Can't Possibly Fall for My Wife Again After Rebirth, Right? - Chapter 44

Actually, this wasn’t the first time Zhou Wan had come looking for Fu Qiao.

Furthermore, her frequent trips to the senior floor weren’t solely for the purpose of seeing Fu Qiao; more importantly, she wanted to snatch every opportunity to see Xu Yingran.

Through her observations, Zhou Wan had found Xu Yingran to be a truly fascinating senior.

Xu Yingran was constantly mixed up with Fu Qiao and another senior girl, the three of them like triplets—inseparable no matter where they went.

Zhou Wan also noticed that Xu Yingran didn’t seem quite as shrewd as her looks suggested. Although she was beautiful and athletic—capable of playing any sport in P.E. and looking cooler than the boys during a three-step layup—she had one quirk: she couldn’t laugh. When Xu Yingran laughed, she looked as if… she were missing a gear.

Even so, Zhou Wan found herself unable to look away. Xu Yingran was exactly her type.

“Senior Fu Qiao,” Zhou Wan said, pulling on Fu Qiao’s hand. “Did you find out for me? Does Senior Xu Yingran really not have anyone she likes?”

Fu Qiao looked at her junior. In truth, she hadn’t asked at all.

Xu Yingran followed her to and from school every single day; how could Fu Qiao not know if she liked someone?

“I haven’t seen her take an interest in any girl,” Fu Qiao told Zhou Wan. “The girls she interacts with are just ordinary classmates. She shouldn’t have anyone she likes.”

Hearing this, Zhou Wan was overjoyed. She gave a little hop and exclaimed to Fu Qiao, “That’s wonderful! Senior, could you do me one more favor?”

Since she had already helped so much, one more favor wouldn’t hurt.

“Go ahead,” Fu Qiao said helplessly. “What do you want me to do this time?”

Zhou Wan was uncharacteristically silent for a long while before she finally fidgeted bashfully. “I… I want to confess to Senior Xu Yingran. Can you help me?”

Upon hearing Zhou Wan’s words, Fu Qiao’s mind went blank. It took a long time for her to recover. She looked at the junior in front of her, opened her mouth, and asked in a raspy voice, “You want to… confess to her?”

“Yes.” Though Zhou Wan’s face was flushed, her tone was firm. “I like her. Of course I have to confess before she graduates. That way, if she says yes, we can still date for over half a year.”

Crushes in high school are often bittersweet and innocent. Zhou Wan knew that a relationship between two girls might not last forever, but love was love. As long as they could be together, every day would be a happy one.

She had spent a long time mentally preparing herself after realizing her feelings for Xu Yingran. She found that she liked her even more than she had imagined, so she mustered the courage to discuss it with Fu Qiao, hoping for her support.

“I…”

Fu Qiao was stunned by Zhou Wan’s decision and didn’t know how to respond for a moment.

Normally, a person might ask “How?” or “Why?”, but for some reason, Fu Qiao simply didn’t want to help Zhou Wan with this favor from the bottom of her heart.

She had a premonition: if she helped Zhou Wan, her own connection with Xu Yingran might come to an end.

Fu Qiao felt a suffocating tightness in her chest, as if a large bag had been stuffed inside her heart. Things she clearly knew were swelling up, as if they were about to burst out.

Yet, she couldn’t say a word. She could only clutch the hem of her school uniform and bite her pale lip.

“Senior?”

Seeing that Fu Qiao hadn’t agreed, Zhou Wan thought she was being rejected. She took advantage of being a year younger and pulled on Fu Qiao’s sleeve, acting spoiled. “Senior, please help me. I won’t blame you regardless of whether it works or not. You just need to hand my love letter to Senior Xu Yingran.”

“A love letter?”

“Yes.”

Zhou Wan peeked around to ensure no one was watching before leaning in to whisper in Fu Qiao’s ear, “I’ve already written it. You just need to pass it to her for me.”

Fu Qiao asked, “Since you’ve already written it, why not give it to her yourself?”

With a red face, Zhou Wan held Fu Qiao’s hand and said, “I don’t dare to. What if she rejects me?”

“Didn’t you just say you could handle it regardless of her answer?”

“That’s true, but I’m still scared.” Zhou Wan lowered her eyes shyly. “After all, it’s my first confession. Senior, please help me.”

Fu Qiao had no real weaknesses other than having a soft heart.

Seeing Zhou Wan’s pitiful expression, she began to hesitate. Under the girl’s repeated pleas, Fu Qiao finally agreed to the request.

“I’ll ask her to meet after school,” Fu Qiao said with downcast eyes. “There’s about an hour between when you sophomores get out and when our evening self-study starts. I’ll give her the letter then.”

Zhou Wan’s eyes lit up. She hugged Fu Qiao excitedly. “Thank you, Senior! I’ll contact you after school. Just ask Senior Xu Yingran to meet at the clearing behind the teaching building!”

The clearing behind the teaching building. Fu Qiao committed it to memory.

After Zhou Wan left, Fu Qiao prepared to return to class. When she turned around, she saw Xu Yingran standing not far away, staring at her.

That look seemed to hold a hint of… resentment?

