My Mysterious Darling Wife (GL) - Chapter 13

If she truly was Chi Nian, her heightened anxiety after repeated trauma would be understandable. But if she wasn’t Chi Nian, where did this sudden clinginess come from? Zhang Yuning could sense Chi Nian’s desperate need to hold onto someone.

Her subtle unease always surfaced at specific moments, like in elevators or right now.

It’s okay, Zhang Yuning said, unsure where to place her hands as she let Chi Nian hug her, remaining still. He wasn’t suspicious.

As expected, Chi Nian calmly released her, immediately returning to her usual composure. She silently pushed the shopping cart, continuing to select items as if nothing had happened.

She insisted on pushing the cart herself, refusing to let Zhang Yuning help. After finishing the ready-made food section, they moved on to the fresh produce area. With a full cart, Zhang Yuning swiped her card to pay, eager to leave as quickly as possible.

They had arrived early enough to avoid the worst of the supermarket crowd, but after that scare, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something might still go wrong. Chi Nian clearly had no intention of staying at the Dean Apartment any longer. Such a high-end apartment, left empty?

It seemed wasteful, but Zhang Yuning didn’t argue. Once Chi Nian made up her mind, it was nearly impossible to change it.

She gave up.

To repay Chi Nian for making breakfast twice, Zhang Yuning finally decided to cook. She hadn’t paid much attention to what they bought at the supermarket, but when she unpacked the bags, she realized they contained ingredients for dishes she knew well.

What do you want to eat? Although Zhang Yuning lived alone, she had a knack for various skills. She’d learned latte art, baked cakes, and even taught herself to cook, often tinkering in the kitchen when she had free time.

She knew how to cook, but she hadn’t delved deeply into it. By her count, she hadn’t cooked a proper meal in three months. She wondered if her culinary skills would fail her this time around.

What do you feel like eating? She didn’t know Chi Nian’s preferences for lunch, only that she preferred light meals for breakfast and dinner.

Something spicy.

Zhang Yuning was surprised. She’d assumed Chi Nian, with her emphasis on healthy eating, rarely indulged in such strong flavors.

Anything Sichuan-style is fine. Just make whatever you have, but make sure there’s soup.

Sichuan cuisine was Zhang Yuning’s favorite. Since she hadn’t paid attention to what Chi Nian had bought, she simply said, Let me see what we have.

Didn’t you see what I bought?

I wasn’t paying attention. I was just looking around.

Worried about me? This was the second time Chi Nian had asked that. Zhang Yuning paused, wondering if she should give the same answer as before. It seemed like the only foolproof response. You’re the boss, and I’m your bodyguard. Of course I’m concerned about your safety.

Is that all?

You’re being strange. We had a three-month agreement, and protecting you is my job. What more do you want? Zhang Yuning couldn’t understand where Chi Nian’s occasional yearning and expectations came from. What exactly did she hope to gain or what answer was she waiting for?

Didn’t such questions seem utterly pointless?

Fine, Chi Nian replied curtly, taking her tablet and settling into her usual spot on the balcony. Her expression was unreadable—neither angry nor calm, just… withdrawn.

Zhang Yuning, however, felt restless. She kept thinking about the dream she’d had the previous night. Her dreams now had a protagonist, and Chi Nian’s actions had made her increasingly nervous and sensitive.

This can’t go on. Should I secretly check what’s in her bag? Maybe that would lead to a breakthrough, or perhaps all the secrets would reveal themselves.

With this thought in mind, Zhang Yuning focused on two things at once cooking and planning when she might get a chance to open Chi Nian’s mysterious bag. She wasn’t trying to steal anything, but perhaps Chi Nian’s true identity should be revealed to make further progress possible.

If they continued to stagnate like this, without obtaining any useful information, her plan to turn the tables would be futile.

Three dishes and a soup—classic Sichuan cuisine, all her favorites. It was strange that Chi Nian had bought ingredients for dishes she happened to know how to make, considering her limited culinary skills.

Had Chi Nian investigated her thoroughly, or was it something else? It was as if Chi Nian knew her inside and out, like a roundworm in her belly or a cell in her brain.

This was terrifying.

Lost in these thoughts, Zhang Yuning remained silent and withdrawn. Chi Nian, whether still affected by their earlier conversation or for some other reason, didn’t say a word during the meal.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Zhang Yuning asked, Is there anything else you need me to do today?

Nothing at all. You’re free to go out if you want.

Chi Nian was suddenly granting her freedom. Could this be a test?

What about you?

I need to review some documents.

This sudden relaxation of restrictions left Zhang Yuning uncertain whether she should go out, at least to meet with the Third Miss. Chi Nian couldn’t possibly still have the resources to track her, could she? But would Chi Nian really stay put?

Then…

Wherever you go, be back within two hours.

Okay. You… won’t wander off, will you?

Chi Nian looked up, a faint smile playing on her lips. Worried about me? she asked, her eyes gleaming with an elusive light. She always asked, even when she knew the answer.

Here we go again.

Zhang Yuning couldn’t meet Chi Nian’s gaze—those eyes brimming with stories and a hint of weariness. She lowered her head, pressed a hand to her forehead, and avoided the question, choosing silence as her escape.

