Fighting For My Wife With Myself After Being Reborn - Chapter 35

As evening approached, Gu Yinghuai returned home from work right on time. Usually, she was greeted by Shen Huaixu’s embrace; however, today she was met with the familiar aroma of home-cooked food.

“That fellow Axu… can’t even stay still while recovering at home, honestly…” Gu Yinghuai’s face bore no trace of reproach. Instead, she was full of doting affection, her eyes brimming with smiles.

Slipping out of the high heels she had worn all day, Gu Yinghuai changed into cute couple’s cotton slippers. The fluffy lop-eared rabbits on them shook their ears as she walked.

Before she even reached the living room, the person busy in the kitchen heard her footsteps. Carrying freshly made dishes, she offered a pleasing smile. “You’re back! The food is just finished. Wash your hands and let’s eat.”

Gu Yinghuai didn’t answer her. Instead, she mischievously poked a certain someone’s not-yet-fully-healed ribs. Unsurprisingly, she saw “Shen Huaixu’s” expression contort for a split second, only to return to normal immediately upon seeing Gu Yinghuai’s teasing, knowing gaze.

“If I see you not resting properly again, I’ll—” Gu Yinghuai narrowed her almond-shaped eyes and raised her fist threateningly, looking exactly like a kitten batting its paws at its owner.

“Shen Huaixu” was struck by how adorable her expression was and had to pretend to be very frightened, raising her hands in surrender. “Have mercy, Eldest Miss. I won’t dare do it again. If I ever do it again, punish me by making me sleep with you for a night.”

Taking advantage while being scolded—it practically made Gu Yinghuai laugh from sheer exasperation.

“Punishing you by making you clean the toilet is more like it. Sleeping with me? In your dreams!” Gu Yinghuai tapped “Shen Huaixu” on the forehead and turned to the kitchen to wash her hands. “Shen Huaixu” followed her, serving the rice while saying, “That’s not very fair. I’m a patient right now; how can I clean a toilet?”

Drying the water from her hands, Gu Yinghuai took the bowl of rice and spoke as she walked: “A patient can cook, so cleaning a toilet should be simple, right?”

Hearing this, “Shen Huaixu” scratched her cheek, knowing she had annoyed her Huai again. She quickly chased after her, shamelessly acting spoiled and apologizing.

Gu Yinghuai grew tired of her persistence and pushed away “Shen Huaixu’s” approaching face with one hand. Finally, she spoke helplessly, “Eat first. I’ll settle the score with you later.”

“Shen Huaixu” acted obediently: “Okay.”

Acting cute again. Gu Yinghuai shook her head with a sigh. She picked up a piece of rib and stuffed it into “Shen Huaixu’s” mouth. Seeing her try to speak but being blocked, only able to make faces, Gu Yinghuai couldn’t help but chuckle softly. She lowered her head and began to eat the “patient’s meal” prepared by “Shen Huaixu.”

After dinner, Gu Yinghuai took over the dishwashing duties. No matter how much “Shen Huaixu” acted spoiled, she wouldn’t let her touch a single drop of water.

“Go sit on the sofa. Don’t forget we still have a score to settle,” Gu Yinghuai threatened.

Sigh, my Huai has been getting less and less gentle lately. Poor me, and I’m still a patient. “Shen Huaixu” felt a bit apprehensive. Though she wanted to stay in the kitchen with Gu Yinghuai, her wife’s orders were absolute. She obediently sat on the sofa and turned on the variety show Gu Yinghuai liked most to wait for her.

She said she was waiting, but by the time Gu Yinghuai finished her shower and came out, “Shen Huaixu” had already fallen asleep on the sofa.

Long-limbed as she was, she looked a bit cramped lying there, her long legs dangling off the edge.

Gu Yinghuai adjusted her posture and found a place to sit. Even in her sleep, “Shen Huaixu” didn’t forget to seek some benefits; she pressed her cheek against Gu Yinghuai’s lower abdomen, sleeping peacefully.

After falling asleep, “Shen Huaixu” shed her sharp edge. The arrogance and coldness between her brows softened, turning into a deep, quiet pool formed by spring rain.

