Chapter 246: Warmth of a Family

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

When they left the private kitchen, Zhan Se sent Xiang Wan back as well.

Xiang Wan had to agree that eating with a psychologist was still beneficial.

Even though Zhan Se did not lecture or preach her, neither did she do any professional counseling to her like a psychologist, the meaning from her words and sentences that she had subtly conveyed was very rich. When Xiang Wan thought back and reflected upon those words, she could still digest for a long time.

Zhan Se stopped her car at the entrance of the neighborhood.

“Go on, I’ll watch you from here.”

Xiang Wan: “…”

As Zhan Se did not seem to be joking, she could not help but laugh.

“Is there a need to be so serious? It’s okay, Senior, you can go now. I’ll be fine on my own.”

“It’s not that I want to behave like this,” giggled Zhan Se, “it’s your Little Bai. He kept telling me to make sure that I see you go inside the neighborhood till you’re out of sight before I can leave.”

The mention of Bai Muchuan made Xiang Wan feel a little shy as well as the feeling of sweetness and warmth.

“He’s always like this. As though I’ll get taken away by a wolf easily…”

“But it’s true that you’re easy to get taken away by a wolf! You’re so lovable. Not to mention Little Bai, even a woman like me also wanted to take you back to my lair and swallow you up—”

Pffft! Xiang Wan was amused by what she said.

Who didn’t like to be complimented? She liked it too.

The smile on Xiang Wan’s face had unconsciously blossomed into a flower. It was such a brilliant smile that Zhan Se’s eyes lit up at that sight.

“Oh my! I realized that you’re actually beautiful. The more I look at you, the more attractive you are… I can suddenly understand Little Bai now.”

“Senior, you’re the real beautiful one,” grinned Xiang Wan, “I’m afraid my brother-in-law’s not feeling at ease having such a beautiful wife always running around outside…”

“Fine, this is called mutual flattery!” Zhan Se laughed heartily before calming down. “Well, it’s true that he’s quite worried… worried about those young and good-looking fellows suffer in my hands…”

“!” Xiang Wan laughed heartily at her remark and waved at Zhan Se. “Okay, I’ll go in now. Senior, please be careful on your way back.”

“I will.” Zhan Se puckered her lips. “Go on.”

…

Xiang Wan now felt entirely different when she came back.

The flower buds on the balcony were ready to blossom, which beautified and brightened the season.

She sat on the canopy porch swing with her laptop on her lap. There was a ray of sunshine that shone on her. The weather was warm enough to not catch a cold in the autumn. Suddenly, she had a desire to write her story.

The plot, her feelings… she wrote very smoothly.

It was the fastest and smoothest chapter she had written for the past few days.

After she finished uploading the chapter, her readers were complimenting the chapter on the reviews and comments page. Xiang Wan stretched herself lazily on the balcony.

For a piece of work to gain recognition from readers, one would need to impress or move themselves first. Once that was satisfied, one would be able to find readers who would be satisfied with their work as well as able to feel the feelings of the characters.

Xiang Wan wrote a summary in her memo so she would remember these feelings while swinging on the swing. After that, she sent a message to Bai Muchuan.

“Darling, what do you want to eat for dinner?”

“Eat you.” The reply was swift and definite.

Well, that was indeed the style of Bai Muchuan.

Without Xiang Wan realizing it, the corners of her mouth lifted upward to form a smile.

“Sounds like a good idea. So you want steamed, braised, or boiled…”

“Will the boiled option be fairer?”

“!” Xiang Wan nearly burst out in laughter. “It’s spicier!”

“Okay then, I’ll choose boiled!”

“Yes, it’s settled then.”

Xiang Wan closed her eyes for a while as she sat down on the swing. After she looked at the scenery of the neighborhood for a while, she got off the swing and went to the supermarket.

For the past few days, she actually fell in love with cooking.

If it was in the past, it was impossible as she had never even thought that cooking was fun…

She had never thought that it could be so enjoyable to cook a meal for her beloved and wait for him to come back from work.

After picking the ingredients meticulously and patiently in the supermarket, she went home and cooked them carefully. She was serious and persistent about it. This was not just a meal, but a meal of love.

…

When Bai Muchuan returned, she was preparing her final dish.

The pot was brimming with hot vapor and the kitchen was filled with the aroma of food. Bai Muchuan wore his slippers and stood outside the kitchen where he watched for a while before he tiptoed over and hugged her waist from behind.

“My wife.”

“…”

Xiang Wan’s back went stiff.

Although their relationship with each other had been confirmed for quite a while, Bai Muchuan had called her with all sorts of nicknames and addresses but not “wife”. This sudden form of address made Xiang Wan’s heart as though it was hit by a warm current. Xiang Wan blushed at the sound of “wife”. She was also a little flustered, not knowing what to do.

“You didn’t make a sound when you come back. If this is not your house, you’ll be treated like a thief.”

“You’re the thief!” Bai Muchuan’s head landed on her shoulder as he grunted.

Xiang Wan was startled and turned to take a glance at him. “… Yeah, you’re right. This is your house…”

“You’re the thief who stole my heart!” Bai Muchuan added.

