Accidentally Sold Myself (Rebirth) - Chapter 18
18: Poor Soundproofing
“You, you, you… Why are you here?” Mo Yuze, upon seeing Lan Qingxue, stammered as if startled out of her wits, pointing at her with a trembling finger.
At the same time, Gu Xi had just finished washing her face and was heading downstairs when she noticed the peculiar atmosphere between the two. Her gossip-loving heart instantly flared up, and she hid behind a corner to eavesdrop.
Luo Ningshuang was about to warn her that eavesdropping here would get her caught, but Gu Xi pulled her over and shot her a look, signaling her to stay quiet.
“Didn’t Luo Ningshuang tell me there was something to discuss? Why, am I not allowed to come?” Lan Qingxue pushed past Mo Yuze, who was blocking her way, and walked inside, looking at her as she spoke.
“No, I… I mean…” Mo Yuze stuttered, unsure of what to say. She clearly wanted to apologize, but the words wouldn’t come.
“If it’s about apologizing, save it. It was just a drunken mistake. We’re all adults here. I don’t mind, so why should you?” Lan Qingxue’s expression seemed completely unbothered.
At this, Gu Xi, still eavesdropping, suddenly felt a prickling sensation, as if someone was staring daggers at her. Turning around, she caught Luo Ningshuang’s meaningful gaze.
Wait, what was that look supposed to mean? She was nothing like Mo Yuze, okay?
But Mo Yuze, instead of feeling relieved, felt worse. That night, she had gone to a bar to continue flirting with girls. She’d drunk a lot and thought she’d brought a girl back to the hotel. But when she woke up, she found herself lying naked next to Lan Qingxue.
That moment had truly freaked her out!
Yet hearing Lan Qingxue brush it off so casually, when she should’ve felt relieved, Mo Yuze felt the opposite. She couldn’t quite describe the feeling. Back then, she’d just wanted to escape, especially when she lifted the covers and saw the glaring red stain.
She’d assumed Lan Qingxue would care deeply about it. After all, she’d never seen her with anyone and always thought her to be quite conservative. But now… for the first time, Mo Yuze felt a sour pang in her heart.
“Ningshuang, you’ve seen enough. Come down already. Let’s talk about whatever it is quickly, or your ‘LS’ won’t last much longer.” Lan Qingxue said, noticing Mo Yuze’s silence. She sighed inwardly, not wanting to press her further, and shifted the topic.
That night, Mo Yuze hadn’t brought her to the hotel. But Lan Qingxue couldn’t just stand by and watch her roll around with another woman, so she paid the other girl to leave.
Disappointment was inevitable. From start to finish, Lan Qingxue had only ever liked Mo Yuze, but Mo Yuze never had eyes for her. Even after giving her her first time, Mo Yuze showed no intention of taking responsibility.
Lan Qingxue didn’t regret her decision, but the disappointment was unavoidable.
Caught red-handed, Gu Xi awkwardly stepped out, surprised at being discovered so quickly. She was used to being a “ghost” and should’ve picked a better hiding spot for gossip. She gave an embarrassed smile, “Oh, Sister Qingxue, you’re here too!”
“Mm.”
Gu Xi discreetly kicked Luo Ningshuang, who was watching the drama unfold, and shot her a fierce glare. Keeping her lips slightly parted and teeth clenched, she whispered in a mosquito-like voice, “This is all your fault! Why didn’t you warn me we’d get caught eavesdropping here?”
Luo Ningshuang: “…”
Luo Ningshuang bent down to rub her calf for a moment before saying, “Fine, it’s my fault. But, Madam, could you please not kick me next time?”
“Sure, I’ll switch to pinching.” Gu Xi retorted, annoyed. Madam? She was the dominant one—shouldn’t it be “Lord”?
Luo Ningshuang: “…” Pinching’s not any better.
“Let’s go to my study to talk.” Luo Ningshuang said as she descended the stairs, giving Gu Xi a look and nodding toward Mo Yuze, signaling her to keep an eye on her.
Gu Xi instantly understood—she was supposed to counsel Mo Yuze!
Sitting beside her, Gu Xi casually remarked, “You two already, you know… did that. So, what’s your plan now?”
“Can you not bring it up? And why didn’t you tell me Lan Qingxue was coming?” Mo Yuze said irritably.
“Blame me, huh? I’m just saying, Sister Qingxue is beautiful, gentle, and keeps herself pure. Why not consider her?” Gu Xi pressed.
Mo Yuze, frustrated, ran a hand through her hair. “Dating’s too much hassle, and I’m not done having fun. I don’t want to get hung up on one person.”
Gu Xi blinked in disbelief. “Wow, you’re such a player. Fine, you don’t deserve Qingxue. Better not waste her time. But don’t come crying when someone else snatches her up. She’s amazing—there’ll be no shortage of suitors.”
“Heh, you’re no better than me. What gives you the right to lecture me?” Mo Yuze, growing more agitated, snapped without thinking.
“Hey! I’m nothing like you. Don’t slander me! I don’t just hook up with anyone.” Gu Xi shot back, indignant.
“Oh, really? What about Luo Ningshuang? I know her type—more conservative than Qingxue, says she doesn’t care but cares a lot deep down.” Mo Yuze retorted.
