Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Silence took over.

Pffft! Two seconds later, Xie Wanwan didn’t manage to swallow a mouthful of crayfish meat and almost spurted it out.

“Tang Yuanchu, can’t you be more creative?”

Well, this question was indeed not much fun.

Throughout Xie Wanwan’s celebrity career, such a question was all too common.

She lifted her eyebrows. “You want to hear the politically correct version or my actual answer?”

Tang Yuanchu’s stiff nerves began to slowly relax. “Both are fine.”

( NovelFull ) His meaning was that she could choose between the two she mentioned. But Xie Wanwan took a glance at him and thought he wanted her to say both answers.

“If it’s official, I would say that will depend on fate. When fate comes, that person will be what I’ve been looking for and he’s just the way I like him.”

“…” Indeed, that was a politically correct reply catered for the public.

Everyone could not resist laughing.

Tang Yuanchu did not laugh. “What about your actual answer?”

Xie Wanwan’s smile on her face slowly faded away. She rubbed her face which was dyed red by the alcohol.

“To tell the truth, I feel that I will not like anyone again!”

The word “again” told of an endless pain that had been there since long ago…

…

The supper treat ended.

Xiang Wan sent Xie Wanwan till the entrance.

“Are you alright?”

That night, Xie Wanwan was the one who drank the most amount of beer.

Xiang Wan was quite worried about her, but the latter waved her hands as though there was nothing to be worried about.

“I’m alright, don’t worry!”

“Well… okay then!” Xiang Wan held the door and took a look at Tang Yuanchu before talking to Xie Wanwan. “I’ll be at the hotel all day tomorrow. If you’re bored, you can come and chit chat with me!”

“No problem!” Although Xie Wanwan drank a lot, she was still quite sober. “See ya tomorrow!”

“See ya~”

Quan Shaoteng just stayed next door. He was not sensitive when it comes to relationships. Thus, both him and Salimu did not detect the subtle ambiguous atmosphere. They greeted everyone goodnight and went back to their rooms to rest.

Bai Muchuan’s team were all located on the same floor. Tang Yuanchu was no exception.

As for Xie Wanwan, her room was upstairs.

Tang Yuanchu looked at Xie Wanwan. “Let me send you up to your room.”

“It’s okay!” Xie Wanwan waved her hand. “Do I look like I’m drunk?”

“You don’t look drunk,” Tang Yuanchu said seriously, “but I know you’re drunk.”

“Tch!” Xie Wanwan glared at him. “Why am I drunk?”

Tang Yuanchu stayed quiet for a while. “Let’s go!”

Hmph! Xie Wanwan walked two steps and turn back for a glare. “I just asked you a question.”

Tang Yuanchu was helpless against her and puffed a sigh. “If you’re not drunk, you wouldn’t have used that word ‘again’!”

The word ‘again’ revealed not only her feelings about Bai Muchuan in the past, but it could also make the parties involved feel awkward.

If Xie Wanwan was not drunk, she would definitely not use that word. She would just be behaving the way like when she just arrived with the bags of food…

“Who gives you the right to say that of me? What do you know?”

Xie Wanwan’s eyes went red. She seemed a little embarrassed as well as fuming in anger as she pointed a finger at him. It was as though she was angry as her secret was being found out, although it was not a secret to Tang Yuanchu at all.

“You don’t understand me at all. You don’t! Why are you saying all these nonsense… Who do you think you are?”

“…”

Tang Yuanchu did not know how to answer her as he faced her indignant eyes.

He gave a bitter laugh. “I know.”

He muttered after pausing for a moment, “You can take me as a Deity.”

“A Deity who knows everything? Hurhur! Tang Yuanchu, you’re too bold… By posing as a Deity, what punishment do you think you deserve?”

“…”

Tang Yuanchu was speechless and amused at the same time.

If he took it that she was drunk, yet she knew who he was…

If he took it that she was not drunk, yet those words she said were incoherent….

Hence, Tang Yuanchu could not just let her go back to her room alone.

