Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Fang Yuanyuan slept till around past nine in the morning and found Xiang Wan sitting before her laptop.
She also found some food on the bedside table. She knew that it should be her breakfast.
She rubbed her eyes. “You didn’t sleep last night or you’re up early?”
This girl was a happy-go-lucky person. After crying her heart out last night, she seemed to be in a rather good mood in the morning, just that her eyes were really puffy.
Xiang Wan turned to look at her. “Of course I’m up early. I’m adjusting my daily routine!”
“Oh, alright!”
Fang Yuanyuan yawned and stayed in bed lazily for another two minutes before grabbing her mobile phone to look at the time.
There were a few WeChat messages. She was asleep so she did not hear the notifications.
Who had looked for her?
Fang Yuanyuan gave a shudder and thought of the pressing issue. She immediately opened WeChat.
“Yuanyuan, the Commissioner wanted me to rest for a period of time. It’s not easy to enjoy a long break for my line of work, so I wanted to go back to my hometown and won’t be around in Jin City for a while. You need to continue with your daily life, do your job properly, have your meals properly, and don’t worry about me…
“I think, the best love that I can give you, is to leave you.
“I’m at the train station now. This is the first day I’m leaving you. If one month passed by and I didn’t come to look for you, that means I’m already accustomed to life without you.
“You need to take care and be strong. Love, is actually not a big deal.”
She could tell that these few messages were sent by Huang He at different timings.
The tone of each message was different, suggesting the different ideas that came to his mind at different timings.
Nevertheless, he had conveyed his thoughts about their relationship clearly.
Usually, Huang He tend to send or reply with short messages. But this time, he had actually sent long messages to her.
This was the first time, as well as the last.
As Fang Yuanyuan read through the messages, tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Why did he do that? Why? A relationship consists of two people, why did he end it unilaterally?
“He says that it’s no big deal. So it HAS to be no big deal? Why are men like this?
“It was only yesterday that he said he loved me and no matter what happens, he’ll never leave me. But when I wake up today, about ten hours later, everything’s changed…
“Wanwan! Woooo… why did this happen?…
“He’s ending it just like this… did I even agree?…”
Fang Yuanyuan’s cries caught Xiang Wan off guard.
She was just chatting with Xiang Wan normally just a while ago. Xiang Wan was totally confused.
Xiang Wan dropped her mouse, sat on the bed, and hugged Fang Yuanyuan’s shoulders. “What happened? Why are you in tears all of a sudden? Did something happen to Detective Huang?”
Fang Yuanyuan threw her mobile phone on the bed. She covered her face and wailed, “Take a look!”
Xiang Wan took the phone and looked at the screen, unable to say anything.
…
Who would be able to understand men and their world?
She didn’t understand Huang He, just as she didn’t understand Bai Muchuan.
She realized that when problems cropped up in a relationship, women would choose to do anything for love, while men were more likely to give up and run away.
“Yuanyuan…”
Xiang Wan hugged Fang Yuanyuan gently, her hands tightened.
“Don’t be sad… Alright? Hush, you gotta be strong.”
“Wooo… I don’t get it… Why did things turn out this way… Why…”
“If…” Xiang Wan pursed her lips tightly. “If you want to know, why not give him a call? Don’t hesitate, but you need to be calm. It’s better to make things clear rather than holding it inside your heart. There’s one thing he’s right—what’s the big deal about love? If it’s yours, take it. If it’s not yours, give it up.”
Fang Yuanyuan was heartbroken to the extreme.
She was actually a cowardly girl, but for the sake of Huang He, she plucked up enough courage to ask her youngest aunt for help.
She had been trying to help him, for their love and future.
But he gave her up without any hesitation—gave up the love that she had thought of having a shelf life, one that would never expire.
Two people were walking together, but all of a sudden, one of them left.
That feeling felt like betrayal. Fang Yuanyuan was devastated.
What was even more devastating was that Huang He’s mobile phone was switched off.
“I can’t get through… wooo… can’t get through…”
Fang Yuanyuan sent messages to him via WeChat.
She sent one message after another.
She was upset and angry. She implored him to contact her.
There was no reply.
Until then, she realized that besides knowing his mobile number and his job, she knew nothing else about this boyfriend of less than a month.
