The Guide to Faking Innocence to Win His Wife - Chapter 21.2

The bamboo cage, which had been quiet for so long, suddenly lurched. A large fish had swum inside and was thrashing its tail wildly. Both of them froze. Then, Xie Zhiyi pushed her, signaling for her to go check it.

But Jiang Zhongmu had the audacity to lean back in, her voice raspy: “Forget about it.”

Xie Zhiyi wouldn’t allow it. She turned her face away and scolded, “Grandma wants to eat fish.”

“Grandma wants you to eat fish,” Jiang Zhongmu countered instantly, her warm breath ghosting over the woman’s cheek.

“Then why aren’t you—”

“Eating fish requires a reward. Sister should teach me more first; I didn’t quite learn it just now,” Jiang Zhongmu said.

The sun overhead was scorching, and the surrounding greenery looked half-dead from the heat. The cool river continued to flow, and the cage rattled for a bit longer before falling silent. The arms that had tried to push the girl away eventually found their way around her neck. Through their soaked clothes, they stayed pressed together, tirelessly repeating the dance over and over again.

With the creak of the front gate, Grandma, who had been waiting for quite some time, turned around. Her expression shifted to one of pure shock.

“Goodness! Did you two have a water fight? Look at the state of you!”

It was no wonder she reacted that way. They had been in the water for so long that Jiang Zhongmu’s white T-shirt was nearly transparent. They looked utterly bedraggled.

Hearing this, Xie Zhiyi shot a sideways glance at the girl. With Grandma present, she didn’t glare too harshly, but her calm, steady gaze was even more intimidating. Jiang Zhongmu didn’t dare meet her eyes. She carried the bamboo cage forward and replied to Grandma, “It was hot, so we played in the water for a while.”

Grandma immediately grew angry and smacked Jiang Zhongmu on the arm. “It’s one thing for you to be reckless, but you dragged Sister Zhiyi into it too!”

At the word “Sister,” Xie Zhiyi’s expression shifted, but she said nothing. The lecture for Jiang Zhongmu continued.

“Look at you, a grown girl with no sense of responsibility! What’s the point of all that schooling? Don’t you know about Zhiyi’s health?” “Soaking in that river, do you have any idea how much ‘water qi’ enters the body?” “And to think you’ve been applying medicine and massaging her stomach! Last night’s work was all for nothing!”

Grandma was truly fuming. She scolded her granddaughter with a stony face. It was one thing for Jiang Zhongmu to act out, but she shouldn’t have involved the delicate Xie Zhiyi. Furthermore, Grandma was the one who had sent Xie Zhiyi to find her, and this was the result. She smacked Jiang Zhongmu’s arm twice more.

Jiang Zhongmu knew she was in the wrong and took the punishment with her head down, her wet hair plastered to her forehead. She looked rather piteous. Xie Zhiyi found it amusing; her earlier attempts at “revenge” weren’t nearly as satisfying as this. Then, Grandma mentioned something else.

“We’ll have to add another half-month to her medicine now! You’ll go up and massage Zhiyi’s stomach every single day as an apology. For every day you miss, you’ll spend a day kneeling! Act your age for once…”

The smile on Xie Zhiyi’s lips froze. Meanwhile, Jiang Zhongmu put on a look of sincere contrition and spoke sweetly: “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have let Sister play in the river. I’ll definitely bring her the medicine every day.”

Xie Zhiyi: “…”

“If you ever lead our guest into trouble again, I’ll break your legs,” Grandma continued her tirade. Jiang Zhongmu kept nodding, looking the picture of guilt. Halfway through her lecture, Grandma stopped and turned to Xie Zhiyi, her voice softening instantly. “Zhiyi, go change. Don’t catch a cold.”

It was hard to tell who was the actual granddaughter. Xie Zhiyi gave a slight nod and, without so much as a glance at Jiang Zhongmu, headed straight inside. The sounds of scolding continued behind her.

By the time Xie Zhiyi had changed and come back downstairs, Jiang Zhongmu had already rinsed off. As if on purpose, she had put on a white shirt that Xie Zhiyi had never seen her wear before. However, she was so used to loose-fitting clothes that the shirt looked restrictive on her. She’d left the top two buttons undone, and as she sat hunched over on a small stool, glimpses of her undergarments and youthful curves were visible.

