Can't Possibly Fall for My Wife Again After Rebirth, Right? - Chapter 32

“Fu Qiao!”

Xu Yingran caught up from behind, calling out to her. “Where are you going?”

Fu Qiao and Zhou Wan both turned around. Seeing Xu Yingran drenched in sweat and panting, Fu Qiao asked in surprise, “Why did you run like that?”

Xu Yingran stood there, hands on her hips, gasping for air. Her eyes immediately dropped to their interlaced hands. She felt as if a giant vat of vinegar had been kicked over in her heart, bubbling and fuming.

“You haven’t answered me yet. Where are you going?” Xu Yingran found their hand-holding an eyesore. She reached out and unceremoniously pulled Fu Qiao over to her side.

“Zhou Wan invited me over there to play volleyball.” Being yanked by the arm, Fu Qiao also felt something was a bit off. She couldn’t tell if it was because Xu Yingran had just run too hard, but her hand felt exceptionally hot—like a small furnace pressed against Fu Qiao’s skin.

Xu Yingran was displeased. She looked down at Fu Qiao and said, “You’re in Grade 12, she’s in Grade 11. Why are you going over to their side to play volleyball? If you like volleyball, Yao Jin and I can play with you.”

“But weren’t you two going to play badminton?” Fu Qiao looked at her, puzzled. “Badminton isn’t for three people. And even if we play volleyball, we’d still be one person short. What’s the difference?”

“How can it be the same?”

It’s a huge difference! Xu Yingran thought. Anything involving Zhou Wan is a massive problem!

Xu Yingran now felt that Yao Jin’s earlier suggestion was actually great: they play, and she’ll just fetch the birds.

Seeing the two start to bicker, Zhou Wan gave an awkward smile and said to Xu Yingran, “Senior, don’t be so fierce. Senior Fu Qiao only agreed because she had no one to play with, so I invited her to join us.”

Xu Yingran turned and glared at her. “Who says she has no one to play with? We’re playing right now.”

With that, Xu Yingran tried to lead Fu Qiao away, but Fu Qiao pulled her arm back. Xu Yingran looked at her in disbelief. Her own wife was breaking free from her for a Zhou Wan?

Fu Qiao, oblivious to Xu Yingran’s inner turmoil, stepped closer to Zhou Wan while rubbing her wrist. She said to Xu Yingran, “Go play badminton with Yao Jin. Playing volleyball with Zhou Wan is fine. Also, stop being so grumpy all the time.”

Xu Yingran was shocked again. Fierce? Grumpy? Me? Since when?!

Zhou Wan gave a dry laugh. “Well, Senior, we’ll be going now.”

Watching Fu Qiao walk away with Zhou Wan, Xu Yingran stood there with her hands on her hips, fuming. Ultimately, she decided she couldn’t let them be alone and quickly followed.

She watched as Zhou Wan led Fu Qiao to the volleyball court where two other students were waiting. They greeted each other warmly, and the four of them chatted and laughed, looking incredibly happy.

Xu Yingran sat under a tree nearby, watching them like a hawk. After a while, Yao Jin jogged over with the rackets. Seeing Xu Yingran’s gaze fixed entirely on Fu Qiao, she leaned against the tree and sighed. “What is with you? You leave for ages and don’t come back; I had to come find you.”

Xu Yingran didn’t even turn her head. She watched Fu Qiao on the court, focusing on the bouncing ball. When Fu Qiao jumped to hit the ball, her exertion caused her blue-and-white uniform to ride up, revealing a glimpse of her slender, pale waist.

The school uniform wasn’t particularly loose, but it usually hid everything. Now, with the jumping, Xu Yingran’s gaze involuntarily drifted to Fu Qiao’s chest and that occasional flash of skin at her waist.

How can my wife be so good-looking?

Xu Yingran was staring so intently she didn’t even hear Yao Jin calling her name. Instead, she saw Fu Qiao suddenly run toward her with a look of horror.

Before Xu Yingran could figure out why, she felt a massive BANG against her head. She was struck by a ball flying out of nowhere and slammed into the ground.

Only after she was hit did she hear someone yell, “Ball!”

What ‘ball’?! Who yells ‘ball’ AFTER they’ve already kicked it into someone’s head?!

In an instant, a crowd gathered. People were talking all at once, worried about Xu Yingran lying on the ground. Fu Qiao rushed over, looking terrified. She lifted Xu Yingran’s hair and asked frantically, “Where did it hit you? Does it hurt? Should we go to the infirmary?”

Xu Yingran felt a throbbing pain in her temples. Her ears were ringing, making it hard to hear. She just felt Fu Qiao holding her, her lips moving as if saying something. It took a long time for her to regain her senses.

