Can't Possibly Fall for My Wife Again After Rebirth, Right? - Chapter 29

Xu Yingran’s words caused Fu Qiao to fall silent. Even Yao Jin moved her eyes away from her phone screen to stare intently at Fu Qiao.

“I… haven’t decided yet,” Fu Qiao said, looking at her two friends. “The training fees are too expensive. I don’t think my parents will pay that for me.”

Although Fu Qiao’s family ran a successful barbecue stall, they had recently purchased a new apartment and a storefront. Fu Qiao had never asked her family for extra money for her studies before; at most, she had attended a basic academic cram school during winter and summer breaks. She had never pursued anything outside the standard curriculum.

Broadcasting was something she had only just encountered. Even though she liked it, she wasn’t sure if her parents would support her. At the thought of this, her mood dampened.

She had been a “sensible” child from a young age, never fighting for things or envying what other children had. Her parents, Fu Jun and Hu Mei, weren’t highly educated. After being laid off, they started small businesses—first construction site lunchboxes, then breakfast stalls, and now barbecue. They worked until the middle of the night every day.

Fu Qiao’s earliest memories were of trying not to be a burden. While Xu Yingran was still downstairs playing in the dirt, Fu Qiao was already home making her own meals. Before she was even ten, she knew how to steam rice and make simple stir-fry dishes. Neighbors always praised her for being “mature,” but that maturity wasn’t something Fu Qiao had chosen for herself.

Her grades were excellent, but if she suddenly told her parents she wanted to spend a fortune on broadcasting classes, she doubted they would agree. She struggled with whether she should even speak up about her interests.

Seeing her distress, Yao Jin spoke up slowly.

“Actually, the Art Exam isn’t a bad thing. Even if you take the Art Exam, you can still participate in the regular Gaokao. It’s just providing yourself with an extra option. If you explain it to your parents that way, they might agree. After all, education investment is still an investment.”

Fu Qiao stared at Yao Jin blankly; it was the first time she had heard the term “education investment.”

Xu Yingran glanced at Yao Jin. “It’s rare to see you actually comforting someone.”

“I’m just speaking the truth,” Yao Jin replied.

Xu Yingran turned back to Fu Qiao. “Don’t worry too much. When we get home, I’ll talk to your parents with you. You won’t have to face them alone.”

Fu Qiao looked at the two people beside her and nodded solemnly. “Thank you guys.” Her mood lightened instantly. “It’s almost noon. Let’s eat before we go back. What do you want? My treat.” She still had the money from the exercise books in her pocket.

Yao Jin spoke up first: “I want steak.”

Xu Yingran kicked her. “Why order something so expensive? There’s a noodle shop nearby. We’ll just get three bowls of beef noodles.”

“Why did you say ‘two’ first? Oh, wait, never mind.”

“Right, two for me and Fu Qiao, and you can just sit there and watch.”

The two began bickering until Fu Qiao finally decided on grilled fish. A set meal for around 100 yuan would fill all three of them up.

Yao Jin’s driver arrived early to take her home, saying her father had something to discuss with her. After lunch, Yao Jin departed.

After Xu Yingran helped Fu Qiao settle the bill, they walked slowly toward the bus station outside the shopping center. In this era, the city didn’t have a developed subway system; everyone relied on buses.

The afternoon sun was brutal, likely over 30°C. Xu Yingran pulled Fu Qiao into the shade of the bus stop to wait for the slow-moving bus. Despite it being the weekend, the bus was crowded. Xu Yingran found a seat and pulled Fu Qiao into it, while she stood next to her, holding the handrail.

Fu Qiao looked up. “Aren’t you going to sit?”

More people crowded onto the bus. Xu Yingran gripped the rail and looked down at her. “No, you stay seated.”

As the doors closed, the bus lurched forward like a tin of sardines. Perhaps because of the heat, Xu Yingran felt a faint smell of sweat in the air. Even though the AC was on, the sluggish pace made her miss the subways of the future.

Fu Qiao watched Xu Yingran swaying with the motion of the bus. Just as they hit a sharp turn, Fu Qiao instinctively reached out and wrapped her arms around Xu Yingran’s waist to steady her. Her slender white arms hugged her tightly, as if afraid she’d be thrown off, her fair face turning slightly red from the effort.

Xu Yingran wanted to laugh. she reached out with her free hand and patted Fu Qiao’s head, letting her lean against her. Feeling the gesture, Fu Qiao looked up with a confused gaze.

