Chapter 488: Who’s the Little Nymph?

Well…

Tang Yuanchu turned to look at her.

This was the first time Xiang Wan asked such a question.

In everyone’s eyes, she had good looks, as well as a good temper and personality. This type of girl seemed like someone who was specially tailored for a guy like Bai Muchuan. When she should be tough, she was tough; when she should be gentle, she was gentle. The most important thing was that she could understand how tough a detective’s work was and would never behave like most girls, who would throw tantrums and certainly would not be poking around to find out what he had been up to.

Hence, Tang Yuanchu was certain that she must have a reason for asking that.

He gave it a thought. “He should be inside his office the whole afternoon? I didn’t see him leave.”

Xiang Wan asked, “The entire afternoon?”

Tang Yuanchu nodded seriously. “Yeah.”

“Did something crop up?”

Tang Yuanchu shook his head and asked, “What’s up?”

Xiang Wan smiled at him. “Nothing. I’m just concerned about him. He told me that he needs to work overtime, again.

“… I really don’t understand.”

Tang Yuanchu explained to her patiently, “We have several serious cases on hand now, some of which have been unsolved for many years. Now that they gave this ‘zombie’ case, which caused a lot of controversy, to us… Although Captain Bai said nothing, he must be in a hurry to solve it. He’s our head, our boss. He’s the one who handles all the pressures coming from the higher-ups. It can’t be helped.”

“It’s almost Lunar New Year,” Xiang Wan continued the topic.

“It seems that the police need not celebrate Lunar New Year. Hah, haha!”

Tang Yuanchu laughed a little bitterly at the end of his sentence.

Xiang Wan didn’t show any response.

She lowered her head and was fiddling with the ring on her finger.

It was the ring that Bai Muchuan had personally put on for her.

“He said that after the festive season, we’ll get…”

She muttered those words softly, then paused and let out a sigh.

Tang Yuanchu replied with a question, “Get what?”

The corners of Xiang Wan’s lips lifted with difficulty. “Nothing much.”

She smiled with reluctance; her hand covered the ring which she had been stroking for quite a while and seemed preoccupied with troubles…

Tang Yuanchu swept a glance at her and didn’t ask anymore.

…

When she got home…

Xiang Wan wore her slippers and changed into a set of comfortable home wear. Then, she reclined on the sofa while holding the phone and waited quietly.

Sure enough, in less than five minutes, she received Bai Muchuan’s call.

“Hello…” She asked lazily with a nasal tone, “What’s up?”

She heard Bai Muchuan’s voice on the other side of the phone. “Did you cry earlier?”

Xiang Wan sniffled her nose. “Nope.”

“Tang Yuanchu told me,” said Bai Muchuan, “your mood didn’t seem good when you went back.”

She knew it, Tang Yuanchu’s a chatterbox.

A slight sneer appeared on Xiang Wan’s face; the pitch of her voice went lower.

“Do you think I’m supposed to be in a good mood?”

“…”

There was silence on the other end.

“Bai Muchuan, you’ve changed.”

“… I did?”

“There’s something in your mind and you refuse to admit it.”

Xiang Wan did not understand what kind of impact it would have on Bai Muchuan when she transmitted her troubled voice over the phone.

She only knew that there were words one couldn’t say easily when facing each other, but once there was a distance between them, she could actually get it out easily.

Thus, she just asked the things she couldn’t ask.

She did not hold it in.

“Nobody will give you extra work compensation if anything happened because you hold it in.”

She muttered another sentence.

She meant that for herself, too, besides Bai Muchuan.

“Xiang Wan!” Bai Muchuan suddenly called her name.

It felt like burning hot iron that landed right on Xiang Wan’s heart.

“I didn’t change,” he said, “there are just some matters I need time to straighten it out.”

“Can you tell me what’s it about?” Xiang Wan said, “I’ll help you straighten it out.”

“Some personal matters.” Bai Muchuan used that tone again.

It was that distant and cold tone.

In just a second, the ‘river’ between them had extended by a few meters more.

Xiang Wan kept quiet.

“Don’t overthink this,” he let out a faint sigh, “it’s something I have to overcome by myself. No one else can help me.”

