Mysterious Beautiful Wife at Home (GL) - Chapter 21.2

 

Chi Nian gazed at Zhang Yuning’s injured hand, her eyes filled with self-reproach. Her lips trembled slightly, her expression identical to when she had seen the moon lamp shatter. Normally so composed, today she was visibly tense again and each time, it was because of her.

 

“It’s nothing, just a minor injury.” Zhang Yuning didn’t want the blood on her palm to stain Chi Nian, didn’t want anything tainted to sully something so pure. Even if the thought was ridiculous, she couldn’t help but fixate on it.

 

Mo Lindi first instructed the officers to drag away the two attackers, while the others were politely ushered out. She turned her gaze to Chi Nian, but with so many people present, she had no choice but to adopt an official tone.

 

“Miss Chi, you’ve certainly made me search high and low. I’ve scoured the entire Glazed Island, only to find you right under my nose.”

 

The seven-day deadline had arrived, and Chi Nian’s identity could no longer be concealed. Mo Lindi could no longer cover for her. Whether this was part of the plan or an unexpected turn of events remained unclear.

 

Chi Nian was like a strategist in command, having only briefly panicked upon seeing Zhang Yuning injured before quickly regaining her composure. She faced Mo Lindi calmly and replied, “I appreciate your concern, Inspector Mo.”

 

“The case of the missing Miss Chi can finally be closed, and I can report to my superiors. However, I must ask Miss Chi to follow procedure and return to the station with me to give a statement.”

 

“First, have my bodyguard’s injuries treated, then we’ll go.”

 

Mo Lindi glanced at Zhang Yuning’s hand and said dismissively, “Just a minor wound. A simple bandage will do. The station has a forensic doctor.”

 

“No. We’re going to the hospital.”

 

Zhang Yuning felt Chi Nian grip her wrist. The cuts on her palm and fingers weren’t deep, but they had bled profusely. Strangely, the blood flowing into her palm didn’t feel warm. It was almost cool.

 

How fitting for a cold-blooded creature, Zhang Yuning thought bitterly to herself.

 

“There’s no need for the hospital. I can handle it myself.” She didn’t want to cause trouble. Mo Lindi likely had other matters to discuss with Chi Nian, and soon the media would probably swarm the police station.

 

Chi Nian hesitated for a moment, glanced at her watch, and finally nodded in agreement.

 

Why was she always checking the time? Today seemed particularly significant.

 

Zhang Yuning wrapped her wound with a napkin. Though the bleeding had stopped for now, Chi Nian still wouldn’t let her drive.

 

For the first time, she sat in the passenger seat while Chi Nian took the wheel. Finding her high heels inconvenient, Chi Nian had retrieved a pair of sneakers from the trunk. She was always prepared for any situation, ready with a perfect solution at all times.

 

A police motorcycle led the way, with Mo Lindi’s car following closely behind, the procession resembling that of a high-ranking official.

 

Inside the car, Chi Nian remained as composed as ever, showing no surprise at the day’s unexpected events. She exuded the confidence of someone who had everything under control.

 

As she drove, Chi Nian wore gloves and sunglasses. Keeping her eyes on the road, she asked calmly, “Does your hand still hurt?”

 

“No.”

 

“With so many cuts, how could it not hurt?”

 

“The bleeding’s stopped. I’ve always had a higher pain tolerance than most. This little injury is nothing.”

 

Chi Nian turned her head slightly before looking back at the road. “Did you get hurt often as a child?”

 

“Yeah, though I wouldn’t call it getting hurt. Just fighting to survive.”

 

“Even with you sitting beside me, I still couldn’t prevent you from getting injured.” Chi Nian’s grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly, her brows furrowing as she let out a faint sigh of frustration.

 

Why did Chi Nian’s words sound as though she had foreseen the incident?

 

“You couldn’t have known something would happen. Besides, I’m your bodyguard. If there’s a threat to your safety, I have to step in. Getting hurt comes with the job.”

 

“No one should have to endure injuries or suffering. Everyone is the same.”

