Bowing to Arranged Marriage [Rebirth] - Chapter 13

Once inside the car, the previously suppressed atmosphere among the group suddenly erupted, filling the vehicle with the laughter of all four.

It took a while before they finally calmed down. Zheng Xiyun rubbed her cheeks, sore from laughing, and said, “A-Yang, you two are so clever! I can’t believe you thought of this trick.”

A-Yang and Su-su exchanged an awkward glance before turning to look at the other two.

Neither Mu Qing nor Zheng Xiyun were fools, and they immediately understood the implication behind that look. They weren’t pretending to be lesbians; they really were a couple.

A-Yang said awkwardly, “We originally wanted to keep it from you, but then the unexpected happened. If you’re uncomfortable with it, we can refund you, though we’d suggest waiting until we reach Kangding before parting ways.”

Mu Qing leaned back against the seat, unfazed, resting her arm on the car window. “I don’t mind at all. In fact, I think it’s quite serendipitous. I also like women.”

If A-Yang and Su-su’s relationship was a small ripple, Mu Qing’s coming out was a full-blown tsunami!

Zheng Xiyun’s pupils dilated as she stared at Mu Qing, lips slightly parted, her expression one of utter shock.

Mu Qing found her reaction both amusing and exasperating. “Why the double standard? You didn’t react like this when these two came clean earlier!” Narrowing her eyes, she suddenly leaned closer to Zheng Xiyun with a mischievous grin. “You’re not secretly in love with me, are you? Is that why you’re so thrilled to hear I’m gay?”

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Zheng Xiyun’s face flushed crimson at her words.

It was no wonder her reaction was so strong. From learning that Mu Qing was the eldest daughter of the Mu family to her coming out as gay, only ten minutes had passed. Even if Zheng Xiyun had been reborn a thousand times, she wouldn’t have been able to process such overwhelming information in such a short span.

Because of Zheng Xiyun’s reaction, the atmosphere in the car remained awkward for the rest of the journey to Kangding. Zheng Xiyun didn’t want it to be this way, but after suffering two emotional blows in quick succession, she couldn’t help feeling out of sorts.

She stared fixedly out the window, then suddenly, as if compelled by some unseen force, turned her head to look at Mu Qing, who was busy taking photos with her DSLR. The wind from the window tousled Mu Qing’s short hair. When Mu Qing glanced back, Zheng Xiyun immediately averted her gaze, presenting the back of her head as if she had been admiring the scenery all along.

Not long after, she found herself turning to look at Mu Qing again; only to find Mu Qing already watching her. Caught red-handed, Zheng Xiyun felt her cheeks grow warm. Just as Mu Qing opened her mouth to speak, she turned away again, giving her another view of the back of her head.

She clenched her eyes shut, gritting her teeth as she silently cursed herself. But the impulse to look at Mu Qing had been so instinctive that she hadn’t even realized what she was doing until it was too late.

Was this really the woman she was supposed to marry? Zheng Xiyun sighed deeply, her expression pained, as the thought of breaking away from the group and traveling alone crossed her mind.

Due to the earlier mishap, they arrived in Kangding an hour later than planned.

A-Yang led them to a quaint Tibetan restaurant and, after ordering with practiced ease, said to Zheng Xiyun and Mu Qing as they took their seats, “You can decide now whether you’d like to part ways here or continue with us to Tibet.”

Mu Qing answered without hesitation, “I’m sticking with you.”

All three pairs of eyes then turned to Zheng Xiyun, who hesitated.

If she were to travel alone, everything from meals to lodging to transportation would become a major problem especially since she was currently “missing.” But if she continued with this independent travel group, while she had no issues with A-Yang and Su-su, the biggest problem was Mu Qing.

While she was lost in thought, her wrist was suddenly grabbed by Mu Qing. Zheng Xiyun gasped, “What are you doing?” but was pulled out of the small diner by Mu Qing.

The two stood by the roadside, bathed in brilliant sunlight, their shadows on the ground eventually merging into one.

“Do you really hate homosexuals that much?” Mu Qing frowned, her cold gaze fixed on Zheng Xiyun, her expression colder than Zheng Xiyun had ever seen before.

A surge of resentment and anger rose in Zheng Xiyun’s heart. Her lips tightened as she replied icily, “Don’t make assumptions if you don’t know the truth.”

Mu Qing’s cold demeanor softened slightly. She ran a hand through her messy short hair, looking agitated, her frown deepening. “If you don’t hate homosexuals, then why have you been silent and unwilling to agree? The road to Tibet is crowded with travelers, but how are you supposed to go alone? Drive yourself? Aren’t you exhausted? And what if you run into danger?”

Mu Qing’s questions were sharp, touching on the very concerns Zheng Xiyun had been wrestling with. But Mu Qing’s identity was also something Zheng Xiyun didn’t want to confront. It was just too complicated! Zheng Xiyun kicked at the air in frustration, her mind torn between conflicting thoughts.

Just then, her phone rang. Zheng Xiyun took a few steps forward as she answered, “Zhang Yi?”

“Xiyun, it seems someone has tracked your whereabouts!” Zhang Yi’s voice was frantic. “My computer and phone might have been hacked.”

Misfortune never comes alone! Zheng Xiyun kicked the air again and asked, “Any movement from the Zheng family?”

“Nothing noticeable. They’re looking for you, but only through private investigators. Kang Minghong is also searching for you. He called me a few times, but I didn’t tell him anything.”

