Chapter 423: The Breakup
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The news of the breakup between Bai Muchuan and Xiang Wan spread like wildfire.
Especially in that “Gossip” chat group; they were about to explode the group chat with a burst of messages.
Tang Yuanchu was the one who started it. “Did I hear this right? Someone please tell me this is just a joke!”
Quan Shaoteng replied, “Although I feel that being a single dog is great, I feel that it’s not too suitable for Little Bai to do this. Woof! Woof!—”
Tu Liang responded as well, “What is this all about? I’m feeling a little dizzy! Guess I’m getting old!”
Ding Yifan quickly chatted back, “This is so unlike Captain Bai’s style!”
Salimu replied nonchalantly, “Why not? I think Captain Bai’s style is to catch us unaware and make our face run cold…”
Quan Shaoteng chatted once again hurriedly, “Do you know how to use idioms? How did you get into college?”
Salimu replied, “Didn’t I mention it before? It’s because of my exceptional talent in hacking!”
Mei Xin interrupted their little banter with a chat, “Everyone, we have gone off-topic.”
Salimu then responded once again on topic, “Yeah, yeah, yeah! Why did Captain Bai and Teacher Xiang break up?”
“…”
Silence!
A silence that came suddenly.
About a minute later—
Cheng Zheng broke the ice. “Mei Xin, hurry and get the appraisal report for me.”
Mei Xin immediately responded, “Okay!”
…
The chat ended.
That chat group fell into a long period of silence.
Xiang Wan unlocked the screen of her phone, looked at it, and pressed the ‘Sleep’ b.u.t.ton.
After a while, she looked at it again.
Then pressed the ‘Sleep’ b.u.t.ton!
After that, she took yet another look.
And pressed the ‘Sleep’ b.u.t.ton again!
Her mobile phone lit up and went blank again and again.
Fang Yuanyuan, who was sitting beside her, puffed a sigh.
“Just what are you trying to do? You clearly aren’t over him, yet you’re pretending that you don’t care! I can’t take it anymore!”
Xiang Wan replied after a sigh, “You don’t understand!”
Hurhur! Fang Yuanyuan sneered.
“What do I not understand? I’ve seen too many of these lover squabbles. From what I see, you don’t look like you can leave him?”
Xiang Wan rolled her eyes at her. “…”
Then she kept quiet.
Silence was the best answer.
Fang Yuanyuan continued to nag her. “Those who really want a breakup will not pay attention to anything about the other party. Just look at you, you seem like a lost soul and you kept refreshing WeChat.”
Xiang Wan scoffed. “…”
After a long period of silence…
Fang Yuanyuan held Xiang Wan’s shoulders with a sigh.
“Sis, sometimes men cared more about their ego and pride. It doesn’t matter, just let them have their way. If he wants to be domineering, then go ahead: the mountain does not waver no matter how strong the wind is. If he wants to be arrogant, then go ahead: the moon is not affected no matter how strong the waves are… But when the wind and the waves died down, it’s time for vengeance…”
“Enough! Do you think Bai Muchuan is Huang He?” Xiang Wan heaved a sigh.
“Bai Muchuan is not Huang He for sure.” Fang Yuanyuan showed a gentle smile. “If he’s Huang He, he will have nothing to do with you!”
Xiang Wan gave a condescending frown.
Regarding Fang Yuanyuan’s jokes, she was nonchalant about it.
Fang Yuanyuan fl.u.s.tered when she saw Xiang Wan’s indifferent reaction. She could only talk about other topics and persuade her later.
“Are you really bringing Blackie back to Jin City?”
“If I don’t bring him back to Jin City, where should I keep him?” Xiang Wan laughed. “He can keep Bao Jie company!”
“… Don’t you think you’re being pathetic?” Fang Yuanyuan frowned.
Xiang Wan sent a glare over and she quickly shrugged. “Now that Blackie and Bao Jie can be each other’s companion, yet you’re back to being a single dog!”
“You’re the ‘w.a.n.g’ 1 ! Your whole family is ‘w.a.n.g’!”
“Of course my whole family is ‘w.a.n.g’ 2 !”
