Fighting For My Wife With Myself After Being Reborn - Chapter 40

This was a room filled with mirrors.

Countless mirrors were placed haphazardly in every corner. The room was very dark; the only source of light came from the mirror at the very center of the room.

The mirror was large, its flat surface gleaming with a cold, clear light. Without any visible support, it stood quietly before Shen Huaixu.

The light reflected off the mirror’s surface, revealing a face that bore a striking resemblance to Shen Huaixu’s.

It was strange, wasn’t it?

Clearly, she was looking into a mirror, yet the person inside and the person outside did not look exactly the same.

The person in the mirror seemed a bit taller and looked several years older than Shen Huaixu. Her features were sharper, and her silver-grey eyes, hidden beneath thick black lashes, held an inexplicable sense of world-weariness.

Separated by the icy surface of the mirror, Shen Huaixu and her reflection stood palm to palm in silent confrontation.

Neither spoke, and the silence stretched on infinitely.

Finally, the person in the mirror spoke first. She looked directly into Shen Huaixu’s eyes and asked, “Have you made up your mind? You must know that once this begins, there is no turning back.”

Shen Huaixu stared back at her without flinching, her expression resolute. “Of course. I will never regret the decisions I make. Even if this path is the wrong one, I will persist in following my own thoughts to the end.”

The person in the mirror asked again, “Oh? Are you not afraid of the massive price you might have to pay? Are you not afraid that your efforts will be nothing more than a joke, a futile attempt to draw water with a wicker basket?”

Even as her determination and decisions were questioned by her reflection—and even if the future truly turned out as the other suggested, where her efforts could not change destiny—as long as there was a glimmer of hope, she would never give up.

After all, how could one know the answer without trying?

“Afraid? Will accidents stop happening just because you’re afraid? If I don’t try, how will I know it’s impossible?” Shen Huaixu leaned closer to the mirror, her silver-grey eyes staring intently at the person inside. “What’s the matter? Could it be that you are the one who is afraid?”

The person in the mirror ignored Shen Huaixu’s provocation. Her expression remained calm, seemingly indifferent to Shen Huaixu’s hostile attitude.

“Hey, you’re not planning to choose to do nothing, are you?” Seeing her reflection’s indifferent posture, a thought occurred to Shen Huaixu. She pressed against the mirror with a fierce look and slammed her fist against it. “What are you doing? Are you even me anymore? This is too cowardly!”

“We are you, and yet we are not you,” the person in the mirror said, shaking her head slightly. “Do you see them? Those mirrors.”

Shen Huaixu followed her gaze and surveyed the surrounding mirrors.

The room, which had been too dim to see clearly, suddenly brightened. Countless mirrors of various shapes and sizes surrounded Shen Huaixu.

The mirrors reflected Shen Huaixu’s face. Some were white-haired and near death; some were in the prime of their lives but wore gloomy expressions; others were budding young girls with innocent eyes, filled with the curiosity unique to youth.

They were Shen Huaixus from different periods and different worlds. The only thing they all had in common was a heart that deeply loved Gu Yinghuai.

Shen Huaixu met the gaze of the countless pairs of eyes looking back at her.

“We have made our choices. Now, it is your turn to choose,” the countless reflections spoke in unison. Their voices echoed through the room, lingering for a long time.

Shen Huaixu stood in the light.

She asked, “Did you all fail?”

A sigh echoed in Shen Huaixu’s ear. “What is your choice?”

Shen Huaixu looked toward the largest mirror. The person inside waited quietly for her answer, not rushing her.

“Like you said, I am you, and I am not you. I have only one answer, and always will.”

“I would rather be shattered into pieces than stand still, hesitating and looking back, wasting a great opportunity placed right in front of me for no reason.”

“Your failure doesn’t mean I will fail.”

“I want to change the future from that dream. Whatever price must be paid, if I can win Huai back, then bring it on!”

Shen Huaixu’s categorical voice echoed in the mirror room, causing all the mirrors to vibrate.

Having received the desired answer, the person in the mirror curled her lips slightly into a gratified smile.

At that moment, all the mirrors shattered into fragments, falling like stars and shimmering with points of light.

Thousands upon thousands of Shen Huaixus looked through the broken shards at the version of themselves who had just made such a bold declaration.

If this is your answer, then go forth boldly. We are all here with you.

“Then, as you wish.”

