After Being Marked By A Love Rival - Chapter 59

Of course, aside from Qi Musi, many other people sent their New Year’s blessings as well the group chats, friends, mass-sent messages.
A lot of people were counting down while watching a show or staring at their computer screens, and as soon as the clock passed midnight, they all began forwarding messages.

Xie Rong knew many of them were mass-sent.

Some people sent them to many contacts at once, or blasted them across countless groups it was just four simple characters, perhaps only to join the excitement or for festivity, not necessarily containing much sincerity.

Even the dorm group chat was already sending red envelopes and best wishes.

But… Xie Rong inexplicably felt that Qi Musi’s “Happy New Year” was sincere. Earnest.

Typed out word by word, sent specifically to her.

Almost as if after going back, Qi Musi hadn’t gone to sleep, but waited for the time to hit exactly twelve oh one, just so she could immediately send that New Year’s greeting to Xie Rong.

Xie Rong lowered her gaze at her phone. After looking at it for a moment, she replied with the same words.

Qi Musi: [Xiao Rong, are you staying up for New Year’s Eve?]

Staying up?

It felt like an old tradition, and probably no one really followed it anymore.

Besides, staying up required pulling an all-nighter, which Xie Rong simply couldn’t do. So she answered no.

On the other end, Qi Musi chuckled, leaned against the headboard, as if she could see Xie Rong’s face through the screen.

[Then, good night.]

Xie Rong’s fingers paused, then she replied: [Good night.]

The next morning, Xie Rong was dragged out of bed early by her parents to go visit relatives.

They didn’t need to return to their hometown for the New Year Grandma’s family lived in a rural area of City C, so they could just drive over.

Sitting in the car, watching the scenery outside while listening to her parents chatter, her mind drifted far away.

She wondered whether Qi Musi was awake now, how she was doing.
Would she spend the first day of the New Year in a hotel?
Would her family blame her for her attitude?
Was she really planning to spend the whole day alone in a hotel?

Xie Rong’s thoughts drifted for a long time before she pulled herself back, realizing only then how much she had unconsciously been thinking about Qi Musi.

Her lashes trembled slightly. She pressed her lips together, displeased with herself for reflexively thinking about things related to Qi Musi.

She… how could she be thinking of Qi Musi so often?
They were just ordinary roommates.
Why was she caring so much?

Xie Rong grew quietly annoyed and decided she would stop thinking about Qi Musi.

She should think about Zhuang Xinbai instead.

She wondered how Xinbai spent New Year’s this year same as always?

But she couldn’t even last two seconds thinking about it.
She already knew everything about Xinbai’s family situation there was nothing to wonder about. They grew up together; she knew all of it by heart.

But Qi Musi was different.

She didn’t know Qi Musi well. Or rather, she half-knew her. And sometimes, knowing only half made her worry even more about the girl’s situation.

Was the reason Qi Musi suddenly came to City C because she was bullied at home?

It was very possible after all, her stepmother and that troublemaking younger brother were two people against one. They could definitely make her life miserable.

Xie Rong realized again that she was thinking about Qi Musi.

She frowned slightly, exhaled, then finally decided to send her a message, asking what she planned to do today.

Qi Musi replied quickly:
[I’ll stay in the hotel~ Xiao Rong, remember to collect lots of red envelopes today.]

Xie Rong pressed her lips together.
Seeing the message, her heart felt oddly heavy.

She was returning to the countryside with her parents to visit relatives, to celebrate the New Year, to collect red envelopes…
But Qi Musi was alone in an unfamiliar city, spending the holiday by herself.
Meanwhile, her father was at home celebrating happily with the stepmother and stepbrother warm and harmonious while Qi Musi had no one.

The more she thought about it, the heavier her chest felt.

Was Qi Musi stupid? Didn’t she know that the more she withdrew, the easier it would be for her stepmother to bully her?
She looked clever and unapproachable on normal days so how… how could she be so foolish?

Xie Rong furrowed her brows, not sure whether she was angry at Qi Musi or angry at herself for thinking about her so often.

They soon arrived at the countryside.
Xie Rong still hadn’t figured out how to reply, and her parents called her out of the car, so she pocketed her phone and followed them.

The New Year’s visiting routine had been simplified a lot.
Xie Rong still remembered when she was little, kids had to kneel and recite auspicious phrases before receiving red envelopes.
But with time, traditions faded maybe also because the children were older now, and it would be awkward.

Xie Rong quietly followed her parents, listening to them speak with her grandparents and relatives. She stood silently like a background character.

Her relatives were already accustomed to her introverted personality, so no one tried to tease her.

