Muchuan and Xiang Wan - Chapter 103

Chapter 103: Doubts of the Interview

The next day, Xiang Wan got up very early.

She made breakfast for Fang Yuanyuan and even brought some with her to the Criminal Investigation Unit.

It was the day of her interview, so she wanted to be there early. She also knew that the police officers on duty hadn’t had breakfast yet, so she brought them something to eat.

She was surprised to see Detective Bai in the office.

That’s weird, Xiang Wan thought. He’s their boss! The head of the whole unit!

The 805 case is already over, so why is he still so hardworking?

The officers informed Xiang Wan that Detective Bai was in his office, so she walked over to bring him the packed breakfast.

The door was half-closed, and he was lying lazily in his office chair, looking at the screen of the laptop. The ashtray on his desk was full of cigarette butts. He seemed a little pale, and his hair was somewhat ruffled, yet Xiang Wan felt that he had an aura of a sickly beauty and actually looked quite pleasing to the eye.

Indeed, people who were good-looking wouldn’t have their “beauty” affected no matter how late they worked into the night.

Xiang Wan felt somewhat jealous.

Ahem! She gave a light cough but received no response from him. She pushed the door open and knocked three times on it.

“Captain Bai, I’m here for the interview!”

Bai Muchuan looked up.

Although there was some distance between them, Xiang Wan could see that his eyes were clearly bloodshot from staying up late.

“Why do you look so drained?”

Bai Muchuan glanced at her and said nothing, but his cold look terrified her.

“What happened? What did you do last night?”

Bai Muchuan peered at her coldly without a word. Seeing that she just stared at him without any further action, he grunted with displeasure. “Hurry up and give that to me.”

“Oh!” Xiang Wan lowered her head to look at the breakfast she had prepared and put it in front of him. “You’re in luck! I made this myself!”

She was referring to the egg omelet and pickled vegetables, but Bai Muchuan first lifted the packet of milk.

“You made this?” He raised an eyebrow. His gaze seemed to pierce through her white shirt which she had especially worn for the interview today, but he rapidly retracted his gaze. “How did you do it?”

“…”

This guy!

Xiang Wan was annoyed but amused at the same time, and she swiftly extended her hands to take back the breakfast.

“You can choose not to eat it!”

“I’ll eat!” Bai Muchuan was even faster than her. He stopped her hand and stuffed a piece of the omelet into his mouth.

“…” Xiang Wan felt speechless at his behavior. “There’s a pair of chopsticks.”

“Hm.” Bai Muchuan stopped his actions and looked at her instead as though he had no arms. Xiang Wan saw the expectation in his eyes and found it difficult to refuse. She sighed and handed the pair of chopsticks to him. She also set out the food nicely. “Don’t be in such a rush, eat slowly. If you wolf down the food, I’ll only feel proud of myself!”

“I’m hungry!” He glanced at her.

“You didn’t eat dinner last night?” Xiang Wan asked casually, and Bai Muchuan actually nodded. “Yes.”

“Why?” Xiang Wan raised an eyebrow, surprised. She sized him up. “Did something bad happen? Fell out of love?”

Under normal circumstances, if men didn’t have any weight problems, it was impossible for them not to eat dinner.

Therefore… something had to have happened.

She was thinking about what it could be when Bai Muchuan laughed casually. “I’m on a diet!”

“!” Scowling, Xiang Wan said, “Don’t, are you trying to be like Huang He? You want to become a chopstick like him?!”

“Wouldn’t that be nice? If I were a chopstick, I could team up with him to become a pair of chopsticks. If anyone dared to commit a crime in the Hongjiang District, we could just pick up the criminal and eat them up!”

“!” That sure sounds good.

Xiang Wan shook her head while laughing in amusement and didn’t say anything more.

After Bai Muchuan received his chopsticks, he looked more refined when eating. He was originally a man of great poise. Now that he slowed down, a simple meal became a feast for the eyes. Xiang Wan felt that she was looking at a dashing prince or a young master of noble origins taking his meal.

“…”

Don’t look anymore. If you look any longer, you’ll gobble him up as food, she told herself.

Xiang Wan retracted her gaze with a slight self-mocking smile and looked towards the laptop on the desk…

There was a page from “The Grey List” on the screen.

“You’re also reading Second Young Master Mu’s books!” she exclaimed with excitement.

There was a visible pause in Bai Muchuan’s eating.

He opened his mouth to speak, and choked on his food!

“Cough, cough!” He cleared his throat and wiped his mouth elegantly. “Yes, I read them when I have nothing urgent to do.”

