Not a Scummy Alpha, But a Sweet Puppy (Transmigration Into A Novel) - Chapter 14

Both Gu Zhibai and Jiang Zhenmian heard the System’s message. Gu Zhibai watched coldly as Jiang Zhenmian choked violently, coughing for a long time until her face flushed crimson. Trying to recover, Jiang Zhenmian said, “It’s just that the soup was so delicious, I drank it too quickly.”

She blinked her eyes, her gaze wet and slightly flustered as she looked up. “I always embarrass myself in front of you, Sister,” she said, sounding both awkward and annoyed.

Gu Zhibai’s amber eyes narrowed slightly. She rested her chin on her hand, propping her elbow on the table, and smiled warmly. “How could you say that? Xiao Jiang is very endearing.”

Sunlight streamed through the window, bathing them in a golden glow.

Her outward demeanor remained gentle as ever, but her consciousness soared high above, like a judge scrutinizing Jiang Zhenmian with cold, piercing eyes. She probed, searching for her thoughts, her motives, and how she planned to complete her mission.

Jiang Zhenmian finished her “afternoon tea” in silence, thankfully without further mishaps.

The System was a tactless idiot, and she had no desire to chat with it for the time being.

How should I say these two things? Jiang Zhenmian followed Gu Zhibai upstairs, her mind racing with possible approaches.

“You’ll be staying in this room. No one usually comes here. The bedding is in the closet, all brand new and clean,” Gu Zhibai said calmly as she opened the closet. “The bathroom is over there. Turn the hot water tap to the right.”

“As for clothes,” Gu Zhibai led Jiang Zhenmian to the walk-in closet. Rows of garments hung neatly on racks, like a boutique. Tops, coats, dresses, and pants were arranged on one side, while shoes, bags, and accessories occupied the other.

Wow, it’s like stepping into Tiny Times, Jiang Zhenmian thought.

Gu Zhibai casually gestured to a few racks. “Pick out two outfits you like for tomorrow. As for pajamas… we don’t have any new ones here right now. We could go buy some later, or you can wear mine if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all!” Jiang Zhenmian blurted out immediately. “But how could I trouble you any further, Sister? You’ve already done so much for me, even giving me clothes… I’m already feeling so embarrassed.”
Jiang Zhenmian pursed her lips, her gaze drawn to the shimmering clothes. The familiar discomfort of being the poorer party in the face of such a vast disparity in wealth resurfaced, her eyes betraying her unease.

Even the simplest garment here likely cost more than her entire year’s salary. We’re mismatched, and I don’t have any outstanding qualities. How could Gu Zhibai ever fall for me?

If Gu Zhibai was a magnificent peacock perched atop a tree, then Jiang Zhenmian was just a humble chicken pecking at the ground. Ugh, why am I overthinking this so much?!

Jiang Zhenmian took a deep breath. I have charisma! Besides, it’s not illegal to live off someone a little!

Gu Zhibai watched Jiang Zhenmian, who one moment looked like a defeated rooster, head drooping in dejection, and the next like a warrior burning with battle fervor, clearly conjuring up some wild scenarios in her mind.

She doesn’t seem particularly bright, and her acting skills don’t seem very polished either.

Jiang Zhenmian rarely wore skirts, preferring the practicality of pants and the freedom from worrying about posture or accidental exposure. But these clothes were so stylish, each with its own unique flair, that she was immediately overwhelmed by the choices.

Gu Zhibai watched her struggle for ages before finally walking over. After a moment’s thought, she picked out a pink outfit and offered it to Jiang Zhenmian. “Want to try this one?”

Pink? What was this? The color of a puppy trying to look cute! Jiang Zhenmian’s eyes sparkled as she eagerly took the outfit. “If Sister says this one, then this one it is!”

With the clothes chosen and the room inspected, the two returned to the sofa and sat side by side.

Jiang Zhenmian’s eyes lit up. “Sister, let me read your palm!”

Gu Zhibai’s eyebrows twitched slightly. “You know how to do that?”

“Just a little bit,” Jiang Zhenmian replied. “Want me to try?” Seeing Gu Zhibai’s hesitation, she quickly clasped her hands together and pleaded in a drawn-out voice, “Please, please, pretty please?”

“Alright,” Gu Zhibai relented, extending her right hand.

Jiang Zhenmian solemnly cradled the back of Gu Zhibai’s hand, guiding her to open her palm. With a delicate finger, she traced the lines on Gu Zhibai’s palm. “This is the career line, this is the love line, and this is the wisdom line. Sister’s wisdom line is so long! It means you’re super smart.”

“And the love line is very fine, which shows you have a very delicate heart.”

Jiang Zhenmian rambled on with a nonsensical fortune-telling act, finally releasing Gu Zhibai’s hand. With a wistful sigh, she said, “Your hands are so soft, Sister, much softer than mine. Mine feel rough, not like a girl’s at all.”

Jiang Zhenmian’s fingers were slender and elegant at first glance, but a closer look revealed a thin callus on the pad of her right index finger, a mark of years spent writing. Her palms, hardened by part-time jobs and household chores since childhood, were far from soft, instead bearing a network of fine scars.

