After Being Marked By A Love Rival - Chapter 41

When the day arrived, Zhao Rongrong was incredibly excited, like a cheerful little squirrel.

“What should I do, I’m so thrilled. This is my first time soaking in a hot spring. What if I make a fool of myself?”

Mo Li rolled her eyes, resignedly, “Then just treat it as taking a bath.”

Zhao Rongrong declared firmly, “How can a hot spring and a bath be the same!”

Qi Musi lowered her eyes, sending a message on her phone, and replied with a soft laugh, “Indeed.”

Zhao Rongrong then asked, “Is Musi agreeing with me?”

Qi Musi smiled, stifling a laugh, “I’m agreeing with Mo Li.”

“…”

When they set off and arrived at the school gate, the car coming to pick them up was already parked there.

Qi Musi led them over. The driver got out of the car, walked towards them, and greeted her, “Miss.”

Qi Musi acknowledged him with a sound and said, “Let’s go.” Then she sat in the passenger seat.

Zhao Rongrong and the other two sat in the back. Since they were three girls, it wasn’t crowded.

Zhao Rongrong was restless and secretly commented in their dorm group chat: [I just heard the driver call Musi ‘Miss’. Wow, this kind of line that usually only appears in novels and TV dramas has actually appeared in my daily life!]

Mo Li: [So, this is a wealthy young lady?]

Qi Musi: [Can’t be considered wealthy. Just ordinary people doing business.]

Zhao Rongrong typed back indignantly: [I don’t believe your nonsense. Don’t try to trick me into doing business!]

Qi Musi laughed out loud.

The driver next to her, watching the road, asked amiably, “Miss is in a very good mood today?”

Zhao Rongrong suddenly froze, a little scared of being “exposed” in public, which would be extremely embarrassing for her.

Qi Musi curved her eyes, neither debating nor explaining too much, just saying, “It is good indeed.”

It wasn’t just because of the amusement Zhao Rongrong’s words had brought her, but more because of what they were about to do today.

Qi Musi felt a sense of anticipation in her heart, and this anticipation brought her an unshakeable sense of joy.

The journey was quick. They arrived at their destination in less than half an hour.

Before getting out of the car, Qi Musi was called by the driver, “The Master still hopes you can come home for a visit.”

Qi Musi offered a dismissive smile, not exposing the strained father-daughter relationship in front of an outsider, only replying perfunctorily, “Got it, I’ll remember.”

But in reality, she would forget it the moment she turned around.

“Do you need me to pick you up tomorrow?”

Qi Musi thought for a moment, “I’ll contact you then if I need you.”

“Alright.”

Zhao Rongrong’s jaw dropped as she looked at the surroundings, “If I hadn’t come on this trip with Musi, I probably would never have had the chance to stay in a place like this for a night in my entire life.”

Xie Rong didn’t show the same level of excitement or surprise as Zhao Rongrong. She maintained her usual calm, not overly concerned about these things.

After all, the matter currently occupying a large part of her mind was the definition of “liking.”

Having just failed a confession, it was impossible for Xie Rong to fully move on immediately.

Qi Musi led them inside and then collected the room card at the front desk.

“Let’s go.”

Zhao Rongrong followed her steps and secretly asked, “How much does a night here cost?”

Qi Musi replied casually, “Different rooms and packages have different prices, but even the most expensive ones aren’t that much.”

Zhao Rongrong: “For example?”

Qi Musi thought for a moment, “This one should be in the middle-range four figures.”

It took Zhao Rongrong some effort to figure out what “middle-range four figures” meant around five thousand.

She gasped, “Seriously? That expensive!”

Qi Musi smiled, “I only glanced at the prices roughly; I don’t usually look at these things. But those are for the more premium options. Usually, no one orders them unless there’s a specific reason, and it includes things other than just the accommodation fee.”

“Wuwuwu, the scourge of the wealthy.”

The room Qi Musi took them to was not in the hotel building but in an adjacent area… similar to a small courtyard.

The front was the room, and the back was a courtyard, looking like a homestay.

Zhao Rongrong’s eyes widened in surprise, “Wow, this place—”

Qi Musi said, “The back has a private small hot spring, so we don’t have to squeeze in with others at the hot spring area.”

Although the hotel’s hot spring area was very large and divided into many sections, so the word “squeeze” wouldn’t apply, soaking in a hot spring with four people was already different from two for Qi Musi. If there were more people, she naturally wouldn’t like it, so she chose the small courtyard with a private hot spring.

Fortunately, this wasn’t difficult to arrange.

Hearing this, Zhao Rongrong ran to the back of the house and immediately spotted the small outdoor hot spring, becoming completely excited.

“Wuwuwu, oh my god, what kind of divine enjoyment is this? Can I really have this? Musi, I love you so much!”

Qi Musi chuckled, “You can spare me that.” She didn’t need Zhao Rongrong’s love.

