My Virtual Wife From my Phone Has Come to See Me - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: “Xiaochu, When is Your Heat Cycle?”

Xing Xiaochu looked at her ill-tempered, fierce-looking green-haired classmate. After standing there at a total loss for a moment, she sat back down, trembling slightly.

Someone nearby stifled a snort of laughter. Before Xiaochu could react, the “school bully” shot a sidelong glance at the source of the noise, and the classroom went instantly silent.

Xiaochu sat perfectly straight, not even daring to let her gaze wander to the side, terrified that a single look might provoke the girl into beating her up.

No wonder everyone was laughing when I sat down, she thought. So that’s how it is. This green-haired girl was almost certainly one of those delinquent “bad girls” who didn’t care about school.

Xiaochu nervously pinched the hem of her uniform, lowering her head as her eyelashes fluttered. She worried whether she’d be beaten by her desk mate on the very first day of school.

If I really have to get hit, can she at least not hit my face?

If she does… how am I supposed to explain it to Qi Ying when I get home?

As she spiraled into these thoughts, Xiaochu’s eyes began to redden.

But before she could come up with a solution, her green-haired desk mate let out a long yawn, unzipped her school jacket, draped it over her head, and slumped onto the desk to sleep.

She’s sleeping?

Just like that?!

It’s the first day of school and she’s just sleeping??

Xiaochu’s pupils shook, but she didn’t dare turn her head to look. She could only stare at her textbook, overwhelmed by the situation.

…

Qi Ying arrived home feeling a bit lightheaded.

She kicked off her shoes and sat on the sofa, but soon felt restless and lay down instead. Her phone gave a sharp ding. She checked it; the system notified her that Xiaochu would be out of school in fifteen minutes.

Qi Ying stared blankly at the ceiling for five minutes before crawling out of bed, deciding to go pick the kid up.

By the time she reached the school gate, quite a few parents were already waiting. Though high schoolers are generally capable of getting home on their own, many parents still insisted on picking them up to ensure they headed straight to cram school.

Standing under a streetlamp, Qi Ying watched a sea of girls from No. 3 High School pass by—all in the same uniforms, all with the same ponytails. For the first time, she was genuinely afraid she’d miss her own kid.

Kids these days look so much alike…

Average heights, pale faces, almost everyone wearing thick black-framed glasses, even the height of the ponytails was identical. Combined with the uniform, it was a nightmare to tell them apart.

Qi Ying checked her phone. It had been ten minutes since the bell; if she didn’t see Xiaochu soon, she’d just call her.

Just then, she spotted Xiaochu from a distance.

The girl was several shades paler than the students around her. Despite wearing the same uniform, she stood out instantly. Even several students standing near Qi Ying couldn’t help but stare, their eyes going wide.

Xiaochu spotted Qi Ying as well and ran over, huffing a bit. “Sister!”

“Mmh.” Noticing the admiring glances from the other students, Qi Ying reached out to ruffle Xiaochu’s head and took her backpack. “Let’s go. Time to go home.”

When they had headed to school that morning, they were almost late, so the streets had been empty. Now, the way back was crowded. Groups of students gathered in threes and fives, and many looked toward Qi Ying and Xiaochu without any attempt to hide their curiosity.

Qi Ying frowned slightly, shooting an icy glare back at those whose stares were a bit too bold.

Xiaochu seemed lost in her own thoughts, walking slowly beside Qi Ying and not noticing the attention.

As they passed a small alleyway near the school, a sound caught Xiaochu’s attention. She looked over and saw her green-haired desk mate hanging out with a group of girls who weren’t in uniform. Their hair was dyed in various colors, and their skirts were dangerously short—they looked like a textbook example of delinquents.

Xiaochu even saw her desk mate take a cigarette from another girl’s mouth, take a puff, and blow out a cloud of smoke.

As if sensing a gaze, the desk mate glanced over, and her eyes met Xiaochu’s.

Xiaochu: “!!!”

She immediately whipped her head back, grabbing Qi Ying’s arm. “Sister, let’s walk faster!”

Confused, Qi Ying let herself be pulled along. She caught a glimpse of the girls in the alley but didn’t think much of it.

Since there was no homework on the first day, Qi Ying wasn’t in a hurry to get home. She led Xiaochu to a nearby commercial street for hot pot.

Qi Ying had seen high ratings for this old-fashioned hot pot shop in the system. The price was reasonable, so she wanted Xiaochu to try some authentic flavors.

Xiaochu was surprised by the sudden outing. It was her first time in a place like this.

As it was close to dinner time, the shop was quite full. A waiter led them through the maze of tables to a corner spot and told them to scan the QR code to order.

“I’ve ordered these. See if there’s anything else you want to add.”

Qi Ying handed over her phone. “We had hot pot at home once, but I wanted to take you out for the real thing. See which one you like better.”