The fish in her hands had already been gutted; the basin was filled with scales and entrails. She worked with incredible efficiency. Grandma, sitting nearby, was clearly still annoyed, criticizing Jiang Zhongmu as she picked through vegetables. Nothing the girl did seemed right. Jiang Zhongmu didn’t dare speak and just kept her head down, playing the part of the “good kid.”

When Xie Zhiyi walked out, Jiang Zhongmu finally looked up, her amber eyes settling on her. Xie Zhiyi ignored her and sat down beside Grandma, her attitude distant and cool. Jiang Zhongmu bit her lip and returned to her task.

Grandma offered her usual warm concern. “Zhiyi, are you all washed up? Did you use hot water? Don’t think you can be careless just because it’s hot out; the river water is very cold this time of year.”

Xie Zhiyi’s expression softened instantly, and she responded to Grandma with a gentle voice. Jiang Zhongmu lifted her eyes and watched them for a moment. Her heart felt a strange pang, and her movements grew more forceful, the fish tail whipping back and forth in her hands.

A moment later, Jiang Zhongmu stood up, carried the fish to the faucet to rinse it thoroughly, and headed for the kitchen.

Jiang Town was a riverside community with abundant fish. As the saying goes, “Those near the mountains eat from the mountains; those near the water eat from the water.” With so much fish, every household had its own secret recipe. Jiang Zhongmu’s current method, however, was quite rare.

She boiled a kettle of water on one side, heated an iron wok, and poured in some oil. Once the oil was hot, she put the fish in. She stood there, using a spatula to flip it over and over, frying it continuously. The fish she had caught was indeed large; it had blocked the mouth of the bamboo cage, thrashing for quite a while before falling still. Now, in the wok, it took up half the space, making it quite a chore to flip.

Because she had changed her clothes, she looked a bit constrained. Not wanting to get oil on her shirt, she stood a half-step back, reaching out at full length to manage the fish. The fish grew crispy and fragrant, only to be crushed into pieces by her spatula. Bone, skin, and meat were all mixed together in a way that looked like a child’s mess, yet Jiang Zhongmu was deadly serious. She added a splash of cooking wine followed by the boiling water. With a quick stir, the broth turned a milky white.

While she was busy inside, the two outside continued their chat. The vegetables were finished, piled high in a small iron basin. Grandma was still bothered by the earlier incident. She took Xie Zhiyi’s hand and nagged, “Your constitution is so ‘cold,’ you really have to be more careful… Zhong-Zhong is just young and likes to play, don’t let her get you riled up…”

Xie Zhiyi just nodded in agreement, her gaze occasionally drifting toward the kitchen before quickly snapping back. Her back was still a bit sore. Even though Jiang Zhongmu had been careful, her back had been pressed against the rough, uneven stone wall; bumps and bruises were inevitable. She hadn’t noticed at the time, but the hot water in the shower had made it sting, and now she felt a twinge of pain every now and then. She frowned slightly, adding another mark against Jiang Zhongmu in her mental ledger.

“Zhong-Zhong, add more Sichuan peppercorns! It’ll drive out the cold!” Grandma suddenly shouted.

The person inside responded loudly, her voice carrying a slight rasp that could only be heard if one was listening closely.

Xie Zhiyi looked down at the magnolia petals on the ground.

Somehow, the conversation shifted to Jiang Zhongmu’s clothes. Grandma complained, “She buys clothes like she’s a wholesaler—seven or eight identical shirts in black or white. She changes but looks exactly the same.”

Xie Zhiyi looked up. She had actually wondered about this before. The rabbit-print tank top from the other night was the flashiest thing she’d ever seen Jiang Zhongmu wear.

“I keep telling her to buy something with color. She just throws on her school uniform and says it’s ‘colorful’ enough,” Grandma grumbled incessantly.

Oh… Xie Zhiyi had completely forgotten about that red-and-white school uniform from when she first arrived.

The fragrant scent of the fish soup drifted out of the kitchen, enveloping the courtyard. After a while, Grandma felt a wave of guilt and sighed. “Actually, I can’t really blame her.”

Xie Zhiyi looked at Grandma, puzzled.

Grandma looked toward the kitchen and lowered her voice. “When Zhong-Zhong went back to school, the other kids bullied her. They said she was an orphan…” Grandma didn’t have the heart to continue. “Every time she wore a dress, they’d tear it. They said an orphan had no right to wear colorful clothes and should be in mourning. I talked to her teacher twice, but there’s only so much they can do about kids’ squabbles.” A flicker of heartache passed over the old woman’s face. Despite the scolding, she truly loved her granddaughter. “After that, Zhong-Zhong would only wear black and white.”

