The adultery-catching squad led by Hu Xiuying had arrived.
Bai Xiaotong frantically grabbed her coat, her hands trembling with fear.
Lu Ling also heard the commotion outside.
This was a warehouse, not a dormitory. Clearly, those people were heading straight here.
Lu Ling threw off the blanket and pulled on a padded jacket. Watching Bai Xiaotong’s frantic movements, he asked her, “You didn’t call them over, did you?”
Bai Xiaotong wanted to curse at him. “At a time like this, how can you still suspect me? If those people catch us together, do you think I can get away? Stop staring at me and think of something, quick!”
Bai Xiaotong had already put on her coat and was now crouched on the floor, searching for her socks.
Lu Ling picked up the white socks at the foot of the bed and tossed them over, looking completely relaxed. “What’s there to be afraid of? Hide behind the shelves, don’t make a sound, and don’t let them see you.”
After saying this, Lu Ling lay back down on the bed, even stretching his neck comfortably.
This guy was really calm!
Bai Xiaotong didn’t say anything more. Grabbing her shoes, she hurriedly hid.
The noise outside was getting closer. Someone was shining a flashlight through the window, calling out, “Bai Xiaotong, Bai Xiaotong, are you in there?”
Bai Xiaotong recognized the voice—it was Cao Xiaoli.
This Cao Xiaoli used to be just her assistant, a trainee broadcaster in the broadcasting room.
But after cozying up to Hu Xiulan, not only had she pushed Bai Xiaotong out, but she had also become the female lead’s lackey.
Bai Xiaotong gritted her teeth in silence. Cao Xiaoli must have played a big part in this adultery-catching scheme. In the future, she would not only have to stay away from the male and female leads but also cut ties with these people.
Bai Xiaotong huddled in the corner, not daring to make a sound.
Outside, someone was already pushing and pounding on the door.
Lu Ling sat up in bed, as if disturbed from a peaceful sleep, and shouted impatiently at the people outside, “Looking for trouble? What’s wrong with you?”
At Lu Ling’s shout, the commotion outside instantly fell silent.
After a few moments, someone said in disbelief, “Ah, there really is someone inside!”
No wonder the door was latched.
“What’s going on? Bai Xiaotong can’t really be in there, can she? That voice doesn’t sound like Comrade Chen.”
Outside, four or five female workers chattered away. It was clear they knew something, but not the whole story.
In the crowd, Hu Xiulan secretly curled the corner of her mouth before frowning and saying, “It’s not Xiangjun. It’s Lu Ling from the security department.”
“Lu Ling? Wasn’t it Chen Xiangjun on duty last night? How did it become Lu Ling?”
Before the New Year, a batch of fabric had been stolen from the textile factory warehouse. To prevent further theft, the factory had set up a small partition in this warehouse, and someone was assigned to keep watch every night.
Since this was an additional temporary duty, the security department was short-staffed. Several young office workers were assigned to take turns helping with the security department’s work.
Last night, it happened to be Chen Xiangjun’s turn to keep watch at the warehouse. After the dance, someone had seen Bai Xiaotong enter this area and not come out again.
At first, no one paid much attention. But this morning, Cao Xiaoli suddenly mentioned that Bai Xiaotong hadn’t returned to the residential compound last night, and everyone began to sense something was off.
Everyone in the factory knew that Bai Xiaotong liked Chen Xiangjun. Even though Comrade Chen was now dating Hu Xiulan, Bai Xiaotong still clung to him shamelessly. Because of this, her reputation as the factory beauty had plummeted to rock bottom.
Given the circumstances last night and Bai Xiaotong’s failure to return home, many people wondered if she had used some shameless trick to climb into Chen Xiangjun’s bed.
Good heavens!
Secretary Chen is such a fine young man, and he and Hu Xiulan are deeply in love with each other, a perfect match. How shameless of her, being Hu Xiulan’s cousin, to do such a thing.
After Hu Xiulan explained the situation, she gained a lot of sympathy, and many people joined the search party, coming over to see what was happening.
