We Weren’t Fated, I Just Played My Cards Right - Chapter 45

After returning home, Liu Mumu continued to mull over the earlier incident.

Lü Yao’s situation was indeed pitiable, but that wasn’t what concerned her. What bothered her was the other woman’s attitude.

When ordinary people encountered such things, their first instinct was to report it to the police. Even if they believed the police lacked evidence or couldn’t solve the case, self-preservation would lead them to consider divorce first.

Yet Lü Yao had chosen to seek out a fortune-teller.

While skilled diviners could indeed resolve many issues, to the average person, fortune-telling was usually a last resort. Unless they were truly out of options, who would immediately think of solving their problems through divination?

And why had she come to Liu Mumu in the first place?

Jiang Li had introduced her to Zhang Xueqi, but Zhang Xueqi hadn’t chosen her—firstly, because her appearance didn’t fit the image of a “master” and wouldn’t fool Old Lady Zhang, and secondly, because there was undoubtedly some distrust in her abilities.

Not having witnessed her fortune-telling abilities and with no Diviner License displayed, it was only natural for others not to trust her.

Yet Lü Yao seemed determined to pin all her hopes on Liu Mumu. Where did this trust come from?

Liu Mumu wasn’t opposed to telling fortunes, but Lü Yao gave her a strange feeling, so she chose to refuse.

Before bed that night, Liu Mumu made her usual “annoying” check-in with Yan Xiu.

Liu Mumu: You there? Sneaky cat.jpg

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Liu Mumu: Your little treasure has arrived.jpg

At that moment, Yan Xiu was at the dinner table. After the news of Xu Yongshuang’s arrest was reported to headquarters, they had apparently deliberated before dispatching two Gu Masters—Yan Ling, who was originally assigned to the case, and Gu Lan, the lead investigator.

This lead investigator had some distant familial ties to Yan Xiu’s mother, making her a quasi-elder. Though they weren’t close, Yan Xiu couldn’t pretend not to know her, so he invited everyone to dinner to introduce Fang Chuan and avoid friction in the subsequent investigation.

At the table, the atmosphere remained friendly as long as the case wasn’t mentioned. But once the topic shifted to work, no one yielded an inch.

With Yan Xiu and Yan Ling mediating, the meal managed to proceed without major incident.

When elders dine with juniors, avoiding work talk leaves only personal matters. Since Gu Lan was on good terms with Yan Xiu’s mother, it was inevitable that she’d ask about his relationship status.

“Not yet,” Yan Xiu replied.

“I know a lovely girl—my niece, twenty-six years old. How about I introduce you two?” Gu Lan had spoken with Yan Xiu’s mother before coming, and her suggestion carried his mother’s tacit approval.

In fact, the potential match had already been vetted by Yan Xiu’s mother in advance.

Yan Ling shook her head beside them. Even someone as exceptional as her cousin wasn’t spared from his mother’s relentless matchmaking. Single people truly had no rights in this world.

Before Gu Lan could finish, Yan Xiu’s phone buzzed with a rapid series of message alerts.

She tried to continue, but Yan Xiu uncharacteristically picked up his phone and apologized, “Excuse me, I need to take this.”

“Go ahead.” Gu Lan sighed helplessly, recognizing his polite rejection.

What a shame. Watching the outstanding young man step out of the private room, she sighed inwardly. The eldest son of the Yan family—if a marriage alliance succeeded, the benefits to her family would be immeasurable.

Liu Mumu had expected nothing more than a “good night” message, but to her surprise, Yan Xiu sent a video call.

The sudden delight left her momentarily stunned.

Her fingers moved faster than her brain, instantly accepting the call. Then, her phone screen displayed two vastly different scenes: her, sprawled on the bed in a little dinosaur onesie, and Yan Xiu, impeccably suited, standing in what looked like a hotel hallway.

The distance between them wasn’t just time and space—it was dimensions apart.

Yan Xiu took a moment to admire the tiny dinosaur, the corner of his lips lifting. “Nice pajamas.”

Liu Mumu buried her face in the blanket, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed. He had always refused video calls before—why ambush her when she wasn’t prepared today? So unfair!

After an awkward three seconds, Liu Mumu’s face reappeared on the screen as she quickly changed the subject: “You’re not at home? Where is this place?”

“Hotel. Hosting a guest.”

Liu Mumu’s antenna immediately perked up: “Any pretty girls there?”

“There’s a pretty auntie.”

“Oh… Then shouldn’t you be chatting with the pretty auntie?” she asked with feigned concern.

Yan Xiu raised an eyebrow: “Should I head back now?”

“No need! I think the auntie probably doesn’t want you back,” Liu Mumu hastily stopped him, realizing this topic wasn’t safe either and switching again.

Remembering her recent experience, Liu Mumu’s temper flared as she climbed off the bed indignantly: “Next time, don’t stick talismans on my face! And that Brother Xiao Wu who escorted me home—did you tell him to park the police car right at my doorstep? People thought I’d gotten in trouble again!”

“Were they wrong?”

“Of course! I’m just an enthusiastic member of the public. Though my enthusiasm might be slightly more than others’, can you deny I helped? No commendation banners for me, just talismans stuck on my face—you jerk!”

