Can't Possibly Fall for My Wife Again After Rebirth, Right? - Chapter 39

As soon as Yao Jin said those words, Xu Yingran froze.

She knew about Yao Jin’s family situation. To put it simply: Yao Jin’s parents had entered a business marriage when they were young. With no foundation of affection, they had struggled to tolerate each other. At first, there were only minor frictions.

But since Yao Jin was born, the couple couldn’t stand the sight of one another. The arguments started during the postpartum period and never stopped. Eventually, it reached a point where as soon as Yao Jin’s father stepped through the door, the two would explode over the smallest things—throwing tables and smashing chairs until the house was a wreck.

Later, Yao Jin’s mother stopped coming home altogether. At first, she visited once a month; later, she would only drop by during holidays to glance at Yao Jin before leaving immediately. Sometimes, to avoid seeing Yao Jin’s father, she would insist on meeting outside.

Yao Jin grew up in this environment, starved of parental affection. In kindergarten, she had cried for her parents, but by the time she started school, she realized that not all mothers love their children. Because her mother hated Yao Jin’s father, she “hated the house and its crow” (a Chinese idiom for hating everything associated with someone), extending that dislike to Yao Jin. Consequently, she showed very little concern for her own daughter.

Xu Yingran had once analyzed this with Yao Jin, suggesting that her mother might have suffered from postpartum depression combined with the lack of emotional foundation in the marriage.

But what did that have to do with Yao Jin?

She hadn’t forced her mother to give birth to her. Why bring a child into the world only to ignore her? In elementary school, she could still see her mother during holidays, but by junior high and high school, Yao Jin wouldn’t see the woman once a year.

And now, that woman appeared right in front of her, behaving intimately with another woman.

Xu Yingran didn’t know the full story—she wasn’t one to dig into others’ privacy—but she knew the broad strokes. The details her friend hadn’t shared remained a mystery.

They watched the woman from a short distance. Yao Jin’s mother had started her own company and become a CEO; she knew how to take care of herself, so she looked like she was only in her thirties—very young. The young woman beside her appeared to be in her early twenties. The younger woman held a stud earring up to the older woman’s ear to compare; Yao Jin’s mother lowered her head shyly, smiling as she whispered something back.

Ordinary friends don’t shop like that. Xu Yingran could see the subtle gestures and the ambiguous atmosphere between them.

Just as she was trying to get a closer look, Yao Jin’s mother instinctively turned around. Her eyes met Yao Jin’s. The smile on the woman’s face gradually vanished, replaced by a cold indifference.

Yao Jin’s expression darkened instantly. She grabbed Xu Yingran’s arm, intending to walk away.

“A-Jin.”

Suddenly, the woman spoke, stopping Yao Jin in her tracks. “What are you doing here?”

Yao Jin stopped. After an internal struggle, she slowly turned back to face the woman walking toward them.

Lü Qing walked up to Yao Jin, looking her up and down. Her gaze shifted to Xu Yingran, scrutinizing her for a moment before saying, “This must be a classmate from your new school?”

Yao Jin pursed her lips and remained silent.

Her mother knew she had transferred schools. She knew everything, yet she had never bothered to visit. By Yao Jin’s count, it had been over eight months since they last met—back during the Spring Festival, when Lü Qing had come to find Yao Jin’s father and had a massive argument in the study.

Yao Jin’s father was willing to divorce, but Lü Qing’s demands were excessive. She essentially wanted to strip the company bare.

“I have no problem with a divorce,” her father had yelled. “The company was started by both of us. But you want all the assets and resources—what use is an empty shell to me?”

“I’m the one who put in the most effort. I brought in all those clients. I’m just taking what belongs to me.”

“When you make these demands, do you consider A-Jin? If you empty the company, what will she do when she grows up?”

“Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. A-Jin doesn’t need to inherit the company; she can do whatever she wants. As her mother, I won’t let her starve.”

“Lü Qing, Yao Jin is your daughter too!”

Listening to her parents scream upstairs, Yao Jin’s expression had been eerily calm. The chef had prepared a massive New Year’s Eve feast to welcome Lü Qing, but the woman had gone straight upstairs to argue the moment she entered. The shouting was so loud it could be heard through the closed doors.

Then came the sound of something shattering in the study. The servants looked up. Soon after, Lü Qing stormed out of the study, fuming. As she passed the dining room, a nanny spoke up: “Will Madam be staying for New Year’s dinner?”

