Fighting For My Wife With Myself After Being Reborn - Chapter 11

The rain fell heavily, turning everything into a vast expanse of white.

Large raindrops formed a dense curtain, isolating the city’s clamor and leaving only the sound of water crashing onto the ground from ten thousand meters above.

Shen Huaixu hid under the awning at the entrance of an office building. The wind swept fine droplets against her, soaking more than half of her body.

Under her mask, her lips turned slightly pale from the cold. She rubbed her chilled arms, regretting that she hadn’t brought a jacket when she went out.

Jiang Rui chose this moment to call.

“We’ll be there after one more traffic light. Stay right at the entrance and wait for me, okay?” Jiang Rui emphasized particularly. She didn’t want to work hard to pick someone up in this weather only to find they had wandered off.

Shen Huaixu nodded perfunctorily. “Where could I go in this rain? But I’ve been standing here in the cold wind, getting quite wet.”

Jiang Rui frowned. “I remember there’s an awning there. How did you get wet?”

Shen Huaixu stared at the driving rain outside the shelter and remained silent for a few seconds. “Then just assume I went out to stand in the rain on purpose.”

Jiang Rui: “…”

Fine, the young lady was throwing a tantrum again.

“One more minute.” The light turned green, and the vehicles ahead started moving slowly. The nanny van followed through the intersection.

The familiar van pulled up in front of the awning.

The rain was so intense that as soon as the door opened, spray splashed inside. Now Jiang Rui finally understood why Shen Huaixu was soaked despite standing under cover.

“Get in quickly, it’s pouring,” Jiang Rui urged.

Shen Huaixu stepped into the car with her long legs. She shook her umbrella, closed the canopy, flicked off the water droplets, and shut the door.

Raindrops pattered loudly against the window glass. Xiao Lin started the car and headed toward the work location.

“If you had said something earlier, I would have picked you up directly at your complex.” Jiang Rui pulled a dry towel from her backpack and handed it to Shen Huaixu, grumbling, “Look at you, you’re soaked. Xiao Lin, turn up the air conditioning. Xiao Xu, give me the hot milk I told you to buy.”

Between handing over the towel and feeding her hot milk, Jiang Rui was acting like a mother. Shen Huaixu held the milk in both hands, a slightly damp towel draped over her shoulders, and teased, “Mother Jiang, you’re so wordy.”

Jiang Rui rolled her eyes unceremoniously and threatened, “You think I want to be? I’m telling you, you better not get sick. If it affects my work schedule, watch out for your vacation time.”

“Abuse of power,” Shen Huaixu muttered. She didn’t like the taste of milk, so she took two sips, set it aside, and asked Xiao Xu for a bottle of mineral water to rinse her mouth. “Don’t order milk for me next time.”

“You should be glad you have anything to drink at all.” Jiang Rui tossed a bag next to her. “Put the towel in there when you’re done.”

Shen Huaixu gave an “oh” and gently dried the ends of her wet hair. Jiang Rui flipped open the schedule Xiao Xu had printed out, quickly scanned it to ensure there were no errors, and tossed it to Shen Huaixu.

Jiang Rui said, “The schedule from today until Friday is all here. I’ve cleared Friday night for you, so work hard these next two days.”

Shen Huaixu looked at the arrangement, which left almost no time to breathe, and clicked her tongue. “Even a slave owner wouldn’t exploit someone like this. Not even a halftime break?”

“It’s your own fault for being unable to start too early or stay too late. We have to compress your rest time to get the work done.” Jiang Rui flicked her hair, nonchalantly cleaning her fingernails.

“…” Well, Shen Huaixu couldn’t argue with that.

“And do you think you’re the only one busy? We staff members are working just as hard, okay?” Jiang Rui looked up at her. “Show some gratitude.”

Xu Le sat in the front, nodding silently.

Exactly. The logistics team was exhausted. They were the ones running back and forth doing the heavy lifting, yet they were the ones receiving the lowest wages. It was simply unfair.

Shen Huaixu, who had merely complained about the lack of rest, found herself becoming public enemy number one. “…”

Fine, she’d shut up.

In an underground parking lot.

“Let’s go, Princess. Time to get out and start pulling the millstone.” Jiang Rui opened the car door and gave a slight bow to welcome Shen Huaixu out.

Shen Huaixu’s leg froze mid-air. She paused for two seconds, silently pulled up her mask, and tugged her hat lower. “Stop being cringe.”

She strode away, distancing herself from Jiang Rui.

Jiang Rui shrugged indifferently. She caught up quickly and said, “Walking so fast—do you even know the way?”

Shen Huaixu: “…”

As luck would have it, she really didn’t.

Watching her walk ahead without knowing where she was going, Jiang Rui was speechless. “Follow me.”

She led the way, while Xu Le followed behind, stifling a laugh where the two couldn’t see.

Oh no, I’m starting to think Sister Huaixu is a bit cute. What should I do?

…

If Shen Huaixu’s previous work style was “fishing for three days and drying the nets for two,” she was now a high-speed spinning top with no chance to stop.

That “wicked woman” Jiang Rui watched her constantly. Shen Huaixu couldn’t find a single opportunity to complain to Gu Yinghuai about Jiang Rui’s inhumane behavior.

“I don’t want to move anymore.” During a break to touch up her makeup, Shen Huaixu slumped in her chair, unwilling to budge.

The makeup artist looked at Jiang Rui for help.

Jiang Rui was also exhausted. She waved a hand and said, “Just touch her up as she is.”

“Alright.” The makeup artist helplessly leaned over to work on Shen Huaixu’s face—a face that looked like Nüwa’s masterpiece.