These were hands that had worked hard.

Gu Zhibai froze, surprised by Jiang Zhenmian’s indirect approach. She had expected her to seize the opportunity of reading her palm to pull her hand closer and flirt openly.

After waiting for what felt like an eternity, she realized Jiang Zhenmian was genuinely focused on palmistry. She almost thought the moment had passed.

Not that she minded, of course.

Jiang Zhenmian’s palms were marked with numerous scars, the most prominent being a long, linear scar on her left hand. Gu Zhibai pointed to it. “How did you get this?”

“I accidentally cut myself while chopping vegetables when I was little,” Jiang Zhenmian replied casually, her tone dismissive.

Gu Zhibai knew about Jiang Zhenmian’s family situation. She also had some understanding of the woman from her previous life. That woman spoke of her family as if they were her enemies. When Gu Zhibai asked a few questions, she was impatiently dismissed.

In the past, Gu Zhibai had only seen brief mentions in documents: a few casual sentences about family discord, almost complete estrangement, and the woman working her way through university. She imagined there must be hidden hardships and bitterness behind those words.

But from Jiang Zhenmian’s tone, it didn’t seem like she hated her family.

Gu Zhibai hesitated for a moment before asking, “Did you have to cook for your family often when you were little?”

Here it comes! Jiang Zhenmian thought. Time to play the victim!
She paused, then curled the corners of her lips into a forced smile, full of helplessness and bitterness. With a sigh, she said, “Yes. My… mother said women are born to do housework. If you don’t learn properly, your in-laws will despise you after you marry. I started learning to cook when I was five or six. By the time I was tall enough to reach the gas stove, all the meals were my responsibility.”

“Cooking, laundry, cleaning the house—I had to do it all. Meanwhile, my younger brother just sat around, demanding designer sneakers from Mom.”

She let out a soft breath, her voice tinged with relief. “But it doesn’t matter anymore. I see all that as just the trials I had to endure on the path to a brighter future.”

Jiang Zhenmian tilted her head and smiled faintly. “Besides, if you look at it positively, things can only get better from here, right?”

Her tone was breezy and optimistic, as if her difficult past were nothing more than a fleeting shadow in her life, and she was now emerging from the mud, striding toward sunlit days.

Can the influence of one’s family really be shaken off so easily? Gu Zhibai’s hand, hanging limply at her side, clenched into a tight fist. Her neatly trimmed nails dug into her palm, the subtle pain helping her maintain a facade of composure.

“You’re going to do great,” she heard herself say.

“I still have some work to finish up. I’ll be quick. You can take care of yourself, right?”

“Okay, Sister, go ahead and get back to work! Work comes first,” Jiang Zhenmian said, completely unsuspecting. “I can play some games for a while.”

“Remember to eat your fruit,” Gu Zhibai said before turning and hurrying upstairs. She strode into her study and closed the door behind her.

In truth, they were quite similar. Both were children neglected by their families, each with a younger brother who received all the affection. Gu Zhibai, however, lived a slightly more comfortable life materially, at least she didn’t have to do any housework.

She harbored resentment toward her parents. Despite her exceptional abilities, why couldn’t she earn even a shred of their attention? Gu Zhibai would never forget her mother’s stunned expression when her father announced he would pass the Gu Corporation to her. Clutching her brother’s arm, her mother had demanded in a manner unbecoming of her status, “How can you give the Family Head position to her? Women marry out! Zhiyao is the rightful heir to the Gu family!”

The irony was bitter. Her father, a shrewd businessman through and through, would naturally choose the person most capable of advancing the Gu Corporation’s interests as his successor.

Her mother and younger brother treated her like an enemy. At times, Gu Zhibai even wondered if she was truly her mother’s biological daughter.

How could such deep-seated resentment simply vanish? Jiang Zhenmian’s words sounded far too glib.

Such a sunny person… Gu Zhibai bit her lip, her heart wavering.

She stayed in the study for over an hour, the sky gradually darkening. After they shared the dinner prepared by the housekeeper, Jiang Zhenmian announced she was going upstairs for a shower.

Gu Zhibai didn’t know how to act around this person. Her feelings were a tangled mess. She watched Jiang Zhenmian bound up the stairs, even letting out a sigh of relief. But moments later, Jiang Zhenmian reappeared, her hair still dripping wet and wrapped in a towel. She stood beside Gu Zhibai, hesitating for a long moment before speaking.

Gu Zhibai sighed inwardly. “What is it? You look like you have something on your mind.”

Jiang Zhenmian hesitated for a long time, then said, her voice tinged with embarrassment, “Sister, I was about to wash my hair and noticed the shampoo smells like herbs.”

Jiang Zhenmian leaned closer, her warm, humid breath gently brushing against Gu Zhibai’s head. Her voice, as if veiled in mist, murmured, “Sister, your hair smells so lovely. Let me take a closer sniff… Hmm, it’s floral. Can I use the same shampoo as you?”

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