Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  Cheng Zheng went to the parking lot. He was holding his car keys, and as soon as he pressed on the unlock button, he saw Xie Wanwan, folding her arms while leaning against the pillar in the shadow.

  The cap on her head was pointing downward, her head hanging low. It was clear she was not in a good mood.

  He put away his car keys and walked over to her. “You’re waiting for me?”


  Xie Wanwan gave a snort and looked up. “Is there anyone else here besides you?”


  Cheng Zheng was expressionless as he returned a simple and direct reply. “Anything the matter?”


  Xie Wanwan revealed a cold sneer. “I want to thank you for your kind invitation, of course!”


  “You’re welcome,” said Cheng Zheng solemnly and he walked to his car, totally ignoring her.

  “Stop!” Xie Wanwan’s voice was cold. “What are you trying to do, huh? Are you happy to see me make a fool of myself in front of so many people?”


  Cheng Zheng did not turn his head. “I’m glad when he’s not happy.”


  “Hah!” Xie Wanwan was so angry that she almost laughed. She rushed over and blocked Cheng Zheng from entering the car. With a sarcastic smile and a voice filled with scorn, she remarked, “It seemed to me that you’re the one who’s the most upset in this incident?”


  Cheng Zheng’s lips pressed tightly together as he looked at her without a word.

  “You like that woman as well?” Xie Wanwan asked Cheng Zheng directly. When Cheng Zheng showed no reaction, she grunted a laugh. “Or is it because he likes that woman, so you want to snatch her from him?”


  Cheng Zheng squinted his eyes. “Have you said enough?”


  Xie Wanwan continued to sneer at him. Apparently she had not finished saying her piece. “I’ve always wondered why you are always pitting yourself against him? You know very well that you can’t beat him—”


  “Hur!” Cheng Zheng’s stiff face suddenly showed a cold, satiric smile. “Then why do you continue to like him when you know very well that he doesn’t like you?”


  “You—”


  His cold question was so cutting that she felt it had pierced her heart as well as her lungs.

  Xie Wanwan watched him for a long time, but failed to find any trace of emotion in his indifferent face. She felt defeated.

  “You men! All of you are heartless and callous.”


  After that, she headed directly to the front passenger seat of Cheng Zheng’s car, opened the door, and sat inside.

  “Send me back to the hotel! I don’t want to call a cab.”


  Cheng Zheng frowned when he saw her sitting inside the car with an unrelenting attitude.

  He was used to being alone and disliked dealing with people—except Xiang Wan.

  She was an exception, an exception that even he was surprised.

  Cheng Zheng puffed a sigh. Without further ado, he started the engine the moment after he got on his car……

  Tang Yuanchu went downstairs and looked high and low for Xie Wanwan, but did not see her anywhere.

  He inquired about her at the front desk before quickly making his way to the entrance of “The Palace”, craning his neck to look for her.

  He actually felt apologetic to offend Xie Wanwan. It was already miserable enough for her to fall out of love, yet he had to keep harping about it—that act was no different from repeatedly stabbing her heart. Even if he had done it out of kindness, he realized that he might have overdid it……

  As she had rushed out in a huff, he was worried about her safety and, therefore, also sneaked out to look for her. Unfortunately, he did not manage to find her. Therefore, he stood at the entrance enduring the cold, chilly winds like an idiot—


  He did not notice Xie Wanwan, but Xie Wanwan saw him.

  When the car came out of the basement and passed by the entrance of “The Palace”, she saw that silly young lad.

  Subconsciously, at that instant she saw him, she pulled a long face and gave a faint snort.

  Cheng Zheng gave a sidelong glance. “I didn’t expect that you will be interested in this type of young lad who’s still wet behind the ears.”


  “A filthy mouth cannot utter decent language!” Xie Wanwan was annoyed the moment she thought of Tang Yuanchu. “Don’t you think that there’s something wrong with his brain?”


  “I don’t think so! He’s really cute.”


  The mention of Tang Yuanchu made the flames burn within Xie Wanwan again. “If it weren’t for his age, I’d have squeezed him to death like an ant.”


  After she said that, she turned back for another look.

  Under the lightings, the lean figure could be seen hovering near the entrance, pacing back and forth, not sure what he was looking for.

  Xie Wanwan grunted a snort, expressing her loathe at the sight of him and turned away slowly……

  Over at “The Palace”.

  The location of the restroom seemed like a good place for a rendezvous.

  Outside the restroom, one could see the main gates of “The Palace” and could also look at the lightings of the city during night time.

  Xiang Wan could still remember that fateful night when Sun Shangli jumped from this building—she was also standing here, talking to Bai Muchuan.

  She looked at the dancing statue of the fountain goddess showered by colorful lights when she felt as though there had been great changes since the last time she was here.

  Frankly, just a few months had past since Sun Shangli’s death. Why did she feel as if she had gone through and experienced vicissitudes of a lifetime?

  “Why don’t you say something? Are you really angry?” Bai Muchuan was standing beside her as he played with a cigarette.

  After the two of them started dating, he developed a good habit. Every time he wanted to smoke, he would try to avoid her or restrain himself, so as not to let her take-in second-hand smoke.

  Therefore, when she saw him tossing the cigarette about with his fingers, the little episode of unhappiness she suffered earlier was gone.

  Nevertheless, she didn’t want to let him off so easily; she snorted and turned her face away. “I don’t feel like talking.”


