After Being Marked By A Love Rival - Chapter 44

Zhao Rongrong said proudly, “When I watch palace intrigue novels and dramas, as long as the Crown Prince isn’t a scumbag, I will always support and like the Crown Prince.”

Qi Musi smiled softly and didn’t say anything more. The topic was concluded.

Another twenty minutes passed, and just as everyone was starting to feel sleepy and drowsy, Qi Musi moved closer to Xie Rong.

Sensing the movement of the person next to her, Xie Rong paused. Just as she was about to dodge and push her away, she recalled what Qi Musi had just told her. A glimmer of sympathy rose in Xie Rong’s heart, and the movement she was about to make to resist stopped. She allowed Qi Musi to lean over.

…It’s just leaning over, anyway. Two people snuggling together is warmer, and there are no other inappropriate actions. I’ll let her be.

Xie Rong thought to herself.

Fortunately, Qi Musi did not make any truly inappropriate moves. She simply leaned close to Xie Rong’s ear and whispered in a very low voice, “There is one more thing I haven’t told you.”

Xie Rong shifted slightly and looked over at her.

Qi Musi lowered her eyes, slowly adjusting to the darkness in front of her. Under the blanket, her hand cautiously reached out and touched the side of Xie Rong’s hand.

Xie Rong flinched, but before she could move away, she heard Qi Musi say next to her ear, “That time, I didn’t do it on purpose either.”

Xie Rong stopped moving.

That time… Xie Rong quickly realized it must be referring to the time Qi Musi marked her during her rut.

Xie Rong originally didn’t want to continue this topic. After all, she had finally put aside her anger and disgust towards Qi Musi and decided to maintain a good roommate relationship with her. The sudden mention of this topic always made her uncomfortable.

However, before Xie Rong could speak, Qi Musi added, “That time was an accident, and it was also a setup. My younger brother the day he came to see me wasn’t actually to tour A University, nor was it to see me. Or rather, it wasn’t just for that.”

A guess formed in Xie Rong’s mind.

Sure enough, in the next moment, Qi Musi said, “He devised a wicked scheme to frame me. This way, he could both ruin my reputation and image, and also make me lose face and be unable to hold my head up in front of the family business and my father. It was a strategy with multiple gains.”

“That time, I didn’t notice, or rather, I never expected that brain of his would come up with such a move that harms the enemy eight hundred while damaging himself one thousand. So I fell into his trap.”

“I’m sorry, Xiaorong.”

While speaking softly, her fingers touched the back of Xie Rong’s hand. With slight hesitation and probing, she pressed down on Xie Rong’s hand.

As expected, Xie Rong didn’t pull away. Or perhaps, even if she noticed, she didn’t have the immediate thought to shake her off.

Xie Rong furrowed her brows, knowing that the reason Qi Musi hadn’t spoken up earlier and was explaining in private now was because she didn’t want their roommates to discover that such an incident had occurred between them, which was also a way of saving face for Xie Rong.

But what Xie Rong hadn’t expected was… what she had initially thought was an accident turned out to be a calculated scheme, and between siblings at that.

“You…” She paused, finding that she didn’t know how to organize her words and speak.

It felt like saying too much would be futile, because the event had already happened, and as an outsider, she couldn’t empathize. Therefore, no matter how much advice she gave, it would carry a sense of detached indifference.

“I don’t blame you anymore,” Xie Rong said in a low voice. After a pause, she added, “Then, have you resolved this matter with your brother?”

Hearing Xie Rong’s words of concern, the smile on Qi Musi’s lips deepened. Her fingers slid down, interlocking with Xie Rong’s fingers, securing the back of her hand.

“It can’t be called resolved, because at his current age, it’s not good for me to truly do anything against him. Moreover, he is an Omega, and he has the support of his mother and his maternal grandfather’s family, while I…”

Qi Musi curled her lips.

Xie Rong recalled what she had just said about her mother’s passing and couldn’t help but purse her lips, her emotions becoming even more complex.

The so-called wealthy and influential families are sometimes no different from palace dramas on TV. For the sake of property and inheritance, everyone is scheming and playing tricks.

In the end, familial affection is all but gone.

Xie Rong had never experienced such things and was very far removed from them. She didn’t know how to comfort Qi Musi, so she could only clumsily say, “It’s good that you are okay…”

A moment later, she felt that her dry remark was too perfunctory, so she asked another question: “Are you going to tell your father?”

Qi Musi’s eyes held a faint mockery and coldness. “No. Leaving aside the fact that I don’t have explicit evidence and could be counter-accused, even if I did, I’m afraid my father wouldn’t easily condemn them.”

At this point, Xie Rong truly didn’t know what to say, so she fell silent.

After a while, Qi Musi said, “And I also fought back.”

Xie Rong glanced over at her, unconsciously turning her body to the side. “Hmm?”

Although Qi Musi didn’t mind telling Xie Rong what she had done, not minding and not being afraid were two different things.

She was still unsure of her standing in Xie Rong’s heart, so she didn’t dare to take risks. She was afraid Xie Rong would see her as someone who plays tricks and schemes for revenge. So, Qi Musi paused and didn’t elaborate on how she took revenge, merely stating briefly, “In short, I won’t suffer a loss.”

