Mysterious Beautiful Wife at Home (GL) - Chapter 12

If they were ordinary thieves, she’d teach them a lesson. If they were from the Chi family, she’d knock them out and drag them away. Zhang Yuning quickened her pace. Without time to grab a weapon, she snatched up half a brick from the roadside.

She had clearly covered Chi Nian’s luxury car with a car cover. How had anyone still found it? Had they been under surveillance?

As Zhang Yuning approached the car, the two figures had already lifted half the cover. Raising her arm, she was ready to swing the brick when one of them suddenly cried out, “Sister Ning! It’s Sister Ning!”

Zhang Yuning froze mid-motion. These weren’t just any thieves, they were the two “little brothers” she had taken under her wing in the slums.

Glazed Island had stark class divisions, with extreme wealth and poverty. The upper echelon could be richer than nations, while the poor struggled to afford even a single meal. That was how the slums came to be—home to orphans, the homeless, and those abandoned by society. The government turned a blind eye, never caring about the plight of the poor, instead currying favor with the wealthy, relying on the elite few to drive the nation’s economy and development.

Few knew Zhang Yuning had come from the slums. That was why she occasionally sent medicine there or helped out when she could. These two scrawny boys had grown up weak, often bullied and robbed of food. Once, she had crossed paths with them and taught them a few tricks like lock-picking.

“You two have a death wish, stealing from me?” Anger surged through her as she clenched her fists, itching to throw a punch. “Get lost! Coming to a place like this, do you want to end up in jail?”

“Yes, yes, Sister Ning! Sorry, sorry!” The boys, barely fourteen or fifteen, survived by petty theft, barely scraping by. Desperate, they had turned to cars, hoping to smash a window and find something valuable inside.

Probably at their wits’ end again.

Zhang Yuning considered giving them some money but quickly dismissed the thought. Handouts weren’t a permanent solution. After shooing the two troublemakers away, she exhaled deeply and readjusted the cover over Chi Nian’s car, uneasy about how conspicuous it was.

They had to leave this place tomorrow. It wasn’t safe here.

Using the first-floor security bars, she climbed back up, retracing her steps unnoticed and slipping back into the study as if nothing had happened. Chi Nian likely hadn’t noticed. Rolling her neck and stretching, Zhang Yuning returned to work.

Only 20% of the task remained. She wanted to finish it in one go. Chi Nian was probably gathering leverage on these people. Using their dirty secrets and underhanded methods to control them.

To the Chi Shang Group, Chi Nian was just born lucky, reaping endless wealth without lifting a finger. As the largest shareholder, she had that privilege. But if she wanted to return and take control, no one would respect her without effort. So, she probably needed a team. But could a team built on threats be reliable? Could it last?

The infighting within the Chi family would benefit the Third Miss, so this job had to be done right.

Time blurred as Zhang Yuning finally completed extracting all the information. She circled key points with a pen, her eyelids growing heavier. The moment her tense nerves relaxed, she slumped over the desk and fell asleep instantly.

Yet her subconscious reminded her to wake up early. She had to make breakfast for her boss, even though the house seemed to have nothing. When exhaustion weighed her down, even ten alarms wouldn’t rouse her. But sometimes, her internal clock jolted her awake in an instant.

Sometimes when her mind was too busy, it would keep spinning without stopping, and all those messy thoughts would seep into her dreams. Just like now, as she lay slumped over the desk, she dreamed that Chi Nian came over and asked if she was cold, suggesting she move to the bed. She refused.

Not long after, she dreamed again of Chi Nian bringing a blanket and draping it over her. Chi Nian leaned in close, seemingly studying her face. Through half-lidded eyes, Zhang Yuning caught a glimpse of that blurred face whether it was the haziness of the dream or not, the indistinctness only enhanced Chi Nian’s beauty.

When would this intoxicating dream end? Why did the Chi Nian in her dreams feel so enchanting?

Chi Nian crouched beside the desk, tilting her head up slightly to look at her. Zhang Yuning felt cool fingertips slip into her palm. She curled her fingers slightly, grasping Chi Nian’s hand but then the scene abruptly ended. As her consciousness sank deeper, she felt a soft kiss pressed against her forehead.

Why did she keep dreaming of her? Always her.

She couldn’t keep sleeping. She had to get up and make breakfast. Zhang Yuning repeatedly willed herself awake, struggling several times before jolting upright again. This time, she wasn’t disoriented. She remembered clearly: she was at home, and Chi Nian was here too.

She immediately stood up, and the blanket slid off her shoulders.

Rubbing her eyes, Zhang Yuning ignored the stiffness from sleeping awkwardly and picked up the blanket. Had last night not been a dream? Had Chi Nian really come?

No, she quickly dismissed the thought. Maybe Chi Nian had woken up in the middle of the night, noticed her asleep, and casually brought the blanket over. The rest must have just been a dream. She shouldn’t overthink it.

Glancing at the time, she saw it was already 7:30. A little late, but still manageable, right?

But when she walked into the next room, a bowl of plain congee sat on the counter, steam rising from it, accompanied by two slices of bread. Chi Nian was on the balcony, absorbed in her tablet.

Hearing the movement, she turned and said calmly, “You overslept again.”

“Sorry, I—”

Zhang Yuning looked up and froze. Chi Nian was wearing one of her oversized T-shirts, her hair tucked behind her ears, her figure bathed in the morning light streaming through the window. A picture of serene beauty. It was the first time she’d seen her not in a dress, and the simplicity made her even more stunning. Such a face, bestowed by the heavens; was it a blessing or a curse?

“Go shower and freshen up. The congee won’t be too hot by the time you’re done.” After giving the order, Chi Nian lowered her head again. She seemed caring, even nurturing, but it was subtle, as if she was holding something back.

