Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Xiang Wan was still puzzled, but she heard a notification from her mobile phone.
Fang Yuanyuan had added her into a WeChat Group.
Chat group creator: Quan Shaoteng.
Name of chat group: Gossip for the Handsome, Wealthy & Beautiful
Group members: … A bunch of familiar names.
Bai Muchuan, Tang Yuanchu, Quan Shaoteng, Cheng Zheng, Meixin, Salimu, Ding Yifan…
These names—all of them had been to Nanmu and survived the hardships there.
However, why didn’t Bai Muchuan add her into the group?
Xiang Wan’s doubt got answered in no time.
Obviously, Quan Shaoteng had gathered all of them here not because of the case, but purely to gossip.
Xiang Wan couldn’t see the chat history about what they had been gossiping about.
What she knew was that when she read those messages that were sent after she joined, it did not sound quite right.
Quan Shaoteng: “Oh, the female lead is here! Welcome!”
Salimu: “Captain Quan, where did you stop the last time?”
Quan Shaoteng:. “The last time, I’ve said… The meeting of the golden wind and jade dew stepped unwittingly into the depths of the lotus pond. The carriage stopped to enjoy the evening scene of maple trees, pure hearts kept in the white jade bottle! Walking into the flower bed without turning back, can’t say if one felt ecstasy, one thinner than the chrysanthemum flowers! 1 ”
Xiang Wan was speechless. “…”
What the…!
Xiang Wan wished she had not entered the chat group.
What’s more, Salimu was such an honest and innocent fellow who couldn’t stop asking.
Hence, Quan Shaoteng and Tang Yuanchu would poke fun of him… and everyone would have a good laugh.
“Everyone, that’s all for today’s ‘The Legend of Captain Bai’! It’s time to get to work! Tomorrow, at this time, we shall continue again… Thank you for tuning in to Quan’s Gossip Corner…”
This guy!
One shouldn’t bully bachelors too much!
They couldn’t be trifled with!
Xiang Wan felt her teeth were emitting cool air…
Bai Muchuan, however, did not talk in the chat group at all.
On the contrary, Mei Xin, who was all quiet, suddenly posted a message.
“Sorry, Captain Quan, I just joined this chat, and I couldn’t understand a thing? Is it possible… to repost what I have missed?”
Quan Shaoteng couldn’t say anything. “…”
He was speechless!
It was the same for everyone else in the group as well!
Tang Yuanchu’s message appeared on the screen. “Hey, Captain Quan! She’s asking you!”
Quan Shaoteng: “Aye, since things have gone to this, I can only say—Comrades, you should all get back to work! Tomorrow at the same time, I’ll see you all again!”
“…”
Tang Yuanchu: “Having suffered a lot of injuries and am recovering in the Xi City Hospital, I know nothing about this. I shall take my leave now!”
Ding Yifan appeared as well. “I’m braving the chilly winds on the streets of Nanmu City. I know nothing as well. I shall take my leave too!”
Tu Liang spoke after. “I’m in the market of Nanmu City buying ingredients so as to make the nourishing chicken soup for Salimu. I don’t know anything either. I shall take my leave!”
Salimu gave his piece too. “I’m in Nanmu Hospital, due to my poor understanding in Mandarin, I do not understand what was going on, but I don’t want to take my leave…”
“…”
One by one, posting all these messages, they were really full of mischief.
Soon, Xiang Wan saw another message.
Bai Muchuan, at last, popped a message to the group as well. “I’m now noting down all these chat records in my work notebook. If there’s anyone else who would continue to spout nonsense here… I don’t care if you are suffering from broken bones or disfigurement, you need to get up and work!”
Tang Yuanchu replied, “This soft and adorable one here is innocent and has retreated.”
Salimu followed. “Aye, it’s really none of my business. I’m just a poor child who went ashen from shock…”
Mei Xin paused for a while and replied. “What are you talking about? Is it something about work?”
Bai Muchuan gave another more of his piece. “Enough, for now, get ready for work!”
Quan Shaoteng finally popped a message. “I’m sorry, Mr. Bai Muchuan, the message you’ve just sent has been blocked by the system. We do not know what you’ve just said…”
Bai Muchuan gave his final warning. “I said, Tu Liang need not buy any chicken, he can go ahead to use you as nourishment instead!”
Tu Liang, shocked, messaged back with an “?”
Quan Shaoteng was the last to message. “This system has passed on due to a heavy loss of blood!”
…
Due to the “death” of Quan Shaoteng, the chatting stopped.
Xiang Wan and Fang Yuanyuan then chatted happily for a little more when Yuanyuan ended the chat as Huang He was looking for her.
Thus, Xiang Wan was back to writing her story.
…
It was only three days that she failed to update, but she already found it difficult to write her story.
The worst thing for an author who did not write continuously was to have her train of thought broken…
It was only three days, but she felt as though she had left her story for a long time.
The plot and the characters felt a little unfamiliar to her.
In order to get herself into the momentum, Xiang Wan browsed through her previous chapters.
She had written about the development of the romance between the male lead, Detective Fang Yelan and female lead, Rong Xiaonuan. As for the case about the ‘temptation of the rich & famous’—121 case—she had started writing about it, but that was all…
As for the reason why she had not given more details? Xiang Wan was actually a little hesitant.
Initially, she decided to write about the case, she had wanted to warn readers not to get involved in the ‘temptation of the rich and famous’, in fear that more people would be involved in it.
When she couldn’t get hold of Yuan Qianqian, she had thought she was in trouble and did not give any in-depth details in her story. This was because she did not want anyone to replicate it in real life.
Now that she knew Yuan Qianqian was fine. She was no longer as paranoid.
When she thought about what happened in Vulture’s Mouth, as well as the forest called Vulture’s Mouth… She felt that she had to write this case in her book.