Fang Yuanyuan giggled and held her arm. Her gossipy nature was at work.
“Can’t you tell me,” she whispered, “why did you two break up?”
Well, Fang Yuanyuan felt that she had asked that some 800 times already.
However, she did not get an answer that she felt comfortable with.
Xiang Wan’s reply to that question was always “differences in character”, “always bickering”, “difference in values”, “different opinions about money”…
“So many differences! How did you get together with him, to begin with?”
“The work of hormones!”
“…”
Fang Yuanyuan was speechless.
At that moment, both of them were on their way to pick up Blackie.
Xiang Wan was planning to leave Xi City and go back to Jin City.
She needed to make arrangements as to how she could transport Blackie back via a pet transport service—
“Meow!”
When Blackie saw them, he could recognize them right away and greeted them with a mewl.
“Wow, you’re no longer cold to us, aren’t you? Little sweetie! Quick, get your owner to learn from you!”
Fang Yuanyuan was already smiling the moment she saw Blackie and played with him.
Xiang Wan, on the other hand, did nothing.
The staff of this pet shop was very considerate, and the charges were reasonable.
This was because Fang Yuanyuan haggled over the price and managed to get a discount. She bought some cat food and related products.
After that, they had to send Blackie for some check-ups.
Fang Yuanyuan handled these on behalf of Xiang Wan.
Xiang Wan’s reason was—Yuanyuan was more professional.
However, Fang Yuanyuan was very clear about the real reason—Xiang Wan was distracted.
When she sat on the cab, the expression she had did not differ much from Blackie…
…
By the time they returned to the hotel, it was already evening.
Xiang Wan pulled a large suitcase down to the hotel lobby under Fang Yuanyuan’s reluctant gaze and constant persuasion.
Uncoincidentally, she met Cheng Xin in the hotel lobby.
Cheng Xin should be the happiest person to hear that Xiang Wan and Bai Muchuan broke up.
Of course, she was also the one who understood the least as to why Bai Muchuan and Xiang Wan broke up.
Cheng Xin was not curious behind their reasons for breaking up.
Many modern men and women might share a bed at night, but they would split their ways the next morning. Hence, she did not feel that there was anything special about their breakup. Instead, she even had a proud look that said: “I’ve already expected this to happen”, and an indescribable elation.
How would she get a chance if they didn’t break up?
“Teacher Xiang…”
This time, Cheng Xin’s greeting was sincere.
She was smiling politely; her beautiful face filled with makeup was as if written with words: “Congratulations on your breakup”.
When they were some 800 meters away, Xiang Wan had already smelled the perfume on Cheng Xin.
Xiang Wan frowned a little at that strong smell. “Officer Cheng.”
Cheng Xin looked at her, eyes moving up and down then back up. She also saw her luggage.
“You’re leaving?”
Xiang Wan looked calm. “Mm.”
There was no need to make small talk with people she didn’t like.
After responding to that, she wanted to leave.
Nonetheless, at this moment, Cheng Xin wanted to talk to her.
That expression was typical—”tell me all your unhappy experiences, so I can be happy about it.” She was gloating about their breakup!
“I heard you broke up with Captain Bai?” Cheng Xin’s expression was full of joy.
It was the type of expression mixed with joy, fake concern, and hypocrisy, as well as an eagerness to take over what Xiang Wan had just “lost”.
“Is that true?”
“Mm.” Xiang Wan swept a glance at her. “Goodbye, Officer Cheng.”
She pulled her suitcase for she wanted to walk past Cheng Xin.
Nevertheless, Cheng Xin blocked her. “Why did you break up with him?” she asked with a cheerful face, “What a pity! Aren’t you getting along fine with him? How can you choose to break up so recklessly..?”
Xiang Wan stood quietly as she watched Cheng Xin’s act. “Officer Cheng, you’re blocking my way.”
Frankly, Cheng Xin had a hard time during this period.
After the incident at Vulture’s Mouth, she was like an invisible person in Serious Crime Division One.
Many of them alienated her tacitly, isolating her from their world.
Cheng Xin knew that they had a chat group and often chatted in there. However, they did not include her and hence, she couldn’t partic.i.p.ate. That feeling was agonizing as if the whole world had abandoned her.
