Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
When Bai Muchuan received a “Help” message from Xiang Wan’s mobile number, he was at home just a street away.
On the balcony, he and Bai Munian were sitting together.
He had just bought supper, which was his dinner for that day as well. The work of detectives were busy and tense. The case had not been solved, so it was impossible to eat in proper meal timings.
“Another case cropped up?” Bai Munian saw the change in Bai Muchuan’s face and asked out of concern.
“Yeah! A real major case!” Bai Muchuan dialed Xiang Wan’s number with a grim expression.
However, when Xiang Wan answered the call, she said “Ah?” and told him she was alright.
Bai Muchuan raised an eyebrow. “Who would ask for help at midnight?”
“… It was a wrong message.”
A wrong message? Hmph! What a big liar , Bai Muchuan thought.
Bai Muchuan asked indifferently, “Where are you?”
Xiang Wan sounded a little hesitant. “Of course, I’m at home. Where else could I be? That’s it then, I still have something on, hanging up now!”
She hung up the phone speedily, leaving no chance for him to ask any questions.
Bai Muchuan furrowed his eyebrows. After giving it a thought, he opened the latest chapter of “Murder The Dream Guy” and read for a while before his face seemed even more severe.
“Bro, you carry on eating, I need to go out for a while.”
Bai Munian looked carefully at him. In his impression, this younger cousin of his was not someone who gets flustered when something happened.
“Do you need help?”
“No need, I’ll be back very soon.”
It was only a street away, so he arrived very quickly.
When his car swerved into the neighborhood with a severe looking expression on his face, that perturbed the security guard, Uncle Wang.
“Detective, you… did something happen again?”
Uncle Wang had recognized him.
The last time when Bai Muchuan was here for a case, he had registered with the security guard.
However, the police had just left not too long ago and another detective came along. Uncle Wang’s heart was drumming with worry.
Bai Muchuan swept a glance at him and pointed upward. “I’m looking for someone.”
“Oh, oh.” Uncle Wang took a flashlight and followed after him warmly for a while. “The lightings at the stairways are quite poor, you need to be more careful,” reminded Uncle Wang.
“Hm.” Bai Muchuan was in a hurry to go upstairs and did not continue to talk to Uncle Wang. He quickly parked his car and hurried up the stairs.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Someone’s coming down!
He narrowed his eyes and stopped walking.
Coincidentally, his eyes met with Xiang Wan, who was coming down to seek help from Uncle Wang.
“Ah!” Xiang Wan had a couple of scares that night. To see Bai Muchuan so suddenly appearing in front of her, she took quite a while to respond. “Why are you here?”
“I’m the one who wanted to ask you. Why are you here?”
Wearing a pajamas while loitering outside and not sleeping at home? What is she trying to do? Bai Muchuan thought.
His original aloof and indifferent expression seemed a little colder when he saw her exposed arms and legs. To Xiang Wan, this was a long story, unexplainable in just a few words.
Both of her arms hugged her chest and she lowered her head slightly. “It’s nothing, just… forgot to bring my keys.”
“Hurhur!” Bai Muchuan sneered, “You’ve become more daring? Going out of your home wearing pajamas and you forgot your keys? Say it one more time!”
Such logic really did sound ridiculous. It was no wonder that Bai Muchuan did not believe in it.
Nonetheless, she felt awkward to face him wearing only her pajamas and did not want to spend time arguing with him. “I’m not lying…”
“You don’t even know how to lie!” Bai Muchuan suddenly drew close to her, grabbed her arms, and pulled her over to him. “I want to know what you’re up to?”
He saw that she was hugging her chest and looked jittery. He thought that she must be hiding something.
However, what could she hide around her chest?
A pair of nicely sculpted peaks.
Xiang Wan did not expect him to act so frivolously by pulling her over to him. She took two steps backwards and her back touched the wall.
She gave a gasp when she came in contact against the cold and solid wall, and bounced away out of reflex. Before she could speak, Bai Muchuan came up to her once again: he lowered his head and she could feel his warm breathing on her face with a faint, strange feeling of excitement. “Hm? You’re not wearing…?”
Ah!
She realized what he was referring to and that made her ears burn. She wished the ground would swallow her up at that instant.
What a jerk!
