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nIt was dawn and the fog was heavy.

nEver since Nanny Li left that day, Bai Muchuan stayed alone in the house.

nBefore Xiang Wan came out to look for him, she had thought that as he had drank a lot of wine, he must have been awakened by her call. She had not expected that when he opened the door, he would be holding a cigarette.

nIt was a lighted cigarette, flickering indolently in the morning fog like starlight.

n“You’re here?” he asked, his tone sounded slightly moody.

nThat sluggish, lethargic, and discouraged look of his seemed like he was abandoned and forgotten by the whole world—as if he had crawled out of some nook from a cemetery. His current state was that of a prince in distress; proud, obstinate, imposing… but depressed.

nXiang Wan’s heart felt a tear.

nThis is not Bai Muchuan, she thought.

nThis is not the Bai Muchuan I know.

nThe Bai Muchuan she knew had a strict and authoritative reputation amongst the detectives.

nA while later, she tightened her arms and asked something totally unrelated to her purpose for coming here.

n“Smoking so early in the morning?”

nBai Muchuan raised an eyebrow when he saw the bag of stuff she was holding. “You rushed all the way here just to ask me about this?”

nXiang Wan furrowed her eyebrows. She handed the laptop and the osmanthus sachets to him. “Yes, I’m returning them.”

nThe slightly drooping head, the awkward posture… it was just like a high school girl refusing a boy’s confession.

nWhen Bai Muchuan saw the laptop, his sexy lips formed a slight smile. He did not take the items but stepped aside with a laugh.

n“Come in first.”

n“Bai Muchuan!” Xiang Wan stood unmoving at the door and spoke with a somber tone, “Don’t be a rogue.”

nBai Muchuan had wanted to go inside the house, he turned around casually and gave a smile.

n“You’re using a new term to cuss now? Tell me then, how did I behave like a rogue?”

n“You’re always—”

nYou’re always looking at me, she almost blurted out.

nYour behavior tells me that you’re interested in me.

nYou obviously care about me.

nBut, he had never said a word on how he felt about her either.

nAnger was burning inside her, and her face was full of resentment from the “bullying”. However, she changed the words she wanted to say initially.

n“You sent me gifts without reason, making me confused that I couldn’t sleep well at night. You’re not only behaving like a rogue, you’re also a jerk!”

n“Hur!” Bai Muchuan rubbed his nose and laughed although he got scolded. “Don’t go around scolding men jerks.”

n“Eh?” Xiang Wan was puzzled. Once again, Bai Muchuan gained control of the conversation.

n“Generally, women scold their men as jerks,” said Bai Muchuan. “Could it be that you… have a crush on me?”

nYou have a crush on me?

nYou have a crush on me! Xiang Wan repeated these words in her head.

nXiang Wan went wide-eyed. What was she here for so early in the morning?

nTo watch how the prince of distress behave like a rogue?

n“Bai Muchuan, I’m too lazy to argue with you. Forget it, just take your things back! I’m leaving.”

nXiang Wan did not care if he wanted the things back or not. She just placed the items by the door and turned to walk away.

nBehind her, Bai Muchuan let out a deep sigh.

n“Xiang Wan.”

nHis tall stature leaned lazily on the door frame as though he was not wide awake. His eyes were half-opened, and he spoke with a tone of a hurt and depressed child.

n“I’m hungry!”

n“?” I’m not your mom!

nXiang Wan’s cheeks and ears become red from anger when she turned back to stare at him.

n“So, why are you telling me this?”

nBai Muchuan’s deep, dark eyes looked straight at her.

n“Besides drinking at ‘The Palace’ last night, I didn’t eat much. You saw that.”

n“…” So?

n“There’s no one here to make breakfast for me.”

n“…” So?

n“Xiang Wan, make some breakfast for me.”

n“…”

nSuch a change in topic in a conversation was not something that Xiang Wan had expected as she was here to return the items.

nShe was really not skilful in these. Even before the battle started, she already got beheaded by the enemy.

nThe warm morning breeze brushed past her ears, her hair by the ears swaying with the wind. Her ears were burning, but it was unsure whether it was due to anger or embarrassment. It might be the glint in his dark pupils or perhaps it was his flirty posture that attracted her—it was just that, at this moment, her cheeks also started to burn.

n“Bai Muchuan, you’re a rogue, a scoundrel!”

nShe didn’t want to scold him ‘jerk’ anymore, avoiding the term unconsciously.