It was the weekend.

Shen Huaixu had no work scheduled for the day. Relying on the fact that she didn’t have to work the next morning, she had spent the previous night fooling around with Gu Yinghuai. Now, she was lazily nestled in bed, holding Gu Yinghuai as she slept soundly.

With beauty in her arms, only a fool would choose to leave this tender nest right now.

Thinking this, Shen Huaixu tightened her grip around Gu Yinghuai’s waist and buried her face in the crook of her neck, gently inhaling the scent of her hair.

As expected, a person needs to “inhale” some of their woman to have the strength to make a living, Shen Huaixu thought with total satisfaction.

The only downside was the annoying WeChat notification sound that kept ringing incessantly, like a death knell.

Seeing that the notifications showed no sign of stopping, and noticing the elegant brows of the person in her arms beginning to knit together from the noise, the person who had been “playing dead” finally opened WeChat with a bit of morning grumpiness.

Jiang Rui: [The designer has arrived at the company. Where are you now?] Jiang Rui: [Ten minutes have passed. Where are you?] Jiang Rui: [?? Still not awake??] Jiang Rui: [Eldest Miss, you didn’t forget that you had an appointment with the designer at the office today, did you?] Jiang Rui: [If you don’t reply, I’m going to call you.]

Shen Huaixu: [Overslept. Give me twenty minutes.]

Jiang Rui: [.] Jiang Rui: [Hurry up.]

Shen Huaixu yawned and turned off her phone.

She had indeed forgotten about the appointment with the designer today.

But she couldn’t be blamed. It was all because the Huai of last night was too beautiful and enticing, making her mind fill with nothing but “eating” and “eating her fill.” She completely failed to remember that she had a private itinerary the next day.

It was a close call; she almost stood the person up.

Shen Huaixu carefully released her hand from Gu Yinghuai’s waist, lifted the quilt, and stepped out of bed lightly.

Without the warmth of Shen Huaixu’s embrace, the bed felt significantly emptier and colder. A dazed Gu Yinghuai poked her head out from under the covers, her voice slurred. “Hmm? What time is it?”

“It’s still early. Sleep a bit longer.” Since it was a rare weekend break and they had played late into the night, Shen Huaixu would much rather coax Gu Yinghuai into sleeping more than wake her up for breakfast.

She leaned down, kissed Gu Yinghuai’s forehead, and whispered, “I’m going out for a bit. I’ll be back soon. Shall I bring back some little cakes for you?”

“Okay…” Gu Yinghuai, who had been struggling to get up, was pacified by the forehead kiss and the promise of cake. She abandoned the idea of rising. “Then I want strawberry cream tarts and cream puffs…”

After saying that, Gu Yinghuai rolled herself up in the quilt like a spring roll, turned over, and went back to sleep.

Shen Huaixu was charmed by her cuteness. She gently patted the “spring roll’s” backside. “Little glutton, I’m leaving now.”

The little glutton gave a humph and wriggled her body slightly, scooting to the side. She muttered in a muffled voice, “Be careful on the road…”

“Okay.” Shen Huaixu’s tone carried an unconscious indulgence. She smiled and left the bedside, speeding up her washing routine. After all, there was a designer waiting for her at the office who she had nearly stood up.

It had been a year since her first meeting with the designer.

A year ago, the unlucky designer had been introduced by Jiang Rui. Knowing nothing about Shen Huaixu’s true temperament, the designer had accepted her commission.

From then on, Shen Huaixu became the designer’s nightmare.

For an entire year, Shen Huaixu had battled with the designer over the drafts countless times before finally finalizing the design.

If nothing went wrong, today was the day of the ring’s delivery.

Shen Huaixu quickly changed her clothes and drove to the office.

On the way, she couldn’t help but think of the “Shen Huaixu” who had forcefully intruded into her and Gu Yinghuai’s lives a year ago and then quietly disappeared.

Half a year ago, when the proposal ring’s design hadn’t been fully finalized, that “Shen Huaixu” would occasionally appear, taking over her body to modify the drafts submitted by the designer.

But as they approached the point in the future where Gu Yinghuai was supposed to have her accident, the time and frequency that “Shen Huaixu” could appear decreased significantly.

It seemed as though an unknown force was repairing the anomaly, erasing the existence of that “Shen Huaixu” and pushing the world back to its original state.

