Muchuan and Xiang Wan - Chapter 122
Chapter 122: She Went Missing
A spring breeze caressing the cheeks.
At that moment, Xiang Wan thought of this sentence.
Bai Muchuan’s voice was pleasant to the ear; it was low, deep, casual and it touched her heart.
Bai Muchuan had deep eyes that seemed particularly attentive when he looked at people. That look of his did not feel like an ordinary look, his eyes were like stars, and seemingly glistening.
Bai Muchuan really did seem very sincere. His tall stature smart and gentle; his uniform made him upstanding and ebullient.
He was like a ball of fire that could burn others.
Xiang Wan looked at him quietly. She heard her own heartbeat but saw their distance with each other as well.
Hence, she said, “No.”
His gentle gaze instantly became a sharp knife. Bai Muchuan’s face sank. “Xiang Wan, how can you be shameless like a rogue?!”
Xiang Wan lifted her chin slightly. “When did I behave like one?”
Bai Muchuan grunted a laugh, “We’ve talked so much last night but you didn’t put them to heart?”
Xiang Wan remained silent as she did not dare to say a word. She was afraid to expose her real actual feelings so she just looked at him quietly, wearing an expression that said “I’m all ears”.
“You’ve said that there are two problems between us,” said Bai Muchuan. “Firstly, you doubt my sincerity. Secondly, you have doubts about my relationship with Xie Wanwan. I told you I can resolve them, right?”
“Is that so?” Xiang Wan played dumb.
“Don’t play dumb!” Bai Muchuan gave her a glare.
“Fine, even if you have said so, do you think you have resolved them?”
“The first problem!” Bai Muchuan took a look at himself and raised an eyebrow. “You really can’t feel my sincerity?”
Flowers, police uniform and the effort he put to come here first thing in the morning, if she said he had no sincerity, it would be too much.
Moreover, this was not the main point that made Xiang Wan hesitate to be with him.
She gave it a thought and put on a half-smile. “You can continue? Or that’s all?”
“Why did I feel that you have nothing to fear?” Bai Muchuan narrowed his eyes at her, grunted a laugh and gritted his teeth in discontent. “Xiang Wan, you… you’re really hateful, do you know that?”
“Then why did you come here and make yourself unhappy?”
Bai Muchuan thought for a moment.
Soon, he nodded his head and gave a sigh. “Well, you’re my Queen. Alright, let me in, we need to focus on the second point!”
Uh! The second point?
Xiang Wan’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Could it be that he wanted to come clean with her about matters relating to Xie Wanwan?
Didn’t he say he needed to keep his promise? Didn’t he say it was supposed to be a secret?
Bai Muchuan seemed to see through her thoughts. He was shaking his head when he passed by her left side. “No choice! Brothers are like limbs, women are like clothes. Hands and feet can be inconvenienced but one can’t go without clothes…”
Wow!
She gave full marks for this sentence.
However, Xiang Wan could somehow sense what he was trying to say.
“By limbs, you mean Xie Wanwan is like a brother, a buddy to you?”
Bai Muchuan lifted an eyebrow. “In my heart, she is no different from Quan Laowu.”
“Hurhur! That’s still a big difference.” Xiang Wan poured a glass of water and placed it on the coffee table. She crossed her arms and looked at him. “Well, she has smoother skin and a slimmer waist than Quan Laowu. She’ll definitely feel softer when hugged…”
Pffft! Bai Muchuan nearly choked on the mouthful of water he just drank.
Lifting an eyebrow, he was coughing and clearing his throat before giving a chuckle. “You’re jealous?”
“Scram!” Xiang Wan sat down slowly and asked in reply, “Why should a Queen get jealous?”
“Yes, my Queen.” Bai Muchuan nodded his head in agreement, took another mouthful of water and puffed a comfortable sigh as he lied on the sofa lazily. “This feels nice. I feel like sleeping already…”
He was tired and felt sleepy. As he said so, his eyelids were fluttering, trying to stay awake.
Xiang Wan raised an eyebrow. “You have not told me how you are going to prove the second point?”
Bai Muchuan smiled at her with his eyes half-closed, seemingly still struggling to keep his eyes open and beckoned her with a finger. “Sit over here and I will tell you…”
“…”
This fellow!
Xiang Wan was stunned for a moment and wanted to retort back when the doorbell rang.