“Those children…” Xie Zhiyi frowned.

“Sigh…”

In the kitchen, the fish soup was boiling. Jiang Zhongmu added a handful of ground peppercorns and waited a bit longer before turning off the fire. She used a strainer to filter out the solids, pouring only the milky-white soup into a large bowl and garnishing it with a handful of scallions.

The remaining fish solids weren’t wasted. She turned the heat back up, added more oil, and tossed them back into the wok. Some people loved the soup, while others—especially children—loved the crispy fish bits. When Jiang Zhongmu and Jiang Nanxun ate together, they used to fight over them. The fish bits were fried until golden and crispy, and Jiang Zhongmu added a generous amount of chili powder, cumin, sugar, and other seasonings. The aroma was even more enticing than the spicy snacks sold outside schools.

The conversation outside stopped as they looked toward the kitchen. Jiang Zhongmu emerged, once again the image of a quiet, thoughtful girl. She set up the small table and brought out the soup and the crispy fish, even setting out the bowls and chopsticks beforehand. Then she spoke sweetly: “You two start eating. This won’t be good once it’s cold.” With that, she took the vegetables she’d picked and went back inside.

Xie Zhiyi watched her back, her gaze flickering with a mix of lingering annoyance and a newfound, helpless calm. This was one of the perks of being older—you learn to look for your own faults first. Even if the girl had been the one to start the trouble, Xie Zhiyi wondered if she herself was partly to blame.

“Zhiyi, don’t worry about her. Try this soup…”

Xie Zhiyi snapped out of it. Her small bowl was already filled with soup. She hurriedly said thank you.

Because the large fish had provided two dishes, tonight’s meal was more abundant than usual. The food was placed closer to Xie Zhiyi and Grandma, with Jiang Zhongmu sitting at the other end. She picked up her bowl of soup with an obedient air. Though she knew her cooking was good, she only took a light sip; like most locals, she had grown tired of fish.

She glanced at Xie Zhiyi. Seeing that her bowl was empty, a tiny smile finally touched the girl’s lips.

The sun had just set, and the sky was a burning orange. The stream reflected the colors of the twilight as it flowed into the distance. At the table, Grandma did most of the talking, drifting from domestic matters to the town and then to neighboring towns. Neither Xie Zhiyi nor Jiang Zhongmu was much of a talker; the former offered occasional responses, while Jiang Zhongmu just hummed in agreement.

The soup bowl was half-empty, and the crispy fish bits were nearly gone. As the meal reached its midpoint, Xie Zhiyi suddenly felt someone kick her.

It wasn’t exactly a kick. The “ancestor” in the flip-flops was making trouble again, nudging Xie Zhiyi’s shoe with the edge of her own. Xie Zhiyi was also wearing flip-flops, so much of her skin was exposed. She kept feeling the other’s foot brush against her. She looked at Grandma, then shot a warning glance at the girl.

Jiang Zhongmu looked perfectly serious—her back straight as a ruler, her head down as she ate with intense focus. She looked every bit the well-behaved child, giving no hint of the mischief occurring under the table. Xie Zhiyi ignored her and moved her legs away.

But the girl was relentless, reaching out even further. Xie Zhiyi glared at her. Jiang Zhongmu responded with an innocent look, her cheeks bulging with a mouthful of rice as she chewed—she looked like a large, brown squirrel.

Thinking she had finally listened, Xie Zhiyi looked back down, only to receive another gentle kick. She narrowed her eyes. The tiny sliver of pity she’d felt earlier vanished. The events of the afternoon had taught her that this girl was a shameless rogue who only listened when she was punished. The elder decided to give her a taste of her own medicine and kicked back.

But Jiang Zhongmu was determined to make trouble. Not only did she not stop, she kicked again. Xie Zhiyi’s knuckles turned white as she gripped her chopsticks. Her earlier anger flared up, and she stepped directly onto the girl’s foot.

You want to play? She kept her foot pressed down, pinning the girl in place.

Jiang Zhongmu looked up at her, and despite being the one being stepped on, she looked triumphant. Xie Zhiyi realized something was wrong. This girl was definitely planning something. Just as she tried to pull her leg back, Jiang Zhongmu hooked Xie Zhiyi’s flip-flop with her other foot and pulled it right off.

Now the elder was in trouble. Her disadvantage was clear, and her gaze was no longer hidden she looked at the girl with a sharp warning and then glanced at Grandma. The threat was obvious.

