After Being Marked By A Love Rival - Chapter 13

In that instant, Qi Musi herself couldn’t clearly define the emotion in her heart.

Her mind was practically blank. She could only pause where she was, looking at Zhuang Xinbai with a complicated, startled, and utterly shocked realization.

Perhaps a long time passed, or maybe only a fleeting moment, before the emotions in Qi Musi’s mind slowly subsided.

She took a breath, speaking in a voice that was almost a whisper, “So it was you… it was actually you.”

The person Xie Rong liked was Zhuang Xinbai, the gentle girl she grew up with, her childhood friend, the object of her secret crush.

Qi Musi’s heart tightened and trembled, like being completely drenched in sour lemon juice.

She dug her nails into her fingertips, and her mind finally managed to return to normal. Qi Musi closed her eyes, painstakingly hiding all her emotions, and showed her usual, perfect, mask-like light smile.

The expression that used to come so easily now required immense effort.

Zhuang Xinbai looked at Qi Musi with confusion and concern: “What’s wrong?”

Qi Musi bit her teeth, shook her head, and managed a normal smile, “Nothing, you’re right, this friend of yours is indeed my roommate.”

And she’s secretly in love with you.

Recalling how Xie Rong desperately didn’t want to reveal any information about her crush, the ambiguous emotions and crimson earlobes she showed when the topic came up, and the gentle look in her eyes when talking about that person…

A surge of dark and impulsive emotion suddenly welled up in Qi Musi’s heart.

She even wanted to tear open that thin veil for Xie Rong, to expose her completely, and let her taste the sting of rejection.

Qi Musi was startled by this strange emotion in her own heart.

She tried her best to cautiously suppress all her thoughts, then maintained a chilling calm as she said to Zhuang Xinbai, “It’s nothing, let’s go.”

Zhuang Xinbai nodded innocently, and at the same time, she sniffed her nose curiously.

For some reason, she felt like she had just smelled a scent very similar to Qi Musi’s pheromone…

The reason she said ‘similar’ was because it was the familiar cherry scent, but there was a difference, because the pheromone she just smelled seemed bitter, sour, and astringent, carrying a strong alcohol aroma.

However, Zhuang Xinbai didn’t dwell on it and continued walking forward with Qi Musi.

“It’s really a coincidence that you and Xiao Rong are in the same dorm. But you haven’t been scared by her, have you, haha.” Zhuang Xinbai spoke of her childhood friend with a smile.

Qi Musi lowered her gaze, looking at the road ahead. “Scared by her? What do you mean?” Her voice was calmer than even she had expected.

Zhuang Xinbai: “Because Xiao Rong always has a cold face and looks distant and unapproachable. When we were in school, the other students were a little afraid of her.”

As they talked about Xie Rong’s past, Qi Musi pursed her lips, and the heavy look in her eyes wavered slightly. She raised her eyes, and her voice finally had a little more emotion.

“Why would they be afraid of her? Xie Rong… isn’t she very good-looking?”

“Because she’s a very powerful Alpha, and once someone bullied me, so Xiao Rong helped me fight them off! You have no idea, the way she fights with a cold face is actually a bit scary, but mostly it gave me a sense of security and was really cool. After that incident got out, they all started to fear Xiao Rong.”

Talking about the past, Zhuang Xinbai was clearly much more lively, and her narration was vivid and full of expression.

“Is that so…” Qi Musi looked ahead.

It was strange. Hearing that Zhuang Xinbai was bullied, she should have immediately been concerned and worried, then asked about the past incident to find a better opening to comfort her, and ideally use it to win her favor.

That was the method Qi Musi would normally use.

But at this moment, Qi Musi’s heart was surprisingly calm. She didn’t have the urge to ask for details or comfort Zhuang Xinbai, nor did she have the thought of using this to win favor. She was so calm that it alarmed her, as if the cold indifference that was once buried beneath a gentle and seductive smile had entirely surfaced.

It was as if Zhuang Xinbai was not someone she liked or cared about.

…Of course, Qi Musi did have things she cared about.

She wanted to know how Xie Rong fought them off, if the other girl was always so cold, and even wanted to know if Xie Rong had liked Zhuang Xinbai since the past, when she started liking her, and why she liked her…

Qi Musi even wanted to know, and wanted to ask Zhuang Xinbai, what it felt like to be loved by Xie Rong.

Qi Musi suddenly snapped back to the present.

She realized she had unconsciously drifted to such thoughts.

“Musi?”

Qi Musi came back to her senses, glanced sideways, and in that moment, those strange emotions made Qi Musi feel a sense of danger, so, as if in self-protection, she expertly curved her eyes, and with her usual gentle emotion, asked, “What is it? Sorry, I was a little distracted just now.”

Zhuang Xinbai looked at her: “I feel like maybe you’re not feeling well?”

Qi Musi paused, and then took the opportunity to agree, “Sorry, maybe I caught a bit of a chill yesterday.”

Zhuang Xinbai immediately said, “Is that so? I’m so sorry, I still made you come out with me today… Then let’s hurry back, should we go to the school infirmary to get you checked?”

Qi Musi curved her lips, “Don’t worry, it’s nothing, just a cold and fever. I have medicine in the dorm, I’ll be fine once I take some back there. After all, I’m an Alpha, I’m not that fragile.”

Zhuang Xinbai nodded, “Then let’s speed up and head back.”

At this point, Qi Musi also genuinely had no patience or inclination to slow down. She was eager to return, so she nodded and quickened her pace with Zhuang Xinbai.

Thus, the two walked in silence and quickly returned to the school.

Qi Musi was about to walk Zhuang Xinbai back to her dorm building, but Zhuang Xinbai quickly refused: “You hurry back and take your medicine. You’re not feeling well yourself. Besides, I can go back to the dorm on my own.”

