I Can't Fall for My Own Wife Again After Reincarnation, Right? (GL) - Chapter 36

Hu Mei still remembered that not long ago, Xu Yingran and Fu Qiao had brought a young classmate over, only for both of them to end up drunk. In the end, it was Hu Mei who helped the young classmate into the car.

When Yao Jin saw that both of their parents had come, her expression dimmed for a moment before she quickly composed herself and greeted them politely, “Hello, uncles and aunties.”

“Hello, hello,” Xu Yingran’s father, Xu Chunjiang, looked at Yao Jin. The last time they had made osmanthus honey together, he had still been working at the factory, so this was his first time meeting Yao Jin. He asked her, “It’s so late, aren’t your parents coming to pick you up after school?”

Yao Jin remained silent. Xu Yingran quickly tugged at her father’s sleeve and said, “Her parents are busy with their business. Usually, their family driver comes to pick her up.”

Xu Chunjiang hadn’t considered this possibility and was momentarily at a loss for words.

Meanwhile, Yao Jin, looking at Fu Qiao and Xu Yingran’s entire family, seemed to shed her usual mischievousness and became unusually polite. She said to them, “My driver is waiting over there, so I’ll head off now. Uncle, aunties, please be careful on your way back.”

Xu Yingran sensed that Yao Jin seemed to be in low spirits and gave a soft hum before saying, “You take care on your way home too.”

Yao Jin nodded and turned to leave.

Fu Qiao also noticed something was off. She glanced at Xu Yingran and said, “She seems upset.”

Xu Yingran sighed and nodded. She guessed it was because Yao Jin had seen everyone else being picked up by their parents, while her own were in the middle of a divorce lawsuit, completely disregarding the fact that she was a high school senior about to face the college entrance exams.

If parents truly cared about their child, they wouldn’t have chosen to file for divorce at such a critical moment in their child’s final year of high school.

Xu Chunjiang felt the atmosphere turn awkward and asked quietly, “Did I say something wrong?”

Xu Yingran looked back at her father and said helplessly, “It’s nothing. I’ll cheer her up at school tomorrow. Let’s just head home now.”

Then, she couldn’t help but grumble, “Didn’t we say that Fu Qiao and I could walk home together after evening self-study? Why did all of you come?”

Zhao Yu, Xu Yingran’s mother, smiled and said, “Fu Qiao’s mom and I thought since it’s your first time walking home at night, you two girls might be scared. And since your dad didn’t have to work the night shift today, and the barbecue stall wasn’t busy, we all decided to come pick you up together.”

The six of them walked in small groups, chatting along the way, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Under the dim glow of the streetlights, Xu Yingran listened to the four parents’ chatter and couldn’t help but think back to the past.

Back then, when her parents had passed away in an accident, the funeral arrangements had been handled by relatives and neighbors. By the time Xu Yingran returned to school, evening self-study sessions had already been going on for several days.

No one had come to pick her up after school like this. Every day, it had been Fu Qiao by her side.

In the mornings, Fu Qiao would bring breakfast to share with her, and after evening self-study, the two of them would walk home slowly together under the night sky.

That routine had continued all the way until the college entrance exams were over.

Xu Yingran glanced at Fu Qiao walking beside her and thought that if it hadn’t been for her companionship back then, she would never have made it through.

At the time, since Xu Yingran was already an adult, none of her relatives had stepped up to take care of her. They had simply said that she was old enough to handle things on her own.

But 18 years old is still just a child after all. What problems could Xu Yingran handle alone?

She couldn’t even cook the most basic meals.

If it weren’t for Fu Qiao and her parents’ help, Xu Yingran felt that even if she could graduate safely, she definitely wouldn’t have the kind of life she had later.

Perhaps because Xu Yingran’s gaze was too intense, Fu Qiao couldn’t help but turn to look at her, leaning in slowly to ask, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Xu Yingran averted her eyes, rubbing her nose as she said, “I was just thinking whether we should still go eat rice noodles.”

“Eat what rice noodles?” Zhao Yu turned to look at the two of them and said, “There’s already food prepared at home. You can have rice noodles tomorrow.”

Fu Qiao, hearing this, asked curiously, “What’s prepared?”

She was indeed a little hungry.

And most importantly, her parents had personally come to pick her up. After so many years of going to and from school alone, it was rare for both her parents to come, and she was really happy.

Fu Jun, smoking a cigarette behind them, took a puff and said, “Grilled some skewers for you, made a couple of cold dishes. We’ll boil some hand-pulled noodles when we get back. Don’t eat too much late at night, or you won’t be able to sleep.”

Hearing there was so much delicious food, even Xu Yingran started to get interested, quickening her steps on the way home.

When they got home, they saw the dining table laden with dishes. Zhao Yu and Hu Mei went to prepare the hand-pulled noodles, while Xu Chunjiang and Fu Jun sat to the side, cracking open a beer. Fu Qiao and Xu Yingran sat together eating skewers.

Today’s skewers were especially chewy, made with the best cuts of meat, threaded onto skewers and sprinkled with a special barbecue seasoning, fragrant and spicy, leaving a tingling numbness in the mouth after eating.

Xu Yingran had only eaten two skewers before her mouth started to hurt. Fu Qiao was the same, both of them frowning in unison and touching the corners of their lips.

Fu Jun, seeing his daughters like this, asked curiously, “I didn’t notice before, but what’s wrong with your mouths? Did you both get hurt in the same spot?”

Xu Chunjiang also looked up and realized it really did seem that way.

