Bowing to Arranged Marriage [Rebirth] - Chapter 26

Mu Qing held Zheng Xiyun’s hand, ignoring her increasingly icy gaze, and gave it a playful squeeze. “So, I’m really in a tough spot now.”

“Can’t your brother handle it?” Zheng Xiyun yanked her hand back and swatted at Mu Qing when she tried to grab it again.

“Ouch!” Mu Qing let out a soft cry, her expression tinged with mock resentment. “If I rely on my brother for everything, what kind of person does that make me? Since they look down on me, I’ll just have to prove them wrong.”

The smile on Zheng Xiyun’s lips shifted to one of approval. “I thought you preferred asking your brother for help.”

The feigned resentment in Mu Qing’s eyes faded, replaced by a faint smile. “He’s already busy enough as it is.”

“Should I delete it?” Zheng Xiyun waved her phone. If Mu Qing didn’t need the recording, there was no point keeping it and taking up storage.

“Go ahead,” Mu Qing said.

Though they could use the recording as evidence to humiliate those two in front of Mu Jin, neither Mu Qing nor Zheng Xiyun was the type to prove themselves that way. They’d rather stand at heights those people could never reach and watch their faces twist in envy.

“So, what’s your plan for the movie?” Zheng Xiyun asked as she deleted the recording. “Did something really happen to the lead actor?”

Mu Qing shrugged. “That has nothing to do with me. I only bring misfortune to myself, never others. Besides, casting hasn’t even started yet. No idea where they got that rumor.”

She then handed Zheng Xiyun a few documents. “These are the actors the director is considering.”

Zheng Xiyun skimmed through and recognized a few familiar names. “I think they’ll work.”

Mu Qing looked surprised. “You’re involved in the film industry too?”

“Not at all,” Zheng Xiyun said, passing the documents back. “Just a hunch these actors would be good.” Because they were the same leads in her past life.

Mu Qing nodded, then added, “The movie’s important, but there’s something even more pressing we need to do.”

Zheng Xiyun raised an eyebrow. With a sly smile, Mu Qing said, “Got time to go wedding dress shopping with me today?”

“Wedding dresses?” Zheng Xiyun immediately understood. Judging by the mischievous glint in Mu Qing’s eyes, it was definitely about their wedding attire.

She stood up, looking down at Mu Qing, and picked up her handbag. “Let’s go.”

Mu Qing was stunned. Grabbing her own bag, she followed. “You’re not refusing me?”

“We’ll have to do it sooner or later. What’s the difference if we go now?” Marrying Mu Qing was her own decision, and she was prepared for everything that came with it.

As they left the office together, Mu Qing asked, “Does that mean you won’t refuse other things either?”

“I refuse,” Zheng Xiyun said coolly. “Don’t get any wild ideas.”

“Oh? You know what I’m thinking?” Mu Qing teased.

Zheng Xiyun scoffed. “Whatever it is, the answer’s no.”

Unfazed, Mu Qing chuckled as they stepped into the elevator side by side.

The wedding attire was designed by a renowned domestic designer in the style of a qipao, with two sets for each person. One set was a Qing-style qizhuang, consisting of a short-fronted, long-sleeved jacket paired with a matching long skirt. The bright red qizhuang was embroidered with golden phoenixes and other totems. The other set was a Republic-era qipao, also in red. Red naturally complements the qipao and qizhuang, and with the designer’s meticulous tailoring, the elegance and refinement of these two outfits were showcased to perfection.

The staff at the design studio gestured for the two to try on the outfits in the fitting room, allowing any necessary adjustments to be made before the wedding.

Mu Qing held both sets of clothes and looked at Zheng Xiyun. “Do you need my help?”

Zheng Xiyun took the set meant for her and replied coolly, “No need. You should be careful not to trip. If you fall, it’s fine if it’s just you, but if the clothes get damaged, I don’t know if it’ll affect the wedding.”

Mu Qing’s expression froze as she watched Zheng Xiyun walk away, calling after her, “Don’t jinx me!” With that, she carefully carried her clothes to the fitting room. If her bad luck ruined the outfits and delayed the wedding, she’d regret it deeply, so caution was key.

From the clothes alone, Zheng Xiyun could tell how seriously the Mu family regarded this marriage. The outfit fit her perfectly, every stitch exuding exquisite craftsmanship. Beyond that, the clothes gave her an indescribable, almost mystical feeling.

As if guided by something, Zheng Xiyun turned and saw Mu Qing, dressed in a nearly identical qizhuang, the only difference being the embroidery.

Mu Qing’s eyes sparkled like stars, her brows slightly curved as she walked toward Zheng Xiyun. “You look stunning in this.”

Zheng Xiyun’s cheeks flushed faintly. She wanted to say Mu Qing looked beautiful too, though her hairstyle didn’t quite match. But she held back, knowing Mu Qing would only tease her further.

Mu Qing stepped closer, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind Zheng Xiyun’s ear, and asked with a soft laugh, “Do I look good?”

Zheng Xiyun shook her head. Mu Qing’s smile didn’t waver as she turned to the full-length mirror. “You have no taste. I obviously look amazing.” After a moment, she added, “But you’re still prettier.”

Zheng Xiyun felt a slight warmth spreading through her, unsure if it was from embarrassment or the overly strong air conditioning. She turned away without another word and went to find the studio staff, who promptly checked the fit of her clothes and noted down any alterations needed.