The Grade 11 PE teacher rushed over to check on her, then turned and scolded the students, “Who kicked the volleyball? Don’t you know you’re not supposed to kick them like that!”

No one dared to speak. Fu Qiao held Xu Yingran, asking nervously, “Teacher, what should we do? Should we go to the hospital?”

“Don’t panic, let me see.” The teacher checked her and, seeing no external wounds other than a bit of dizziness, said to Fu Qiao, “Take her to the infirmary first. If she’s still unwell after class, we’ll send her for a CT scan.”

Hearing “CT scan,” Xu Yingran waved her hand. “No, no need. I’m just a bit dizzy, I’m fine.”

Fu Qiao wasn’t convinced. She cupped Xu Yingran’s face. “No, we have to go get you checked.”

Xu Yingran felt a bit better. Seeing Fu Qiao’s worried face made her heart feel sweet, but when she tried to smile, the muscles near her temples twinged with pain, making her expression look quite odd.

Yao Jin knelt down and said calmly, “Infirmary first. See what the school doctor says.”

They helped Xu Yingran to the clinic. The school doctor had her lie on the bed, checked her over, and shined a penlight in her pupils. By then, Xu Yingran was mostly clear-headed; the ball had just stunned her.

The doctor told the PE teacher, “She’s fine, everything looks normal. If you’re worried, let her rest here for observation. If there’s still a problem after class, take her to the hospital.”

Xu Yingran lay on the bed, her eyes darting around. She found the way Fu Qiao listened so intently to the doctor’s instructions adorable. She couldn’t resist reaching out and squeezing Fu Qiao’s hand.

Fu Qiao felt the squeeze and leaned down. “Are you okay? Do you still feel sick?”

Xu Yingran shook her head and said weakly, “Not sick, just… really dizzy.”

She was laying it on a bit thick—30% truth, 70% acting—just so Fu Qiao would stay and keep her company.

It worked. Fu Qiao grew more nervous and stayed behind while Yao Jin went to the classroom to ask for leave on her behalf. The Grade 11 kids were led away by their teacher.

The world suddenly became quiet.

Fu Qiao sat by the bed holding Xu Yingran’s hand. They stared at each other. Occasionally Fu Qiao would ask where it hurt, and Xu Yingran would keep up the act, claiming her head was dizzy, or she was thirsty, or her temples throbbed.

My palm hurts, my elbow hurts… I need a hug and a kiss to feel better.

The doctor, sensing there was no real emergency, said to Fu Qiao, “Keep an eye on her. I have things to do in the other room. Call me if anything changes.”

The doctor even thoughtfully pulled the curtain shut, creating a private little space. Xu Yingran stared straight at Fu Qiao until Fu Qiao felt a bit prickly.

“Why do you keep looking at me?”

Xu Yingran blinked. “Nothing. Just looking at you.”

She thought back to that flash of white waist during the volleyball game. Why hadn’t she noticed how good Fu Qiao’s figure was at this age before? Likely because the ugly uniforms hid everything.

She also recalled last Saturday when Fu Qiao wore those short shorts, showing off her long, fair legs. The thought made Xu Yingran’s heart itch. When is she going to confess to me?

With that in mind, she suddenly asked, “Fu Qiao, do you have someone you like?”

Fu Qiao looked at her, confused. “Why the sudden question?”

“Just bored lying here,” Xu Yingran said guiltily.

Fu Qiao thought for a moment and shook her head. “No. We’re seniors now; we should focus on studying. Liking someone is just… secondary.”

Xu Yingran went silent. She thought to herself: Fu Qiao is still keeping it a secret. Fine, I’ll wait for the day she brings a pink love letter to confess.

They chatted a bit more until Xu Yingran grew drowsy. Holding Fu Qiao’s hand, she drifted off to sleep.

When she woke up again, the person sitting there wasn’t Fu Qiao—it was Yao Jin.

Yao Jin was fiddling with her phone. Without looking up, she said, “Did you know you snore?”

“?” Xu Yingran protested. “Impossible. I never snore.”

Realizing Yao Jin was teasing her, she grumbled, “Where’s Fu Qiao? She was here before I fell asleep.”

“You actually realized you fell asleep?” Yao Jin put her phone away. “She went to the cafeteria to get food. She asked me to watch you. Of course, you wake up right after she leaves.”

Xu Yingran sat up, yawning. “What time is it?”

“Just past noon.”

“Oh. Have you eaten?”

“Not yet. Fu Qiao is bringing food back for all three of us.”

Xu Yingran nodded and watched Yao Jin go back to her phone. “I see you playing on that thing every day. What are you even looking at?”

Yao Jin glanced at her, propped her chin on her hand, and dropped two words:

“Stocks.”