After Being Marked By A Love Rival - Chapter 50

Xie Rong shook her head slightly, both indicating to Qi Musi that she was fine, and denying her own thoughts from just now.

She was truly crazy all sorts of ideas were popping up. Thankfully, no one guessed them, or Xie Rong would have dug a hole and buried herself in it first.

Seeing Xie Rong shake her head, Qi Musi was still concerned, but she did not press further.

She thought for a moment, and still said nothing, but she mentally reviewed what had just happened.

Undoubtedly, Xie Rong’s various reactions were still inseparable from Zhuang Xinbai. Thinking of this, Qi Musi’s mood was not very good, and her eyes even darkened.

She could probably understand that Xie Rong had, after all, had a crush on Zhuang Xinbai for so long, and it was still a bit difficult for the other party to suddenly get over it. Even if Xie Rong outwardly wouldn’t resent Zhuang Xinbai, and was actively adjusting her own mentality, some things ultimately couldn’t be adjusted.

For example, liking, for example, jealousy, for example, caring.

However, Qi Musi, who guessed this, couldn’t be happy no matter what, and instead felt even more sour.

…She didn’t know when Xie Rong would be able to let go of her feelings for Zhuang Xinbai. She also didn’t know when she would be able to successfully cut in line.

Pursuing someone was the first time Qi Musi had done it, and pursuing someone who had just broken up was even more difficult for her.

But no matter how hard it was, Qi Musi couldn’t give up. If she didn’t try once, if she didn’t use all her tricks and methods, then she would definitely regret it in the future.

No matter what, she should return defeated after using forty-nine moves of interaction, and not give up without doing anything.

The period of exam week was both difficult and boring. You had to review and cope with exams. At this time, even playing with your phone a little extra felt guilty, especially when you were messing with your phone in the dorm while the other roommates were studying.

These other roommates referred to Xie Rong and Qi Musi.

Zhao Rongrong really couldn’t figure out how some people could be so passionate about studying?

However, one day, when she passed by the back of those two people’s desks, she accidentally glanced and found that on Qi Musi’s desk were a bunch of documents she recognized every Chinese character of, but when put together, she couldn’t understand them. Although Xie Rong seemed to be reading and reviewing, her gaze occasionally drifted, as if something was on her mind.

This instantly made Zhao Rongrong perk up.

She asked them one by one.

“Musi, why aren’t you looking at the subject for tomorrow’s exam?”

Qi Musi raised her eyes, a faint smile on her lips, “That one you’re talking about, I’ve already finished reviewing it.”

Zhao Rongrong opened her eyes in shock, “Really?”

“Naturally, it’s true.” She flicked her hanging hair, revealing her fair earlobe, and looked up at Zhao Rongrong, “What’s wrong? Aren’t you going to review?”

Zhao Rongrong glanced at her, “Then what you are looking at now is…”

Qi Musi lowered her eyes and chuckled: “Some documents related to the family business.”

This was also the stuff Qi Rong had given her when she was in the study before.

Qi Rong believed in Qi Musi’s ability, and this was ultimately a project and case that had been approved before. The reason for giving it to Qi Musi was just to train her thinking and decision making skills.

In the end, it was no different from a practice test.

Qi Musi had been exposed to these before, so even if she didn’t choose the corresponding major in college, she was not ignorant of some of the names or terms in the documents.

To put it plainly, it was being subtly influenced by what was around her while following Qi Rong.

This was like throwing someone who didn’t understand any English abroad for a few years, and when she returns after “completing her studies,” she will naturally have mastered fluent foreign language skills.

Qi Musi was exactly like this.

But now is different from the past. Now she needs to consciously study relevant knowledge, and then integrate it with her family’s business.

This is a bit difficult, but not impossible.

If she wants to defeat Qi Muyan, she has to put in more effort and let Qi Rong see her value.

Zhao Rongrong nodded, not understanding but feeling impressed. No wonder she couldn’t understand anything just now.

Then she changed her position and looked at Xie Rong, “Xiao Rong?”

Xie Rong looked up, came back to her senses, and turned to look at Zhao Rongrong, “What’s wrong?”

Zhao Rongrong smiled, “Nothing, I just saw that you seemed to be spacing out.”

Xie Rong frowned slightly, seemingly having some objection to Zhao Rongrong’s wording: “Spacing out, me?”

Zhao Rongrong nodded.

Xie Rong: “You saw wrong.”

“…”

Zhao Rongrong shook her head, not refuting, but looking at Xie Rong with a kind of indulgent look and expression, meaning fine, whatever you think.

Xie Rong’s brow furrowed, but she couldn’t say more to refute.

Because what Zhao Rongrong said… wasn’t wrong. She was indeed getting distracted while reading.

It was related to Zhuang Xinbai, but not significantly.

Xie Rong was mainly having various emotions because of the sudden mindset that popped up today that kind of mindset where she looked at Qi Musi with the attitude of looking at a “sister-in-law”… it really gave Xie Rong a huge shock.

Then she followed this direction and thought about it, finally focusing on the definition of liking that Zhuang Xinbai had told her about.