While Xiang Wan was surprised by his words, he planted a kiss on her cheek.

“Thank you, my Little Xiang Wan.”

That was really affectionate.

The affection from a man who was so terribly good-looking.

Xiang Wan’s heart started to race, and she felt her knees going soft.

“Don’t blow into my ear, it’s ticklish…” She used her elbow to poke him. “Go on, bring the dishes to the dining table. We can start dinner soon.”

Bai Muchuan laughed, gave a pat on her back, and did what he was told.

As he took out the dishes, he was murmuring.

“Let me see what’s for dinner today! Hmm, boiled spicy slices of pork?”

“Yeah, the dish you wanted to eat—the fair pieces of pork slices amidst the spicy red soup!” Xiang Wan laughed as she filled the soup bowl.

Bai Muchuan: “…”

In the kitchen, on the dining table, the sounds of pots and pans were as if some kind of family symphony, which was very common in the homes of ordinary people. However, for Xiang Wan, that feeling was like a long-lost warmth of a family—

Bai Muchuan spoke behind her, “You silly! Why did you prepare so much food? There’s only the two of us here. How are we going to finish all this food?”

“We’re going to Xi City tomorrow, so we should have a good meal tonight.”

Xiang Wan took a look at her fruits of labor placed on the table and showed an elated smile. After she washed her hands, she walked over to the table to take a sniff. “Sure enough, the most fragrant food is in my home!”

The words “my home” instantly lit up Bai Muchuan’s eyes.

She looked eagerly at the dishes on the table while he gazed at her side profile.

“Do sit down and get ready to eat,” said Xiang Wan. She gave a gentle flick of her long hair which revealed her slender fair neck as well as her small round ears with a touch of pink. As though there was some magic, that sight stimulated Bai Muchuan’s adrenal gland…

There was a fire within him.

He did not sit down nor did he look away.

He looked straight at her, and before he knew it, he had put his arm around her waist and held her tightly in his arms. It was a strong embrace, domineering and overbearing.

“Baby, are you tired from preparing all these food?”

His heartbeat was right beside her ear which felt warm to her heart.

“I’m not tired.” She looked up at him with a giggle. “Why? Are you moved?”

“I can’t bear to see you so tired!” Bai Muchuan’s hands moved to take her hands. He stroked them gently as though he was touching a treasure. “Don’t cook in the future. We’ll get a housekeeper to do this instead. When you feel like cooking, then cook.”

“You’re exaggerating!” Xiang Wan laughed, “I’m not so fragile!”

“Well, this house is not small, you’ll need help for all the cleaning and housework too.”

No women would not like being doted upon by their man.

But the more women were being doted upon, the more they were drawn—like a moth to the flame—and they would also give it their all for their man.

“Bai Muchuan, I can do it.”

“Don’t.” Bai Muchuan gave a glare, his expression was a little arrogant yet doting, his lips slightly pouting. “My wife’s hands should be used for her creative work, not for doing household chores and cooking.”

“…”

Xiang Wan just looked at him without saying a word.

Her gaze was soft and gentle: sentimental, affectionate, as well as full of gratitude.

The two of them were locked in their embrace and did not speak for a long time.

“The food’s getting cold.”

Even though she was reluctant to say that, Xiang Wan was more reluctant to see her efforts go to waste.

“Mm.” Bai Muchuan let go of her unwillingly and pulled the chair for her like a gentleman. “Please sit down, my wife!”

Pffft! Xiang Wan took a glance at him. “I’m not your wife yet…”

He has not even proposed and he’s already calling me his wife…

As she thought about that, her brain had started to fantasize.

She was a web novelist after all. Her imagination started to get to work and a scene of flowing rose petals and a white wedding dress came to mind—

Yet unexpectedly, the first sentence from Bai Muchuan when he sat down at the dining table was: “Our trip to Xi City might not be smooth sailing.”

“…”

Just a sentence and the topic was a thousand miles away.

Xiang Wan helped him with the dishes and continued with the topic. “What happened? You haven’t gotten the approval yet?”

Bai Muchuan shook his head. “I got it.”

That also meant that Serious Crime Division One could take over that case?

Xiang Wan was suddenly interested. “Isn’t that good? Why do you say that? Is the case really complicated?”

Bai Muchuan: “Not only that.”

Xiang Wan: “The difficulty is not on the case?”

“Mm!” Bai Muchuan’s gaze fell on her face again. “I’m actually considering if I should bring you along.”

Almost without any hesitation, Xiang Wan bit her chopsticks and disagreed. “I must go.”

Bai Muchuan: “… It’s not safe.”

Xiang Wan: “Come on, when was I ever safe by being with you?”

“…”

Silence persisted quite a while before Bai Muchuan puffed a sigh.

“I can’t give you a sense of security?”

“It’s not that.” Xiang Wan wanted to go with him. The first thing she did was to quickly give a self-reflection and pick out the reasons for insisting to tag along with him. “Think about it this way, I have the ‘Conan’ effect with me and I seem to get into trouble wherever I go unless I’m with you. How am I going to survive without you around?”

