Muchuan and Xiang Wan

Good grief!

Here he is! He’s at it again!

A second later, Xiang Wan moved away from his hand.

She knew very well about his ability to flirt.

In just a few seconds, her heart was already in a turmoil because of him. How could she forget the “pain” just because her “wound” had healed?

“Why is your face red? Is it too hot?”

Bai Muchuan tilted his head, wearing a solemn expression as he pointed out Xiang Wan’s current plight directly. She was so embarrassed that she wished she could bite him.

“Yo—” You’re asking the obvious , retorted Xiang Wan in her head.

His pair of eyes which was deeper and darker than most, was bright and clear as if the light would spill out anytime. He was smiling. That faint, sly smile of his, made Xiang Wan feel numb in her heart.

“Are you feeling shy?”

He seemed unable to understand, but his voice sounded so pleasant that it scared her.

Xiang Wan cussed inside her head, gave him a glare, and became serious. “Let’s talk about the case!”

“Oh?” Bai Muchuan squinted his eyes, “say it.”

“No matter what, we need to respect the deceased. Old Mr. Xu may have brought me here without getting my consent, but… to be fair, he did not do anything to me. Otherwise, I won’t have the opportunity to pick the osmanthus flowers. Hence, without infringing the rules, why not let him bury his daughter first before taking him away? This would show the humane side of the police force.”

The corners of Bai Muchuan’s mouth turned upward. “Hm, I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself.”

What, what, what?!

“What crime did I commit?” Xiang Wan reiterated again, “I only wrote a novel…”

“Your offense is absolutely because you wrote a novel.”

“…”

The Xu Family had hardly any relatives living around the area.

Although it was a funeral, it was just a simple burial ritual that just took about an hour or so.

With regards to Xu Zhaodi, Xiang Wan did not feel apologetic toward her.

However, due to her links to the case, as well as out of respect for the deceased, Xiang Wan sprinkled the osmanthus flowers on the new grave—as a conciliatory and compassionate gesture.

…

The ritual finished before 11:00 a.m. and they were preparing to go back to Jin City.

The detective-in-charge was Tang Yuanchu, so he would be the one to arrange to bring Old Mr. Xu and rest back to the city.

As to how the police would close the case, that would be settled after all of them returned to Jin City.

Xiang Wan had actually not slept for the whole night at the rural house. She was sitting beside Bai Muchuan inside the car. Looking at the scenery outside the car window, she felt a little drowsy, yet at the same time, her heart felt an inexplicable sense of clear-headedness.

The criminal case felt like a dream.

She was just someone who had been dragged into it unintentionally.

Perhaps by letting her go through all these, fate was enriching her life experiences, supplying her with even more ideas for her novel.

‘Hm, my path to becoming a legendary author depends on all these…’

“Why are you not asking anything?” Bai Muchuan suddenly opened his mouth.

D*rn! He sounded as if she was a chatterbox.

Xiang Wan stretched her sore legs lazily. “I don’t feel like asking. The more I know, I’ll realize there’s so much more that I do not know of. It’s tiring.”

Bai Muchuan narrowed his eyes. “It’s now or never. Three, two, one–”

“I remember that Old Mr. Xu’s wife is alive, right?” Xiang Wan blurted as she suddenly turned to face him. “Who’s inside the grave then? Besides, didn’t he only had a daughter? Why did he tell me that there’s three of them, mother and child, reuniting in the nether? I feel so uncomfortable…”

Bai Muchuan looked at her.

The two of them sat side by side. Xiang Wan could see his eyes slightly shrouded with darkness.

“His first wife died during childbirth. That’s two lives.”

“Ah? Tch, no wonder.”

Thinking back about the old man’s mournful sobs at the grave last night, Xiang Wan’s scalp felt numb and her spine felt chilly.

“It’s so nice to be a detective, I can find out anything I want. I want to become a detective in my next life!”

Bai Muchuan gave her a casual look.

As if he was saying: “How can you become a detective when you don’t have brains to begin with?”

Xiang Wan detected his thoughts and rolled her eyes at him.

It was suddenly quiet inside the car.

The sudden uneasy atmosphere without reason made Xiang Wan felt slightly cold.

Bai Muchuan was just beside her. His voice, his breath, and his familiar face were so close to her.

However, once they returned to Jin City…

Xiang Wan hugged her arms slowly as she pondered and finally asked, “What are your plans?”

Bai Muchuan swept her an indifferent gaze, “Still the same.”

“Oh,” Xiang Wan pursed her lips. “Well, in any case, working in the capital offers more prospect than in Jin City.”

“Hm.”

Silence followed.

After a while, the car experienced a jolt on the bumpy road.

Subconsciously, Xiang Wan fell toward Bai Muchuan. Fortunately, he was very nimble and grabbed her arms.

“I’m sorry.” She was abashed.

Bai Muchuan looked at her and loosened his grip. “It’s alright.”

Xiang Wan heaved a relief and sat up straight when he remarked suddenly, “I know I’m very good-looking.”

“…” What the heck?

What a narcissistic and arrogant man!