Even though Xie Wanwan was not willing that she shouted and kicked him, he still insisted to do that. He pulled her inside the elevator and sent her right to her doorstep.

“Where’s your room card?” The journey up to her room was really tiring for Tang Yuanchu that he was gasping for breath.

Xie Wanwan paused for a while and searched her bag.

After a brief search, she found nothing and then she searched again but still to no avail.

She squatted down and poured all of the contents inside her bag onto the floor outside her room.

Tang Yuanchu: “…”

This woman! If someone were to take a picture of how she was behaving like an idiot, she was definitely going to make headlines.

Tang Yuanchu squatted down and helped to support her by taking an arm while the other hand helped to pick up her stuff.

Her wallet was open. There was a laminated photograph inside it that caught his eye.

Tang Yuanchu pondered for a while and picked up the wallet.

That was a picture of a family of three. Inside the photo, the little girl looked adorable and was very young. From the facial features, it was not easy to tell if it was Xie Wanwan or not… But judging from the way she treasured the photo, Tang Yuanchu was quite certain that the little girl was Xie Wanwan.

“What are you doing?” Seeing the picture, Xie Wanwan was as though turned into a porcupine. She was agitated.

“Return it to me!” She stared angrily at Tang Yuanchu.

“…”

He did not snatch it from her in the first place.

Tang Yuanchu handed her the wallet and picked up everything on the floor into her bag. He found the room card and passed it to her as well.

“Go on, get in and rest early!”

He stood where he was and did not turn to leave.

He wanted to see her get inside her room before he left.

However, Xie Wanwan was as though like a fool, looking at him with her red and watery eyes. She did not seem to want to enter her room.

Tang Yuanchu pursed his lips. “What’s up?”

Xie Wanwan suddenly gave him a hug.

“Thank you, Little Tang!”

“…”

Should he be happy about being called Little Tang?

Her soft body and warm temperature was real.

Her breathing landed on his neck, which felt like needles, simulating his adrenaline… But he could do nothing. He just continued to stand like a fool without moving. He did not even dare to hug her back. He was like a block of wood, allowing her to grip his clothes. She was like a child as she cried quietly in his arms.

“Don’t cry anymore.”

He could only persuade her.

“I know you’re upset, but what can be done?”

Xie Wanwan could only cry and said nothing.

“Today when you looked me up, I thought you’ve already put everything behind you… I didn’t expect, you are still the same.”

Xie Wanwan lifted her head, looked at him, and sniffled. “What do you know!”

Tang Yuanchu looked at her face. “I don’t know. Had I known you’ll behave like this, I won’t go with you.”

Xie Wanwan: “… That’s too cruel!”

“Maybe I am,” sighed Tang Yuanchu, “I’m not like you who likes to torture yourself!”

Xie Wanwan pursed her lips and chuckled suddenly. She slowly separated herself from him.

“You’re still young and haven’t experienced much. You don’t know… there’s such as thing as having no control over yourself. I can’t help it.”

“Maybe…” As Tang Yuanchu saw that she could chat normally, he pointed at her door. “Do go in, I’m off now.”

“Little Tang, thank you.” Xie Wanwan smiled at him and pointed at his shoulder. “Thank you for lending me your shoulder,” she said sincerely.

“My pleasure!” Tang Yuanchu shrugged his shoulders, pretending to be graceful. “I’ll get going then…”

“Actually—” Watching him turning away, Xie Wanwan suddenly exclaimed with a smile. “It’s my pleasure… to have met you.”

Eh? Tang Yuanchu turned back with a baffled look.

Xie Wanwan did not explain but winked at him teasingly. She swiped her room card, opened the door, waved her hand lightly, and finally went in.

The door was shut, as though it was cold without any feelings.

Tang Yuanchu was still frozen at his spot, as though he was a statue made of stone.

Of course, he wouldn’t understand the meaning of Xie Wanwan’s last sentence.

But he had worked on Xie Wanwan’s case and knew about her rejection of men. Therefore, by giving him a hug, she might have gone beyond her psychological limits?