“You’re on good terms with him, right? Otherwise, how did you get his autograph?”

Bai Muchuan raised an eyebrow.

“Our relationship… is just normal. I think he’s done a good job writing the parts on criminal investigation. They can be used as a reference for cases.”

“Yes, yes, yes! It’s really well-written and realistic.” Xiang Wan’s eyes lit up in an instant. She chatted as if she’d just found a bosom friend, and her speed of talking increased. “The most important point is that not only can he write about cases realistically, he also shows ingenuity when dealing with dramatic conflicts. It doesn’t make readers feel that it’s all fake. His characterization is even more astonishing. In just two or three sentences, I feel as if the character is right in front of me, like a living person. He’s so much more skillful than me. Actually, when he was writing ‘The Grey List’, I was already paying attention to it, before it got all popular…”

When Xiang Wan talked about Second Young Master Mu, her words flowed like a stream.

Her eyes were full of admiration and adoration.

The light in her eyes was obvious to see, and when Bai Muchuan saw it, his initial good mood gradually disappeared. His expression grew sullen and unhappy.

“You like him that much?”

“Of course!” Xiang Wan’s eyes curved up, and she smiled in response. “He’s my idol! Totally my favorite!”

Bai Muchuan was holding a piece of omelet with the chopsticks when he heard that. He frowned when he saw her face beaming with joy and suddenly closed his laptop as if someone had offended him.

“You’d better worry about yourself,” he said coldly.

“Huh?” Xiang Wan raised an eyebrow.

“For instance, your writing skills as well as your interview later!”

“…”

From heaven to hell, that phrase could be used to describe Xiang Wan’s feelings at that moment.

It had been such a pleasant chatting session, but he just had to pour cold water over her.

She had prepared the entire night for the interview.

But even now, she didn’t know how the interview would be conducted.

“What will I be tested on during the interview? Are you the interviewer?”

Bai Muchuan swept a glance at her.

“I’m your man, so I’m only an observer.”

What do you mean by ‘I’m your man’?

Xiang Wan felt her cheeks warming up. “I’m talking about something serious, don’t joke around!”

“I’m serious! I’m the one who recommended you, so I’m your referrer. Of course I can’t be the one to interview you.”

“Can’t you just say you’re the referrer…” Xiang Wan lowered her head and mumbled softly, “Why did you say you’re my man…”

“Not willing?” Bai Muchuan raised an eyebrow, picked up another piece of omelet, and gave her a sidelong glance. “What a coincidence, I’m not willing either!”

This scoundrel!

Go and die, go and die!

Xiang Wan was angry, but she was also grateful at the same time.

With regards to this job position, Bai Muchuan had really helped her a great deal.

If not for him, then with just her qualifications, she would have never gotten a job like this.

But he was very obstinate; he simply refused to say anything she wanted to hear.

“What would you like to hear?” Bai Muchuan asked suddenly. His deep eyes were like a smiling spring. The sunned glint in them made Xiang Wan narrow her eyes, and she almost fell speechless.

“How did you know what I was thinking?”

“I can guess!” Bai Muchuan smiled. “Young women like you… are still too inexperienced!”

“…”

The interview was to be conducted in the conference room.

Bai Muchuan finished his breakfast, and after resting for about half an hour, Tang Yuanchu walked into the office.

“Captain Bai, Commissioner Wang is here.”

“Okay! We’ll be there in a minute!” Bai Muchuan got up lazily and saw Xiang Wan’s obviously tense facial expression. “Shall we go?”

“Mm.” Xiang Wan followed after him. She kept telling herself not to be anxious, but her body simply refused to listen. Her heart was pounding so fast that it was out of control, as if it was about to jump out from her throat. She felt even more uneasy than the first time she had went for a job interview…

Bai Muchuan stopped abruptly to look at her.

“Brace yourself! An ugly daughter-in-law will have to meet her parents-in-law sooner or later.”

“…”

“Straighten your back!”

“…”

“Lift up your head and look at me.”

“…”

“Take a deep breath! Exhale.”

Xiang Wan did as he instructed.

When she finished, Bai Muchuan let out a chuckle and patted her head as if he was petting a dog.

“Good! That’s how it should be!”

“…”

Bai Muchuan pushed the door and led Xiang Wan into the room.

It was a conference room that was temporarily being used for the interview.

In fact, the interview was a last-minute request from Commissioner Wang. There was no one else except him.

He just wanted to take a look at this extraordinary person who could make Bai Muchuan strongly recommend her for the post… However, when he saw that Xiang Wan was actually a dainty, young woman, he was so stunned he forgot to put down the teacup in his hand.

