Bowing to Arranged Marriage [Rebirth] - Chapter 14

Mu Qing leaned against the doorframe, one hand on her hip, panting heavily as she stared at Zheng Xiyun.

Zheng Xiyun tightened her grip on the doorknob, an impulse to shut the door surging through her. But it was just that an impulse. Zheng Xiyun knew running away wouldn’t solve anything. She asked, “What’s wrong with you?”

Mu Qing stepped inside, forcing Zheng Xiyun to retreat a step. Then, Mu Qing closed the door behind her, her gaze sharp and direct. “You’re the one who’s supposed to marry me, aren’t you?”

This wasn’t a question but a statement of fact.

Zheng Xiyun’s pupils dilated momentarily, her entire body tensing instinctively. Her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides, knuckles whitening from the force. Yet, her voice remained controlled and calm. “How did you find out?”

“My brother just told me.” A hint of smugness flickered at the corners of Mu Qing’s eyes as she leaned slightly closer. “No wonder you hesitated when A-Yang asked if you wanted to keep following them at noon.”

Zheng Xiyun felt her nails digging into her palms, the sting sharp. She lifted the corner of her lips slightly, her tone resolute. “So, what if you know?” Before Mu Qing could respond, she continued, “I won’t marry you.”

The disappointment in Mu Qing’s eyes didn’t escape Zheng Xiyun’s notice. Mu Qing retracted the barely perceptible smugness. “Why?”

“Because I don’t like women.” Zheng Xiyun’s voice grew even firmer.

Mu Qing straightened her previously bent posture, putting distance between them again. “I see,” she murmured, her voice tinged with dejection.

Lowering her head to glance at the floor, Mu Qing looked up again with a relieved smile. “Got it. I’ll head back to my room now.”

Zheng Xiyun exhaled softly as she watched Mu Qing’s retreating figure. Unclenching her fists, she finally registered the pain in her palms. Lifting her hands, she examined the red marks left behind and closed her eyes, relieved that Mu Qing had given up on her.

What she didn’t know was that the moment Mu Qing stepped out of the room, she pulled out her phone and began typing something on the screen. The determination in her eyes burned brighter than before. No matter what, she had to try. She wouldn’t let regret haunt her in the future.

When she had thought Zheng Xiyun was just a travel companion, she had already fallen for her. Now that she knew Zheng Xiyun was the one fate had destined for her, how could her heart not race even more?

Entering her own room, Mu Qing double-checked the question she had posted on a forum: What to do if your arranged marriage partner is straight? Online and urgent! Confirming it was correct, she hit send.

Aside from seeking advice from netizens, the second thing Mu Qing needed to do was call her brother. After all, Mu Jin surely knew more about Zheng Xiyun than she did.

As soon as the call connected, Mu Qing adopted a sweet, pleading tone. “Brother, I really like Zheng Xiyun. How can I get her to agree to marry me?”

“Got rejected already?” Mu Jin’s tone was knowing.

Mu Qing sat at the foot of the bed, feigning pitifulness. “I didn’t even get to propose before she turned me down!”

Mu Jin sighed. “Alright, I get it. If you want to marry Zheng Xiyun, hurry back home. How am I supposed to help you when you’re still in Sichuan?” Truthfully, Mu Jin was more concerned about Mu Qing’s safety—after all, she had already told him twice that her streak of bad luck hadn’t ended yet.

“I’ll stay a few more days!” Mu Qing refused her brother’s suggestion and said firmly, “I’m going to Tibet with her, and then we’ll return to Beijing together.”

Upon hearing this, Mu Jin recalled the information he had gathered. The reason Zheng Xiyun was heading to Tibet was entirely different from Mu Qing’s. Mu Qing was driven by the romantic yearnings of a literary youth, while Zheng Xiyun was fleeing from potential stalkers or even assassins.

After a moment of silence, Mu Jin conceded to Mu Qing, “Alright, then wait until you and Zheng Xiyun come back together.”

If your decision is unshakable, then I’ll approach it from Zheng Xiyun’s side. He didn’t believe Zheng Xiyun would still want to go to Tibet if the problems she faced were resolved.

After hanging up, Mu Qing broke into a radiant smile.

Zheng Xiyun, however, was not in such high spirits in her room. Leaning against the window, she gazed at the street outside, absentmindedly rubbing her thumb and forefinger together. Suddenly, she felt the urge to smoke. Her mind was too chaotic, unable to settle down, and she hoped nicotine might calm her restless heart.

But there were no cigarettes in her bag.

That night, Zheng Xiyun barely slept.

The next morning, A-Yang knocked on their door to call them for breakfast and asked about their plans. “Do you want to explore Kangding for a bit? If so, we can stay another day or two. Otherwise, we can set off directly.”

