Chapter 443: A Thousand-Li Search for Wu Sheng
Wu Sheng and his team were in the middle of wrapping things up. Once they were finished, they would head back.
The search and rescue operations were basically complete. After one final inspection, Wu Sheng and his team’s mission would be considered a total success.
Thanks to emergency repairs, transportation, water, and electricity in Wucheng were gradually being restored.
Huaguo has a long-standing tradition of disaster relief. No matter how much or how little one could offer—be it a cup of water or a bowl of rice—people would give what they could to help.
Even before transportation was restored, people had found ways to send in supplies. After it was back up, the amount of relief aid coming in grew and grew.
Everyone greeted these relief workers—whether they were providing labor or goods—with a smile.
However, Wu Sheng had nothing but a cold stare for Bai Xinyue, who had not only brought a lot of supplies and caused a great stir but had also come in person.
Wu Sheng understood that the Bai Family wanted to make a name for themselves by doing a good deed with their disaster relief. But there was no need for Bai Xinyue to show up here in person.
This was no place for a pampered young lady like her. Just look at her: exquisite makeup, not a single piece of jewelry missing, and a designer coat, scarf, and leather shoes. None of it was appropriate attire for a place like this.
She was in a disaster zone, yet she was afraid of getting mud splattered on her. She tiptoed and hopped as she walked, terrified of dirtying her shoes.
Her gaze toward her surroundings was nothing but detached. If not for her good upbringing, she probably would have long since been unable to hide her look of disgust.
After the rain, the weather had cleared up. Under the bright sun, a driver assigned to Bai Xinyue carefully held an umbrella for her. No matter how you looked at it, she was a figure who did not belong here.
After making a show of distributing some relief supplies for appearance’s sake, Bai Xinyue couldn’t wait to find Wu Sheng.
Of course, she put on a calm and composed front. Although she desperately wanted to see Wu Sheng, to surprise and awe him, she had to maintain her noble, aloof image and stage it as a chance encounter.
All along the way, she had been searching for any sign of Wu Sheng.
Her bright clothes and grand entourage were completely out of place, drawing countless curious stares the moment she appeared.
She was the center of attention wherever she went, but Bai Xinyue paid it no mind.
She had always been the focus of everyone’s gaze, so she didn’t think anything was wrong, nor did she notice the strange looks people were giving her behind her back.
Enduring the constant attention, Bai Xinyue frowned at the muddy, ruined road. She wanted to give up several times along the way, but when she thought of Su Li’s expression before she left, she forced herself to press on.
She didn’t know that Wu Sheng had spotted her long ago; she just hadn’t seen him.
The Wu Sheng that Bai Xinyue was used to seeing was always the center of attention, not just because of his handsome face, but because of his powerful aura.
Bai Xinyue couldn’t find the words to describe the feeling. She only knew that whenever Wu Sheng was present, no matter where, he was in complete control of the situation.
Even if Wu Sheng did nothing but stand there quietly, he would draw everyone’s gaze. At the same time, people couldn’t look at him directly. He inspired an inexplicable fear, making people want to keep their distance—far, far away.
A man like Wu Sheng, impossible to ignore yet intimidating, was the kind that most sparked a woman’s desire to conquer.
Bai Xinyue first met Wu Sheng two years ago. The first impression he made was extremely deep. While it wasn’t love at first sight, he certainly left a lasting mark.
Later, when Wu Sheng showed a lack of interest in everything, especially her—sparing her not even a glance, unlike the other men who tried to get her attention, whether overtly or subtly—Bai Xinyue became genuinely interested in him.
Once her interest was piqued, she felt that Wu Sheng was one of the few men worthy of her. Unfortunately, he wasn’t interested in her at all.
Everything that followed made Bai Xinyue all the more dead set on having him.
She thought his status was fine, but in reality, she didn’t understand much about it.
She was surprised to see the filthy, exhausted rescue workers at the scene, but she still searched for Wu Sheng based on her previous impressions of him.
In her mind, Wu Sheng should have been just like before—domineering and handsome as he directed the rescue effort. But she looked and looked and couldn’t find him.
"Who’s this rich young lady? She must have come to the wrong place."
"Why is she holding an umbrella? Didn’t the rain stop?"
"Don’t you get it? It’s for the sun, to keep from getting a tan. I hear all the rich girls from the city are like that; they can’t be out in the sun."
The low murmurs of discussion caught the attention of Wu Sheng, who had been focused on his meal.
Finally getting a proper break to eat, Wu Sheng and the others had found a relatively dry spot to sit on the ground and were eating intently.
As they were eating, they saw Bai Xinyue walking up from below. They watched her curiously and started to talk.
"I heard she brought several truckloads of relief supplies. A rich family’s girl."
"Why would a perfectly fine rich girl come here? Look at her, she seems scared of getting muddy."
"Of course she’s scared. She’s a delicate little thing, not like us who roll around in the mud. Still, getting to see such a beautiful, rich young lady is a treat for the eyes."
Wu Sheng initially ignored their discussion. After all, he’d seen plenty of people like the one they were talking about; it was nothing special.
But they kept talking, so he glanced up.
The moment he did, Wu Sheng frowned.
’What is Bai Xinyue doing here? And putting on this act, of all things.’
"Too much time on her hands," Wu Sheng muttered, watching with a cold expression.
’Isn’t that just it? Having too much time on her hands. If she can’t even help, why come? She even needs someone to wait on her.’
’She doesn’t even look happy to be here, so why bother coming at all?’
After muttering to himself, Wu Sheng went back to his food.
His colleague next to him heard the muttering but didn’t know who he was talking about. Seeing that he had finished, the colleague quickly asked, "Chief, you want another bowl?"
"No thanks, one bowl is enough. We can’t eat too much at once. That goes for you guys, too."
Wu Sheng shook his head, adding a specific warning.
"Got it, Chief."
They were starving and wanted to eat more, but if Wu Sheng said so, they would absolutely listen.
The commotion here caught the attention of Bai Xinyue, who had already walked past. She turned her head for a closer look and finally recognized Wu Sheng, who looked like a man made of mud in the middle of the crowd.
His appearance startled her, but Wu Sheng’s rugged, mature look, with his scruffy beard, was also a pleasant surprise.
"You’re Wu Sheng, right? What a coincidence, running into you here!"
This time, Bai Xinyue dropped her aloof act and greeted him with a face full of pleasant surprise.