Gu Xi rolled her eyes. It wasn’t the same thing! “She doesn’t even like me. Besides, aren’t we already married? I’m way better than you.”
“You’re just mocking me now, aren’t you?” Mo Yuze was about to keep arguing when her stomach suddenly growled loudly.
“Haven’t eaten dinner yet?” Gu Xi grinned.
Mo Yuze clutched her stomach, wailing, “It’s your fault! Showing up so late, I haven’t had a bite!”
“Serves you right. I’ll check the fridge for something to eat.” The two quickly forgot their earlier bickering.
Looking at the fully stocked fridge—completely different from last time—Gu Xi found ham, eggs, vegetables, and noodles. “I’ll make you some noodles. It’s quick.”
“Cool.”
Mo Yuze followed her into the kitchen, intending to help, but she was clueless and just stood at the door, watching Gu Xi work.
For some reason, for the first time, Mo Yuze thought that spending a lifetime with a woman like this—bickering occasionally, leaning on each other—might not be so bad. But the thought startled her, and she quickly shook it off, banishing the dangerous idea.
Gu Xi was fast. Soon, the aroma filled the air…
“Done. I’ll bring it to the table.” Turning around, Gu Xi saw Mo Yuze standing there with a silly expression, which puzzled her.
Snapping out of it, Mo Yuze sat at the table, praising the fragrant noodles. “Didn’t expect you could cook.”
“Don’t flatter me. I only know a few simple dishes, barely edible.” Gu Xi said. Usually, she’d cook when hungry while writing at home, but she mostly ate out. Her ex-girlfriend, on the other hand, was pampered, never lifting a finger.
Clearly starving, Mo Yuze shoveled the scalding noodles into her mouth, exclaiming, “Wow, hot! But so good!”
Gu Xi was pleased to hear her cooking praised, even if it was a bit exaggerated.
“What are you eating?” Luo Ningshuang frowned, seeing Mo Yuze with the noodles—clearly not something Mo Yuze’s terrible cooking skills could produce.
“Gu Xi made me noodles.” Mo Yuze replied.
Luo Ningshuang and Lan Qingxue sat across from her, watching her eat.
Mo Yuze: “…”
Luo Ningshuang stayed silent, but Gu Xi noticed her subtly tapping her finger—a sign she was annoyed.
Gu Xi couldn’t understand. It was just a bowl of noodles. Was that worth getting upset over?
Feeling uneasy under Lan Qingxue’s stare, Mo Yuze tentatively asked, “You hungry? Want Gu Xi to make you some?”
When Lan Qingxue didn’t respond, Mo Yuze looked at her half-eaten bowl, gritted her teeth, and pushed it toward her. “If you don’t mind, have some of mine.”
“I don’t mind.” Lan Qingxue said with a gentle smile.
That smile hit Mo Yuze right in the heart, leaving her dazed as she watched Lan Qingxue eat her leftover noodles bit by bit.
Luo Ningshuang stood, walked to Gu Xi, and whispered, “I want egg noodles too. Make me some.”
Her commanding tone irked Gu Xi. “No eggs. And didn’t you already have dinner?”
Luo Ningshuang didn’t give up. “Fine, it can be a late-night snack. No eggs? Ham noodles then.”
“No ham either.”
That was impossible. Luo Ningshuang lowered her standards. “Vegetable noodles, then. You’ve got those, right?”
Gu Xi nodded. “Got veggies, but no noodles.”
No way. She’d asked Aunt Lan to buy plenty—Mo Yuze couldn’t have eaten them all. Determined, Luo Ningshuang checked the fridge. Sure enough, no noodles.
Disappointment filled her eyes, and Gu Xi saw, for the first time, such a wronged expression on her face.
Unable to resist, Gu Xi pinched Luo Ningshuang’s smooth cheeks, feeling delighted. “Aw, look at that pitiful face. Fine, since I’m in a good mood, I’ll let you in on a secret—there are noodles, in the pot.”
Luo Ningshuang’s face lit up as she opened the pot, but her mood plummeted when she saw the contents. “The noodles are mushy! And why’s there only vegetables? No eggs, no ham?”
Gu Xi scratched her head, embarrassed. “There were only two eggs left, and they went to Mo Yuze. As for the ham, I got bored while cooking and ate a few slices. The last few pieces are in her bowl.”
For the first time, Luo Ningshuang felt a pang of grievance. She slammed the pot lid with a loud bang, drawing the attention of the two outside the kitchen.
“I’m not eating,” she declared.
She pushed past the approaching duo, but after two steps, she turned back, pointing at Mo Yuze. “You—don’t come to my house again.”
“What’s her deal?” Mo Yuze asked, baffled, watching Luo Ningshuang storm back to her room.
“No idea. Probably like a kid who didn’t get candy, throwing a tantrum. She’ll be fine soon.” Gu Xi shrugged.
Lan Qingxue chuckled. “You should go cheer her up.”
Fine, the dominant one should pamper the submissive one. Gu Xi nodded, walking off while saying, “Alright, I’ll go coax her. You two, do whatever. You can sleep in my room, but don’t make too much noise—the soundproofing here isn’t great.”
Lan Qingxue: “…”
Mo Yuze: “…”