 

Chi Nian’s words struck a chord. In the nation of Glazed Island, the concept of equality had never existed. That someone from high society like her would empathize with others was baffling. Zhang Yuning eyed her skeptically. “Did I hear that right? Miss Chi said everyone is the same?”

 

“Do you think the upper class must look down on those beneath them?”

 

“It’s not just my opinion, it’s the state of our society and it’s been this way for over a century, hasn’t it? Otherwise, how could a place as developed as Glaze Island still have slums? Even in the capital, Glaze City, behind all the glamour, there are still those who live like vermin, skulking in the shadows just to survive.”

 

Zhang Yuning had clawed her way up from the very bottom. She knew the suffering of the poor all too well, so she lived day by day, never chasing wealth or status. Survival was enough; nothing else mattered.

 

“True. The slums are full of the lower class. They’ll resort to anything out of desperation, doing whatever it takes to fill their stomachs. It’s understandable, but I don’t sympathize.”

 

That was Chi Nian speaking. Zhang Yuning scoffed softly and didn’t respond.

 

Lower class. What a phrase. Zhang Yuning turned to look out the window, silent. She opened her palm. The blood had already clotted. Her wounds healed quickly, as they always had. Since childhood, she’d known she was stronger than others, whether in strength, speed, or recovery.

 

The car arrived at the police station in about twenty minutes. Given Chi Nian’s status, the two attackers would likely face severe punishment. Only after Zhang Yuning’s hand was briefly treated did Chi Nian agree to cooperate.

 

They were led into an underground interrogation room. Before descending, Mo Lindi handed them masks.

 

This was supposed to be the city’s most transparent institution, yet it harbored a dark, filthy underbelly hidden from sight. It seemed true purity was hard to find in this world.

 

Zhang Yuning had thought only the slums were shrouded in darkness, but behind the glittering façade, there was nothing but unseen filth.

 

An inconspicuous iron door slid open, revealing an elevator. Mo Lindi didn’t wear a mask. She was a woman of both justice and ruthlessness, controversial and indifferent to everything.

 

She was always cold, even toward Chi Nian, and every officer in the station regarded her with awe. Mo Lindi had used her own security clearance to access this place, suggesting that ordinary people couldn’t reach it or even knew it existed.

 

As soon as they stepped out of the elevator, they saw cages. Though the masks blocked the musty stench, Zhang Yuning could still smell it; a foul, nauseating odor, likely from nearby sewers.

 

The underground detention center and interrogation rooms consisted of six cells in total. Four officers stood guard, saluting Mo Lindi the moment they saw her. Their belts were loaded with weapons—handcuffs, batons, stun guns, pistols, and daggers, all strapped around their waists.

 

Why had Mo Lindi brought Chi Nian to a place like this? This was no place for someone of noble birth. The floor was damp, the windows sealed off from daylight, the darkness so thick it blurred day and night.

 

Chi Nian, dressed in an elegant gown, seemed to belong to another dimension entirely.

 

What are they bringing us here for? Zhang Yuning wondered, just as a familiar-sounding wail echoed from nearby. Mo Lindi was leading them straight toward it.

 

It was hard to believe that a medieval-style dungeon like this existed in this country, hidden beneath the police headquarters.

 

So in today’s society, darkness was the true theme. There would always be those suffering unseen torment in the shadows, enduring abuse from unknown sources. Everything we see is just what those in power want us to see. Everyone’s fate is manipulated, and the world is always run by the select few.

 

Just as she reached the doorway, Zhang Yuning’s expression darkened. The two people being whipped were none other than the kids who had tried to steal from the car downstairs that day.

 

“We were wrong, wrong! We won’t dare again!” they pleaded desperately as they were beaten. The two knelt on the ground, their hands tied to a frame, their bodies covered in lacerations, their posture eerily reminiscent of livestock being prepped for slaughter in rural villages.

 

This was what it truly meant to be at someone’s mercy.

