Muchuan and Xiang Wan - Chapter 124
Chapter 124: The Cruelest Live-stream
What is she trying to do?
Xiang Wan looked at Bai Muchuan’s tense and cold expression. She couldn’t stop having a bad feeling about this.
“She wanted… to kill herself?”
Bai Muchuan took a glance at her.
Next, he tapped on the driver seat. “Drive faster!”
The police siren rang throughout the road. Cars and pedestrians tried to keep their way out. The police cars were therefore able to speed their way through the roads. Nevertheless, when Xiang Wan took a look at the live-stream of Xie Wanwan, she still felt that the way to her was still… too long, too long…
Xiang Wan was not familiar with Xie Wanwan, but the compassion in her made her burn with anxiety.
“Why is she so silly? Why does she want to do that? Is there anything that can’t be overcomed? Does she know how many people envy her? She has a career, a gorgeous looking face and a nice body… this is too crazy!”
Bai Muchuan did not say a word.
He was cold when he was silent, making the atmosphere even more intense.
The atmosphere in the car was more intense.
Xiang Wan stretched her palm. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You can talk about why she’s behaving in this way?”
“I’m not her.” Bai Muchuan rubbed his temples. “Everyone has different choices.”
Xiang Wan suddenly felt a little odd. “Why are you so calm?”
Bai Muchuan turned to look at her. “If I’m not calm about it, will she be okay?”
Xiang Wan: “…”
It was suddenly quiet inside the car.
The rays of sunset shone in through the window. The police cars passed by numerous amount of cars and pedestrians. Bai Muchuan was as though carved by the golden rays into a sculpture with a golden rim, bright and dazzling. However, his eyes were in the shadow of the sun, as if it was an isolated part from the world…
Xiang Wan was filled with nervousness, apprehension and fear. She looked at him till they arrived at the scene.
It was fortunate that Xie Wanwan had not leapt to her death.
She sat alone on the rooftop while holding a mobile phone. Half of her body was hanging in the air, looking at the crowd quietly.
She was indifferent and calm, like a queen.
At this moment, she did not look like someone who wanted to commit suicide. Her aloof mannerisms were as though she wanted to declare war with the world.
The scene was in a disorder. A celebrity who was live-streaming her last moments on earth attracted a group of spectators rejoicing over her act.
Beyond the police barricade tapes, huge crowds of people gathered to see what was going on. The firefighters had already laid out the rescue air cushion, and the police were using loudspeakers to persuade the onlookers to maintain order…
However, this building was not a residential building but a commercial building. There were no surrounding obstacles around it. Moreover, Xie Wanwan had artfully chosen a position where she could see anyone who tried to close in on her.
The tabloid reporters flocked to the scene. If not for the long police barricade tapes, they would have dashed all the way up to the roof without any hesitation, so they could interview the female celebrity…
Although they were unable to enter the commercial building, but that did not deter them from using megaphones to ask their questions.
They asked her if it was because of the conflict she had with Ye Lun that made her want to commit suicide?
They asked her if she had given Ye Lun a slap the other day out of a personal grudge or she had really looked down on him?
They asked if she live-streamed this to create hype or was it a publicity stunt for “The Grey List”…
They also asked her why she did not want to act in dramas with intimate scenes all these years and why she never had a boyfriend. They asked if she had a problem and if she was straight. There were even reporters who asked if she was lovers with her female assistant who had died protecting her? Otherwise, why would she protect her with her body? They also asked if she wanted to die because her lover had died…
This was too scary.
Too terrifying!
Xie Wanwan was sitting on the rooftop.
Her life was in danger any moment…
But their questions were piercing and unscrupulous…
When Xiang Wan alighted from the police car, her heart instantly felt chilly as she heard their questions.
They had done this for the sake of snatching the top trending spots, viral news, and survival. In fact, as long as they did not step on the bottomline of ethics and morality, their behavior could still be tolerated. However, they were actually trying their best to provoke a person who was on the verge of death. Xiang Wan really could not contain her anger.
