After Being Marked By A Love Rival - Chapter 34

Xie Rong likes to eat tripe, but as is generally known, tripe cannot be left to boil in the hot pot it must be flash-cooked by dipping it, preferably using the “seven-up eight-down” method.

While this meticulous way of eating preserves the tripe’s delicious flavor and texture, it also takes up time, interferes with eating other things, and is quite inconvenient.

Furthermore, keeping one’s hand over the hot pot constantly exposed to the rising steam is not a comfortable experience.

Xie Rong doesn’t like it either, but for the sake of eating it… she has no choice.

Qi Musi rested one hand on her chin, watching Xie Rong quietly dip and eat the tripe across from her with her gaze lowered. This sight unexpectedly brought forth a feeling of docility. Qi Musi smiled, a kind of unspeakable, satisfied sigh in her heart, and then picked up a clean pair of serving chopsticks.

“Here.”

When the tripe was placed on her plate, Xie Rong was momentarily stunned. She subconsciously looked up and, sure enough, saw Qi Musi’s smiling eyes.

Xie Rong paused, glanced at her, “…What are you doing?”

Qi Musi put the flash-cooked tripe on her plate and continued to pick up a new piece to dip. “For you, of course. Is it that hard to tell?”

A smile hung on the girl’s lips, not hiding her actions or intentions in the slightest.

Xie Rong looked down, thinking about something. After a while, she said, “No need. I’ll do it myself. You eat yours.”

Qi Musi curved her lips and smiled. “Don’t worry, I can manage. Besides, I’m not very hungry. I can eat slowly.” As she spoke, the new piece of tripe was ready, and Qi Musi placed it on Xie Rong’s plate.

“Eat it. Don’t look at me.”

“…”

Xie Rong sat there, unsure how to adjust or accept the situation for a moment.

It wasn’t that she was disgusted. Qi Musi was using serving chopsticks, and since they were already sharing a hot pot, Xie Rong saw no need for fuss. Although she liked cleanliness, she was not a germaphobe.

She was just… finding Qi Musi’s attentive behavior difficult to deal with.

Zhao Rongrong noticed the interaction between the two and couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. “Wow, how enviable. Why don’t I get this kind of privilege? I love tripe too.”

Once the atmosphere relaxed, Zhao Rongrong’s mouth couldn’t be controlled.

Xie Rong raised her eyes and looked at her coolly. “Here, take it and eat it.”

Zhao Rongrong shuddered and quickly snapped back to her senses. “No, no, no, I apologize for interrupting. I’ll get my own.”

Qi Musi chuckled, then complained in a playful, teasing tone, “I personally cooked this for you, how can you just give it away to someone else?”

Qi Musi raised her eyes, her peach blossom eyes holding a slight, mischievous smile. “Xiao Rong, doing this really hurts my feelings.”

Xie Rong glanced at her, dipped the tripe in the sauce, opened her mouth, and chewed it.

“If it hurts your feelings, then don’t do it anymore.”

“I can’t do that,” Qi Musi replied with a smile. “Hurt feelings aside, I still want you to eat well.”

“…”

Xie Rong pressed her lips together and didn’t say anything more, but when Qi Musi clipped something else onto her plate again, she inexplicably felt no rejection in her heart.

Slowly, besides the tripe, Qi Musi started taking the liberty of clipping other things for Xie Rong. Although it was a bit inconvenient for them sitting face-to-face, fortunately, the table wasn’t large, and Qi Musi had long arms. Occasionally standing up slightly, she could manage.

Watching Xie Rong lower her gaze, quietly and obediently eating the food she had clipped for her, Qi Musi felt a kind of… relief, mixed with a happy smile.

It was the satisfying feeling of feeding a small animal.

Even though Xie Rong was entirely aloof and cold, having nothing to do with small animals, in Qi Musi’s eyes, Xie Rong was a cute and proud cat.

It was only a pity that this cat hadn’t accepted her yet, so she couldn’t hug her or stroke her fur.

Qi Musi lowered her eyes, concealing her emotions, but the smile on her lips remained unchanged.

After dinner, Zhao Rongrong suggested they walk back to digest the meal and take a stroll.

Mo Li looked helpless: “The last time I heard the phrase ‘taking a stroll’ was when I was in middle school.”

Zhao Rongrong smiled happily: “Isn’t this nostalgia?”

Mo Li: “Nostalgia my butt. It’s just walking. You make it sound so good. And it’s tiring.”

The two people ahead walked and bickered, making the atmosphere lively, leaving Xie Rong and Qi Musi trailing behind in silence.

It wasn’t that they deliberately excluded Xie Rong and Qi Musi rather, they wanted the two to reconcile, and seizing this perfect timing and opportunity, Zhao Rongrong and Mo Li specifically left more space for the two during the warm atmosphere of the dinner, hoping they could rebuild their relationship.

Therefore, although Zhao Rongrong seemed simply carefree and charging ahead, she actually had good intentions.

Qi Musi said with a smile: “How about you, Xiao Rong? Do you like taking a stroll?”

Xie Rong’s expression was indifferent, and when she heard the question, she gave a noncommittal answer. She slightly turned her head. “So-so. It’s alright.”

Qi Musi smiled: “I thought you wouldn’t like it.”

Xie Rong slightly raised her eyes but didn’t speak. Qi Musi continued to explain: “Because Xiao Rong looks… a bit cold, and perhaps a bit impatient. I thought you would find a boring activity like taking a stroll uninteresting.”

Xie Rong lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, and said, “No.”

There was never anything uninteresting or boring, as long as the person accompanying her was the right one. Even aimlessly walking along the road could be enjoyable.