 

Zhang Yuning calmly glanced at Mo Lindi and Chi Nian, but neither showed any change in expression. Their eyes were cold as they watched the two boys being beaten. She wasn’t some saint either she usually couldn’t care less about those who were abused or captured. But she had taken these two under her wing before, and yet…

 

“It was these two little thieves who sold your information. Later, someone dug up photos accidentally taken at the supermarket, which is why the news blew up,” Mo Lindi said to Chi Nian. “How they should be punished is up to you. People from the slums are worthless, their lives don’t matter.”

 

She had actually handed the power of life and death to Chi Nian. So their appearance near the car that day hadn’t been a coincidence, nor had it been mere theft. They had likely been sent by someone to gather information.

 

The two were sworn brothers. One called A-Shui, the other A-Bin. Unable to choose their own fate, they seized any opportunity to fill their stomachs. They probably hadn’t even gotten much out of it. Just a few meals’ worth of money was enough to make them do such things.

 

How could they have known that what seemed like petty theft would offend the wrong people and put their lives at risk?

 

But Mo Lindi’s words “People from the slums are worthless, their lives don’t matter” stung. Zhang Yuning clenched her fists, feeling the pain from the wounds in her palms.

 

After those words were spoken, she sensed Chi Nian’s gaze shift, as if locking onto her. Zhang Yuning knew these two boys. If they realized their “Big Sis Master” was here, they’d surely beg for help. But Zhang Yuning remained hidden in the unseen corner of the cage, not revealing herself.

 

Perhaps she had always lived in the shadows.

 

“How would they even know me? Someone must have put them up to it,” Chi Nian said quickly. Small-time thugs like these were no threat to her.

 

“We asked, but they wouldn’t say. Annoying.” As Mo Lindi spoke, she pulled a cigarette from her pocket. An officer nearby hurried to light it for her. She seemed accustomed to being served, flattered, and respected, accepting the gesture with ease.

 

She took a deep drag, smoke curling from her lips, her exhale a wisp of mist. Her crimson nails pinched the slender cigarette, the contrast with her imposing police uniform making her seem both righteous and sinister.

 

“So why did you bring me here?”

 

“How should we deal with them? We can’t just let them go, can we?”

 

“You’re the police chief. Handling small-time crooks like these is your call. I don’t care if they live or die.” Chi Nian’s tone was devoid of emotion, her indifference to life making Zhang Yuning scoff inwardly.

 

The same person who had said in the car that all lives were equal was now dismissing these two boys’ fates. Mo Lindi had handed her the power to decide, yet she showed no intention of saving them.

 

So, in the eyes of these upper-class elites, people like them were nothing but lowly dust, unworthy even of scraping by like ants.

 

“What do you think, Xiao Zhang?” Chi Nian suddenly asked. “Should these two boys be let go?”

 

“Up to you.” Zhang Yuning clasped her hands behind her back and answered expressionlessly.

 

For people in the slums, a good death is considered a decent ending. Rather than letting them be beaten to death for petty theft, run over by a car, or toyed to death by the rich, it’s better for them to die in this cage at least they’ll get a full meal before they’re killed.

 

For the poor, a full meal is a luxury. Sometimes, they’re worse off than stray dogs; even if they grovel and beg, they receive no sympathy or mercy. There is no fairness in this world. People’s fates differ, and so do their ways of living.

 

Zhang Yuning didn’t understand Chi Nian, nor did she want to. Chi Nian probably wouldn’t know her background either. How could she possibly save these two? Who told them to cross the powerful Chi family and fall into Mo Lindi’s hands? There was no way out for them.

 

“You don’t want to save them?”

 

“What do they have to do with me?”

 

Chi Nian’s expression stiffened, a flicker of surprise flashing in her eyes. “If you asked, I could let them go.”

 

“Are you joking? I’m nobody. If Miss Chi wants someone dead, who can live?”

 

Zhang Yuning’s words were laced with sarcasm. Mo Lindi, who had been smoking with narrowed eyes, turned her gaze to her, then to Chi Nian. Exhaling a smoke ring, she smirked.

 

“Then keep them locked up. They’ll be released when I say so.”

 

With that, Chi Nian turned and walked out. Zhang Yuning could no longer hear anything. The screams continued, but she chose to ignore them.

