My Virtual Wife From my Phone Has Come to See Me - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Qi Ying said, “I just became an Alpha, I don’t know much about this yet.”

“My bad, my bad!” Qi Ying apologized awkwardly to Xiaochu. “I didn’t realize it would be that… loose on you. Let me find you something else.”

Qi Ying returned to her room and rummaged through her wardrobe, eventually picking out a relatively conservative, oversized cotton T-shirt with a large print. Normally, this kind of shirt would be worn with shorts, but on the petite Xiaochu, it reached down to her mid-thighs.

The neckline was still a bit loose, making the sight of the girl wearing Qi Ying’s clothes feel a tad intimate.

How is she this small? Qi Ying wondered. She had seen petite girls before—155cm and barely 40kg, looking like little Barbie dolls—but Xiaochu had an even smaller frame. Her shoulders were narrow and delicate. While the oversized shirt hid her waistline, her exposed legs were long, straight, and startlingly pale.

“Just wear this for tonight,” Qi Ying said, rubbing her nose awkwardly as Xiaochu stood there looking flustered. “I’ll go to the mall tomorrow and buy you some new clothes. What’s your size?”

Xiaochu gave her the measurements, and Qi Ying noted them down. Noticing the girl’s long black hair was still dripping, she gestured for her to sit down.

Qi Ying found a hairdryer and began to dry Xiaochu’s hair, supporting the long strands with her hand. The hair was dark and shiny, though a bit thin because it was so fine and soft. Qi Ying was already planning how to “fatten up” the kid; first, she needed to gain some weight so she wouldn’t get sick the moment the weather changed. To Qi Ying, “frail” wasn’t a compliment—for women, being healthy and strong was what mattered most.

Then there was the issue of school. Xiaochu was technically an adult, so Qi Ying couldn’t be her legal guardian, but she could still provide for her. A girl needed an education—and not just any education, but the best. Qi Ying started thinking about which high school to enroll her in; she had to settle it before summer ended.

As she worked, Qi Ying noticed a slight, inconspicuous bump at the nape of Xiaochu’s neck. It was the same color as the surrounding skin. If the shirt hadn’t been so loose and the hairdryer hadn’t been blowing the hair out of the way, she might never have noticed it.

What’s this? Qi Ying wondered. A “rich man’s hump” (neck fat)? It didn’t look like it.

Curiosity got the better of her. While the hairdryer roared, Qi Ying reached out and lightly brushed the protrusion with her fingers.

Instantly, Xiaochu’s entire body went numb. A wave of electric tingling surged from the top of her head. The moment Qi Ying touched her there, her strength vanished. She had been sitting on the rug, but at the touch of her Gland, she collapsed, nearly falling over.

Xiaochu instinctively covered her neck, spinning around to look at Qi Ying with wide, terrified eyes.

Qi Ying was still holding the hairdryer in one hand, her other hand frozen in mid-air. She looked at Xiaochu blankly. “What’s wrong?”

Xiaochu was trembling with shock. She didn’t know what this woman intended—and she had the nerve to ask “what’s wrong”?

Qi Ying blinked, then asked hesitantly, “Is… is that spot off-limits?”

Xiaochu’s face turned a violent shade of red. She stammered, “Y-you can’t… That’s the… the Gland…”

Gland? Qi Ying had never heard of such a thing. But seeing Xiaochu’s reaction, it was clearly a very private area. She might not understand the mechanics, but she knew an apology was in order.

“I’m sorry,” Qi Ying said. “I just became an Alpha, so I’m still learning about these things.”

Xiaochu’s eyes widened. “You… you just manifested as an Alpha?”

“Huh? Ah… yeah, I guess so,” Qi Ying replied vaguely. “So, if I offended you, I apologize. I won’t touch it again.”

Xiaochu knew about “Secondary Manifestation”—usually when a Beta manifests into an Alpha or Omega later in life. Unlike those who manifest during puberty, late-bloomers often had various issues and lacked basic AO physiological knowledge.

