#32: Selling Charm

One moment, Lin Xingzi was inwardly criticizing Zhan Yan for his flirtatious tone. The next, she was utterly stunned by Jiang Yan’s casual call of “wife.”

He usually called her by her nickname and had never even used “Xingzi.” Yet, that single word—”wife”—rolled off his tongue so naturally, as if he’d been saying it for years.

“…Slippers? Slippers?” Lin Xingzi touched her face, glancing at Zhan Yan’s feet—he was wearing Li Yao’s pair. “Aren’t they in the shoe cabinet?”

“No.”

“Didn’t you wear them this morning?” Lin Xingzi walked toward the room. “Let me check.”

After Jiang Yan had taken Lin Xingzi away in front of Zhan Yan last time, Zhan Yan had investigated him. He confirmed that Jiang Yan and Lin Xingzi had indeed registered their marriage at the end of last year—but they kept it extremely low-key, with almost no ceremony.

Before the investigation, Zhan Yan knew nothing about this man. Afterward, he discovered that Jiang Yan was an alumnus from their high school, two grades above them, and also had some ambiguous connection with Ji Qiuchi.

Back then, Lin Xingzi would frequently visit the senior hall. Zhan Yan had thought she was simply there to see the Lin siblings. Now, unraveling the threads, he realized with a jolt that her intentions back then weren’t as innocent as he’d assumed.

It was his own arrogance—he had always believed that after Lin Xingzi had her fun, the person she loved most would inevitably be him. And he felt the same way. But now, another man had stepped into the picture, doing intimate things with Lin Xingzi in places Zhan Yan couldn’t see.

“Captain Jiang, the relationship between Xingzi and me isn’t something that can be explained in a few words. You must already know something about me. Xingzi was sent abroad by her father when she was 15. During those years, without me, she wouldn’t have made it on her own.”

Lin Xingzi wasn’t present, so Zhan Yan didn’t even bother looking directly at Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan remained calm and composed. “I’m very grateful for your care of Jiang Jiang during those years, but I think you might underestimate her. She’s very strong.”

Zhan Yan sneered dismissively. “You’ve never seen her cry…”

“I found them.”

Lin Xingzi came out holding the slippers. She had thrown on an extra coat. Zhan Yan shifted his gaze and swallowed the rest of his words along with the tea.

Jiang Yan was changing shoes at the door, while Zhan Yan showed no sign of leaving, annoyingly determined to finish his cup of tea before departing. Lin Xingzi thought that if she urged or chased him away, it would seem like she was overcompensating—making something out of nothing. If she acted too defensive, it could easily make it seem like there was something going on.

Lin Xingzi stood aside, watching Jiang Yan organize the keys and earphones in the shoe cabinet. She had a habit of misplacing things and would just buy new ones when she couldn’t find them. Since he returned, the house had become much tidier. Whenever she needed something, she just had to call him.

Hadn’t he been discussing matters with her father at the police station? Why was he back so soon?

“It seems like it suddenly got colder today.”

Listening to Lin Xingzi making small talk, Zhan Yan felt a pang of unease.

“Yes, the temperature dropped.”

Lin Xingzi frowned slightly when she saw Jiang Yan raise his injured hand. His shirt buttons were always fastened to the top, and with one hand, he struggled for a while without managing to undo a single button.

“My arm hurts. Help me.”

“Ah? Oh!”

Lin Xingzi completely forgot there was an outsider in the house. When Jiang Yan opened his arms, she instinctively went over to help him unbutton his shirt. It was a bit tight, and as he tilted his chin upward, his Adam’s apple became more prominent.

Was… was he selling his charm?

Lin Xingzi swallowed.

Back in their hometown, he could even ride an electric scooter. On crowded buses, he would use his hand to brace against the window to shield her. Just yesterday, he brought home half a watermelon, and this morning, the doctor at the hospital said his recovery was going well. So why, by evening, couldn’t he even unbutton his shirt?

When something unusual happens, there’s always a reason.

Could it be that he was jealous?

Only people who liked someone would get jealous…

So, rounding up, does this mean he still likes her quite a bit? Zhan Yan’s appearance made him feel threatened.

“That’s enough,” the man’s low voice sounded in her ear. His dry palm covered the back of her hand, exuding both helplessness and indulgence. “Jiang Jiang, that’s enough. I just want to take off my coat. I visited an old factory today—it’s dirty.”

Lin Xingzi snapped back to reality. After staring blankly at Jiang Yan for a few seconds, she suddenly realized with horror that her hands were undoing his belt.

!!!

“Sorry to interrupt,” Zhan Yan didn’t want to watch any longer. He feared he might lose control and do something rash. With the misunderstanding not yet cleared up, he couldn’t afford to make Lin Xingzi hate him even more. “Old Qian got the password. I have something to do, so I’ll head back. Xingzi, rest early.”

“Bye!” Lin Xingzi couldn’t wait for this third wheel to leave.

But once Zhan Yan was gone, only she and Jiang Yan were left in the house. She felt oddly nervous, sitting stiffly on the couch like a statue, but her eyes kept darting around.