My Virtual Wife Stepped Out of My Phone to Find Me - Chapter 33

Xing Xiaochu stared at her bad-tempered, intimidating green-haired classmate, standing frozen for a moment before tremblingly sitting back down.

A muffled snicker came from nearby. Before Xiaochu could react, the school bully shot a glare in that direction, instantly silencing the classroom.

Xiaochu sat ramrod straight, not daring to even glance sideways, terrified the girl might turn her aggression toward her. So this was why everyone had laughed when she sat down. This green-haired girl was clearly one of those delinquents who skipped studying.

Clutching the hem of her uniform, Xiaochu lowered her head, eyelashes fluttering nervously. Would she really get beaten up by her desk mate on the first day? If it came to that, could she at least ask not to be hit in the face? And how would she explain any injuries to Qi Ying later?

Her eyes grew moist just thinking about it.

Before she could devise a plan, her green-haired desk mate yawned, took off her uniform jacket to drape over her head like a blanket, and promptly fell asleep on the desk.

Asleep? Just like that? Sleeping through the first day of school?!

Xiaochu’s pupils dilated in shock, but she didn’t dare turn to look, instead staring blankly at her textbook. What… exactly was happening here?

Qi Ying returned home feeling slightly dizzy.

After kicking off her shoes, she first sat on the sofa, then lay down when that proved uncomfortable. Her phone pinged with a notification: 15 minutes until Xiaochu’s school dismissal.

Staring blankly at the ceiling for five minutes, she finally got up to fetch the child from school.

Outside the school gates, numerous parents had gathered. Though most high schoolers could commute alone, some parents still insisted on escorting their children—often straight to cram schools.

Standing under a streetlamp, Qi Ying watched the sea of identical uniforms and ponytails from Third High, suddenly anxious she might miss her charge. All these teenagers looked so similar—medium height, pale complexions, mostly wearing thick black-framed glasses, even their ponytails tied at identical heights. The standardized uniforms made distinguishing anyone nearly impossible.

Checking her phone, she noted ten minutes had passed since dismissal. If Xiaochu didn’t appear soon, she’d just call.

Then she spotted her.

The girl stood out like moonlight among stars—several shades fairer than her peers, instantly recognizable despite the uniform. Even the waiting students near Qi Ying turned to stare, eyes widening appreciatively.

Xiaochu noticed Qi Ying too, rushing over breathlessly. “Jiejie,” she panted.

“Mn.” Aware of the admiring gazes around them, Qi Ying ruffled the girl’s hair and took her backpack. “Let’s go home.”

On their way to school, the two nearly arrived late, so there weren’t many students around. But now during dismissal, the streets were crowded with people. Groups of classmates gathered in clusters, their gazes openly lingering on Qi Ying and the girl beside her, Xiao Chu.

Qi Ying frowned slightly, shooting back displeased glares at those intrusive looks.

Xiao Chu seemed preoccupied as well, walking slowly beside Qi Ying without noticing the attention they were drawing.

A commotion rose from a side path near the school. Xiao Chu glanced over and spotted her green-haired deskmate hanging out with a group of girls who clearly weren’t the well-behaved type—no school uniforms, hair dyed in flashy colors, skirts so short they barely covered anything.

To Xiao Chu’s shock, she watched as her deskmate plucked a cigarette from one of the girls’ mouths, took a drag, and exhaled a cloud of smoke.

Catching Xiao Chu’s stare, the deskmate turned and locked eyes with her.

Xiao Chu: “!!!”

She quickly averted her gaze, grabbing Qi Ying’s arm and urging, “Sis, let’s walk faster!”

Confused but obliging, Qi Ying let herself be pulled along. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the group of girls but didn’t pay them much mind.

Since it was the first day of school, Xiao Chu had no homework, and Qi Ying wasn’t in a rush to head home. So they took a detour to the nearby commercial district for hot pot.

Qi Ying had checked the system ratings—this old hot pot restaurant had excellent reviews, promising authentic flavors at reasonable prices. She wanted to see if it lived up to the hype.

Xiao Chu hadn’t expected Qi Ying to take her out for hot pot. As they entered, she looked around in awe—it was her first time in a place like this.

Dinnertime was approaching, and the restaurant was fairly busy. A waiter led them through the maze of tables before seating them and instructing them to scan the QR code to order.

“I’ve picked these for now. Let me know if you want to add anything else,” Qi Ying said, handing her phone to Xiao Chu. “We’ve had hot pot at home before, but I wanted to bring you here to see which style you prefer.”

Overwhelmed by the extensive menu, Xiao Chu hesitated before handing the phone back. “You order, sis. I’ll eat anything.”

Qi Ying chuckled, finalized their selections, then stood up. “Come on, let’s make our dipping sauces.”