Lü Qing ignored her, changed her shoes, and slammed the door so hard the house shook. After the silence returned, Yao Jin’s father emerged from the study, looking haggard. He had wanted a family reunion, but it had turned into a disaster.

“A-Jin…”

Her father tried to speak, but the person at the dining table cut him off.

“Isn’t Papa coming to eat?” Yao Jin asked, looking up. “If we don’t eat now, the food will get cold.”

Feeling a pang of heartache, her father sighed and invited the nannies and drivers who hadn’t gone home for the holiday to join them at the table. It was too much food for just two people.

That was the last time Yao Jin had seen Lü Qing. Eight months ago.

Today, Lü Qing didn’t have the ferocious face she used for Yao Jin’s father. With her exquisite makeup, she looked like a movie star. Hearing her mention her, Xu Yingran snapped out of it. “Hello, Auntie. I’m Yao Jin’s classmate, Xu Yingran.”

Lü Qing smiled. “Hello. Are you out shopping with A-Jin today?” She gestured to the shopping bags in their hands.

“Yes,” Xu Yingran answered truthfully. “There were three of us, but the other one is at a tutoring center nearby. We’re waiting for her to finish.”

“I see.” Lü Qing turned back to Yao Jin with a light smile. “A-Jin has friends now.”

Yao Jin frowned, staring at her mother. “Do you have anything else? If not, we have things to do.”

Lü Qing countered, “A-Jin, aren’t you going to greet your mother?”

“Is there a point?” Yao Jin said coldly. “I thought you’d forgotten you even had a daughter.”

“A-Jin…”

“We really have things to do,” Yao Jin said firmly. “I can see you’re busy. We won’t disturb the two of you.”

The woman standing behind Lü Qing looked startled and seemed like she wanted to explain something, but Yao Jin gave her no chance. She pulled Xu Yingran away.

Xu Yingran didn’t resist. She glanced back to see Lü Qing sighing helplessly and saying something to the younger woman, who lowered her head and nodded weakly.

They found a hotpot restaurant upstairs. After being seated, Yao Jin ordered a glass of ice water and leaned back, brushing her bangs aside. Xu Yingran sent a text to Fu Qiao before asking cautiously, “A-Jin, your mother…”

Yao Jin knew what she was going to ask.

She usually didn’t talk about her messy family life. At her old school, she had many “friends,” but they were only there for her parents’ status. Once the divorce became public knowledge, those friends vanished. International high schools were like miniature societies—everyone followed the profit and avoided the trouble.

Yao Jin looked at Xu Yingran. Though they had known each other for less than two months, she felt more at ease with her than any previous friend. Since Xu Yingran had witnessed the encounter today, Yao Jin decided to open up.

“The last time I saw my mom was during the Spring Festival,” Yao Jin said. “She doesn’t care about our family. She probably only said hello today because she didn’t expect to run into me.”

Xu Yingran paused. “How is the divorce going?”

Yao Jin shook her head. “My dad never tells me the details. Legally, they’re still married. I don’t know when it’ll be over. I just wish it would happen as fast as possible.”

Xu Yingran wasn’t great at comforting people, so she just patted Yao Jin’s arm. “Don’t be too sad. At least your dad treats you well, right?”

Yao Jin nodded.

Xu Yingran added, “Who was that woman with her? She was quite pretty up close.”

Recalling the intimate way Lü Qing helped her with the earring and the look of deep affection in her eyes, it didn’t seem like an ordinary friendship. Could they be… lovers?

“That’s my mother’s assistant,” Yao Jin said, pouring herself a glass of water. “I’ve known about her for a long time—since I was in elementary school.

“After my mom moved out, she had money and was bored, so she started sponsoring girls from poor mountain areas to help them get an education. That woman was one of them. My mom sponsored her from junior high all the way through university. After she graduated, she became my mom’s assistant.”

“I see… but they look very close.”

“…Yes. I heard they’re together now.” Yao Jin took a sip of the icy water, her tone turning cold. “Ever since she appeared, the relationship between my parents has only gotten worse.”

Xu Yingran weighed her words. “You mean…”

“I suspect,” Yao Jin said, “that woman seduced my mother, leading to the breakdown of my parents’ marriage.”

If she hadn’t seen the intimacy with her own eyes, Yao Jin wouldn’t have believed a girl from the mountains could be so calculating.