Zhao Rongrong cried tears of excitement, “Big shot, you will forever be my friend from now on.”

Since they had no classes this evening and tomorrow morning, they were staying here tonight. For dinner, the hotel provided it, so they didn’t need to go out and buy anything.

After eating and digesting their meal, they cleaned up and got ready for the hot spring.

Zhao Rongrong suddenly asked very shyly, “Um, do we have to, ahem, go in au naturel?”

Mo Li raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”

Zhao Rongrong said, “I think I forgot what to wear for a hot spring.”

Hearing this topic, Xie Rong also paused her movements. Her eyes flickered. She also… didn’t know what to wear, and she hadn’t seemed to bring anything suitable either.

Qi Musi’s peripheral vision swept over Xie Rong, and the girl’s small, forced to be calm expression made her heart stir slightly. She felt that if she were even more shameless… she might just directly suggest going in without wearing anything.

But unfortunately, Qi Musi hadn’t reached that level yet, and such information could easily be found with a quick search.

Qi Musi’s lips held a hint of a helpless smile as she found some light towels and handed them to them. “Here, wrap this around yourselves.”

Zhao Rongrong took them, “Ohohoh, it suddenly feels like an anime.”

Qi Musi sat on the side, and upon hearing this, she continued the conversation without much enthusiasm, “Should we put some water nearby when we soak in the hot spring later?”

Zhao Rongrong: “And put it on a small wooden tray to float on the water?”

Mo Li had already quickly changed her clothes. The air conditioning and heating were on in the room, so even wearing just a towel, she didn’t feel cold.

Her hair wasn’t long, so she didn’t need to do anything with it. Mo Li leaned against the side, neatly folding the clothes she’d taken off, and commented mockingly, “Then should we get some cherry blossoms to float on top too?”

Zhao Rongrong didn’t take the criticism to heart and was instead quite happy, “If we have them, I wouldn’t mind.”

Xie Rong took the towel and pursed her lips.

The others were all chatting and fooling around while changing clothes, looking very natural, as if there was nothing to be concerned about.

But Xie Rong didn’t know if it was because of her silence that she couldn’t blend into the atmosphere, which made her feel a bit awkward changing clothes so openly.

She hesitated, wondering if she could go to the bathroom to take off her clothes.

However, before Xie Rong could finish hesitating, Qi Musi walked up to her side.

Xie Rong started, nearly startled by her silent approach.

She looked up, “What are you doing?”

Qi Musi had already changed her clothes and had her hair tied up. Although she seemed to be talking to Zhao Rongrong just now, her peripheral vision had been watching Xie Rong.

While Qi Musi didn’t dare to say she understood Xie Rong completely, when she saw the hesitant and conflicted expression on her face, she guessed what Xie Rong was thinking.

If Qi Musi had genuine good intentions, she would have politely suggested Xie Rong go to the bathroom to change the moment she noticed her hesitation, saving her from embarrassment. But regrettably, Qi Musi only had ulterior motives.

Why would she encourage Xie Rong to avoid changing clothes in front of them?

This was a rare opportunity she had secured.

With that thought, Qi Musi suppressed the overly obvious smile on her lips and acted as if nothing was different, only saying, “Xiao Rong, hurry up, you’re the only one left, you know?”

Xie Rong frowned. Under Qi Musi’s urging, she felt perhaps she was being too reserved.

She lowered her eyes, “Understood.”

Qi Musi’s smile deepened, and she then offered thoughtfully, “Don’t worry, I’ll block them for you.”

Xie Rong glanced at her and forced a slight smile, not taking Qi Musi’s words to heart, only saying, “They’re all women, what’s there to be afraid of?” She wasn’t sure if she meant it or was just trying to reassure herself.

Qi Musi didn’t try to persuade or argue further, just smiled and said, “That’s true.”

Xie Rong took off her jacket, hesitated slightly, and then continued.

Just as she had said to Qi Musi, Xie Rong was also reassuring herself this way.

Moreover, they were roommates. Xie Rong felt she shouldn’t be so reserved.

But when she took off her inner clothes, she still turned her back to the others.

Qi Musi restrained herself, keeping her gaze focused on Xie Rong, moving down from her fair, round shoulders, scanning inch by inch down to her ankles. The emotion in her eyes was dark and her pupils were black, carrying the weight of desire.

She deliberately slowed her breathing and clasped her own fingers, just managing to stop herself from giving in to the urge to replace her gaze with her hand.

Qi Musi closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying not to be too explicit in her expression.

She didn’t want Xie Rong to discover anything amiss at this moment.

Only after wrapping the towel around herself did Xie Rong let out a breath, her earlobes flushed crimson.

She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination… but she felt extremely awkward while changing just now.

At this moment, Qi Musi walked over. Her gaze shifted from the person’s bright, round shoulders to Xie Rong’s face, and she chuckled softly, “Shall I help you tie up your hair?”