nThe corners of Bai Muchuan’s lips turned gently upward; her pretty face was reflected in his dark pupils.

n“Hm? I’m a rogue, a scoundrel, as well as a jerk. So, Xiang Wan, make some breakfast for me?”

n“…” Xiang Wan gritted her teeth.

nHer heart was in a turmoil.

nBai Muchuan, Bai Muchuan.

nWhy are you being such a jerk?

nSuch tone, such expression, do you know only men and women who are dating talk like that?

nOr rather, was he like that to every woman and she was the only one who took it seriously?

nXiang Wan had to admit that she was really an idiot!

nShe could be persuaded by reason but not cowed by force. Had Bai Muchuan adopted a tough, forceful stance with a gloomy face, she would retaliate even though she might not win.

nBut the man in front of her was a stunning prince who appeared to be “lonely, weak and helpless”. And when he put on a cheeky smile to ask her for a meal, she did not know how to refuse that.

n“Can’t you make breakfast yourself? Why do I have to cook for you?”

nWhen she said this, she was still sullen, but her tone had clearly softened quite a lot.

n“I can’t cook.” Bai Muchuan rubbed his nose and lowered his head. “Have you seen any man, as stunning as I am, know how to cook?”

nOf course.

nXiang Wan thought of Cheng Zheng.

nThat day, he made dinner in her kitchen. It was a lovely and enjoyable meal.

nShe also thought of her dad—

nXiang Wan pursed her lips. “You can’t cook, but that doesn’t mean others can’t cook as well.”

nBai Muchuan smiled. “I’ll learn it in future.”

nXiang Wan: “…”

nWho could tell her if Bai Muchuan got possessed or brainwashed by the aliens?

nLearn cooking in future? It was surely none of her business.

nXiang Wan was unwilling to cook for him, but she was unable to reject the request. Hence, she came up with a condition instead.

n“Snuff out the cigarette.”

n“Yes, Madam!” Bai Muchuan obediently snuffed out the cigarette, disposed it in the trash bin outside the door, and pulled Xiang Wan inside the house. In the large house with only the two of them, he smiled as he said, “Hurry up! I’m starving.”

nXiang Wan was annoyed and helpless; there was also a tinge of sadness in her heart.

nXiang Wan, ah, how could you be so useless? she thought.

nWho could tell her, how should she reject Bai Muchuan in such a state?

nShe was practically dragged into the kitchen. Along the way, she was consoling herself with psychological advices inside her head.

n“Look, that’s the stove. This is the area where we store the condiments. This, this, just use them as you deem fit!”

nXiang Wan took a glance at him. “Wait by the side.”

nHer little commanding tone sounded adorable with a little hatred within it.

nHe released her quickly and stood from the side. “Okay.”

nTheir relationship had not reached such a stage for her to cook for him. It was as though a pair of ordinary friends suddenly leveled up and upgraded to another stage. The faint sense of romantic ambiguity enshrouded and grasped the weakest point in her heart.

nIn Xiang Wan’s previous novels, she wrote about the feelings of falling in love for the first time.

nHowever, she did not seem to have ever fallen in love with anyone. What she wrote was simply an imagination, and it was different from reality.

nPerhaps, this is my first love?

nWhat about Bai Muchuan? She swept a gaze over and met his eyes.

nBai Muchuan’s hands were in his pockets as he gazed at her passionately. “Well, what can I do for you?”

nXiang Wan was embarrassed. “What are you looking at me for?”

nBai Muchuan answered, “I’m watching you cook so I can learn from you.”

nXiang Wan was at a loss of how to rebut. She rolled her eyes and just let him stay there like a door god while she rolled up her long sleeves and put on the apron to prepare to cook.

n“You’re born to a Young Master’s life, why should you learn this? Only poor people like me need to take care of ourselves since young. Say, what do you want to eat?”

n“Tomato soup noodles with egg.”

nXiang Wan was stunned.

nWhat? He wanted such a simple dish?

nShe did not know what this Young Master was up to. Maybe he had eaten too much rare delicacies and wanted to have a taste of commoner food?

n“Alright.” That was just a simple dish, and she was totally fine with it.

nThe point was, Xiang Wan wasn’t a good cook. She could only whip up a few simple dishes. Since he wanted a simple dish, there was no need for her to whip up something difficult.

n“Step aside!” She behaved as if she was the owner of the kitchen, then shoved him away from the refrigerator.

nBai Muchuan was really different that day as he agreed to whatever she said.

nThere was only cooperation without any rebuttal.

