I Married My Love Rival (GL) - Chapter 3
Office computer, art books, clothing, and supplies.
In the end, Ji Ran packed one suitcase worth of items.
“I have skincare and makeup products at my place.”
“But I can’t just throw these away.”
Suddenly rich, Ji Ran still couldn’t instantly break her good habit of being frugal; she had to use up what she had before buying new things.
Closing the suitcase, Ji Ran was about to lift it, but Luo Simo moved first.
“I’ll take it. It looks quite heavy.”
Ji Ran’s hand, gripping the empty air somewhat uncomfortably, didn’t quite know how to describe her current feelings. She let out a soft “Mm.”
Having been self-reliant for 27 years, this was the first time someone had offered to carry her luggage.
It was surprising, a little embarrassing, and a little…
“The landlady is sleeping next door, so don’t drag it on the floor. Let’s carry it out.”
“Okay.”
Lifting the 24-inch suitcase with ease, Luo Simo walked steadily ahead. Ji Ran followed behind, feeling a sense of awkwardness and not knowing what to do with her hands.
“Isn’t it too heavy? Let’s carry it together.”
Luo Simo turned her head to look at her: “Do I look like I’m struggling?”
“You’re so petite, of course I’m carrying it for you. You can leave it to me from now on.”
So, her 160 cm, 45 kg self was “petite and weak” in Luo Simo’s eyes. Ji Ran mentally compared it to how she felt when seeing a girl who was 150 cm and suddenly understood a little.
Luo Simo was more than just 10 cm taller than her.
Moreover, she had developed muscles; Ji Ran couldn’t pull her two hands free from just one of Luo Simo’s.
From the rental house to the underground parking lot, Luo Simo handled the suitcase the entire way, while Ji Ran carried her small bag. For once, she experienced what it felt like to be taken care of.
It was utterly unfamiliar.
“It will take over an hour to drive, so let’s eat first. What do you want?” Luo Simo asked after placing the luggage in the car.
“How about some stir-fry at the restaurant outside the complex?”
The small restaurant outside the complex was pretty good; Ji Ran often ate there when she was too lazy to cook.
“I just don’t know if you’ll be used to it. Because it might be a bit small, and the environment isn’t great.”
Would a big shot like Miss Luo condescend to eat at a roadside diner?
Ji Ran suggested her idea, then recalled Luo Simo’s identity and realized it might have been inappropriate.
“Or maybe you should choose a place yourself. There’s a shopping mall nearby.”
“Let’s just go first. I’m not that picky.”
Luo Simo started the car, completely unconcerned.
“Just point the way for me.”
There was space in front of the small restaurant for parking, which was convenient. After getting out of the car, Ji Ran glanced at the few small eateries and then looked at Luo Simo, who appeared completely normal, without any hint of disdain or discomfort.
“This one looks good. It smells fragrant.”
Out of a row of restaurants, Luo Simo coincidentally chose the one Ji Ran frequented the most.
The working crowd had already eaten and gone to work, so the store was quite empty. The proprietress was wiping tables and enthusiastically greeted them when they came in.
“Here’s the menu. Call me when you’ve decided, beautiful ladies!”
They found a small two-person table and sat down. Luo Simo handed the menu to Ji Ran.
“You order first.”
“Okay.”
Ji Ran ordered two of her usual dishes, then handed the menu to Luo Simo. After a few glances, Luo Simo immediately beckoned the proprietress over.
“Auntie, what are the fresh greens you have today?”
“Bok choy and water spinach. They were just bought from the farmer at the market, very fresh, picked early this morning.”
“Then we’ll have those two dishes on the menu, and add a clear stir-fry with bok choy.”
Ji Ran, who only ever ordered from the menu, was stunned. You can do that? Order a dish that’s not on the menu?
Watching Luo Simo’s manner, her skilled ordering and communication, it didn’t seem out of place in this small restaurant at all.
Luo Simo’s diet was always low in oil and light. She only ate some of the bok choy she ordered and sparingly tasted the two meat dishes Ji Ran had ordered.
Wiping the oil from her lips, Ji Ran greatly admired Luo Simo’s self-control regarding food. No wonder her figure was so good.
“Do you usually eat at small restaurants like this?”
“No, I have a dedicated nutritionist to plan my three meals a day. I rarely eat out.”
“But looking at you, I thought the legendary CEO would be similar to us ordinary people.”
Luo Simo only smiled at this and didn’t continue the conversation.
However, Ji Ran was reminded of herself. She had once been a child from a wealthy family until a change happened during her first year of high school, and she began living an ordinary life from then on.
Going from luxury to simplicity is difficult.
After eating, it was time to go home.
In the car, with just the two of them, Ji Ran made a few brief attempts at small talk and then ran out of things to say. She decided to pretend to be tired and fell asleep, but unexpectedly, she actually did drift off.
When Luo Simo woke her, they were already in her underground garage. Ji Ran counted eight luxury cars. Four of them, she calculated, could now be considered hers.
“You have a driver’s license, right? You can drive any of these cars. The insurance is all covered, so you don’t have to worry about scratches or bumps.”
Jingling the car keys, Luo Simo spoke as casually as if she were sharing food.
Ji Ran couldn’t hide her excitement. Is this… is this real?
She only dared to dream of such a scenario.
Following Luo Simo, they arrived at the first floor. Looking out from the living room, she could see a small garden surrounding two sides of the house.
“Half of the garden is open-air, and the other half is covered with glass to create a sunroom. You can sit there when you need inspiration for your drawings.”
“How did you know I draw?”
“The art books you packed in your suitcase.”
