Bowing to Arranged Marriage [Rebirth] - Chapter 22

Mu Qing couldn’t accept Zheng Xiyun’s mention of regret. She withdrew her smile and said angrily, “How could you lie to me? About something so important, how could you deceive me?”

The word “regret” had slipped out of Zheng Xiyun’s mouth casually, and her expression grew even colder. But only Zheng Xiyun knew how flustered she truly felt inside.

Mu Qing sat cross-legged on the bed, leaning forward with her hands propped behind her. “You should know there’s no such thing as a ‘regret pill’ in this world. So, regretting now is useless.”

Zheng Xiyun leaned back slightly at her approach, avoiding her gaze. “But—”

“No ‘buts.’ You already agreed yesterday.” Mu Qing reached out with her left hand and grasped Zheng Xiyun’s. “Why are you so stubborn?”

Zheng Xiyun tried to pull her hand away, but Mu Qing held on tightly. Steeling herself, Zheng Xiyun said, “But I only agreed because I had to, not because I like you.”

“I know!” Mu Qing’s amber eyes sparkled with confidence. “I’m not stupid. But I need to keep you close first. That way, it’ll be easier for me to pursue you. Otherwise, someone else might snatch you away. What then?”

Zheng Xiyun finally yanked her hand free. “Mu Qing, even if we get married, we won’t be able to register it domestically. And it won’t be based on love. Is that really the kind of marriage you want?”

“Of course!” Mu Qing remained unfazed, far more open-minded than Zheng Xiyun. “Plenty of loving couples in the world end up divorced. I can’t guarantee we’ll stay together forever, nor can I promise you’ll ever fall for me. But so what? At least we’ll have been together. At least I’ll have tried. And at the very least, marrying you can help me shake off my bad luck.”

To Zheng Xiyun, this wasn’t a marriage—it was a transaction. She was trading matrimony for the Mu family’s support, while Mu Qing was trading it for a change in fate.

Zheng Xiyun relented once more. She had long stopped placing much hope in love or marriage. Her agreement now wasn’t for the Zheng family, but for herself. As Mu Qing had said—at least, with the Mu family’s help, she could reclaim her mother’s company. At least she could ensure Kang Minghong received the punishment he deserved. And at the very least, when she needed to cry, there would be someone to offer her a shoulder.

Zheng Xiyun had arrived unexpectedly and hadn’t brought spare clothes, so she had to borrow Mu Qing’s. Fortunately, their figures were similar, and the outfit fit well.

What she hadn’t anticipated was the moment she reached the staircase. Several people in the living room all looked up at her. The house had been empty last night, so why were they all here now?

“Dad, Mom, Brother, this is A-Yun,” Mu Qing introduced, standing beside her with a smile.

The middle-aged couple beamed warmly at Zheng Xiyun. “Welcome to our home.”

Mu Jin nodded. “Come down for breakfast.”

The tips of Zheng Xiyun’s ears burned red beneath her hair, her embarrassment overwhelming. Not long ago, she had firmly rejected Mu Jin, and now here she was unannounced.

Once downstairs, Mu Qing gestured to the middle-aged man. “This is my father, Mu Yu.” Then she pointed to the woman. “And this is my mother, Chen Mingya.”

“Hello, Uncle and Auntie,” Zheng Xiyun greeted with a hint of bashfulness and awkwardness.

Mu Qing’s parents, however, were genuinely kind. They invited them to eat without being overly enthusiastic just because she was Mu Qing’s destined partner. They didn’t even bring up the topic, which made Zheng Xiyun feel much more at ease.

After breakfast, Mu Jin left the house with them. Before Zheng Xiyun got into her car, Mu Jin stopped her. “Qingqing told me about Kang Minghong last night. I’ll have someone thoroughly investigate those two. Don’t worry about Kang Minghong’s matter.”

Regardless of the reason for his help, Zheng Xiyun looked at Mu Jin sincerely and said, “Thank you.”

Mu Jin nodded and then left for the office by car.

Mu Qing didn’t drive and instead hopped into the passenger seat of Zheng Xiyun’s car. Uncharacteristically serious, she asked, “Ah Yun, regarding our marriage, should my parents discuss it with your father?”

Normally, marriage matters would require both families to negotiate many details. But the Mu family was well aware of Zheng Xiyun’s family situation. Zhang Meiyan often called Mu Qing’s mother to discuss arranged marriages, so the Mu family had some idea of how the Zheng family treated Zheng Xiyun. What they needed wasn’t an alliance between two families but the union of Zheng Xiyun and Mu Qing. Thus, the Mu family preferred to respect Zheng Xiyun’s wishes.

Though Zheng Xiyun had agreed to marry Mu Qing, she still wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea. After a moment’s thought, she replied, “Just inform them. We can discuss the specifics with me.” Even if this marriage wasn’t purely for love, Zheng Xiyun wouldn’t treat it carelessly. Afte

r all, it was still a marriage.

Mu Qing pondered for a while before suggesting, “You’re usually so busy and probably won’t have much time to handle this. Why not leave it to my mom? If there’s anything we don’t like, we can ask her to change it?”

Zheng Xiyun nodded and suddenly asked, “Mu Qing, have you still been unlucky lately?”