Chi Nian didn’t press further. The two fell into another silence. The dishes on the table remained largely untouched Chi Nian had only sipped some soup, barely touching the rest.

Is my cooking really that bad? Zhang Yuning asked, unsure if Chi Nian had lost her appetite or what. Sichuan cuisine had been Chi Nian’s specific request.

I ate.

Eating one bite from a dish doesn’t count as eating.

Chi Nian looked up, her gaze calm as still water, even a little indifferent. What more do you want?

She always switched between extremes. Sometimes she exuded a frosty aloofness, like a layer of frost had settled over her. Other times she was as bland as a glass of plain water, tasteless and uninteresting. Yet at other times she was full of emotion, sometimes fervent, sometimes detached, sometimes mysterious, and sometimes… just a little annoying.

She was like a gust of wind, impossible to grasp. Her inner world was unfathomable, her moods unpredictable.

Zhang Yuning felt annoyed by Chi Nian’s dismissive attitude. Eat it or don’t, she thought. Don’t expect me to cook for you next time. I spent all that time making your favorite dish, and you’re just going to act like it’s nothing?

But did Chi Nian really ask for Sichuan food just so Zhang Yuning could enjoy a good meal? Impossible, she thought. Chi Nian would never be that kind or thoughtful.

Yet could it all be a coincidence? Were there too many coincidences?

After lunch, dappled sunlight streamed across the floor as Chi Nian curled up on the balcony carpet, her tablet in hand. She had been busy all day, constantly checking the device, answering calls, and making calls in that incomprehensible language.

I’m going out for a bit, Zhang Yuning announced. I’ll be back in an hour. She had decided to leave after all. If Chi Nian was testing her, someone would surely follow. She wasn’t worried her counter-surveillance skills were sharp.

Conversely, leaving might also give her a chance to observe Chi Nian in her absence.

Zhang Yuning decided to postpone meeting the Third Miss and instead investigate Chi Nian’s home situation discreetly. She rode another motorcycle out, aimlessly wandering through nearby streets while carefully observing her surroundings. After confirming she wasn’t being followed, she stopped beneath a roadside tree and opened her phone to monitor her home. She had installed surveillance cameras on the balcony, bay window, and front door—any potential entry points needed to be secured.

Chi Nian remained motionless on the balcony, sitting exactly as she had when Zhang Yuning left. Occasionally, she would gaze blankly out the window, always curled up with her knees drawn to her chest, her ink-black hair cascading down in a display of languid, decadent beauty.

Am I just being paranoid? Zhang Yuning wondered, resting her chin in her hand. Her eyes scanned the surroundings until she noticed a rotating light in the kitchen of the jewelry shop across the street.

She parked her motorcycle and entered the shop, heading straight for the light.

It was a magnetic levitation moon lamp. The white, moon-like orb floated and rotated above a dark brown wooden base. She pressed the switch, and the cool white light shifted to a warm, soft yellow glow, as if something warm had touched her heart.

Zhang Yuning suddenly realized that this was exactly what their home needed. If Chi Nian had a lamp like this, it would satisfy her habit of looking at the moon while falling asleep.

The lamp was designed to mimic the moon’s surface, with its uneven texture resembling lunar craters. Its realistic and exquisite design convinced Zhang Yuning to buy it without hesitation.

She wondered what the moon represented to Chi Nian—whether it was a person or an object.

Would she like it?

Zhang Yuning had the shop assistant carefully wrap the lamp. After browsing for a while longer, she returned home. Though less than an hour had passed, she couldn’t shake her worry for Chi Nian.

Even though Chi Nian showed no signs of distress, and even though she hadn’t expressed any need for Zhang Yuning’s presence, Zhang Yuning had promised to stay by her side. Shouldn’t I have kept my word? she thought, realizing she was starting to rationalize her actions.

Clutching the lamp, Zhang Yuning entered the house and found Chi Nian asleep on the floor, her head resting on her hand beside the bed.

Afraid of disturbing her, Zhang Yuning tiptoed over and narrowed the curtains to dim the room. Chi Nian remained sound asleep, her most prized possession lying beside her, not in her hands.

This was a rare opportunity. Should she look now?

Zhang Yuning’s curiosity was overwhelming. Perhaps opening this bag would reveal Chi Nian’s secrets. She took a deep breath, carefully set down the moon lamp, and crouched silently, making no sound.

Her hands approached the bag, her right hand gripping the zipper pull. The atmosphere immediately tensed. Zhang Yuning knew she was taking a risk if caught, she’d have no explanation. But without doing this, she’d never truly understand Chi Nian.

She closed her eyes briefly, her right hand trembling as she pulled the zipper. Just as the bag’s opening was about to widen, Zhang Yuning prepared to pry it open with both hands. Suddenly, the sleeping Chi Nian woke up. Sensing someone touching her bag—almost instinctively—she whirled around and slapped Zhang Yuning hard across the face.

Zhang Yuning didn’t even have time to react, taking the full force of the blow. The air froze. She stared blankly at Chi Nian, who glared back with wide eyes. The two women remained locked in a stunned stalemate.