My Virtual Wife From my Phone Has Come to See Me - Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Why Is There a Tiny Mark on Her Arm?

The cold injection flowed into her body, and Qi Ying instantly felt the burning sensation recede. Her heart, which had been drumming violently against her ribs, calmed within a minute. Even her breathing steadied.

Xing Xiaochu knelt beside Qi Ying, withdrew the needle, disposed of it in a nearby wastebasket, and looked up, meeting Qi Ying’s gaze.

“Sister,” Xiaochu asked softly, “Do you feel any better now?”

Qi Ying looked at her; her pupils wavered slightly. Although she could still smell the faint scent of osmanthus, her body no longer reacted so explosively. Even so, the eye contact felt awkward, so she shifted her gaze away.

“Much better.” Qi Ying looked at the tiny puncture mark on her arm and pulled down her sleeve. “Thank you for helping me.”

Xiaochu shook her head. “It’s mostly my fault. I’m sorry, Sister.”

As she spoke, she touched the back of her neck, hidden under her long black hair. She had already applied a fresh suppressant patch to block the pheromones; Qi Ying shouldn’t have any further reactions.

But it was strange. Aside from a few times when she unconsciously released pheromones in her sleep, Xiaochu had been very careful with her glands. Moreover, she wasn’t in heat—why did Qi Ying have such a massive reaction?

Could it be that our pheromone compatibility is so high that even a tiny whiff affects her like this?

Xiaochu touched her patch and stole a glance at Qi Ying, but she didn’t dare ask. If she was wrong, it would be incredibly embarrassing.

Qi Ying didn’t notice Xiaochu’s expression. She was leaning back on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. Although the physical discomfort had passed, she was drenched in sweat. This incident made her realize that in this world, Alphas and Omegas truly needed to maintain a distance. They couldn’t be like her and Xia Ruoxin, who could sit close or change clothes without a second thought.

Here, they had to maintain a proper distance. Being too intimate was dangerous.

To avoid “playing with fire” in the future, Qi Ying decided to stay a bit further away from Xiaochu—maintaining a safe, social distance.

After resting for a while, Qi Ying made up an excuse and slipped away.

Xiaochu stood at the door, looking dejected as the door clicked shut. She looked down at her feet, her long eyelashes trembling. She had a premonition: after this, Qi Ying probably wouldn’t be as close to her as before.

The kitten, bored, came over to sit by Xiaochu’s feet, keeping her company at the door.

…

Meanwhile, having exited the game, Qi Ying hid in the alleyway behind her shop and called the game’s customer service. As soon as the call connected, her face turned bright red as she demanded: “What is wrong with your game? Why… why are there plot points like this?”

The representative asked gently, “May I ask what happened?”

Qi Ying’s face burned, but the words wouldn’t come out. She couldn’t exactly say she “went into heat” just by smelling a girl!

It was too embarrassing!

“Never mind what happened! I just want to know if this is an adult game or a respectable one!” Qi Ying questioned irritably. “The interaction style is too weird. Isn’t this supposed to be about raising a child?”

The representative remained polite: “Please don’t worry, Designer. We guarantee our game is a legitimate, respectable product.”

Qi Ying got even angrier: “So you’re saying I’m the one who isn’t respectable?”

Representative: “…” (This customer is a handful.)

…

Over the next few days, Qi Ying only logged in briefly before bed to maintain her presence before returning to her room. Xiaochu clearly sensed the withdrawal; she often watched Qi Ying with disappointed eyes. Once, she even approached Qi Ying with the cat to try and start a conversation, but Qi Ying subtly avoided her.

After that, Xiaochu didn’t dare get close anymore.

But this wasn’t a long-term solution.

Sitting at her drafting table, Qi Ying watched the monitor. Xiaochu was in the study, dazed. Lately, the girl spent her time either staring blankly at her desk or watching Guazi play with the cloth fish all day.

It made Qi Ying feel quite guilty.

However, she had been genuinely busy and didn’t have much time to spend with her. Luckily, the cat kept Xiaochu from being too lonely.

Tomorrow was the day for Guazi’s vaccinations. Qi Ying had already cleared her schedule, deciding to take Xiaochu out for a proper day of shopping. They had known each other for a while, yet she had never taken the girl to a mall.

Watching the monitor as Xiaochu picked up Guazi and wrestled the cloth fish from its mouth, Qi Ying couldn’t help but smile.

My kid is still pretty cute.

