Bowing to Arranged Marriage [Rebirth] - Chapter 11

After washing up, Zheng Xiyun dried her hair with a hotel towel, casually draping it over her shoulder. Her semi-dry strands fell in loose locks, her cheeks flushed pink from the steam in the bathroom, her eyes slightly misty as she lounged lazily on the bed, letting her hair air-dry.

Picking up her phone with its blinking notification light, she saw missed calls and messages from Zhang Yi. Opening the text, she read: “Ah Yun, your father has suppressed things on his end. It’s temporarily under control.”

Zheng Xiyun dialed her back. “He withdrew the case?”

“Yes,” Zhang Yi replied. “Which makes me suspect he’s involved in your kidnapping.”

“Not necessarily,” Zheng Xiyun tilted her head slightly, fingers combing through her damp hair. “Even if he disregards our already fragile relationship, he wouldn’t have the guts.”

“So, if he backed off because of your threat, maybe he’s covering for someone?” Zhang Yi speculated before dismissing her own thought. “But you said you had evidence he hired someone. If he knew who was behind it, he’d also know you were bluffing. Why would he back down then?”

Zheng Xiyun chuckled at Zhang Yi’s words. “You’re overthinking this. I told you he’d know I was lying, but he wouldn’t dare gamble. Whether to protect himself or someone else, he wouldn’t act recklessly.”

Zhang Yi sighed. “This is so complicated! Feels like we’re stuck, and it’s frustrating. If this isn’t resolved by the time your trip ends, won’t you still be in danger when you return?”

Zheng Xiyun remained calm. “It’s just a handful of suspects. Look into my uncle, stepmother, and stepsister see if they’ve made any moves recently. If they did something, there’ll be traces.”

“Got it,” Zhang Yi said. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle this before you return.”

“No rush,” Zheng Xiyun reassured her. “Just don’t put yourself in danger.”

“I know, I know, stop nagging!” Zhang Yi huffed. “Aren’t you leaving tomorrow? Get some rest.”

Hanging up, Zheng Xiyun rummaged for a hairdryer, leisurely drying her hair before bed.

Before departure, A-Yang took Mu Qing and Zheng Xiyun to try Chengdu’s famous pork intestine noodles.

Zheng Xiyun frowned slightly at the crimson chili oil, the smell was odd. Glancing around, she noticed everyone else eating happily, lips red from spice but faces full of satisfaction.

“It’s delicious!” Mu Qing’s enthusiastic voice drew her attention. Mu Qing wore an expression of pure enjoyment. “Seriously, it smells weird but tastes great. If you can’t stand the flavor, skip the intestines. If you really can’t eat it, we’ll get something else.”

A-Yang nodded. “Qing’s right. Try it first, if you don’t like it, we’ll switch.” They always made sure to sample local specialties with their travelers.

Zheng Xiyun picked up her chopsticks, slowly lifting a bite of noodles to her mouth. The initial taste was strange but tolerable. Chewing the springy noodles carefully, she found the flavor growing on her, oddly satisfying.

“So? Not bad, right—pfft!”

With a “splat,” a spray of noodle fragments landed on the table. Zheng Xiyun looked up at Mu Qing sitting across from her, who was coughing so hard tears streamed down her face. While Zheng felt a bit of schadenfreude, her appetite also took a hit.

The four at the table. Three of them watching Mu Qing with a mix of exasperation and amusement waited as she wiped her mouth and cleaned the table. Once she’d recovered, Mu Qing declared, “I really won’t talk while eating anymore. You all have to keep me in check.” From childhood, there had been a 90% chance she’d choke if she spoke while eating. At home, her family would scold her into silence at meals. Strangely, instead of developing good habits, the suppression only made her more eager to perform at the dinner table.

Zheng Xiyun recalled Mu Qing’s “jinx theory” and eyed her own bowl of chitterling noodles before saying to A-Yang, “I’ll order another bowl and move to a different table.”

A-Yang waved for the server to take the order. Mu Qing raised an eyebrow at Zheng. “That bothered? You’re actually switching tables?”

Her arched brow made it hard to believe she’d just been in such a sorry state, but the redness at the corners of her eyes gave her away. Zheng didn’t answer. Su-su and A-Yang covered their mouths, stifling laughter at Mu Qing’s expense. Unfazed, Mu Qing, seeing Zheng wasn’t going to engage, turned her attention back to her noodles and asked the server for a fresh bowl too.

When Zheng’s replacement noodles arrived, she promptly changed tables.

Mu Qing almost sighed dramatically but stopped herself when her own bowl was set down, opting for silence instead.

Once in the car, the driver started the engine and outlined the day’s itinerary. “We’ll leave Chengdu, pass through Ya’an, and reach Kangding by two or three in the afternoon.”

