Chapter 20: A Strange Package
The farce ended with Tang Yu’an kicking both of them out.
He’d rather be cautious than be annoyed to death by them.
However, the candy Wei Langxing brought was quite good. For the next two days, he carried the jar around with him everywhere.
At night, he even teased the teddy bear on his bedside table: “You know, your merchandise is actually quite tasty.”
The only one dissatisfied with this was Xie Cun. Early in the morning, he intercepted Tang Yu’an in the hallway: “I bought you so many delicious things, why aren’t you eating them? You’re perfectly happy with that jar of cheap candy, as if we’re starving you.”
Tang Yu’an was about to say that the gifts weren’t to his taste, but then he thought Xie Cun might feel offended, so he changed his answer: “I can’t bear to eat the things you gave me. I’ve put them away safely.”
Xie Cun’s displeasure vanished instantly, replaced by a feigned tough attitude: “Cough, are you stupid? Things are meant to be eaten, they’ll spoil… Besides, that little bit of money isn’t even worth picking up off the floor. I can just buy more. Do you think I can’t afford it?”
But Tang Yu’an truly had no appetite. Being forced to eat every day had exhausted his enthusiasm for food. Eating candy was just a whim; forcing him to eat those supplements was torture.
So, he made an excuse: “It’s not about the money, it’s about the fact that you gave them to me.”
It’s the thought that counts. This effectively silenced Xie Cun, and Tang Yu’an walked away satisfied.
Xie Cun was quiet for the rest of the afternoon, but Tang Yu’an noticed him stealing glances, quickly looking away when their eyes met, like a guilty child.
He naturally didn’t know that Xie Cun had spent the entire day in turmoil.
His mind was a mess, a jumble of thoughts, and Tang Yu’an’s presence only amplified his unease.
Xie Cun felt strange. He had been a master of romance for years, conquering hearts regardless of gender, so why was he hesitating now?
Others calling him a philanderer wasn’t entirely wrong. He changed partners like he changed clothes, frequenting pleasure houses, earning the title of “Nightclub Prince.”
However, he simply enjoyed the chase, the validation of his abilities.
No matter how aloof the beauty, they would eventually succumb to his romantic gestures and the power of his wealth.
Then he would shrug, a cynical smile on his face: “See? Another high-and-mighty flower, nothing special.”
And he would turn and leave without a second glance.
That’s right, he lost interest immediately after winning someone over.
What was the fun in someone who only catered to him?
But he was still considerate, offering generous compensation, so no one complained, even thanking him for the unexpected fortune.
This pattern continued for a long time. He was like a bee flitting from flower to flower, never truly settling down.
He hated predictable lives; in his view, the unknown was what made life interesting.
No thrill, no life.
Therefore, he looked down on rigid people like Wei Langxing.
What a captain. He could buy his position with a flick of his wrist, and he dared to order him around?
The way Wei Langxing looked at him, with disdain, like a pest in a garden, was intolerable.
He loved a challenge.
The more Wei Langxing despised him, the more he wanted to annoy him. To further irritate him, he even requested a transfer to his department.
He had investigated beforehand. Although Wei Langxing led a boring life, he was very protective of his new team members.
And Xie Cun loved nothing more than stealing what belonged to others.
So, during their first meeting, he dropped a bombshell – his wealth.
Who could resist an entire planet?
However, to his surprise, Tang Yu’an hadn’t been overjoyed by such a valuable gift, but rather apprehensive.
It seemed he wasn’t materialistic. He decided to change his tactics.
Sometimes, a display of vulnerability could give him the upper hand. As expected, his act of self-pity worked, and Tang Yu’an believed his half-truthful story.
He was like a little bunny, so innocent it almost made him feel bad about deceiving him.
But this little bunny wasn’t quite what he had imagined.
No matter what he said, Tang Yu’an accepted it all, sensing the genuine emotion hidden beneath his pretense, and offering sincere comfort.
He hadn’t minded people being after his money before; after all, he was rich, it was his advantage.
For his money, people would pretend to be whoever he wanted them to be.
But Tang Yu’an was different. Any temptation thrown his way was like dew meeting the sun, evaporating instantly.
Attacking him with the weapon of wealth was useless, but if you offered a gentle touch, he would nuzzle against your palm.
He had overheard a conversation between Tang Yu’an and Wei Langxing. Tang Yu’an had told the captain sternly to stop judging Xie Cun based on his family background, that he needed to look beyond appearances to see the real person.
