Bowing to Arranged Marriage [Rebirth] - Chapter 2

Zheng Xiyun returned to her seat, idly playing with the Marlboro in her hand.

“Miss, please don’t smoke on the high-speed train,” came a reminder from another passenger nearby. Zheng Xiyun turned her head and smiled faintly at him. “I won’t.”

Right now, Zheng Xiyun wasn’t in the mood to celebrate her boyfriend’s birthday anymore. What she needed more was time to think about the fact that she had been reborn.

Half an hour later, the announcement for the train’s arrival sounded again. Zheng Xiyun looked at the Marlboro in her hand and, as if possessed, slipped it into her bag before grabbing it and stepping off the train.

Originally, Zheng Xiyun was supposed to take the train to Shanghai, but now she was disembarking in Su Zhou. She dialed her boyfriend’s number and, once the call connected, told him, “The company suddenly has an emergency to deal with. I might not be able to make it.”

Her boyfriend, Kang Minghong, wasn’t angry at all. Instead, he was extremely understanding. “Did you get off at a stop along the way? Be careful on your way back. Call me when you get to Beijing.”

A twinge of guilt crept into Zheng Xiyun’s heart. “Minghong, I—”

“It’s fine,” Kang Minghong chuckled. “We’re past the age of sweet nothings. I understand. There’ll be plenty more birthdays for me, but the business world changes in the blink of an eye. But before you hang up, shouldn’t you at least wish me something?”

As he wished, Zheng Xiyun said, “Happy birthday.”

The path to the exit was long. After hanging up, Zheng Xiyun took out her ticket, unsure if she’d be able to leave the station smoothly.

When she looked up toward the exit, she spotted a familiar figure. Zheng Xiyun expressionlessly averted her gaze, but the person waved at her and started walking over.

Frowning slightly, Zheng Xiyun stopped where she was, silently conveying her refusal. Yet the other woman seemed oblivious, striding toward her in high heels.

“Hello, I think you might still remember me,” the woman said with a smile, extending her hand. “I’m Mu Qing. Nice to see you again.”

Zheng Xiyun glanced at her hand and raised her own for a polite handshake. But to her surprise, Mu Qing didn’t let go. Instead, she tightened her grip, preventing Zheng Xiyun from pulling away, and said, “Could you do me a favor?”

Zheng Xiyun looked at her, feeling the pressure on her right hand, and decisively refused. “No.”

Mu Qing sighed softly, biting her lower lip as she gazed at her with disappointment. “So cold. If it weren’t for me on the train, you might’ve been mobbed by the crowd getting off behind you. And seeing you in a bad mood, I even gave you a pack of Marlboros! By all rights, you should repay such kindness with your hand in marriage. But here I am, just asking for a tiny favor.”

“What favor?” Zheng Xiyun couldn’t stand listening to her nonsense any longer, her frown deepening.

Mu Qing blinked. “My wallet was stolen, along with my ticket. Could you help me buy a new one?”

So, it was about money. Zheng Xiyun tried to shake her off and leave, but Mu Qing only tightened her grip, her thumb rubbing against Zheng Xiyun’s hand in a suggestive manner.

Furious, Zheng Xiyun glared at her, anger flaring in her chest. But she knew that making a scene with someone like this would only bring her trouble. In the end, she had no choice but to relent. “How much?”

“523.5 yuan,” Mu Qing said triumphantly, grinning. “How about leaving me your number, beautiful? I’ll pay you back once I have the money.”

Zheng Xiyun yanked her hand free from Mu Qing’s loosened grip, pulled out 600 yuan from her bag, and handed it over. “Keep the change.”

Zheng Xiyun had no desire to maintain any further contact with such a person. She stepped aside and quickened her pace, walking out of the station exit.

Following the signs inside the station, she headed toward the taxi stand.

She wore a fitted off-shoulder dress, her makeup elegant and refined. The black heels matching her handbag clicked pleasantly against the floor.

Just as she reached the taxi queue, hurried footsteps sounded behind her also the sharp tap of high heels. The voice she had just heard moments ago grew clearer as the steps approached. “Hey, beautiful, you still haven’t given me your number.”

Zheng Xiyun pretended not to hear Mu Qing, her lips pressed into a thin line, the corners slightly downturned, radiating impatience.

Mu Qing seemed born without the concept of rejection. She caught up to Zheng Xiyun, slightly out of breath, her already messy short hair now looking even more unruly. Yet, Zheng Xiyun had to admit that even in this slightly disheveled state, the woman was undeniably beautiful, exuding an inexplicable charm.

“Are you avoiding me?” Mu Qing asked, staring at Zheng Xiyun as if oblivious to how awkward such a question was.

Since Mu Qing clearly didn’t care, Zheng Xiyun saw no reason to either. She turned to face her and said bluntly, “Yes, I am avoiding you. I don’t want to see you at all, so stop following me.”

Mu Qing smirked shamelessly, a glint of mischief flashing in her eyes. “But I’m broke! You’re gorgeous and clearly loaded, it’d be insane for me not to follow you.”

Zheng Xiyun scoffed. “I think you’re insane right now. And here’s some advice, you’d have better luck chasing after a rich man.”

Mu Qing shook her head firmly. “You’re wrong. I might be broke now, but it’s temporary. I don’t need to sell my looks for money. But if I’m going to borrow cash, why not do it from someone who’s a feast for the eyes? That’s just smart thinking.”

Zheng Xiyun studied her for a moment. Mu Qing was stunning, the kind of beauty that left a striking first impression. She dressed boldly, fashionably, and carried cigarettes with her. Zheng Xiyun had assumed such a woman would be cold and aloof, yet here she was, shamelessly spouting nonsense.

