Picked Up a White Cut Black Wife - Chapter 5

Clang!

The coffin lid slid open with a sharp clang. Instead of the expected skeletal remains, Shen Zhao found only an elaborate, golden-threaded robe shimmering under the moonlight, surrounded by scattered burial artifacts.

Shen Zhao stared, momentarily forgetting to breathe.

Having grown up assisting Xu Muqing in archaeological digs, she had seen countless tombs. Yet this one inexplicably captivated her, as if her soul had been ensnared.

“Good, it’s relatively well-preserved.”

“Get these artifacts transported immediately!”

The clamor of voices faded into background noise as Shen Zhao’s mind went blank, her gaze fixed on the coffin’s contents.

“What’s going on?”

“The practice of human sacrifice ended two dynasties ago! How could this be happening?”

One crisis followed another, promising a sleepless night.

Before she knew it, the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn. The excavation of the tomb complex finally concluded, and the personnel gradually dispersed.

Covered in dust, Shen Zhao returned to the archaeological team’s rented cottage. She spread out the photographs taken at the site across the table, arranging them around the central image of the ornate robe from the tomb.

It was a yellow gown embroidered with golden threads, its design drawing inspiration from the previous dynasty while incorporating the unique aesthetic sensibilities of the Li Dynasty.

Shen Zhao had a photo on her phone—a page from a historical anecdote accompanied by an illustration of the princess in everyday attire. Though less extravagant than the gown, the patterns and motifs were strikingly similar.

If this tomb truly belonged to the princess, why was it so simple? Throughout the Li Dynasty, intermarriage with foreign tribes was common practice. Of the eleven princesses who lived to adulthood, all but one were married off to foreign rulers.

Princess Feng’an was the exception.

Exhausted from working through the night, Shen Zhao’s eyes felt swollen. As her taut nerves finally relaxed, a dull headache began to throb. She forced herself to take a shower, intending to rest, but as she lay in bed, her mind raced with the night’s events. Even in her fitful sleep, she found no peace.

The yellow gown came to life, swirling past her vision before darting back, bringing with it the faint scent of peach blossoms.

She slowly lifted her head, trying to make out the face of the gown’s wearer, but it remained blurred.

Three days later, the cleaning and cataloging of the artifacts were complete. Items of research significance had been transported to the museum, and Shen Zhao set off for home.

I wonder how that con woman is doing at the hotel.

Unconsciously, Shen Zhao thought of her and immediately shook her head. She had nothing to do with that girl anymore.

However, as soon as she stepped out of the elevator, before she could even retrieve her keys, she froze in place.

The girl was squatting by her doorstep, wearing the same white cotton-padded jacket she’d worn last time. Small and round, with only her head peeking out, she looked like a sesame-filled tangyuan dumpling—a black-hearted one.

After two seconds, Shen Zhao turned to leave, her face cold.

“Wife~”

The sound made Shen Zhao’s scalp tingle. She felt an overwhelming urge to abandon all pretense of composure and bolt.

But someone had already taken that initiative. Rapid footsteps echoed like the approach of a soul-reaper.

Shen Zhao turned around just as the girl lunged at her. She blocked the girl’s forehead with her hand. “What are you doing here?”

The girl flailed twice, then opened her arms, begging for a hug. “Waiting for Wife.”

Shen Zhao stared at her expressionlessly for a few seconds. It seemed the girl wouldn’t learn unless she used force.

With that thought, she pulled out her phone and dialed 110.

“Hello, this is the police.”

“Hello, I need assistance.”

Flustered by the sudden call, Shen Zhao momentarily froze, struggling to find the right words. After a long pause, she finally said, “Um, there’s a woman… she staged a car accident and has been following me ever since.”

“Understood, ma’am. May I ask for your current location?”

Shen Zhao gave her home address.

“We’ll dispatch officers immediately. Are you currently safe?”

Shen Zhao instinctively glanced at the pitiful woman staring up at her and nodded.

“Could you please provide more details about the situation?” the officer asked.

“About a week ago, I was driving home when… Today, when I returned home again…”

“Has she demanded a large sum of money from you?”

“No.”

“Has she trespassed on your property?”

“…No.”

“Has she threatened your personal safety in any way?”

“…Not yet.”

The officer fell silent, the line going quiet for a moment, thick with awkwardness.

“Wait,” Shen Zhao said, frowning. “But she’s severely disrupting my life! And my reputation has been damaged!”

“What’s wrong with her?” the police officer asked.

“She… she keeps calling me ‘Wife’ randomly! My reputation has been damaged!”

Before she could finish, she retorted, “But you are my wife!”

Shen Zhao’s heart sank. She turned to the officer and said, “Just like that.”

“Hmm,” the officer pondered for a moment. “So, she staged an accident on the road, you brought her home, and ever since, she’s been clinging to you, insisting you’re her wife. Is that right?”

Shen Zhao hesitated before nodding, but something still felt off.

“Ah, well, I’m sorry, ma’am, but based on her behavior, she hasn’t committed any actual crimes. We have no legal grounds to detain her,” the officer said awkwardly. “However, we can offer mediation to help resolve your relationship issues.”

