My Virtual Wife From my Phone Has Come to See Me - Chapter 37

Chapter 37: “Aren’t You Going to See the Gift I Got You?”

When she got home, Xing Xiaochu hadn’t finished school yet. Qi Ying boiled a pot of water and cooked two dumplings for herself. She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but the taste from this local shop seemed identical to the ones Shi Yu had brought over.

But how could that be possible?

Qi Ying watched the dumplings bobbing in the pot and told herself she was just overthinking it.

When the school bell rang, Qi Ying watched a massive swarm of students pour out of the gates. She had developed a “pro-tip” for picking up the kid: searching for her was impossible, but if she just stood under a prominent landmark, the girl would find her.

True to form, Xiaochu spotted Qi Ying—who was standing under a streetlamp with her hands in her pockets—from a distance. She ran over joyfully, her backpack bouncing.

“Sister, you came to pick me up again!” Xiaochu stood before her, tilting her head up with a bright smile. “Wait for me a second, let me go buy you something.”

Qi Ying watched curiously as the girl sprinted away and back again, as energetic as a sparrow leaving its nest.

The girl ran over to a nearby milk tea shop and joined the queue. Qi Ying noticed many students glancing at Xiaochu as they passed, but Xiaochu was oblivious, focused on telling the clerk which flavor she wanted.

Qi Ying’s brow twitched. Seeing those boys and girls staring at Xiaochu made her feel inexplicably annoyed.

She’s my kid. What are these people looking at?

A sudden surge of possessiveness left Qi Ying in a foul mood. By the time Xiaochu finished her purchase, Qi Ying had already walked over. Looking at the two cups, she asked, “Which one is mine?”

Xiaochu looked left and right, then handed one over. “Dongdong told me this shop is having a ‘Buy One Get One Free’ event this week. This Grape Succulent flavor is for you, Sister.”

Qi Ying took the tea and used her other arm to pull the girl into a light embrace, shielding her from the prying eyes of the crowd.

Xiaochu looked up, confused by Qi Ying’s sudden initiative.

Suddenly, Xiaochu caught the scent of green plum wine. It was the smell of Qi Ying’s pheromones, which she was releasing unintentionally. It was much more intense than usual—if it normally smelled like clear sake, it now felt like a deep, aged brew.

Is her Rut Period coming?

Xiaochu looked at Qi Ying with concern. An Alpha’s Rut is as painful as an Omega’s Heat. Without a partner, one could only rely on suppressants to stay in control.

Will Sister Qi Ying choose that peach-scented Omega, or the rose-scented one, to spend her Rut with?

Come to think of it, she hadn’t smelled those two scents around the house for quite a while.

Xiaochu stole a glance at Qi Ying and asked hesitantly, “Sister, your Rut Period…”

Qi Ying looked back, tilting her head. “What Rut Period?”

Xiaochu bit her lip. Assuming Qi Ying just didn’t want her to know, she clutched her tea and shook her head. “Nothing. Let’s go home, Sister.”

Qi Ying swept a cold gaze over the students lingering near her beautiful girl and quickly led her home.

Along the way, Xiaochu chattered about school as usual, but suddenly went silent as they passed an alleyway. Qi Ying saw Xiaochu’s eyes fixated on a group of girls inside. They looked like young social delinquents, including one in a No. 3 High School uniform with a streak of green hair.

The green-haired girl seemed to sense Qi Ying’s gaze. She turned her head, a lit cigarette dangling from her lips. She sized up the pair with an unreadable expression.

Xiaochu became visibly tense, grabbing Qi Ying’s hand to walk faster. Even after they left the alley behind, Qi Ying could still feel that green-haired kid’s stare.

“A classmate?” Qi Ying asked, noting Xiaochu’s pale face.

Xiaochu hesitated for two seconds before shaking her head. “I don’t know her.”

“Oh.” Qi Ying squeezed the girl’s hand. “They haven’t bullied you, have they?”

Xiaochu shook her head frantically. “No! No one bullies me at school.”

Seeing her desperate need to explain, Qi Ying laughed softly. “If anyone ever does bully you at school, you tell me immediately. I’m always on your side, okay?”

Xiaochu stared at her blankly for a long moment before nodding gently.

…

On the day of Xiaochu’s birthday, Qi Ying woke up early.