She didn’t know how many people there were in his family. She did not know where he lived[hometown] and did not know how she could find him.
“This is so pathetic!” Fang Yuanyuan was so hurt that she was laughing. “Our youngest aunt didn’t lie to us, Wanwan.”
“…” Xiang Wan hugged her and said nothing.
“Youngest aunt is right. Youngest aunt is the one who’s right…”
Xiang Wan puffed a sigh and consoled, “Alright, don’t keep thinking about this in a bad way. What if he did this for your own good?”
“For my own good? So, that gives him the right to ditch me?”
“…”
Xiang Wan was unable to answer that.
Although she was a romance fiction author, she did not have much experience in such matters.
Besides coaxing Fang Yuanyuan not to cry, she couldn’t find any other words.
She did not understand all these, either.
Maybe, love really was no big deal.
…
That night, Xiang Wan received a message from Cheng Zheng.
He asked Xiang Wan if they could come out for a talk.
If he had sent this earlier, Xiang Wan would try one more time for the sake of Huang He and Fang Yuanyuan.
But now—
Xiang Wan took a look at Fang Yuanyuan, who was lying on the bed, sobbing.
“Thanks for the invitation, but I’m not willing.”
She rejected him outright, and before Cheng Zheng could reply, she blocked him in WeChat.
Yes, she blocked him.
She wanted to be a woman who was also strong emotionally. She didn’t want to be someone who was all talk and no action.
…
Two days later.
Xiang Wan received a parcel.
It came from the capital, but there was no sender particulars except for a mobile number.
It was from a very familiar mobile number.
The items inside were very familiar as well:
The complete collection of “The Grey List”—a total of nine volumes.
In addition, there was also the ongoing novel, “The White List”, which had six volumes published.
Xiang Wan was really excited beyond words.
She was almost trembling when she opened her parcel, not sure if it was because of Bai Muchuan or Second Young Master Mu.
On the title page of the book, she found an exuberant signature:
—Xiang Gongzi Wan, for your perusal.
—Second Young Master Mu
Heavens!
Not only was there a signature, but it was attentioned to her as well!
Second Young Master Mu even wrote her name—he had specially signed the book for her!
Xiang Wan held the signed book tightly against her chest. Her heart was racing again as she felt her eyes getting warm and watery. She actually felt like crying.
It was also not sure if she behaved that way because of Bai Muchuan or Second Young Master Mu.
Or, because of the love that had ended before it even started.
…
Five days later, Fang Yuanyuan still never got a reply from Huang He.
His mobile phone was still turned off.
Fang Yuanyuan was unable to accept it initially, but as days passed, she was much calmer now.
She still went to work as usual and took her meals as usual. She was not much different except for the faint feeling of sadness between her eyes.
Xiang Wan tried to contact Huang He by calling him, but his phone was switched off.
With regards to their relationship, Xiang Wan was a bystander. She knew she was unable to console Fang Yuanyuan, but the moment she received her royalties, she gave Fang Yuanyuan a treat at Ocean Sky Hotpot, in an attempt to make her feel better.
“Let’s drink some beer?” Fang Yuanyuan suggested.
“… I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Xiang Wan hesitated, “your alcohol tolerance is not that good.”
“Treat it as a celebration for you.” Fang Yuanyuan was very insistent.
On the following day, Xiang Wan would be flying to the capital for the training programme.
This was indeed reason enough to celebrate.
“Alright then.”
Xiang Wan ordered two bottles of beer. The waitress who brought the beer and glasses over took another look at them. However, she quickly left as Fang Yuanyuan immediately glared at her.
“Yuanyuan, you should go back home when I’m not around.”
This was Xiang Wan’s sincere advice.
That building she was staying now was too dilapidated. Not to mention the fact that Fang Yuanyuan could get to work faster from her home compared to the rented apartment.
“I don’t feel like going back. I’m annoyed by my mom’s constant nagging.”
Fang Yuanyuan sounded listless as she rejected the suggestion without a second thought. She picked a duck intestine carefully and placed it in the hotpot to cook.
“I’m already vexed enough. It would be too miserable to get lectured by her everyday.”
“… Sigh, alright.” Xiang Wan poured the beer for her and decided not to dissuade her anymore.
They were now adults and were bound to get hurt. Only then would they learn to grow up.
…
The hangover in the morning was terrible.
