The Real Heiress Just Wants to Be a Lazy Fish - Chapter 51

Chapter 51: Invitation

H-Province Special Affairs Bureau.

Tao Yitong stood at the door of the Director’s office holding a thick stack of self-reflection reports. On her way back, she had already submitted a report on the incident and sent over the blood samples recovered from the monster. Incidentally, she had arranged for Song Ying to act as her substitute “hero” for this case.

It remained unknown why that monster had created a large number of “walking corpses” in such a remote mountain village. Tao Yitong worried that an organization was hidden behind it—perhaps the very same organization she had been investigating. Since her true identity could not be exposed, someone else had to take the credit for handling the event.

Tao Yitong took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

Director Mo looked up from his heavy workload. Seeing Tao Yitong, he let out a deep sigh. “I saw your report. What’s that in your hand? A self-reflection? Bring it here.”

Tao Yitong handed it over. Director Mo flipped through a couple of pages and closed it. “Just as Director Huo said, you are the most proactive when it comes to admitting mistakes.”

The rain grew heavier. Chen Huishu walked to the shop entrance, her eyes widening as she stared fixedly, her expression dazed. It wasn’t until someone inside called out to her, “Hey, isn’t that your eldest girl?” that she snapped back to reality.

Amused by her own strange thoughts just now, Chen Huishu watched them approach and shouted across the curtain of rain, “Jiang Zitan!”

The two figures under the umbrella stopped. Tao Yitong frowned, glancing toward the shop entrance, feeling a bit of a headache. She looked at Jiang Zitan, who was also looking at her. After a moment, Jiang Zitan spoke: “I’ll go over there. You go back first, Sister.”

The word “Sister” startled Tao Yitong. Before she could say anything, the silly girl had already dashed out from under the umbrella, running nimbly into the downpour. She wouldn’t even let Yitong see her to the door.

Tao Yitong truly didn’t know what to say.

Chen Huishu felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction seeing Jiang Zitan run from the shelter of the umbrella into the rain, looking like a drenched, pathetic mess.

Jiang Zitan walked into the shop soaking wet, leaving wet footprints everywhere. Chen Huishu frowned, fearing the shop owner would be unhappy. “Fine, just stand at the door!”

Hearing this, Jiang Zitan stood still by the entrance.

The interior of the shop was foul and murky, like a tightly sealed furnace. The smell of sweat and smoke mingled in the dark little room. In a clear space sat a large round table crowded with people; the clacking of mahjong tiles almost drowned out the sound of the rain outside.

Chen Huishu’s interrogation hit like a gale: “What did you go out for?”

“Where’s your brother? Not at home?”

Jiang Zitan remained silent, her head bowed low. She never understood what made people angry; she only knew that in this situation, whatever she answered would be wrong. Of course, not answering was also wrong.

Chen Huishu’s eyes bulged with anger. Seeing Jiang Zitan’s somber look made her heart feel blocked. “Don’t you have a mouth? Are you a mute?” She yelled, “Say something!”

The rain grew heavier, yet it couldn’t mask the noisy chaos of the mahjong game. Jiang Zitan’s hands hung at her sides, her eyes submissively lowered. “At home.”

Chen Huishu didn’t hear her: “What!?”

Jiang Zitan: “He’s at home.”

Now Chen Huishu heard her. “At home? If he’s at home, don’t you know you’re supposed to stay and take care of your brother?”

“Going out to play… what kind of sister are you!? I’ve never even heard of such a thing…!”

The scolding cut off abruptly. Jiang Zitan looked up. Before she could figure out what was happening, a faint, sweet, and familiar scent of perfume wafted over, instantly overpowering the acrid smell of low-grade tobacco in the room.

Her hand was taken. The newcomer smoothed out her palm, touching the deep nail marks she had pressed into her own skin from clenching her fists.

“Does it hurt?” Tao Yitong asked her.

Jiang Zitan turned her head to look at her. Tao Yitong stood there, the dark sky making her skin look extremely pale ethereal, as if she didn’t truly exist. At this moment, she was smiling at Zitan with curved eyes.

Jiang Zitan dazed for a second. Just as she was about to reply, the other girl turned away.

Tao Yitong exhaled a long breath. All the gentle friendliness she reserved for Jiang Zitan vanished. Her face was now impatient and aloof. She looked at Chen Huishu as if looking at a piece of annoying trash. “Which law dictates that a sister must take care of her brother?”

Facing her, Chen Huishu suddenly became like a deflated balloon, but she wouldn’t admit defeat. “That… is that any of your business? This is what she should do as a sister! I don’t let her go without food or clothes; shouldn’t she be good to her brother…?”

“Then what do you do?” Tao Yitong was nearly laughing from anger. She gripped Jiang Zitan’s hand tightly and stepped in front of her. “Are you a mother just to come out and play mahjong? You gave birth to the child, not Jiang Zitan. You’re quite self-righteous, aren’t you?”

Chen Huishu was angry but didn’t dare explode. “What do you care about other people’s family business?”

Tao Yitong felt like rolling her eyes. “Jiang Zitan is my friend. I brought her out. I have the money and the leisure tell me, why shouldn’t I care?”

Chen Huishu glanced at Jiang Zitan, who was standing behind the wealthy young lady, looking somber and eerie. She truly couldn’t see what this “Miss” found to like about her. “Why would you be friends with someone so unlikable…”

Tao Yitong frowned, squeezing Jiang Zitan’s hand behind her. “Unlikable where? I like her very much!”