“You…”

Just as Xu Yingran was about to say something playful, a small child nearby lost their balance and lurched forward, grabbing onto Fu Qiao’s leg for support. The child was chubby, a little girl who looked like she had just started kindergarten. She had two little pigtails and bright, curious eyes.

Fu Qiao: “…” Her face flushed, and she reflexively pushed Xu Yingran away.

Xu Yingran, suddenly pushed back, stared at her in shock. Why did she push her away so suddenly?

Then, the little girl holding Fu Qiao’s leg spoke: “Big Sister, why were the two of you hugging?”

The moment the child spoke, Fu Qiao’s face turned as red as a boiled lobster. She stared at the child, speechless.

Xu Yingran, meanwhile, noticed the kid’s hand was still on Fu Qiao’s leg, leaving a red mark on her fair skin. Damn, I haven’t even touched her leg yet, where did this brat come from being so familiar?!

“W-we weren’t. Don’t say nonsense,” Fu Qiao stammered, trying to explain to the child. “The bus turned, and we… accidentally bumped into a hug.”

Accidentally? Xu Yingran looked at her in surprise. Hugging her was an “accident”???? Her own wife needed an excuse to hug her????

Xu Yingran was miffed. She felt that even if they weren’t married now, they would be eventually. Why did an “old” married couple need to explain a hug to a random child? But she couldn’t be mean to her wife, so she turned her gaze to the meddling brat.

“Whose kid are you?” she asked unhappily.

The little girl looked up, her big eyes blinking. A young woman squeezed through the crowd, apologizing to both of them. “I’m so sorry! I was swiping my card and didn’t watch her. I hope she didn’t bother you.”

Fu Qiao stood up with a red face and shook her head. “It’s fine. You take the seat.”

“Oh, that’s too kind…”

“It’s okay, sit with your child.”

Fu Qiao then grabbed Xu Yingran’s sleeve and pulled her to the other side of the bus.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Yingran looked down at her flushed face. “Are you unhappy?”

“No.” Fu Qiao didn’t dare look up. She could hear the little girl in the seat behind them asking her mother, “Why were those two sisters hugging? What were they doing?”

Fu Qiao was thin-skinned. She couldn’t handle the questioning of a child and just wanted to get as far away as possible. But after two steps, Xu Yingran caught her.

“Where are you going?” Xu Yingran pulled her into a protective embrace, her arm around Fu Qiao’s waist. “Don’t run around on the bus. It’s crowded, aren’t you hot?”

Fu Qiao buried her face against Xu Yingran’s shoulder, her ear tips turning crimson. Seeing those ears twitch, Xu Yingran felt a surge of affection—or was it temptation?

She leaned in and whispered into Fu Qiao’s ear: “Why are your ears so red?”

Fu Qiao immediately covered her ears with her hands and glared at Xu Yingran before hiding her face again. Xu Yingran chuckled secretly, one hand on the bus pole and the other keeping Fu Qiao tucked against her chest.

The bus swayed through the streets. Xu Yingran found the afternoon quite precious—no pressure, no worries about the future, just holding Fu Qiao in silence.

By the time they reached the stop near the old street, the bus had emptied out. The mother and daughter were long gone, but Fu Qiao’s ears were still red. She hurried off the bus toward the old street with Xu Yingran trailing lazily behind.

“Fu Qiao.” “Fu Qiao~” “Fu Qiao~~~”

Xu Yingran called out with a grin. “Why are you walking so fast? Usually, you’re the one chasing me. Why so fast today?”

Fu Qiao ignored her and kept walking. Xu Yingran realized she was being genuinely ignored, so she sprinted a few steps and blocked her path. Fu Qiao couldn’t stop in time and crashed right into Xu Yingran’s arms.

“Fu Qiao, Fu Qiao, my dear Fu Qiao,” Xu Yingran teased, swaying her back and forth in the hug. “Why the anger? How did I offend you today?”

Fu Qiao felt dizzy from the swaying. “We’re in the middle of the street! What are you doing?”

She tried to push Xu Yingran’s shoulders, but Xu Yingran caught her hands and interlaced their fingers.

“No matter how I offended you, I’ll apologize first, okay?” Xu Yingran coaxed. “Can I come over to your house to do homework this afternoon? There’s too much this week, and I can’t focus without you.”

“I-it’s not like you don’t know how to do it,” Fu Qiao said, face blushing.

“I really don’t,” Xu Yingran grinned, her eyes curving into crescents. “I’m so slow, you have to teach me.