Xiang Wan woke up when it was barely dawn. She continued to follow her new routine and also bought breakfast back for Fang Yuanyuan. She left a note behind since she was still fast asleep. After that, she pulled her suitcase and went down the stairs.
It was still early.
The corridor and stairways were very dark.
When Xiang Wan was lugging her suitcase down the stairs, the woman from the fourth floor was sending her child to school.
She was locking her door and turned to look when she heard noises coming from the stairs.
The little boy was very energetic and greeted Xiang Wan.
Xiang Wan put on a smile although she was a little tired from lugging her suitcase. “Morning.”
The woman stood at a corner and politely got her child to stand aside. “Morning, going on a trip?”
“Yes, I’m going on a trip.”
Xiang Wan did not think too much as she went past them.
She took a cab to go to the airport directly.
…
When Xiang Wan boarded the plane headed for the capital, it was two hours later.
The hot, blazing sun at the sky was very blinding.
As Xiang Wan’s seat was beside the window, the sunlight fell on her.
So blinding!
Xiang Wan squinted her eyes in discomfort and was about to pull the glare shield when the passenger next to her stopped her action.
“Don’t pull it down! I’m cold.”
When Xiang Wan just got to her seat, he had not sat down on his seat.
Subsequently, she was so absorbed in her own thoughts and actually failed to notice what kind of person was sitting next to her.
She turned around and saw a man with shaggy hair in his thirties. He donned a pair of black, big, and round glasses. Despite the burning hot weather, he was wearing a long overcoat which made him look like a basic, grown up version of “Mr. Harry Potter”. He also gave her the feeling of a neurotic.
“My apologies, my constitution’s quite poor. I’m afraid of the cold.”
He explained again as he might have felt Xiang Wan’s doubt.
Fine! The month of August in Jin City was boiling hot, yet he said he was feeling cold.
“Air-conditioning!” The man pointed above and explained again.
Xiang Wan did not say anything more. She was a rather accommodating person, so she decided to let this go as this was not a big issue anyway.
She retracted her hand, leaned back on the seat, and closed her eyes.
At this time, the passengers took their seats one after another, and the rows of seats along the aisle had been filled up.
Xiang Wan took a peak then continued to close her eyes to rest.
“Mr. Harry Potter” started to chat with another man next to him, separated by the aisle.
“Can I have a look at your newspaper, please?”
“Sure.” The other man handed it to him.
Then she heard the sounds of the newspaper being flipped.
That “Mr. Harry Potter” was not at all worried about disturbing others. He stretched his arms wide to read the newspaper that it brushed past Xiang Wan’s arm. He was also very loud in apologizing to Xiang Wan that she had no choice but to open her eyes to tell him that it was alright.
However, that was not all.
“Hey, you know the case about the naked woman who fell to her death? How can this be the fault of the police?”
In a flight from Jin City to the capital, many passengers were residents of Jin City.
The moment he said that, it was obvious he was talking about the case at “The Palace”.
Xiang Wan was somewhat sensitive to that, so she pricked up her ears.
“Don’t you think that it’s weird? Before the police raided the room, what were all those people doing inside? Why wasn’t the woman wearing clothes? Someone said that her clothes flew off due to friction with the air from falling… Can the underwear also fly off like that?”
“…”
Nobody answered.
But he was enjoying it.
“This is not a simple case. What a mystery. The murderer… must be someone else.”
The uncle sitting next to the aisle looked like an intellectual. He spoke very gentlemanly and politely, “We shouldn’t talk about it recklessly. Such matters are better left to the police to make a conclusion.”
“I’m not making this up, I have reasons to backup my claim…” The moment “Mr. Harry Potter” heard a response, he appeared to be more excited and shook the newspaper. “On 20th July, Zhao Jiahang died. On 5th August, another one died. These are the two most recent big cases in Jin City and both cases happened in Hongjiang District, am I right? I’ve studied about it, 5th of August is the Hungry Ghosts Festival… It might either be Zhao Jiahang’s soul that has not been vindicated, or…”
He stopped here.
That cold, creepy tone made Xiang Wan’s body numb.
The intellectual also seemed uncomfortable. If this was not daytime, he might really scare the hell out of them.
“Don’t engage in feudal superstition!”
