My Virtual Wife Stepped Out of My Phone to Find Me - Chapter 1

The phone lying face down on the table suddenly chimed. Qi Ying, who was working on a dress form, glanced back and casually draped the measuring tape around her neck before putting down her scissors to check.

Qi Ying had studied fashion design in college. After working for two years post-graduation, she started her studio with friends specializing in high-end custom clothing. Thinking it might be a private client reaching out, she opened WeChat but found no notifications.

Then came another ‘ding’ as a small notification popped up: Software installed successfully!

Puzzled, Qi Ying scrolled through her phone and found a newly installed app tucked away in the bottom corner. The icon showed the reflection of a girl in a dress, white shoes perched by a puddle, with a vibrant bouquet of lilies beside her.

Xing Xiaochu’s Morning Diary.

“What kind of shady app is this?” Qi Ying frowned. “Do self-installing game apps still exist these days?”

Just as she reached to uninstall it, her ordinary phone suddenly emitted a blinding light. Before she could react, something came clattering down from above.

‘Whoosh—’

Rain poured from the sky, drenching Qi Ying in an instant. She hurriedly shielded her head and ran to the nearest awning, staring bewildered at the downpour.

A moment ago, she’d been in her studio—how did she suddenly end up outdoors? And why was it raining out of nowhere?

‘Ding—’

The familiar chime sounded again. Qi Ying checked her phone to find it had switched to a game loading screen, which soon displayed a long string of text:

Welcome to Xing Xiaochu’s Morning Diary~

Congratulations on obtaining beta access! This game utilizes full holographic projection for 100% immersive realism!

Enjoy unparalleled freedom—shape Xing Xiaochu into whoever you desire! A celebrity, doctor, lawyer… With your guidance, she can become anything!

Qi Ying arched an eyebrow, resting a hand on her hip as she read. Were games this advanced now? This torrential rain—was it really holographic? It felt unnervingly real.

Scrolling further, she discovered her in-game profile: a 26-year-old fashion designer and friend of Xing Xiaochu’s late mother, here to fulfill a dying wish.

“Interesting.”

With nothing pressing at the studio, Qi Ying decided to test this “holographic” experience. Spotting a black umbrella leaning against the wall—as if placed there just for her—she snapped it open with a ‘pop’ and stepped into the rain.

Xing Xiaochu crouched in a corner, knees hugged to her chest. Raindrops slid off the eaves, splashing against her legs when they hit the ground. She shuffled deeper into the shadows, trying to make herself smaller.

“Going to school is useless for an Omega like you. You should just hurry up and marry an Alpha.”

“Stop talking. I’ve already withdrawn you from school. You don’t need to go back when the semester starts.”

“Xing Xiaochu! Have you grown wings and think you can disobey me now? If you don’t get married, don’t you dare come back to this house ever again!”

The argument with her father from a few hours ago was still vivid in her mind. Xing Xiaochu had just turned 18 this year and was looking forward to starting her senior year of high school after summer break. But today, her father came home and told her she wouldn’t be returning to school—because she was getting married.

To a wealthy old Alpha nearing fifty, whose son was even older than her.

Xing Xiaochu refused, and her father responded with a slap across her face. By the time she regained her senses, she was already hiding under a nearby eave.

“Wuuu…”

The more she thought about it, the more heartbroken she became. Hugging her knees, she burst into tears.

Clang!

A man’s figure appeared at the mouth of the alley. He seemed drunk, stumbling after stepping on a liquor bottle and nearly falling. Leaning against the wall, he took a moment to steady himself before straightening up and continuing toward her.

The rain grew heavier. Xing Xiaochu lifted her eyes slightly, watching the man pass by her. She curled up tighter, trying not to get in his way.

“Huh?”

The man, reeking of alcohol and clad in a black raincoat, seemed to notice something. Sniffing the air, he turned his head and spotted Xing Xiaochu huddled in the corner. His drunken eyes instantly lit up as he stared at her and slurred, “You’re an Omega?”

Xing Xiaochu paled in fear. Without caring about the pouring rain, she scrambled to her feet and bolted. The man called after her, “Little Omega, why are you running? My place is just up ahead—why don’t you come over and play for a bit?”

The rain pelted down on her mercilessly as the man chased after her, shouting, “Are you homeless? Come home with me! I just so happen to need a wife to bear me a male Alpha…”

Her foot slipped, and thud!—she crashed onto the wet ground. By the time she pushed herself up, the man was already right behind her, reaching out to grab her skirt.

His bloodshot eyes locked onto her. “Don’t be scared, little girl. Uncle will take you home…!!”