“Oh, right.”
Ji Ran felt like the current shock had scrambled her brain for her to forget she’d packed art books.
“This area has a small constant-temperature swimming pool and a small gym.”
“This… isn’t small at all.”
With Luo Simo’s simple introductions, Ji Ran felt that the dream house she wanted to buy was utterly insignificant compared to this.
And even when she was a rich family’s daughter, the treatment she enjoyed wasn’t this extravagant.
“My room is on the left side of the second floor. The cleaning lady doesn’t live with us but comes to clean every afternoon at four. The chef doesn’t live here either; you have to say in advance if you want a meal, though I occasionally cook myself.”
Listening to Luo Simo, Ji Ran nodded foolishly. She felt like she had suddenly been pulled from the real world into a fairy tale.
“This is our home now. After a month, if you’ve adjusted and don’t have any thoughts of divorce, I’ll add your name to the property deed.”
Need a month? I don’t want a divorce now!
Suppressing the excitement in her heart, Ji Ran nodded.
“Okay.”
But when she saw Luo Simo carry the suitcase upstairs, she belatedly realized something.
“Are we going to live in the same room from now on?”
“Of course. We’re legal partners.”
The realization that she now had to get used to having Luo Simo beside her when she slept stunned Ji Ran, then made her blush.
Luo Simo’s room was very large, minimalist in style, with a partition.
The inner bedroom, however, had a slightly more lived-in feel, with throw pillows featuring a photo of a golden retriever and a not-so-neatly folded set of pajamas at the foot of the bed…
“The inner bedroom is off-limits to the cleaning lady, so we’ll have to tidy it ourselves.” Seeing the throw pillow on the bed, Luo Simo remembered something she had forgotten to tell Ji Ran.
“I have a golden retriever. It’s been sick recently and is staying at the pet hospital. You… you’re not afraid of dogs, are you?”
“Of course, I’m not afraid! I actually really like them; I just don’t have the means to keep one.”
“That’s good. Her name is August. She’ll probably really like you, too.”
After all, you claimed to be a little dog-training expert.
“Then, how do I unpack my things?”
Her suitcase was still in the outer room, placed there by Luo Simo.
“You can use the closet inside and the wardrobe outside. Put your things wherever you want; you’re the boss.”
“Okay.”
Honestly, Luo Simo was a pretty great spouse: rich, good-looking, and not much trouble. Ji Ran felt she had married above her station.
Ji Ran started unpacking her things, while Luo Simo took a phone call and went downstairs, probably for some work-related matter.
As soon as she finished tidying, Ji Ran was wondering what to do when Luo Simo came back up with large shopping bags.
“Finished unpacking? Your clothes arrived.”
“Then I’ll continue to unpack.”
It was a good way to keep herself busy. Otherwise, she really didn’t know what she and Luo Simo would do when they were idle—sit in silence?
“Alright. I have something to go out for and won’t be back until tonight. There are ingredients in the kitchen. It’s hard to order delivery here, so can you cook for yourself?”
“I can.”
Hearing that Luo Simo was going out, Ji Ran finally breathed a sigh of relief. She had enough time to process everything alone, slowly.
The whole time, she had simply been following Luo Simo’s arrangements, without a moment to catch her breath.
Once Luo Simo left, Ji Ran immediately slumped onto the sofa in the outer room. Beside her were the bags of clothing Luo Simo had just put down. She recognized the logo on the packaging—these few bags alone probably cost half her annual salary.
Peeking into one of the bags, Ji Ran was speechless, her feelings complicated. Instead of immediately unpacking, she opened her phone.
First, the location: Jiangcheng suburbs, Half-Mountain Villa.
Next, the chat log. She had only managed to hastily send a message asking for leave and hadn’t checked her superior’s reply. Sure enough, her harsh and strict boss hadn’t said anything nice.
She said Ji Ran was going too far, not taking her job seriously, giving her a demerit, docking her pay, and considering termination if it happened again.
Ji Ran glanced at it and ignored it. After all, she was about to switch to the Luo family company.
Then, her friend Liang Yingzhi, who was worried about why she hadn’t replied and begging her not to do anything foolish because of Xu Zining’s engagement.
Ji Ran was about to reply when Liang Yingzhi sent another message.
[BIG NEWS, I just found out!]
[Bao, don’t be sad. I heard that at the engagement party yesterday, the other protagonist, Luo Simo, didn’t show up at all!]
Ah, I know that. Because she went to the nightclub.
And slept next to me.
But Ji Ran didn’t dare to say that, and even less did she dare to say that she had already gotten a marriage certificate with Luo Simo.
Although she and Liang Yingzhi were close, Liang Yingzhi’s reputation as a gossip magnet was well-earned. To be safe, she couldn’t tell her.
[I don’t know if Xu Zining’s engagement is even going to happen. The current situation is that both sets of parents agreed, but the status between the two of them is still pending discussion.]
Ji Ran: “It’s probably not happening.”
Liang Yingzhi: “You finally replied!”
[How do you know it’s not happening? You can’t let your personal feelings override objective facts!]
[The Luo family is ruled by old Madam Luo, and from what I can see, her attitude is very strong.]
I’m speaking based on objective facts! If Luo Simo could still get engaged, wouldn’t that be deception? Even if she was engaged, she couldn’t marry her.
However, speaking of old Madam Luo, Ji Ran became a little worried about Luo Simo.
She was also a little worried about their marriage.
What if, under the old lady’s pressure, their marriage really was just a fleeting one-day partner experience card?
Wouldn’t I then have gained a marriage history for nothing?