Can't Possibly Fall for My Wife Again After Rebirth, Right? - Chapter 6

Xu Yingran’s performance in class today was slightly better than yesterday. At the very least, looking at mathematical formulas didn’t make her dizzy anymore. Her muscle memory from ten years ago was starting to resurface; obscure classical poems only required one read-through before she could recite them perfectly, as easily as “pouring beans out of a bamboo tube.”

She didn’t stumble over a single word.

“Not bad,” the teacher praised. “Xu Yingran has memorized the text very thoroughly. Everyone should learn from her. These are rote-memorization points—basically free marks on an exam. If anyone loses these points, you’ll be copying the text a hundred times for me.”

Closing her textbook, Xu Yingran sat back down, tilting her nose up with a hint of pride.

She finally understood why those “invincible rebirth” novels were so popular. It really was like having a “cheat code.” While everyone else was struggling to learn things, she already knew them. If her brain were a bit sharper, she felt that becoming a top-tier student in this life would be an effortless task.

At lunchtime, Fu Qiao walked over to Xu Yingran’s desk as usual. She tapped the wood with her knuckles and looked down at her. “What are we eating for lunch?”

“Whatever the cafeteria has,” Xu Yingran replied, looking up with a smile. “Do you like River Snail Rice Noodles (Luosifen)?”

Fu Qiao looked puzzled, having never heard of the dish. “What kind of noodles are those? Are they good?”

Xu Yingran noticed that Yao Jin, who was sitting nearby, paused her movements at the mention of the dish. Clearly, the transfer student’s ears had perked up.

“The cafeteria doesn’t sell them,” Xu Yingran said to Fu Qiao. “They smell quite pungent, but they taste great. They have sour bamboo shoots and fried bean curd skin. The flavor might be a bit strange at first, but I’m certain you’ll love them.”

Fu Qiao asked curiously, “I haven’t even tried them yet. How do you know I’ll like them?”

How could Xu Yingran not know? In the future, their snack cabinet at home was permanently stocked with bags of instant Luosifen. Whenever Fu Qiao got hungry in the middle of the night, she would either cook a bowl herself or kick Xu Yingran out of bed to go cook it for her.

Therefore, Xu Yingran was 100% sure Fu Qiao loved them. She also knew someone else who did.

“Yao Jin.”

Xu Yingran turned around to face the transfer student who was about to leave. She smiled brightly. “Want to come grab some River Snail Rice Noodles with us?”

Yao Jin stood still, staring at Xu Yingran. She felt that this classmate’s gaze was unsettling. From the moment Xu Yingran had mouthed the name “A-Jin” to this mention of Luosifen, Yao Jin felt as though the stranger knew her secrets.

Frowning deeply, Yao Jin replied, “No, thanks. I’ll eat at the cafeteria.”

As Yao Jin left the classroom, Fu Qiao whispered, “See? She’s ignoring you.”

Xu Yingran rubbed her nose, not at all offended. It was natural for the teenage Yao Jin to be guarded around a stranger. She was more than happy to enjoy her lunch alone with Fu Qiao.

The area around the school was filled with small food stalls, most of which were tiny holes-in-the-wall with only two or three tables. The Luosifen shop Xu Yingran chose was equally small, run by a single person who handled both the register and the cooking.

Though small, the shop was clean. Since this dish wasn’t a viral trend ten years ago, and the internet hadn’t yet turned it into a staple fast food, Xu Yingran guessed there were very few such shops in the city.

After ordering two bowls, they found a corner seat.

As soon as they sat down, Fu Qiao let out a soft “Oh!” and reached under the table to scoop up a “Clouds-Treading-on-Snow” (black with white paws) cream-colored cat.

“A kitty!” Fu Qiao placed the cat on her lap and smiled at Xu Yingran. “Look, isn’t it adorable?”

The cat was likely used to being petted by customers. It didn’t struggle in Fu Qiao’s arms, instead staring at her and letting out tiny, high-pitched “meows.”

The kitten was young and lean with fluffy fur. It was affectionate, nuzzling its head into Fu Qiao’s chest. Xu Yingran watched the scene, her eyes full of tenderness.

“Alright, stop playing with the cat,” Xu Yingran said, pulling a tissue from her pocket and handing it to Fu Qiao. “It’s time to eat.”

