Chapter 27: An Old Flame?

(Thanks to the reader 2018...12796 for the recommendation vote.)

“Miss Chen, hurry up and throw it!”
“Yes, when will you throw it? I’m already ready.”
“Hurry up!”
“I can’t wait any longer.”

Voices like these rose and fell, echoing through the crowd. Even Sun Yanjie joined in, shouting loudly, which made Bai Zeshao glance at him in surprise. He hadn’t expected Sun Yanjie to have such a side and couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Chen didn’t make everyone wait much longer. Standing in the center of the stage, she turned around and threw the bouquet she’d prepared with all her might.

“Ah, it’s falling right on my head!” One of the men, seeing the bouquet heading straight for him, shouted excitedly. His excitement lasted only a few seconds, though, before an arm shot out beside him and knocked the bouquet away.

“Don’t grab it, it’s mine!”
“Damn, who’s waving their hand above my head?”

The scene was chaotic; the bouquet flew above people’s heads again and again, never settling, for every time it was about to fall, someone else would swat it away.

Bang!

No one knew who it was, but someone hit the bouquet so hard that it shot off into the distance. Bai Zeshao, who had only been watching the commotion, stared in shock as the bouquet landed right in his arms, momentarily speechless.

“Damn, the bouquet ended up in that kid’s hands!”
“Ah, it pisses me off.”
“After all this fuss, we were just making a wedding dress for him!”

Muttering and grumbling, though unwilling, the crowd could only accept the outcome. Chen, still at the center of the stage, saw the bouquet in Bai Zeshao’s arms and laughed softly. “It seems we finally have a winner. May I ask your name, sir?”

“No need for formalities, my surname is Bai. Bai Zeshao, pleased to meet you, Miss Chen.” Bai Zeshao, having regained his composure, stood and gave Chen a respectful gesture.

“Bai Zeshao?” Chen’s eyes sparkled at the name, and she gracefully walked over to Bai Zeshao’s table.

“Miss Chen, please have a seat. I never expected to have the chance to share a table and a drink with you. Truly, I’m lucky.” Sun Yanjie warmly invited Chen and instructed the waiter to open a good bottle of wine.

“Mr. Sun, you flatter me. Who doesn’t know that the police chief Sun in Shanning is influential beyond measure? Rather than saying you’re lucky, I’d say it’s me who’s honored to drink with you.” Chen was not a simple character, and her words of praise were artfully delivered.

“Haha, come, Xiao Bai, Chen, let’s drink together!”

After finishing her drink, Chen’s beautiful eyes turned moist and soulful as she looked at Bai Zeshao with a hint of grievance. “Mr. Bai, do you remember me?”

“Xiao Bai, you know Miss Chen? Could you two have been sweethearts before?” Sun Yanjie, hearing Chen’s words and watching her manner, looked at Bai Zeshao with a gossipy curiosity and teased him.

“Miss Chen, you can just call me by my name. But are you sure you haven’t mistaken me for someone else?” Bai Zeshao said uncertainly, “With your beauty, if we had met before, I would certainly remember.”

Chen smiled brightly. “It seems Mr. Bai is truly one who forgets easily. Have you forgotten the girl you helped three years ago, bullied by hooligans on the street?”

“It was you.” Bai Zeshao remembered instantly. At the time, he had just joined the military academy and was on a break, traveling with Liu Xiaobing and a few others, when he happened to see Chen being harassed and stepped in to help her.

Back then, Bai Zeshao hadn’t thought much of it, simply helping a pitiful girl. He never imagined she would remember him, nor that she would now be so stunningly beautiful, making it hard to connect the girl from three years ago to the woman before him.

“It seems Mr. Bai remembers.” Chen smiled gently. Just then, music began to play, and she laughed, “Mr. Bai, may I invite my benefactor to dance with me?” As she spoke, she offered her slender, crystal-clear right hand.

“It would be an honor.” Bai Zeshao extended his left hand to support hers, and together they stepped into the dance floor.

In the dance hall, Bai Zeshao wrapped his arm around Chen’s slender waist, while she leaned against his chest. Neither spoke; Bai Zeshao didn’t know what to say, and Chen had so much to say that she couldn’t find where to begin.

In silence, the two moved slowly to the music. Tonight, Chen felt truly happy, sensing from her heart that this was a good day, even her steps became lighter. After a while, the music ceased, and they returned to their seats.

“Mr. Bai, would you care to join me in my room upstairs? It’s far too noisy here.” As soon as they sat down, Chen spoke these earth-shattering words.

“Ah?” Bai Zeshao was stunned, momentarily lost.

“Mr. Bai, you haven’t forgotten what I said before, have you? If our conversation goes well, I have a surprise for you.” Chen finished, and playfully winked.

Bai Zeshao had intended to refuse—after all, he was now the center of everyone’s attention, which did not suit his usual low profile. But recalling the upcoming operation, he agreed without hesitation.

So, under countless envious gazes, Bai Zeshao and Chen walked side by side upstairs. Bai Zeshao didn’t look back, but could feel the unrestrained jealousy, murderous intent, and anger burning in the eyes behind him, making him feel as if sitting on pins and needles.

“That kid’s in for a lucky night,” Sun Yanjie muttered, watching them go.

Arriving at Chen’s room on the second floor, she smiled, “Mr. Bai, please sit for a moment. I’ll go change.”

“Alright.” Bai Zeshao nodded indifferently. As his gaze fell on the red wine on the table, he inconspicuously scanned the room, then poured a packet of white powder into one of the glasses and gently swirled it.

Once he was done, Chen emerged in new clothes. Her appearance had changed again; if previously she was dazzling and seductive, now she was pure as an angelic sprite.

For a moment, Bai Zeshao was lost in her beauty, then he raised his glass toward her. “Come, let’s have a drink.”

“Sure.” Chen smiled and drank without suspicion, while Bai Zeshao finished his own glass as well. They chatted and drank for half an hour, until Chen began to feel her nerves dull and her vision blurred, as if drunken, and then she slowly collapsed onto the sofa.

Bai Zeshao gently shook her, confirming she wouldn’t wake. He locked the room door, opened the window, and glanced at the dark night outside. Then he whistled into the darkness.

Thump!

A rope was thrown from the darkness into the room. Bai Zeshao slid down from the second floor, landing beside a waiting figure. “So? Did you prepare everything I asked you to at noon?”