Faced with dozens of condiments, Xiao Chu froze. Qi Ying handed her a small bowl and guided her. “Garlic, chili peppers, cilantro, scallions, two spoons of sesame oil, and two of soy sauce—that’s a garlic oil dip. Crushed peanuts, chili flakes, salt, and sesame seeds make a dry dip. Or you can just mix whatever you like.”

Xiao Chu watched Qi Ying closely, mimicking her as she added beef sauce and chili flakes to her bowl.

Eventually, Qi Ying noticed and laughed. “Why are you copying me?”

Blushing, Xiao Chu admitted, “I don’t know how…”

Suppressing a smile, Qi Ying swapped their bowls. “Go check on the pot. I’ll make one for you.”

Xing Xiaochu held Qi Ying’s small plate, thinking she had done something wrong, and dejectedly returned to her seat. She saw that the waiter had already served all the dishes, including a pot larger than a washbasin at home, placed on the table.

The hotpot was already bubbling vigorously. The waiter asked her, “Would you like me to help you put the ingredients in?”

Xing Xiaochu shook her head and replied, “Wait until my sister comes back.”

The waiter nodded, set the items down, and left.

When Qi Ying returned, she not only had dipping sauces but also brought a small cup of ice cream for Xiaochu.

Xing Xiaochu looked at the ice cream in surprise and asked, “Sister, where did you get this?”

“It’s free from the hotpot shop’s fridge. I grabbed one for you,” Qi Ying said, placing the sauces in front of her before sitting down and starting to cook the meat.

As she cooked, Qi Ying said to Xiaochu, “You’re still too thin. You need to eat more meat. I ordered a lot this time, so make sure you eat well.”

Soon, the meat piled up like a small mountain on Xiaochu’s plate—she couldn’t eat as fast as Qi Ying was scooping it for her.

“Mmm… that’s enough, sister,” Xiaochu said helplessly, eyeing the food in front of her. “I can pick from the pot myself if I want more.”

Qi Ying let out an “Oh” before finally stopping, then proceeded to pour Xiaochu a drink.

This was Xiaochu’s first time eating hotpot outside, and she found the flavors much richer than what Qi Ying made at home. The dipping sauces were also more varied and delicious, making her eyes light up with delight.

The meal left both of them satisfied. After paying the bill—which was so high that the shop gave them two free milk teas—Qi Ying walked out holding both cups and saw Xiaochu crouched by the entrance, playing with the shop’s lucky cat.

The hotpot shop’s cat was a calico, gentle and friendly with everyone. At the moment, Xiaochu was stroking its little ears, tilting her head as she watched it.

Qi Ying walked over with a smile, bending down to say, “Xiaochu, it’s time to go home.”

The girl looked up at her from the ground, her eyes crinkling with joy. “Sister, doesn’t this cat look like our Guazi?”

Qi Ying glanced at the calico and said doubtfully, “This one’s a calico, Guazi is orange and white—they don’t even have the same coat pattern. How are they alike?”

But the school-uniform-clad girl disagreed. She rubbed the calico’s head and said, “I think their ears look the same—both have orange on them.”

Qi Ying chuckled, watching Xiaochu—clean and pretty—happily playing with the cat. The calico, accustomed to being petted by customers, nuzzled its head against Xiaochu’s palm, making her smile even brighter.

The milk tea in Qi Ying’s hand was nearly warmed by her grip. She felt as if her whole body was burning up again, especially when she looked at Xiaochu.

Her heart felt like it was crawling with ants, nibbling at her core.

A tingling, numbing sensation.

Yet unbearably itchy.

Qi Ying’s throat felt dry. She gazed at Xiaochu with deep intensity before finally saying after a long pause, “Alright, let’s go.”

On the way home, each held their milk tea as they walked.

Xing Xiaochu shared stories about her school life with Qi Ying. Her previous school had been chaotic, with almost no one studying, but this one was different—everyone worked hard, and the teachers were all very responsible.

Of course, except for that green-haired deskmate of hers.

Xing Xiaochu didn’t dare tell Qi Ying about her deskmate, afraid it would make Qi Ying worry. She’d already caused enough trouble for the other girl and couldn’t keep burdening Qi Ying with her problems.

Besides, today her deskmate had just slept face-down all day and smoked with some delinquent girls after school—she hadn’t actually done anything to Xing Xiaochu. She shouldn’t judge someone as a bad person based solely on first impressions.

As they talked, the two entered the residential complex.

Qi Ying had been distracted the whole way home. She could smell the sweet, fragrant osmanthus scent coming from Xing Xiaochu, even though Xing Xiaochu wasn’t emitting any pheromones and still had her suppressant patch on. Why could she still smell that fragrance?

The scent kept invading Qi Ying’s nose without restraint, so sweet it made her bones itch.

She couldn’t even drink her milk tea anymore—each sip left her throat cloyingly sweet and uncomfortable.

While waiting for the elevator, Qi Ying bit down on the red straw, hesitating for several seconds before asking Xing Xiaochu beside her: “Xiaochu, when is your heat cycle?”