I Can't Fall for My Own Wife Again After Reincarnation, Right? (GL) - Chapter 6

Xu Yingran was feeling a little better in class today compared to yesterday. At least she didn’t feel dizzy when looking at the public notices, and her muscle memory from ten years ago was starting to come back. Some difficult and obscure classical poems would come out of her mouth fluently, like beans rolling out of a bamboo tube, after just one recitation—without a single mistake.

“Not bad,” even the teacher praised her. “You’ve memorized the textbook very well. Everyone should learn from her. These are just rote memorization questions—easy points. If anyone loses points on these, copy them a hundred times and hand them in.”

After putting away her textbook, Xu Yingran sat down with her nose slightly raised. Now she understood why those rebirth novels where people became unbeatable were so popular. It really felt like she had some sort of cheat. While others were still learning, she had already mastered it. When they caught up, she would already be studying something else.

If her brain worked just a bit better, she figured being a top student in this life would be easy.

During lunch, Fu Qiao came over to her table as usual, gently knocked on the desk with her finger, and asked softly, “What are we eating for lunch?”

“Whatever the cafeteria has.” Xu Yingran looked up at her and smiled. “Do you like luosifen?”

Fu Qiao seemed unfamiliar with the name and looked at her, confused. “What’s luosifen? Is it tasty?”

Xu Yingran noticed that Yao Jin, sitting not far away, paused when she heard the word—clearly listening in.

“Our cafeteria doesn’t sell it, right?” Xu Yingran said to Fu Qiao, “It smells really strong, but it tastes good. It has sour bamboo shoots and beancurd sticks. The flavor is kind of strange, but I think you’ll like it.”

Fu Qiao frowned. “I’ve never tried it. How do you know I’d like it?”

How could Xu Yingran not know? Their kitchen cabinet at home always had packets of luosifen. When Fu Qiao got hungry in the middle of the night, she would either cook a bowl herself or kick Xu Yingran out of bed to make one for her.

So Xu Yingran could be 100% sure that Fu Qiao loved it.

Actually, there was someone else who liked it too.

“Yao Jin,” Xu Yingran turned around and looked at Yao Jin, who was about to pack up and leave. With a smile that crinkled her eyes, she said, “Want to come eat luosifen with us?”

Yao Jin stood in place and looked at Xu Yingran. She felt that something was off. From the moment Xu Yingran mouthed the name “A-Jin” to her, and again when she mentioned luosifen, it felt like this girl knew something about her.

She frowned deeply and said, “No thanks. I’m eating at the cafeteria.”

Watching Yao Jin leave the classroom, Fu Qiao leaned down and whispered to Xu Yingran, “See? She’s ignoring you.”

Xu Yingran rubbed her nose but wasn’t upset. She wasn’t close with this version of Yao Jin yet. It made sense for the girl to be cautious. She was happy enough just to eat with Fu Qiao.

There were quite a few small eateries near the school, most with only two or three tables inside. The luosifen shop Xu Yingran brought Fu Qiao to was tiny, with just one person handling both cooking and the register.

Though small, the place was fairly clean. Since luosifen wasn’t popular ten years ago, and it hadn’t yet become a trendy instant food online, Xu Yingran figured there probably weren’t many such shops in the city.

After ordering two bowls, they found a seat in a corner. As soon as they sat down, Fu Qiao suddenly said, “Oh!” and bent down to pick up a fluffy cream-colored cat that looked like a little snow cloud.

“It’s a kitty!” Fu Qiao put the cat on her lap and smiled at Xu Yingran. “Isn’t it adorable?”

The cream-colored cat was clearly used to customers petting it. It didn’t struggle in Fu Qiao’s arms and meowed at her in a soft, high-pitched voice, staring at her with wide eyes.

It was a small cat—slim and fluffy, cute and clingy. Right now, it was rubbing its head against Fu Qiao’s chest.

Xu Yingran watched her playing with the cat, her eyes full of warmth.

“Okay, stop playing with the kitty,” she said, pulling out a tissue from her pocket and handing it over. “We’re eating soon.”

Fu Qiao reluctantly let go of the little cat as the owner brought their luosifen to the table. She gently tapped the cat’s tiny nose with her finger before letting it go.

Seeing how much Fu Qiao liked the cat, the owner smiled and said, “This little one’s really sweet. She’s only six months old.”

“She’s really cute,” Fu Qiao said, watching the cream cat hop off the chair after licking its paw and head toward the door.

Even though it was lunchtime, the shop was still empty. Only Xu Yingran and Fu Qiao were eating.