Fu Qiao reluctantly let the kitten go as the owner arrived with two steaming bowls. She tapped the cat’s tiny nose with her finger before it hopped onto a nearby chair to lick its paws.

The shop was empty except for the two of them. Fu Qiao, trying the dish for the first time, found it fascinating. She didn’t find the smell “stinky” as Xu Yingran had described—it was just pleasantly sour, with a fermented aroma.

After a bite, Fu Qiao told Xu Yingran, “It’s actually very delicious. It’s not stinky at all.”

Xu Yingran beamed. “I knew you’d like it.”

With no other customers, the shop owner sat at a nearby table, looking distressed as she went over her accounts. Xu Yingran could tell business was poor; the pungent smell was still an acquired taste for most. She had purposely ordered extra side dishes and two drinks to help out. Even so, the total for both of them was less than 30 yuan. In the future, that wouldn’t even buy Xu Yingran a single cup of coffee.

As she took her change, Xu Yingran said to the owner, “Don’t worry, Ma’am. In another two years, plenty of people will fall in love with this dish.”

The owner took it as mere student comfort and gave a bitter smile. “Business is hard. Other shops have a steady stream of customers, while I barely see ten a day. If I hadn’t signed a one-year lease, I’d have closed down already.”

“Don’t lose heart,” Xu Yingran laughed. “If you trust me, stick it out for two more years. Your shop will be the most popular one in the neighborhood.”

Before the owner could respond, Xu Yingran headed for the door.

At the entrance, Fu Qiao was crouching down, teasing the kitten with her finger. The cat was rolling on the ground, batting at her with its white paws. Seeing the cat’s sharp claws about to scratch Fu Qiao’s finger, Xu Yingran moved lightning-fast, wrapping her own hand over Fu Qiao’s.

The sharp claws left a faint white mark on the back of Xu Yingran’s hand. The owner rushed over, apologizing profusely and offering to take her for a vaccination.

Xu Yingran glanced at the mark—a shallow scratch that hadn’t even broken the skin. “It’s fine,” she told the owner. “The skin isn’t broken. Go back to your work; we need to head back to school.”

Fu Qiao was worried and tried to inspect the hand, but Xu Yingran gripped hers instead. “We’ll look at it later,” she said. “We won’t be able to get back into school if we don’t hurry.”

Back at the school field’s restroom, Fu Qiao held Xu Yingran’s hand under a cold faucet. Even though the faint mark disappeared under the water, Fu Qiao was still anxious. “Are you sure we shouldn’t have it checked?”

“I’m sure,” Xu Yingran said. “Getting swiped by a kitten is normal. There’s no blood, so there won’t be a problem.”

Xu Yingran looked at the young girl before her and pursed her lips. “As for you, don’t use your bare fingers to tease a cat. If it gets overexcited, it will hurt you. If you get scratched, how will you take your classes this afternoon?”

If she hadn’t stepped in, it would be Fu Qiao’s finger under the cold water right now.

“I would have been fine,” Fu Qiao muttered.

“You still have to help your parents wash dishes tonight. If your hand gets infected by the water, it’ll be much worse than my scratch.”

Fu Qiao continued to be stubborn, exactly as she was in the future. Xu Yingran could only sigh. “That’s enough rinsing. Let’s go back to class.”

“One more thing,” Xu Yingran added. “Don’t tell my parents about the cat scratch, and don’t tell yours either.”

“Okay,” Fu Qiao replied.

“And when we do homework tonight… let me copy yours.”

“Okay.”

“Wait, what?” Fu Qiao looked up. “You’re copying again?”

“Of course,” Xu Yingran laughed. “Because I don’t know how to do any of it!”

Fu Qiao felt like hitting her.

The afternoon classes were a blur of drowsiness. The late summer heat made the cramped classroom smell of sweat, making Xu Yingran’s head swim.

When the bell finally rang, she packed her bag, wondering if her second chance at life was destined to be a boring loop between school and home. She had no phone and no car; she was limited to her two legs or the bus.

She glanced at Yao Jin, who was also packing her things. She needed a plan.

As Yao Jin passed her desk, Xu Yingran reached out and hooked the strap of Yao Jin’s backpack. When the girl turned around in surprise, Xu Yingran flashed her signature grin, showing her small canine teeth.

“A-Jin,” Xu Yingran said. “Can we have a private chat in the hallway?”