Zheng had no objections and turned to gaze out the window.

Though her time in Chengdu had been brief just over ten hours it had given her a taste of the city’s leisurely pace. Watching pedestrians stroll unhurriedly, occasionally laughing and joking with friends, Zheng felt a quiet calm settle over her.

This city was lovely, but it wasn’t quite right for her at this moment.

A soft click sounded beside her. Zheng turned and found herself locking eyes with Mu Qing. Her eyes were striking, deeply set with pronounced double lids and thick lashes that looked like natural eyeliner.

Mu Qing handed over her DSLR. “Just took this. You’re very photogenic.”

In a good mood, Zheng leaned in to check the screen.

Her profile was exquisitely delicate, her makeup-free skin nearly translucent in the sunlight. A fine layer of peach fuzz acted like a soft filter, accentuating her relaxed lips and gentle gaze, an image of effortless beauty.

“Would you be my model?” Mu Qing asked, growing fonder of the photo by the second. The background was unremarkable, the scenery outside the window plain, but Zheng’s aura of ease and contentment was utterly captivating.

“Model?” Zheng looked at her in surprise. “What do you do?” Her eyes flicked back to the camera. “Are you a photographer?”

Mu Qing grinned. “Yep. And I’m pretty famous.”

A flicker of amusement crossed Zheng’s eyes before she lightly glared and turned back to the window.

Undeterred, Mu Qing pressed on. “Seriously, my work has won awards both here and abroad. I’m the go-to photographer for several major domestic magazines and media outlets.”

“So you’re not here for tourism, but to make money?” Zheng Xiyun extracted the most mundane part from her words. “Does the magazine currently need photos from the Sichuan-Tibet route?”

Mu Qing reached out to pinch Zheng Xiyun’s cheek but was swiftly dodged. Undeterred, Mu Qing lunged at her, saying, “I’ve noticed you love picking on me. Does that give you some sort of satisfaction?”

Zheng Xiyun pushed her away, hands raised defensively, palms facing Mu Qing, her lips pressed into a straight line. “Don’t mess with me like this. I’ll get angry.”

Mu Qing leaned back against the car door, eyeing Zheng Xiyun. “Typical ‘the magistrates are free to burn down houses, while the common people are forbidden even to light lamps.'”

Seeing that Mu Qing had no intention of further mischief, Zheng Xiyun lowered her hands. “Exactly. So, don’t provoke me.”

But you look so adorable like this!

Mu Qing felt her interest in Zheng Xiyun growing stronger. If she weren’t interested, why would she keep provoking her? And yet, she found Zheng Xiyun’s anger utterly endearing.

The car entered the national highway, and as they approached Ya’an, the number of travelers increased. Some drove cars, others rode bicycles, and a few even walked. Though each traveled the same road, their faith and goals were aligned.

They took a short break in Ya’an. Mu Qing turned to A-Yang and said, “You’ve been driving for so long. Aren’t you tired? Let me take over. Fatigue driving isn’t safe.”

A-Yang, accustomed to road trips, replied, “It’s fine. You can trust me.” She added, “There’s a rough patch ahead. Once we pass that, you can drive.”

Setting off again from Ya’an, the scenery grew increasingly breathtaking, with clouds hanging so low they seemed within reach.

They were fortunate; cool weather, pleasant company, and stunning landscapes filled with fresh air.

“Every shot here turns out beautiful,” Mu Qing remarked, snapping a few photos. But the moving car made for poor results, so she gave up.

After navigating the bumpy stretch, Su-Su, who couldn’t drive, was relieved when Mu Qing offered to take the wheel to Kangding. Though A-Yang didn’t mind driving alone, she was happy for the help.

Mu Qing secured her camera and settled into the driver’s seat, smoothly shifting gears and pressing the accelerator. After a hundred meters, she sat ramrod straight, eyes fixed ahead, but couldn’t resist boasting, “Seems my skills haven’t rusted! Feels good. I could drive all the way to Tibet like this!”

Zheng Xiyun, itching to retort, clenched her fists slightly before speaking, her ears tinged pink. “Mu Qing, could you focus on driving instead of talking? Distractions lead to accidents.”

“Don’t interrupt me,” Mu Qing said with mock seriousness. “Watch me drift! It’ll broaden your horizons!”

No sooner had she spoken than a loud bang jolted the car, sending Mu Qing slamming the brakes and yanking the wheel.

When the car finally stopped, Mu Qing was pale with shock, taking a moment to recover. She never imagined adding a car crash to today’s events.

Zheng Xiyun was also startled, but seeing Mu Qing’s expression, she pitied her. If her own luck were this bad, constantly facing danger, how could she possibly live?