“…”

“Your Excellency, please have mercy and save my life!”

“… Silly woman.”

Bai Muchuan laughed heartily.

That laugh put Xiang Wan’s heart at ease.

Well, she felt that it was nice to be able to change a man’s thought sometimes.

This was because it could prove that this man—really cared about her.

…

The two of them ate their dinner slowly.

Xiang Wan was surrounded in the aroma of the dishes as she enjoyed the warmth of the family…

And as for Bai Muchuan, his heart had been set ablaze.

He had taken the initiative to take on the responsibility to wash all dishes and to clean the kitchen. After that, he took a bath, and when he came out, he saw Xiang Wan cutting and peeling some fruits for him. He immediately went over to ask for a reward.

“Little Xiang Wan, go check if I washed the dishes clean enough?”

Xiang Wan took a glance at him. “As clean as a whistle! Cleaner than you!”

“Nonsense, I’m cleaner and smells nicer!” As Bai Muchuan spoke, he walked over with a smile and sat right next to her without any gap. “Well, take a sniff?”

“…”

Xiang Wan could smell the fragrance of the shower cream and shampoo as he was huddled together with her when he sat down. When he spoke beside her, his breath tickled her ear which made her skin feel tight, her hair soon stood on ends.

“I’m cutting fruits. Go further away…”

“Mm.” Bai Muchuan sat further away, but his hand did not stop moving as it moved up and down slowly at her waist…

Both Xiang Wan’s cheeks and ears started to become warm.

“What are you doing? You’re like a puppy.”

“What do you think?” There seemed to be a fire within Bai Muchuan’s eyes

“I don’t know.” Xiang Wan lowered her head to focus on what she was doing.

He suddenly lowered his head and his breath was now blowing against her neck. “I want you.”

Emotion was the most difficult thing to suppress. If it was expressed, it would be received.

Xiang Wan’s hand which held the knife shook. “Bai Muchuan, you seem to have a problem today.”

“What?”

“You’re especially flirtatious today!”

“…”

Bai Muchuan held her tightly. “When am I not flirtatious?”

His question in return sounded husky and sexy. Xiang Wan could not resist and stopped cutting the fruit, putting down the knife altogether…

“Bai Muchuan—” she called his name.

Her voice was soft, and her eyes looked dreamy. Her hands slipped down slowly from his shoulders to his chest, just like how his hands used to “swim” around her body.

“Do you know how attractive you are… when you’re flirtatious?”

“…”

Young Master Bai found it difficult to answer that question.

“Do you like it?” he asked in return.

“I like it!” Xiang Wan raised her head slightly to avoid his lips as he drew in close. She placed her hands on his shoulders once again as she wanted to gain control. She seemed to be massaging his shoulders as she pressed on them and squeezed them. He seemed to enjoy that as he groaned two times in satisfaction. His breathing got heavier gradually. He stretched out his hand and squeezed her tightly as though he fervently wanted her to get closer and closer, his actions bolder and bolder…

Their lips were pressed against each other.

They touched each other’s lips lightly and slowly before it gradually became a deeper kiss.

The fire was burning in its respective space while the heart was pounding, loud and wild.

“Bai Muchuan!”

Xiang Wan suddenly looked up from his arms, gasping.

A pair of dark, crystal clear eyes was staring at him closely. It was not easy for her to calm down. “We need to get up early tomorrow, right?” She took a breath. “It doesn’t seem to be a good time…”

She suddenly took a piece of fruit and stuffed it into his mouth.

That was a big piece of fruit!

Bai Muchuan started to eat the apple as he looked at her. That took him quite a while to finish and swallow it.

“Woman! You did that on purpose, right?”

“Yeah, I did that on purpose. So?”

“You teased me and refused to take responsibility. You deserve to be punished!”

What the? Since when did she tease him?

It was him all along. The moment he came back, he started the whole thing, no?

Well, that was why she couldn’t resist… and teased him a little.

“Hmph! Eat your fill!” Xiang Wan took another piece of fruit and stuffed it into his mouth. “I’ll go bath now!”

“…”

Bai Muchuan was looking speechless as he stared at her, the apple still in his mount.

Xiang Wan sent a flirtatious wink at his direction and walked to the bedroom feeling lighthearted.

It was a while later before she heard him shouting outside.

“Once you’re done washing, let me know. I’ll come and eat—”

Pffft! Xiang Wan turned on the shower. As she looked at the flowing water, she was all smiles. “You bad boy!”

…

The next day.

When Xiang Wan—along with Bai Muchuan—arrived at the airport with her luggage, she realized that there were several other people going to Xi City with them—

One of them was a familiar face—Quan Shaoteng.

“Hi!” She was a little surprised. “You’re going to Xi City as well?”

Quan Shaoteng removed his shades slowly and showed her a devilish smile. “Yes, I’m such a handsome and big light bulb, do you welcome me?”

“Hahaha, of course…” Xiang Wan had not finished her words when Bai Muchuan suddenly held her waist and pulled her to him. “You’re not welcomed!”

…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep