After Being Marked By A Love Rival - Chapter 35

Zhao Rongrong had seen the weather forecast predicting snow, and sure enough, it did snow a few days later.

Xie Rong was an early riser, and that day, she just felt the climate was colder than usual. She changed her clothes under the covers and lingered for a while before finally getting out of bed.

Fortunately, the dorm room had air conditioning otherwise, she feared she wouldn’t even be able to leave her bed.

While going to the balcony to wash up, Xie Rong pulled back half of the curtain. Glancing outside unintentionally, she discovered the world was covered in white.

Xie Rong paused, leaned closer to look, and realized it had snowed last night.

It didn’t look like a heavy snowfall, but because it had accumulated overnight, the ground and rooftops were covered with a thin layer of silver, even the tree branches.

Xie Rong’s eyes widened slightly, and she exhaled some white mist. Then, the expression in her eyes unconsciously softened.

Although she wasn’t particularly fond of the cold winter, she had a special fondness for days like this when it snowed.

When Xie Rong finished washing up and returned, Zhao Rongrong was also awake. Since they had class in the morning, she was putting on clothes while yawning.

“Why does it feel so cold today?”

Xie Rong said, “It snowed.”

Zhao Rongrong instantly perked up, “Huh?! Really? The weather forecast was right after all!”

Xie Rong slightly raised an eyebrow, her lips moved, curving into a subtle arc, “It wasn’t heavy, but it must have started last night, so there’s already some accumulated snow on the ground now.”

Zhao Rongrong was very happy, “We can have a snowball fight!”

Mo Yue: “Snowball fight my ass, it’s freezing.”

Qi Musi walked in from the balcony, closing the balcony door to keep the cold air outside the glass. She looked at Xie Rong and smiled, “It looks like Xiaorong is in a good mood.”

Xie Rong was noncommittal.

Qi Musi asked, “Do you want to wander around the campus after class?”

Xie Rong explicitly refused this time: “No.”

Qi Musi didn’t mind, just assuming Xie Rong was afraid of the cold.

After all, she had touched Xie Rong’s hands in winter, and even indoors, if there was no air conditioning, her hands would inevitably become cold.

Not at all like an Alpha.

Thinking of this, Qi Musi was pensive.

If in the future… air conditioning, electric heaters, and other heating measures in their home would be indispensable.

Xie Rong sat back down. She lowered her eyes, looking at her phone, and then sent a message.

After the morning class ended, Zhao Rongrong excitedly asked, “Should we walk around the campus before going to the cafeteria?”

Mo Yue looked speechless and didn’t want to get involved, but Qi Musi was smiling and seemed somewhat interested.

It wasn’t that she was interested in wandering the campus, checking out the food, or admiring the snow; it was because she preferred the idea of “watching the snow with Xie Rong.” That’s why she took advantage of Zhao Rongrong’s suggestion to fulfill her own little desire.

She turned her head to Xie Rong: “Xiaorong, do you want to come along?”

Then, remembering Xie Rong’s fear of the cold, she added, “It’s just a short walk, keep your hands in your pockets, it won’t be very cold.”

“No,” Xie Rong refused, just as she had that morning.

Qi Musi felt a bit regretful, but after a moment’s thought, she shook her head slightly and didn’t insist.

Zhao Rongrong sighed helplessly: “Then let’s go eat directly.”

Xie Rong had already packed her textbooks and replied, “You guys go first, I have something to do.” With that, she left ahead of them.

Zhao Rongrong suddenly sat up straight, blinking in confusion, “What’s going on?”

Qi Musi watched the direction Xie Rong left in. The relaxed smile she had been wearing slowly faded, her eyes deep, as if she were contemplating something.

Xie Rong indeed had something going on. She had arranged to meet Zhuang Xinbai.

Xie Rong had been thinking for a while that she should find a suitable time to confess her feelings to Zhuang Xinbai. Hiding everything and saying nothing would never lead to love.

Coupled with the sense of crisis that Qi Musi had brought to Xie Rong, it further prompted Xie Rong’s desire to confess.

However, the subsequent incident involving Qi Musi’s rut period delayed Xie Rong’s plan, causing her not to consider the confession for half a month.

After she and Qi Musi made up, she finally pulled away from her previous thoughts and began to plan and strategize the confession.

And this snowfall came at the perfect time.

Before long, Zhuang Xinbai arrived.

“Have you been waiting long?” she said, a little apologetically.

Xie Rong shook her head, “I just finished class too.”

Zhuang Xinbai smiled, “Shall we go then?”

Xie Rong nodded. She paused her movement, originally wanting to reach out and hold Zhuang Xinbai’s hand, but stopped as her fingers left her pocket.

…It wasn’t appropriate. Not yet.

Xie Rong lowered her eyes, put her hand back into her pocket, and then subtly exhaled a breath. She couldn’t rush things.

In the morning, Xie Rong had sent a message to Zhuang Xinbai, inviting her to have lunch together.

But Xie Rong actually planned to confess after lunch. She had waited long enough and couldn’t wait any longer.

During class, Xie Rong kept thinking about the noon plans. She tried hard to consider every detail, aiming not for perfection, but for an eighty percent success rate. This caused her to be somewhat distracted in class.

Although she had mentally rehearsed what she needed to do and say many times, when Xie Rong stood face to face with Zhuang Xinbai, she felt extremely nervous.

So much so that Zhuang Xinbai noticed something was off.

Zhuang Xinbai looked up in confusion: “Xiaorong, what’s wrong? I feel like you’re so stiff.” Then she smiled: “Could you be frozen?”

Xie Rong paused, slowly relaxed her body, and shook her head, “Not at all.”

She exhaled a breath and squeezed her fingers in her pocket to make herself relax and not be too tense.

After all, this was just the beginning the main event hadn’t started yet.

After this self-assurance, Xie Rong finally returned to her usual state.

“Have you decided what you want to eat?”

Zhuang Xinbai said, “I’m okay with anything, but there are only two of us, so we can’t eat too much. And since it’s so cold, how about an all-you-can-eat mini hot pot?”

Xie Rong lowered her eyes slightly: “I’m fine with that.”

Zhuang Xinbai smiled. Then, something came to her mind, and her smile faded slightly, “Speaking of which, a while ago it might have been quite some time Musi told me something.”

Noticing Zhuang Xinbai suddenly mentioning Qi Musi, Xie Rong’s expression shifted, and she turned to look at her, “What is it?”

Zhuang Xinbai bit her lip, lowering her gaze, “She essentially told me that she couldn’t pursue me anymore.”

Xie Rong looked surprised.

Zhuang Xinbai said, “She said that midway through pursuing me, she had a change of heart and fell for someone else, so she couldn’t continue pursuing me. She even apologized to me for it. Honestly, she’s too earnest! We weren’t in any relationship, why would she apologize to me?”

Zhuang Xinbai laughed as she said this, but as she laughed, her expression became somewhat lonely.

Xie Rong took in all her expressions, her heart sinking slightly. She suddenly had a guess, which made Xie Rong feel a little afraid and hesitant to proceed.

“Xinbai… are you…”

Zhuang Xinbai looked up, “Hmm?”

Xie Rong paused, still not asking the question. She was afraid that if she did ask, she wouldn’t have the courage to fully articulate her confession.

Thinking of this, she slowly drew in a cold breath.

Xie Rong hadn’t realized she could be this timid.

“No, it’s nothing.” In the end, Xie Rong chose not to ask.

Her eyelids fluttered, and she collected her thoughts.

But speaking of this matter, Qi Musi had indeed mentioned it before…

Xie Rong frowned slightly.

That was a while ago, when Xie Rong, seeking revenge, dragged Qi Musi into the restroom, and the other person said it to provoke her. She said she no longer liked Zhuang Xinbai but had fallen for someone else. However, she didn’t say who that person was or why.

Thinking of this, Xie Rong’s expression became indifferent.

For someone like Qi Musi, the shelf life of their affection would likely be very short. Today she might pursue this person, and the next day she could pursue someone else.

Such behavior wasn’t wrong, but it was…

Xie Rong didn’t know how to evaluate it, nor did she want to.

Zhuang Xinbai looked at the snow by the roadside and asked, “Xiaorong, why do you think a person falls in love with another person?”

Xie Rong had never thought about such a question before. Although many people had been infatuated with her and expressed their feelings, to Xie Rong, these things were meaningless.

Moreover, she felt that the only thing that attracted others to her was her face. But Xie Rong didn’t think emotions arising from appearance could be called the “love” kind of affection, so she had no answer.

But if… she used herself as an example.

A trace of confusion flashed in Xie Rong’s eyes. After a moment, she replied, “The catalyst for affection is different for everyone.”

Zhuang Xinbai nodded, “That’s true. Hey, Xiaorong, do you have someone you like?”

Xie Rong paused, her heart leaping dramatically.

She squeezed her fingers, keeping her external expression unchanged. After a moment’s hesitation, Xie Rong slowly said, “Yes.”

Zhuang Xinbai opened her eyes in surprise, “Really? Who, who, who? How come I never noticed?”

Zhuang Xinbai grew up with Xie Rong, and she really hadn’t seen her having someone she liked. Or rather, would Xie Rong even like someone?

This wasn’t meant to be an offense, but a sincere question. Because Xie Rong usually seemed very “aloof,” never letting anyone get close, and rejecting all confessions. Could she have fallen for someone after starting university?

Zhuang Xinbai was curious.

Xie Rong slowly lowered her eyes and then said, “Now is not the time to say. You’ll know eventually.”

Zhuang Xinbai didn’t press, just shrugged, “Okay then.”

She thought for a moment and added, “But the person Xiaorong likes should like Xiaorong too, right?”

Xie Rong pinched her fingertips, “Why do you say that?”

“Because Xiaorong is so good looking and such a nice person, how could anyone not like you?” Zhuang Xinbai squinted and smiled.

Xie Rong looked at her smiling face, then turned her head, simply saying, “Not necessarily.”

The person she liked might not like her, and she was worried and anxious about that.

When Zhao Rongrong, Mo Yue, and Qi Musi bought their food and left the cafeteria, they were suddenly startled: “Hey, look, isn’t that Xiaorong? And who is she with…”

Qi Musi paused, looked up, and clearly saw two familiar figures walking side by side towards the school gate.

They were walking very close, occasionally making eye contact, talking, admiring the scenery together, and going to the same place…

Qi Musi slowly clenched her hands.

She remembered asking Xie Rong if she wanted to walk around the campus together, but Xie Rong refused.

Qi Musi had thought it was because she was cold and was considering getting a hand warmer for Xie Rong, but she didn’t expect this.

Hmph.

Qi Musi looked at Xie Rong’s retreating back, her eyes pitch black.