“Commissioner Wang,” Bai Muchuan said. “This is Xiang Wan.”

“Nice to meet you, Commissioner Wang!” Xiang Wan tried to smile appropriately.

“Nice to meet you.” Commissioner Wang swept a meaningful glance at Bai Muchuan and placed his teacup on the table. He stretched out his hand to indicate the seat across from him. “Please sit.”

“Thank you!”

Xiang Wan sat down stiffly and stayed still as she waited for his questions.

Commissioner Wang gazed deeply at the woman. In his mind, he already decided that Bai Muchuan recommended Xiang Wan because of her looks. Several thoughts ran through his head with regards to Bai Muchuan’s motive, and his gaze on Xiang Wan grew a little darker.

“Little Xiang is a citizen of Jin City?”

Before meeting Commissioner Wang, the highest figure of authority that Xiang Wan had ever met was the community’s director as well as Bai Muchuan.

Therefore, when Commissioner Wang talked to her amicably about her background, she gave a light smile while trying to maintain her composure.

“Yes, Commissioner Wang, I’m a local.”

“I see.” Commissioner Wang nodded and took a look at Bai Muchuan. “I heard from Little Bai that you have a knack for criminal profiling?”

“I… somewhat,” Xiang Wan answered vaguely. She wasn’t too sure about it herself.

“I’ve seen your profiling analysis for the case at ‘The Palace’. With all due respect, you’re very talented in this area. However, the police still need evidence in order to solve cases. From the final conclusion, your profiling failed. Of course, with regards to the promotion and application of the new emerging skill of criminal profiling, I have currently adopted a conservative stance.”

Failed!

Xiang Wan’s face flushed red.

“Commissioner Wang, I’m not specialized in this field, but I’ll definitely study hard in the future and gain more theoretical knowledge from real-life situations…”

“Little Bai said that talent is more important than learning.” Commissioner Wang nudged his spectacles and laughed suddenly. He observed Bai Muchuan from the corner of his eye; his expression had remained neutral.

“Have you decided?”

Xiang Wan was slightly surprised.

Is he asking me… or Bai Muchuan?

Is he asking Bai Muchuan whether to keep me… for the post?

Xiang Wan was unable to answer a question that she couldn’t make heads or tails of.

In confusion, she looked at Commissioner Wang, then Bai Muchuan.

The next moment, she heard Bai Muchuan reply slowly, “Yes.”

…

It was a “yes” filled with mystery.

Xiang Wan still had no idea what Commissioner Wang was talking about.

Nevertheless, when he heard the reply, he looked relieved, and his smile grew wider.

“Alright, then it’s decided.”

Somehow, this “decided” and the earlier “decided” seemed different?

Xiang Wan was curious, but it wasn’t appropriate for her to ask a question out of the blue, so she could only look at the two men who were making puzzling remarks.

“It’s settled then!” Commissioner Wang got up slowly and extended his hand towards Xiang Wan with a smile.

“Welcome, Little Xiang. At present, we are tasked with heavy responsibilities, tight deadlines, and may come across cases with a great level of difficulty. I hope you can get used to your job soon because your profiling could play a key role in criminal investigation!”

Ah! I passed the interview just like that?

Bewildered, Xiang Wan got up and shook hands with Commissioner Wang.

“Thank you, Commissioner Wang!”

“Haha!” After shaking hands, Commissioner Wang nodded in satisfaction. “You’ll be working under Captain Bai going forward. Do your best!”

“I will, Commissioner Wang.”

“I still have a meeting this afternoon, so I’ll be leaving first!”

After saying what should be said, Commissioner Wang left.

In total, he seemed to have only stayed for about ten minutes.

This was such a simple interview that it was quite puzzling. In the end, the “talent show” that Xiang Wan had prepared the previous night wasn’t put to any use.

The moment Commissioner Wang left, Xiang Wan turned to Bai Muchuan.

“What happened? Isn’t this supposed to be an interview?”

“Well, didn’t you pass it?” he asked in response.

“But he didn’t ask me anything?”

“He’s seen your profiling analysis. This interview was for him to see you in person.”

“… Didn’t he say my profiling analysis failed?”

Bai Muchuan frowned and knocked her head with his fist.

“Why do young women nowadays have so many questions? Are you unhappy to to have gotten this job?”

“Heh!”

Xiang Wan felt younger every time he called her ‘young’.

She winked at him, smiling sweetly. “Of course I’m happy. Thank you, Captain Bai, for your support…”

Bai Muchuan responded with a ‘hm’ and gave her a look that suggested he was proud of himself.

