Fighting For My Wife With Myself After Being Reborn - Chapter 41.2

She was already getting a bit anxious, but shortly after this round started, a manager from the company called. There was an urgent matter requiring Gu Yinghuai to go on a business trip, and she was expected to pack three days’ worth of clothes and head to the company immediately.

“Manager, I’m so sorry. Could you see if anyone else in the company is available? It’s not very convenient for me right now.” Gu Yinghuai remembered that she had promised her Axu last night that the arrangements for this weekend were entirely up to her. If she left now, it would be a broken promise.

Gu Yinghuai didn’t want to break her word, and besides, she didn’t want to take on the miserable task of working through the weekend. She decided to make up an excuse to brush it off.

“A family member is sick, and I have to stay and take care of her. Manager, please find someone else.” Gu Yinghuai glanced at Shen Huaixu beside her, and upon meeting Shen Huaixu’s half-smiling face, she gave an awkward yet polite grin.

Ugh, lying really isn’t my strength. Gu Yinghuai had a headache. If the speaker weren’t on, she really would have liked to ask Shen Huaixu how she managed to lie so effortlessly without blinking.

After being rejected twice, the manager on the other end gave up and promptly hung up.

“Continue?” Gu Yinghuai raised an eyebrow. This time, she was determined to reclaim her victory. “I will definitely win this time.”

“Oh? Then I’ll look forward to it.” Shen Huaixu smiled. Her partner’s provocation felt like the soft pads of a kitten’s paw to her—no threat at all.

In fact, she could easily let Gu Yinghuai win now. Her goal had already been achieved; as long as Gu Yinghuai didn’t leave the house today, she was ninety percent sure of success.

However—

Looking at her partner’s puffed-up cheeks, Shen Huaixu thought mischievously: Maybe I should play with Huai a few more times?

The game continued.

Lost.

Lost.

Lost again.

After several consecutive losses, Gu Yinghuai glared at Shen Huaixu, questioning if she knew anything about being a graceful winner and accusing her of just bullying her.

Shen Huaixu flicked her forehead. “That won’t do. My prize is very valuable. Huai needs to work harder if she wants to get it.”

“Hmph, who knows if Axu is lying.” Gu Yinghuai threw down the controller and flopped backward. “You won’t even tell me what the prize is. You’re so annoying.”

“Then there would be no surprise, right? Alright, I’ll go easy on you this time.” Shen Huaixu lay down beside Gu Yinghuai with a grin and poked her puffed cheek.

“Promise?” Gu Yinghuai was skeptical.

Shen Huaixu nodded. “Of course. Why would I lie to you?”

Gu Yinghuai sat up abruptly. “Good! This time I’m definitely going to beat you, you villain.”

Shen Huaixu rubbed her nose, not quite understanding how she had become a villain.

Twenty minutes later.

Liar!

Axu is such a big liar!

Gu Yinghuai had lost yet again.

The person who promised to go easy had indeed held back as she said she would, but it was just another way for Shen Huaixu to tease her.

Every time Gu Yinghuai was on the verge of winning, it wouldn’t be long before Shen Huaixu defeated her, causing her to lose the game.

Annoying. Axu is so annoying.

Gu Yinghuai turned her head away in anger, ignoring Shen Huaixu’s frequent pleading glances.

Finally, Gu Yinghuai calmed herself down and picked up the controller. “Again!”

Shen Huaixu glanced inconspicuously at the clock on the wall. Seeing the numbers the hands pointed to, she quietly withdrew her gaze.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Huai, this time, we will win.

Trust me.

“Yay! I won! I finally won!” After finally beating Shen Huaixu once, Gu Yinghuai didn’t even have time to put down the controller before she stood up and cheered.

Then, she reached out toward Shen Huaixu, curled her finger, and said triumphantly, “Where’s the prize? Hand it over.”

Shen Huaixu looked at her dotingly and spread her arms, appearing completely at her mercy. “It’s in my pocket. Huai, take it yourself.”

Gu Yinghuai didn’t suspect a thing. She put down the controller and reached into the pocket of Shen Huaixu’s loungewear.

The pocket was small. Not long after her hand went in, her fingertips touched something round.

What was this? With curiosity, Gu Yinghuai grasped the round object and pulled it out.

A ring lay in her palm.

“!!!” Gu Yinghuai’s eyes widened immediately—her almond-shaped eyes were round with surprise and disbelief. “This is…?”

Shen Huaixu grasped Gu Yinghuai’s hand, her silver-grey eyes full of deep affection. She looked up at Gu Yinghuai. “This is Huai’s prize. Is Huai willing to accept it?”

Gu Yinghuai understood instantly. Her eyes gradually grew moist, and she laughed. “Who proposes like this, Axu?”

Shouldn’t a proposal happen under the moonlight, amidst candlelight, with music and the scent of flowers? Shouldn’t someone be holding the ring and kneeling?

