Chapter 12. Jealousy

When Li Qing called Lin Xingzi to come home for dinner, Lin Xingzi was at the mall.

After graduating from high school, she had gone abroad, and besides Lin Sang, she had no friends in Haishi to go shopping with. Jiang Yan’s mother’s birthday was coming up soon, and as a daughter-in-law, she hadn’t been able to check in on her often, so she felt she should at least send something to show her sincerity.

The relationship between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law has always been a challenge.

Jiang’s mother had lived a hard life. Her husband died early, and a few years later, her eldest son died unexpectedly in another province. Jiang Yan was her life, and though she was still young, she never remarried.

The Lin family was wealthy. Lin Xudong was the head of the municipal public security bureau, Li Qing taught at Haishi’s best high school, and Li Yao was a CEO of a large entertainment company with assets over a hundred million. Lin Xingzi was their only daughter, and when Jiang Yan married this rich young lady, neighbors often gossiped about him being a live-in son-in-law for the Lin family.

Jiang’s mother had strong self-esteem, so the gift couldn’t be too expensive; otherwise, she would feel Lin Xingzi was humiliating her with money. Of course, it couldn’t be too cheap either, making it truly difficult to choose.

Lin Xingzi browsed the mall from the first to the fourth floor, unable to make up her mind. It wasn’t until Li Qing called to rush her that she realized almost two hours had passed. After considering, she asked the sales associate to wrap the bracelet she had initially liked.

She had been in a car accident before, so Lin Xudong told her not to drive herself unless there was an urgent matter. Assistant Chen was the driver Li Yao had chosen for her.

“You need to be constantly urged just to eat, as if your father and I need to bathe in incense before you’ll grace us with your presence,” Li Qing pushed away the grinning Lin Xingzi in annoyance, telling her to wash her hands. “If Little Chen isn’t busy, stay and eat with us.”

Assistant Chen was flattered. “Won’t I be too much of a bother?”

“Bother? What bother? We’re all family. Lin Xingzi even makes you work after hours. She hasn’t improved in anything else, but she’s certainly mastered her uncle’s capitalist ways.”

Assistant Chen quickly explained on Lin Xingzi’s behalf.

“Don’t be shy. Try my mom’s cooking, and then you can take me back,” Lin Xingzi felt a little bad about Chen Cheng accompanying her for two hours.

Lin Xingzi was helping Li Qing carry dishes when the doorbell rang. Assistant Chen went to open the door, and upon seeing the person outside, he froze. The other person was also surprised, reconfirming the floor, thinking he had rung the wrong doorbell.

“Mr. Jiang...” Assistant Chen belatedly realized, quickly stepping aside to let him in.

“Which Mr. Jiang? Mom, did you invite another guest?” Lin Xingzi secretly tasted a shrimp, getting her hand smacked by Li Qing.

“Which Mr. Jiang? Which Mr. Jiang could it be? You don’t even know your own husband is back,” Li Qing was well aware of her daughter’s scoundrelly behavior. “Indeed, a marriage based on deceit.”

Lin Xingzi: “...”

Jiang Yan?

He’s back?

“Who talks about their daughter like that?” Lin Xudong said with a smile, looking at the door. “Jiang Yan, come in quickly. Was the journey smooth?”

“Dad, Mom,” Jiang Yan walked into the house. “There was a traffic accident on Chang’an Road that blocked traffic for twenty minutes, so I’m a bit late.”

“Not late at all. Your mom just finished cooking.”

Li Qing’s annoyed, nagging demeanor vanished. She looked at Jiang Yan as if he were her own son, feeling bad that he had lost weight and asking if his work was too hard. Lin Xingzi, on the other hand, was the unwelcome daughter-in-law, left ignored, the shrimp stuck in her throat, unable to swallow or spit it out.

Assistant Chen, an outsider, felt a bit awkward.

Li Qing was sharp-eyed. “It’s so hot, why are you carrying things?”

“Just some small desserts, they don’t take up much space,” Jiang Yan looked at Lin Xingzi. She had her hair tied up, revealing her beautiful, clean face. She showed no emotion, but was clearly angry.

“This is from the shop near the old campus of our main high school, isn’t it?” From the airport to Haishi No. 1 High School spanned half the city. “You took a long flight back and still went so far out of your way to buy cake. Lin Xingzi truly has the luck of the lazy. Put it in the fridge first.”

Lin Xingzi didn’t pay attention to what they were saying. Her mind was entirely focused on accusing Jiang Yan of being a hypocritical scoundrel.

In bed, she was his favorite wife, but out of bed, he didn’t even tell her he was coming back to Haishi.

Jiang Yan could drive, so Assistant Chen finished his awkward meal and made an excuse to leave early.

After cleaning up the dining room, everyone was in the living room drinking tea. Lin Xingzi went to the balcony to answer a call. An artist from her company had been injured on set and was now in the hospital, needing surgery. This artist had many endorsement contracts, but had been plagued by continuous accidents for six months.

Lin Xingzi told someone to handle the media at the hospital and to call her after the surgery. She replied to the artist’s agent. The balcony door opened and closed, and she knew who had come out, but she ignored him.

“Jiangjiang,” Jiang Yan said softly, embracing her from behind, resting his chin on her neck, gently rubbing it. “You haven’t spoken to me all evening.”

She hadn’t even smiled.

Lin Xingzi continued her aloof demeanor. “Mom already said I’m a savage, so wild I forgot I even had a husband.”

“So you let your assistant go shopping with you?”

Although Chen Cheng was just an assistant, he had done everything a “boyfriend” should: taking her home when she was drunk, having meals with her, going shopping with her, carrying her bags and clothes, picking her up for work in the morning, and buying her breakfast.

Lin Xingzi vaguely felt a hint of jealousy from Jiang Yan’s words, but the next second she dismissed the thought. This marriage was “deceived” by her; Jiang Yan was a “victim,” probably wishing she would find someone new so he could be free. How could he possibly be jealous of her?

“Well, could you have accompanied me? Could I have found you?”

Amidst the myriad lights of the city at night, Jiang Yan’s gaze fell upon the woman’s delicate and clean features. “My transfer has come through. I can accompany you from now on.”

When he looked at Lin Xingzi, his gaze was always a little different from how he looked at others.

Li Qing cut the cake. “Lin Xingzi, it’s the strawberry mille-feuille you like.”

“Coming!”

Lin Xingzi was touched that her mother finally remembered she was her real daughter, having gone all the way to the old campus to get her favorite cake.

Li Qing rolled her eyes at her, saying the cake was bought by Jiang Yan, and Lin Xingzi froze completely when she heard this.

Jiang Yan closed the balcony door, turned around, and met her gaze, a smile hidden in his eyes. He walked over and naturally wiped the cream from the corner of her mouth.

Lin Xingzi was allergic to mangoes; even one bite would cause her to break out in a rash. Jiang Yan had learned this lesson eight years ago.