“You’re only well-behaved when you’re asleep.” Gu Yinghuai’s pinkish-white fingertip landed on “Shen Huaixu’s” brow, light as a feather that hadn’t yet lost its down.

“Shen Huaixu” seemed to catch her scent. Just a second before Gu Yinghuai could pull her hand back, a slender hand caught her wrist and pulled it into her embrace, continuing to sleep.

“Fine, you aren’t even well-behaved while sleeping.” Gu Yinghuai mischievously pinched “Shen Huaixu’s” nose. The sleeping person, finding it hard to breathe, furrowed her handsome brows, trying to escape the hand disturbing her dreams.

Gu Yinghuai didn’t actually intend to wake her. After playing for a bit, she let go of the nose. However, she didn’t pull back the hand held by “Shen Huaixu.” Maintaining that slightly awkward position, she leaned against the sofa to watch the variety show.

The show was a slow-paced lifestyle program. There was no scheming, no strange mission cards or competitions; there was only the pleasant, steady flow of life.

Her lover by her side, their palms locked together.

The person beside her had a body temperature slightly higher than her own, like a warm little heater. Gu Yinghuai stroked “Shen Huaixu’s” warm cheek. She felt her eyelids growing heavy, and everything before her began to blur.

Mmm, so sleepy.

Maybe I’ll just close my eyes for a bit with Axu…

Her clear almond eyes blinked and eventually, amidst the soothing background music of the show and the warmth of her lover, they slowly closed. She fell asleep as well.

This sleep left Gu Yinghuai feeling mentally refreshed but physically sore.

Having maintained a posture unsuitable for sleeping for a long time, her bones were sounding warnings. With every movement, they clicked and popped.

“So sore.” Gu Yinghuai rubbed her aching shoulders and rolled her neck to relieve the fatigue.

After a few rotations, she glanced at the wall clock and was startled to realize it was the middle of the night. No wonder her whole body felt uncomfortable.

She looked down at the person still snoring softly and couldn’t help but chuckle.

Only you could sleep so soundly. Gu Yinghuai shook her head helplessly. However, she couldn’t let Axu keep sleeping here, lest she wake up the next day just as sore.

“Axu, wake up.”

“Let’s go back to the bedroom to sleep.”

Gentle shaking failed to rouse the deep sleeper. Out of options, Gu Yinghuai resorted to her old trick and pinched “Shen Huaixu’s” nose.

“Mmm…” The person being woken up frowned and let out a groan, turning her head to avoid the meddling hand. Unfortunately, that hand followed her like a shadow; no matter which way she turned, she couldn’t escape.

After a moment, probably annoyed, she opened her eyes with a bit of “wake-up anger.” Her silver-grey pupils reflected Gu Yinghuai’s smiling eyes.

She froze for a moment, seemingly failing to register the situation.

“You’re awake? I’ve been calling you for so long, I thought you’d really passed out. Get up, let’s go back to the room and keep sleeping.” Seeing her looking dazed, Gu Yinghuai found it amusing. She waved a finger in front of her eyes, teasing her, “Little lazybones, not awake yet?”

Suddenly, Gu Yinghuai’s hovering hand was caught.

The person who had regained consciousness cupped Gu Yinghuai’s hand in both of hers and buried her face in them. After a long while, she finally looked up, offering a faint smile amidst Gu Yinghuai’s confusion and concern.

“I’m still a bit blurry after just waking up.” Shen Huaixu gently kissed Gu Yinghuai’s knuckles. Her silver-grey eyes were deep and distant as she looked directly into Gu Yinghuai’s eyes. “I’m back.”

No further words were needed. With just one look, Gu Yinghuai’s defenses crumbled. With reddened eyes, she hugged Shen Huaixu, sobbing, “You finally decided to come back, you jerk.”

She had waited so long. Every day she hoped the person waking up would be her Axu, but every time she met those silver-grey eyes, she knew deeply that the person waking up was not the one she was waiting for.

“I made you worry.” Shen Huaixu wiped the tears from the corners of Gu Yinghuai’s eyes and kissed her reddened nose and soft lips. She murmured softly, “Don’t cry. You should be happy at a time like this.”