It was Fu Qiao’s first time trying luosifen, and she found it very novel. Xu Yingran had warned her that it smelled bad, but when she sniffed it, it didn’t seem stinky—just a little sour, like something fermented.

After tasting it, she told Xu Yingran, “It’s really good! Not smelly at all.”

Xu Yingran laughed, eyes squinting with joy. “I knew you’d like it.”

Since there were no other customers, the owner sat at a nearby table doing some accounting, looking quite troubled.

Xu Yingran guessed business wasn’t going well. This kind of strong flavor wasn’t something people accepted easily. That’s why she ordered extra toppings and two drinks to help.

Still, it was a school-area shop, so nothing was too expensive. Their whole meal cost less than 30 yuan.

In the future, that wouldn’t even buy her a cup of coffee.

After paying, Xu Yingran noticed the owner giving her change and said, “Don’t worry, Boss. In two years, lots of people will love this stuff.”

The owner thought Xu Yingran was just being nice and smiled bitterly. “Business is tough. Other shops have streams of customers. We’re lucky to get ten people a day. If I hadn’t signed a year-long lease, I would’ve shut down already.”

Xu Yingran smiled. “Don’t say such negative things. If you believe me, hold on for two more years. Your shop will be the busiest one around.”

Before the owner could respond, she took the change and left.

At that moment, Fu Qiao was crouched at the door playing with the cream cat. The little cat seemed to really like her and was rolling on the ground, playfully swatting at her with its fluffy paws.

Just as its sharp claws were about to scratch her, Xu Yingran reached out and gently caught them in her fist.

The claws left a pale scratch on the back of Xu Yingran’s hand. The shop owner saw it and quickly came over to apologize.

“I’m so sorry!” she said. “The kitten’s had its shots. But if you’re worried, I can take you to get a vaccine.”

Xu Yingran glanced at her hand. It was just a light mark—no broken skin.

“It’s fine,” she said. “No bl00d. Don’t worry. You go ahead—we’re heading back to school.”

Fu Qiao was also worried. She grabbed Xu Yingran’s hand to check, but Xu Yingran held it tightly.

“We’ll check later,” she said. “Or we won’t make it back before the gates close.”

Fu Qiao glanced at the school gates in the distance and nodded.

In the restroom near the playground, Fu Qiao rinsed Xu Yingran’s hand under cold water. The faint scratch mark disappeared with the water, but she still looked worried.

“Are you sure you don’t need to get it checked?”

“I’m sure,” Xu Yingran said. “It’s normal for a cat to scratch a little. It didn’t even bleed—there’s no problem.”

Fu Qiao frowned. What Xu Yingran said sounded reasonable—but also not quite.

Looking at the girl in front of her, Xu Yingran pursed her lips. “But you shouldn’t use your fingers to play with cats,” she said. “When they get excited, they might hurt you. If your finger gets scratched, how will you write in class this afternoon?”

If Xu Yingran hadn’t stopped her just now, it would be Fu Qiao’s hand under the water now.

“I’m fine,” Fu Qiao said softly.

“Aren’t you helping your parents wash dishes tonight? What if it gets infected?”

“…It’s fine.”

Still stubborn—just like in the future.

Xu Yingran gave up and said, “Alright, that’s enough rinsing. Let’s head back to class.”

Fu Qiao nodded. “Okay.”

“And don’t tell my parents about the scratch,” Xu Yingran added. “Don’t tell yours either.”

“Okay.”

“And when we do homework tonight… let me copy yours a bit.”

“Okay.”

Huh?

Fu Qiao looked up at her. “You want to copy homework again?”

“Well, yeah.” Xu Yingran grinned. “I don’t know how to do it.”

Fu Qiao was so annoyed she wanted to hit her.

—

That afternoon, class was drowsy and boring. The late-summer heat still lingered. The small classroom was filled with the smell of sweat, making Xu Yingran feel dizzy.

She finally got a break after class and started packing her bag, wondering—was this really how her second life would go? Just going back and forth between school and home?

That would be way too boring.

Xu Yingran had no phone, no car. If she wanted to go anywhere, it was just her two legs—or maybe a bus. The city didn’t even have a subway yet, so everything was a hassle.

She glanced at Yao Jin, who was also packing up to go home, and realized she needed a plan.

Just as Yao Jin walked past her desk with her bag on, Xu Yingran reached out and hooked her finger around the strap.

When Yao Jin turned around, she saw Xu Yingran flashing a pretty grin with little tiger teeth.

“A-Jin,” Xu Yingran said. “Let’s go talk in the hallway, just the two of us?”