“Everyone, a life is at stake here! Do all of you really want her to jump and die in front of you?”
Her personality was usually warm and gentle. She was not a person who enjoyed attention and limelight.
For the first time, she admired herself for going up to them amidst the many cameras that were directing at her as she lectured them.
“Every man has their own difficulties. Why do you want to rub salt into the wound of another? If your actions really killed someone, are you not afraid of having nightmares every night when you sleep?”
Several reporters were stunned and stared at each other.
“Excuse me, are you a friend of Xie Wanwan?”
In their eyes, was she being looked upon as a source that could provide them news?
“I’m not her friend,” sneered Xiang Wan, “please call me Lei Feng[1]!”
Her deadpan humor did not have a comical effect. Instead, these reporters who always dig for news saw something fishy instead. Under normal circumstances, the onlookers would only find the situation controllable, and those who came out to stop them must be related to Xie Wanwan.
With a determination to find gossip, a plump looking male reporter pushed his way through the crowd and asked Xiang Wan in a teasing tone.
“I’ve heard that there are many ‘les’ in her fan club, may I know if you…”
“What is a ‘les’? I don’t understand,” Xiang Wan interrupted him and raised her eyebrows in contempt. “All I know is that if you continue to talk nonsense again, I’ll rip off your tongue on the spot and you’ll end up in the headlines, do you believe me?”
“…”
A girl with a gentle appearance suddenly said some harsh words—that stunned the reporter.
“Tang Yuanchu!” Bai Muchuan walked over and glared coldly at the tabloid reporters who were hyped up. “Barricade the police tapes another three meters further. Deploy the police dogs as well, let them handle those who don’t understand human language!”
“Yes, Boss!”
Although there were the firefighters, special police (SWAT), police officers and so forth, their numbers could not measure up to the onlookers.
The crowd was originally noisy, but after Bai Muchuan roared the command, the ruckus immediately quietened down by a few notches.
Bai Muchuan was wearing a grim expression. He tapped on Xiang Wan’s shoulders and crossed the police barricade tapes together.
The SWAT team’s head came over when he saw Bai Muchuan.
They discussed about the situation and decided to carry out the rescue mission from three areas.
The first was the rescue air cushion and the life net which would be handled by the firefighters. Second, the SWAT team would carry the safety rope with them where they would get close by climbing up from three different locations behind the building. The third was, of course, to persuade Xie Wanwan to give up the idea of suicide and to cooperate with the SWAT team for the rescue.
“Captain Bai, we’ll leave the third mission to you.”
Bai Muchuan nodded his head and looked at Xiang Wan.
“Follow me.”
This building had a total of 42 floors.
The two of them took the elevator to the 42nd floor and walked up the stairs to the rooftop.
When they opened the door of the rooftop, the cold wind blew against them. Xiang Wan felt her nose itchy as she sneezed uncontrollably.
Due to this sneeze, Xie Wanwan immediately turned around, startled, so much so that her body twitched in the winds. Xiang Wan was so terrified that she immediately covered her mouth, worried that her sneeze might blew her off the building.
“Little Bai, you’re here.” Xie Wanwan did not seem surprised by Bai Muchuan’s appearance. She smoothed her hair and closed the livestream calmly. “I didn’t expect that we will meet each other for the last time in this place,” she chuckled. “I feel a little ashamed…”
At the bottom of the building, there was suddenly a loud scream!
It was because Xie Wanwan had switched off the sudden livestream which caused the crowd of onlookers below to exclaim in surprise.
However, how many people had cared about the life and death of Xie Wanwan, and how many of them only cared about not seeing what was happening on the rooftop?
Bai Muchuan walked past Xiang Wan and walked toward Xie Wanwan expressionlessly.