Who beats their partner in a video game all afternoon and then gives a ring as a prize?

Shen Huaixu, having waited a while without getting an answer, felt her heart climb into her throat.

She asked in a trembling voice, “Is Huai… not willing?”

It was rare to see Shen Huaixu so nervous. If the setting were different, Gu Yinghuai would have loved to tease her more to get revenge for the afternoon’s games.

But she only thought about it.

Gu Yinghuai saw that if she didn’t give Shen Huaixu the answer she wanted soon, the person barely holding it together would break.

“You’re still asking? Hurry up and put it on me!” Gu Yinghuai poked Shen Huaixu’s forehead, urging her to move faster.

“Coming!” Shen Huaixu took the ring from Gu Yinghuai. Her hands, usually steady as a rock, were actually shaking uncontrollably at this moment.

Only when the ring was firmly on Gu Yinghuai’s slender, graceful finger did Shen Huaixu’s racing heart finally settle back into place.

“I love you.” Shen Huaixu hugged Gu Yinghuai tightly. Through the thin fabric of her loungewear, Gu Yinghuai could hear her partner’s restless heartbeat.

She reached out to hug Shen Huaixu back, gently patting her back. “I love you too.”

Two hearts pressed close together, sharing each other’s rhythm.

“Wake up, you’re going to be late for work.” A gentle morning light passed through the curtains and hit her face, carrying a hint of imperceptible warmth.

The “[Shen Huaixu]” from the other timeline struggled to open her sore eyes. The confusion in her silver-grey eyes was even greater than the sunlight outside.

What was going on? Hadn’t she already…?

“Did you sleep yourself stupid? If you don’t hurry, Jiang Rui is going to burst into our house demanding people.” The speaker had a face identical to Gu Yinghuai’s.

Not the younger version, but the Gu Yinghuai that belonged to her.

“I…” [Shen Huaixu] opened her mouth, wanting to ask if she was dreaming, but she suddenly caught sight of the ring on Gu Yinghuai’s finger.

The willow-shaped setting was firmly circled around Gu Yinghuai’s finger, and the central emerald shimmered brilliantly in the morning light.

This was the ring she and Shen Huaixu had designed together.

Why would this ring appear in a dream?

A dream? Or… could it be reality?

[Shen Huaixu]’s mind was a complete blank, totally unable to grasp the situation.

“What about ‘you’? Get out of bed already.” Gu Yinghuai threw the prepared clothes at [Shen Huaixu] and urged her to hurry.

Yet the person on the bed remained sitting there, dazed and motionless.

Gu Yinghuai frowned slightly, not understanding what was wrong with Shen Huaixu today; she had been acting very strangely since waking up.

Wait…?

Could it be?

She grabbed Shen Huaixu’s shoulders, forcing her to look her in the eye.

The moment their eyes met, Gu Yinghuai understood.

She asked softly, “Are you… that Axu?”

She said nothing clearly, yet everything seemed hidden in those words.

[Shen Huaixu], who had been staring blankly, widened her eyes at the sound of that “Axu,” and her empty mind began to function. “So, ‘I’ succeeded, right?”

Had that tragic future really been changed?

Her partner’s wandering and unease hit Gu Yinghuai’s heart heavily. She sat on the edge of the bed, one hand gently stroking [Shen Huaixu]’s cheek, the other interlocking their fingers.

“Look, you caught me.” Gu Yinghuai leaned her forehead against [Shen Huaixu]’s and said, “Back then, you said we would meet again. Now, the promise has been kept.”

Feeling the warmth from the cheek and fingertips—a temperature [Shen Huaixu] had yearned for countless times in her dreams—she possessed it once again.

“That’s great… that’s just wonderful…” [Shen Huaixu] suddenly pulled Gu Yinghuai into a fierce hug, scalding tears falling uncontrollably, drop by drop onto Gu Yinghuai’s neck.

So hot. Gu Yinghuai felt like her neck was being burned by [Shen Huaixu]’s pain. She didn’t move, instead tenderly returning the embrace of her emotionally broken partner.

She was too tired.

For all these years, [Shen Huaixu] had been in a state of extreme mental tension. She had reached her breaking point long ago and had only been struggling to hold on.

Now, knowing that she had finally escaped the nightmare future, the taut string finally snapped.

“I will stay with you forever,” Gu Yinghuai promised.

The weeping [Shen Huaixu] silently tightened her arms around Gu Yinghuai’s shoulders.

How wonderful. We will be together forever.

After a long while, their intense emotions gradually calmed. The tears no longer seemed to burn; they became cool and soothing, comforting the beating heart.

“Oh no! Now we really are late!” The clock in the living room gave its final warning. Gu Yinghuai hurriedly pushed [Shen Huaixu] away and rushed toward the door, not forgetting to remind her to change and come out quickly.

[Shen Huaixu] touched the clothes scattered on the bed and showed her first smile of the day.

Her future seemed to have begun in a way that was both noisy and peaceful.