Yan Xiu considered this and said, “Fine. I’ll have Fang Chuan send you ten banners later.”

Liu Mumu’s cheeks puffed with anger—that wasn’t the point! She was talking about the talismans! Dodging the issue like this, he was clearly doing it on purpose.

Seeing her about to explode, Yan Xiu asked, “Have you noticed any suspicious people around you lately?”

“Suspicious people? Did something happen again?”

“Case-related. Can’t tell you yet.”

Actually, it was because after Fang Chuan arrested Xu Yongshuang, they found an unsent message on his phone. Had it been sent minutes earlier, it might have helped Xu Yongshuang escape.

They showed the message to Xu Yonglin, who claimed not to know if Xu Yongshuang had accomplices in Qingcheng. The brothers had worked alone on their gu rituals these years, with no outsiders involved.

But Xu Yongshuang often contacted unknown numbers—all now disconnected and untraceable.

After discussing with Fang Chuan, they initially suspected a mole in the police. The Xu brothers’ case had never been public; before Xu Yongshuang’s surrender, it was handled exclusively by headquarters, with even Zhuo Ran’s related files sealed.

Beyond their Special Cases Division, few outsiders could have known. Yet this made little sense—if it were an internal leak, why only during Xu Yongshuang’s arrest? The timing was too precise. Was the tip-off half-hearted, or just late?

If the issue wasn’t with the police station, then it likely stemmed from Liu Mumu.

Perhaps someone had heard some information from her? Yan Xiu didn’t believe she would casually discuss the case with others, not even her father.

Another possibility was that someone had seen her interacting with Xu Yonglin, recognized Xu Yonglin, and then noticed her being escorted home by the police, putting two and two together.

Coincidentally, the time Liu Mumu was taken home aligned perfectly with the start of their arrest operation, matching the timestamp of that message.

But this scenario also seemed highly improbable.

The chances of such coincidences lining up were simply too slim.

Someone acquainted with Xu Yongshuang just happened to be near Liu Mumu and witnessed everything?

Of course, these were all just speculations without concrete evidence. There was no time now to investigate the source of that message—it had merely come up in conversation, prompting his casual question.

Liu Mumu thought for a moment and couldn’t help but recall Lü Yao. After hesitating, she finally said, “I did run into someone strange today, though it’s probably not what you’re thinking.”

“Go on,” Yan Xiu replied patiently.

Liu Mumu recounted the day’s events and added, “Do you think I’m being too sensitive? Maybe she really was desperate and wanted my help?”

“If someone’s desperate, they should turn to the police, not you.”

“Maybe she’s soft-hearted and wanted to confirm things first. That wouldn’t be wrong, would it?” Liu Mumu mused.

“By confirming with a neighbor who seems unreliable? She wouldn’t share such a secret with others but chose to tell you—are you two close?”

Liu Mumu shook her head. “That’s exactly why I found it odd.”

“Then your choice wasn’t wrong.”

Even Yan Xiu thought she’d done the right thing, so Liu Mumu finally felt at ease.

Relaxed, she yawned, perfectly embodying the phrase “use and discard.” She nestled into the soft, warm blankets and waved at her phone. “I’m going to sleep now. Bye.”

“Goodnight,” Yan Xiu said softly.

Liu Mumu blew him a loud kiss and ended the call.

Behind Yan Xiu, Yan Ling, who had come looking for him, stood awkwardly, caught before she could slip away.

Yan Ling shrank back and whispered, “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

Yan Xiu ignored her, pocketed his phone, and said flatly, “Let’s go.” His tone was a far cry from the gentle “goodnight” moments earlier.

By the time Yan Xiu returned, it was late, and most of the guests had finished eating. They escorted the visitors to their hotel, leaving only Fang Chuan behind.

Sitting in Yan Xiu’s car, watching the scenery flash by outside, Fang Chuan rubbed his temples with a headache. “This superior doesn’t seem easy to deal with. While you were gone, she kept hinting that I should hand the incense burner over to headquarters for research.”

“If they want to study it, let them have it for a few days. Just don’t let them take it away—accommodate all their other requests.”

“Oh? So you’re sure they won’t find anything?” Fang Chuan asked curiously.

Yan Xiu didn’t answer directly. “The Xu brothers were quite talented among the Gu masters.”

“Fine by me. I just need to cooperate anyway.”

“By the way, when you have time, look into someone for me.”

“Hmm? Who?” Fang Chuan asked, intrigued.

“Investigate a woman named Lü Yao, the neighbor of the Dong family.”

“Wait, the Dong family? Liu Mumu’s neighbor? Don’t tell me she asked you to look into this?”

Yan Xiu shot him a glance. “Do I look that bored to you?”

“Hard to say.” Fang Chuan clicked his tongue. “You’ve only met a few times, and I know every word you’ve exchanged. Yet I’ve never heard about any issues with her neighbors. You’ve been keeping in touch privately, haven’t you?”

“Occasionally.”

Fang Chuan felt a pang of sadness. “…Bro, remember what you said when you first reported for duty? No chatting outside work hours.”