“If you really left like that, I should be the one who’s ashamed. For this would mean that I’m useless despite being a detective all these years…”
“Don’t come over!” Xie Wanwan pointed at his legs as her eyes suddenly turned cold like two sharp knives. “If all of you don’t let me bid farewell to this world, I’ll have no choice but to jump…”
Bai Muchuan stopped in his tracks.
He looked at her from the distance.
“Tell me the reason! If after you tell us about it and still feel that there’s nothing worth living on, that living is worse than death. Then, I won’t stop you.”
Xie Wanwan looked stunned for a moment before breaking into laughter.
“Yes, living is more painful than death. It’s really painful… I can’t see the daybreak, and there’s no dawn to speak of. There’s only unlimited darkness… Many a times, I feel like falling, falling into the abyss… why not fall into the abyss rather than wander around the edge all my life? It’ll mark an end to everything…”
As she said this, she suddenly turned to take a look downstairs.
“Look, they’re so happy… I don’t know them, but they could actually get happiness from my death. Little Bai, is this considered as my last charity act on earth?…”
Xie Wanwan liked to do charity work.
Children, the elderly, the handicapped, and the patients who were terminally ill, she would try her best to help them out whatever she could. Donation of money as well as items, sometimes, she would also do things for them. There were actually pictures and news that she washed the bedsheets at an elderly home…
Of course, the internet did not entirely repay her with kindness.
Those who wanted to criticize her would criticize her anyway.
The keyboard warriors mocked at her for putting up a show, mocked her for creating hype, and mocked at her for being shameless…
When Xiang Wan saw these news, it was impossible for her to ascertain the truth. However, at that point in time, subconsciously, she was just like the majority of people and felt that it was just a hype. After all, a wealthy celebrity like her could have many ways of helping people, there was no need for her to wash the bed sheet personally…
But at this moment, she felt a little ashamed.
For herself, for the evil in humanity…
“I used a night to think things over, and I’ve come to a conclusion. Look, Little Bai, ain’t I well now?” Xie Wanwan muttered with a carefree expression without any hint of pain. “Who said that death is not the true relief? Just like what I’ve said before, if my mom never gave birth to me, I would not have existed in this world…
“If I’m dead, the world would be gone and would never have existed for me. Everything would be back at its initial stage, isn’t this great? Little Bai, you’ll be happy for me, right? I will finally be relieved of all these.”
Bai Muchuan stood in the winds, his hair swaying and he had a serious expression.
“Even if you’re dead, the world will not disappear. In addition, those devils who are laughing boisterously at your death will continue to live well in this world. Why do you want to choose death?”
“If the kind or the devil wants to die,” chuckled Xie Wanwan. “There’s actually not much difference. In fact, many people did not get it that only death, only death, is the true fairness bestowed to mankind from the heavens.”
As she finished saying that, she gave a smile and wanted to turn back.
Nonetheless, Xiang Wan had noticed a hand belonging to a SWAT police officer who had climbed up.
“Xie Wanwan!” she suddenly shouted.
Hearing her name being called suddenly, Xie Wanwan turned to look at Xiang Wan.
She kept quiet and just looked at Xiang Wan, seemingly wanting to hear what she had to say.
Xiang Wan cleared her throat then she put on a little awkward but polite smile.
“Actually I didn’t know what to say. This is because I never experienced what you have gone through and would not be able to feel your pain. I just feel that, life is the greatest gift by God. It is irreversible, and cannot be restarted. Before we want to give it up, we must exercise discretion…”
Xie Wanwan remained silent.
“There is nothing that one could not overcome,” continued Xiang Wan, “you can talk about it. Share it with us or be braver…”
Xie Wanwan suddenly laughed.
“Don’t ever try to understand someone else. This is because, you will never be able to understand.”
“I know that.” Xiang Wan tried her best to find a topic to chat. But at that moment, she felt she was too dumb. “Actually I’m not afraid of death, but as long as there are people we care about or people who care about us, our life will not only belong to ourselves. Have you ever thought that if you’re dead, how sad will your family be?”
