I Can't Fall for My Own Wife Again After Reincarnation, Right? (GL) - Chapter 1

In a private room of a five-star hotel, glasses clinked as Xu Yingran entertained some business partners. Xu Yingran owned the biggest and only barbecue town in the city. Although barbecue seemed like a small, messy business, it actually made a lot of money. Once it was organized and turned into a big chain, it became a local attraction. Even the tourism department promoted Xu Yingran’s barbecue town. Especially during the summer travel season, advertisements were everywhere. After all, who doesn’t want barbecue and crayfish in the summer?

That night, Xu Yingran joined a gathering with other businesspeople. While drinking, a chubby middle-aged man who was clearly drunk shook his wine glass and asked her, “President Xu, I heard your wife calls you every night at 9 sharp to tell you to come home. Is that true?”

Xu Yingran froze for a moment. She looked at the supplier and gave a helpless smile. It was true. Her childhood sweetheart and wife of five years always called her at 9 PM sharp, asking when she’d be home, if she had finished work, if she drank, and if she needed a ride.

Because of this, people in the business world often teased her.

“That’s not even the worst,” said a businesswoman nearby, puffing on a slim cigarette. “President Xu is seriously controlled by her wife. Just watch, it’s almost 9. I bet her wife will call any second.”

Everyone laughed, making Xu Yingran uncomfortable. Just as she was about to say something to save face, her phone lit up on the table. The screen showed two characters: 【Fu Qiao】.

“See? Told you.”

“Hahaha, President Xu, better answer it. Don’t keep the madam waiting!”

Xu Yingran silently turned her phone to mute, picked up her wine glass, and said to the group, “Alright, alright, please stop teasing me. My wife just misses me, that’s all. I’ll drink this one for everyone, but I’m heading out after.”

Everyone laughed and toasted with her, watching her pack up and leave the room.

In the hallway, Xu Yingran finally took out her phone and saw the call had ended. Since she had been drinking and couldn’t drive, she took a taxi home. But when she got to the door, she realized the password on the lock had been changed. Her face darkened.

She rang the doorbell a few times—no answer. She called—no one picked up. She figured Fu Qiao must be mad.

Feeling helpless, Xu Yingran couldn’t just sleep on the streets. After thinking for a while, she decided to go all out and called her best friend to meet at a bar. Her phone still had 30% battery.

She hailed another taxi and went to their regular bar. As soon as she walked in, the loud music gave her a headache.

It took her a while to find her friend Yao Jin, whom she had known since high school. She sat beside her and ordered a drink. Yao Jin looked amused. She knew how strict Xu Yingran’s “curfew” was.

“It’s already past 9. Didn’t your wife call to make you go home?”

In the past, Fu Qiao would’ve called non-stop. There’s no way Xu Yingran could be at a bar at this hour.

“Ah Jin, I’ve had enough of being controlled by my wife,” Xu Yingran said, clearly drunk. She held her drink and rambled, “If I had a chance to start over, I would never marry Fu Qiao!”

“You know I have to be home by 9, I have to report if I have business dinners, and even bedtime is fixed—before 11. I’m only 28! How can I sleep before 11?!”

Yao Jin sat beside her, listening to her complain for what felt like hours. She looked at her watch—it was almost 10—and chuckled. “You better get going. You’re already past curfew. Aren’t you afraid Fu Qiao will come after you tomorrow?”

“I’m not going home,” Xu Yingran flipped her hair and slouched on the sofa. “Let her call. I’m not going back. Tonight, I’m staying out! I’m going full rebel mode.”

In truth, she wanted to go home, but Fu Qiao had locked her out. What could she do? She had to have some pride. If she wasn’t allowed in, then fine. She could always book a hotel room. Though she’d need to borrow money from Yao Jin since she only had 200 yuan in cash.

Yao Jin laughed. She had known Xu Yingran for years—since high school. They became closer in college, and now it had been ten years. She knew her too well. Right now, she was talking big, but as soon as her wife called, she’d run home like always.

Xu Yingran took a sip of her cold wine. She had really talked big just now. But as it got closer to 10, she became restless, checking her phone again and again.

Sure enough, her phone started ringing with a cheerful tone. The screen showed 【Fu Qiao】 again.

Yao Jin peeked and grinned. “Your wife’s calling again.”

Drunk as she was, Xu Yingran stared at the phone, hesitated for two seconds—and hung up.

“Wow.” Yao Jin laughed in surprise. “You’re bold tonight. Hung up on your wife! You’re in so much trouble tomorrow.”

“How could I be?” Xu Yingran replied. “I told you, I’m not going back. I’m not answering her calls, and I’m staying out all night!”

Yao Jin rolled her eyes and took out her phone. “Say that again for the camera.”

Xu Yingran played along, held up a peace sign, and said to the camera, “I, Xu Yingran, will not answer Fu Qiao’s calls today. I won’t sleep before midnight. I’m staying out all night!”

