The Guide to Faking Innocence to Win His Wife - Chapter 30

The grinding sound of the machinery masked the vanity of the outside world. The room, though not particularly spacious, was layered in limestone dust. Beams of bright light peeked through the windows, landing on a pair of curved, lean backs.

The man who had recently returned from afar walked slowly behind each person, as he always did, scrutinizing their work before offering a few words of guidance. Finally, he stopped behind Jiang Zhongmu.

“That will do. You few have been obedient; your skills haven’t regressed much during this time.”

“Go home early today. Class starts officially tomorrow.”

As the words fell, the machines groaned to a halt.

Jiang Nanxun stretched like a monkey, while Jiang Nanlei and Jiang Nanzheng stood up abruptly beside him. Without a master watching over them, they hadn’t been overly lazy, but they hadn’t been particularly diligent either. Having lived as “lazy bones” for two weeks, sitting back at the workbench now felt like grueling labor. One by one, they stopped, unable to hold out any longer.

Jiang Zhongmu, unusually, set down her handpiece at the same time. After washing her hands, she raised an arm to massage her forearm.

Leaning back against his chair, Jiang Nanxun caught sight of this and laughed. “Oho, Zhongmu, so even you get tired?”

The others turned to look, joining in with teasing smiles. Jiang Zhongmu, as usual, ignored the banter. She cast a single sideways glance at them, and the group immediately hushed, shifting the topic.

“By the way, Jiang Mu, do you have plans today? Why not stay at my place for another meal? My dad bought some braised meat back from the county seat,” Jiang Nanxun said casually.

“No, I’m going back to be with Grandmother,” Jiang Zhongmu shook her head in refusal.

“Fine, then take a little back with you.”

Jiang Nanxun didn’t think much of it; the girl had always been of this temperament. He still didn’t quite know why she had come running over yesterday. The three of them, in their drunken state, had puzzled over it for a long time and concluded it must have been because of whatever Nanyang had done.

At this thought, Jiang Nanxun turned to exchange a look with the other two, as if they had already reached a silent decision.

On the other side, Jiang Zhongmu’s expression was hesitant. Her thin lips parted and closed, yet the words remained unsaid. She was still brooding over last night. Even though Xie Zhiyi had permitted it—had even taken her hand and guided her down—Jiang Zhongmu, being both inexperienced and drunk, had stopped right at the threshold and simply passed out.

Thinking of this, Jiang Zhongmu couldn’t help but grit her teeth. Her heart felt unsettled and stifled. How could she… not know how! Why had she only cared about jade carving and studying in the past? Why hadn’t she learned about anything else?

She summoned her courage, wanting to ask the others about it, but then instantly deflated. It probably wasn’t the same thing anyway. This hesitation allowed Jiang Nanxun and the others to leave the studio. Forced to follow behind, the “Little Leopard’s” sharp, narrow eyes drooped, and frustration pooled within her.

Walking down the street after leaving the shop, she was still preoccupied. Last night’s rain hadn’t lessened today’s sweltering heat. Shaded spots were rare. Jiang Zhongmu walked faster and faster, returning home in just a few strides.

Creeeak!

As the wooden door groaned open, the two people inside looked out in unison.

“Zhong Zhong, you’re back?”

“Grandmother,” Jiang Zhongmu called out, her obscured gaze landing on the person beside her.

Xie Zhiyi had changed her style today. No longer in long sleeves and trousers, she had switched back to an off-white dress patterned with roses. The roses weren’t vivid; their color was pale, perfectly matching her gentle and lukewarm temperament. A thin gold chain hung around her neck, making her skin look exceptionally fair and her collarbones appear straight and delicate.

Jiang Zhongmu instinctively averted her eyes, then couldn’t help but steal another glance. Xie Zhiyi happened to look over just then. Her long chestnut curls cascaded down, and her watery eyes were filled with a soft, lingering tenderness. A breeze blew past, sending leaves fluttering down.