Fu Qiao was a bit confused; she didn’t understand how the word “resentment” could be applied to Xu Yingran. She froze for a split second before returning to her seat as if nothing had happened.

During lunch, Xu Yingran stuck close to Fu Qiao’s back. Even while queuing in the cafeteria, she wasn’t well-behaved, constantly bumping and brushing against her like a restless child.

“Is something the matter?”

When Xu Yingran’s hand brushed against hers yet again, Fu Qiao couldn’t help but shoot her a glare.

Xu Yingran blinked innocently, leaning in to rest her head on Fu Qiao’s shoulder. She said wistfully, “What were you and Zhou Wan talking about after the first period? You’ve ignored me all day.”

So, she had been stewing over this all morning?

Fu Qiao didn’t know how to explain. She gave the puppy-like Xu Yingran a deep look and asked, “Are you free after school?”

Xu Yingran was puzzled. “Why? Do you want to go out for dinner?”

Fu Qiao shook her head. “I figured you didn’t have anything to do. After school, come to the clearing behind the teaching building. I have something to tell you.”

The clearing behind the teaching building? I have something to tell you?

Those two key phrases struck Xu Yingran’s heart like a lightning bolt. She was so dazed that she didn’t even hear the cafeteria auntie banging her ladle for her to step forward. It wasn’t until Yao Jin arrived with a bowl of wontons and gave her a kick that she snapped out of it.

As the three sat down to eat, Xu Yingran seemed to have lost her mind, staring at Fu Qiao incessantly. She poked at her food distractedly; after half an hour, she hadn’t even finished half of it.

Yao Jin was drinking a bottled soda from the cafeteria window. Between sips, she said, “Are you done yet? Can we go? I want to squeeze in a nap before class.”

Fu Qiao also felt that Xu Yingran was eating exceptionally slowly today. She glanced at her and asked, “Why are you eating so slowly today?”

“Huh? Oh, the food isn’t really to my taste,” Xu Yingran said, poking at her rice with her chopsticks.

The other two looked at her in confusion. Yao Jin said curiously, “How can it not be to your taste? You usually eat anything.”

Moreover, today’s meal included Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs—Xu Yingran’s favorite. Logic dictated she should have cleared her plate, yet she claimed it wasn’t to her taste.

Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong with this person.

“Hey,” Yao Jin said, biting her straw. “What were you two talking about just now? When I went to buy wontons, you were all clingy, but now you’re eating in total silence?”

“I…” Fu Qiao began, but Xu Yingran immediately cut her off, brandishing her chopsticks. “I suddenly feel like the food is to my taste! Don’t distract me with small talk, I’ll be finished soon!”

Watching Xu Yingran bury her head in her food, Fu Qiao turned to Yao Jin. “I asked her to meet me in the clearing behind the teaching building after school. I have something to say to her.”

“Cough, cough, cough—!”

Xu Yingran choked on a grain of rice, coughing violently.

Yao Jin, who knew the “insider info” (or so she thought), had eyes that sparkled with interest. She put down her soda and said to Fu Qiao, “What are you planning to say to her?”

Is it a confession?!

Sitting nearby, Xu Yingran tried to speak while clutching her chest but was coughing too hard to form words, her face turning beet red.

Fu Qiao sighed at the sight of her coughing fit and said to Yao Jin, “I just have something to say.”

Yao Jin stroked her chin and said mischievously, “We’re so close, why keep me out of it? Maybe I should head over there after school too?”

Xu Yingran finally coughed up the rice grain. She grabbed Yao Jin’s shoulder and yelled, “What are you meddling in my business with Fu Qiao for!”

Fu Qiao was going to confess to her today! Xu Yingran wasn’t even prepared—she couldn’t let Yao Jin crash the party!

Seeing the two of them bickering again, Fu Qiao’s mood turned unexpectedly melancholy. She kept her eyes fixed on Xu Yingran, who clearly had no idea what she was actually about to do.

The thought that she might soon see Zhou Wan and Xu Yingran together made her heart feel heavy. Her best friend was about to get a girlfriend; Fu Qiao should be happy for her.

Yet, she simply couldn’t force a smile.

Perhaps it was fate that she and Xu Yingran were only meant to be friends…

Throughout the afternoon, Xu Yingran didn’t hear a single word the teachers said. Her mind was entirely consumed by Fu Qiao’s invitation to the clearing.

Xu Yingran remembered that in her previous life, Fu Qiao’s confession had happened at the end of this semester. There was still half a term left before finals—why had it moved forward?

Had there been a glitch in the timeline? Or had she been too caring toward Fu Qiao, causing her to confess early?

Well… it was possible.

Xu Yingran propped up her head, staring at the back of Fu Qiao’s head. She wondered if she should accept if Fu Qiao confessed. In her past life, she had said yes, and they had been together smoothly, living a peaceful life.

This time, she had originally planned to find a stunning beauty with a “hot” figure, but she hadn’t expected Fu Qiao to move up her schedule.

Xu Yingran was in a bind. Should she accept? But… what if she rejected her and then regretted it? What if Fu Qiao married someone else?

She spent the whole afternoon mulling it over without reaching a conclusion. It wasn’t until the final bell rang that Xu Yingran belatedly looked up.

The turning point of fate was finally here!