Fortunately, Xie Rong didn’t ask further. She just nodded, her voice already tinged with sleepiness. “It’s good that you have a plan.”

She wasn’t particularly interested in how Qi Musi took revenge and didn’t give it much thought. In Xie Rong’s view, Qi Musi was the one who was bullied first, so there was nothing wrong with her retaliating.

Qi Musi leaned closer to her, almost touching her. Her eyelids fluttered, and her voice carried a hint of vulnerability. “Xiaorong, do you think I’m a bit ruthless, being able to go after my own brother?”

Xie Rong naturally didn’t think so.

Though she had limited exposure to social complexities, it didn’t mean she was a fool.

“How could that be?” Her voice was cool, but it carried an almost imperceptible warmth. “You were just protecting yourself, and… If people don’t offend me, I don’t offend them. If anyone is wrong, he was wrong first.”

Qi Musi then smiled, her eyes filled with gentle affection.

“Thank you.”

“Mm.” Xie Rong vaguely acknowledged, forgetting to pull her hand away. In that position, she drifted into a confused sleep.

Only after sensing the person next to her was breathing deeply and evenly did Qi Musi relax a bit, letting herself lean towards her, forming a very intimate, mutually embracing posture with Xie Rong.

She was still holding Xie Rong’s hand. The temperatures of their two bodies had long since become the same. Qi Musi’s thumb rubbed against her skin, her heart filled with warmth.

This is wonderful.

Qi Musi had originally only intended to clarify her past feelings for Zhuang Xinbai so that she could remove the negative image she had in Xie Rong’s mind, and then begin pursuing her.

But she hadn’t expected this pleasant surprise.

Qi Musi closed her eyes and fell into sleep with this smile.

The next day, Xie Rong woke up as usual, following her biological clock.

She moved slightly. In her drowsiness, she felt that the bed she was sleeping on seemed wrong, but in the next moment, she remembered that she had come out to soak in a hot spring at Qi Musi’s invitation, so she naturally wasn’t in her dorm bed.

Xie Rong opened her eyes, and her clarity and thoughts returned.

She rubbed her eyes. Just as she was about to move, she realized that her current position was improper.

She and Qi Musi were tightly nestled together, leaning against each other, very close a distance that should only exist in an intimate relationship.

One of Qi Musi’s arms was still wrapped around her waist, and her head was slightly lowered, in a very intimate and dependent posture, carrying a slight, subtle sense of possessiveness.

Xie Rong was stunned for a long time before she could react.

The recollection of sharing a bed with an Alpha last night and the actual sight of Qi Musi’s face right in front of her upon opening her eyes were two completely different kinds of shock.

Xie Rong didn’t even react immediately.

Perhaps the movement of Xie Rong waking up disturbed her. Qi Musi’s brow furrowed, but she didn’t wake up. Instead, her arm tightened, pulling Xie Rong closer to herself. Although she was still asleep, the strength in her arm did not diminish at all.

Hugging Xie Rong, Qi Musi lowered her head, almost burying it in Xie Rong’s embrace. Her movements were very dominant, carrying a sense of possessiveness.

Sensing her action, Xie Rong’s body stiffened, and her face flushed slightly.

“You…” She only managed to make a sound before stopping.

No one else was awake yet.

And perhaps it was because they had communicated and shared their feelings last night, Xie Rong’s attitude towards Qi Musi now wasn’t entirely… how should she put it, cold, like before.

There was a hint of softness in her heart now, which prevented Xie Rong from pushing Qi Musi away immediately. Instead, she remained frozen in place, allowing the other party to hold her while contemplating the situation and a course of action.

After a while, Xie Rong still hadn’t figured anything out. However, her initial sleepiness returned, clamoring for a quick return to sleep.

Her eyelids felt heavy. Before falling asleep, Xie Rong looked at Qi Musi again.

The Alpha, who had a striking and beautiful appearance, was now obediently lying in her arms. Probably because her eyes were closed, her face lacked much of its usual seductiveness and playfulness. Her perpetually hooked lips had also flattened, making her expression appear peaceful and gentle.

She seemed to have shed some of the intentional, artificial smile, gaining an inexplicable sense of docility.

Xie Rong lowered her gaze, examining Qi Musi’s face, and suddenly realized that Qi Musi was indeed incredibly beautiful.

In fairness, even as an Alpha, it didn’t diminish this beauty at all.

A moment later, Xie Rong somewhat awkwardly averted her gaze.

She didn’t know why she was staring blankly at an Alpha for so long, but… how should she put it, that long look just now gave Xie Rong the illusion that she was only just getting to know Qi Musi.

And with these mixed reasons and feelings, Xie Rong, who was about to escape this embrace, suddenly found it hard to move her hands.

She rubbed her temples, deciding it was best not to think about these things.

It was still early, and sleepiness crept in. Xie Rong frowned, yawned, and then closed her eyes and lay back down.

After she had fallen back into a deep sleep, Qi Musi opened her eyes.

Her eyes held a faint, gentle smile as she scanned Xie Rong’s face. Then, she tightened her arm, pulling her into her embrace.