I Married My Love Rival (GL) - Chapter 19

It was the first day of Luo Simo’s absence.

The large villa felt empty with just herself and August, just as it was when Luo Simo was at work, yet somehow, it felt different.

Usually, Luo Simo would be home by evening, sometimes even earlier. But now, she was alone the entire day.

Not rushing to the art studio to work, Ji Ran went home and took a nap first.

On the bed, Luo Simo’s light blanket and pajamas had already been put away by Ji Ran, leaving only her own duvet.

Ji Ran lay down, spread out like a starfish, looking at the light blue curtains she had chosen, and slowly drifted into a reverie.

Although she was reluctant to admit it, she seemed to be growing more and more accepting of Luo Simo.

And, in just a few days, she had gotten used to having Luo Simo around.

What was Luo Simo thinking?

This person is too strange; I just can’t figure her out.

Lost in thought, Ji Ran gradually fell asleep until she was woken up by the sound of a video call.

She was startled.

It was Luo Simo’s call. Ji Ran woke up instantly and nervously answered the phone.

They had never video-called before. In Ji Ran’s habits, communication was usually done via text messages, phone calls were only for important matters, and video calls were almost non-existent.

So, what important thing did Luo Simo have to say?

“Have you eaten?”

Luo Simo’s voice came through first, and then the camera moved away from a tabletop, showing a pair of feet wearing hotel slippers.

Looking at her own screen, with the camera pointed at her just-woken-up face, Ji Ran quickly turned the camera away.

“Not yet, I’m about to order takeout.”

Luo Simo called specifically to report that she was safe. She really takes what I say to heart. A feeling of satisfaction rose in Ji Ran’s chest.

“Good. I just called for hotel room service, too.” Saying this, Luo Simo stood up. “Let me show you where I’m staying. You can check it out and see if there are any strange areas.”

Luo Simo’s voice carried a smile, clearly referring to what Ji Ran had said the night before.

“No, no need.”

I can’t believe that half-joking comment from yesterday is being brought up to mock me today.

“No, I must show you.” Luo Simo became stubborn, holding up her phone and starting the tour from the entrance.

“I’m staying alone. This is the living room, and this is the bathroom…”

“Okay, okay, I see it all.”

Just as Luo Simo finished, the room service arrived. Ji Ran prepared to hang up, but Luo Simo refused.

“I don’t want to eat alone.”

The camera briefly passed over the two dishes and one soup brought by the server, and Ji Ran’s stomach gave an involuntary rumble.

Luo Simo adjusted the camera, propped the phone up, and the food appeared before Ji Ran along with her.

“Seriously? I don’t have anything to eat yet!”

“Then quickly order takeout.”

Luo Simo had already picked up her chopsticks. Ji Ran started to order her food with a look of resentment.

“Turn your camera around too.”

Since the beginning, all Ji Ran could see was the bedsheets.

“No.”

Ji Ran wasn’t used to video chatting with people. Specifically, the number of times she had used this feature could be counted on one hand. So, when she first received Luo Simo’s call, she was a little flustered.

Luo Simo paused her hand mid-scoop of food and looked intently at the camera.

“But then I can’t see you.”

“Then you can’t see me.”

Ji Ran resisted the camera.

She was too unaccustomed to it.

The last time she video-chatted was with her grandparents in college. The two elderly people couldn’t handle smartphones well and always needed help, so Ji Ran just stuck to regular phone calls.

However, in college, what she saw most often was her roommates video-chatting with their partners, laughing and talking, or supervising each other’s study via video.

And people often posted screenshots of their call durations on social media, calls lasting several hours.

Ji Ran couldn’t imagine it and had never experienced it.

Although she was a little envious, Ji Ran never said so, and now that she was older, she no longer had those worldly desires.

Now, video-calling with Luo Simo made her feel a little awkward and uncomfortable.

“It’s boring if I can’t see you.”

Luo Simo coaxed her gently.

“It’s just like when we eat together normally. And I’ll probably be eating with clients later. We won’t be able to see each other and eat together until October 3rd, three days from now.”

Ji Ran was unmoved at first, but finally started to feel conflicted.

Other couples seemed to enjoy video calls. Given their relationship, and being separated now, it seemed like video calls were indeed necessary to maintain and nurture their feelings.

In the very end, Ji Ran took her phone and went to the bathroom.

“Wait for me.”

Combing her hair and washing the sleep from her eyes, Ji Ran cleared her throat and turned the camera to face herself.

The bathroom light was bright. Although it was the native camera and she was not wearing makeup, Ji Ran looked at herself in the lens.

Hmm, not bad-looking. She’s actually quite pretty.

No wonder pretty women love taking photos in the bathroom.

Finally seeing Ji Ran appear on camera, Luo Simo showed a faint smile. Then, noticing the familiar layout behind Ji Ran, she hesitated and asked:

“Are you… in the toilet?”

“Yes.”

Tired of standing in the bathroom, Ji Ran sat down on the toilet.

Luo Simo paused.

“I’m eating right now.”

Ji Ran was momentarily confused, then remembered Luo Simo was eating, and quickly explained.

“I’m not using the toilet! I’m not doing anything! I’m just sitting!”

Luo Simo slowly put the piece of food she had picked up into her mouth after a long pause, her expression slightly helpless. Ji Ran, seeing this, giggled.

Then, the discomfort of facing the camera slowly disappeared.

