Bowing to Arranged Marriage [Rebirth] - Chapter 28

Taoist Priest Li, whose full name is Li Mu, is a direct disciple of the abbot of a Taoist temple on Qingcheng Mountain. He usually studies with his master at the temple but occasionally takes on jobs outside, as even Taoist priests can’t survive on absorbing the essence of the sun and moon alone.

The Mu family was introduced to Li Mu through a former client. Upon meeting Mu Qing and learning her birth details, Li Mu informed the Mu family that if Mu Qing didn’t find someone with compatible birth details to balance her fate, she wouldn’t live past thirty. He then left another person’s birth details with the Mu family, instructing them to find the woman whose fate perfectly matched Mu Qing’s. The Mu family was shocked. They had never expected the person they needed to find would be a woman.

Taoist Li offered no further explanation but firmly stated, “A man won’t work. It has to be a woman born under this exact birth chart, or there’s no solution.”

At first, the Mu family couldn’t accept it. But as Mu Qing’s misfortunes continued, they had no choice but to compromise. Whether it was a man or a woman, nothing was more important than Mu Qing’s life.

However, despite their efforts, they couldn’t find a woman born under that exact birth chart.

By chance, Zhang Meiyan heard about this. She vaguely remembered that Zheng Xiyun was born on that day because, during her first year in the Zheng household, she had clashed with Zheng Xiyun on her birthday. Zhang Meiyan then approached Zheng Jiangling to confirm the exact time of Zheng Xiyun’s birth. Zheng Jiangling couldn’t recall clearly, so Zhang Meiyan eventually dug up Zheng Xiyun’s birth certificate at home.

Most birth certificates only record the time down to the minute, but thanks to Zheng Xiyun’s biological mother’s meticulousness, hers was precise to the second.

When Zhang Meiyan saw that thin piece of paper, it was as if she glimpsed her future prosperity. She went to great lengths to contact Chen Mingya, showing her the birth certificate and promising to arrange Zheng Xiyun’s marriage to Mu Qing. However, Zheng Xiyun refused outright and ultimately met an untimely death.

Of course, the truth of her death was something only Zheng Xiyun herself knew. Now, the outcome had changed. Initially unwilling, Zheng Xiyun unexpectedly crossed paths with Mu Qing and found herself unable to shake her off. Since that was the case, and the Mu family could offer her benefits, Zheng Xiyun agreed to the marriage.

When Mu Qing learned that she could also bring good fortune to Zheng Xiyun’s life, she smiled and said, “Now it’s perfect. Not only can you save me, but I can save you too. We’re rescuing each other—that makes it fair.”

Li Mu remarked, “Miss Mu, you’re getting the better deal. You’re more likely to die than Miss Zheng.”

Mu Qing tilted her head and whispered to Zheng Xiyun, “Let’s pretend we didn’t hear that. Just an illusion.”

The group quickly moved on from the topic. Li Mu had come this time to confirm once again whether Zheng Xiyun was truly the one who could alter Mu Qing’s fate. The moment he saw Zheng Xiyun, he already had his answer. After their conversation, Li Mu nodded to the other three members of the Mu family, finally putting Mu Qing’s parents and older brother at ease.

Li Mu advised them, “Now that the wedding date is set, Miss Mu and Miss Zheng should rest well and avoid overexertion. Mr. and Mrs. Mu must ensure everything is prepared. After the wedding, both of them will gradually improve.”

From Li Mu’s tone, it seemed that Zheng Xiyun only needed to prepare herself, and she couldn’t be bothered to ask if there was anything else she needed to do. Being able to slack off a bit was fine by her.

Staying at the Mu household had become a habitual affair, though Zheng Xiyun still opted for the guest room. She cherished these last days of solitude, as the thought of cohabiting with Mu Qing in the future was enough to make her feel somewhat overwhelmed.

Zheng Xiyun was genuinely preparing for the upcoming wedding. She delegated various tasks and instructed Yu Xiaxi, “There’s no need to rush the work. Many things can’t be hurried. The company won’t be investing in any other projects recently, so just focus on promoting the online company’s game.”

