I Transmigrated and Already Had a Wife - Chapter 35.2

System: “Host, don’t be discouraged! How will you know it won’t work if you don’t try? I have faith in you~”

Oh~ Oh~ Oh~

Jiang Zhou closed her eyes. “She told me not to look for her.”

System: “Host, think about the child in the female lead’s belly. If you don’t go, the child will call someone else ‘Dad.’ That’s your biological child~”

Oh~ again.

Did this system think it sounded cute talking like this?

Jiang Zhou rolled her eyes, unmoved.

System: “If the Host goes, the system can give the Host a Golden Finger~”

Golden Finger?

Jiang Zhou stopped paying attention to the system’s “ohs” and quickly asked, “What Golden Finger?”

System: “The ability to hear everyone’s inner voice~ With this Golden Finger, the Host can practically move through this world like a fish in water~”

Jiang Zhou was somewhat tempted.

System: “The Host will also be able to hear the female lead’s inner thoughts when the time comes~”

Hear Lin Muwan’s inner thoughts?

Jiang Zhou swallowed. Would she then know whether Lin Muwan liked her or not? She said, “Deal!”

System: “Alrighty~ Then I wish the Host an early reunion with the female lead. The female lead is currently resting at a post station. The Host can catch up with them by tomorrow if you ride a horse~”

As soon as the voice finished, Jiang Zhou heard a ziz-ziz electrical current sound in her mind. A moment later, it became peaceful.

Jiang Zhou called out to the system several times in her mind but received no response.

It seemed like it was truly gone this time.

However, she needed to test the Golden Finger the system mentioned to see if the system was truly lying to her.

Jiang Zhou put the wooden box away. As soon as she stepped out of the house, she saw two women chatting by the wall.

She walked over and stopped at a point neither too close nor too far.

Woman A said, “My man bought me a box of rouge yesterday. All day long, he just spends money recklessly.”

Woman B echoed, “Er’gouzi truly knows how to cherish his wife, unlike my man.”

Jiang Zhou slightly moved closer, and Woman B’s voice came through her ear again: Who in the village doesn’t know about your Er’gouzi’s affair with Widow Zhang?

Jiang Zhou looked up. Woman B was standing there listening attentively to Woman A, her mouth hadn’t moved at all. So, the voice she heard was Woman B’s inner thoughts.

To verify it again, Jiang Zhou pretended to look at the scenery and secretly moved a bit closer.

Woman A said, “I heard Er’ya is engaged. It’s to a young man from the neighboring village.” She extended five fingers and lowered her voice, “That family gave five taels of silver. It’s just a pity…”

“A pity about what?” Woman B pressed.

Woman A shook her head. “It’s a pity that the groom is a cripple. You tell me, isn’t this Old Third Jiang utterly despicable? He sold his daughter off just to get a wife for his son.”

Just after she finished speaking, Jiang Zhou heard her heart say: Hmph, serves him right! Old Third Jiang, you unjustly occupied my family’s land. It serves you right that your daughter marries a cripple and your son can’t find a wife.

Jiang Zhou covered her mouth with her hand. After a moment, she suppressed her internal excitement. The unreliable system really hadn’t lied to her; she could indeed hear other people’s inner voices.

Having verified it, she didn’t need to stay any longer. She quickly returned home, took out the wooden box, divided the silver notes in half, leaving all the land deeds for Jiang Mother. She packed a simple bundle of clothes. Since she didn’t know how to say goodbye to Jiang Mother anyway, she followed Lin Muwan’s example and left a letter, promising to return soon.

She would have to come back after completing her business. She liked it here better than anywhere else.

Jiang Zhou led out the horse, hitched the carriage, and was just about to climb up when a grey ball of fluff clung to her foot. She looked down and saw it was Zhouzhou, tightly hugging her foot.

Usually, Zhouzhou wouldn’t cling to Jiang Zhou. When Lin Muwan was home, it followed her, or it stayed in the room with Mother Lin. Like this…

Jiang Zhou sighed. Even you know what it’s like to be abandoned by your owner? “We are in the same boat, fellow fallen soul. Let’s go, I’ll take you to find her.”

With that, she bent down, picked up Zhouzhou, tossed it into the carriage, and drove off, heading in the direction the system mentioned. After traveling all afternoon, when she reached the adjacent county town in the evening, the city gates were already closed. Jiang Zhou had no choice but to find a place to rest outside the city.

Although she could sleep in the carriage at night, it was still dangerous alone in the countryside. So, she parked the carriage near the city gate, planning to wait until the gates opened early tomorrow morning to enter the city, buy some food, and continue her journey. According to the system, she should be able to catch up with Lin Muwan by noon tomorrow.

She originally thought she was the only one staying there, but in the middle of the night, another group of people arrived.

Hearing the noise, Jiang Zhou pushed open the carriage door and poked her head out. She saw that the group had lit a bonfire and were sitting in a circle, with a few people patrolling the surrounding area.

Looking closer, among the people gathered around the fire, there was a young man in luxurious clothing, with a face as refined as jade, who was particularly eye-catching.

Judging by the respectful attitude of the people around him, that young man should be their master.