She gritted her teeth. “Don’t be a nosy parker.”
“I’m not being nosy.” Bai Muchuan stared at her calmly. His natural deep-set eyes seemed tender and affectionate at this moment. His focused gaze felt as though he was whispering to a lover. “I’m trying to maintain public order and security.”
“…”
So this has something to do with public order and security?
“Look at you, wearing only like this in the middle of the night and specially sent an SMS to let me come over…”
D*rn! Xiang Wan nearly wanted to die of embarrassment.
This narcissistic guy sure has creative assumptions!
Xiang Wan felt a little difficult in her breathing, she felt as hot as the fire in her chest, she was dying of shame.
“Stop teasing me! Detective Bai, I really did forget to take my keys out with me and I didn’t text you at all…”
“Hm, you didn’t?” He took out his mobile phone with one hand and showed it in front of her. “Here’s the evidence!”
“…”
Xiang Wan was speechless.
Being caught at the stairways in the middle of the night discussing about the reason why she was not wearing a bra, was this really suitable?
“Don’t look at me like that!” Xiang Wan was similar to a frightened rabbit. When she bothered about her head, she couldn’t cover her face; when she bothered about her face, she couldn’t cover her chest. She noticed that such a scene was ironically intoxicating. She clearly wanted to stand up to him, yet she was worried about being overheard by others and had to keep her voice low. It resulted in her voice being softer than a kitty, as if she was flirting and playing hard to get.
She was a little resentful of her own soft voice, it was too harmless.
“What are you still staring at? Rogue!”
Bai Muchuan seemed to be in a good mood when he saw her starting to panic. “I already said I’m maintaining public order and security!” He smiled in a low tone. “Teacher Xiang, do you know that your behavior is bad influence for young children?”
“Hurhur!” Xiang Wan countered while trying to remain composed, “I’m being led astray by bad kids like yourself! Understand?!”
“I see.” Bai Muchuan laughed casually and got closer again. His strong arm rested against the wall as he looked at her face. “Tell me, how do I lead you astray? Hm?”
D*rn!
Didn’t you know you’re so good-looking and irresistable?
Stop flirting as and when you like, this is totally a crime!
Xiang Wan’s heart started to race and did not dare to look at his half-smiling eyes.
“Bai Muchuan!”
In a place so dark where one couldn’t see their fingers clearly, there might be a chance something might happen and one might regret their actions the next day. In order to divert his attention so as he would not turn into a wolf, Xiang Wan quickly adjusted herself while his face started to get closer, lowering his head… She slipped out from underneath his armpit, turned and pointed at the corridor.
“Something happened just now. The woman at the fourth floor committed suicide with her kid. Do you know that?”
Bai Muchuan was slightly stunned as he looked at her.
Xiang Wan gave a simple account of what happened earlier.
Even before finishing her sentence, she was frightened by her own description and she felt a faint chilly sensation in her spine.
That constant chilly feeling as if there was something behind, made her face Bai Muchuan once again. “That’s about it. Why not you help me find someone to open the door so I need not go find Uncle Wang in this state?”
“Didn’t you text me as you wanted my help?”
“It’s not me, it’s Fang Yuanyuan.”
“Hurhur.” Bai Muchuan sneered coolly, “You’re not honest.”
“…”
The hero rescued the damsel in distress. Detective Bai displayed his capability once again.
He did not use any unlocking tools. He only got a piece of wire from Uncle Wang and opened the door of Xiang Wan’s apartment successfully with that.
“This is absolutely perfect!” Fang Yuanyuan exclaimed, “Detective Bai, I’m convinced of your capability, do your best!”
With that, she winked at Xiang Wan and dashed straight into the bedroom.
Nobody knew what she meant by that?
Xiang Wan and Bai Muchuan were the only ones outside the door.
Bai Muchuan was standing and looked at Xiang Wan proudly but expectantly. “What about you?”
Xiang Wan had a perplexed face. “Me? What about me?”
Bai Muchuan raised his eyebrows lazily. “What do you think?”
What did he want? She totally had no idea what he wanted to hear?
“There’s nothing to say, you better go back now. I’m going back in. I’m wearing pajamas and shouldn’t stay outside any longer as I’m worried it’ll affect your hormones…”
Finally, Bai Muchuan was pushed out of the door by Xiang Wan with a gloomy face.