The qizhuang and qipao shared similarities, but the qipao was more form-fitting, accentuating the soft curves of a woman’s body.

Standing before the mirror in her qipao, Zheng Xiyun glanced sideways at her thigh, thinking the slit was a bit too high. Behind her, Mu Qing shamelessly admired the view. Zheng Xiyun ignored her and continued consulting the staff about the measurements.

After a few steps, her phone rang from her bag. Returning to the sofa, she retrieved her clutch and saw Zhang Meiyan’s name on the screen. Frowning, she answered, only to hear Zhang Meiyan ask, “Xiyun, have you and Mu Qing decided to get married?”

Zheng Xiyun’s brow arched. According to the Mu family, this news was only supposed to reach Zheng Jiangling. Yet here was Zhang Meiyan calling to inquire. Without exposing the discrepancy, Zheng Xiyun simply asked, “Why do you ask?”

“Why didn’t the Mu family invite us?” Zhang Meiyan’s voice carried a hint of anger. “I may not be your biological mother, but legally, I am still your mother. Why didn’t they invite me to your wedding? And from what I know, only your father from the entire Zheng family received an invitation.”

“That was the Mu family’s arrangement,” Zheng Xiyun replied, spotting Mu Qing approaching. She mouthed the words “Zhang Meiyan” to her.

Mu Qing suddenly understood and gradually moved closer to Zheng Xiyun. Zheng Xiyun’s attention shifted entirely from Zhang Meiyan’s words to Mu Qing, who was now almost pressed against her.

Zheng Xiyun stepped back repeatedly until Mu Qing finally cornered her against the wall. Zheng Xiyun raised her hand to push Mu Qing’s shoulder away, her brows furrowed and her gaze fierce. Unfazed, Mu Qing smiled and leaned in closer, resting her head against Zheng Xiyun’s neck, her ear pressed to the back of the phone to listen to Zhang Meiyan.

“…You definitely need your family to support you at your wedding. There’s also the tea ceremony and toasts. I’ve already prepared the red envelopes for you. If the Mu family doesn’t invite me, how am I supposed to give them to you?”

But Zheng Xiyun couldn’t hear Zhang Meiyan at all. Every nerve in her body was now focused on the places where Mu Qing touched her—her warm body faintly pressing against hers, her soft breasts brushing against Zheng Xiyun’s arm.

Zheng Xiyun’s free hand clenched tightly. If there hadn’t been a wall behind her, she would have retreated a thousand steps.

Receiving no response, Zhang Meiyan kept calling Zheng Xiyun’s name on the other end of the line. Mu Qing finally pulled back slightly, noticing Zheng Xiyun’s unusual state. “Tell her to call my mom and ask if she’s qualified to come,” Mu Qing said.

Her voice was loud enough for Zhang Meiyan to hear. Immediately, Zhang Meiyan changed her tone and addressed Mu Qing, “Miss Mu, we should be attending Xiyun’s wedding, right?”

With Zheng Xiyun’s nod, Mu Qing took the phone but didn’t step back. “The wedding arrangements are handled by my mother. If you have any concerns, you should contact her directly.”

If Zhang Meiyan could reach Chen Mingya, she wouldn’t have called Zheng Xiyun in the first place. But she was desperate to attend the wedding and adopted a fawning tone. “Your mother must be so busy. I wouldn’t want to trouble her.”

Mu Qing replied, “She’s not busy at all—just lounging at home. Contact her. We have things to do, so we’ll hang up now.”

Handing the phone back to Zheng Xiyun, Mu Qing noticed her face had turned increasingly red. She was puzzled—why did Zheng Xiyun suddenly look like this? It didn’t seem like anger but more like shyness.

Only then did Mu Qing realize how close they were standing, with one hand even loosely resting on Zheng Xiyun’s waist.

“Had enough of holding me?” Zheng Xiyun’s cheeks were flushed, but her expression remained cold. “Let go of me.”

Mu Qing finally stepped back but teased, “You’re so soft.”

Even in that brief moment, Mu Qing could feel how soft Zheng Xiyun’s body was, carrying a faint, delicate fragrance.

Humiliated and furious, Zheng Xiyun turned and walked away. Knowing she was embarrassed, Mu Qing didn’t stop her.

But when Mu Qing changed her clothes and came out, she realized Zheng Xiyun was no longer in the design studio.

“Where’s the person who came with me?” Mu Qing asked the staff. “Did anyone see where she went?”

“She’s already left,” one of them said. “She changed her clothes and then took off.”

Mu Qing snorted coldly and sauntered to the side of the street, but Zheng Xiyun’s figure was nowhere to be seen. The parking lot was empty, and so was the roadside. She wasn’t angry, just murmured softly, “The monk may run away, but the temple can’t run with him.”

In the following days, every time Zheng Xiyun remembered Mu Qing pressing close to her, she felt an inexplicable discomfort. Suppressing the strange emotions in her heart, she checked the email Zhang Yi had sent her—the final version of the facial mask advertisement. After reviewing it, Zheng Xiyun found no issues and told Zhang Yi to go ahead with it.

Zhang Yi replied, “Still working? Shouldn’t you be preparing for the wedding?”

The two words—”wedding”—dragged Zheng Xiyun’s attention right back to the very thing she had been trying to distract herself from.