“Heheheheh.” That “Mr. Harry Potter” laughed again. “Old brother, this is not feudal superstition. These knowledge that our ancestors had for thousands of years could not be explained by science. I’ve studied that Hongjiang District is exactly situated at the ‘Six Misfortune’ position of Jin City, where the water and fire battle each other; where the six misfortune stars pierce through the heaven… If this is not resolved, Jin City will not be peaceful… just wait and see… there’ll be more deaths to come… more deaths… more deaths…”
He stared at the newspaper and mumbled to himself…
Xiang Wan felt goosebumps all over her body just by listening to him.
“Look, over there—”
“Mr. Harry Potter” suddenly leaned toward Xiang Wan’s seat and shouted in agitation.
No choice, Xiang Wan had to open her eyes.
She awkwardly moved her body away from him and followed that person’s hand to look outside the window.
“See that? The sun is gone, the sky has dimmed… It was shining so brightly earlier, but it’s gone now… This is what it means by six misfortune stars pierce through the heaven… leaving only pure yin energy and shortage of yang energy… The sunlight of Jin City is gone… there’s gonna be more trouble in Hongjiang district due to its ‘Six Misfortune’ position… more trouble…”
Xiang Wan furrowed her eyebrows. She was unable to tell the intentions of this man and felt really frustrated.
Seeing him murmuring and mumbling to himself, she couldn’t take it anymore.
“Sir, could you please sit properly?”
He took a deep glance at her.
The next moment, he showed a strange smile. “… You don’t believe me?”
Xiang Wan was speechless. “…”
He lowered his voice, narrowing his eyes behind the pair of big spectacles, which gave her a chilly, spooky feeling. “I’m well-versed in fortune-telling, do you believe me?”
Xiang Wan: “…”
“You’re rather unlucky recently, and strange things keep happening to you. There has been a lot of trouble, right? If you don’t believe me, maybe, the next one is you.”
The next one is me?
The next one to die is me?
Xiang Wan’s heart missed a beat and she felt her heart being squeezed tightly.
She did not believe in deities and spirits, but she could not help feeling frightened.
The first time she looked at this man in the eye, her heart was beating furiously.
Are there really people who could foretell the future in the world…
Anxiety, fear, and the uneasiness that she had gone through, caught up with her.
Huff! Xiang Wan felt a little warm at her back, and there was perspiration on her forehead. Just when she wanted to raise a question, that man held out his mobile phone in front of her.
On the screen showed his QR collection code for WeChat.
“I’ll help you resolve this for 1,200 yuan.”
“…” Xiang Wan’s terrified heart suddenly eased.
Sh*t! I met a scammer.
She was so frightened for nothing.
“Alipay is also accepted.” That man looked at her in the eye then rolled his eyes as if he got possessed. “I’ll give you a discount since you’re beautiful. 999, can’t be any lesser…”
Xiang Wan was burning with anger, she got up suddenly from her seat, “Miss…”
The moment that “Mr. Harry Potter” heard her calling for the stewardess, he quickly kept his mobile phone, took a quick glance at her, and sat properly on his seat.
“If you don’t listen to kind words, there’ll be trouble.”
“…”
The stewardess came over and asked what Xiang Wan needed with a smile.
The words that Xiang Wan wanted to say could not come out.
She was travelling alone, and it would be meaningless to create unnecessary trouble.
“I would like to have a blanket please!”
…
Xiang Wan did not look at that man again even when the plane landed.
That man did not provoke her again as well.
She arrived at the capital safely. When Xiang Wan walked out from the plane, she took a look at the sky, and a face flashed past her head.
I’m now in the same city as him , she thought.
However, there wouldn’t be any difference no matter at the capital or Jin City.
They wouldn’t be meeting each other.
Xiang Wan collected her suitcase to hail a cab, preparing to head straight to the campus.
However, the moment she pulled the door of the cab, someone snatched the cab by sitting inside it.
“I have urgent matters! Very urgent! My apologies, my apologies!”
Xiang Wan was shocked. “…”
It was him, the man sitting beside her on the plane, that “Mr. Harry Potter”.
He even snatched a cab from others! Xiang Wan thought, with such a character, it was no wonder he would go around deceiving and scamming people.
Xiang Wan pursed her lips in displeasure and walked toward the next one.
…
On the airport expressway, the cars sped on the roads.