“You two couldn’t have both bitten your lips while eating, could you?” Xu Chunjiang blinked and asked.

Fu Qiao froze, but Xu Yingran quickly said, “Dad, what are you talking about? I bit my lip while eating. Xiao Qiao accidentally fell.”

“Fell?” Fu Jun asked with concern, “How bad was it, sweetheart? Let me take a look.”

Fu Qiao uncomfortably dodged, her ears turning red as she said, “It’s fine, it’ll heal in a couple of days. No need to look.”

“It’s my fault,” Fu Jun said, slapping his thigh. “I haven’t been paying enough attention to my Qiao’er. I shouldn’t have put so much chili in. Does it sting? Drink more water, your mom’s hand-pulled noodles will be ready soon.”

Xu Chunjiang chuckled and said, “See how irresponsible you are as a father? Such a good daughter, you should pay more attention. Who knows, one day if you’re not careful, your daughter might run off with some little boy.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Fu Qiao’s still so young, how could she just run off with a boy? And don’t lecture me, your Ranran is just as pretty. Who knows, she might run off even faster than my Xiao Qiao.”

“If our Ranran ever dates, it’ll have to wait until she’s in college. And it can only be with someone local, no out-of-towners allowed.”

“You’re talking big now, but what if Ranran really takes a liking to someone from out of town? You wouldn’t stop her from getting married, would you?”

“Hey, then let Ranran find someone from our own neighborhood. That way, it’ll be close.”

Fu Jun nodded in agreement, clinking his beer bottle with Xu Chunjiang’s, and said firmly, “Our Qiao’er should also find someone from our neighborhood. Makes visiting easier.”

Listening to the two men prattle on about marrying off their daughters, Xu Yingran couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Just you wait. In a few years, we’ll see who marries whom.

Who knows? It might just come true, and they’ll all end up in the same neighborhood.

While mentally complaining, Xu Yingran glanced at Fu Qiao from the same neighborhood, noticing her carefully nibbling the meat off the skewer with her small teeth. Her originally pink lips were now red and swollen, looking plump and round as if kissed tender.

Xu Yingran’s heart raced uncontrollably.

“Y-you should stop eating,” Xu Yingran leaned over and said to Fu Qiao. “Look how swollen your lips are from the spice. Keep going, and they’ll turn into two carrots.”

Fu Qiao winced in discomfort, eyeing the remaining meat on the skewer with reluctance. “But we can’t waste it. Let me finish these last two pieces.”

Just as Fu Qiao was about to take another bite, Xu Yingran swiftly snatched the skewer from her hand and chided, “Don’t push yourself. I’ll finish the rest for you. Drink more water, there’s still noodles to eat later.”

Fu Qiao watched as Xu Yingran swallowed the skewer she had already taken a bite from, her face flushing crimson again, her words stumbling.

“Y-you… I already ate from that! How can you still eat it?” Fu Qiao stammered, her face burning.

“Huh?” Xu Yingran endured the sting on her lips and asked, puzzled, “What’s the big deal? What’s between us? Haven’t we shared food plenty of times?”

It’s not like Fu Qiao minded when they kissed. Why was she suddenly so fussy now?

Fu Qiao, red-faced, stayed silent and turned away to peel and eat a boiled edamame.

The two men across the table chuckled and teased them lightly. Just then, Zhao Yu and Hu Mei brought over the freshly cooked noodles, placing two bowls in front of Fu Qiao and Xu Yingran. “Eat while it’s hot. Hand-pulled chicken noodles, delicious. Finish up and get to bed. You’ve got school tomorrow.”

They then scolded the drinking men, “Cut back on the alcohol. The kids need to rest after dinner. Don’t just sit there guzzling like it’s nothing.”

The men grinned cheerfully, motioning for their wives to sit beside them, crowding the small table until it was packed.

The meal left Xu Yingran in high spirits. It had been a long time since she’d experienced the warmth of a family reunion.

Now, her parents and her wife’s parents were all gathered together, just like countless ordinary yet heartwarming evenings in other households.

It made Xu Yingran’s eyes grow warm.

By the time they finished the steaming, fragrant chicken noodles, it was already 10 p.m. Any later, and they’d struggle to wake up the next day. Worried about disturbing the girls, Xu Chunjiang and the others moved the table out to the hallway to continue their meal, giving the two some peace to rest.

As she lay in bed, Xu Yingran patted her full belly contentedly, drifting into a sweet slumber.

The next morning, Xu Yingran and Fu Qiao arrived at the classroom together.

Yao Jin was already seated at her spot. Xu Yingran glanced at her and said to Fu Qiao, “You go back to your seat first. I’ll go talk to her.”

Fu Qiao looked at Yao Jin, then at Xu Yingran, and said, “Alright, comfort her a bit. Let’s go eat rice noodles together at noon.”

Xu Yingan gave an ‘OK’ sign and walked over to greet Yao Jin.

“Morning, A-Jin.”

Yao Jin looked up at Xu Yingran and said calmly, “What’s up so early in the morning?”

“Nothing, just saw you leave in such a hurry yesterday. Were you upset?”

“I was in a rush to go home and sleep. Why would I be upset?”

“Is that so?” Xu Yingran leaned down curiously to look at her. After a moment, she smiled, revealing her cute little canine teeth. “Good that you’re not angry. Fu Qiao and I are planning to eat rice noodles at noon. Want to join us?”

Yao Jin’s expression remained indifferent. She thought for a moment before nodding. “Okay.”