After giving greetings and receiving red envelopes, Xie Rong found a quiet corner and sat down to wait. She didn’t have anything to do for now, so she took out her phone.

Another message from Qi Musi popped up:

[Xiao Rong, show me when you get your red envelopes~]

Xie Rong moved her eyebrows slightly and took a photo for her.

Soon, Qi Musi replied:

[Wow, looks so plentiful!]

…Plentiful? For a red envelope?

Xie Rong kept her expression flat.

[They’re all ten-yuan ones stacked together.]

Qi Musi:
[That’s still great. No one’s ever given me anything like that.]

That message made Xie Rong pause.

Her gaze dropped to the red envelopes in her hands, then she opened a certain feature on her phone.

She originally wanted to send Qi Musi a red envelope directly through QQ, but halfway through, she felt that type of red packet had no sincerity. Too ordinary.
People spam those in group chats all the time it didn’t feel like New Year at all.

So she stopped.

[I’ll give you one.]

Qi Musi froze.

She had said her earlier words half jokingly, half truthfully she had received red envelopes before, but only when her mother was still alive.

Back then, only her mother would prepare a real red envelope for her each year wrapped carefully and tucked under her pillow, with a gentle pat on her head.

Other relatives gave some too, but none carried the warmth of the ones Xie Rong received today.
Small in amount, but full of affection.

After her mother passed away, no one treated her that tenderly again.

It wasn’t about the money she didn’t lack a few tens or hundreds. Her savings were already in the six-figure range, and given time could reach seven.

She didn’t envy the money.

She envied that others had love.

Unlike her.

So when she saw Xie Rong’s words, she froze, then felt her heart going soft and warm, like bubbles rising.

Qi Musi couldn’t help but smile. Her eyes softened as if she were looking directly at Xie Rong.

She replied: [Okay.]

Seeing that single word, Xie Rong inexplicably felt relieved, no longer as tense.

It was almost noon, and she needed to help prepare lunch.

She told Qi Musi, then put her phone away.

With the adults helping, she didn’t need to do much just wash some dishes and vegetables. She wasn’t good in the kitchen anyway.

After the cold dishes were brought out, she was urged to sit and eat.

Only then did she see Qi Musi had sent another message:

[Eh? Did Xiao Rong cook these? I’m so curious~]

Xie Rong’s eyes stayed calm. Curious? What was there to be curious about?
She didn’t even cook them well, she washed some of them.

She asked what Qi Musi was eating for lunch.

Qi Musi answered matter of factly, not pitiful at all she would just order takeout from any place that was open, or see if the hotel provided meals.

Xie Rong paused.

Only then did the reality hit her even harder, Qi Musi really had run away during the New Year and was spending the holiday alone in another city.

This thought pressed deeper into her heart.
Her fingertips stilled, and a strange emotion flooded her chest sour, heavy, something she’d never felt before.

Qi Musi then asked:

[What about you, Xiao Rong? What are you eating for lunch?]

Xie Rong paused, then sent her a photo.

Qi Musi replied:

[Wow, so plentiful! I want some too.]

Xie Rong’s eyelashes trembled. She still didn’t know how to respond.

But Qi Musi didn’t linger on the topic. She simply praised her:

[I didn’t know Xiao Rong was so good at cooking.]

Xie Rong paused.

[No, I only helped.]

Qi Musi praised her blindly again:

[Then you washed things beautifully.]

Xie Rong’s lips curved slightly.

Before leaving the countryside, Xie Rong went to a small convenience store.
She finally found a place selling traditional New Year red envelope packets.

She pointed to one decorated with a plump golden koi fish.
“Give me one of these.”

The shopkeeper raised a brow. “How many do you want?”

Xie Rong answered seriously: “One.”

After returning home in the afternoon, she booked a car and went straight to the hotel.

She had already asked which room Qi Musi was in during lunchtime.
Qi Musi told her immediately, not even curious why she asked.

Of course, Xie Rong didn’t want her to know ahead of time.

At the door, she knocked.
Soon, Qi Musi opened it.

“Xiao Rong.” She smiled, bright and happy.

Xie Rong pressed her lips together and walked in.

The room was spacious and exquisite very comfortable.

Only then did Qi Musi ask, “What did Xiao Rong come to see me for? …Did you miss me?”

She said it jokingly, not seriously.
She knew Xie Rong would never come because she missed her.
If anyone would go looking for someone because of longing, it would be her, not Xie Rong.

Xie Rong’s expression remained calm. She said nothing and simply pulled something from her coat pocket.

Qi Musi looked down and froze.

In Xie Rong’s hand was a red envelope.
On the front, a chubby golden koi fish smiled up at her.