Chapter 5: Goodbye Xia Chan
By the next morning, half the hotel had already invented their own version of Xia Chan’s encounter with He Huaisheng. A few minutes in the cold had turned into a legend — whispers traded between corridors and service stations, every version more imaginative than the last. Whenever Xia Chan walked by, conversations cut short. Eyes averted. Smiles concealed behind teacups. Yet the murmurs continued, right within earshot. She’d never cared much for gossip, but the timing couldn’t have been worse. The hotel was under review, and everyone was treading carefully, watching each other for weakness. What would have been harmless chatter in ordinary times could now become a weapon — a reason to question her loyalty, her future. Xia Chan felt a dull resentment stir. Why does every story involving He Huaisheng end in trouble? Fortunately, the Lunar New Year arrived swiftly, silencing the rumors before they could take deeper root. The New Year at home was uneventful. Dinner, the same quiet ch...