“Do walk slowly. Captain Bai… I won’t be seeing you off…”
Before she finished her words, Bai Muchuan caught her wrist.
He pulled her close to his chest and fixed his gaze on her. His expression seemed a little cold. “Even your cousin know how to say her thanks but there’s nothing from you? Xiang Wan, is this the way you treat your savior?”
My savior? Xiang Wan did not agree.
“Detective Bai, I don’t think so? Besides, I didn’t ask you to help me…”
“You sent me a message.”
“I’ve also told you. It’s not me.”
“Hmph! Dishonest woman.”
Bai Muchuan snorted impatiently as he glanced at her coldly. “Hurry up!”
Pffft! Xiang Wan could really take her hats off to this man.
However, his request was not unreasonable as he only wanted to hear a word of thanks from her.
She composed herself, trying to make herself look sincere. “Thank you, Captain Bai, for saving me tonight. I’m really moved. Look at my eyes…” She yawned and her eyes were watery. “Look, I’m so moved that I’m nearly in tears.”
“Your expression doesn’t look like you’re moved at all.”
“What did it look like then?”
“You looked as if you’re mourning for me!”
“Haha!” Xiang Wan gave him a shove. “Stop joking! Just hurry and go back. It’s going to be daybreak soon if you delay any further. Surely you won’t want me to offer incense and bow to say my thanks?”
“That is fine, I can accept it.” Bai Muchuan let go of her and walked out of the door with a smile.
Xiang Wan heaved a sigh of relief.
Nowadays, there were many instances that she felt her relationship with Bai Muchuan had undergone some changes. They were now more like friends but they were not entirely like friends either.
Or rather, they were closer than ordinary friends as it was easier to get close to each other but they were still far from being lovers…
In actual fact, she did not know why the two of them had come to such a stage. After the initial romantic ambiguity brought about embarrassment and a short period of distancing herself away from him, there were mutual understanding and both of them never cross the line again. Rather, they did not reject a more gradual form of becoming closer in their relationship.
It is difficult to know at what moment love begins; it is less difficult to know that it has begun.
…
Xiang Wan closed the door and leaned against it. Soon, she realized that she did not hear any footsteps—footsteps that would indicate he had left.
The surroundings were peaceful, she did not hear anything at all.
The serenity of the night made her heart even more disturbed.
Xiang Wan knew that he was still outside but did not know why he had not left.
She leaned against the door quietly, counting her own heartbeat.
A while later, someone knocked on the door.
“Xiang Wan, open the door.” It was him.
“Hm?” Xiang Wan’s heart fluttered at that instant.
After hesitating for a few seconds, when she opened the door, she was back to her casual, idle expression and looked at him with her chin slightly raised. “Why? Can’t bear to go?”
Now, she could really joke around with him without any qualms.
However, there was nothing to suggest that Bai Muchuan was joking, although his handsome and solemn face was hidden in the dark.
“I think I need to remind you something.”
“What is it that’s so serious?” Xiang Wan was frightened by his expression and was stunned for a while before she chuckled. “What? You want to get moved by me again?”
“Your update today.” Bai Muchuan frowned and glared at her intently.
“Did I do a good job? You want to praise me?”
“Praise you?! I want to criticize you!”
Bai Muchuan paused for a while, his indifferent face seemed colder.
“You took no heed of my advice. Didn’t you agree to wait for my news and not simply just go ahead to write about this case?”
Xiang Wan pulled a long face. “Look, the key is you didn’t provide me with any information! You don’t know the pace of us web novelists. If we don’t update in time, we’ll get condemned by the readers…”
Bai Muchuan’s expression stayed the same. “Can’t you just not update? Can’t you just wait a little longer?”
“… If I fail to update, there must be a valid reason to do so.”
“Can’t you get sick? Injured or fall out of love?”
“Gosh!” Xiang Wan was speechless. “Why do you curse me like that?”
She stretched out her hand on the door as she said that and asked Bai Muchuan seriously. “How’s the progress with the case now? Did you manage to find more problematic walls?”
“There is none,” said Bai Muchuan coldly. “I got my cousin to come over from the capital and compensated him with a few bottles of wine instead!”