Xie Rong thought she liked Zhuang Xinbai, but until now, her understanding had loosened a bit.

Did she really like Zhuang Xinbai in a romantic way? If so, why didn’t she have any other feelings of resentment besides disappointment about being rejected?

Why was her long awaited meeting with Zhuang Xinbai today so calm, without the slightest hint of feeling flattered?

And why, after thinking about Zhuang Xinbai admitting to having liked Qi Musi a little, did she look at Qi Musi without any jealousy or competitive mentality?

That couldn’t be just because Xie Rong and Qi Musi had “repaired their relationship,” could it?

Xie Rong knew the most important reason was that she no longer regarded Qi Musi as a love rival.

When Qi Musi said she also liked Zhuang Xinbai before, Xie Rong felt angry, but more than that, she was afraid that the other party’s untamed attitude would hurt Zhuang Xinbai.

She also wouldn’t allow a frivolous Alpha to possibly pursue Zhuang Xinbai.

Thinking back now, did her mindset at the time have much to do with jealousy?

It seemed not.

Xie Rong lowered her eyes and looked at the book in her hands. Her eyes were full of words, but she couldn’t absorb any content.

Finally, she had to sigh with a frown and close the textbook.

…Could it be that she had always misunderstood her feelings?

But if what she felt for Zhuang Xinbai wasn’t love, then what was love?

Xie Rong couldn’t figure it out, because she had never truly liked anyone. This question was destined to be insoluble unless she really met the person she liked.

Thinking of this, her eyebrows moved, and she subtly glanced at Qi Musi on the other side with her peripheral vision.

Speaking of which, Qi Musi’s situation seemed quite similar to hers?

Both had once mistakenly thought they liked someone, but after deep thought, or being enlightened by someone else, they realized that feeling wasn’t love.

What was one step faster for Qi Musi was that the other party had already met the right person who could make her clearly define that feeling as love.

Xie Rong pondered, with an impulse to ask Qi Musi for advice and inquiries.

But soon, she stifled this impulse.

Better not, knowing it herself is one thing, letting Qi Musi know is another. She just felt a little embarrassed.

So Xie Rong still didn’t do anything.

While brushing her teeth during the evening wash-up, Xie Rong saw Qi Musi walk in.

To prevent the warm air from escaping, the other party closed the balcony door, and the sound inside and outside was blocked by this door, unable to communicate with each other.

Xie Rong rinsed her mouth but didn’t leave immediately.

Qi Musi noticed her situation, a slight smile on her lips, “What’s wrong, Xiao Rong?”

Xie Rong looked up at her.

Perhaps it was the fact that both of them were on the balcony, and Zhao Rongrong and Mo Li were unable to hear their conversation through the door and window, which gave Xie Rong a sense of security. Or perhaps it was the closed environment they were both in that gave her a slight impulse. In any case, Xie Rong suddenly wanted to ask Qi Musi.

About love, and about the person she liked.

Xie Rong has always been a person who is not hesitant or timid. But this topic was more or less awkward for her and Qi Musi.

After all, they were once love rivals.

Late at night, two former love rivals gathered together to discuss the true meaning and definition of love, and giving examples of their own past feelings to illustrate… it was still a bit difficult for Xie Rong.

Qi Musi keenly sensed the fluctuation in Xie Rong’s heart. She narrowed her eyes, then leaned aside, not hurrying to wash up, but chuckled softly, “Does Xiao Rong have something you want to say to me?”

She raised an eyebrow, hinting meaningfully: “If Xiao Rong has anything you want to say, or want to ask, you can say it directly. There’s no need to feel embarrassed. After all, I thought… we weren’t just roommates.”

She met Xie Rong’s gaze, smiling gently and alluringly, “We should still be very good friends, right? After going through so many things, I thought Xiao Rong and I were already close.”

Qi Musi’s words successfully made Xie Rong pause. After a moment, she avoided Qi Musi’s gaze and nodded.

“Yes, you are right.” Qi Musi was already her friend.

And now they were no longer love rivals. So, discussing this topic with a friend should be acceptable, right?

Qi Musi took in her reaction, and did not rush to do or say anything, but waited for Xie Rong to approach herself.

After pondering for a moment, Xie Rong finally gave up her previous concerns.

“I do have something I want to ask you.” She looked up at Qi Musi.

Qi Musi tried her best to keep her smile from being too presumptuous. Her eyes held a gentle indifference, “Hmm, what do you want to ask?”

Xie Rong pursed her lips, asking her in as natural a tone as possible: “I remember you said before that you already understood your feelings for Xinbai, so you were very sure it wasn’t love.”

Qi Musi nodded, “Yes.”

Xie Rong: “You also said that you have someone you genuinely like, and it’s precisely because you met that person that you were able to more clearly define what love is.”

Qi Musi pondered, then nodded slightly, “That’s not wrong either.”

Speaking of which, she seemed to understand what Xie Rong wanted to ask.

Xie Rong’s ear tips were tinged with red, “Then how did you confirm… that your feeling for that person is love, but it wasn’t for Xinbai?”

“Or, is your liking for that person actually another kind of emotion disguised as love?”