“Come in tomorrow to get your new employee procedures done.” He paused for a moment, then continued solemnly, “Your role as an advisor is not a permanent position. Your working hours aren’t fixed as well. In principle, as long as there are no major homicide cases, you have free control over your time.”

Wow!

Xiang Wan felt very excited.

“That’s wonderful, Captain Bai!”

Such an arrangement wouldn’t affect her writing.

This feels like a freaking awesome part-time job that’s specially tailored for me!

Xiang Wan was full of gratitude towards Bai Muchuan.

She was so agitated that she wanted to give him a hug, as well as a bite.

“No need to repay me!” Bai Muchuan seemed to have seen through her thoughts. “Just take care of my breakfast every day.”

“…”

Is that not considered repayment?

…

Well, Xiang Wan was elated so she would comply with that without putting up a fight.

She went home in a cheerful mood and opened her laptop to start writing. It would be good to save an extra chapter as she would be starting her new job tomorrow.

However, the moment she started browsing the internet, her attention got hijacked by something else.

The pre-shooting ceremony for “The Grey List”!

Location of filming: Jin City!

Ahhhhh!

Xiang Wan was excited as this was the book that made her decide to become a web novelist!

She didn’t expect that the filming location would be in her home city!

“Are you going to visit them?” When Fang Yuanyuan came back from work, her first question was about the filming of “The Grey List”.

The fact that the filming crew would be coming to Jin City had invigorated her for the whole day.

“Oh, my idol! I have to find a way to go there and see him!”

“Which idol? I remember your last idol was a Korean oppa?”

“I’ve had a change of heart! I like domestic stars now!”

“…” Xiang Wan raised an eyebrow. “Oh, who is it now?”

“Yu Ning! Haha!” Fang Yuanyuan snapped her fingers and grinned. “The main male lead from ‘The Grey List’!”

“… I thought you’d like Ye Lun.”

“Wrong! I like righteous-looking men with a masculine aura, alright? I don’t like young men with a somewhat dark and devilish aura!”

“Like Huang He?”

“Bleh!”

The mention of Huang He made Fang Yuanyuan shy, bringing a happy and sweet smile to her face.

Well, she’s in love after all!

Xiang Wan laughed, feeling happy for her.

When Fang Yuanyuan learned that Xiang Wan would be going to work at the Criminal Investigation Unit, she heaved a sigh, and her happy expression was gone.

“… I wonder when Huang He will be able to go back to work!”

“He’s coming back soon. Don’t worry, he’s so good at his job, after all.”

Xiang Wan could only console her.

The current Fang Yuanyuan needed all the encouragement she could get.

Only then would she be able to summon enough courage to pursue her happiness!

…

On Xiang Wan’s first day of work, nothing happened.

Not to mention a homicide case, there wasn’t even the smallest sign of crime taking place in the district.

Could it be that she had an inherent peaceful attribute?

Bai Muchuan said she could leave since there wasn’t anything that required her assistance. But she felt awkward leaving early on her first day of work.

Thus, after the new employee procedures were done and submitted, she stayed on till it was the official time to get off work. She yawned, made a trip to the ladies and decided to go back home.

“… I heard Captain Bai agreed to stay on the team so that Commissioner Wang would agree to keep Xiang Wan as an advisor?”

“Are you sure? Where did you hear that?”

“Didn’t we hear two days ago that Captain Bai was going back to the capital? He initially returned for the 805 case. Now that the case is closed, he should’ve gone back, but Commissioner Wang couldn’t bear to let him go, right? So a lot of people have been saying that… Xiang Wan’s case is a typical example of nepotism!”

“Stop bullsh*tting me! Do you really think Commissioner Wang can keep Captain Bai in Jin City whenever he feels like it? Think again!”

“… You’re right about that. Maybe Captain Bai has something else to do?”

“I know as much as you do. It’s best if we don’t know much about the affairs of our bosses. Work more and talk less!”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

When the two police officers came out, they were startled when they saw Xiang Wan.

“… Hello there.”

“Hello, nice to meet you!” Xiang Wan put on a smile.

The two had been caught red-handed in gossiping about Xiang Wan and their two bosses—they wished the ground would swallow them up.

They didn’t dare to look at her. Instead, they swept a glance at each other and quickly left the place.

Xiang Wan stood where she was and looked at their backs, replaying what they had said as well as yesterday’s puzzling conversation between Commissioner Wang and Bai Muchuan.

Could it be true after all?

The condition for employing her was him staying in Jin City?