It was Friday, so Xiaochu still had classes. Qi Ying planned to go to the record company to pick up the contract while the girl was at school. The company had sent a series of demo tracks; Qi Ying thought they sounded good and wanted Xiaochu’s opinion later.

Since she had taken the day off work, Qi Ying didn’t even leave the house. She entered the game directly from her room on the second floor and walked out into the living area.

Bright sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Guazi was sleeping on the sofa but flicked its tail playfully upon hearing her. Noises came from the kitchen—the hum of the range hood.

Xiaochu, in her school uniform, walked out carrying two glasses of milk. She smiled. “Good morning, Sister. I steamed some soup dumplings.”

Qi Ying felt her throat grow itchy again. She cleared it and said, “Great. I’ll go wash up.”

Sitting at the table, Qi Ying saw the spread: soup dumplings, steamed shumai, meat sausages, and milk.

Qi Ying ate slowly. “Come home early after school today.”

Xiaochu blinked, looking a bit shy. “Sister, you don’t have to make it so formal. I didn’t really celebrate birthdays before.”

“Before was before. Now is now.” Qi Ying placed a shumai in the girl’s bowl. “I’ve prepared a cake and a gift. Remember to come home early.”

Xiaochu spent the rest of the morning in a daze. When she left for school, she kept looking back at Qi Ying reluctantly. If she weren’t about to be late, she really wouldn’t have wanted to leave. Even though they had just parted, Xiaochu already felt like she wanted to be home again.

Once Xiaochu was gone, Qi Ying got to work. She took the leather trench coat from the storage room, ironed it, and folded it into a prepared gift box. After feeding Guazi, she went to the record company to get the contract and then hit the market.

Qi Ying wasn’t a great cook—her noodles were usually bland and sad—but for Xiaochu’s birthday, she decided to go all out with a hot pot. Hot pot was perfect: no knife skills or complex seasoning required. Just clean the veggies, buy the base, and sit down to eat.

In the afternoon, she picked up the cake from the bakery, tucked it in the fridge, and waited.

She spent the remaining time cleaning the house. She stayed out of Xiaochu’s room to respect her privacy, focusing instead on Guazi’s nest. The cat was small but a hoarder—vegetable leaves, paper scraps, and even Xiaochu’s socks were tucked away in there.

Qi Ying gave the cat a light swat on its butt. The cat meowed in protest but couldn’t stop her from tossing its “treasures.” It eventually retreated into its clean nest with a huff to sleep.

The day was a struggle for Xiaochu as well. Knowing Qi Ying was home preparing for her birthday, she couldn’t focus on a single lecture. All she wanted was for the bell to ring.

When it finally did, Xiaochu packed her things so frantically she left her notebook on her desk. Su Yun yawned and stood up, spotting the notebook just as Xiaochu’s silhouette disappeared out the door.

“Why is Xiaochu running so fast?” Chen Dongdong asked Xin Ya while packing nearby. “Is she in a hurry?”

“No idea,” Xin Ya replied. “Hey, want to come over this weekend? My mom bought me a new console. We can play in the living room.”

“Sure! We can invite Xiaochu too,” Dongdong suggested.

“I’ll ask her. But Xiaochu seems a bit clumsy; I’m not sure if she’s the gaming type…”

As they walked out chatting, Su Yun stared at the lonely notebook. After a long hesitation, she picked it up. She decided she’d return it on Monday.

By then, Xiaochu was already blocks away. She ran home like a wild summer breeze, her ponytail whipping behind her. When she stepped into the elevator, her heart was still pounding and her breath was shallow.

Ding. The doors opened. She sprinted to the door and burst inside.

“Sister, I’m back!”

She set down her bag and sat to change her shoes. Guazi was the first to greet her, meowing around her feet like a little dog.

“You’re back.” Qi Ying, wearing an apron and slippers, walked over. “Go change. We’re having hot pot today.”

Xiaochu nodded repeatedly, not even stopping to pet the cat before rushing to her room. She emerged shortly in her loungewear.

Qi Ying had the pot ready. The spicy, aromatic scent filled the air. As Qi Ying carried out a plate of mushrooms and spinach, she saw the girl sitting eagerly at the table.

Qi Ying laughed. “Are you only thinking about food, kid? Aren’t you going to see the gift I got you?”