Xie Wanwan seemed dazed for a moment.
“I have no more family.”
Eh? None?
News from the internet said she was from a wealthy family.
Xiang Wan moistened her lips and took a glance at Bai Muchuan. “You still have friends.”
Xie Wanwan looked at her, narrowing her eyes. “Yes, I still have a friend. But, I’ve lost my only friend as well…”
Lost?
Xiang Wan’s heart sank.
That sure did not feel good. She felt as if she had snatched something away from someone and got reproached.
But she had no time to explain that, and certainly not the time to get embarrassed. The most important thing was to try all ways and means to hold her attention so that the SWAT team members could try to get closer to her…
“How can it be? Friends are forever. How can it be lost just like this?”
“I really envy you, for having a simple life.” Xie Wanwan blinked her eyes slowly, took a glance at Xiang Wan, and then back to Bai Muchuan. “Little Bai, I’ve lost the capability of being happy. I really want you to live a happier life. Forget about the past and start all over again.”
Past?
Xiang Wan listened and look at Bai Muchuan’s gloomy face.
What kind of past did he had with Xie Wanwan?
She was filled with so much doubt, but Xie Wanwan seemed to be worn out.
“Please go away. I’m leaving soon as well…”
Xie Wanwan said gently and turned to Xiang Wan with a tinge of desolation and tenderness in her gaze.
“Both of you are a match for each other. Please… be more tolerant of him.” She was as though saying her last words to Xiang Wan. “Maybe he’s more headstrong than others, more stubborn than others, and has some bad habits. But his heart is definitely softer than others, and he’s easily hurt. If he loves you, he will love you wholeheartedly. If you love him back, please treasure the relationship with him and give him more time. Stay by his side and never abandon him no matter what.”
“…”
Xiang Wan was speechless.
“Xie Wanwan!” Bai Muchuan shouted seriously, “I don’t need you to dictate my life. If you have guts, stay on and get invited to my wedding one day!”
Xie Wanwan lowered her head. “I don’t have the guts to continue living on anymore.”
Bai Muchuan was not as emotional as Xiang Wan. Even at this moment, he was still as calm as ever.
“Who is it? Who is the one who forced you to kill yourself? Tell me first even if you wanted to die.”
“There was no one. No one at all.” Xie Wanwan pursed her lips then smiled at Bai Muchuan. “I have something to ask of you. Little Bai…”
“Mm?”
“After I die, you’ll receive a parcel.” Xie Wanwan revealed a blissful smile. “It’s my doll. After you received it, bury it together with me.”
“What nonsense are you sprouting?”
Bai Muchuan took a step closer, his gaze was especially chilly.
“Where has your courage gone to? You’re going to die just like this? Is it worth it…”
“Maybe it’s not worth it.” Xie Wanwan smiled. “But I’ve accepted the deal.”
“Who’s the b*stard!” Bai Muchuan gnashed his teeth. “Who the hell is that? Say it!”
“Little Bai, don’t come over…” As Xie Wanwan said so, she suddenly turned back. “And you as well—”
Behind her, a SWAT police officer was just preparing to come closer and was stunned when she stared at him.
Xie Wanwan smiled weakly. “I’ve acted in so many dramas. How could I not know your tricks? Little Bai, don’t save me. I’ve told you, don’t save me…”
With that, she took a look at the time on her mobile phone and switched on the livestream once again. She adjusted the camera and made an adorable pose with her lips pouting together with the V sign, just like those selfie poses. Next, she looked up at the sky and said, “Time’s almost up. I need to go now. My friends, this is Xie Wanwan, this is my farewell performance to everyone…”
“AHHHHH!”
Screams could be heard from the ground!
“She’s standing on the edge!”
“She’s going to jump!”
“Quick! Look!”
The commotion and screams were getting louder and louder.
Xie Wanwan, on the other hand, did not seem to have heard them.