“… Miser!” Xiang Wan rolled her eyes. “How about the remaining body parts of Tan Ziyang? Did you find out where they are? Is Huo Shan really the one who killed him?”
The human tissues found in the wall did not include Tan Ziyang’s bones.
That meant he still had other parts of his body being hidden somewhere and had not yet been found.
This was really scary.
Just how much sins are hidden under the sky?
“We’re still in the midst of investigation. Wait for the conclusion!”
Bai Muchuan gave an official answer which made Xiang Wan rather displeased.
“You’ve used this same old sentence on me for three days straight.” She pursed her lips in displeasure.
“You should be glad about it.” He snorted a laugh. “Not just anyone can have the opportunity to hear me say that for three days straight.”
“…” This tsundere guy.
Xiang Wan did not continue the conversation while he continued to look cold.
The sudden silence was somewhat awkward.
Xiang Wan looked to the dark stairways behind Bai Muchuan and felt that it was somewhat unsettling as the two of them were talking about a homicide case at her door.
However, Bai Muchuan did not seem to want to leave anytime now, and she was embarrassed to invite him in…
She should say something right?
Henceforth, Xiang Wan thought about the case that happened earlier.
“Are you actually worried about what Zhan Yuan had said, that Jin City is not peaceful due to the six misfortune stars piercing through the heaven or whatever?”
As she said that, she couldn’t help giggling over it.
“Could it really be so mysterious?”
Bai Muchuan looked gloomy. “You believe him?”
“Of course I don’t! But the recent happenings are really too mysterious. Moreover…” Xiang Wan squinted her eyes to look at Bai Muchuan’s indifferent and aloof face. “It felt just like the chapter that I wrote today. These cases obviously has nothing to do with me, but I seem to have the ‘Conan effect’. Somehow, in one way or another, I’m a little related with these cases, and I must admit I’m a little terrified of this feeling!”
“Don’t scare yourself!” Bai Muchuan grunted. “Do you know how many big and small cases happen everyday across the country? What you’ve met are just the tip of an iceberg…”
“If all the cases in the country are related to me, then I won’t get to live. I’ll be held captive somewhere ‘to assist’ in paranormal research…”
“Therefore, don’t create unnecessary trouble for yourself.”
Bai Muchuan’s eyes seemed to darken. Xiang Wan felt that he might have hidden a secret from her, but when she gave it a thought, she felt that she must have been too absorbed in her novel that she was just scaring herself.
“You’re right. I hope the mother and son at the fourth floor would tide over the ordeal and are alive and well.”
“Hm,” Bai Muchuan responded without much emotion. His hands were inside his pockets as he looked at her. “I’m leaving now…”
“Alright, be careful while on the road.”
“No need to worry about me.”
“Who’s worrying about you?”
“You!”
Pffft! “Dream on!”
…
The door closed once again.
This time, no one knocked on the door again.
Xiang Wan stayed behind the door for a while before she gave a soft sigh and returned to her bedroom.
Fang Yuanyuan was not asleep. She sat up on the bed when she saw Xiang Wan. “Let’s chit chat for a while. Why didn’t you invite him in to have a good talk? Is it because I’m here that I’m in the way or something?”
Looking at her sly face that had gossip written all over it, Xiang Wan did not bother to explain.
“You can shut up now.”
“Tch! Sis, you’ve a short temper recently. I feel that you should hurry and get yourself hitched so as to balance out your hormones?”
“Why are you still playing with your mobile phone so late in the night. You’re the one who has hormone imbalance. Hurry up and get to sleep!”
Fang Yuanyuan gave a yawn, her head rested on her arms when she suddenly remarked with a sigh, “My friends are discussing about what happened at the fourth floor just now. Someone said that the mother and son has been sent to the City Hospital and both of them are still in a coma… Even if they were to survive, the damage to their brain would be permanent. The damage to the brain is irreversible when one suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning, especially young children. It’s really saddening!”
Some people remarked that burning charcoal was the easiest way to commit suicide; one would not die horribly as they would appear to be in deep sleep.
It was believed that the woman did not want to let her child suffer more pain by choosing this suicide method.
But in reality, there was no death that was easy.