Jiang Zhou pursed her lips and sat back in the carriage. With company nearby, she wouldn’t have to stay completely awake all night.

Just as she closed her eyes to sleep, there was a knock on the carriage door.

Jiang Zhou’s eyes became alert. She tentatively asked, “Who is it?”

“Apologies for the disturbance. I saw that you were alone, sir, and I’ve prepared some wine. I was hoping you could join me for a drink.”

A low, deep voice came from outside.

Jiang Zhou guessed it was the young man in fine clothes. Adhering to her usual policy of being friendly to people outside, she pushed open the carriage door. “Is something the matter?”

The young man smiled slightly. “I saw you were alone, sir. The night is cold, so I specially prepared some wine and invite you to drink with us.”

Jiang Zhou poked her head out and looked towards the crowd. Wine was being warmed over the fire. She nodded, jumped down from the carriage. “Then I thank you, sir.”

The young man smiled and led the way, bringing Jiang Zhou to the bonfire. His subordinate moved to pour the wine, but he stopped him. He personally poured a cup for Jiang Zhou, then poured one for himself, and made a gesture to invite her to drink. “Please, sir.”

Jiang Zhou looked at the wine in the cup and then at the young man. She didn’t hear his inner voice. She frowned, uncertain if the young man was thinking of nothing or if her Golden Finger had failed.

She looked elsewhere, her gaze falling on someone else.

What are you looking at? Look again, and I’ll cut out your eyes. A rough voice entered Jiang Zhou’s ears.

Jiang Zhou shivered. They want to cut out my eyes just for looking? This group of people clearly wasn’t kind.

She quickly shifted her gaze back. It seemed the Golden Finger hadn’t failed; the young man truly wasn’t thinking anything.

Seeing that she hadn’t drunk the wine yet, the young man picked up his cup and took a sip in front of Jiang Zhou, then smiled at her.

Jiang Zhou’s face instantly felt hot. He invited me for a drink, and I was actually afraid he poisoned me.

She took a small sip, knowing her tolerance for alcohol was low, and a single sip would suffice to be polite.

The young man didn’t pressure her. He took a roasted chicken leg from his subordinate and handed it to Jiang Zhou. “Please, Jiang.”

Jiang Zhou was genuinely hungry now, especially after drinking a sip of wine on an empty stomach. She didn’t bother with excessive politeness, reached out, and took it. To reciprocate the courtesy, she asked, “What is your name, sir?”

Drinking his wine and eating his meat, she should at least ask his name. If she got the chance later, she could repay him.

“My surname is Xiao. I am the seventh child in my family. You may call me Xiao Qi.”

“Alright. I accept your kindness today, Young Master Xiao. I will repay you doubly another day. My name is Jiang Zhou. You can just call me Jiang Zhou.”

The young man looked at her and smiled. “Looking at your age, Brother Jiang, you should be a few years older than me. I’ll call you Brother Jiang then.”

“As you wish.” Jiang Zhou waved her hand and took a bite of the chicken leg in her mouth.

It’s so fragrant. It seemed everything tasted delicious when starving. She could even enjoy this simple roasting over fire without any seasoning.

“Where are you from, Brother Jiang?”

Jiang Zhou answered while eating, “Linyang County.”

Xiao Qi: “Where are you heading?”

Jiang Zhou looked up at him, frowning slightly. She felt a bit annoyed by the “checking household registry” conversation and answered vaguely, “To visit relatives.”

Xiao Qi seemed to notice her reluctance to say more and didn’t press further. He lowered his head and began eating his meat in small bites. His table manners were very refined. Jiang Zhou couldn’t help but be reminded of Lin Muwan, who also ate like this.

Small, delicate bites—a pleasing sight.

Just then, Xiao Qi’s voice suddenly entered her ear: Who exactly is this Young Master Jiang? Why is he here alone? Is he affiliated with the people from before?

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhou looked up. Xiao Qi was still eating with his head down. It’s his inner voice. She lowered her eyes. So, inviting me for a drink was merely to test me.

Her impression of this Xiao Qi was neither too good nor too bad. At least she was still eating the chicken leg he provided.

Jiang Zhou didn’t want any entanglement with him. After finishing the chicken leg, she quickly excused herself and returned to her carriage. She would have to make do for tonight, but in the future, she must find an inn. If the people she met today were villains, with so many of them, her life might truly have been lost here.

Since hearing Xiao Qi’s inner voice, Jiang Zhou dared not sleep too soundly at night, waking up at the slightest movement.

The next morning, as soon as the city gate opened, Jiang Zhou drove into the city, bought some food for the road, and continued her journey.

Sure enough, around noon, she saw a familiar figure at the post station beside the official road.

Jiang Zhou frowned, her gaze fixed on the hand supporting Lin Muwan as she got out of the carriage. It was extremely unpleasant to look at. She wanted to immediately step forward and chop it off. Thinking this, she indeed acted on it.

Before the person could react, Jiang Zhou quickly stepped forward, gripped his wrist, and pulled him away.

“Jiang Zhou!” Lin Muwan exclaimed in surprise.