 

She was useless in situations like this, powerless to do anything. Chi Nian’s earlier question must have been meant to mock her. Just a lowly bodyguard, how could she influence the great Miss Chi?

 

Chi Nian wouldn’t dirty her own hands with blood, so the fate of those two would ultimately rest with Mo Lindi. Zhang Yuning didn’t believe a few words of pleading from her would save them. If they had to bear the consequences, then the moment they approached Chi Nian’s car that night, they had already summoned death.

 

Later, Chi Nian entered Mo Lindi’s office, leaving Zhang Yuning to stand guard outside. Seizing the opportunity, she flipped through the old records. The dates in the black-and-white notebook seemed to align with recent events. Yesterday’s entry matched dinner, and today’s incident was also noted.

 

So, were Chi Nian’s two notebooks recording major events? She denied injecting her, yet today’s events felt premeditated. There had been no phone call between her and Mo Lindi, how had they met at Huazhong Hotel?

 

When faced with danger, Chi Nian remained composed, unshaken. Yet when Zhang Yuning was injured, she had been visibly tense. That repeated regret, heartache, and even remorse. It was almost as if she had foreseen the danger but failed to prevent it.

 

After about twenty minutes in Mo Lindi’s office, Chi Nian emerged. Just then, an officer reported that a crowd of reporters had gathered outside the police station.

 

It seemed news of Chi Nian’s appearance had indeed spread.

 

“Time to face the public,” Mo Lindi adjusted her police cap and said to Chi Nian, “You should say a few words too.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Zhang Yuning remained silent, sticking to her role as a bodyguard without unnecessary remarks. But as Chi Nian stepped out, she looped an arm around hers.

 

“Stay close to me. Don’t leave my side.”

 

“You don’t have to tell me. I know.” Zhang Yuning found her instruction redundant.

 

In a crowd, she would naturally do her job as a bodyguard properly. If nothing else, Xiao Changying’s orders alone were enough to ensure her compliance.

 

Now it’s clear that Maureen Dee and Chi Nian might be in some kind of partnership. As for the specifics of their dealings, that remains to be uncovered. But this matter must be reported to Xiao Changying, since Maureen has also frequently opposed the Xiao family.

 

Among the many adversaries of the Third Young Miss, Maureen is certainly one. Zhang Yuning isn’t interested in how their feud began. She just needs to relay this information to Lan Chengjin.

 

Using a specialized communication method, she sent an email to Lan Chengjin, briefly summarizing today’s events. If Xiao Changying is aware of these two collaborating yet still wants her to protect Chi Nian, it suggests some kind of strategic alliance between her and Chi Nian.

 

As they reached the police station entrance, reporters swarmed forward. Over a dozen officers formed a barricade in front of Maureen.

 

“Miss Chi has returned safely. Let her say a few words. No crowding, anyone who pushes will be taken inside for questioning.” Maureen’s authoritative tone forced everyone to restrain themselves.

 

Chi Nian stepped forward with a bright smile as cameras flashed and reporters began live broadcasts on the spot.

 

“Thank you all for your concern. My safe return is entirely due to the relentless efforts of Chief Maureen and my brother. I’m unharmed and will return to Chi Shang Group after some rest.”

 

“Miss Chi, you have no business experience. What role will you take in the group? How can you assist Chairman Chi?”

 

The invasive and pointed question didn’t ruffle Chi Nian. She smiled calmly. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

 

With that, she headed toward the parking lot. Despite the officers’ efforts to shield her, the reporters continued clamoring.

 

“Well, you got your wish,” Chi Nian suddenly said to Zhang Yuning.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

She stopped and looked at Zhang Yuning. “You ignored that news story because you wanted me exposed, didn’t you?”

 

Zhang Yuning’s gaze sharpened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She could only deny it outright.

 

Chi Nian smiled and pointed at her chest. “Don’t try to play games. I know exactly what you’re thinking.” With that, she flashed a cryptic smile. One so calculating it sent a chill down Zhang Yuning’s spine.