Mu Qing turned to look at Zheng Xiyun, who didn’t respond to her but voiced her opinion to A-Yang, “I’d like to leave directly.” Her goal wasn’t sightseeing but to “disappear.” Staying on the move would make it easier to achieve her aim than lingering in one place.

A-Yang glanced at Mu Qing, who smiled and said, “Let’s go straight ahead.” After all, her original purpose for going to Tibet had changed. Now, Zheng Xiyun was her priority.

In the car, the atmosphere was much the same as before. Zheng Xiyun looked out the window, Mu Qing spent most of her time taking photos, and A-Yang and Su-su occasionally exchanged a few words. It was as if nothing had happened between Zheng Xiyun and Mu Qing.

But deep down, Zheng Xiyun felt extremely awkward. She wasn’t even sure she could make it all the way to Lhasa. Although Mu Qing had backed off and seemed normal today, it didn’t mean the unspoken tension between them had vanished.

A few hours later, they arrived smoothly in Xinduqiao. As A-Yang drove, he said to Zheng Xiyun and Mu Qing in the backseat, “It’s still early. Let’s have lunch in Xinduqiao and spend the afternoon sightseeing. The scenery here is spectacular, especially in autumn; it’s the best time to visit.”

Neither Zheng Xiyun nor Mu Qing objected. After getting out of the car, Mu Qing caught up to Zheng Xiyun and said, “Let me take a few photos of you.”

Zheng Xiyun didn’t even glance at her and quickened her pace. “No need. I don’t like having my picture taken.”

“But the scenery here is truly beautiful, and you’re so lovely. Could you be my model?” Mu Qing didn’t give up and instead matched her stride.

Just as Zheng Xiyun was struggling to refuse, her phone rang from her bag. Relieved, she gestured to Mu Qing, “I have a call.”

Mu Qing stopped and watched Zheng Xiyun walk away, lifting her camera to capture her retreating figure. A faint sense of disappointment settled in her heart. She suspected it was a fake call, an excuse for Zheng Xiyun to escape.

But she was wrong. The caller was Zhang Yi.

Zhang Yi’s phone call brought explosive news. “A-Yun, Luo Xiaoli received a call from a journalist. They have evidence that the charity you donated your inheritance to hired someone to kill you!”

Having been in the legal field for so long, Luo Xiaoli had connections with various news outlets, especially reporters and editors covering social issues. The journalist who contacted her had a good relationship with Luo Xiaoli. Knowing that Zheng Xiyun’s inheritance agreement was signed at Luo Xiaoli’s law firm, the journalist specifically reached out to inform her about this matter.

“A charity?” Zheng Xiyun’s face was full of disbelief. “Why would it be them? Didn’t Lawyer Luo say this charity was completely legitimate and that countless people worldwide have bequeathed their estates to them? Even if they wanted to obtain inheritances through such means, why would they target me first?”

Zhang Yi replied, “I absolutely trust Luo Xiaoli’s work, and the doubts you raised are valid. But we can’t be certain they’re completely uninvolved. The most important thing now is to investigate this thoroughly.”

“Why would the evidence be in the hands of a journalist?” Zheng Xiyun frowned deeply, pacing restlessly around the room. The number of people who knew about her attempted kidnapping shouldn’t be large. So who tipped off the journalist?

Zhang Yi explained, “Someone sent an email to this journalist. The journalist traced the IP address and found the sender had used IP-masking software. Eventually, they tracked the real IP to Guizhou. A-Yun, my gut tells me this isn’t as simple as it seems. Luo Xiaoli and I are already looking into it and have asked the journalist to hold off on publishing the story. But the journalist said while they could withhold it, if this person emails other reporters, there’s no guarantee others won’t run the news.”

Before the truth comes to light, such news would undoubtedly hinder their investigation. Zheng Xiyun glanced at Mu Qing, who had been openly photographing her from a distance, and said to Zhang Yi, “Let’s report this to the police. Private investigators might have been more convenient before, but now that media and charities are involved, this is beyond what a PI can handle.”

Zhang Yi hesitated. “The real culprit hasn’t been identified yet. If we involve the police, as the victim, you’d need to be present. But if you return now…”

She didn’t finish, but the implication was clear. If Zheng Xiyun returned and exposed herself to the perpetrator whether they wanted her hand or her life. She would inevitably be in danger. This would contradict their original plan.

“I have to go back. Otherwise, if we don’t find the culprit, I’ll be in even greater danger. I can’t hide forever,” Zheng Xiyun stated firmly. Though her exposed relationship with Mu Qing had acted as a catalyst, her decision was more about choosing the most appropriate way to resolve the issue.

After a long silence, Zhang Yi said, “Alright, I’ll make arrangements immediately. Someone will contact you at Chengdu Airport. Stay safe.”