Zhang Yuning felt another pang of guilt. She’d almost managed to wake up on time. Mumbling an acknowledgment, she glanced at the breakfast, once again surprised by Chi Nian’s cooking skills. There was probably only enough rice left in the house for one bowl, and the bread was the long-lasting kind not tasty but durable.

Why did things always turn out like this? Frustrated, she thought that after breakfast, Chi Nian would surely leave. Staying cooped up here was uncomfortable for both of them, and she felt awkward too. At least they hadn’t shared a bed if those dreams had turned into reality, she couldn’t even imagine what might have happened.

She had just started to calm down, but whenever she dreamed of these ambiguous scenes, Zhang Yuning couldn’t help but recall certain moments in bed.

She finished breakfast in two minutes, washed the bowl, and asked, “What’s the plan for today? I’ve already extracted the information.”

“Share it with me, then delete it.”

“Got it.”

After dawdling for about five more minutes, Zhang Yuning felt it was time to leave. They had to take this luxury car away, or else the gathering crowd would expose Chi Nian’s whereabouts.

“Where to next? Back to Dean Apartments or meeting someone?”

Chi Nian stood up calmly, dressed in a white T-shirt and her own cropped jeans that fit perfectly. Bare-faced, her outfit starkly contrasted with that exorbitantly priced bag. Her clothes were all cheap street-market finds costing just a few dozen yuan. Yet Chi Nian somehow made them look like high-end designer wear, her innate elegance elevating everything around her.

“We’re going grocery shopping.”

“Huh? Grocery shopping?”

“To buy some food. You’ve got nothing here.”

Zhang Yuning found this odd; was this implying a long-term stay?

“Let’s buy stuff for Dean Apartments. We’ll have to go back eventually.”

“No, we’re staying at your place first.”

“Is that appropriate?”

Chi Nian raised an eyebrow: “Must you issue an eviction notice daily?”

“My place is small. I’m afraid you won’t be comfortable.”

“I’m perfectly comfortable.” With that, Chi Nian linked arms with her and headed for the door.

“Wait a sec.” Zhang Yuning hurried to the wardrobe and took out a beige baseball cap, placing it on Chi Nian’s head. “For cover.”

Chi Nian looked up at her slightly, a faint smile playing at her lips. “My hair’s messy.”

“Fix it yourself.”

Chi Nian didn’t move.

Understanding her meaning, Zhang Yuning reached out to carefully adjust her hair; tucking strands behind ears, smoothing the bangs. They stood so close that their warm breaths mingled in the narrow space between them.

She was truly beautiful, her bare skin flawless. As she adjusted the cap, Zhang Yuning remembered the car crash again. How could Chi Nian’s head bear no scars? It made no sense. This was Chi Nian’s deepest mystery, one that might even determine the truth of her identity.

It was still early. Zhang Yuning pondered which supermarket to take Chi Nian to someone of her status surely had shopping standards. They couldn’t possibly drive this luxury car to a wet market.

The vehicle was too eye-catching. Dressed so casually today, a low-profile outing was necessary. Zhang Yuning suggested taking her own beat-up car instead. Chi Nian didn’t object. Zhang Yuning borrowed a garage to hide the luxury car inside, yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that Chi Nian’s presence here would be leaked just an uneasy intuition, though her intuitions tended to be eerily accurate.

Grocery runs didn’t suit someone of Chi Nian’s status, yet she showed no discomfort. At the supermarket, she deftly grabbed a shopping cart, blending in so naturally she seemed no different from ordinary people. She didn’t insist on high-end stores either, choosing this common, affordable marketplace.

As a bodyguard, Zhang Yuning dressed for mobility ready to fight if needed. She had no interest in shopping, remaining vigilant, constantly sensing invisible eyes watching Chi Nian from all directions.

“Want any snacks?” Chi Nian asked by the snack aisle, but Zhang Yuning’s distracted mind registered nothing.

Noticing this, Chi Nian covered a light laugh with her hand: “No need to act like we’re shoplifting.”

“It’s still early. The crowd will grow soon.”

“Since you’re not answering, I’ll just pick randomly.” Chi Nian paid no heed to her warnings, selecting items independently.

“Okay.” Zhang Yuning still didn’t know what Chi Nian planned to buy food? Supplies? The apartment did need provisions, but since she was serving as a bodyguard now, this couldn’t possibly be a long-term arrangement.

Chi Nian browsed through the aisles one by one, picking up various high-calorie snacks. Zhang Yuning was dressed in a blue-gray denim shirt today, her hair cascading over her shoulders and sunglasses hanging from her collar. She took them off and said, “Put these on.”

“What for?”

“A little disguise.”

“I’m not a thief. Why would I need a disguise?”

“If anyone recognizes Miss Chi here, Liuli Island’s trending list will explode again.”

Chi Nian smiled faintly. “It doesn’t matter.” She refused to wear the sunglasses and pushed the cart toward the ready-to-eat section. Suddenly, someone came running toward them. Seeing this, Zhang Yuning rushed forward and pulled Chi Nian into her arms, avoiding the collision.

Just as she was about to throw a punch in defense, she realized the person had simply forgotten to weigh their items at checkout and was hurrying back.

Zhang Yuning let out a long sigh of relief. Looking down, she found Chi Nian gazing up at her with a dazed expression’ those deep, melancholic yet faintly joyful eyes were utterly disorienting. In that instant, Zhang Yuning remembered every dream they’d shared, and her heart inexplicably ached with a sharp pang.

She tried to loosen her hold, but Chi Nian clung tightly to her. The supermarket was quiet in the early morning, and even if there had been a crowd, everything else faded into the background. It felt as if the entire world had nothing to do with the two of them anymore.