Yu Xiaxi felt a bit uneasy and asked, “But our company doesn’t have many investment projects at the moment. The most promising one right now is this online company investment. I know you also have a film investment in hand, but even that might not satisfy the shareholders’ demands. If we can’t generate a certain level of profit annually, our company’s standing within the parent company could become precarious, don’t you think?”

Touched, Zheng Xiyun reassured her, “Don’t worry about me. I already have plans in place. Just do your best with the online company’s project.”

Only then did Yu Xiaxi relax. “Understood. But President Zheng, if you don’t have someone reliable at hand, I can spare some time to help you with other matters.”

Zheng Xiyun nodded in agreement but had no intention of involving Yu Xiaxi in other projects. The potential of this game wouldn’t stop at its current state. It could reach a much wider audience. That was precisely why she wanted Yu Xiaxi to devote herself entirely to it.

After all, most people in that online company were tech geeks, not particularly skilled in marketing and promotion. Over the past two years working alongside her, Yu Xiaxi had absorbed a wealth of experience. It was time for her to stand on her own rather than remain an assistant.

As for other projects, Zheng Xiyun indeed had no plans to take on more this year. Though time was tight, she aimed to release the film around Christmas or New Year, hoping to recoup substantial dividends before the year’s end.

Moreover, her life wasn’t solely about this investment company. It was about gaining control of Zheng Corporation. Her goal was to enter the parent company by year-end and hand over the investment company to Yu Xiaxi. She couldn’t fight her battles alone in the parent company; she needed the support and backing of others. This was her most crucial task this year: paving a path of loyal talent across Zheng Corporation and its subsidiaries.

However, one incident disrupted her peace of mind. A week before the wedding, Mu Qing brought her some news.

Mu Qing handed a file to Zheng Xiyun and said, “Do you remember asking me to investigate Zhang Meiyan and Zheng Yoaquin?”

Zheng Xiyun nodded and was about to open the folder when Mu Qing pressed down on her hand, gripping it tightly. If not for Mu Qing’s serious expression, Zheng Xiyun might have thought she was taking liberties.

But Mu Qing was uncharacteristically solemn as she said, “Promise me that after reading this, you’ll keep your emotions in check. We can solve anything, but anger alone won’t fix it. I don’t want telling you this to leave you upset or heartbroken for long.”

At this moment, it felt as though a hand had clenched Zheng Xiyun’s heart, because Mu Qing had never spoken to her like this before. Zheng Xiyun’s gaze as she looked at the documents also grew solemn.

She opened the files one by one. Ten minutes later, Zheng Xiyun’s hands were tightly clenched into fists on the table, her teeth gritted, the corners of her eyes bloodshot, and her hands trembling uncontrollably.

Seeing her sudden emotional shift, Mu Qing immediately stood up and moved to Zheng Xiyun’s side, embracing her and pulling her close. Zheng Xiyun sat in the chair, her forehead pressed against Mu Qing’s warm and soft abdomen. The tension in her muscles instantly dissolved, but her relaxed body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Mu Qing’s heart ached terribly. Softly, she said, “Don’t worry. If it was her, I will definitely help you find the evidence.”

What had caused Zheng Xiyun’s extreme reaction was none other than a single sentence from Zhang Meiyan in the investigation documents.

This information had come from Zhang Meiyan’s former best friend, who revealed that Zhang Meiyan had once told her that entering the Zheng family was no coincidence—it had been meticulously planned. Otherwise, Zheng Xiyun’s birth mother might have lived who knows how long, and she couldn’t wait for that.

Which meant Zheng Xiyun’s mother might have been deliberately murdered by Zhang Meiyan. She could have continued living, but instead, she was replaced by a mistress—and in the cruelest way possible, through death!

A few minutes later, Zheng Xiyun stopped trembling. She lifted her head from Mu Qing’s abdomen and looked up at her, saying, “Keep investigating for me. If my mother’s death was truly her doing, I will make her pay.”

