Bowing to Arranged Marriage [Rebirth] - Chapter 27

Zheng Xiyun stared at the words “wedding” on the screen, her fingers striking the keyboard with force. As the characters appeared before her eyes, she suddenly felt foolish. Why had she chosen to reply via email when they could have just talked on the phone?

Dialing Zhang Yi’s number, Zheng Xiyun’s cold tone carried a hint of irritation. “Have you been particularly free lately?”

“Swamped, actually,” Zhang Yi replied. “To give you time to prepare for the wedding, I took on all the work for the face mask company. Xiyun, after this deal, I’m selling my shares. It’s too exhausting.”

“Making money without lifting a finger wouldn’t be tiring,” Zheng Xiyun blurted out, then froze at her own words.

Zhang Yi fell silent for a moment before bursting into laughter. “What got into you? Since when do you say things like that?”

Zheng Xiyun sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. Thankfully, it was Zhang Yi—someone else might not have taken the joke so well. Eager to steer the conversation back to business, she asked, “Which channels are we planning to air the ads on?”

Zhang Yi, fully aware of the diversion, played along. “We’ll broadcast during prime time on several satellite channels with predominantly female audiences. It’s pricey, but the results should be worth it.”

“What about other aspects?” The successful topic shift finally eased the tension in Zheng Xiyun’s shoulders.

Zhang Yi continued, “I reviewed their proposal—it’s solid. Honestly, the company has plenty of talent; they just lack funding.”

Zheng Xiyun scoffed. “Don’t tell me you doubt my judgment now?”

“Of course not,” Zhang Yi chuckled. “I trust you completely. Besides TV and online video ads, they’ll collaborate with beauty influencers across platforms and run buy-one-get-one promotions in stores and online. I’ll send you the detailed plan, you can take a look.”

As she spoke, a new email notification popped up on Zheng Xiyun’s screen. She opened it to find the digital version of the proposal from Zhang Yi. Keeping the call connected, she downloaded the file and began discussing it with Zhang Yi while skimming through.

Their conversation stretched for a full hour. Zheng Xiyun’s phone buzzed repeatedly with incoming calls. Each time, Mu Qing’s name flashed on the screen. Ignoring them, she stayed on the line with Zhang Yi.

The face mask company’s promotional strategy was meticulous, reflecting their high expectations for the product. After hanging up, Zheng Xiyun had a strong premonition: this line of masks would outperform its previous iteration, thanks to the broader marketing reach this time around.

Sure enough, a week later, ads began airing during prime time across major networks, synchronized with online campaigns. A popular livestreamer demoed the masks live, prompting more beauty bloggers to share their intent to try them. Within three days, reviews started pouring in from influencers.

The “Eight Glasses of Water” masks became an overnight sensation.

Qin Nan’s fans were the first to act, flooding Weibo with photos of their purchased sets, proclaiming that while they couldn’t dine or sleep with their idol, sharing the same skincare routine was the next best thing.

Skeptics held back initially. No one wanted to risk their skin on impulse. But as trusted beauty bloggers published their testimonials, sales surged to new heights.

Few people knew about Zheng Xiyun’s profitable investment in face masks. She had kept a low profile during the investment process, with most of the work handled by Zhang Yi. However, this secrecy did not extend to Mu Qing.

When Mu Qing called Zheng Xiyun, the latter had just finished a meeting. By the time everyone left the office, Mu Qing had already hung up. Seeing that Zheng Xiyun was free, her secretary handed her the phone and said, “President Zheng, Mu Qing called you.”

With that, the secretary quickly set down the now-darkened phone and left the office. Everyone in the secretarial department had seen that woman before. She must be Zheng Xiyun’s new best friend, given how often she came to the company to visit.

Zheng Xiyun didn’t return the call, but Mu Qing showed up at the company anyway. Walking in without any sign of annoyance, she handed her phone to Zheng Xiyun. “My mom picked out this cake. What do you think?”

The cake was stunning—five tiers tall, with two brides in wedding gowns at the very top. Their dresses cascaded down from the fifth layer, draping elegantly into folds by the first tier.

Zheng Xiyun replied, “It’s beautiful.”

Mu Qing’s lips curled in satisfaction. “Yeah, I think so too.”

“You came all the way here just to show me this?” Zheng Xiyun doubted Mu Qing would visit solely for a cake.

Sure enough, Mu Qing said, “Director Fang wants us to attend the casting meeting.”

Zheng Xiyun thought for a moment. “Weren’t the actors already finalized?”

“Some adjustments are needed,” Mu Qing explained. “A few actors think the movie isn’t prestigious enough and assume it’ll flop, so they’re refusing to participate.”

Zheng Xiyun scoffed coldly. “Let them refuse.” Once the film was released, they’d realize what they’d missed out on.

Then, Mu Qing dragged Zheng Xiyun along to observe Director Fang’s casting session.