Xiang Wan went wide-eyed, staring at him as if she was looking at a monster.

Bai Muchuan’s lips formed a smile. He sounded like he was suppressing his laughter, “Your trick of falling over to me, I’ve encountered this numerous times since I was little.”

Xiang Wan was so provoked that her lips were quivering, “Bai Muchuan!”

Bai Muchuan showed a smile slowly, “Hmph, I won’t help them though. You’re an exception.”

“…” Xiang Wan’s heart was lifted high.

And the next moment, it got thrown down heavily…

“Well, you’re so thin and so short, I’m worried that you’ll get thrown out of the car. That’s one life lost!”

“I…” Must have offended his grandmother! she thought.

…

Xiang Wan took a nap during the journey back.

When she opened her eyes again, the car had driven into the neighborhood that she lived in.

The one who sent her back was Huang He, while Bai Muchuan was nowhere to be seen.

Maybe he has gone back to the capital?

Xiang Wan felt her heart empty the instant she thought about that.

The next moment, Fang Yuanyuan opened the door, poked her head in, and was looking at her.

“My dear missy, still reluctant to get off the car?”

Xiang Wan had just woken up from her nap and was still feeling groggy. She looked at her without saying a word.

Fang Yuanyuan had a strange expression as she used both hands to pull and shake her.

“Why have you become a moron?!”

“…”

“Say something, come on, say something will ya? Have you been scared silly?”

Xiang Wan felt her head aching from all the shaking. “Tsk, I have become a moron when I see you. Fang Yuanyuan, it’s okay to occasionally care about your boyfriend than me. Do hurry to check out your Huanghuang. He must be tired after driving on the road for so long.”

Huang He chuckled, “No, no, no, Captain Bai and I took turns to drive.”

Somehow, upon hearing that name, Xiang Wan felt as if traces of cracks appeared in her smile.

She got off the car without asking anything else and walked right in front. Huang He carried Fang Yuanyuan’s bag and the two chatted happily behind her.

Somehow, Xiang Wan felt glad for her cousin.

She thought that Fang Yuanyuan had found a good match. Huang He was suitable for her. Although he might not seem seem like it, he was actually very attentive toward women. Silent actions were better than a silver tongue that whispered sweet nothings.

“I’m envious!” She said.

When she entered her apartment, she poked Fang Yuanyuan’s arm secretly. “My bestie, you’re so blessed that my heart feels pricked!”

Fang Yuanyuan smiled smugly. “Aren’t you the same?”

Xiang Wan stared at her with an unhappy face. “You’re rubbing it in, huh?”

Fang Yuanyuan snorted, “Did you think that I don’t know what happened?”

“Tch, what happened?”

“Did you know that Captain Bai rushed all the way back from the airport especially to look for you? Yesterday at the alley, I saw for myself how agitated and flustered he was. He was totally like a man who lost his wife. When he talked to me, he sounded like he was interrogating a criminal. It was as though anyone whom he had his gaze on was the suspect who abducted his wife.”

Fang Yuanyuan gave such a vivid description that amused Xiang Wan much.

Huang He happened to walk over at that moment and was momentarily startled. “What is it that you both are so happy about?”

Fang Yuanyuan blinked at him. “Who else could make our Teacher Xiang happy?”

Huang He gave a laugh and nodded his head. He put down Fang Yuanyuan’s bag and said to Xiang Wan, “Although I did not work under Captain Bai for a long time, I feel that he’s a good person.”

This guy always praised people in the same usual way.

It was always the same old words—”nice” and “good”.

Fang Yuanyuan laughed merrily and countered, “Yesterday, you were just saying Captain Cheng is a nice person too.”

Huang He was at a loss of words, he scratched his head in embarrassment.

“No, no, no, it’s not the same.”

“What’s the difference then?”

“I’m not sure what to say.” Huang He seemed to think it over seriously. “Captain Cheng’s good points and Captain Bai’s good points are different. I just feel that if Captain Bai were to be serious with a girl, he will definitely treat her very nicely. Very, very nicely.”

Pffft! “Hahahah, Huanghuang, you’re so adorable.”

Fang Yuanyuan cackled loudly at his reply.

“However, your ability to express yourself, hmm, I really think that you shouldn’t be going around and try to flirt with any girl. You’re going to get laughed at… hahaha.”

Xiang Wan looked at the happy couple in front of her.

But what she saw instead, was Bai Muchuan’s faint smile, under the osmanthus tree.

“Madam, do you know that you’ve been kidnapped?” She recalled in her heart.

Xiang Wan pursed her lips, her big eyes suddenly stared at Huang He.

“Has he returned to the capital?”

Huang He was startled for a moment, and in no time he realized that she was referring to Bai Muchuan, causing him to start laughing non-stop.

“He went back home for a change of clothes. Just now, I’ve forgotten to tell you that. Captain Bai said that he caused trouble for everyone in the unit, so he’s buying us dinner later.”

He caused trouble for everyone?

But wasn’t she the one who got kidnapped?

Xiang Wan’s forehead went cold, but her ears were burning.

Bai Muchuan, so you only dare to flirt, but don’t dare to admit?