She averted her gaze, ignoring Mu Qing as she looked ahead. She had never met a woman so utterly devoid of shame. Zheng Xiyun refused to engage with her. Doing so would only drive her mad with frustration.

Mu Qing, however, seemed impervious to embarrassment. Zheng Xiyun’s complete disregard didn’t stop her from sticking close.

The more expressionless Zheng Xiyun remained, the more her anger simmered. Finally, it was her turn in the taxi queue. She strode forward, her heels striking the ground sharply as she pulled open the door and slid into the passenger seat. Just as she shut the door, she heard the rear door close a beat later.

The woman had actually followed her in.

Zheng Xiyun turned to glare at the figure in the backseat, only to find Mu Qing grinning at her. Her smile was breathtaking. If Zheng Xiyun were a man, she might have already fallen under her spell.

In the business world, Zheng Xiyun was a force to be reckoned with. Yet now, she found herself utterly at a loss for how to handle this woman.

In the end, Zheng Xiyun took out her wallet, extracted the cash inside, kept a hundred for herself as backup, and handed the rest to Mu Qing, saying, “This should be enough to solve your problem, right?”

“Enough, it’s enough,” Mu Qing replied without hesitation as she took the money, then looked up at her and added, “But following you today wasn’t just about the money!”

Zheng Xiyun stared at her expressionlessly, the anger in her eyes unmistakable.

Mu Qing pulled out her phone and handed it to Zheng Xiyun. “Mind leaving your name and number? Once I get the money, I’d like to thank my kind benefactor properly!”

“No need,” Zheng Xiyun said, uninterested in her gratitude. But the woman behind her remained unmoved, her gaze firm and unwavering. Eventually, Zheng Xiyun took the phone, entered her number, and then told the driver, “Please pull over. The person in the back needs to get out.”

The taxi driver had stayed silent the entire time, the atmosphere in the car too strange for comfort, so he had been driving slowly around the train station area. Now, hearing Zheng Xiyun’s request and seeing no objection from the woman in the back, he pulled over to the side of the road.

Mu Qing took back her phone and saw that only a number had been entered, no name. She raised an eyebrow slightly, dialed the number, and when the phone in the front seat rang, she smiled in satisfaction. “Well then, I’ll be off. See you around!”

After Mu Qing got out, Zheng Xiyun instructed the driver to take her to any five-star hotel. Then, resting her head against the window, she gazed outside.

The unfamiliar city and people provided a temporary escape from the internal strife at the company. Upon arriving at the hotel, Zheng Xiyun checked into a room and lay on the bed, too drained to do anything. Closing her eyes, she reflected on her current predicament.

The Zheng family now held a place of influence in Beijing, but none of it would have been possible without the support of her mother and her maternal grandparents. In truth, when her mother had married her father, her grandparents had vehemently opposed it, they had always thought poorly of him. Yet, for some reason, her mother had loved him deeply, standing firm in her decision to be with him as they built their company and careers together.

The early days had been tough. Later, unable to bear seeing their daughter struggle, her grandparents provided financial and networking support, allowing her parents’ company, Lanyu Corporation, to gradually turn a profit. Eventually, her father’s relatives began joining the company, and for a while, everything seemed harmonious.

Everything changed the year Zheng Xiyun turned eighteen. Her grandparents and mother were killed in a car accident while traveling, leaving no survivors.

Before she could even grieve her mother’s death, a woman showed up at their doorstep with a child, claiming to be family. It was then that Zheng Xiyun learned her father had been unfaithful for years. He had just hidden it well, and no one had known. After graduating high school, her father sent her abroad for studies. When she returned, she found that Lanyu Corporation had practically become the domain of her stepmother and uncle, with even her father’s authority seemingly stripped away.

This was her mother’s life’s work. There was no way she would let that woman lay a finger on it.

Lying on the bed, Zheng Xiyun raised her left hand and slowly clenched it into a fist in the air. The largest shareholder of Lanyu wasn’t her father, it was her. When her mother and grandparents died, a lawyer had stepped forward to announce the will. She had inherited her mother’s shares, her grandparents’ estate, and combined with her own holdings, Zheng Xiyun was Lanyu’s biggest shareholder.

That’s probably why I died; Zheng Xiyun let out a cold laugh.

If I died, who would benefit the most? Zheng Xiyun lowered her hand and stared at the ceiling, her mind beginning to race again. If she died, all her assets and shares would ultimately fall into her father’s hands. The people closest to her father were her stepmother, her so-called younger sister, and her ‘kind-hearted’ uncle. So, who could it be?

Zheng Xiyun closed her eyes. Since they wanted her wealth, she would make sure their hopes were completely dashed.

She sat up, took out her phone, and dialed Zhang Yi’s number.

“Sweetheart, you actually have time to call me while celebrating your boyfriend’s birthday? Seems like he’s neglecting you!” Zhang Yi’s voice, as always, made her feel close, especially now.

Zheng Xiyun got up and walked to the window, looking down at the tiny, ant-like people and cars below. Softly, she said, “Zhang Yi, if I die, I’ll leave my inheritance to you.”

There was silence on the other end of the line, followed by Zhang Yi’s urgent and angry voice, “What nonsense are you talking about? Did something happen?”

Zhang Yi was the daughter of her mother’s best friend. The two had grown up together, and their bond was incomparable to others. Hearing Zheng Xiyun say such things now, how could Zhang Yi not overthink it?

Zheng Xiyun softened considerably in front of Zhang Yi. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s just that I have too many assets and don’t feel safe.”

Zhang Yi understood her meaning almost instantly. “Did they make a move on you?”

Zheng Xiyun replied, “Not yet, but the possibility can’t be ruled out. So, I think I need to make my life more valuable than my death. That way, they won’t be eyeing my life.”