“Perfect.” Yao Jin gave her a thumbs-up. “Now remember to say the same thing when she calls.”

As soon as she said that, the phone rang again. It was Fu Qiao.

“Hello, wife?” Xu Yingran answered, but then realized she hadn’t actually picked up. She squinted and finally swiped to answer. “Wife, I’m not coming home tonight. Stop calling me…”

Maybe it was the alcohol, but she didn’t remember what she said after that. She also didn’t remember what Fu Qiao said. She just remembered passing out on the bar sofa with her phone in her hands.
________________________________________

When she woke up, Xu Yingran had no idea what had happened the night before. She opened her eyes, stared at the ceiling, and rubbed her aching head.

The room looked old, with furniture from the past. She frowned and looked around in confusion. “Why did Yao Jin bring me to the old house?”

She now lived in a big new villa with Fu Qiao. Their old house was almost ready to be demolished, and she had already arranged for movers. She hadn’t expected to wake up there.

Looking around at the familiar furniture, she felt like she had gone back in time. But before she could get emotional, she suddenly remembered her bold words from last night.

What had she said again?

Don’t come home before 9, don’t sleep before midnight, and ignore Fu Qiao’s calls.

Xu Yingran: “!!!!!!”

No wonder Yao Jin brought her here! If she’d gone home, Fu Qiao might’ve skinned her alive!

Xu Yingran gasped and jumped out of bed, searching everywhere for her phone and car keys. She wanted to go home and apologize immediately!

But something felt strange.

The house looked too clean—like someone had been living in it. Clothes were drying on the balcony, and downstairs she heard voices selling breakfast and vegetables.

That couldn’t be. That street had been abandoned for years, set to be demolished. How could there be vendors?

As she was wondering this, someone knocked on the old wooden door.

Knock knock knock—

There was no doorbell. A familiar voice called, “Xu Yingran, we’re going to be late for school!”

She had started walking to the door slowly, but as soon as she heard the voice, she rushed to open it.

The morning sun lit up the old apartment hallway. Fu Qiao stood at the door, looking like a fresh white magnolia blossom. Her clear eyes looked at her from head to toe and frowned slightly.

That frown—Xu Yingran knew it too well. Every time she made her wife angry, she saw this look. It hadn’t changed since they were kids.

“Why are you dressed like this?” Fu Qiao frowned. “We’re going to be late. You haven’t even changed into your uniform.”

Only then did Xu Yingran notice Fu Qiao was wearing a blue-and-white school uniform, carrying a backpack, and holding a box of milk.

“School?” Xu Yingran blinked. “What school, wife?”

That word “wife” came out so naturally that both Fu Qiao and Xu Yingran’s parents—who had just come upstairs with breakfast—froze.

Fu Qiao’s face turned red. “W-What are you saying?!”

Before Xu Yingran could respond, she saw her parents—alive. She froze.

Like it or not, it was clear: she had really gone back in time.

Back to her senior year of high school.

In the bar, she had said, “If I could go back, I wouldn’t marry Fu Qiao.”

She hadn’t meant it for real.

But somehow, it really happened.

Back then, Xu Yingran’s parents had died in an accident. After that, she was taken care of by Fu Qiao’s parents. They spent holidays together, and when Fu Qiao confessed her love, they naturally got
together.

Ten years had passed.

Now, back in her last year of high school, Xu Yingran felt like she was dreaming. Or maybe… the world really had given her another chance.

Her dad, Xu Chunjiang, a factory worker, happily placed a small pot of soup on the table and said, “Xiao Qiao, come inside and wait for Ranran. Isn’t it still early?”

Her mom glared at him, “It’s Monday! There’s a flag-raising ceremony. We have to go early. How could you forget?”

Her mom, Zhao Yu, was an accountant at a hospital. She looked at her daughter and said, “Ranran, go get changed. I’ll pack you some buns to eat on the way.”

“Ah? Oh…” Xu Yingran stared at her lively parents, guessing they must’ve gone out early for breakfast. She changed into her school uniform, feeling strange and clumsy, then opened the door and said
to Fu Qiao, who was drinking milk, “Let’s go.”

She still needed time to calm down. Her parents had to go to work too, so she’d talk to them later.

Fu Qiao looked at her and asked, “Where’s your backpack?”

“Huh?” Xu Yingran blinked. Backpack? Oh right, school.

She rushed back to grab her backpack and asked, “Where’s my phone and car keys?”

“Phone? Car?” her mom said, “Why would you bring a phone to school?”

Xu Chunjiang laughed while eating, “Don’t scold the kid. Let her go. Xiao Qiao’s been waiting.”

Fu Qiao smiled politely. “It’s okay, Uncle, Auntie.”

Looking at this younger version of Fu Qiao, Xu Yingran thought… Wife sure was cute back then.