After hanging up, Zheng Xiyun grew increasingly agitated, but frustration wouldn’t solve anything. She took a deep breath, exhaling her pent-up emotions as she gazed at the azure sky.

During lunch, Zheng Xiyun shared her decision with A-Yang and Su-Su and offered not to refund the tour fee. However, A-Yang felt it wasn’t appropriate.

Zheng Xiyun sipped the butter tea with its slightly peculiar taste and said, “According to the Contract Law, I’m the one breaching the contract and should pay you a penalty for breach of contract.” So, it’s perfectly reasonable not to refund the remaining money.”

A-Yang still felt uneasy. “If you were leaving the team somewhere close to Lhasa, I might accept your suggestion without hesitation. But we’re only 400 kilometers from Chengdu. How can I possibly take this money?”

Mu Qing propped her chin on her hand, watching their bargaining with amusement before joining the conversation. “A-Yang, just accept it. It’s not just A-Yun who’s leaving, I’m going back to Beijing with her too. Your business with the two of us is basically ruined. If you refund the money, you’ll be left with nothing but the wind to drink!”

As A-Yang opened his mouth to protest again, Mu Qing continued, “If you really feel bad about it, then next time we hire you as our guide to Lhasa, you can’t charge us anymore.”

Seeing A-Yang reluctantly agree, Zheng Xiyun swallowed the words on her tongue and silently grumbled: Who’s ‘we’ with you? Who wants to go to Lhasa again? And go back to Beijing together? We’re supposed to part ways and never meet again!

A-Yang eventually decided to drive them both back to Chengdu. Zheng Xiyun hesitated, glancing at Mu Qing, wishing they could part ways here and now. But she knew all too well how shameless Mu Qing could be. When Mu Qing said with a straight face, “What do you mean ‘go back to Beijing together’? I have my own business to attend to. It’s just a coincidence that we’re on the same flight.”

“How do you know which flight I’m on?” Zheng Xiyun glared at her coldly, stopping in her tracks, unwilling to walk any further with her. She didn’t even know which flight Zhang Yi had booked for her. How did Mu Qing know in advance?

Mu Qing seemed oblivious to her icy stare, instead curling her lips into a meaningful smile. “Because of fate. Haven’t you realized the connection between us by now?”

Zheng Xiyun gritted her teeth, shot her a furious glare, then turned and got into the car.

Mu Qing felt invigorated by Zheng Xiyun’s glare, thinking to herself, Even when she’s angry, A-Yun is so beautiful and adorable! I must secretly take a photo of her to use as my wallpaper later!

Throughout the ride back to Chengdu, Zheng Xiyun stared out the window, ignoring every sound Mu Qing made. But only heaven knew how much fury was boiling inside her. The most detestable thing since her rebirth was meeting Mu Qing!

What infuriated her even more was that, once on the plane, Mu Qing’s seat was still right next to hers!

Zheng Xiyun’s grip on her backpack turned white-knuckled. If looks could kill, Mu Qing would have died a thousand times over. Yet here she was, alive and well beside her. Not even tripping while walking or choking on water could lift Zheng Xiyun’s mood.

But when she saw Mu Qing’s phone wallpaper and lock screen, Zheng Xiyun finally snapped! Fortunately, she remembered that even first class was a public space, so she suppressed her voice as much as possible and hissed, “You actually took a photo of me in secret and made it your wallpaper?! Delete it right now!”

Mu Qing looked at her, eyes twinkling with faint amusement. “Silly girl, why would I delete it after going through the trouble of using it? If I were going to delete it, I wouldn’t have taken the photo in the first place!”

Zheng Xiyun wanted to slap her to death but forced herself to ignore her. Don’t engage! Don’t engage!

Putting on her eye mask and reclining in her seat, Zheng Xiyun tried desperately to calm down. What she didn’t realize was that Mu Qing had already become a unique presence in her life because she had never spoken to anyone with such raw anger before.

After the plane landed in Beijing, the bodyguard who had been following Zheng Xiyun since Chengdu continued to stay close to her. Mu Qing unapologetically enjoyed the protection exclusively meant for Zheng Xiyun.

Zheng Xiyun wanted to stay composed, but as long as Mu Qing was by her side, true calm was impossible.

The moment they stepped out of the arrivals gate, Zheng Xiyun halted, her heart finally settling into icy stillness.

Outside the railing, Kang Minghong waited with a doting smile, waving at Zheng Xiyun.

“Who’s that?” Mu Qing narrowed her eyes, glaring at the man with clear hostility.

Zheng Xiyun replied coldly, “My boyfriend.”

With that, she walked toward Kang Minghong, leaving Mu Qing frozen in place.

Why did Zheng Xiyun have a boyfriend? What did that make her now? A homewrecker? A mistress?!

Damn it! How was she supposed to pursue her openly now?