  “If you don’t feel like talking, that means you’re angry!” Bai Muchuan moved closer to her slowly. His soft sigh was like a breath of cool mint that sprayed on her neck. “Little Wanwan—”


  “!” Xiang Wan was looking at the scenery outside the window, enduring the ticklish feeling on her neck as she ignored him.

  “Little Wanwan……” Bai Muchuan called her again, affectionately.

  His voice was low-pitched, moving slowly from her neck to her ears.

  The light kisses; gentle nibbling as well as her ears, agitated by his breathing as it quivered. Xiang Wan could not take it anymore.

  “What do you want?” She touched her neck and turned around in anger. “Can’t you stop? Let me be quiet for a moment……”


  “.……”


  Looking at Xiang Wan’s expression similar to an irritated kitten trying to flash its claws at him, Bai Muchuan wanted to laugh, but what came out of his mouth was actually—a sigh.

  “Xiang Wan, if there’s anything you feel uncomfortable with, tell me. We can iron out the conflicts.”


  “There’s nothing that I’m uncomfortable with. I don’t think there’s any conflict to sort out as well.” Xiang Wan placed both arms on the window and looked at the sparkling fountain goddess statue, her brain started to get a little distracted.

  Bai Muchuan tilted his head for a glance at her as he hugged her from behind by wrapping his hands around her waist.

  “Well, if you’re not uncomfortable, no issues to iron out and don’t feel like talking, we can watch the night scene quietly.”


  “.……” When her waist felt numb because of a certain someone trying to tickle her, Xiang Wan was unable to continue appreciating the night scene. “I really have to hand it to you—”


  She tried to catch his naughty hand but got caught by Bai Muchuan instead.

  He stared at her intently and kissed the back of her hand. “Be good, don’t ignore me anymore, okay?”


  Xiang Wan saw the serious look on his face and suddenly felt a little amused.

  “I didn’t? It’s just that you’re the one doing the talking?”


  “I feel uneasy when you ignore me.”


  Xiang Wan was slightly surprised by his remark.

  He cared about her. Hence, he cared about her emotions.

  She felt the same too. She had “tortured” him enough and should not overdo it.

  Xiang Wan lowered her head slowly like an obedient kitty in a good mood as she snuggled in his arms. “I’ve already said I’m not angry but you refused to believe me,” she let out a chortle, “who can you blame?”


  “.……” Bai Muchuan raised an eyebrow. “I put on such a loving stance to appease you, and you’re telling me…… you’re not angry? Is this suitable?”


  “So what should I do?” Xiang Wan giggled. “Maybe I should get angry and you coax me one more time?”


  “No, no, no, you win.” Bai Muchuan immediately surrendered.

  Xiang Wan glanced at him with a smile and suddenly frowned again. “Earlier on, I was thinking…… your bestie seemed to be really infuriated. I feel a little uncomfortable as she really disliked me. After all, you both are on such good terms that I feel like the third party……”


  “Don’t bother about her. She’s like that. She’ll be fine after a few days.”


  Bai Muchuan shrugged his shoulders and leaned against the wall beside the window, gazing at her lazily.

  “Fine then,” Xiang Wan looked sideways at him before giving a snort, “so, you seem to know her very well?”


  “And you seem to be jealous?”


  “Why should I?” Xiang Wan rolled her eyes as she said casually. “I’m an open-minded person. If something’s mine, it will be mine. If it’s not mine, I can’t force it to be mine.”


  She continued to gaze at the city’s night scenery. “But there’s something I don’t understand—”


  “Hm? Say it.” Bai Muchuan raised an eyebrow, lowered his head and wanted to kiss her again.

  Xiang Wan turned her head away and gave him a soft punch before continuing the topic. “Why didn’t you like Xie Wanwan who’s so beautiful?”


  “Why is that I have to like her because she’s beautiful?” Bai Muchuan responded with another question and lifted her chin—like something fun to play with.

  “.……” Xiang Wan obviously did not believe that.

  This was because no matter what, celebrities were different from ordinary people.

  In addition, Xie Wanwan was an A-List celebrity after all, her looks were top-notch.

  Even if she was a narcissistic girl, she wouldn’t dare to compare with Xie Wanwan on looks.

  “You’re so silly!” Seeing her dubious look, Bai Muchuan turned her around slowly and embraced her tightly in his arms. Then both of them turned to look at the myriad of twinkling lights outside the window. “I’m too familiar with her. To me, she’s not even a female, not to mention her looks. Besides—I’m not lying, you’re prettier than her.”


  Xiang Wan’s heart was filled with sweetness but continued to act stubborn.

  “So, does that mean you have a problem with regards to beauty appreciation?”


  “In actual fact, she did not use to……” blurted Bai Muchuan who hesitated for a moment before continuing, “she did not use to look like this.”


  Xiang Wan looked up at him. “You mean she went for cosmetic surgery?”


  “.…… Hm, you can say that.”


  “Was she ugly before she went for cosmetic surgery?

  “She’s not ugly.” Bai Muchuan seemed to have difficulty talking about Xie Wanwan’s personal affairs.

  He was different from Little Liu and Tang Yuanchu. Ever since Xiang Wan got to know him, she rarely hear him talk about other people’s personal matters, including the one he hated the most, his frenemy—Cheng Zheng—whom he hardly badmouth him in front of her as well……

  This was actually a wonderful trait of his.

  Thus, Xiang Wan did not want to continue to press him for an answer as to why Xie Wanwan decided to go for cosmetic surgery……

  After all, cosmetic surgery was something that was really common in the showbiz industry.

  “So when did you and Xie Wanwan got to know each other?”
……