So… Qi Ying didn’t do it on purpose, right? Xiaochu reasoned with herself. She lowered her hand from her neck and said with a blush, “It’s okay. It’s normal that… you didn’t know.”

Qi Ying hummed softly, making a mental note to check the game settings later to see what a “Gland” actually was. This world is so complex. Why do I feel like an idiot?

Feeling too awkward to continue, Qi Ying handed the hairdryer to Xiaochu. “I’ll head to bed then. Get some sleep after you finish your hair.”

Xiaochu looked up and gave a small nod.

…

Once inside her room, Qi Ying locked the door and opened the app to look up the lore. When she discovered what the “Gland” actually represented in this world, she nearly died of embarrassment.

Good grief, isn’t that basically sexual harassment?!

No wonder Xiaochu had looked at her like she was a pervert. It was lucky the little Omega had a gentle temper; if she’d been anyone else, Qi Ying would have deserved a slap to the face. Her face burned red as she debated whether to go out and apologize again, but she decided it was better not to make the atmosphere even weirder.

She logged out of the game. It was 10:00 PM in reality—the time flow seemed consistent. She realized she’d be spending a lot of time on this app. Luckily, her only major project right now was the wedding dress, so her schedule was flexible.

As she drifted off to sleep, a thought occurred to her: If the time flow is the same, will Xiaochu eventually realize I don’t belong to her world?

Then she shook her head. What am I thinking? Xiaochu is just a game character, a bunch of code. How could she have her own thoughts? A game can’t possibly bleed into reality.

…

The next morning, Qi Ying woke up early and logged back in to check on Xiaochu.

She appeared in her bedroom. When she opened the door, bright sunlight flooded the apartment. The view of the city skyscrapers and the busy traffic below was breathtaking. Qi Ying had always dreamed of a place like this; who knew she’d get it in a game?

She noticed a small figure moving in the kitchen and walked over to investigate.

It was Xiaochu. She had used a hair tie to cinch the back of the oversized T-shirt at her waist to keep it from dragging. As she worked diligently over the stove, her long black hair swayed with her movements. The cinched fabric at the small of her back looked like a little rabbit’s tail.

The “tail” was long and thin, perfectly outlining the curve of her waist.

Qi Ying found herself unable to look away. Her mind went blank as she watched the little tail wiggle before her. After several seconds, she realized she was staring and let out a fake cough to mask her embarrassment.

“Ahem—”

Xiaochu turned around with a smile. “Sister, just a moment. The fried rice is almost ready.”

She had used the leftover rice from last night, adding diced cucumber, corn, and ham. She’d also fried two sunny-side-up eggs.

“I didn’t know what you like to eat, and I didn’t want to waste the rice,” Xiaochu said, her eyes sparkling. “I made fried rice, hope you like it. If not, there are dumplings and wontons in the freezer. I can boil some wontons very quickly.”

Qi Ying wasn’t picky. She took a bite and nodded. “It’s delicious. Thank you.”

Xiaochu’s cheeks flushed pink; she looked genuinely happy.

After breakfast, Qi Ying told her, “I have work to do today, so you’ll be home alone. You can watch TV, or use the books and computer in the study. I’ll probably…” She paused to calculate. “…I’ll be back around 7:00 or 8:00 PM.”

Xiaochu nodded obediently. “Go ahead and get your work done, Sister. I’ll be fine here.”

Qi Ying smiled and headed for the door. Xiaochu followed her out like a devoted little maid, watching her enter the elevator. Once the doors closed, she stood there for a moment before returning to the apartment with a look of loneliness.

The apartment was huge, but without Qi Ying, it felt empty. Xiaochu sat on the sofa and sighed. What am I supposed to do all day? I can’t just stare at the wall again. But the place was so clean there was nothing to tidy.

She leaned her cheek against the sofa cushion where Qi Ying had been sitting. She caught a faint scent of Green Plum Wine. When she realized she was smelling Qi Ying’s lingering pheromones, her face turned bright red. She scrambled back, throwing the cushion aside in a panic, her heart racing.