On the way, Mu Qing reminded her, “The wedding’s in half a month. Make sure you’ve got your work sorted out. I don’t want you buried in tasks on the big day.”

Zheng Xiyun smoothly turned the steering wheel. “Do I seem that unreliable?”

“No, you’re very reliable but you’re also a workaholic.” There wasn’t a hint of complaint in Mu Qing’s voice; she was simply stating a fact. Zheng Xiyun seemed to be working every waking moment. Thankfully, Mu Qing had convinced her to invest in this film—otherwise, arranging meetings would’ve been far more difficult.

The label “workaholic” struck Zheng Xiyun as novel. “Am I really that obsessed with work?”

Mu Qing nodded. “Good thing I’m marrying you. Otherwise, guys wouldn’t be too fond of a woman like you—too strong-willed, too wealthy. Most men prefer sweet, naive girls.”

As if marrying her was some grand act of charity. But who stood to benefit the most from this union? Still, Zheng Xiyun knew that men generally weren’t drawn to women like her—ambitious, career-driven types. But then again, “A man wouldn’t fall for someone like you either, right? Though they might be fooled by your looks at first.”

When Mu Qing wasn’t talking or courting misfortune, she was undeniably attractive. But the moment she started teasing people, her charm crumbled especially when her bad luck left her looking slightly disheveled.

“So that’s why we ended up together. It was destined from the start,” Mu Qing declared shamelessly.

The two of them chatted all the way to Jiateng Film and Television, where Mu Qing had arranged a meeting room for Director Fang to use as an interview space. Both Zheng Xiyun and Mu Qing were outsiders to the industry, and their visit was more about gaining experience. Unexpectedly, the moment they sat down, their demeanor, presence, and the nameplates in front of them unmistakably signaled that they were big shots. As a result, throughout the entire interview process, Zheng Xiyun and Mu Qing received countless flirtatious glances—mostly from men, though some women also cast admiring looks their way.

After the interviews concluded, the director, assistant director, producer, and the two of them remained in the meeting room for further discussion.

Director Fang relaxed with a smile and asked Mu Qing and Zheng Xiyun, “Do either of you have any recommendations?” She had noticed the lingering gazes. Though she didn’t have many works under her belt, she was well aware of certain industry undercurrents—such as how some secured roles through undisclosed relationships with investors.

Director Fang had braced herself for potential suggestions, but to her surprise, Mu Qing and Zheng Xiyun both stated firmly, “We have no experience in this area. The final decision is entirely up to you.”

Seeing that they weren’t joking, Director Fang, the producer, and the assistant director launched into a lively discussion about the candidates and eventually finalized the main cast for the film.

After leaving Jiateng Film and Television, Mu Qing once again invited Zheng Xiyun to come home with her. Zheng Xiyun was about to decline when Mu Qing said, “That Taoist priest, Master Li, came to my house today. He asked me to bring you back so he can do another reading.”

Zheng Xiyun swallowed her refusal, curiosity piqued about the mysterious priest whose words had led the Mu family to pursue her relentlessly. Even after her rebirth, she couldn’t escape them and ultimately agreed to marry Mu Qing.

Zheng Xiyun had expected to see a long-haired man draped in Taoist robes, exuding an air of immortality. Instead, when Mu Yu introduced the young man in a white shirt, Zheng Xiyun stared at him skeptically, her eyes full of doubt. This was the Taoist priest? He looked nothing like she’d imagined.

Noticing Zheng Xiyun’s blatant suspicion of Master Li, Mu Qing found it amusing and leaned in to whisper, “Feeling a bit cheated? That’s exactly how I felt the first time I met him.”

Zheng Xiyun averted her gaze, relieved that the man didn’t seem to mind. He smiled at her and said, “Hello.”

Zheng Xiyun nodded. “Hello.”

The exchange should have ended there, but the man continued, “Miss Zheng, are you truly certain about marrying Mu Qing?”

Zheng Xiyun nodded again, and he went on, “Actually, this will benefit you. Miss Mu’s fate is one of extreme misfortune, while yours is one of great fortune.”

At this, Zheng Xiyun frowned slightly. The priest then said, “Your fate is too auspicious. If you don’t marry Miss Mu, both of you will suffer short lives due to the extremity of your destinies.”

“I admit my misfortune,” Mu Qing interjected, “but if Xiyun’s fate is so good, how could she die?” If it weren’t for her parents’ insistence, Mu Qing wouldn’t have believed in this so-called “auspicious fate” and “misfortune” theory either.

“Because her fortune is too good—so good that even Heaven grows envious. If things continue this way, no matter how careful she is, she’ll eventually die from some unforeseen accident. It’s only a matter of time.” As he spoke, the priest fixed his gaze intently on Zheng Xiyun. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about her—that she wasn’t quite the Zheng Xiyun he was supposed to see. Yet, he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was different.