A Faltering Explanation

“…”

“Mo… Mo Ge, we meet again…”

Upon realizing that the young man before her was truly her deskmate, Bai Xia’s voice immediately took on a strained, unnatural quality. She offered Mo Bai an awkward smile.

Her snow-white hair tumbled in disarray, and the oversized men’s shirt had slipped from her shoulder, revealing a pale expanse of skin and a delicate collarbone. Her slender legs were bare, her small, adorable feet subtly tip-toeing in a futile attempt to bridge the height gap between herself and the two police officers beside her, hoping to alleviate her discomfort.

Mo Bai paused, a slight frown creasing his brow as he observed the girl’s pitiable state. He wanted to speak, but his lips merely parted and closed without a sound. For a moment, he found himself utterly at a loss for words.

“Young Master Mo, this is the girl who caused trouble at the bar last night. We haven’t yet ascertained her true identity,” Chu Feng added from the side, though a flicker of confusion crossed his face at how the young woman had addressed Mo Bai as ‘Mo Ge.’ Could it be that Young Master Mo and this girl were old acquaintances?

Before Chu Feng could untangle the implications, Mo Bai’s icy voice cut through the air, sending a shiver down his spine.

“Find me a private room for her immediately, and I expect you to investigate this matter thoroughly and submit a report by the end of today.” Mo Bai’s voice was not loud, yet it carried an undeniable authority.

Despite being merely a student, the sheer pressure emanating from Mo Bai was enough to make cold sweat bead on Chu Feng’s forehead. Clearly, Mo Bai was angry. But why? Recalling the bar owner’s report, it was indeed riddled with inconsistencies, especially the girl’s earlier claim, “He drugged me first.” In that light, it became clear the bar itself was problematic!

“Yes, I’ll see to it immediately…” Faced with Mo Bai’s demand, Chu Feng hastily assented.

Bai Xia watched her deskmate reprimand the superpowered individual before them, feeling a momentary daze, yet also a sense of normalcy. After all, when others were present, Mo Bai always seemed to maintain this same aloof demeanor.

Soon after, she was escorted to a quiet private lounge, where she sat with an air of nervous unease, her pale hands cradling a cup of water as she awaited Mo Bai’s arrival.

My heart is pounding…

Bai Xia pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the frantic beat within her ribcage. Her snow-white hair cascaded over her shoulders, and the oversized men’s shirt only accentuated her delicate, slender frame.

Should I… should I just run away?

Bai Xia’s fingertips unconsciously traced the rim of the cup, her ruby-red eyes anxiously scanning the room. Honestly, she hadn’t prepared herself to face Mo Bai, especially not looking like this… so escaping seemed the most sensible option. Her upper clothing… though a bit ill-fitting, still covered her body. Even without pants, the long hem of the shirt fully concealed the upper part of her thighs, leaving no need to worry about accidental exposure. But truly, this appearance was far too dishevelled…

Perhaps she should just slip away now…

After much deliberation, Bai Xia swallowed hard, attempting to calm her racing nerves. She quietly set down the water cup, cautiously rising to her feet and moving towards the lounge door. Just as her fingers tentatively reached out, about to touch the doorknob—

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Before Bai Xia could even react, the lounge door was abruptly pulled open. Mo Bai, having finished his arrangements, stood silhouetted against the corridor light, observing the flustered white-haired girl with a keen interest. She had already slipped away from him once that morning; he wouldn’t allow her to escape a second time right under his nose.

“What, I’ve saved you twice now, and you can’t even spare a word for me?” Mo Bai slowly stepped into the lounge, locking the door behind him with a flick of his wrist. “Even in business, reciprocity is a basic principle. To keep trying to leave without a word… isn’t that a bit much?”

Bai Xia froze, her snow-white hair swaying gently with her involuntary step backward, her ruby-red eyes wide with panic.

Such… such intense pressure.

Whether from guilt towards Mo Bai or the lingering effects of their contract, as her deskmate steadily advanced, Bai Xia found her petite form pressed against the wall, cornered. Her head was bowed slightly, her dishevelled white hair cascading over her shoulders. The oversized men’s shirt rose and fell with her slightly nervous breaths, her initial panic morphing into a profound unease. Her sharp little canine teeth unconsciously bit her lower lip, leaving faint indentations on her soft, pink mouth.

“Mo… Mo Ge, don’t…” Bai Xia’s voice was barely a whisper, like a mosquito’s hum. The excessive proximity brought a flush to her pale cheeks. Her slender hand rested against Mo Bai’s chest, a feeble attempt to prevent him from coming closer, yet she dared not apply any force.

So… so close…

At this moment, Bai Xia could almost distinctly feel Mo Bai’s breath ghosting across her face, carrying a faint scent of mint. This made her heart pound so furiously it threatened to burst from her chest, and her ruby-red eyes misted over as her voice took on a subtle tremor: “I… I can explain…”

“Oh?” Mo Bai raised an eyebrow slightly, his fingertips gently lifting a strand of her snow-white hair, twirling it idly between them. To be frank, he had been somewhat annoyed by her unannounced departure that morning, but now, seeing her small, trembling form before him, that anger inexplicably dissipated by more than half.

“Alright then, explain yourself.” No longer cornering the white-haired girl, Mo Bai simply moved to the table in the lounge, taking a seat and sipping his tea. His long fingers tapped lightly on the tabletop, gesturing for Bai Xia to sit and speak. As he awaited her explanation, he couldn’t help but grow increasingly curious about the white-haired girl’s true identity. This was a question that had plagued him all night without yielding an answer. Especially since Chu Feng had just informed him that this white-haired girl seemed to have lived in Xicheng Village disguised as a male for a long time, and her name and address were almost identical to his deskmate’s. Could such a coincidence truly exist in this world? If it were true, it would be far too convenient.

Bai Xia cautiously shuffled to a chair and sat down, her small hands anxiously twisting the hem of her shirt, as if trying to formulate her words. In truth, she had no idea how to explain anything to Mo Bai, and his sudden shift in demeanor and status left her feeling utterly disoriented.

“As you saw yesterday… I was just working at that bar, then I was drugged and ran out…” Unable to think of a proper answer, Bai Xia could only begin recounting her experiences from the previous night, hoping to buy herself more time with her deskmate.

However, these were clearly not the words Mo Bai wished to hear. Before she could even get a few sentences out, Mo Bai’s brows furrowed in dissatisfaction.

“I’ve already investigated what you’re talking about,” Mo Bai said, his fingers still tapping rhythmically on the table. “More than that, I want to know how you know me, or rather, who exactly you are.”

He admitted that he was indeed very eager to uncover the identity of this white-haired girl. For a fleeting moment, he even wondered if she could possibly be his deskmate. But that was too preposterous… as outlandish as discovering a close friend you’d spent years with was actually a girl. So, who exactly was this young woman?