“No, that’s not it!” Shen Zhao finally realized what was wrong. “I’ve never met her before! There’s no relationship between us—it’s all her one-sided obsession!”

“Wife, don’t be like that! We’re already married!”

Shen Zhao: “Shut up! Don’t say another word.”

“Um, I’m sure there’s been some misunderstanding between you two,” the police officer said. “Why don’t you sit down and talk it out calmly?”

During holidays, domestic disputes and fights between couples were commonplace. Even trivial matters often led to police intervention. Having handled countless such cases, the officers had become adept at resolving them. As long as safety was assured, they preferred not to interfere.

The hallway was bone-chillingly cold. After standing there for a while, Shen Zhao couldn’t help but shiver and hung up the phone.

Their eyes met, and Shen Zhao felt utterly exasperated. She racked her brain for a way to get rid of this person. The girl flashed her a graceful smile, but Shen Zhao turned away expressionlessly and unlocked the door with her fingerprint.

The girl tried to follow her inside, but Shen Zhao blocked the door. “Don’t waste your time here. It’s pointless. Do you understand?”

“Old—”

Annoyed, Shen Zhao frowned and slammed the door shut with a bang, severing the connection between their worlds.

Give her an inch, and she’ll take a mile! I shouldn’t have shown any mercy to this con artist!

Outside, the girl stared blankly at the locked iron door, her expression darkening slightly. After a moment, she simply sat down against the wall, just as Shen Zhao had seen her earlier.

The difference now was that knowing Shen Zhao was inside, her eyes held less anxiety and more composure.

Shen Zhao had expected the girl to pester her relentlessly, disturbing her peace. Yet, after a long while, there was no sound from outside the door.

Could she have left?

Shen Zhao couldn’t resist checking the security camera on her phone. The small figure was curled up in a ball, squatting in the corner. Her brow furrowed instantly. She really is persistent!

Just then, her phone rang. It was her mother, You Shu.

“Hello, Mom, what’s up?” Shen Zhao answered, grabbing her tablet to continue watching the security feed.

“Can’t I call just to say hi, busy bee?” You Shu scolded playfully before asking, “When are you coming home? Your dad and I…”

“It might be a while,” Shen Zhao replied without hesitation, then quickly added, “It’s not that I don’t want to come back. There have been a lot of new archaeological finds in Feng’an recently, and many artifacts need restoration.”

“So no one gets a holiday for the New Year? Your teacher already told me not to let you make excuses.”

Shen Zhao rubbed her temples, her head throbbing. “Fine, fine, I’ll come home in a few days.”

“Don’t forget again,” You Shu said, as if remembering something. “Oh, and don’t secretly work overtime these next few days, like you did last year.”

Shen Zhao listened quietly, occasionally glancing at the security monitor. The girl remained motionless, like a small animal guarding its burrow. Shen Zhao unconsciously drifted off into thought.

“Xiao Zhao?”

“Hmm? Mom, what did you say?” Shen Zhao shifted her gaze back to You Shu. “The signal was bad just now, I didn’t hear you clearly.”

“I was saying, an old classmate’s son just returned to the country this year, and he’s still single…”

The same old topic again. Shen Zhao recalled last year’s endless string of blind dates, and her headache intensified. “Mom, I don’t want to get married yet. Please stop trying to set me up.”

You Shu didn’t get angry. “Just meet him,” she said. “It’s fine if you don’t like him. If you prefer girls, that’s fine too. I’m not that old-fashioned. As long as you’re happy.”

“Wh-what?” After the initial shock, Shen Zhao couldn’t help but laugh. “Mom, what are you saying? You don’t think I’m…”

Before she could finish speaking, Shen Zhao caught a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye. She turned her head just as the girl seemed to sense her gaze, suddenly looking up and meeting her eyes.

Shen Zhao’s mind went blank. She didn’t hear a word You Shu said next, only mumbling an absentminded “hmm.”

“Alright, then. Remember to come home.”

“Okay,” Shen Zhao replied, and the call ended.

On the surveillance monitor, the woman had curled back into her original position, like an abandoned pet.

Out of sight, out of mind. I can’t let myself soften again!

Shen Zhao closed the tablet, got up, and went to the bathroom for a shower. The hot water cascading over her head chased away the chill. Suddenly, a cold draft snaked through the gap in the window, making her shiver violently. Unbidden, the image of the woman crouching outside her door flashed through her mind.

I wonder if she’s still there.

Who is she, anyway? No family, wandering the streets? Or did she escape from a hospital?

Shen Zhao shook her head, refusing to dwell on it. None of this concerns me.

Yet, after her shower, she couldn’t resist checking the surveillance monitor. The result was exactly as she’d expected.

How did I get saddled with such a nuisance? I can’t shake her off!

If she froze to death on her doorstep, she’d never be able to explain herself!

Shen Zhao couldn’t help but recall their first encounter that night. In the freezing snow, the girl had been wearing only a thin dress. She still wondered how the girl had survived.

While she was lost in thought, another figure suddenly appeared on the surveillance monitor: the son of the neighbors next door, a notorious drunkard.

Recognizing the man, Shen Zhao’s brow furrowed instantly.