Tang Yu’an said this purely out of his belief that protagonists were inherently good; he was simply offering advice.
But Xie Cun’s heart surged with emotion.
His little bunny was defending him, believing in him.
Although Wei Langxing didn’t seem to take his words to heart, Xie Cun didn’t care. Tang Yu’an was on his side; he had already won.
He even walked with a swagger, unaware of how deeply affected he was.
So much so that his heart pounded when the attack happened.
He rushed into the room with Wei Langxing, and seeing Tang Yu’an covered in blood, he felt a chill run down his spine.
He had been injured in racing accidents before, his first reaction upon surviving always a triumphant declaration of victory. He wasn’t afraid of injuries, or blood.
But in that moment, he was truly terrified.
Later, he searched every possible hiding spot around the apartment, finding nothing. His frustration made him incredibly irritable, and no one dared approach him for fear of his wrath.
Exhausted after all his efforts, he returned to find Tang Yu’an flirting with Wei Langxing.
Unable to keep an eye on him, but quick to offer comfort, Wei Langxing deserved the title of “Romance Master” more than he did.
What was even more infuriating was that Tang Yu’an treasured the cheap candy he had given him. Had he gone bankrupt and couldn’t afford chocolate anymore?
He couldn’t help but confront him, his tone as sour as noodles with two bottles of vinegar.
But Tang Yu’an wasn’t fazed by his sourness, instead adding sugar, turning it bittersweet, making him reluctant to continue his attack.
He began to doubt himself, wondering if he shouldn’t have provoked Tang Yu’an, playing with his feelings.
A few sweet words were enough to sway him. What if he fell for someone with malicious intentions in the future?
He had to be wary of Wei Langxing.
But he always lost interest after winning someone over; he didn’t like clingy people…
Xie Cun secretly pictured Tang Yu’an’s face. Perhaps… it could work?
Fine, if Tang Yu’an was truly attached to him, he would reluctantly agree to a relationship, like keeping a pet bunny.
Meanwhile, Tang Yu’an, browsing the StarNet, was completely unaware that his casual words had turned him into a lovesick fool in Xie Cun’s mind. He was busy researching hypnosis, too preoccupied to notice anything else.
He had a good understanding of the procedure now, his anxiety mostly dissipated.
Nothing would go wrong, he thought. Could such a large treatment center in the Bureau mess up such a mature technique?
He closed his panel satisfied, reaching for another gummy bear, when the delivery man downstairs asked him to sign for a package.
But he hadn’t ordered anything. Was it a mistake?
He checked the label; it was his name and address. Someone had sent him something.
The package was small and light, its contents unclear from the outside.
Strangely, the sender’s address was blurred, which was unusual.
His sense of danger tingled. He immediately thought of those movie scenes where bombs were sent through the mail.
Although the previous attack seemed to target Yu Liao, not him, he still felt it was best to be cautious. He called Wei Langxing, who was out investigating, to come back.
If it was a bomb, he had some experience handling them.
Within five minutes, Wei Langxing returned.
The building was equipped with various emergency devices, newly approved by headquarters, still unopened.
He quickly scanned the package, detecting no immediate danger, only a circular, thin object inside.
But that didn’t mean it was safe. It could contain poison.
So, wearing protective gear, he carefully opened the package.
Tang Yu’an stood nervously to the side. Xie Cun, surprisingly, remained silent.
There were three layers of wrapping. Wei Langxing narrowed his eyes, his movements cautious.
Finally, he revealed… a small mirror?
He stared, tapping and examining it, confirming it was just an ordinary, round, small mirror.
The three of them, initially on high alert, stared at each other in the living room.
Xie Cun was the first to relax, sprawling on the sofa: “It was just a false alarm. Look how scared you were…”
He conveniently omitted the fact that he had been nervously gulping earlier.
Tang Yu’an was puzzled: “But… I didn’t buy this. Why would it be sent to me?”
Had he sleepwalked and placed an order?
That couldn’t be it; there was a full-length mirror in his room, he didn’t need another one.
Although small, the mirror was finely crafted, its surface smooth, surrounded by an ornate metal frame.
It looked like a miniature version of the magic mirror from fairy tales.
Then, he noticed a small compartment at the bottom of the mirror. He pried it open with his fingernail, revealing a white card scented with perfume.
Wei Langxing and Xie Cun leaned closer, trying to read what was written on it.
There was only one sentence—
Happy birthday, my love.
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