“You’re an idiot.” The hands around Shen Huaixu’s waist slowly tightened, like a survivor in the waves finding a piece of driftwood; once caught, she would never let go.

The two of them shared a moment of tenderness on the sofa for a long while. Finally, Gu Yinghuai remembered her purpose for waking Shen Huaixu and dragged the person, who still wanted to linger in her arms, back to the bedroom to sleep properly.

They said they would sleep “properly,” but as soon as Shen Huaixu lay on the bed, ignoring her injuries, she wrapped herself around Gu Yinghuai like an octopus.

Gu Yinghuai was mindful of Shen Huaixu’s injuries and didn’t dare move much, allowing the other to hold her tightly.

Sigh, forget it.

Shen Huaixu missed her; didn’t she miss Shen Huaixu too?

Since the car accident, on countless nights lying alone in bed, Gu Yinghuai had watched the dim, silvery-white moonlight blocked by the curtains—another sleepless night.

Now that Shen Huaixu was awake, she no longer had to endure the moonlight alone until dawn.

Her long-tense nerves finally found release. Nestled in Shen Huaixu’s arms, the fatigue of many days vanished. She felt lazy all over; she wasn’t sleepy, but she didn’t want to move either.

Shen Huaixu chuckled and scratched the bridge of her nose, teasing her for being a little lazybones, only to receive a small playful retaliation from Gu Yinghuai.

“Are you trying to murder your dear wife?” She caught the hand misbehaving at her waist. With eyes full of doting affection, she looked into Gu Yinghuai’s watery almond eyes and planted a kiss on her lips, hooking her sweet tongue to deepen the kiss.

“Who exactly is murdering whom?” Breaking away from the kiss that nearly suffocated her, Gu Yinghuai gave Shen Huaixu a mock-resentful glare, yet her lips inevitably curled upward. Even her breath felt sweet.

After Shen Huaixu returned, everything she looked at seemed perfect.

“It’s all my fault,” Shen Huaixu murmured softly. She tightened her hold on Gu Yinghuai’s waist, lightly pecking her lips, sucking and nipping, unwilling to part.

Having slept for much of the evening, neither was sleepy now. They quietly enjoyed the embrace and the occasional gentle, passion-free kisses.

“Huai, did you meet her?” After an unknown amount of time, Shen Huaixu stroked Gu Yinghuai’s hair. The black, glossy hair was extremely obedient, feeling cool and smooth to the touch—impossible to stop petting.

She kept to herself the fact that she already knew “Shen Huaixu” had appeared before this, not wanting to put too much pressure on Gu Yinghuai.

The person in her arms stiffened for a split second, then returned to normal under Shen Huaixu’s gentle stroking, leaning softly against her chest.

“Yes. During the time you were gone, she was the one there.” Her face, like a spring peach blossom, was buried in Shen Huaixu’s neck to hide the awkwardness in her eyes.

Out of a certain selfishness, she didn’t want Shen Huaixu to know she had met “Shen Huaixu” long ago, and…

She remembered those nights of entanglement, the burning skin, and the embraces that felt as though they were merging into one another’s bodies.

Unknowingly, she had shared so many intimate acts with the “future” Axu.

It was truly—

A betrayal of the current Shen Huaixu.

Gu Yinghuai’s mind was in a mess. Her slightly hurried breathing puffed against Shen Huaixu’s collarbone, making it feel tingly and numb.

Shen Huaixu seemed not to notice her companion’s abnormality. She simply held her, her long fingers tracing gentle circles on Gu Yinghuai’s back to soothe her emotions.

“It’s okay, everything is in the past.” It was an internal comfort to Gu Yinghuai, and also a statement to herself.

“Mm…” Gu Yinghuai echoed softly. “It’s all in the past.”

Afterward, neither spoke, and the room fell silent.

Outside the window, the bright moonlight gradually faded. It could no longer pierce through the curtains with their exquisite patterns. Fragments of light danced on the transparent glass before finally settling into stillness on the quiet balcony.

The moon set and the sun rose. The new sun lit up the earth, signaling the arrival of a new day.

They welcomed a brand-new day.