She stood at the edge and looked at this city. A smile slowly appeared on her face.
The sunset was beautiful. It felt warm just like a mother’s hug…
“Goodbye! This beautiful, cruel and filthy world…”
She opened her arms, closed her eyes and jumped—
Right at that instant, two gecko-like SWAT police officers who were hiding on both sides of her suddenly reached out and grabbed her legs. Bai Muchuan dashed over as well, grabbed her by the waist, and pulled her down. The earlier SWAT officer who she stared at earlier also helped to stop her.
“Ah! Let go of me. Let go of me!”
Everyone was panting heavily.
Xie Wanwan’s eyes were dilated as if she was dead.
“No! Please, don’t save me, don’t save me…”
“It’s too late! It’s too late… That person won’t let me off… That person’s not going to let me off…”
Xie Wanwan murmured hysterically and out of desperation, she opened her mouth and bite…
Tsk! A SWAT officer got bitten by her, and due to the pain, he started to break out in cold sweat.
“Let go! Let go!”
As he was from the SWAT team that underwent rigorous training regularly, he endured the pain and quickly removed the safety ropes on himself and put them on Xie Wanwan.
“Urgh… Let go, let go…”
“Stop your nonsense!” Bai Muchuan roared at her and looked at her with his bloodshot eyes. “Please don’t be so selfish, can you? You’re afraid, you wanted to run away just because you think no one loved you anymore. Do you know how many people are risking their lives just to save you?”
He used the SWAT police officers as an example who risked their lives climbing the 42nd storey high building.
“Did they owe you? They don’t, right? Why are they doing this then? Of course, it’s not the love between two people. They did it because of love of humanity. Love of humanity is what people like you would probably never understand in your entire life…”
Xie Wanwan was shocked.
“Little Bai… I was just…”
“No excuses.” Bai Muchuan’s eyes were cold and reflected the light of the red sun. “Don’t be afraid. No matter what happened, don’t be afraid!”
Xie Wanwan’s eyes seemed to turn grey and her body collapsed to the ground…
Almost at the same time, there were sounds coming from Xiang Wan’s mobile phone.
She still had the livestream on.
However, Xie Wanwan was just right in front of her and was guarded by two SWAT officers. Why was it that those who were watching her live-stream can still hear her talk?”
Xiang Wan felt strange, and out of reflex, she looked at the mobile phone.
“I am Xie Wanwan, but Xie Wanwan is not me…”
A low, teary hoarse female voice stunned Xiang Wan. When Xie Wanwan heard that, her pallid face turned stiff instantly.
“Quick! Turn off the livestream… Muchuan! Turn off the livestream!”
Bai Muchuan had other plans. “Be more courageous, don’t be afraid!”
“No—”
On the rooftop, Xie Wanwan’s heart-wrenching scream could be heard.
Bai Muchuan turned to make a quick call back to the office.
“Hurry up! Trace the location and find that b*stard!”
…
On this day, the sunset was nice.
Yet the world seemed to fill with an innocent, broken sadness.
Almost all the social media was playing the same recording simultaneously.
There was only sound without pictures; little by little, evil was being dug out and placed under the sun.
“Ever since the day mom brought you back, from that moment, you called me Elder sister. I treated you as my dearest and closest Younger sister… Besides you, I have no one else to talk to…”
It was Xie Wanwan muttering to herself.
It felt like a confession of the heart, yet it also felt like a painful narration.
Immediately, Xiang Wan thought of the doll as the opening was very abrupt.
It was a doll which was very important to her. The doll that “could talk”.
So the doll was a gift from Xie Wanwan’s mom, a doll that could call her “Elder sister”…
Not only could the doll call her Elder sister, it also came with a recording function.
She recorded Xie Wanwan’s happiness to unlimited suffering…
…
Xie Wanwan was born into a rich family. Her father was really wealthy and also really prone to having affairs outside. During her childhood, the relationship between her parents was barely maintained.
