Can't Possibly Fall for My Wife Again After Rebirth, Right? - Chapter 87

When Fu Qiao and Hu Mei returned by car, they saw a familiar figure standing at the entrance of their apartment building.

Seeing them return, Xu Yingran ran over carrying a small stainless steel pail. She frowned and asked, “Where did you go in this freezing weather? I asked Uncle, and he said you didn’t tell him either.”

“We went to the hospital,” Fu Qiao replied. “If you couldn’t find us, why didn’t you call? And isn’t today a school day?”

“I took a leave of absence to come here, and I didn’t bring my phone with me today.” Xu Yingran had adapted to life without a smartphone during this period. Previously, she felt uneasy if she couldn’t touch her phone for a minute; now, she saw it merely as a communication tool and was no longer as addicted as before.

Hearing that Fu Qiao had been to the hospital, Xu Yingran immediately grabbed her hand and asked urgently, “Do you have a fever again?”

“No, I’m fine,” Fu Qiao told her. “I didn’t go to the hospital for myself; I went to see Qiaoqiao.”

“He Qiao?” Xu Yingran’s eyes widened slightly. “She’s been discharged?”

“How is that possible?” Fu Qiao said. “She was moved out of the Intensive Care Unit today, so I went to check on her. Her state isn’t very good. I’ll tell you more when we get upstairs.”

Finished speaking, Fu Qiao looked at the small aluminum alloy pail in her hand and asked in confusion, “What did you bring?”

Only then did Xu Yingran remember. She lifted the pail and said, “This is chicken soup my mom boiled for you. I brought it over for you to drink; it’s still warm.”

Hu Mei smiled warmly at the two girls and said to Xu Yingran, “Thank your mother for our Xiao Qiao. To think she personally brewed chicken soup for us.”

“It’s no trouble. Fu Qiao has been sick for so long, our whole family has been worried.”

“She’s much better now. After another two days of medicine, she should be fully recovered.”

Once Hu Mei finished speaking, she fished her keys out of her pocket and handed them to Fu Qiao, saying, “I’m going to check on the shop. You rest well once you’re home and chat with Ranran. I’ll bring some lunch over for you both later.”

Fu Qiao nodded, and Xu Yingran added, “Thank you, Auntie.”

Watching Hu Mei leave, Xu Yingran leaned in and took Fu Qiao’s hand. “Let’s go upstairs. Your hands are so cold; you must have been freezing outside.”

Fu Qiao allowed her to lead her by the hand, saying helplessly, “I’m dressed quite warmly. Cold hands are just unavoidable.”

“I’ll heat the chicken soup for you once we’re upstairs. You’ll probably warm up after drinking it.”

“Mhm.”

Inside the house, Xu Yingran went straight to the kitchen. It wasn’t as cold inside as it was outdoors, so Fu Qiao took off her scarf and hat, then removed her coat and hung it on the rack in the bedroom.

Having changed into warmer cotton pajamas, Fu Qiao caught the aroma of the drifting chicken soup. It was so rich and fragrant it made her mouth water.

“It’s heated. Fu Qiao, come out.”

Hearing Xu Yingran call her, Fu Qiao answered and walked out. She saw that Xu Yingran had already served the chicken soup; there was even a piece of tender, slow-cooked chicken drumstick meat in the bowl.

“Drink the soup and then eat the meat.” Xu Yingran pressed her into a chair and instructed, “My mom said she boiled this soup all morning. The chicken is stewed until soft so it’s easy to digest. You have to finish it all.”

“Is that necessary?” Fu Qiao looked at the soup and said helplessly, “Auntie is making too much of a fuss. It was just a fever; there’s no need for such a tonic.”

“Was it just a fever?” Xu Yingran disagreed. “You were frightened, and after all that back-and-forth, how could your body take it?”

Fu Qiao had no choice but to hold the bowl and drink.

After she had taken a couple of sips, Xu Yingran asked with concern, “Are you still having nightmares these past two days?”

“No more, I’m much better.” Drinking the soup, Fu Qiao felt her entire body warming up. Zhao Yu’s chicken soup was truly delicious—fragrant and rich. Before long, she had finished the entire bowl, including the drumstick.

“Tastes good, right?” Xu Yingran looked at her with a beaming smile. “The rest is still in the pot. I’ll put it in the fridge once it cools so you can have more tonight.”

“I know, I know.” Fu Qiao wiped her mouth and said, “You’re getting more and more naggy.”

After being teased by her “wife,” Xu Yingran finally asked, “What is He Qiao’s current situation?”

Fu Qiao recounted everything she had seen at the hospital, including He Qiao’s refusal to speak to her parents and the lingering resentment.

“I’m afraid she might do something foolish again, so I told her I’d visit often.” Fu Qiao lowered her gaze and sighed softly. “Her injuries are truly severe. She can’t even speak a full sentence lying in bed. Her lungs were hurt, and I heard even breathing is painful. She’s truly pitiful.”

“What about her parents?”

“They’ve been staying at the hospital. Her mother was crying quite hard and looked quite disheveled.”

Xu Yingran was silent for a long while before saying to Fu Qiao, “The next time you go see her, take me with you.”

Fu Qiao looked at her curiously. “You want to go?”