Qi Musi paused, didn’t insist, but forced a light smile: “Alright, let me know when you get back.”

Zhuang Xinbai nodded, watching her turn and leave with some concern.

The moment she turned around, the smile on Qi Musi’s face completely vanished.

Her downcast eyes hid some dark emotions and an indescribable irritability.

In fact, Qi Musi still wanted to hear Zhuang Xinbai talk about Xie Rong’s past, but at the moment, she had something much more urgent on her mind.

Back at the dorm, only Xie Rong was present.

The other girl was leaning back in her chair, her expression calm, looking down at a video playing on her computer. Because she was alone, the sound was on speaker. One side of her black hair fell in front of her, the other was tucked behind her ear, revealing a beautiful, cold side profile. Her eyelashes were long, and her lips were lightly pressed together.

If it were any other time, Qi Musi might have stopped to watch Xie Rong, listened to what she was watching, and chatted with her for a while, teasing her a bit. But now, Qi Musi clearly wasn’t in the mood.

Hearing someone enter, Xie Rong glanced sideways, then reached out to hit the pause button, preparing to plug in headphones so as not to disturb anyone.

Qi Musi walked up to her and firmly grabbed her wrist.

The temperature inside the dorm was clearly cooler than outside. Xie Rong’s arm felt slightly cool, which was very comforting. Qi Musi tightened her fingers, and a term, “icy skin and jade bones,” unsuitably popped into her mind.

Xie Rong frowned, but didn’t struggle immediately. Instead, she looked up and asked Qi Musi, “What’s wrong?”

Qi Musi had unconsciously dropped the mask on her face. She bit her teeth and asked Xie Rong, “The person you have a crush on…” She stopped there, suddenly not knowing how to phrase the rest of the sentence.

Because only now did Qi Musi realize how strange her emotions throughout the journey and her current behavior were.

Why did she care who Xie Rong liked? And by what right was she questioning her now?

Xie Rong was just an Alpha.

And she was also an Alpha. They were merely roommates.

Hearing the first few words, Xie Rong frowned, then tried to pull her wrist away.

Qi Musi’s emotions, which were about to calm down, were suddenly ignited by Xie Rong’s movement.

She pulled the other girl hard, looking down at Xie Rong and pinning her between the chair arms.

“The person you have a crush on is Zhuang Xinbai, right?”

Qi Musi couldn’t see her own expression at the moment, but she knew… the current her was showing her true emotions, without any mask or feigned gentleness.

Only a sense of helpless irritability.

Hearing Zhuang Xinbai’s name, Xie Rong’s eyes widened sharply. Surprise flashed in her eyes, followed by stiffness and anger. She was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on unexpectedly, completely bristling.

Xie Rong tried to retract her wrist, but both of them were Alphas, and in terms of strength, there was truly no winner or loser. In the back and forth struggle, Qi Musi completely lost her patience.

She forcefully pushed Xie Rong’s wrist backward, pressing her arm behind her back, confining her to the chair; she then stepped over with both legs and sat directly on Xie Rong.

Xie Rong’s eyes widened further.

The black skirt, due to the movement, slid upward, exposing her pale thighs.

Both felt the touch and temperature of the other where they were in contact.

Xie Rong’s fingers clenched, her voice taut: “Get off!”

Qi Musi’s lips curved into a smile, looking at her with a hint of a sneer, but her eyes held not a lighthearted amusement but a certain depth of darkness.

“Teacher Xiao Rong, it’s just a question, you don’t need to be so worked up, do you?”

Xie Rong gritted her teeth, “Do I look like someone who’s ‘just asking a question’?”

Qi Musi finally belatedly registered some touch that was not her own.

But at this moment, Qi Musi didn’t want to deal with that. She just tightened her fingers and asked again, “The person you like is Zhuang Xinbai, isn’t it?”

Xie Rong took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling. She turned her face away, avoiding the woman who was too close. After a moment, she bit out fiercely, “So what.”

A cold, clear light was in her black eyes, “You uncovered my secret, are you pleased?”

“No, I’m not pleased,” Qi Musi said. “I’m just concerned.”

Xie Rong ignored her.

Qi Musi leaned closer to her, feeling the strong Alpha pheromone due to the proximity and intense emotions. Her eyes darkened, and almost in that instant, she wanted to make a defensive and vigilant move, releasing her own pheromones in counter.

But Qi Musi held back. She closed her eyes, suppressed her restless pheromones, and tried hard to appear calm and less hostile.

Neither of them spoke. Xie Rong was also adjusting her emotions.

A moment later, she asked, “How did you guess?” Xie Rong paused, “You’ve met Xinbai.”

Xinbai.

Qi Musi’s smile was slightly mocking, “I don’t really like that title.”

Xie Rong turned back to look at her this time, her eyes icy, and she sneered, “What I like has nothing to do with what you like.”

Qi Musi narrowed her eyes, her peach blossom eyes seeming to smile yet not, and then her lips curved into a smile, “Isn’t Teacher Xiao Rong curious how I guessed?”

Xie Rong paused, “…Tell me.” She looked at Qi Musi.

Seeing her own face reflected in those black eyes, Qi Musi slightly loosened the grip on her wrist, though she didn’t let go completely.

With an emotion she couldn’t quite define, she deliberately showed a captivating smile and looked at Xie Rong: “It was when I was chatting with Xinbai today and happened to mention you.”

“That’s when I learned that Teacher Xiao Rong’s childhood friend is her.”

“Ah, as for why I was chatting with Xinbai, well, of course, I asked her out.”

“And as for why I asked her out…”

Qi Musi gazed at her, meeting her eyes: “Because I’m pursuing her.”