So when she saw the lonely Xiang Wan, she couldn’t help but feel delighted.
“My apologies, Teacher Xiang!
“Aye, you and Captain Bai, Is there really no turning back?”
Xiang Wan smiled and asked in a casual tone, “Officer Cheng, we are not familiar with each other, right?”
Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow; her smile became gentler than earlier. “We’re not familiar, but I’m very familiar with Captain Bai! Our families are good friends with each other, I’m just concerned about him…”
Good friends?
Hurhur!
Xiang Wan gave a cold smile.
She totally couldn’t imagine all those complicated feelings of resentment he had with the Cheng and Bai Family.
Cheng Xin even thought the good relationship between their families was something she should be proud of!
“You should go ask him!” Xiang Wan said directly, “Don’t waste my time!”
After that, she stopped wasting her breath on Cheng Xin, changed to another direction, and left with her suitcase.
Cheng Xin wanted to stop her again but Fang Yuanyuan stopped her this time for she had “b.u.mped into her” with her shoulder. That forced Cheng Xin to take a few steps back.
Cheng Xin was wearing high heels, staggering while she took a few steps back and desperately trying to balance herself before looking at Fang Yuanyuan angrily. “What are you trying to do?”
“What do you think?” Fang Yuanyuan was smiling. “Do not think that my 120 pounds of meat is fake! You really need to train, Officer Cheng. We can pit against each other here and see who can knock each other down.”
Cheng Xin might be sarcastic and mean, but when she met Fang Yuanyuan, who was very good with words, she knew that she was not a match.
Moreover, she thought of herself as a refined lady. With a snort, she stood with poise. “I won’t stoop to your level!”
Hurhur! Fang Yuanyuan sneered. “As if you can get to my level! Let me tell this to you straight, my cousin may not mind your att.i.tude but not me. I’ll retaliate!”
Cheng Xin did not move.
Fang Yuanyuan gave a cold snort and wanted to catch up to Xiang Wan.
However, Xiang Wan was standing near the hotel front desk with her hands on her luggage as if she froze on the spot.
The hotel lobby suddenly turned quiet with no one talking.
Everyone’s gazes were gathered in one spot.
They were not sure when Bai Muchuan had entered. He was together with Quan Shaoteng. Both of them were similar in height and build, one was elegant with a bad*ss vibe while the latter was gorgeous and devilish. They looked so harmonious when they stood together; it was no wonder everyone’s attention was on them.
Several pa.s.sersby even turned back for a few more looks before walking away.
The front desk receptionist fell on a trance as she looked at them.
Quan Shaoteng lifted a hand and wanted to say something when he received a warning glare from Bai Muchuan.
“Don’t bother!”
“I just want to help…”
“You’ll only mess things up!”
After that, Bai Muchuan walked toward Xiang Wan’s direction.
Xiang Wan had turned away and had arrived at the hotel front desk.
“h.e.l.lo,” she spoke to the receptionist who was still in a daze, “I’d like to check out!”
The receptionist quickly regained her senses and replied in a pleasant tone.
“Room 999… May I confirm that you want to check out of the room?”
Both Bai Muchuan and Xiang Wan had been staying here for quite a while. The front desk receptionist could recognize them and was friendly to them.
Xiang Wan responded normally, “Mm!”
The receptionist replied, “Sure, please wait for a moment.”
Xiang Wan responded immediately, “I want to calculate the bill myself!”
The receptionist was a little surprised when she checked the records. “Miss, your room bill have already been paid in advance…”
“I know!” Xiang Wan was expressionless, but her att.i.tude was very firm. “I’ll pay for my share of the room.”
The receptionist was looking at Xiang Wan as if telling her she was being irrational and crazy.
The next moment, her line of sight went past Xiang Wan to Bai Muchuan who was walking over.
“Mister… Miss…”
“She doesn’t need to pay that,” interrupted Bai Muchuan. He walked over and placed an arm on Xiang Wan’s shoulder. “Little Xiang Wan,” he spoke in a low tone, “let’s not do this anymore!”