“Have you ordered your food? Are you going to eat in the bathroom later?”

“I’m looking right now. Of course not. I’ll eat downstairs later.”

“Hmph. So, by extension, you’re making me eat in the bathroom?”

In the end, by extension, Luo Simo finished that meal while on a video call with Ji Ran in the bathroom.

When the call ended, Ji Ran looked at the call duration: 34 minutes. She didn’t realize she was smiling.

She couldn’t help but take a screenshot of the screen.

If she were a few years younger, she’d want to post her call duration on social media too.

Suddenly, she felt that video-chatting for a few hours might not be so difficult after all.

As Luo Simo had said, she became busy afterward, eating out for business engagements and even holding meetings at night. However, she always made time to notify Ji Ran.

And Ji Ran would respond to her messages by sharing what she had been up to.

On the third day of the business trip, just as the weather forecast predicted, the sky was overcast, and a heavy rain was imminent.

Luo Simo had mostly finished her tasks and could have gone back early, but in this weather, it was obvious that all flights would be grounded.

While reading a book, she received a message from Ji Ran. Luo Simo had set a special ringtone for her, so she wouldn’t miss any of her messages.

Ji Ran: I’ve organized my portfolio. Do we have a printer at home? If not, I’ll find time to print it outside.

Luo Simo: I have one in the study upstairs. The computer password is xxx. If that’s too much trouble, you can also connect your phone.

Ji Ran: OK.

Luo Simo: There are empty folders on the shelf behind. You can use one.

Luo Simo: Put it on my desk after you’ve put everything in. I’ll take it with me later.

Ji Ran: Got it—

After sending the messages, Ji Ran must have gone to work on things, as she didn’t reply again. Luo Simo looked at the screen for a while before tapping Ji Ran’s profile picture.

Ji Ran’s profile picture was a richly colored landscape painting, and her social media background was the same image. But her social media feed was completely empty; Luo Simo couldn’t see anything.

Turning off her phone, Luo Simo continued reading.

Not long after, the wind suddenly picked up outside, and the long-brewing heavy rain finally poured down. The tapping sound of rain was accompanied by the wind. Luo Simo glanced at the balcony, got up to close the door, and checked the windows.

After doing this, she messaged Ji Ran again.

【It’s raining in A-City. The forecast says Jiang City will have a heavy rain too.】

【Remember to close the doors and windows. Stay home obediently.】

【I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon after the weather improves.】

Ji Ran didn’t reply immediately after the message was sent. Luo Simo assumed she was busy and would reply when she saw it, so she turned off her phone.

But for some reason, listening to the frantic rain outside, Luo Simo felt a faint sense of unease.

What could it be?

Could there be a loophole in this collaboration?

Jiang City…

After messaging Luo Simo, Ji Ran went to her study. This was her first time inside. The door wasn’t locked and opened easily. The decor was simple.

In fact, the entire room could be seen in a single glance. It was less than a third the size of her art studio downstairs.

However, the soundproofing was excellent. She couldn’t hear any of the whistling wind and rain outside, and the silence made Ji Ran feel a little tense.

This must be Luo Simo’s private space, right?

The small study she arranged for herself had no reception area, clearly indicating that it was usually just for her.

The room held three bookshelves, making the space feel a bit small. The desk only contained office supplies like a computer and a printer, with no decorations or plants.

The only item serving as a decoration was the retro desk lamp.

This is a bit too somber.

I should talk to her later and move some plants from the sunroom in here.

The office chair must have been genuine leather. It looked very comfortable. Ji Ran sat in it to test it out, then spun around a couple of times comfortably before taking out her phone to connect to the printer.

A dozen pages were quickly printed. After checking them, Ji Ran stacked them neatly on the desk by tapping the edges against the surface, then turned to look for an empty folder on the back shelf.

Strictly speaking, two shelves were in the back, and only one was on the side. Ji Ran started looking from the leftmost shelf.

She didn’t find a folder, but she did see a book that caught her interest: a collection of works and design thoughts by a famous jewelry design master.

Ji Ran pulled the book out without thinking twice.

This book was released during her first year of high school, with only three limited print runs. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been able to get a copy of any of them. At the time, she was focused on trying to get a signed edition, and in the end, she missed out on even the regular edition.

She never expected to see it today!

And it’s a signed edition!

What a delightful surprise! I wonder if I could ask Luo Simo for this book.

I should be able to get it, right? I am her wife, after all!

Now she remembers to use her identity.

Just as she was thinking this, Ji Ran opened the book, and a square white piece of paper fluttered out. Ji Ran quickly caught it.

It had Luo Simo’s handwriting on it. She recognized it instantly, having seen so many of Luo Simo’s notes.

The content written on the paper was: If possible, I would like to give it to her.

Give it to whom?

Ji Ran frowned. Maybe I should assume it’s for me?

But the paper didn’t look new.

She and Luo Simo hadn’t known each other for long.

The excitement of finding the book was instantly frozen. The smile on Ji Ran’s face slowly faded. She placed the note on the desk and opened the first page of the book.

On the frontispiece, there was the author’s Chinese signature, and an additional message written later in an elegant, flowing French script.

Ji Ran used her phone to translate the passage.

The translation app provided the following text:

To my dearest Miss Lin, I wish you success in becoming an excellent designer. Of course, in my heart, you are already the best.