There was also the factor that the four female victims in the 121 case were linked to her first case, as well as to her…
There was as if an invisible line pulling all these people and incidents together.
She needed to pen it down.
She had to write it down.
Was this a case in the book, or a book in the case?
Xiang Wan was lost in thought for a while and decided to do so.
…
It was much easier to write something one had experienced than something made up.
However, that was only limited to the general plot.
The handling of details was more troublesome than when she was making ideas for her story.
Those people and incidents involved in this case had to be vague enough. For plots that was too “unhealthy”—meaning that they could be a bad influence on young people, would require some creative thinking and writing to handle them properly. She knew she could not directly ‘copy’ the case into her book, even if she had gone through the experience personally, so as to avoid criticisms that she was practically ‘lifting’.
Therefore, all these had to be edited!
After editing, she had to make sure it would make sense and link them up…
…
Time flies, it was now noon.
When Bai Muchuan came back to the hotel room, Xiang Wan did not notice that at all.
He stood at the entrance for a while and shook his head. He walked to the table where he placed a cup of water for her before he left in the morning.
The cup was still half-full.
This woman totally did not drink much water… He thought.
Bai Muchuan stood quietly for a while. “It’s time for lunch!”
Xiang Wan turned around for a glance at him. “Alright, I’ll be ready soon!”
In actual fact, she knew Bai Muchuan had come back. However… she greeted him in her mind, for both her spirit and body belonged to the plot she was writing.
Bai Muchuan went to the bathroom.
After he came out, he pulled out a chair and sat beside the window. He then looked at his mobile phone.
Silence filled the room as he waited for her.
About 20 minutes later, Xiang Wan puffed a breath.
Her nerves were finally relieved as she completed her chapter. She turned to look at the man sitting by the bright window and turned off her laptop.
“I’m sorry for letting you wait. Let’s go out to eat…”
Bai Muchuan walked to her and patted her on the head. “You’re done writing?”
Xiang Wan nodded. “Yes!”
Bai Muchuan showed a half-smile. “Your readers are really fortunate!”
Uh! The way he said it…
Xiang Wan was a little baffled and let out a chortle. “Why do you say so?”
Bai Muchuan uttered a reply, “You’re almost updating every day!”
Is ‘almost updating everyday’ considered fortunate for them? she thought.
Xiang Wan pursed her lips in thought and recalled the frequency of Second Young Master Mu’s updates. The next moment, she nodded her head heavily.
“I agree with you. I’m really a great Author… Under such tremendous stress, I’m still persisting in updating my story… Later, I’ll ask my readers if they feel fortunate and blissful!”
“Haha!”
Bai Muchuan laughed at her serious expression.
The expression on his face seemed more relaxed than when he came in.
…
Both of them went downstairs together.
Xiang Wan did not know where they were going for lunch. She was also a little curious about what he did in the morning.
“How’s the case?”
Bai Muchuan squinted his eyes slightly. “It’s alright.”
“When will we be able to return to Xi City?”
Xiang Wan remembered what Fang Yuanyuan had told her in the morning.
However, Bai Muchuan looked at her in the eye before he said anything.
“Are you free this afternoon?”
Eh? What a sudden change of topic!
Xiang Wan had intended to continue writing her story in the afternoon.
Since Bai Muchuan asked her, there must be something going on.
“What’s the matter? I’m free in the afternoon.”
Bai Muchuan crinkled his eyebrows. “I need your help!”
Heh, why was he being so polite?
Xiang Wan was, in fact, glad to be able to help him.
“What is it?”
Bai Muchuan’s gaze felt a little cold. “It’s Yu Bo. You know about him right?”
“Yeah! What’s up?”
“There are some doubts about him. We’ve interrogated him the whole morning, but this person is a little stubborn… He wanted to talk to you!”
“…”
Bai Muchuan heard that Xiang Wan had talked to Yu Bo back in Brother Steel’s villa, but he did not know the details. Therefore, when Yu Bo insisted on his wish to speak with Xiang Wan instead, he was actually surprised.
“If it’s not because I wanted to save time, I really don’t want to let him have his way!”
“Don’t!” Xiang Wan squinted her eyes in concern. “I feel that there might be a problem with Yu Bo mentally; it’s better not to agitate him…”
“Yeah!” Bai Muchuan grunted, “His real father did too much evil!”
They had wanted to obtain more information from Yu Bo about Brother Steel.
He had died on the mountain during the gunfight.
He was actually less than three miles away from his birth village when he died…
“Aye!”
Xiang Wan sighed.
For Yu Bo, for Brother Steel, and for those who had lost their lives in Nanmu…
…
Both of them had their lunch together.
Xiang Wan was puzzled that she did not see Quan Shaoteng and the rest of the team.
Bai Muchuan told her that they felt that they were too ashamed to see anyone else, so they would not be joining them.
Anyway, both of them were also quite happy to have lunch by themselves.
After that, the two of them did not waste anymore time and went directly to Nanmu Police Station.
Since this was a joint effort in cracking the case, both Serious Crime Division One and the Xi City police borrowed some space in Nanmu Police Station for official business.
Xiang Wan met many familiar faces there.
Tu Liang, Quan Shaoteng, Ding Yifan, as well as Captain Zhang and his men from Xi City…
Her motive for coming there was to talk to Yu Bo.
After greeting the familiar faces, she followed Bai Muchuan to his temporary workplace when she heard Yu Bo’s shouts.
“You… you’ve promised me… You, you’re kicking me to the curb after using me!”
Mm? Bai Muchuan quickened his steps.
Xiang Wan followed closely behind.
Besides Yu Bo, they also saw Meng Chi there as well.
Yu Bo’s shouts were actually directed at Meng Chi…