Xiaochu was overwhelmed by the sheer variety of dishes. She didn’t know what to add, so she handed the phone back. “You order, Sister. I’ll eat anything.”

Qi Ying smiled, submitted the order, and stood up to take Xiaochu to the sauce station.

Standing before dozens of condiments, Xiaochu looked a bit dazed. Qi Ying pressed a small dish into her hand and guided her: “Garlic, millet chili, cilantro, green onions, plus two spoons of sesame oil and two of light soy sauce—that’s a classic garlic oil dip. Or peanut crumbles, chili flakes, salt, pepper, and white sesame for a dry dip. Or you can just mix whatever you like.”

Xiaochu watched Qi Ying closely. Seeing Qi Ying add beef sauce and chili flakes, she followed suit.

Finally, noticing that Xiaochu was just mimicking her every move, Qi Ying couldn’t help but laugh. “Why are you copying me?”

Xiaochu blushed. “I don’t know how…”

Qi Ying suppressed a smile, handed her own finished dish to Xiaochu, and said, “Go back and watch the pot. I’ll make another one for myself.”

Xiaochu, holding Qi Ying’s dish, worried she had done something wrong and trudged back to the table. The waiter had already brought the ingredients, and a massive pot—larger than a washbasin—was sitting on the stove.

The broth was already bubbling vigorously. The waiter asked, “Shall I start putting things in for you?”

Xiaochu shook her head. “I’ll wait for my sister.”

When Qi Ying returned, she wasn’t just holding sauce; she also had a small cup of ice cream.

“Where did you get that, Sister?” Xiaochu asked, surprised.

“They have them for free in the freezer. I grabbed one for you.” Qi Ying set the sauce down and began swishing meat in the pot.

“You’re still too thin,” Qi Ying said as she worked. “You need to eat more meat. I ordered a lot, so don’t hold back.”

Soon, a small mountain of meat had formed in Xiaochu’s dish. She couldn’t eat as fast as Qi Ying could serve.

“Mmh… that’s enough, Sister,” Xiaochu said, looking at the pile of food. “I can pick it out myself if I want more.”

“Oh.” Qi Ying stopped and started pouring a drink for her instead.

It was Xiaochu’s first time eating hot pot out. The flavor was much more intense than at home, and the sauce was incredibly rich. Her eyes lit up with every bite.

They both finished the meal thoroughly satisfied. Because the bill was quite high, the shop gave them two free milk teas. As they walked out, Qi Ying saw Xiaochu squatting by the door, playing with the owner’s “lucky cat.”

The cat was a calico with a gentle temperament. Xiaochu was stroking its ears, tilting her head as she watched it.

Qi Ying walked over and leaned down. “Xiaochu, time to head home.”

The girl looked up from the ground, her eyes crinkled in a smile. “Sister, look at this kitten. Doesn’t it look like our Guazi?”

Qi Ying glanced at the calico. “This is a calico, Guazi is orange and white. They aren’t even the same color; how do they look alike?”

The girl in the school uniform didn’t agree. She rubbed the cat’s head. “I think their ears are the same. They’re both orange.”

Qi Ying laughed, looking at the clean, beautiful Xiaochu. She looked so happy playing with the cat, and the calico leaned its head into her palm, making Xiaochu giggle.

The milk tea in Qi Ying’s hand was starting to feel warm from the heat of her own palm. She felt like her whole body was on fire, especially when she looked at Xiaochu.

It felt as though ants were crawling inside her, biting at the tip of her heart. A numbing, tingling sensation… yet it was maddeningly itchy.

Qi Ying’s throat felt dry. She stared deeply at Xiaochu. After a long silence, she said, “Alright, let’s go.”

On the walk home, both of them held their milk teas.

Xiaochu shared stories about her day. Her old school had been chaotic, with no one studying, but this school was different—everyone was hardworking, and the teachers were responsible.

Except, of course, for her green-haired desk mate.

Xiaochu didn’t dare mention her to Qi Ying. She didn’t want to cause her any more trouble; she felt she had been a burden enough already. Besides, the girl had just slept all day and smoked with some friends—she hadn’t actually done anything to Xiaochu. One shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.

As they chatted, they entered the apartment complex.

Qi Ying had been feeling restless the whole way. She could smell a very fragrant, sweet scent of osmanthus coming from Xiaochu. But Xiaochu wasn’t releasing pheromones, and she was wearing a suppressor patch. Why could she still smell it?

The scent tunneled shamelessly into Qi Ying’s nose, so sweet it made her bones ache with itchiness.

She couldn’t even finish her milk tea; every sip felt cloyingly sweet and uncomfortable in her throat.

While waiting for the elevator, Qi Ying bit down on her red straw. After a few seconds of hesitation, she spoke to the girl beside her.

“Xiaochu… what dates are your heat cycle?”