The Guide to Faking Innocence to Win His Wife - Chapter 32

By the time the two of them hurried back to Jiang Town, the twilight was already fading. The aroma of cooked food drifted through the small town, and some children had already finished their meals early, busy playing and laughing by the river.

As soon as Jiang Zhongmu returned home, she didn’t even have time to carry the bags upstairs. She dove straight into the kitchen, whipping up four dishes and a soup exactly as Grandmother had instructed. By the time she finished her busy work and sat down, she could see a scattering of stars just by looking up. Fortunately, Grandmother wasn’t angry; she was delighted to see the two of them getting closer and kept piling food onto their plates throughout dinner.

After dinner, as per routine, Chef Jiang did the dishes while Xie Zhiyi and Grandmother sat under the tree to aid their digestion.

Amidst the splashing of water, someone pounded loudly on the front gate. When the door opened, it was Jiang Nanxun, who rushed in frantically. “Grandmother, where is Jiang Zhongmu?”

The buzz cut on his head had grown out into uneven patches, truly living up to the word “troublemaker.” His carefree face was a mix of urgency and joy, as if he were carrying some great news to find Jiang Zhongmu.

“She’s over there,” Grandmother replied with a smile, pointing toward the person crouching by the water pipe.

Aside from that one time Jiang Zhongmu acted inappropriately, Grandmother rarely stopped her from playing or socialising with anyone. She treated all of Jiang Zhongmu’s friends with the same kindness, especially since Jiang Nanxun was practically an older brother to her, even if he wasn’t very steady.

The woman under the tree looked up at the sound, her gaze falling on the youth leaning against the doorframe with a sloppy posture. After a moment of thought, she lowered her eyelids and retracted her gaze.

Jiang Nanxun didn’t notice at all, speaking bluntly instead. “Didn’t my dad let everyone off early today? Why are you guys eating so late?”

“We eat whenever we feel like eating,” Jiang Zhongmu happened to finish the dishes. She rinsed her hands and spoke as she walked over.

“Fine,” Jiang Nanxun shrugged, not offended. Instead, he said, “Are you free now? Come out with me for a bit.”

As the words fell, Jiang Zhongmu glanced toward Xie Zhiyi before saying, “Too lazy. I don’t want to go out.” She didn’t even bother making up an excuse; it was very dismissive.

Jiang Nanxun seemed anxious for some reason. “That won’t do. You absolutely have to come over.”

Jiang Zhongmu pursed her lips. Just as she was about to refuse again, she heard Xie Zhiyi suddenly say, “I’m heading upstairs first. Should I help you carry these things up?”

“Okay,” Jiang Zhongmu hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

Jiang Nanxun, being tactless, continued to urge her incessantly. Jiang Zhongmu had no choice but to follow him out. She caught a glimpse of the other person out of the corner of her eye—how heartless; she didn’t even turn her head, simply carrying the bags and parcels into the house.

The Little Leopard, still in her clingy phase, pouted. Her pace quickened until she was half a step ahead of Jiang Nanxun, making it unclear who had called whom.

The gate closed behind them, and they wound through the alleys. Jiang Zhongmu followed him for a while until she saw Jiang Nanyang in a narrow alley and understood roughly what was going on. The guy who had been so arrogant a few days ago was now sitting in a corner with a bruised and swollen face. When he saw Jiang Zhongmu, his eyes darted away for an instant before he called out timidly, “Zhongmu jie.”

Jiang Nanlei and Jiang Nanzheng, guarding either side, followed suit with a greeting.

Jiang Zhongmu frowned and turned to look at Jiang Nanxun, her expression displeased and confused. When they were children, they couldn’t help but get into fights over a few words, but now that they were older, that seemed childish and ridiculous. She wasn’t going to be so impulsive anymore, especially with someone from the same town. No matter how angry she had been before, she never intended to bring people to corner Jiang Nanyang; at most, she just went to throw a tantrum in front of her Sister.

Furthermore, she knew in her heart that Xie Zhiyi liked the same sex. Giving Jiang Nanyang the contact information was merely a deliberate attempt to make Jiang Zhongmu give up, a move that hadn’t worked and nearly backfired on Xie Zhiyi herself. Since Jiang Zhongmu had already gained the advantage, she naturally had no interest in seeking out Jiang Nanyang.

“This has nothing to do with us. I didn’t touch him at all,” Jiang Nanxun waved his hand, immediately denying her suspicion. Seeing Jiang Zhongmu’s disbelief, he added hurriedly, “It really wasn’t me. His parents did it.”

“Someone leaked what happened. As soon as his parents heard, they gave him a severe beating the moment they got home. I was wondering why this kid hadn’t come out lately; turns out he was beaten into this state.” Jiang Nanxun showed zero sympathy and even started mocking him. “Serves him right!”

Jiang Nanlei and Jiang Nanzheng laughed along, while only Jiang Nanyang in the corner had a long face.

