Mysterious Beautiful Wife at Home (GL) - Chapter 32

Zhang Yuning didn’t know how she had fallen asleep. Before losing consciousness, she had hidden the key she used to prick herself—Chi Nian shouldn’t have noticed. But this time was different from the last. This time, she had been overcome by an overwhelming drowsiness, as if she had been drugged with some kind of incense, its effect similar to sleeping pills.

Perhaps because her vigilance was too strong, Zhang Yuning remembered everything that had happened before she even woke up. She had been given a second injection by Chi Nian at Butterfly Manor.

But why at Butterfly Manor? Had the Third Young Miss been involved as well? Was that worried look in Lan Chengjin’s eyes because she had foreseen this? Had the Third Young Miss, in order to strike a deal with Chi Nian, callously handed her over as a mere tool?

Heh… how ironic.

From the moment she could remember, Zhang Yuning had lived in the slums, growing up alongside Lan Chengjin. To avoid being bullied, the two had called each other sisters—Lan Chengjin was clever, while Zhang Yuning was strong. They relied on each other, one excelling in intellect, the other in strength. Later, they met another girl, dressed neatly and clearly well-off. Only later did they learn she was Xiao Changying, who had gotten lost and accidentally wandered into the slums.

The three of them had once depended on each other for survival in the slums. Later, Xiao Changying was found and taken back by the Xiao family. Years later, she returned to the slums and brought Zhang Yuning and Lan Chengjin out with her. Lan Chengjin went to school to study, while Zhang Yuning, disliking being controlled, began teaching herself all sorts of things.

In the slums, everyone might betray their companions to survive. When hunger pushed them to the brink of life and death, the darkest aspects of human nature surfaced. Fortunately, though the three of them couldn’t be called deeply bonded, they had at least never harmed one another.

If there was any sentiment, she and Lan Chengjin shared a slight connection. As for Xiao Changying, Zhang Yuning still felt mostly gratitude. But Xiao Changying was no longer the little girl from the slums. She was now the formidable Third Young Miss.

For the sake of profit or other motives, the Third Young Miss could easily push aside those around her.

Before opening her eyes, Zhang Yuning’s mind was a chaotic swirl of memories. Her childhood in the slums, and everything that had happened since meeting Chi Nian.

She truly wished she could just sleep forever, never having to face this cruel world or the darkness again. But she was no longer that helpless little girl who used to be bullied. Back then, she hadn’t even had a name. After leaving the slums, even her name had been given by the Third Young Miss. But now…

Zhang Yuning knew she had to face reality. Slowly, she opened her eyes and found herself lying flat. Beside her was a tea table, the sound of boiling water filling the air, and above her, the steady drip-drip of rain.

She shifted slightly and realized she was on a reclining chair. The movement caught the attention of those nearby.

“Xiao Zhang, awake?” The first voice to reach her ears was Chi Nian’s—only she called her “Xiao Zhang.”

Zhang Yuning pretended to be groggy as she sat up, feigning confusion. “Did I fall asleep?”

“My ambergris has a soporific effect. Seems like you haven’t been sleeping well lately.” Xiao Changying’s seductive red lips curled around a cigarette holder as she exhaled smoke.

Her golden, cascading curls were the first thing that caught Zhang Yuning’s eye, followed by those sea-green irises, clear and deep, shimmering with an unfathomable light.

The two of them sat facing each other, drinking tea, while Lan Chengjin stood silently to the side. Were they trying to convince her she had merely fallen asleep? Heh, what a flimsy excuse. Did Chi Nian think the Third Young Miss’s presence alone would make it all go away?

But Zhang Yuning had no intention of confronting them or making a scene. Instead, she calmly stood up, stretched, and yawned: “So sorry to interrupt your important discussion. I need to freshen up a bit.”

She avoided everyone’s gaze and headed straight for the bathroom. The hallway led to a single restroom. Once inside, Zhang Yuning locked the door and quickly took off her jacket, inspecting both arms for any needle marks.