But what’s going on now?
Why has Lu Ling become the one keeping watch?
Is Bai Xiaotong inside or not?
The crowd was uncertain, wanting to ask but not daring to.
Lu Ling was notorious in the factory district as a troublemaker. Relying on his poor background, he acted like someone with nothing to lose, fierce and aggressive in everything he did. Ordinary people didn’t dare provoke him.
At that moment, Hu Xiulan gave Cao Xiaoli a meaningful glance.
Cao Xiaoli understood and mustered the courage to knock on the door, calling out, “Xiaotong, Sister Xiaotong, you’re in there, right? Open the door and come out. It’s okay, we’re here to help you…”
In last night’s precognitive dream, Bai Xiaotong had been coaxed into opening the door just like this.
Now, hiding in a corner and staying silent, she was mentally cursing their ancestors.
Seeing no response from inside, Cao Xiaoli raised her hand to knock again when the door was pulled open from within.
Lu Ling glared fiercely at Cao Xiaoli standing at the doorway, looking as if he was about to hit someone. “Coming to my place looking for Bai Xiaotong? Are you out of your damn mind?”
Scolded by him, Cao Xiaoli looked embarrassed and didn’t dare confront Lu Ling directly. She forced a smile and said, “Lu Ling, we… we just want to find Bai Xiaotong. Last night, she…”
Unfortunately, before Cao Xiaoli could finish, Lu Ling roared, “There’s no Bai Xiaotong here! Don’t disturb my sleep. Get the hell out of here!”
Lu Ling’s face was dark and icy, his eyes like those of a bloodthirsty wolf, making anyone who looked at him shudder.
No one dared speak anymore. Cao Xiaoli even took a step back, maintaining a safe distance, and looked at Hu Xiulan with questioning eyes.
What now?
With Lu Ling blocking the doorway and Bai Xiaotong not coming out, Cao Xiaoli didn’t dare take the lead anymore.
The situation was at a standstill.
Hu Xiulan also understood that with Lu Ling guarding the door, no one would dare go inside to search.
Although she hadn’t been watching Bai Xiaotong the whole time, her intuition told her the girl was inside.
Hu Xiulan didn’t want to give up this chance to ruin both of them. Her sharp eyes peered through the crack in the door as she called out loudly, “Xiaotong, Xiaotong, if you’re inside, come out. Don’t be afraid, we’re here to support you, to save you. Xiaotong…”
Hu Xiulan called out repeatedly, and even Lu Ling, as dense as he was, sensed something was off. His narrow phoenix eyes turned toward Hu Xiulan like sharp blades as he said coldly, “So it’s you.”
So, that fool Bai Xiaotong had been set up, and he was dragged into it too.
Hu Xiulan, under Lu Ling’s gaze, remembered how ruthless he had been in her previous life and felt a tremor in her heart. She forced a smile and said, “Lu Ling, don’t be so domineering. Let my cousin come out.”
Lu Ling spat out a single word coldly, “Scram!”
Seeing that even Hu Xiulan’s calls hadn’t brought Bai Xiaotong out, the crowd began to lose heart.
Maybe the person really wasn’t here.
Lu Ling was someone everyone in the factory district avoided like the plague. If Bai Xiaotong had really been assaulted by him and they were here to rescue her, she would have rushed out eagerly, not hidden inside.
Just then, two young men from the security patrol arrived.
The young men from the security department were all good friends of Lu Ling.
With just one look from Lu Ling, the two men knew exactly what to do. They immediately began shoving the female workers who had come to catch them in the act toward the exit.
“This is a restricted warehouse area. Are you here to scout for a theft? Come on, let’s go to the security office for questioning.”
No one dared to take on the accusation of theft. After hurriedly explaining themselves, they quickly fled.
Unable to find anyone, and with people now coming to Lu Ling’s aid, Hu Xiulan shot an unwilling glance inside before following the others out.
The warehouse in the backyard soon fell silent.
Lu Ling closed the door and turned around to see Bai Xiaotong peeking out from behind a corner.