“Of course,” Mu Qing replied. “That’s why I find that Taoist priest so strange. What exactly do I need to do to stop the bad luck?”

Changing the subject, Mu Qing added, “A few days ago, you asked me to talk to that director about investing. Jiateng Entertainment is only willing to fund part of it, mainly providing equipment, locations during filming, and promotional support during the release. There’s still a funding gap. Do you want to join in?”

Zheng Xiyun considered it briefly and nodded. “Sure.” Since this film was already in the works, she wouldn’t need to look for other investment projects. The profits from this movie’s release would help her stand firmer in front of the company’s shareholders.

After dropping Mu Qing off at Jiateng Entertainment, Zheng Xiyun returned to her own company and instructed her team to prepare for the film investment.

Shortly after arranging the matter, Zheng Xiyun received a call from her father. “Ah Yun, cancel that film investment project immediately!”

“Why?” Zheng Xiyun signed a document and motioned for Yu Xiaxi to wait for her.

Zheng Jiangling snapped, “Do you think making movies is child’s play? Look at Zheng Yoaquin. She’s invested in so many famous directors’ works, and how much has she earned? And what are you investing in? Some unknown rookie director, a woman at that! Are you trying to lose the company’s money?”

Zheng Xiyun scoffed. “Don’t compare me to Zheng Yoaquin.”

Even in her past life, every project she invested in would have turned a profit if not for internal sabotage and fraud. And now that she had been reborn, she knew better.

“In any case, you absolutely cannot invest in this project. The fact that I’m calling you now is already the board giving you face. Do you really want your uncle to call you next? Or should we just put it to a vote at the board meeting?” Zheng Xiyun didn’t know when Zheng Jiangling had started speaking to her in such a condescending tone, pretending to have her best interests at heart while clearly looking down on her.

“If my uncle calls, the answer will be the same. I’m going through with this project.” After hanging up on Zheng Jiangling, Zheng Xiyun turned to Yu Xiaxi and said, “I’ll be overseeing this project personally in the near future. Hand off the smaller project you were tracking to someone you trust and focus all your energy on the internet company. They’re about to launch their product soon, so keep an eye on the post-launch marketing and promotions.”

As she spoke, Zheng Xiyun handed over the internet company’s files to Yu Xiaxi, who responded excitedly, “Understood, Ms. Zheng. I’ll do my best!”

Zheng Xiyun smiled. “Don’t stress too much. The project shouldn’t have any major issues, but if problems do arise, report them to me immediately. I may not intervene directly, but I need to stay informed on its progress.”

Yu Xiaxi nodded. “Got it.”

The internet company was preparing to release a game. A licensed product from Japan with minor adaptations for the Chinese market. Zheng Xiyun knew the game itself wouldn’t be the issue; her concern was whether someone would target the company again, disrupting its funding like before.

Since confirming her relationship with Mu Qing, the woman had been clinging to Zheng Xiyun relentlessly either trying to drag her back to her own apartment or insisting Zheng Xiyun come home with her. She even went so far as to say with exaggerated seriousness, “You don’t understand all the things that go into a wedding! The Taoist priest is here, and there are so many details to finalize!”

Zheng Xiyun sighed. “I told you to have your mother notify me if anything needed my attention. She hasn’t called me once. You’re lying.”

Mu Qing grinned. “You’re too sharp. But since we’re getting married anyway, what’s the harm in coming home with me? I won’t lay a finger on you. I just want to spend time with you.”

Zheng Xiyun shook her head, refusing mercilessly. “I prefer being alone. It’s quieter.”

It was a roundabout way of calling Mu Qing noisy, but the latter didn’t take offense. Instead, she gazed at Zheng Xiyun’s delicate features, her smile widening. “Then have dinner with me tonight?”

Zheng Xiyun looked up. The Mu Qing before her now had bright, clear eyes and soft pink lips curved into an attractive angle. Dressed in an oversized turtleneck sweater, she seemed like an entirely different person from the one who had first greeted her in a sheer blouse.

“What are we eating?” Zheng Xiyun didn’t cook and disliked dining alone at restaurants. With Mu Qing as company, she didn’t mind.

Mu Qing’s smile brightened at her acquiescence. “There’s a great Indian place.”

During dinner, Zheng Xiyun received a call from Mu Jin informing her that the two suspects had been located and the police had been notified. Finally, she could relax.

The next day, Luo Xiaoli told her, “Kang Minghong’s trial is underway. I estimate he’ll get five years.”

Attempted instigation of kidnapping without causing financial or physical harm to Zheng Xiyun wouldn’t carry a heavy sentence. Kang Minghong also had a skilled lawyer even with the Mu family’s influence, five years was likely the maximum.

“But it’s enough,” Zheng Xiyun said. “Five years will be hard on him. How many five-year stretches does a person have in their life? What could he possibly do after getting out five years later?”

“Do you want to attend the trial?” Luo Xiaoli asked.

Zheng Xiyun fell silent for a moment. “Yes.” She wanted to see for herself. What would be the state of mind of the man who had deceived her, betrayed her, and even dared to harm her when he finally faced the judgment he deserved?

On the day of the trial, Mu Qing accompanied Zheng Xiyun to the courthouse. Besides that, Mu Qing said to her, “Come to my place for New Year’s this year.”