Before he could finish, a black umbrella struck his wrist. He yelped in pain, jerking his hand back as he turned to see Qi Ying, who had appeared in the alley out of nowhere.

Qi Ying reopened the umbrella, shielding herself from the rain as she stood between Xing Xiaochu and the man, arms crossed. With a slight tilt of her chin, she said coolly, “Bullying a little girl, huh? I could call the cops.”

Qi Ying was already tall—178 cm barefoot—and her height, combined with her imposing presence, made her a formidable figure in the narrow alley.

The man sniffed the air, catching the overpowering scent of Alpha pheromones radiating from Qi Ying. He forced an awkward laugh, backing away as he stammered, “Alright, alright! She’s all yours. I won’t disturb you two…”

The man scurried off like a beaten dog. Qi Ying watched him until he was completely out of sight before finally turning her attention to Xing Xiaochu, who was still sitting on the ground.

When Xing Xiaochu saw the woman looking at her, she flinched. She wanted to run, but her legs had gone weak.

Qi Ying hesitated for a moment, taking in the girl’s terrified expression. Then, she stepped forward and crouched in front of Xing Xiaochu, holding the umbrella over her head to shelter her from the relentless downpour.

“You’re Xing Xiaochu, right?” Qi Ying said to her according to the script. “I’m Qi Ying, a friend of your mother’s. She asked me to take good care of you.”

“Mom’s… friend?”

Xing Xiaochu’s face was pale. She had beautiful eyes, and her long black hair, soaked by the rain, clung tightly to her face, making her eyes appear even more moist. She was trembling all over. Just as Qi Ying was about to ask if she was okay, Xiaochu collapsed into her arms.

Qi Ying: “…”

She seemed to catch a faint, chilly scent of osmanthus, washed by the rain.

Qi Ying sat by the hospital bed, watching the unconscious Xiaochu as she asked the nurse, “Is she really okay?”

“She’ll be fine, don’t worry.” After setting up the IV drip, the nurse reassured Qi Ying, “The patient collapsed due to exhaustion and high fever. Fortunately, you brought her in time. She’ll recover after these two IV drips.”

Only then did Qi Ying feel relieved.

After the nurse left, she sat on the stool beside the bed. When Xiaochu had fainted into her arms earlier, Qi Ying had been terrified. She immediately carried her, hailed a taxi, and rushed to the hospital. At first, Qi Ying worried whether the game world’s registration and payment systems would differ from reality, but she soon realized the two worlds seemed identical—even the account balances were the same.

Thankfully, the medical system here was efficient. Registration, consultation, and IV drips cost only about 200 yuan in total. However, Qi Ying did pick up a few new terms:

Omega.

Beta.

Alpha.

In this world, it seemed that apart from the usual male and female genders, there were three additional classifications: Alpha, Beta, and Omega. Qi Ying appeared to be an Alpha, while Xiaochu was a delicate little Omega.

Qi Ying could smell the cold osmanthus fragrance on Xiaochu—likely her pheromones.

Sweet and pleasant.

Qi Ying sniffed her own arm, curious about her own scent.

It seemed to be… plum wine.

The aroma of her favorite drink. She hadn’t expected her pheromones to carry this scent, but it wasn’t bad—in fact, she quite liked it.

‘Ding—’

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Qi Ying pulled it out and saw a WeChat message from a colleague asking where she was and why the studio door was open but no one was inside.

Her heart skipped a beat. Quickly, she opened Xiaochu’s app. The interface now displayed a human figure—Xiaochu, still in her soaked clothes, crouched at the edge of the screen. On the left was a string of stats, and on the right, several interaction buttons. But right now, Qi Ying needed to exit the game immediately.

Confirm exit the game?

Confirm.

Time flows the same in both worlds! Remember to visit your Xiaochu often~

As she exited, the screen flashed again. The next moment, Qi Ying found herself standing in the alley behind the studio. Her measuring tape still hung around her neck, and the studio lights were on. She could faintly see her colleague giving a client a tour. She quickly tucked away the tape and pushed the door open.

The bell jingled as Qi Ying entered, greeting the client with a smile, “Sorry, I just stepped out to the restroom. Are you here for a custom outfit?”

Three hours later.

Xiao Chu slowly opened her eyes. The IV drip had finished, and only a faint light remained on in the ward. The thick blue curtains blocked most of the illumination, leaving only a dim yellow glow reflected above her head.

She was now dressed in a clean, comfortable hospital gown, lying on the bed in a slight daze.

That woman… was she really Mom’s friend?

Xiao Chu thought that the next time they met, she’d have to properly thank her…