Who’s here again? Xiang Wan wanted to get up from the sofa when Bai Muchuan leaned over and grabbed her wrist. “Ignore him!”
Him? He knew who was outside the door?
Xiang Wan took a look at Bai Muchuan and stayed still.
The one outside the door knocked a few more times and a moment later, Bai Muchuan’s mobile phone rang.
He took the call and spoke in a lazy tone, “Hello!”
It was Cheng Zheng on the other end of the phone. “Open the door!”
The corners of Bai Muchuan’s mouth quirked up. His smiling eyes caught hold of Xiang Wan’s momentarily dazed expression. He had wanted to pinch her cheeks but when he raised his hand, she glared at him. With that, he cleared his throat and rubbed his nose, giving her a sly smile instead.
“You know I’m here?”
Cheng Zheng: “I saw your car.”
Bai Muchuan raised his brows and hang up the phone. He let go of Xiang Wan’s wrist and walked to the door in a leisurely manner…
Well, he had the disposition of an owner for he totally did not treat himself like an outsider.
“Yo, it’s so early in the morning, why are you standing on ceremony with us?” Bai Muchuan took the breakfast that Cheng Zheng was holding on his hand warmly. “It’s okay to drop by with your hands empty. But if you want to bring something along, you should bring something valuable.”
Cheng Zheng was wearing his sports attire, seemingly just came back from his morning jog. Maybe he had climb up the stairs instead of using the lift as there were beads of perspiration on his nonchalant face.
When he stood beside Bai Muchuan, although he was the one who had just worked out, yet he still had his cold, detached aura with him. Obviously a wide contrast against Bai Muchuan who had not slept a wink since yesterday but was beaming with vigor.
“You’re here so early. Is there something you need?” Cheng Zheng asked.
“Oh,” smiled Bai Muchuan, “I’m here to look for Wanwan for some private matters.”
Wanwan? It sounds so mushy! Xiang Wan’s hairs stood on end at that instant.
It’s such a waste! This fellow should act in Qiong Yao[1]**’s dramas.
At this juncture, it was not suitable for her to butt in.
Cheng Zheng’s gaze fell on the bouquet of flowers on the coffee table.
His eyes dimmed. “Yellow lilies, hypocrisy and debauchery.”
Cheng Zheng even knew about flowers and their meanings?
Xiang Wan couldn’t help wanting to laugh as she saw Bai Muchuan pulled a long face instantly at his remark. “So yellow lilies have that meaning? No wonder! I think it suits Captain Bai,” she said in a serious tone and intentionally swept a glance at him.
“Heh, you’re helping outsiders?” Bai Muchuan squinted his eyes dangerously and looked at her as if warning her. Next, he did not bother what Cheng Zheng would think and beckoned to Xiang Wan. “Silly little one, why are you still in a daze? Hurry over and eat.”
Xiang Wan: “…”
She’s already 26 years old! It’s so embarrassing to be called a “silly little one”…
Bai Muchuan waited for her to come over and smiled at her warmly.
“Captain Cheng, have you eaten? Want to eat together?” He turned to Cheng Zheng as well.
“No need.” Cheng Zheng was as usual; his handsome face was emotionless as always.
He sat on the sofa where Bai Muchuan was sitting a while ago and his eyes looked at Bai Muchuan who moved closer to Xiang Wan.
This is really awkward!
Xiang Wan was unable to handle the pressure of bearing the gazes of two men. She gave an awkward smile and woke up Fang Yuanyuan with the perfect excuse: eat breakfast together.
The four of them were under one roof, but three of them had weird emotions.
Only Fang Yuanyuan, who was glowing in love, was in a relaxed and happy state.
“Detective Bai, have you settled the work at Grand Orchid Pavilion?”
Everyone loves gossip.
She had wanted to ask about it since last night.
Bai Muchuan, however, furrowed his brows as though it was difficult to answer the question.
This was because he did not know what extent of “settled” did Fang Yuanyuan mean.
He nodded his head to get out of it but after Fang Yuanyuan acknowledged that, she asked another question.
“Oh yeah, yesterday night when I came over with Sis, I saw you carrying a girl and you went up the ambulance as well. Who’s that girl?”
The pitiful Detective Bai was drinking soyabean milk. When he heard that, he choked on it and coughed so hard that he was unable to say a word.
This totally made Cheng Zheng’s day.
He was as if watching an interesting drama and crossed his legs lazily to enjoy the show.