At this, Chen Huishu was completely silenced. Deep down, she didn’t want to offend the young lady; if the lady decided not to rent from her, she would regret it until she was blue in the face. But she didn’t want to lose face, so she said sarcastically, “Fine, go wherever you two want. I’ll just go back a bit early later…”

With that, Chen Huishu sat back down and resumed her mahjong game.

Tao Yitong couldn’t be bothered to argue further. Seeing her relent, she let out a huff, took Jiang Zitan’s hand, opened her umbrella, and walked out.

Outside, the rain had lessened. Tao Yitong led her for a distance. As her anger subsided, she remembered Jiang Zitan disliked physical contact and belatedly let go of her hand.

“I forgot you don’t like being touched,” Tao Yitong said. “Sorry.”

Jiang Zitan stood behind her, soaking wet. Hearing this, her dark pupils looked dazed. “…What?”

Tao Yitong was not good at apologizing; the number of times she had apologized today almost equaled a year’s worth for her, and it was always to the same person. She said awkwardly, “I said, I forgot you don’t like me touching you… for grabbing your hand… sorry.”

The moment those words were out, Jiang Zitan seemed to lose all power.

“I don’t.” She had never once disliked Tao Yitong’s touch.

Tao Yitong frowned, feeling a bit aggrieved herself. “Then why were you standing so far away? When I told you to come over, you didn’t.”

Jiang Zitan’s lips pressed thin, seemingly finding it hard to speak.

Tao Yitong didn’t want to hurt her pride. “Fine, don’t force yourself. Let’s go ba”

“I don’t,” Jiang Zitan finally spoke. “I…” She knit her brows, one hand clutching the fabric at her chest. “I was afraid I smelled.”

Tao Yitong was stunned. “What?”

Jiang Zitan: “There are many people at home. Not enough hot water. I can’t get a turn, so I don’t bathe every day.”

The unexpected answer left Tao Yitong dumbfounded. When she processed it, her heart felt a complex mix of emotions she wasn’t sure if she pitied Zitan more or her own past self more.

Tao Yitong looked at her. “Just because of that?”

Jiang Zitan nodded. “Mhm.”

Tao Yitong was almost speechless. “…Let’s just go back.”

They didn’t speak again for the rest of the way. The umbrella had been closed halfway through. The black umbrella in the young lady’s hand made her fingers and wrists look incredibly pale, completely at odds with the tanned skin of the villagers.

Jiang Zitan stole a glance from behind and lowered her head again. She was not good with words. Though she felt something was “off” about the current situation, she clenched her fists several times but couldn’t squeeze out another word.

It wasn’t until Tao Yitong stopped and muttered, “Who’s that?” that she looked up.

A small girl with a high ponytail was standing at the entrance to the Jiang house. She seemed a bit uneasy, her freckled face lacking a smile. Hearing Tao Yitong, she looked up, dazed for a few seconds, and then beamed. “Miss!”

Hearing “Miss,” Tao Yitong’s instinct was to turn and run, but the girl had already trotted over. “Miss, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

Tao Yitong had to face her. “And you are?”

The girl stood with her fists clenched at her chest. She was half a head shorter than Tao Yitong, and her smile was very endearing. “My name is Hong Xiaonuan. Uncle Zheng sent me.”

Tao Yitong remembered; there had been mention of this last night. “Oh! It’s you.” She felt a bit conflicted—coming to Fengkang Town wasn’t exactly a vacation, so she hadn’t really wanted a tour guide. But Hong Xiaonuan looked pleasant, and she couldn’t bring herself to say no. “Well then…” She thought for a bit. “Do you have QQ or WeChat?”

Hong Xiaonuan took out her phone. “I do.”

Tao Yitong: “Then let’s add each other.”

Hong Xiaonuan smiled. “Sure thing!”

As they scanned codes, Jiang Zitan floated toward the door like a silent ghost. Tao Yitong caught her in her peripheral vision and called out, “Don’t leave yet.”

Jiang Zitan stopped. Hong Xiaonuan looked up and saw Jiang Zitan’s face. “Eh?!”

Tao Yitong raised an eyebrow. “What, do you two know each other?”

Hong Xiaonuan nodded. “Yes. We’re in the same grade, but she probably doesn’t know me.”

Hong Xiaonuan’s gaze fell on Jiang Zitan. Zitan gave her a perfunctory glance. “Mhm.”

Hong Xiaonuan, having expected as much, gave Tao Yitong a shrug and a smile. Once they added each other, Xiaonuan headed back.

Jiang Zitan turned to go inside, and Tao Yitong followed, clearly sensing the low mood. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

Jiang Zitan replied dully, “Nothing.”

Tao Yitong grabbed her thin wrist. “Why are you walking so fast?”

Jiang Zitan turned around, her brows furrowed as she looked at this incredibly willful young lady. The other met her gaze, neither giving an inch.

“You’re coming upstairs with me, Jiang Zitan,” Tao Yitong said willfully, giving her wrist a light tug. “Upstairs. Bathe.”

“Please come in.” Director Mo set down his pen. The guest entering this time was a rather special one. Director Mo tried his best to soften his expression, though the effect wasn’t great. “I didn’t expect you would actually come. Sit.”

“I can’t always hide behind my sister and let her worry,” Jiang Zitan said, sitting on the sofa opposite him. Last night, she had received a letter from him, inviting her to the Bureau to discuss important matters.

At that time, Tongtong was racketing her brain to write her self-reflection and knew nothing of this. The reason Director Mo had bypassed her was because of the danger involved. He had stated this clearly in the letter, leaving the choice to come to Jiang Zitan.

“I just don’t know where you would need help from a ‘normal person’ like me.”

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