Jiang Zhongmu’s eyelids lowered halfway, the tips of her ears tinged with a faint red. To cover her tracks, she spoke up. “Why are you two staying here? Isn’t it hot?”

“Zhiyi said she wanted to go out,” Grandmother answered.

Jiang Zhongmu asked immediately, “Go out? Where?”

“To the county seat, to buy a few things,” Grandmother replied for her.

“I’ll take her,” Jiang Zhongmu decided on the spot.

“Fine, just ride steadily,” Grandmother agreed.

Ignoring the actual subject’s opinion, the two reached a consensus, and Xie Zhiyi, standing nearby, didn’t object.

The rice in the fields was growing rapidly. When they had last seen it, it was barely knee-high; now it was a vast, lush expanse of green that stretched beyond the horizon whenever the wind blew.

Sitting on the back of the motorcycle, Xie Zhiyi gripped the hem of the girl’s shirt tightly. Along with the roar of the engine, the old houses were left behind. The county seat didn’t compare to a major city; there were only a few streets in the bustling area. Jiang Zhongmu skillfully navigated them to their destination.

When she dismounted, she unconsciously stretched her back. She had been braced straight and stiff the entire way, not daring to bend even an inch; after half a day of such torture, she was naturally sore. Her gaze drifted to the side again. She didn’t know how many times she had peeked through the rearview mirror—she never seemed to tire of it.

Even though they had done much more intimate things, she was still flustered by a tiny bit of proximity. Jiang Zhongmu raised a hand to rub her nose, trying to sound composed. “There are a lot of people here. Stay close.”

The elder pretended not to see her little schemes and nodded slightly. The next second, the child grabbed her wrist, faked a couple of coughs, and led her forward. She was acting bashful, yet moving with lightning speed.

Xie Zhiyi looked at the girl’s red earlobes, which hadn’t faded since they left the town. She was both annoyed and amused, yet she continued to indulge her, letting herself be pulled along.

Development in the county seat had been decent over the last few years. The streets were lined with shops—some hanging up promotional signs, others blasting music from speakers outside. It was a lively scene. Jiang Zhongmu intentionally shortened her strides. Usually someone who could cover a meter in a single step, she now followed carefully beside Xie Zhiyi, as if terrified she might lose her.

“What do you need to buy?” Fearing the atmosphere was too stiff, Jiang Zhongmu finally asked.

“Let’s just look for now,” Xie Zhiyi didn’t say specifically, her eyes scanning the surrounding shops.

Jiang Zhongmu didn’t mind. Perhaps from spending too much time with Jiang Nanxun and the boys, she didn’t enjoy shopping. She usually bought clothes like a wholesaler—if she liked a style, she’d buy five or six of the same item. She followed the “Sister” obediently.

The wrist in her rough palm was slender, the bones beneath the thin skin a pearly white. Jiang Zhongmu didn’t dare use force; she felt as if this person might break if she squeezed too hard, so she only held on loosely. As people bustled past, everyone seemed busy with their own lives. Jiang Zhongmu tightened her fingers slightly, pulling the other a bit closer.

“What do you think of this one?”

A soft, mellow voice rang out. Jiang Zhongmu snapped back to reality and instinctively turned her head. Xie Zhiyi was holding a deep blue denim jacket, asking for her opinion. Jiang Zhongmu was somewhat dull in this area, but that didn’t mean she lacked an aesthetic sense. After a pause, she said honestly, “It doesn’t really suit you.”

The jacket was loose-cut, with distressed holes at the sleeves and hem. It looked alright on its own, but it really didn’t match the elder, who usually dressed in a more mature style.

“But do you like it?” Xie Zhiyi asked instead.

Before Jiang Zhongmu could answer, a shop assistant nearby noticed them and hurried over with a warm smile. “Is the sister bringing her little sister to buy clothes? This piece is great. She’s tall; she’ll look very spirited in it.”