“Cough, cough… Cough, cough, cough…”
Bai Muchuan could not stop coughing.
Xiang Wan looked at him and found it somewhat funny. Somehow, she just felt that it was interesting.
“Captain Bai choked twice this morning. Is it because you’re feeling under the weather or the soyabean milk is not to your taste?”
“I’m still alright, just that the soyabean milk tasted slightly sour.” Bai Muchuan gave her a meaningful smile, puffed a sigh and looked at Cheng Zheng who was sitting on the sofa. “Geez, Captain Cheng, buy from another shop next time. This soyabean milk tasted a bit too sour!”
The blame got shifted to Cheng Zheng.
“I didn’t buy that for you.”
“That’s really sweet of you,” sneered Bai Muchuan, “You know Wanwan likes to eat sour stuff that you have to feed her with that every time you feel like it?”
Cheng Zheng met his unfriendly gaze.
Their gazes seemed intense as if they had not fought enough the last round…
Even though Xiang Wan was an outsider, she could understand what he was implying.
It was obvious he was blaming Cheng Zheng for telling her about Xie Wanwan…
Oh no! Will the two of them start a fight?
Xiang Wan looked at the two and was hesitating how she could help alleviate the situation when she realized the two of them retracted their gazes and stopped the worsening atmosphere. One continued to drink water while the other drank soyabean milk.
What’s more incredible was, they actually talked about work instead.
“I heard there’s a death last night?”
“No. To be exact, two died.”
“Two?” Cheng Zheng seemed surprised by that. “So serious?”
Bai Muchuan snorted mockingly, “I really envy Captain Cheng to be able to sleep till daybreak and only ask about the case after that.”
“…” Cheng Zheng thought for a moment. “Isn’t this just a simple fight where one picked on the other?”
“The nature of this case is not so simple.”
When matters had reached such a degree, it seemed organized, pre-planned and there were casualties. It could even be compared to violent disputes amongst triads. How could it just be ordinary brawling?
Cheng Zheng gave another thought and asked, “Who died?
Bai Muchuan: “A sixteen-year-old female student. Ye Lun’s fan.”
He paused for a moment and occasionally sent a few glances Xiang Wan’s way. “The other is Xie Wanwan’s assistant…”
What! Xiang Wan was taken aback. She couldn’t continue to eat anymore.
Xie Wanwan’s assistant died?
That assistant should be the one who was closest to Xie Wanwan. If she died, that meant the situation then was terrifying beyond imagination.
When the fans went crazy, it was really scary!
Who made use of their love for their idol?
Xiang Wan frowned and asked out of reflex. “How did they die?”
Bai Muchuan saw Xiang Wan did not show any sign of unhappy emotion and was pretty much calm when he gave an account of what happened. “The assistant protected Xie Wanwan from a fatal stab. As for the young girl, she was stepped to death due to the chaos…”
Grand Orchid Pavilion was a high-class nightclub. When the incident happened, it was their most crowded and busiest time. The place was jam-packed, there’s music and alcohol. When all these factors were added together, the moment when something happened, it would be chaotic. A stampede was unavoidable…
“Good grief.” Xiang Wan felt sorry for the girl. “Why are they so crazy over their idols…”
Bai Muchuan’s burning gaze landed on her.
Xiang Wan thought of herself as her idol was Second Young Master Mu and she returned a glare at him.
“My case is different. It’s a nutritious pursuit of self-worth.”
Bai Muchuan laughed and got up from his seat.
“Hurry up and eat. We need to get back to office. Today will be a busy day.”
Eh? Xiang Wan looked at him, confused. “You’re not going to rest?”
Bai Muchuan lifted his wrist to look at the time. “We’ll talk later, I can rest a while at the office…”
After a short pause, it was as though he suddenly thought of something and was not bothered with the presence of Cheng Zheng and Fang Yuanyuan. He turned to Xiang Wan, his eyes smiling. “Don’t tell me you intend to lend me your bed?”
Xiang Wan: “…”
The two men looked at each other and as if they were fighting against each other.
…
When they were on the way to the office, Xiang Wan suddenly thought of a problem.
Bai Muchuan said he wanted to “settle” the second problem, but she didn’t get it at all?
How did the topic somehow get drifted away?
However, Bai Muchuan was so tired that he did not drive his car but left his car at the neighborhood and got on Cheng Zheng’s car. The moment he got on the car, he slept. How could she wake him up to ask that question?