Xiang Wan looked at the scenery outside seriously. On and off, she would compare the map application on her phone to verify her location.
When the cab driver pulled the brakes, she was still absorbed in her own world.
In the next instant, the cab made a U-turn and stopped.
Xiang Wan was sitting at the back seat, her body was thrown forward, and her head knocked against the back of the front passenger seat. That sudden jerk made her body feel upset. Her head felt dizzy, and she felt like vomiting.
…
“Excuse me, do you know how to drive? Are you an idiot?”
“F*ck, who are you talking about? Are you asking for a thrashing?”
“You dare to swear at me? Come, swear at me again, I’ll make sure you’ll regret doing that!”
“… D*mn, where did this b*st*rd come from? We’re not finished here, wait here if you have guts!”
“Hello, 110?”
“…”
Xiang Wan: “?”
When she was rubbing her head and still suffering from the dizziness, the two drivers involved in the collision got out of their vehicle and started to quarrel between themselves.
Now, she was stuck on the road.
She shook her head and poke out of the window for a look.
D*rn , the other vehicle opposite was also a cab, and the person sitting inside the cab was that scammer on the plane!
Xiang Wan checked around to see if she was hurt anywhere else. She didn’t want to hear them quarreling. She got off the cab and asked the driver if he needed the cab fare, but the driver just waved his hand at her. She did not say anything more, took her suitcase, and walked to the other side to wait for another cab.
Her long hair swayed in the wind whenever a vehicle sped fast.
At that moment, Xiang Wan suddenly sighed with emotion.
That scammer was right about something. She was really rather unlucky lately.
She stood waiting for another cab for quite a while, but that scammer snatched her cab again.
Xiang Wan gritted her teeth. She was standing under the hot sun, and she felt like swearing at him.
“Get on the car, we’ll share the cab fare, fifty-fifty.”
Xiang Wan would normally not bother to share a cab.
Nevertheless, that place was too scorching hot. The cabs that were on that road were basically those that came from the airport, so that meant the cabs would be “Hired” most of the time. It would be too tedious to wait for another one.
Xiang Wan gave it a thought, opened the door, and hopped on the cab without saying a word.
That “Mr. Harry Potter” started to talk again, “You really should believe me. I’m really a fortune-teller. I just said you’re unlucky and it really came true!”
Xiang Wan’s face was dark from anger. She gave a snort. “How come you didn’t know about your luck then? You’re unlucky like me too.”
He pulled a long face. “The secrets of Heaven must not be divulged. People who are psychic are unable to tell their own fate.”
Xiang Wan felt her headache coming back. She closed her eyes and said, “I’m suffering from a headache and need to take a rest. Appreciate your kind cooperation.”
…
Xiang Wan got off the cab when the cab left the airport expressway.
She did not want to stay around with a scammer, much less to let him know where she was going.
So, she took the subway then hailed another cab to the campus. When she arrived at her destination, it was already three o’clock in the afternoon.
The campus was very peaceful unlike many other educational institutions. The people in and out of the campus were polite and quiet.
Xiang Wan looked at the campus gates, took a breath, and pulled her suitcase along to register her attendance.
After being allocated a dorm, received the room card, as well as the learning materials and timetable, she made her way to the dormitory building.
The campus made thoughtful arrangements for the authors coming for the training programme. Every author was given a single room that came with a 24-hour hot water supply. The environment was also very clean and tidy.
This is so cool!
Xiang Wan was so glad that she put away the unhappy incidents behind her.
She opened her suitcase, took out the toiletries, and went straight to the bathroom.
Whoosh! Sounds of running water was heard…
After taking a hot bath, her fair skin looked pink. She applied a moisturizing toner on her face and began to make her bed.
She was not a clean freak, but she still brought her own bed sheet as well as her own pillow.
She already had troubling sleeping through the night. By doing this, she should be able to sleep with a greater peace of mind.
The first day at the campus was basically registration handling, with no lessons were being arranged. Xiang Wan opened her laptop after unpacking her stuff.
After taking a while to clear her head, she was prepared to write her story when she received a message.
“Junior, I heard you’ve arrived in the capital. Do you have time for dinner?”
She had the mobile phone number stored, and it showed the sender as “Senior Zhan Se.”
But how did Zhan Se know that she was now in the capital?