“It’s my pleasure too.”

He mumbled to himself at the door and walked away.

Inside the room, Xie Wanwan was crouching behind the door and hugging her bag with her head hung low.

“Mom… what should I do? What should I do?”

…

Tenth floor.

The room was now in a mess. Even though Xiang Wan and Bai Muchuan tidied the room together for a long time, it was still messy.

Xiang Wan puffed a sigh and took a glance at Bai Muchuan.

“You should rest early. You still have a mission tomorrow.”

“Let me help you. We’ll sleep together.”

As he spoke earnestly, Xiang Wan’s ears started to feel warm.

She cleared her throat lightly. She knew that she was unable to convince him and stopped doing that. She decided to talk about her hunch.

“I’m worried for you after meeting Xie Wanwan tonight.”

“Mm?” Bai Muchuan gave a glance.

“Think about it. If she could hear from Yu Ning about you, that could also mean others might have heard about it. From that hotpot restaurant till now, how many of them have seen you? Why did I feel that your identity was no longer a secret?”

“Yes, I agree.” Bai Muchuan smiled and nodded his head.

“If that’s the case… it will be too risky for you to go tomorrow!” Xiang Wan gazed at him with worry after putting some trash into a plastic bag. “We don’t know what kind of person Brother Steel is. What if tomorrow’s meetup is a trap after all?”

“Even if it’s a trap, I must go.” Bai Muchuan gave her a gentle hug. “Xiang Wan, I’m the police.”

Even if the path onward was filled with immense dangers and difficulties, he had to move forward, let alone a trap.

“Don’t worry, we have planned this out carefully.” He patted Xiang Wan’s back. “Go wash up and leave all these to me!”

To be honest, Bai Muchuan was indeed a great boyfriend.

He had everything that Xiang Wan liked. He would take care of her feelings and help her perform tasks like this without a need to ask for help. That totally fitted what she wanted in a relationship.

“I can’t bear to let you do this alone!” Xiang Wan smiled and put her arms round his neck. “I’m like this, when someone treats me well, I also want to do the same…”

“Someone? Who’s someone?” Bai Muchuan laughed and poked her forehead.

“… What do you think? You can’t be an idiot, right?”

Aye! Bai Muchuan kissed her forehead.

“Women really can’t be pampered! Just look at you, you’re turning your nose up at me—”

“What! Who’s the one who liked to say the word ‘idiot’?”

It was clearly him who liked to call her an idiot!

Xiang Wan’s round and dark eyes stared at him, her pinkish lips pouted as though she suffered an injustice.

“Yes, yes, yes, I’m a big idiot.” Bai Muchuan laughed and pinched her face gently. “So can this big idiot request the little idiot to wash up first?”

“No! I want to continue cleaning up with you.”

“But… if you’re here, I’m unable to continue cleaning up.” Bai Muchuan held her waist tightly and she felt his light breathing in her ear. “I feel like doing… something bad.”

Xiang Wan felt a jolt in her heart and turned her head.

And she happened to meet his gaze.

“Okay!” Xiang Wan used a hand and drew circles at his shoulder. “As long as you’re back safely, you can do… whatever you want.”

“…” Bai Muchuan felt his eyes getting a little warmer. A circle of ripples formed in his heart.

“I don’t want to think about all those rules. Bai Muchuan—we’re adults. I’m fine with it.”

Her incoherent words fully revealed her nervousness—as well as her anxieties about his upcoming mission.

However, Bai Muchuan did not say anything.

The next second, before she could say another word, he suddenly lowered his head and captured her lips, tangled together…

The kiss was sometimes deep and light.

The sweet exchange, intertwined breathing, long and lingering…

“Aye!” A while later, he sighed and pulled away from her lips, moving slowly to her ear where he quickly took her earlobe, wrapping it gently amidst her short, low gasps.

“Tsk—” Xiang Wan quivered.

His low and deep voice echoed right beside her ear.

“Be good! Wait for me to come back—and be mine.”