“Don’t tell him for now,” Zheng Xiyun said.

“Alright. But today in Beijing, I accidentally saw him.”

Zheng Xiyun sensed hesitation in Zhang Yi’s voice. “Just say it outright. You know how I feel about him.”

“I saw him with your sister,” Zhang Yi finally admitted. “They were keeping a low profile, but they definitely went to some club together.”

Zheng Xiyun’s fury instantly shifted direction. “Dig deeper for me. Find out if there’s anything between them.”

Zhang Yi agreed and hung up after saying goodbye.

A bad feeling settled in Zheng Xiyun’s heart. Kang Minghong and Zheng Yoaquin? She let out a bitter laugh, her eyes filled with scorn. If those two had gotten together, it would be absolutely disgusting! Not just in this lifetime, it would be even more revolting in the last one! At least back then, no one had ever told her about any connection between Kang Minghong and Zheng Yoaquin.

Why was the difference between the two lifetimes so stark? Zheng Xiyun felt like she had completely lost the advantage of her rebirth because she was now facing even more problems.

But as she calmed down, she realized this might actually be a good sign. In her past life, she had been kept in the dark about too many things. Her scheming assistant, the moles in various project teams, her seemingly devoted boyfriend. All of it had blinded her, making her believe everything was perfect until everything collapsed at the year’s end, resulting in irreparable losses.

“Xiyun.”

Hearing the voice, Zheng Xiyun turned to see Mu Qing standing behind her.

“Have you made up your mind?” Backlit by the sun, Zheng Xiyun couldn’t see her expression clearly, but her intuition told her Mu Qing didn’t want her to go alone.

Zheng Xiyun’s heart suddenly ached as she recalled Mu Qing’s streak of bad luck and the words of that Taoist priest. She suddenly wanted to test whether traveling to Tibet with Mu Qing would truly prevent her from encountering misfortune along the way.

“I’ll go with you,” she said. As the words left her lips, Zheng Xiyun felt her heartbeat return to normal, the suffocating weight in her chest lifting.

What was the big deal about going to Tibet together, anyway? Mu Qing didn’t know she was the one destined to marry her. And even if she found out, so what? It wasn’t like she could force her into marriage.

Zheng Xiyun steadied her mind, unaware that she was giving Mu Qing far too much credit.

Once she made up her mind, her expression relaxed, and the atmosphere among the four travelers finally returned to its initial warmth and harmony.

A-Yang was an excellent guide and leader, meticulously arranging all the travel plans and accommodations. As before, Zheng Xiyun and Mu Qing each had their own single rooms, while A-Yang and Su-su shared one.

After settling her luggage, Zheng Xiyun prepared to take a shower when Mu Qing knocked on her door. “Come out for a walk with me,” she said. “I’ll take photos of you.”

From the depths of her soul to the tips of her toes, Zheng Xiyun refused. “I’m taking a shower,” she stated firmly.

Mu Qing studied her for a moment, but seeing not the slightest hint of softening in Zheng Xiyun’s expression, she relented and went out alone.

Thanks to her long history of misfortune, Mu Qing was always cautious when going out. When her phone rang, she found a small shop and stood in a safe spot before answering. “Brother, what is it now?”

“Did anything unlucky happen today?” Mu Jin’s most frequent question.

“It did,” Mu Qing’s most frequent reply.

Mu Jin fell silent for a moment before deciding to stop hiding the truth. “Is there someone named Zheng Xiyun traveling with you?”

Mu Qing was puzzled. “Huh? How do you know that? Brother! You had someone follow me again!”

Mu Jin admitted it. “Shouldn’t you be used to it by now? If Zheng Xiyun hadn’t joined this independent travel group, do you think I would’ve let you sign up with an unlicensed operation?”

“What do you mean?” Mu Qing sensed a conspiracy. Her mind raced, piecing together the key information. “You only let me join this group because of Zheng Xiyun?”

Mu Jin confirmed, “Yes. You never wanted to know who you were supposed to marry. Now I can tell you.”

“Zheng Xiyun?!” Mu Qing blurted out, her voice brimming with shock.

Mu Jin said, “Correct.”

So that was why her brother had been asking more frequently if she’d had any bad luck. That was why he’d taken the risk of letting her drive to Tibet because the person who could break her cursed fate was with her all along. And that person was Zheng Xiyun!

“I can’t talk right now! I need to get back to the hotel!” Mu Qing hung up in a hurry and dashed out of the shop.

“Oof!” True to her unlucky nature, she tripped over the threshold in her haste, landing face-first on the ground with a loud crack as her knees hit the pavement.

Despite the searing pain, Mu Qing scrambled to her feet and sprinted back to the hotel. Though her body was moving at full speed, her mind was crystal clear. Now she finally understood why Zheng Xiyun had been acting so strangely that afternoon. She must have recognized her. She must have already known that Mu Qing was the one she was supposed to marry!

The person she liked turned out to be the very one she was supposed to meet for a blind date. The more Mu Qing thought about it, the more excited she became. She rushed back to the hotel and ran straight to Zheng Xiyun’s door, pounding on it with all her might.

Fresh out of the shower and wrapped in a bathrobe, Zheng Xiyun frowned at the rude knocking as she approached the door. “Who is it?”

“It’s me!” Though no name was given, Zheng Xiyun immediately recognized Mu Qing’s voice. But what was she so worked up about?

Zheng Xiyun opened the door to find Mu Qing beaming at her, and suddenly, a sense of foreboding crept into her heart.