Besides, if she took the initiative to ask him, he might get ahead of himself?
Cos it would seem like she was really concerned about it.
Xiang Wan snorted inside her head and glanced at the sleeping Bai Muchuan from the corner of her eye.
When he was awake, he seemed to have an endless amount of energy. Now that he was asleep, his quiet features were mesmerizing like a piece of jade with a gentle hue. The slightly curved lips, long eyelashes, high nose bridge, there was no part which was not good looking….
“What are you looking at?” Bai Muchuan did not open his eyes but asked lazily.
Xiang Wan was scared silly.
His eyes were closed. How did he know that she was looking at him?
It was as if a thief was caught red-handed, Xiang Wan’s face instantly turned red, even her ears were burning.
“Captain Cheng’s right in front.” Bai Muchuan barely opened his eyes and smiled at her. “Don’t ignore others’ presence. You must learn to restrain yourself, okay?”
Is he asking for a bashing?
Cheng Zheng, who became their chauffeur just like that, must be cursing and swearing inside…
Nevertheless, he was looking as solemn as always. It was so though he had not heard anything at all.
Such refined manners!
To be frank, even Xiang Wan admired him a little.
She gasped and gave Bai Muchuan a glare, followed by an evil smile.
“I didn’t know you and Captain Cheng… Haha, my apologies.”
Bai Muchuan: “…”
Cheng Zheng took a glance at the rearview mirror…
…
When they arrived at the office, so did their colleagues.
The Grand Orchid Pavilion case was considered a major one. A special task force team was formed and led by Commissioner Wang.
Xiang Wan followed Bai Muchuan into the office and could feel the nervous and heavy atmosphere.
Everyone had things to work on.
Besides Xie Wanwan’s assistant, Yu Hui, and the female student who died at the scene. There were more than 20 people who were injured, five of them suffered heavy injuries…
“Didn’t I ask you to go back and rest? Why are you back here?” Commissioner Wang couldn’t understand why Bai Muchuan dressed so formally to work and kept surveying him up and down. “Young man, what are you up to again?”
Bai Muchuan stood upright and confident. “I’m not tired.”
Commissioner Wang scrutinized him for a few more seconds and motioned him to sit down.
“Everyone report the progress now. Little Bai, you’ll summarize the case and do an analysis.”
Bai Muchuan nodded his head and sat down without qualms.
A digital office was sure convenient. Even though Xiang Wan did not participate in the case last night, she could understand the case very well just from the photos and information presented to everyone. However, from the information that the police had, they seemed to gear towards treating the case as a simple group brawl…”
“Captain Bai!”
While the meeting was still ongoing, Xie Hui hurriedly knocked and came into the meeting room.
“We’ve just received news from 110 command center that someone reported a female university student had gone missing from last night’s Grand Orchid Pavilion incident…”
The name of the university student was Cao Mengjia. She had just touched down Jin City yesterday from the Capital.
The one who reported the case was a member of Xie Wanwan’s fan club.
Cao Mengjia had secretly skipped her lessons to come to Jin City for the sake of supporting her idol. Prior to her going missing, a fan club member, also a female university student from the capital, got to know Cao Mengjia via online. In order to save some cash, the two of them agreed to share a standard hotel room. That night, they arrived together at Grand Orchid Pavilion and quarreled with Ye Lun’s fans. During the chaos, they got separated.
This student also shared that before they went to Grand Orchid Pavilion, they had never thought to brawl with other fans. She did not bring any weapon with her at all. She only knew that everyone just quarreled and somehow it got escalated into violence. A short while later, someone shouted that a person got killed. She was so shocked that she got into a frenzy and ran for the exit. At that point, she didn’t see Cao Mengjia anywhere anymore…
Upon returning to the hotel, she had spent the night in fear and wanted to go back home secretly.
Nonetheless, as Cao Mengjia did not come back the entire night, she hesitated and finally decided to make a police report…
“I can’t get through to the missing girl. Her mobile phone is turned off.” Xie Hui reported.
In actual fact, she had not gone missing for 24 hours. By right, the police need not take in the report.
However, as she had gone missing at Grand Orchid Pavilion, they had to treat it as a case.
“We found the hotel that she checked in with and verified with a phone call earlier. She did not go back…”
That means…
She had really gone missing.
Xiang Wan’s heart began to pound wildly.
