Chapter 152: [Father-In-Law’s Story 27] Disguise
Standing not too far away from them were the refugees, who were suspiciously eyeing them like vultures. Although Shen Zhen’s entourage wasn’t considered to be big, they still brought guards with them, so the refugees didn’t dare act rashly towards their group.
Lin Wenyue also couldn’t care less whether the man inside the carriage was truly her brother-in-law or not. She narrated the plight of her situation straightforwardly without beating around the bush and piteously implored the people inside to save her.
Chu Jiao sharply cast a side glance at Shen Zhen inside the carriage.
“Are you still not going to rescue your younger sister-in-law?”
Shen Zhen firmly clung onto her and shook his head in response.
“If it’s something that displeases you, why bother rescuing her?”
Apart from his mother that had already passed away and the little girl in front of him, no other woman was able to step a foot inside his layered heart. So, it naturally goes without saying that it didn’t matter to him whether others lived or died.
This might sound a bit cold-hearted at first glance, however, Shen Zhen was not a philanthropist in the first place.
Chu Jiao instantaneously broke into a fit of laughter and tugged him playfully, “Am I that malicious of a person!?”
“Fu Lai, tidy the carriage of chests and make some space for Miss Lin.”
Chu Jiao lifted the screen open and instructed the eunuch.
She then turned her head warmly towards Lin Wenyue to apologize, “I’ll have to ask Miss Lin’s pardon since we are in the middle of a journey and we’re pressed for time. If you do not mind it, we’ll tidy up a better space for you to rest once we’ve reached a relay station.”
Fortunately, Lin Wenyue still knew that she had to compromise after seeking shelter in another’s roof. She obediently nodded and spoke grateful words to Chu Jiao.
Casting a look at the lifted curtain, aside from the beautiful lady in front of her, Lin Wenyue also saw a peek of the man inside.
However, she was only able to catch the sight of a sharp jaw from where she stood, but it still made her heart thump loudly.
Could it-Could it really be her brother-in-law?
She harbored a wisp of hope that by the time they reached a relay station, she would be able to catch a glimpse of Shen Zhen’s ‘true appearance’.
※
Chu Jiao did not immediately comply with the mission’s requirements of chasing the female lead as far away from the male lead as possible. Rather, she had thought of Shen Zhen’s duties.
In the original story, Shen Zhen had also fatefully encountered the female lead on his way down to the South.
Without Chu Jiao’s presence, the female lead would have been rescued by the male lead. She even loyally accompanied the male lead all the way to the outside border and helped the him acquire important evidence of the collusion between officials and merchants.
She didn’t want to ruin Shen Zhen’s mission so she rescued the female lead and intended to watch the events unfold while quietly watching at the side.
After Lin Wenyue got settled in, the carriage began to move again.
While Chu Jiao opened her mouth to let Shen Zhen feed her some prepared pastries, she curiously asked, “Don’t you want to get to know her?”
“Of course not, “ Shen Zhen surprisingly had on an indifferent expression, “The last bit of comradeship I had with the Lin Family had already been depleted early on.”
Back when Lin Wennuan married into the Shen Family, although Shen Zhen didn’t show the slightest interest, seeing that Lin Wennuan acted cleverly without provoking trouble, he didn’t take his anger of being forced into marriage out onto his nominal wife. Instead, he even helped the Lin Family out on a few occasions.
But the Lin Family’s head did now know his boundaries. He occasionally used the title of being Shen Zhen’s father-in-law to conduct his businesses more favorably to his side and once Shen Zhen had gotten wind of this, he immediately drew a line between him and the Lin Family.
Afterwards, when Lin Wennuan passed away, he no longer retained any contact with the Lin Family.
Shen Zhen detailedly enumerated the whole sequence of events for Chu Jiao to hear and even added a nervous promise at the end, “This lord has only ever consummated with you.”
Chu Jiao smiled sweetly, nodding her head and not appearing the slightest bit jealous, yet this somehow put a bad taste in Shen Zhen’s mouth.
If Chu Jiao were to know of Shen Zhen’s thoughts, she would certainly sigh, ‘Ahh men..they get worked up over the slightest details, even almost reaching the level of women.‘
By the time nightfall had descended, the group of people had reached the relay station.
Although Shen Zhen himself could not remember whether he had once seen this younger sister-in-law, in order to avoid being recognized, he still put on a slight disguise.
Shen Zhen skillfully stuck on a fake beard he took out from God knows where and took on a whole new persona, transforming into a rugged bearded man with narrow eyes and criss-crossed scars on his face. It was simply terrifying to look at.
Chu Jiao quietly stared at his newfound appearance and couldn’t hold back from laughing out loud.
“‘Shen Zhongxing’ has always been sickly, what kind of sick person looks like you?”
“I’ll change into another identity then,” Shen Zhen raised a brow in defense and feigned a constipated look, “This lord was coincidentally afraid that a sickly appearance would look too handsome, thereby leading to an unwanted disruption to our arranged journey.”
His overall implication was that this lord was too afraid that his excessive handsomeness would attract the other’s attention.
Chu Jiao was rendered absolutely speechless. She elegantly rolled her eyes and gently placed her hand on this boor’s arm for support when she got off the carriage.
“Let’s go. I reckon that nobody would dare disturb us anyway.”
Before Shen Zhen lifted the carriage screen, he stole another kiss from the beauty.
“What’s wrong? Do you dislike this lord’s current appearance?”
Chu Jiao smirked proudly, “I don’t.”
It was just a little harsh on the eyes.
TOC for advanced chapter – ICD
Translation status of advanced chapters:
4th and 5th world Completed
6th world Ongoing
T/N: Will be taking a break for the whole of Feb. Updates will resume on March. Thanks for understanding!