Strangely, her arms were completely clean. Aside from some faint bruises from a previous injury, there were no suspicious marks. Yet Zhang Yuning refused to believe it was just a figment of her imagination before sleep. Chi Nian’s intentions and actions couldn’t possibly be fake.

She trusted what she had seen. Though her speculations and deductions lacked concrete evidence, she knew they would soon all fall into place.

Zhang Yuning stared at her reflection in the mirror and scoffed lightly. Suddenly remembering something, she pushed aside her hair to examine her neck and behind her ears. Sure enough, she found a faint needle mark on the left side of her neck.

She then rolled up her pants and looked at the spot where the key had pricked her still red and painful to the touch. This was proof. Evidence.

Her heart remained unshaken as she accepted the truth with eerie calmness, but a new plan began to form in her mind. Chi Nian’s syringes always came from that bag. Zhang Yuning had initially promised not to touch it, vowing to stop her sneaky behavior. But now, it seemed there was no need to play fair with someone like Chi Nian.

If Chi Nian showed no mercy, neither would she. To uncover the truth, Zhang Yuning was willing to do whatever it took.

Since the two of them were conspiring to deceive her, drugging her in secret, Zhang Yuning decided to play along—pretend ignorance, act as if she remembered nothing. Let them think it was all just a dream.

After tidying herself up and taking a few deep breaths, she stepped out of the bathroom.

Chi Nian and Xiao Changying seemed to be discussing something, exchanging documents between them. Lan Chengjin, noticing Zhang Yuning’s return, gave her a meaningful look.

The bosses had serious matters to discuss, and it was best to give them privacy. So, the two of them headed downstairs together.

Standing in the villa’s courtyard, Zhang Yuning remained silent. Lan Chengjin, never one for small talk, finally asked, “Yuning, you seem upset. What’s wrong?”

“Should I be happy?”

“You sound resentful.”

Zhang Yuning was indeed seething inside, but she didn’t want to take it out on Lan Chengjin. Suppressing her frustration, she sighed and shook her head. “It’s nothing, Chengjin.”

“All I know is that the project between Third Miss and Miss Chi is of great importance, with far-reaching implications. Beyond that, I can’t say more.”

“I know you have your confidentiality rules. I wasn’t planning to ask you anyway.” Zhang Yuning never wanted to put Lan Chengjin in a difficult position. Someone who devoted all her energy to her boss was nothing if not loyal. Their positions were different, and Third Miss had zero tolerance for betrayal from those close to her.

Truthfully, Lan Chengjin’s role came with immense pressure. The slightest misstep in her work or personal arrangements could not only endanger Third Miss but also lead to severe consequences for her own negligence.

Zhang Yuning would find her own way to investigate.

“Yuning, Miss Chi wouldn’t harm you. That’s what Third Miss told me. Beyond that, I don’t know anything else.” Lan Chengjin was trying to ease her mind, but Zhang Yuning found the statement laughable. It felt like she was the only one caught in a web of schemes, the sole target of their calculations.

She chuckled lightly. “Yeah, maybe.” She didn’t believe a word of it. Zhang Yuning had no faith or convictions to cling to, but she had always known one truth. In this world, the only person she could truly rely on was herself.

After the second injection, would there be a third? What would the trial results reveal? Proof of a drug’s efficacy, or something else entirely?

At one point, Zhang Yuning even began to doubt the authenticity of her memories from all these years. Chi Nian had thrown her thoughts into such disarray that she sometimes couldn’t distinguish reality from illusion.

Under the corridor of the courtyard, fine rain fell in threads, dripping down the vines. Lan Chengjin stood tall and straight, as if trained in professional posture—her stance and sitting posture were always impeccable, regardless of the occasion or time.

Zhang Yuning reached out to let the rain trickle over her fingers and asked softly, “Chengjin, do you remember things from when you were little?”

“How little?”

“From when my memories began.”

“Four years old, maybe. Anything earlier is too hazy.”