The last time “Shen Huaixu” appeared was three months ago.

At that time, she seemed to know it was her final appearance. She didn’t spend time leaving provocative notes for Shen Huaixu in the memo app like before.

She and Gu Yinghuai snuggled on the living room sofa and quietly watched an entire movie.

The movie was very touching. Gu Yinghuai cried until her eyes and nose were red, going through tissue after tissue.

“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” She snuggled into “Shen Huaixu’s” arms, blowing her nose. Her eyes, washed by tears, were bright and watery.

“Shen Huaixu’s” strange behavior had eventually tipped Gu Yinghuai off.

“Don’t be sad. We will meet again in the future.” “Shen Huaixu” cupped Gu Yinghuai’s face and tenderly wiped away the tears she hadn’t managed to clear from the corners of her eyes.

She didn’t feel excessive grief over her imminent departure, only a slight sense of regret.

The regret was that, no matter which space-time she was in, she could never personally put the proposal ring on Gu Yinghuai’s finger.

“Shen Huaixu” instinctively squeezed Gu Yinghuai’s right ring finger. Unlike her own hands, Gu Yinghuai’s fingers were slender but slightly fleshy, feeling soft and wonderful to the touch.

Gu Yinghuai allowed “Shen Huaixu” to do as she pleased. She tilted her chin up, her moist apricot eyes staring into “Shen Huaixu’s” silver-grey eyes, silently pleading for an answer. “You promise?”

“I promise.” “Shen Huaixu” lowered her head and kissed Gu Yinghuai’s ring finger. “I will find you.”

Gu Yinghuai leaned against “Shen Huaixu’s” shoulder, taking the opportunity to interlock her fingers with hers. Their hands were gripped tightly, as if this was the only way to confirm each other’s existence.

“Okay.” Gu Yinghuai’s voice was laced with an almost imperceptible sob. Her thick, dark lashes trembled slightly as she stubbornly refused to let her tears fall.

By the time Shen Huaixu regained control of her body, she and Gu Yinghuai had fallen asleep on the sofa, head to head.

At first, Shen Huaixu thought it was just another normal swap and didn’t take it to heart. It was only when Gu Yinghuai told her that “Shen Huaixu” might never appear again that she realized, in hindsight, that it truly might have been the last time she experienced the sensation of being shoved into the darkness.

In the days that followed, just as Gu Yinghuai had said, “Shen Huaixu” never appeared again.

Simultaneously, as time passed, the memories of “Shen Huaixu” in Gu Yinghuai’s mind began to slowly fade.

Initially, neither Shen Huaixu nor Gu Yinghuai noticed. They rarely brought up “Shen Huaixu” in their daily lives, as her existence was somewhat against common sense and inherently awkward.

It was one day while they were eating at home and talking about the time Shen Huaixu was injured in the car accident.

That evening, Shen Huaixu had cooked chestnut chicken. The chestnuts were soft and flavorful, and the chicken was tender and juicy—it was a perfect dish to eat with rice.

While eating the chestnuts, Gu Yinghuai suddenly teased Shen Huaixu about how, when she was first hospitalized and needed to watch her diet, she had been craving sugar-roasted chestnuts and had begged her to smuggle them into the ward.

“It was that fellow who wanted to eat them, not me.” Shen Huaixu was indignant. At that time, she was still drifting through various dreams. Forget sugar-roasted chestnuts—she didn’t even have a drop of water to drink. Why should she take the blame?

Gu Yinghuai tilted her head, her apricot eyes full of confusion. “Who is Axu talking about?”

Shen Huaixu: “?”

“Just that fellow. Huai, did you get confused?” Shen Huaixu didn’t want to admit in front of Gu Yinghuai that “Shen Huaixu” was herself, so she always liked to use “that fellow” to refer to her.

Gu Yinghuai: “?”

Shen Huaixu: “?”

“What is Axu saying? Besides you, who else wouldn’t stay still even while hospitalized? You’re not trying to act dumb to avoid being teased, are you?” Gu Yinghuai just thought her Axu was acting like a child, trying to play dumb to get out of it. She didn’t notice anything amiss.

“It’s only been a little over a year, and Axu already wants to back out of it?” Gu Yinghuai was still talking, but Shen Huaixu, sitting opposite her, felt a bone-chilling cold spread through her body.

She was the only person left in this world who still remembered “Shen Huaixu.”