Jiang Zhongmu realized what had happened. It might seem like it was just about asking for contact info, but in reality, it violated the long-standing rules of Jiang Town. In the eyes of Jiang Nanyang’s parents, his actions meant he had been blinded by obsession, deliberately violating town customs and stirring up trouble with neighbors. It was no different from standing at someone’s door to provoke them. Moreover, the target was Jiang Zhongmu’s household. To put it bluntly, Jiang Zhongmu’s family consisted of just a grandmother and granddaughter; even if people whispered in private, they had to show support and kindness on the surface, otherwise, they would be cursed by the rest of the town.

Consequently, Jiang Nanyang was beaten half to death by his parents that night and naturally refused to show his face.

“Then why is he sitting on the ground?” Jiang Zhongmu’s lips curled into a slight, mocking sneer.

“Because he has a guilty conscience! He saw us from a mile away and started running, but Lei Zi kicked him right onto the ground,” Jiang Nanxun shrugged, feeling both amused and speechless.

Jiang Zhongmu was at a loss for words as she looked at the flip-flop that had flown off onto the ground. She didn’t expect this guy to have made no progress after all these years. She could only ask, “Then why did you call me over?”

She truly didn’t care about this matter anymore; her only thought was going back to cling to a certain someone.

“To watch the joke, obviously,” Jiang Nanxun said righteously.

Jiang Zhongmu: “I’ve seen it. Can I go now?”

Hearing this, Jiang Nanxun grew anxious. “What is wrong with you? Don’t you want to see how this guy chatted with your tenant? It is hilarious.”

The person about to turn away stopped. She raised a hand to rub her nose, hiding her messy emotions. To look or not to look? Although she knew her Sister wouldn’t say anything to him, she was still curious. After all, she was still a nineteen-year-old who had never been in a relationship.

This group had grown up together; how could they not know what Jiang Zhongmu was thinking? Jiang Nanlei stepped forward and tossed a black phone into Jiang Zhongmu’s arms, laughing. “This guy has been pestering her like a piece of sticky candy.”

“You guys!” Jiang Nanyang on the ground tried to resist, but Jiang Nanzheng kicked him in the side. He clutched his stomach and groaned for a long time.

Meanwhile, Jiang Zhongmu had already opened the phone. Xie Zhiyi had given him her QQ number. Scrolling to the very top of the chat, it started with standard, polite greetings. Xie Zhiyi didn’t even engage in small talk, stating directly that she would not be interested in him. This was followed by Jiang Nanyang’s persistent pestering, looking for topics from morning till night, met with an occasional “Mhm” from Xie Zhiyi.

Jiang Zhongmu raised an eyebrow, forcefully suppressing the smile at the corners of her mouth and trying to look composed, though her metaphorical tail was wagging uncontrollably. She clicked into the profile—there was nothing but a name and a string of numbers. It was hard not to suspect that Xie Zhiyi had blocked him.

The Little Leopard was completely pacified. She stared at the string of numbers and memorized them a few times. Once she was sure she had them, she deleted the contact and walked toward Jiang Nanyang.

Jiang Nanyang shuddered as old memories came flooding back. That day had indeed been a moment of impulsive heat. First, Jiang Zhongmu hadn’t given him face, repeatedly refusing and blocking him. Then, after his tantrum, she had publicly exposed him, causing his legs to go soft under everyone’s gaze as he was helped away. Being eighteen or nineteen, an age of hot blood, he couldn’t stand the embarrassment and had insisted on getting Xie Zhiyi’s contact info. Having cooled down over the past two days, he realized he had been too impulsive and felt regret.

“Jie, Zhongmu jie,” Jiang Nanyang called out timidly. “I was wrong, Zhongmu jie.”

Jiang Zhongmu ignored him. She handed the phone back, turned around without a word, and walked out. Jiang Nanxun and the others knew her temper; they knew this matter was finished in her eyes. From now on, their paths would diverge and they would no longer walk together. They didn’t linger, following Jiang Zhongmu out of the alley. The man’s pleading cries were left behind in the alley, not a sound escaping.

The sky hung overhead like a dark purple chessboard, the stars bright and orderly despite their apparent chaos. The river reflected this scene, making it hard to distinguish between heaven and earth.

When Jiang Zhongmu returned home, she stopped on the first floor to chat with Grandmother for a while. Then, taking three steps at a time with her long legs, she went upstairs. She had intended to head straight for the third floor, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her second-floor bedroom door was open, with a faint light spilling out.

She froze, her mind a complete blank. She turned and walked toward her room. Passing through the dark studio, she saw the bedroom door half-open, the bright light stretching out onto the floor. Clearly, the person who had helped carry the bags had stayed in her room.

Jiang Zhongmu wasn’t angry at all. She even faked a few coughs, slowing her pace and deliberately giving the person inside time. It was a very obvious act of letting her off the hook, showing she didn’t care at all if the other was exploring her privacy.

A moment later, Jiang Zhongmu stepped forward and pushed the door. The creak sounded as the door opened fully. Jiang Zhongmu instinctively looked inside. The woman was leaning diagonally against the edge of the desk, still wearing the same clothes from earlier. With her legs crossed, her long skirt was pulled up, revealing her fair and well-proportioned calves.