She had a feeling that something was about to happen. Even her breathing was somewhat tensed.
Bai Muchuan took a look at her and got up from his seat. “I’ll check out the situation.”
…
Once again, she followed Bai Muchuan out for the investigation. However, she was not calm just because she was used to it.
“Are you tired?” Bai Muchuan took a sidelong glance at her where he caught sight of her tightly clenched fingers.
“I’m not tired.” Xiang Wan wanted to say that the one who was tired was him instead. But somehow, she was unable to get it out of her mouth. “Do you think the missing university student as well as last night’s case, is independent or related?”
Bai Muchuan turned grim at that instant.
“I can’t ascertain that for the moment.”
Xiang Wan creased her brows when she saw him seemingly deep in thought. She felt a sense of helplessness… She felt they were as though a kite that was held in another’s hand, where that hand would decide if it should go farther or pulled nearer. There was no way to turn passivity into initiative.
Coincidentally, the hotel where Cao Mengjia stayed was the same as Xie Wanwan.
It was beyond their expectations yet reasonable.
This was because fans would naturally try and book the same hotel as their idol.
When they arrived at the hotel, the hotel manager received them and brought them to the room Cao Mengjia had booked.
“We’re here. This is the room. The two of them had booked the room via web reservation where they booked for two nights. After they checked in, they left their luggage in there and left the room. Last night, only one girl came back and the other one has not come back till now.”
The manager stood beside the door and gave an account of what happened. On and off, he would maintain eye contact with Bai Muchuan, trying to find out from his face if there was anything of concern…
Bai Muchuan nodded his head and walked out of the room first.
“Where’s the girl who reported the case?”
“She said she’s rushing for her flight,” said the manager seriously, stretching out both hands. “She said to just contact her if she’s needed. Hur, that young girl must be scared out of her wits and wanted to go back home. We can’t possibly stop her from leaving.”
Bai Muchuan nodded his head and turned to look at Tang Yuanchu.
“Get the check-in records.”
“Yes, Boss.”
The few of them spread out their work. The remaining ones checked the luggage.
Bai Muchuan was calm and collected whereas Xiang Wan, who was beside him, felt in a trance as though she was led into a chaotic situation.
“Boss, there’s nothing…”
Cao Mengjia had nothing special in her luggage. There were only clothes and toiletries.
Bai Muchuan did not say anything but took a glance at the luggage that was open.
Slowly, he walked over, bend down and took out a book.
“The Grey List?” Xiang Wan blurted as she was too familiar with the book. “She likes this book as well?”
If she brought a book with her even when she was travelling, she must have liked the book a lot.
Perhaps because both of them liked the same author, Xiang Wan actually felt compassion for her.
“I hope this girl will be okay.”
The few of them searched for clues in the room while Xiang Wan flipped through the book casually.
At the area about a third of the book, a page was being folded, it indicated where the owner of the book had stopped reading.
Xiang Wan was too familiar about the story of “The Grey List”. Just one look and she knew which case she had read till…
“Bai Muchuan.” She hesitated for a moment and called him. “Take a look at this.”
Bai Muchuan took the book from her. “What is it?”
Xiang Wan: “She was reading this case…”
In that case, a female university student wanted to elope with her boyfriend and went to the city where the boyfriend was staying without her parents’ knowledge. But she immediately went missing, leaving only her luggage at the hotel…
Bai Muchuan furrowed his brows, took a glance at her and closed the book.
“Let’s go!”
They did not find anything suspicious in the room. He instructed the manager not to let anyone enter the room. When they were leaving the hotel, walking in the main hall, they met Xie Wanwan’s other assistant.
“Captain Bai.” That assistant obviously knew Bai Muchuan. She hurried over the moment she saw him.
Bai Muchuan nodded at her and took a look at what she was holding. “How’s her condition now?”
The female assistant had bloodshot eyes. She might not have slept the entire night as well. “She’s much better now today. I’m back here to get some clothes for her… Sigh, Yu Hui’s death is a big blow to her.”
Bai Muchuan stayed silent for a moment before nodding his head. “Tell her that I will go over in the afternoon to understand the incident.”
The female assistant nodded her head and left.
…
[1] Qiong Yao/Chiung Yao (real name Chen Che) is a Taiwanese writer and producer. Often regarded as the most popular romance novelist amongst the Chinese-speaking community, her novels have been adapted into more than 100 films and TV dramas.