But before Xie Zhiyi could follow through, Grandma suddenly looked at Jiang Zhongmu and said, puzzled, “What happened to your lip? Is it cut?”

Naturally, someone had bitten it while they were angry. Jiang Zhongmu didn’t dare tell the truth and stammered, “I bumped it in the river earlier.”

“How do you bump your lip? On a rock?” Grandma asked, incredulous.

“Something like that…” Jiang Zhongmu continued to play dumb.

“I told you not to go! Look at you not only did you get Sister all wet, you cut your lip too,” Grandma started her nagging again. Jiang Zhongmu didn’t argue. She sat there holding her rice bowl, her unfastened hair still damp against her head, looking piteously downward.

Xie Zhiyi didn’t feel an ounce of pity for her. In fact, a flicker of amusement danced in her eyes. It was clear she was thoroughly enjoying watching the girl get scolded.

Jiang Zhongmu felt a surge of indignation and stifled frustration. She could only lower her head and swallow a large mouthful of rice, but before she could even get it down, she felt a kick.

Xie Zhiyi wanted her shoe back.

Jiang Zhongmu pretended to be oblivious, burying her head in her bowl and ignoring the demand.

Xie Zhiyi, who had been happy only a second ago, arched an eyebrow and delivered a direct kick to the girl’s calf. This time, the contact hit solid muscle, as hard and unyielding as a stone. Jiang Zhongmu remained expressionless, acting as if she couldn’t feel the pain at all.

Xie Zhiyi, however, frowned.

Kicking was clearly getting her nowhere, so she changed tactics. She rested her foot on top of Jiang Zhongmu’s, attempting to reclaim her shoe through a different kind of persistence. Jiang Zhongmu didn’t resist; instead, she lifted her foot slightly and used her other one to nudge Xie Zhiyi’s remaining shod foot.

Xie Zhiyi hesitated, unsure of what new mischief the girl was plotting.

Seeing her lack of response, Jiang Zhongmu nudged her again, signaling for her to bring the other foot over as well. Xie Zhiyi was reluctant, but Jiang Zhongmu was relentless. Eventually, she gave in and placed both feet against the girl’s.

Xie Zhiyi’s body temperature had always run cold. Even though she had showered with hot water earlier, the warmth had only lasted a moment before her hands and feet became icy again. In contrast, the younger girl was like a small furnace; even after soaking in the river for so long, she was burning hot everywhere.

As Xie Zhiyi’s cold soles pressed against Jiang Zhongmu’s feet, the sensation was a bit rough and bony, but the heat was undeniable. It was a comfortable way to warm her feet.

Having achieved her goal, Jiang Zhongmu stopped her antics. She stretched her legs out and remained perfectly still. When Xie Zhiyi tried to pull away after a moment, Jiang Zhongmu lifted her feet to follow, the veins on her instep pulsing rhythmically against Xie Zhiyi’s skin.

Grandma was still talking, giving her granddaughter final instructions. “When you take your Sister to the festival in a few days, you absolutely must not be reckless.”

“I know, Grandma,” Jiang Zhongmu replied earnestly. At the same time, she reached over to take Xie Zhiyi’s soup bowl, refilled it to the brim, and placed it back in front of her.

The mountains swallowed the last lingering glow of the sun, and a pale sliver of a moon appeared in the sky. The faint darkness of night crept in as the wind swept over the rice fields, turning them into a waving sea of green.

Xie Zhiyi’s icy feet finally began to warm. The milky-white fish soup, with its unique and savory aroma, spread across her tongue. Her furrowed brow relaxed, and a stray magnolia petal drifted down, landing softly on her shoulder.

Jiang Zhongmu looked up, stealing a seemingly casual glance at her before quickly looking away. Xie Zhiyi didn’t stop her, nor did she react. She simply allowed the moment to happen in silent indulgence.

The spoons clinked against the porcelain bowls until every scrap of food on the table was gone. Xie Zhiyi set down her bowl and withdrew her feet from under the table. This time, Jiang Zhongmu didn’t hinder her; she even thoughtfully nudged the missing shoe back to Xie Zhiyi’s feet.

“Go back to your room. I’ll clean up in a bit,” Jiang Zhongmu said.

Grandma echoed the sentiment, urging her to go and rest. Xie Zhiyi looked at the girl for a long moment. Without saying a word, she did as she was told and headed inside.

The night wind blew past, and the long-delayed darkness finally claimed the town.

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