In Zheng Xiyun’s eyes at that moment, there was both vulnerability and venom. Mu Qing’s heart softened under her gaze, and she nodded. “Yes, I will definitely keep digging for you. But please don’t grieve anymore, okay? Otherwise, I’ll regret showing this to you.”

Zheng Xiyun nodded. “I’ll control myself.” But this revelation had brought her immense pain, and she couldn’t suppress the anguish and sorrow.

That night, Zheng Xiyun and Mu Qing went to a bar together. Zheng Xiyun downed several shots of strong liquor, her stomach burning fiercely, but her heart felt slightly better. Gradually, she grew drowsy and began telling Mu Qing about her childhood, about how good her mother had been to her.

Zheng Jiangling could be considered a “phoenix man”—someone who rose from humble beginnings and brought his entire family up with him. During the years surrounding Zheng Xiyun’s birth, the company was in its critical startup phase, and Zheng Jiangling spent most of his time building the business, neglecting to foster a bond with his daughter. Zheng Xiyun’s mother, however, was different. From the time Zheng Xiyun started early education classes, she returned to work alongside Zheng Jiangling to build the company. With her involvement and the help of her parents, the business gradually stabilized.

Because Zheng Xiyun clung to her mother and paid little attention to her father, Zheng Jiangling remained distant from her. But her mother made sure to spend time with her every day after work, which deepened their bond immensely.

Her mother’s death had always been a wound in Zheng Xiyun’s heart. If her mother had passed naturally, Zheng Xiyun would have grieved for a time and moved on. But now, there was evidence suggesting her mother had been killed by Zhang Meiyan—how could Zheng Xiyun possibly swallow such injustice?

After three rounds of drinks, Zheng Xiyun’s emotions spiraled out of control. She buried her face in Mu Qing’s embrace and began to cry. This was the second time she had wept in front of Mu Qing. At that moment, she might not have felt anything unusual, but had she reflected carefully, she would have realized that Mu Qing held a special place in her life. Apart from her own mother, Zheng Xiyun had only ever cried in front of Zhang Yi. Now, that short list would have to include Mu Qing as well.

Overwhelmed by grief, Zheng Xiyun eventually passed out drunk in Mu Qing’s arms. Mu Qing called her brother, and twenty minutes later, Mu Jin arrived at the bar to escort them out. Zheng Xiyun lay in the back seat, her head resting on Mu Qing as she slept fitfully. Mu Qing gently patted her shoulder with one hand while holding Zheng Xiyun’s hand with the other, hoping to convey a sense of security into her dreams.

Once Zheng Xiyun seemed more settled, Mu Jin finally spoke up. “Did you two come out drinking because there’s something unusual about her mother’s death?”

Mu Qing sighed softly. “Yes. I probably shouldn’t have told her the news. It would’ve been better to investigate first and then tell her.”

Mu Jin fell silent. After a moment of contemplation, Mu Qing sighed again. “But if I had done that, she would’ve been angry. After all, it’s about her mother. It wouldn’t be right for me to investigate without her consent. She cried so hard today; her eyes will definitely be swollen tomorrow morning.”

Mu Jin said, “Then it’s a good excuse to take the day off and rest at home. Or go shopping. Didn’t Mom say there were still some things left to buy? The two of you are so carefree—it’s your own wedding, yet you’re leaving everything to others. Mom has been complaining to me and Dad about it. This might be the only wedding in your lifetime, and you’re not taking it seriously at all.”

“How am I not taking it seriously?” Mu Qing retorted. “But didn’t Master Li say this isn’t an ordinary wedding? None of my ideas would’ve been accepted anyway.”

Mu Jin had nothing more to say. After all, there were many ways in which their wedding differed from a conventional one. He had only brought it up casually, seizing the moment. In his eyes, as long as Zheng Xiyun was willing to marry Mu Qing, and as long as Mu Qing could escape her ill fate, nothing else truly mattered.