It was till her dad took his mistress back home when her mom finally could not take it anymore and left the world after a major illness.
That doll was a gift to Xie Wanwan from her mom before her mom died.
Her mom told her that if she had anything unhappy and wanted to talk, she could always tell her “Younger sister”, and the “Younger sister” would always stay by her side and watch her grow up…
Nonetheless, Xie Wanwan’s mom was too kind-hearted. She had thought that the everlasting love between her husband and the mistress, where it would last till the sea ran dry and the rocks crumble, which they had painted her to make her accept, was enough to show that the woman would treat her daughter well. She thought her little girl would continue to live a life without worry. But she did not know that after her death, the little girl who “always opposed” the aunty that suddenly appeared in her life as well as her house… how would the dad of the little girl be pleased with that?
Compared to women, men tend not to feel more for their children. They did not experience the pain of childbirth, hence, they wouldn’t feel the pain. In just a few years time, with the consistent bad mouthing by the new aunty, Xie Wanwan was always a “mischievous, heartless brat” in the eyes of her dad. She was then sent to a Youth Training School for re-education.
It was a prison, a cage that could see no daylight.
The people there, under the moral name of “correcting the children’s bad behaviors and habits, helping the parents share their worries and contributing love to the society” were as though a savior to eyes of parents. On the contrary, they were a complete nightmare to the children for they inflict them a lifelong injury that couldn’t be reversed.
It was spiritual destruction and physical punishment.
In this place where one could not see the daylight, Xie Wanwan spent the cruelest three years of her life in there.
For some children, getting beaten up, getting lashed out at, no respect, and no dignity could gradually become a habit. Even if she had to beg for food like a dog, once numb, it would be fine. Once the kids were obedient, their parents could come to pick them up. But not for her case since she was a beautiful child, the nubile body of a beautiful young girl was a sin itself… Hence, she was never graded “obedient”…
The teachers there were not teachers. The discipline there was not discipline. When there was no control over normal people’s behavior, when morality was being abused, when law and justice was being isolated from her, she was like a lamb to be slaughtered, battered and trampled beyond human limits.
“Why am I not dead yet? Why am I still able to wake up?
“Younger sister, I realized that death is not easy as it seems? They don’t allow me to die. They will always make sure I’m not dead. But my dad, he knew nothing of this. He would always pay the school on time, but he simply refused to come and see how I was doing. Why did he trust them and believed them that I’m not obedient…
“Now, my only hope of staying alive is hopefully to see for myself… how regretful he would be when he gets to know the truth. Or, to see him in tears…
“Do I really want to see that? Maybe I won’t get to see that. He won’t cry. The color of this world is black. My dad’s heart is black as well…
“He always put on a face that he did all these for my good and shouted loudly at me. As if when he did that, he would appear to be right… In actual fact, he never dared to look at me, he never dared to look into my eyes… He is guilty…
“He knew he’s in the wrong. He knew that I’m not in the wrong. He’s the one who’s in the wrong. He dared not face me… because I knew why mom died…
“Younger sister, I really miss mom. If mom’s still here, I will never be sent here… I regret… why didn’t I manage to keep mom with me… why did mom leave me? Why didn’t she know that besides her, no one else will treat her own child nicely…
“He’s in jail now. Younger sister, I just got to know that the business partner he was relying on all these years collapsed. He got implicated and was charged for taking bribes. He finally got his just deserts. That woman left him as well…
“But at the same time, I lost my financial source. As I don’t have money, so… They told me I can only use my body to pay my debts…”
Ding!
The livestream stopped.
The whole world fell into silence.
Tang Yuanchu called up, his voice shaky with worry.
“Boss, found it, found it!”
…
[1] Lei Feng – a soldier in the People’s Liberation Army in China where he was portrayed as a model citizen in 1963. The masses were encouraged to emulate his selflessness, modesty, and devotion to Chairman Mao.
