Spellbound Hearts - Chapter 44 - Identity Swap

Ji Xuan couldn’t wrap her head around how Wu Shu’s stakeout had turned into a day trip to the police station.

With Song Zhaoli present, she couldn’t ask too many questions. She simply responded with a quick “Alright” and hung up the call.

After ending the call, Ji Xuan pocketed her phone and looked at Song Zhaoli. “President Song, do you have anything else for me? Something’s come up on my end. If there’s nothing urgent, I’ll take my leave.”

Song Zhaoli had overheard the entire conversation. While he didn’t know exactly what was said on the other end, he knew who Wu Shu was.

The corners of Song Zhaoli’s thin lips curved slightly. “Go ahead.”

“Thank you, President Song. I’ll be off then,” Ji Xuan said politely.

Her formal tone amused him. “Ji Xuan, are you sure you’re not considering joining Song Group?”

Ji Xuan’s expression turned serious. “I am considering it, but only if the salary matches my abilities. And also…”

She hesitated. Song Zhaoli picked up where she left off. “And also, I can’t harass you.”

The word “harass” was well-chosen.

But Ji Xuan didn’t dare respond.

Seeing her silence, Song Zhaoli knew he had hit the nail on the head. A faint smile appeared on his face. “Alright, go handle your business.”

“Goodbye, President Song,” Ji Xuan said, wasting no time as she turned and left quickly.

Time was of the essence, and she didn’t want to risk Song Zhaoli engaging her in more conversation.

Once outside Song Group, Ji Xuan placed the signed contract in the car and drove straight to the police station.

An hour later, she arrived.

After parking, she stepped into the station’s lobby, where Wu Shu was sitting. The moment Wu Shu saw her, her lips quivered, and she looked like she was about to cry.

Ji Xuan, noticing her state, clicked her heels briskly across the floor and bent down to ask, “What happened?”

Wu Shu looked up, her face a picture of despair. “I staked out the wrong spot.”

Ji Xuan raised an eyebrow. “What?”

Wu Shu explained, “My colleague told me to stake out Liao Jing’s location. I ended up staking out Liao Bei’s.”

Ji Xuan frowned slightly.

If it were just a simple mistake in stakeout location, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. The other party likely wouldn’t have noticed, and even if they did, Wu Shu hadn’t done anything extreme. It shouldn’t have escalated to her being brought to the police station.

Unless…

“What did you do?” Ji Xuan asked.

Faced with the question, Wu Shu’s expression shifted from despair to one of tearful regret. Her voice broke as she said, “I threw paint on his car.”

Ji Xuan’s heart sank. “What kind of car?”

“A Purosangue,” Wu Shu replied.

Ji Xuan fell silent.

A Ferrari Purosangue. Fully loaded, it cost over five million yuan.

As Wu Shu’s words hung in the air, the two women exchanged a look-one with her head bowed, the other staring upward. Neither spoke.

At that moment, a teasing voice came from not far away. “I’m willing to settle this privately. The car’s brand new-I just got it yesterday. All the paperwork is in order. Since she’s just a young girl, I’ll cut her a deal. Four million, and the car’s hers.”

Ji Xuan turned toward the voice but could only see the back of the man’s head.

Judging by his attire, though, this man had a… unique sense of style.

Liao Bei was dressed in a blue floral short-sleeve shirt paired with red floral shorts.

His entire outfit screamed one word: casual.

After Liao Bei spoke, the officer sitting across from him looked troubled. “Manager Liao, isn’t that a bit harsh on the young lady? Four million… She’s just a fashion magazine editor-in-chief…”

The officer, a man nearing fifty, seemed genuinely concerned for Wu Shu.

After hearing him out, Liao Bei smirked. “Officer Wei, you’re not suggesting I just swallow this loss, are you?”

“Of course not,” the officer replied quickly. “I’m just saying, maybe there’s another way-like repairing the damage…”

The officer was clearly trying his best to ease Wu Shu’s burden.

But Liao Bei wasn’t inclined to give any leeway. His face was full of mockery. “Officer-”

He had barely begun to say “Officer Wei” when a shadow fell beside him.

Instinctively, Liao Bei turned his head. Seeing Ji Xuan standing there, he raised an eyebrow in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

Ji Xuan, puzzled, replied, “Do I know you?”

Liao Bei, caught off guard by her confusion, pinched his thigh hard.

He had let something slip.

Under Ji Xuan’s curious gaze, Liao Bei’s lips twitched slightly. Forcing a calm demeanor, he said, “You don’t recognize me? Bo Xi-does that ring a bell?”

Ji Xuan’s expression shifted from confusion to delight. “It’s you?”