Up close, she noticed the faint dark circles under Shen Huaixu’s eyes. Though her eyes were closed, the artist could feel the fatigue radiating from within her.

Her hand hovered as she applied concealer. Occasionally, she accidentally touched Shen Huaixu’s cheek or forehead. The makeup artist was startled—Shen Huaixu’s body temperature seemed a bit high?

Before she could confirm, the photography team was already calling for her. Shen Huaixu, who had been resting with her eyes shut, slowly opened them. Her silver-gray eyes were filled with weariness.

“I’ll head over now.” Her voice was equally exhausted.

But the moment Shen Huaixu stood before the lens and the spotlights hit her, that lethargy was perfectly hidden behind her smile. She presented her best self to everyone in front of the camera.

After spinning continuously for two days, combined with being caught in the wind and rain, Shen Huaixu finally collapsed after finishing her last appointment on Friday.

Back at home, she slumped on the sofa. Her head was groggy, her eyelids were too heavy to lift, and every breath felt like she was exhaling fire.

Shen Huaixu realized belatedly that she had a fever.

She didn’t want to move, even though the medical kit was in the cabinet just to the left of her.

It hurts so much.

I want to sleep.

Once people realize they are sick, they often become sentimental, and Shen Huaixu was no exception.

Her eyes felt hot. Breathing became much more difficult than usual, and her throat felt tight as if she were about to cry at any moment.

I miss my Huai so much…

Shen Huaixu raised her arm to block out the light. As she thought of Gu Yinghuai, her burning eyes filled with tears. Trembling droplets rolled down her cheeks, the hot moisture wetting her neck.

Sleepiness and fatigue washed over her like waves, slowly consuming her logic.

No, I can’t sleep yet. I still have to pick up my Huai and bring her home. Shen Huaixu sighed faintly, struggling to crawl up and open the medical kit to take her temperature.

Beep—

Shen Huaixu glanced at the display: 38.5°C.

She really did have a fever.

She found the usual fever reducers and swallowed them with some leftover water from the morning. The bitter pill slid down her throat, and the cool water briefly eased the internal heat. However, it wasn’t enough.

She pulled a cooling patch from the bottom of the kit and stuck it on her forehead. By the time she finished, her vision was darkening and her legs felt weak. she had to prop her arm against the back of the sofa to keep from falling.

Wooo, I really want to act spoiled with Huai…

Shen Huaixu really wanted to take a photo of her weak state and send it to Gu Yinghuai to gain her sympathy. That way, her Huai would stay and accompany her tonight instead of going out for the company dinner.

But Shen Huaixu didn’t want to make things difficult for Gu Yinghuai, especially since she knew how much Gu Yinghuai had been looking forward to eating out with her colleagues.

She dragged her aching body to the bedroom to get a blanket, then lay back on the sofa. She kept her phone nearby with the volume turned up to the max, waiting for the alarm to go off for the pickup.

Darkness gradually encroached upon her, and Shen Huaixu let herself fall into a deep sleep.

9:30 PM.

The person curled in the blanket on the sofa slowly opened her eyes.

Those silver-gray eyes looked confused. She didn’t seem to understand why she had woken up earlier than usual today. Had the conditions for her awakening changed again?

“Shen Huaixu” sat up silently. When her palm brushed the hair on her forehead, she felt the cooling patch. She peeled it off carefully; the once-cold patch had long since become warm.

Now, what was there that “Shen Huaixu” didn’t understand?

Because the other Shen Huaixu had a fever, she was able to wake up and occupy this body.

She laughed softly, the discarded cooling patch crumpled in her palm. Then, her laughter turned wild and manic. “Hahahaha… so that’s it! So that’s how it works!”

She finally understood.

“Shen Huaixu” laughed for a long time, tears wetting the corners of her eyes and leaving two crystalline trails in the light.

When the laughter stopped, she found the phone. As soon as she unlocked it, she saw the 10:00 PM alarm with a note to pick up her girlfriend.

Lacking the memories of the past two days, she could only look through the chat history with Gu Yinghuai for answers. Fortunately, Gu Yinghuai had sent a message thirty minutes ago.

Refuse to Overtime: [Location] Refuse to Overtime: I’ve sent you the location! We’ll probably finish around eleven. I’ll let you know in advance~

“Shen Huaixu” typed with a smile.

Don’t Want to Work: OK, received! Guaranteed to be there as soon as you call!

Don’t Want to Work: I wasn’t looking at my phone just now >_<

Finally! I can finally see Huai while I’m awake! “Shen Huaixu” thought ecstatically. What should she say when they met? If she gave Huai a big kiss right then and there, would she be pushed away?

The time hadn’t arrived yet, but “Shen Huaixu” had already imagined their meeting scene many times.

She was looking forward to it way too much.

The chat interface remained on her last message.

“Shen Huaixu” looked at the screen with regret. After confirming that Gu Yinghuai really hadn’t replied, she put the phone down and walked into the bedroom.

“I smell like sweat, it’s disgusting.” She sniffed her sticky body with disdain. Ignoring the fact that her fever had just broken, she hurried into the bathroom to shower.

10:50 PM.

After receiving the message from Gu Yinghuai, “Shen Huaixu” stood before the full-length mirror, repeatedly checking the clothes she had specially chosen.

After confirming that she looked perfect and flawless, she finally felt at ease.

This was her “first” time appearing as Gu Yinghuai’s girlfriend in front of her colleagues; she had to dress up properly.

What if she happened to encounter someone with designs on her Huai?

In the face of a rival, she naturally had to make them retreat out of intimidation.

Time was tight. “Shen Huaixu” grabbed the car keys and left the house.

It was time to fulfill her duties and rights as a girlfriend.