“Yes,” Xu Yingran said. “We’ve known her for a while, after all. Since this happened, we should show some care. It’s no problem to visit her regularly.”

“Alright, I’ll call you next time.” Fu Qiao’s mood had improved significantly. She proactively took Xu Yingran’s hand and said, “The New Year is almost here. I plan to burn a stick of incense for her when we go to the temple, praying for her speedy recovery.”

“Good, we’ll pray for her together.”

At noon, Hu Mei returned with lunch. Xu Yingran stayed for the afternoon and only left with her small pail around 5:00 PM.

That evening, as Fu Qiao drank her chicken soup, Hu Mei sat across from her eating dinner.

“Xiao Qiao, Mom wants to tell you something.”

Hu Mei’s words piqued Fu Qiao’s curiosity. She looked up at her mother and asked, “What is it?”

“It’s about your school.” Hu Mei stirred the porridge in her bowl with her chopsticks. “You were the one who insisted on transferring, and your father and I didn’t stop you. We thought it was a good school and that you’d have a better learning environment. But things are different now. After everything that happened, Mom is truly scared.”

Hu Mei continued: “Your father and I never expected you to become a top scholar to bring honor to the family. We just want you to live a safe and peaceful life. I only thought this in my heart before, but after seeing your desk mate today, I feel you can’t stay at that school anymore.”

“Mom…”

“Don’t try to persuade me.” Hu Mei became uncharacteristically serious. “You are our only precious daughter. If anything happened to you, how would I live? I discussed it with your father today; we’re transferring you back to your old school. You won’t attend this one anymore.”

Fu Qiao was silent for a long time before asking, “Then where would I live?”

“At the old house,” Hu Mei said. “The old house hasn’t been rented out yet. I’ll have your father call a moving company to bring your desk, chair, and bed over. You’ll live there. It’s only for half a year.”

Fu Qiao asked again, “You guys aren’t going?”

“The shop is busy; your father and I can’t leave.”

“Then I’ll be scared living alone.”

Hearing her say this, Hu Mei knew Fu Qiao had basically agreed. She smiled and said, “Don’t worry about that. If you’re okay with it, I’ll contact Xu Yingran’s mother. Since you and Xu Yingran still go to the same school, you can eat at the cafeteria for lunch and dinner. She can look after your breakfast and weekend meals.”

“If that doesn’t work, you can buy something for breakfast. I’ll send things over every few days, and you can come back here on weekends.”

“…You’re moving my bed away; where would I sleep when I come back?”

Fu Qiao shook her head helplessly and said, “Don’t go to all that trouble. Haven’t I been doing well at this school?”

Moreover, if she transferred back, wouldn’t Xu Yingran drag her into her room to kiss her every single day?

Before, with her parents around, Xu Yingran had to be somewhat discreet. If she lived there alone now, wouldn’t Xu Yingran do whatever she wanted to her?

It’s senior year; kissing all day would really affect her studies!

Hu Mei’s eyes reddened upon hearing this. She didn’t say no, but she just kept sighing.

Fu Qiao couldn’t stand seeing her like this and could only bite the bullet and agree: “I understand, Mom. Go ahead and contact them… I’ll just transfer back.”

Only then did Hu Mei’s smile return. She put some food in Fu Qiao’s bowl and said, “Good. Then Mom will go to the school tomorrow to handle it. We’ll try to get you back to your old school after the New Year.”

Fu Qiao sighed in her heart. She didn’t know how happy Xu Yingran would be when she heard the news.

That night, as soon as Fu Qiao mentioned the subject, Xu Yingran practically jumped up in excitement.

“Really? Really? Really???” Xu Yingran’s voice was so loud it made Fu Qiao’s head ring.

“Don’t shout! Why are you shouting?” Fu Qiao leaned against the headboard and said to her with annoyance, “Are you afraid people won’t hear you?”

“No, I’m just too excited.” Xu Yingran’s smile was practically spilling out of the screen. She said to Fu Qiao, “I’ve dreamed about us going to school together again, but I didn’t expect it to actually come true.”

Fu Qiao snorted and said, “I’m doing this reluctantly. It’s my mother who insisted I transfer; it wasn’t my idea, you should know that.”

Xu Yingran smiled so wide her eyes disappeared. She cheerfully coaxed her wife: “I know, I know. You didn’t want to come; Auntie was worried about you and made you transfer back. But that’s no problem at all. As soon as we hang up, I’m telling Ajin. She’ll be so happy when she hears the news.”

Having said that, Xu Yingran clapped her hands. “Right, we have to get Li Yuwen to put you in our class. It would be a hassle if you transferred back but weren’t with us.”

Fu Qiao nodded helplessly. “I know. My mom will talk to Teacher Li.”

“We have to be careful of accidents. If you aren’t in our class, it’ll be such a chore to find you.” Xu Yingran figured that now that she finally had her wife back, she couldn’t let her run off again. She said with righteous conviction, “I won’t talk to you anymore today. I need to call Ajin and ask her what to do. Hanging up now, Wife!”

“Eh?”

Fu Qiao was stunned as the video call disconnected.

Well, look at this Xu Yingran. She hasn’t even officially won me over yet, and she’s already starting to hang up on me??