“Understood—” Xiang Wan paused for a moment. “So, I’ll hang up then.”

“Mm, I’ll be back later.”

…

The weather forecast said that a cold wave was coming and there would be a sharp dip in temperature.

True enough, it was freezing by nighttime.

The whistling wind outside the window was harsh and bitter while they blew through the trees in the garden.

After Xiang Wan washed up, she waited for Bai Muchuan for a long time.

Midnight…

One o’clock in the morning…

She couldn’t help but to fall asleep gradually while curling up on the sofa with her laptop in her arms…

…

The night was deep and everything was quiet.

There was not a hint of the gleam of the moonlight at all.

Xiang Wan woke up from a dream with a thin layer of perspiration on her back.

She felt that something heavy covered her; it was a thick blanket.

Bai Muchuan came back home?

She was in a daze for two seconds before she turned to look around her.

“Ah—”

She let out a soft gasp as she was shocked.

Bai Muchuan was standing by the window, his back facing her while he stood there, motionless. In the dark living room where the lights were off, had she not been strong enough, she would suffer a bad fright when she suddenly saw the dark shadow-like figure by the window.

He turned around when he heard that gasp of hers. “You’re awake?”

Xiang Wan sprang and sat on the sofa while hugging the thick blanket as she glared at him. “Why are you standing there instead of going to bed?”

Bai Muchuan didn’t answer her question. He walked over to her and crouched down. “I’ll carry you to the bedroom…”

When he came closer, she could smell a faint smell of tobacco.

Although it was faint, the smell was actually heavier than usual.

Xiang Wan understood him too well. She could detect even a tiny deviation like this.

She could deduce that he must have smoked a lot.

She grabbed his sleeve then let out a snort. “Why didn’t you carry me inside the bedroom just now? Why now?”

“You were sleeping so soundly,” explained Bai Muchuan, “I’m worried that if I woke you up, you might have insomnia later.”

Xiang Wan usually had problems sleeping peacefully till morning.

Sometimes, she would wake up in the middle of the night, and she could not fall asleep again.

Only those who had a taste of it before could understand the pain of suffering from insomnia…

Xiang Wan was glad to hear that and forgave him for the earlier “neglect” by showing a pleasant smile.

“Alright, you’re now forgiven. Carry me now!”

Bai Muchuan looked at her and carried her to the bedroom without another word.

When the lights were open, and Xiang Wan immediately squinted her eyes out of discomfort.

Earlier on, the lights were off. Thus, she could not adapt to the sudden bright lights.

What was more uncomfortable was Bai Muchuan’s expression, as if he was extremely cold.

“It’s not right!” Xiang Wan sat up on the bed after he put her inside the fluffy bed and quilt. She sat still while hugging her knees as she stared at him, perplexed. “Hello Mister, did you enter the wrong house?”

Her sudden remark made Bai Muchuan slightly surprised.

Xiang Wan tilted her head as she eyeballed him while narrowing her eyes. “You’re not Bai Muchuan. You’re not my Bai Muchuan.”

Bai Muchuan walked over to tuck her into bed.

“It’s already late in the night, just go to sleep. Why are you thinking so much?”

If she didn’t think, then she wouldn’t be Xiang Wan.

She was not the type of passive and submissive woman.

Unless she wanted to give up her relationship with Bai Muchuan, she would not allow any misunderstanding and unhappiness to appear between them. She would also take the initiative to solve the problems between them.

During the evening, she had intentionally showed her weak and lonely self before Tang Yuanchu.

She waited for him on the sofa for almost the entire night too…

All these were her efforts to preserve the relationship.

Of course, that was not all.

Before Bai Muchuan pulled back his hand from her, she quickly grabbed his sleeve.

“Come sleep with me too.”

“You sleep first. I’ll bath first before heading to bed.”

“Hmph! You’re already back much earlier, but instead of going for a bath, you stood there and pretended to be a melancholic man. What are you up to?” Xiang Wan refused to let go of his sleeve and raised her chin as she peered at him gloomily. “Did you do something behind my back? Come clean with me, who’s that little nymph?”

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