“Ugh, it’s so hot…”

Xia Ruoxin pushed the door open, her tongue practically hanging out from the heat. She fanned herself as she hovered in front of the AC vent. “It’s almost September, why is it still so hot? The rain yesterday didn’t help at all. Running to the factory in this weather makes me want to die!”

Qi Ying closed her phone and handed Xia Ruoxin a glass of water. “How did the factory talk go?”

Xia Ruoxin gulped down the water and gave a thumbs-up. “Great! They love your designs and decided to do a trial run for the first batch. I’ll contact the retail brands we worked with before to see how they perform. If it goes well, we’ll sign a long-term contract.”

Qi Ying nodded and returned to her seat.

Noticing Qi Ying’s lukewarm attitude, Xia Ruoxin leaned in. “Hey, A-Ying, has little Shi Yu asked you out lately?”

Qi Ying looked up. “Why? Are you interested in her?”

“Don’t talk nonsense, I’m just curious.” Xia Ruoxin sat down. “The few times you weren’t in the shop, I saw her lingering by the window several times. I tried to call her in, but she wouldn’t come.”

Xia Ruoxin sighed. “In this heat, that girl is out there every day just to get a glimpse of you. Are you really not moved?”

Qi Ying looked at Xia Ruoxin with an amused expression until the latter felt self-conscious.

“Wh-why are you looking at me like that?” Xia Ruoxin looked away. “I’m just being nosy.”

Qi Ying knew Xia Ruoxin was just being a gossip. “Next time you see her, tell her to go home. Tell her not to waste her time on me.”

Xia Ruoxin nodded. “Got it. I’ll do as you say.”

They discussed work for a bit longer. Seeing as business was slow, they closed early. Qi Ying went upstairs to take a bath.

The sound of running water filled the bathroom. Usually, Qi Ying was so busy she just took quick showers, but today she relaxed into the tub with a satisfied sigh. Despite the loft’s small size, it was well-equipped, and she loved this bathtub.

After soaking for half an hour, Qi Ying stepped out. As she was changing, she noticed something on her forearm. Leaning in, she saw a tiny puncture mark.

Qi Ying: “?”

Why is there a tiny hole on my arm?

It was minuscule; she wouldn’t have noticed it if the bath hadn’t softened her skin. And the location… it was exactly where Xiaochu had given her the injection.

Qi Ying rubbed the spot. It had already healed. Likely, a tiny bit of blood had scabbed over it, and the bath had washed the scab away. It would be fine in a day or two.

Wait.

Qi Ying froze. Why did I instinctively assume this was the injection mark? It could just be a bug bite.

Besides, it was just a game. How could it possibly cause physical marks on her real body?

She pushed the stray thought aside and went to bed.

…

In the game world, Xing Xiaochu sat on the rug, hugging her knees. She watched the now-chubbier kitten waddle over with a cloth fish in its mouth and drop it on her foot.

“Mew—” its voice was still tiny and high-pitched.

Xiaochu picked up the blue fish. “This is mine.”

“Mew—mew—”

Thinking she wanted to play, the kitten scurried away, arched its back, and watched her with wide eyes, waiting for her to throw it.

Xiaochu sighed and tossed the fish. The kitten pounced, missed, tumbled head-over-heels, then scrambled up to the window to retrieve it before parading back to show off.

“Sister doesn’t want us anymore. Why are you so happy?” Xiaochu tried to grab the fish, but the kitten twisted its head and tried to run. Xiaochu was faster, grabbing its backside and pulling it back.

“Mew—” Despite its back legs being held, the kitten refused to let go, its tiny white teeth clamped firmly onto the cloth fish.

Xiaochu tried to take it, but the kitten pushed back with its paws, looking utterly unwilling. Finally, it was Xiaochu who gave up first.

“Why am I arguing with you…” She sighed dejectedly and gave the fish back. But the kitten was clearly offended; it hopped down and retreated to its bed.

Xiaochu’s eyes felt hot. She lay down on the sofa and drifted into a hazy sleep.

It was a fitful rest. The AC in the living room was too cold, and she hadn’t used a blanket. When she heard the front door open, she felt completely dazed.

Guazi meowed and ran to the door to greet the newcomer. Qi Ying’s voice drifted in, sounding muffled, as if through a thick film.

Sister is back.

Xiaochu tried to get up, but her head felt incredibly heavy. She tried several times but failed; her body felt limp and powerless.

It felt… as if she were sick.