One hand was braced on the desk, the other holding an open book. She wasn’t panicked by the sound, as if she had been waiting for Jiang Zhongmu. She unhurriedly turned her head from the edge of the book, her long chestnut curls cascading down, revealing eyes that held the depths of autumn ripples.

The light flickered over her exceptionally languid posture. The long skirt accentuated her graceful curves, a scene of intoxicating charm. But Jiang Zhongmu was uncharacteristically uninterested in the view; instead, her gaze was fixed on the book the woman was holding.

If she wasn’t mistaken, it was the “secret manual” she had begged from Jiang Nanxun’s house—The Beast Gentleman.

Jiang Zhongmu’s heart instantly panicked. She pressed her lips together. Judging by the page number, the other person had likely been reading for quite a while. An indescribable embarrassment spread through her entire body; for the first time, she hated having such a good memory.

What was the first chapter again? “Kill your past self”? That was marginally better, but the subsequent parts about “eroding her soul upon the second meeting”? “How to use the Beast’s Eye to distinguish her true feelings from the false, and use powerful attraction to pull her into your world”? And something about a “Beast Knight touching the other with the reverence of Genesis”?

Jiang Zhongmu silently clenched her fists, her fingernails leaving crescent marks in her palms. She took a deep breath, summoning the courage to look at Xie Zhiyi. Those dark eyes were still as gentle as autumn ripples, yet they made her feel inexplicably bashful, as if she were being secretly mocked.

Jiang Zhongmu squeezed out a stiff smile and stuttered, “Why haven’t you gone upstairs yet?”

She had hoped for Xie Zhiyi to visit her room of her own accord before, but now that the dream had come true, it wasn’t the joy she had imagined. Xie Zhiyi didn’t respond, merely looking at her with a lazy gaze, a faint smile touching the corners of her mouth.

Jiang Zhongmu opened her mouth. A nineteen-year-old had not yet learned the thick skin of an adult or how to change the subject. Her face reddened instantly as she stuttered again, “You, you.”

She could only manage those two words, the crimson flush strikingly obvious even on her tanned skin. “What are you looking at…”

Xie Zhiyi arched an eyebrow. Perhaps having changed her mind last night, she had spent the entire day teasing this Little Leopard. Watching the girl who usually kept a straight face while harboring naughty thoughts get so flustered she didn’t know where to hide, Xie Zhiyi had rediscovered the joy of teasing Jiang Zhongmu.

“What, am I not allowed to stay here?” The elder used a refined tone, making a single sentence sound incredibly nuanced. She showed no shame at all; her reprimand was laced with a playful smile. “Not permitted?”

“No,” Jiang Zhongmu denied instinctively, falling straight into the elder’s trap before realizing something was wrong. She scratched her head. The person who had been cold and brooding just moments ago was like a dazed goose in front of Xie Zhiyi.

“No, but, I didn’t mean that…” Jiang Zhongmu had no idea how to respond. Encountering this situation for the first time, she was at a total loss for words, her eyes still darting toward that book.

Laughter spilled from the corners of her eyes as the elder indulged her mischief, refusing to let the girl off the hook. “Then what did you mean?”

Jiang Zhongmu nearly scratched her hair bald. The tips of the girl’s fingers turned red; she was as clumsy as a foolish big dog not knowing how to please its master.

“Hmm?” Xie Zhiyi’s tone rose, the teasing becoming even more obvious. “Or is it that I’m not allowed to read this book?” Xie Zhiyi closed the book, her eyebrows lifting slightly and the corners of her eyes tilting upward. The light made her exquisite face appear even more charming and affectionate.

Jiang Zhongmu blinked. The Little Leopard felt an inexplicable sense of danger, as if a cat’s paw were pressing against her carotid artery.

“Is it because you want to use ‘powerful attraction to pull me into your world’?”

“Or are you going to ‘touch me with the reverence of Genesis’?”

The elder laughed, her eyes shimmering like ripples in water. “Child, are you blushing?”

“Hmm?”

“Where has the Little Leopard’s courage gone? You dare to read it but not admit it?”

The woman walked over unhurriedly, her skirt blooming like a vivid flower. She circled her fair arms around the girl’s neck, her long, slender fingers curving slightly. Her cool fingertips brushed against the protruding cartilage at the back of the neck, sending waves of tingling sensations through the girl.

Jiang Zhongmu stood frozen, not knowing what to do. The faint scent of roses enveloped her once again. The woman, soft as water, pressed against her, a laughing whisper brushing against her ear. “Hmm?”

“Why is the child not speaking? Have you become mute?”

Her inconspicuous Adam’s apple bobbed. Under the bright light, Jiang Zhongmu’s face was completely flushed, her whole body burning up. The evening breeze swept past outside, shaking the branches and leaves. Waves rose on the river surface. In the silence of the night, Jiang Zhongmu could only hear the woman in her arms laughing and intentionally provoking her.

She said, “Why is your heart beating so fast?”

Jiang Zhongmu opened her mouth, but not a single word came out.

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