“I only seem to recall things after six. Everything before that is blurry.” Zhang Yuning began to question her own origins. With the backgrounds of Yu Qinghua and Ai Lin coming to light, she felt these events might trace back even further.

Lan Chengjin lowered her head and adjusted her glasses. “Everyone’s memory retention is different. It’s normal.”

“But my memory has always been sharper than most. Even my wound recovery is unusual.”

“I noticed that about you when we were kids.”

“Don’t you think that’s strange?”

“Some things just can’t be explained.”

Zhang Yuning rubbed the raindrops in her palm, her heart growing cold. She forced a smile. “I don’t think it’s inexplicable. There are no absolute coincidences in this world.”

Lan Chengjin took two steps forward and placed a hand on Zhang Yuning’s shoulder. “Yuning, whatever you do, just stay safe.” Her words were simple, but they carried all the concern she had.

“I want a cigarette, Chengjin.”

She vaguely remembered how, as a child, she’d curiously pick up discarded cigarette butts and sneak puffs, only for Lan Chengjin to snatch them away and toss them. Lan Chengjin had warned her that smoking others’ cigarettes could make her sick. After many such incidents, she stopped. As an adult, Zhang Yuning only craved a smoke during extreme emotional turmoil. But those moments were rare, as she usually maintained a calm heart.

Now, though, her heart was utterly chaotic, numb.

Only Lan Chengjin knew she still had these moments occasionally. So, upon hearing her request, Lan Chengjin calmly pulled a cigarette holder from her suit pocket, fitted a cigarette into it, and handed it to Zhang Yuning. She always carried these for Xiao Changying, forever wearing clothes with pockets.

Lan Chengjin flicked open a lighter, the flame leaping up with a whoosh. Just as she was about to light the cigarette, a voice came from behind: “Don’t smoke.”

Zhang Yuning turned to see Chi Nian striding over, plucking the cigarette from her lips with a stern expression. “No smoking or drinking.”

“I won’t do it in front of you. It won’t affect you.” Zhang Yuning reached to snatch it back, but Chi Nian pulled her hand away, twisting her fingers to crush the entire cigarette.

“Since when does the boss control smoking and drinking?” Zhang Yuning’s anger flared. She suspected Chi Nian was being strict because of the injection perhaps the drug required avoiding alcohol and tobacco.

But Chi Nian remained firm, her expression cool as she replied, “Since now. It’s not allowed.”

“What if I insist?” Zhang Yuning was already simmering with frustration, and Chi Nian’s interference only stoked her temper.

Chi Nian met her gaze without a trace of amusement, silent. The standoff between them plunged the atmosphere into freezing tension. Lan Chengjin quietly retreated to the side, spotting Xiao Changying standing inside the house, still holding her long cigarette holder, watching the two with a distant, enigmatic gaze.

The sound of rain grew louder, and gusts of cool wind blew in, making Zhang Yuning feel a chill. Her fingers gradually turned cold, even stiff. She clenched them forcefully. Chi Nian’s gaze drifted downward, her expression softening instantly as she took Zhang Yuning’s hand and asked, “Are you cold?”

Zhang Yuning stared at Chi Nian expressionlessly, her heart as cold as ice. No amount of feigned concern could move her now. After facing reality, she would no longer accept affections that were never truly hers.

But the act had to go on. Despite the overwhelming disappointment, despite the dull ache in her chest, Zhang Yuning hardened her heart and shook off Chi Nian’s hand. “I’m not cold.”

“Let’s go home,” Chi Nian said softly.

She always liked to say, “Let’s go home, back to our home.” But where was Zhang Yuning’s home? She had no family, and everything Chi Nian did was nothing but pretense.

“I don’t have a home.” With those words, Zhang Yuning turned and walked alone toward the parking lot. Chi Nian hurried after her, holding an umbrella over her head. Zhang Yuning quickened her steps in frustration, while Chi Nian struggled to keep up in her high heels.

She didn’t look back—nor did she want to. She knew all too well that if she did, her resolve would waver. And once it did, there would be no turning back.