against the odds.

During an interview, the host asked him what had made him successful.

Everyone thought he would offer some grand, polished words of wisdom.

The whole room fell silent. He said, "Because of someone."

Shao Yan's gaze passed through the crowd and settled on the last row of the audience, tender and full of affection.

"Because I wanted to be worthy of her."

Even if you were once wretched and humble, you can still reach for the sky and keep a little moonlight all to yourself.

Reader's guide and content notes: The male lead is not an illegitimate child.

The male lead has bipolar disorder. He will get better later.

Theme: Love makes people better.