Jiang Zhongmu was stunned. She turned to the assistant, intending to explain, but was interrupted by Xie Zhiyi.

“I think it looks good. Try it on.”

“Huh?” The confused “Little Leopard” widened her eyes, completely bewildered by the situation.

“What size do you usually wear, little girl? I’ll get you a proper fit.”

Jiang Zhongmu instinctively blurted out her size. The assistant immediately produced a new one and held it open for her to slip into. Xie Zhiyi let go of her hand quite decisively.

Denim is always stiffer than other fabrics. Since Jiang Zhongmu was only wearing a thin white short-sleeved shirt today, the rough material slid against her skin, pulling her back from her delayed reaction. She finally realized something was wrong. “I’m not buying clothes,” she muttered.

The assistant’s smile faltered. Xie Zhiyi, however, said casually, “I think this jacket suits you quite well. Just try it.”

The bewildered girl tugged at the jacket. Perhaps not used to such a coat, she pulled at it forcefully while looking at Xie Zhiyi. The elder’s smile was gentle and her tone was normal, showing no sign of any ulterior motive.

The assistant caught on and quickly began her pitch. “I also think it suits you. It looks great. Look at your figure; you look best in things like this.”

Jiang Zhongmu instinctively turned to the full-length mirror. It really wasn’t bad. She was tall, had great proportions, a thin waist, and long legs. Her straight, lean back gave her a sharp look. This unisex denim jacket suited her very well. It wasn’t bad…

“It’s okay. Turn around and let me see,” Xie Zhiyi nodded.

The obedient child turned as told, doing a full rotation. Xie Zhiyi concluded, “It looks very good.”

Jiang Zhongmu’s lips curled up. She decided to buy it immediately not because she liked it particularly (she wished it was summer all year round so she could just wear a T-shirt), but because the person opposite her said it looked good.

Just as she was about to speak, Xie Zhiyi handed her two more items. “Try these.”

Jiang Zhongmu’s body moved faster than her brain. At the other’s words, she instinctively walked toward the fitting room. Only once she was inside did she feel something was off—how had this turned into a shopping trip for her?

She paused in front of the mirror, her narrow eyes filled with confusion. In her hands was a black camisole with floral patterns and a plaid shirt items she would never normally wear. Jiang Zhongmu’s lips pressed tight. Even her slow brain was starting to suspect something else was going on. She stood there, frozen in indecision. It was Xie Zhiyi’s care, after all…

The person outside likely noticed she hadn’t come out for a long time and knocked on the door. The lock that had just been engaged was opened. Xie Zhiyi was holding a pair of trousers as she walked in. The fitting room door swung shut behind her.

Xie Zhiyi took one look at her and asked, “What’s wrong?”

The girl didn’t know how to respond. What if Xie Zhiyi really had just brought her along for the ride? On the other hand, if it was something else, a blunt refusal would feel hurtful. The girl, who usually never thought about these things when going out, seemed exceptionally conflicted.

The elder, being an elder, naturally saw through her. “Change into these trousers as well.”

“Huh?” Jiang Zhongmu was even more stunned.

“Put them on,” Xie Zhiyi repeated. Remembering something, she gave a rare tease and suddenly laughed. “Why? Do you need me to help you get dressed?”

The tips of her ears, already red, instantly became a deep crimson. Jiang Zhongmu’s eyes widened, looking like a virtuous woman being toyed with. The usually arrogant “Little Leopard” was frightened into a state of extreme bashfulness by a single sentence from the “Sister.”

“What, what are you saying?!”

Xie Zhiyi suddenly moved closer. An unknown perfume, a faint scent of roses wrapped around the tip of Jiang Zhongmu’s nose. Startled, Jiang Zhongmu backed up, only to be pinned against the wall by the elder.

“What’s this? Is the Little Leopard shy?” A low, laughing whisper sounded in her ear.

Jiang Zhongmu froze instantly.

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