nHowever, when Xiang Wan opened the refrigerator, she was flabbergasted.

nWhere are the eggs, tomatoes and noodles? she thought.

nThe refrigerator had been cleaned out. It might even be cleaner than her face.

nXiang Wan turned back and looked at him as if he was a lunatic. “Bai Muchuan, are you kidding me?”

nShe was angry and looked bewildered. When her little nose frowned coupled with her really fair skin, she seemed like a charming young woman who came from the fantasy world.

nBai Muchuan lifted his hands reflexively.

nThen, he smoothened Xiang Wan’s hair on her forehead.

nNext, out of reflex, his big palm rested on her head.

n“Just prepare whatever is suitable. I’m hungry, anything would be nice for me.”

n“Hurhur!” Xiang Wan was speechless. She slapped his hand away from her head and said, “Detective Bai, did you treat me as a witch who knows magic? That I carry a fragment of dimension around and things will fall out when I pat my head? Young Master Bai, please let me remind you again, you absolutely have nothing inside your fridge.”

n“Remember, there is, nothing, inside, there.”

nAs she repeated the words with emphasis, Bai Muchuan was startled for a moment before giving a slap on his head and laughed.

n“My bad! I’ve forgotten that before Nanny Li left, she had also tidied up the place and must have cleaned out the fridge. Even the beddings were packed away.”

nThe beddings…

nXiang Wan’s heart jumped. “How did you sleep last night then?”

nBai Muchuan pointed toward the living room. “The sofa of course! It was so warm last night, so I just make do with it. There were times when I worked for a few nights straight that I can even sleep while standing.”

nAlright!

nIt makes sense!

nThe hardworking Detective Bai who can endure hardship.

nXiang Wan looked around the kitchen, trying to find anything that could be eaten.

nThe end result, however, was a complete blow to her enthusiasm.

nNanny Li was a qualified housekeeper. She really cleaned everything perfectly.

n“Nevermind, maybe I should order a takeaway,” said Bai Muchuan.

nXiang Wan looked at him for a while without saying a word.

nHe wanted a bowl of tomato soup noodles with egg. It was definitely not something that he said without rhyme or reason.

nShe had stayed silent as she did not know why she had an urge to go out there and buy the necessary ingredients and make that bowl of noodles.

nIt was not for the sake of his stomach, but for her heart.

nJust as Fang Yuanyuan told her before—one would not get a lot of such experiences in a lifetime.

nWhether it turned out to be good or bad, she thought it would be worth the effort. It would be an experience for her, as well as material for writing.

n“You wait here, I’ll get the ingredients.”

nXiang Wan took off the apron and wanted to step out of the house when Bai Muchuan grabbed her wrist.

nHe pulled her toward him in a domineering way and made her rest her head on his chest. Then, he lowered his head and looked at her quietly.

nXiang Wan was so shocked that she forgot to react. She was encircled in his area of influence.

nShe did not know what to do, not even to resist, and she just looked at him till she heard him say, “Together.”

nThis was the first time the two of them had been alone together not because of a criminal case.

nFor Xiang Wan, it was also a rare experience for her—that of being alone with a man.

nSince Bai Muchuan was really tall, she felt kinda stressed standing beside him so she distanced herself subconsciously.

nHe glanced at her without a word.

nBut when crossing the road, he moved from being at Xiang Wan’s left to her right.

nThe corners of her mouth twitched. “What are you doing?”

nBai Muchuan looked to both sides of the road and pulled her along, “Go! Are you asking for death by stopping in the middle of a road?”

nHis words were nasty.

nBut of course, Xiang Wan knew that he was only being kind.

nShe gazed at his dashing side profile and stayed silent.

nThere was a supermarket across the street. There were vegetables, fruits, and everything that a supermarket should have. Xiang Wan would always come here to get food and daily necessities. It was a pity that they obviously stayed very near to each other, yet they had never met each other at the supermarket.

nXiang Wan went directly toward the sections where she could find eggs, tomatoes, and the like. She wanted to leave after getting them.

nBai Muchuan was surprised. “Just these?”

nXiang Wan said ‘yes’ as she looked at the items lined up by the shelves, without turning to look at him.

n“What else do you need? I was thinking that you won’t be staying for more than two days. Moreover, you don’t know how to cook, it’ll be a waste to get anything more.”

n“Xiang Wan.” His sudden serious tone startled her.

nShe turned and met his gaze.

n“You do mind about the fact that I’m leaving Jin City, right?” he asked.

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