Xie Rong kept both hands in her pockets, and they gradually warmed up.

Qi Musi exhaled a breath, then looked at the sky. “I wonder when it will snow.”

Xie Rong glanced sideways at her.

Qi Musi chuckled softly: “If we could take a stroll when it’s snowing, it would definitely feel wonderful listening to music, stepping on the pristine white snow, and watching the silver snowscape.”

And having the person I love by my side.

She swallowed the last sentence.

Xie Rong’s expression also softened slightly, and after a moment, she nodded, seemingly in agreement.

Qi Musi watched Xie Rong from the corner of her eye, her heart beating a drum. Heavens knew how much she wanted to hold Xie Rong’s hand, hug her on the street, and preferably kiss her as well.

But Qi Musi knew these were all wishful thoughts, all impossible. Yet, she still wanted to strive for them.

Qi Musi inhaled the cold air and then asked, “Xiao Rong, can you accept me wooing you?”

She brought up the old topic again, and Xie Rong looked up at her.

Qi Musi said, “I dare not directly ask for your forgiveness, but at least, can you give me a chance to ‘atone’?”

Xie Rong looked over, and Qi Musi gave her a smile that held expectation, ease, and a touch of mischief.

Xie Rong slowly lowered her eyes and finally gave in: “Fine.” The final word was scattered by the wind.

In fact, Xie Rong’s answer meant she was no longer angry, but she didn’t state it directly, keeping a little bit reserved. After all, as the “victim,” she had to maintain some dignity.

The situation had reached a point where Xie Rong no longer felt the anger she had initially all that remained was a helpless sigh.

Perhaps Qi Musi had been momentarily lost in confusion. Since it was a lapse of judgment, Xie Rong felt she should be merciful.

The weather officially entered winter. Light early winter clothes were no longer sufficient not only did they need thicker layers underneath, but the outer layer had long been replaced with down jackets.

Xie Rong stayed in the dorm, enjoying the AC, and basically only went out for class and to buy meals.

“It’s going to snow in a few days,” Zhao Rongrong said suddenly, looking at her phone.

Xie Rong lifted her eyes, giving a bit of attention. “Are you sure?”

Zhao Rongrong swiped her phone. “Not entirely sure, but the weather forecast says so.”

Xie Rong’s eyelashes flickered, and she glanced at the window, somehow anticipating the arrival of snow.

Zhao Rongrong closed her phone, then turned to ask Xie Rong, “Um, Xiao Rong, are you and Musi reconciled?”

Since that “team building” event, Zhao Rongrong had keenly noticed that the dorm atmosphere had gotten much better. The only explanation was that Xie Rong had relented and was no longer angry with Qi Musi.

However, Zhao Rongrong wasn’t completely sure, as she often saw Qi Musi hovering around Xie Rong, seemingly still apologizing and trying to win her over with an apologetic attitude.

Xie Rong paused, then said, “Yes.”

“Oh, oh, oh.” Zhao Rongrong glanced at Xie Rong. The other pheromone scent on her had completely vanished, and the bandage on the back of her neck had been removed after the wound healed. If it weren’t for Zhao Rongrong’s unintentional glimpse, she might genuinely not have known that such a thing had happened between her two roommates.

This matter was indeed awkward to talk about. Zhao Rongrong didn’t know what to say, as she was an outsider, and whatever she saw could only be kept secret.

Fortunately, she didn’t need to worry anymore. It was good that the two of them had reconciled.

Zhao Rongrong hummed a tune as she climbed onto her bed.

A while later, Qi Musi also returned from outside. She had specifically bought a cup of milk tea and placed it on Xie Rong’s desk.

Xie Rong looked at it, then looked up at her. “Why did you suddenly buy a cup of milk tea?”

Qi Musi said, “It’s getting cold. I bought you a hot one.”

Actually, that wasn’t the sole reason. She simply wanted to buy something for Xie Rong. She saw a milk tea shop on the street and thought she’d bring one back for Xie Rong. Clothes or personal items might be too abrupt, and Xie Rong might not accept them, so food was just right.

Xie Rong frowned, then reached out to touch it, and indeed, it was warm.

She paused, then asked, “How much was it? I’ll transfer it to you.”

Qi Musi chuckled softly: “If you say that, you’re treating me like a stranger. Didn’t I say, don’t talk about money with me?” Her tone was very light, like an intimate whisper.

Xie Rong’s eyebrow twitched. Just as she was about to say something, Qi Musi interrupted her further.

Qi Musi restrained herself, placing her hand on Xie Rong’s shoulder, her tone laced with a gentle smile: “And I’m currently wooing you, Xiao Rong. Can you be a little more aware?”

Xie Rong froze, pursing her lips. After a moment, she said, “…I’m not that hard to win over, am I?” Her voice was very low, and if one wasn’t listening carefully, it might be missed.

Xie Rong thought that a few days after they came back from dinner, she had already… been won over.

In those few days, Qi Musi had been attentive with greetings and caring gestures around her. Although Xie Rong had been stubborn outwardly, she had actually accepted Qi Musi’s apology in her heart and was no longer angry. As a result, she gradually returned to her usual communication with Qi Musi.

She thought Qi Musi would have sensed that. But who knew…

The other person was still wooing her.

Thinking of this, Xie Rong’s expression was complex.

Qi Musi heard Xie Rong’s words. After a moment of thought, she understood what Xie Rong meant.

Qi Musi didn’t reply immediately, but her expression was gentle, and her fingertips unconsciously rubbed Xie Rong’s shoulder.

She wasn’t wooing her just to apologize she clearly had… ulterior motives.

Motive to win Xie Rong’s heart.