My Virtual Wife Stepped Out of My Phone to Find Me - Chapter 4

Qi Ying said, “It’s fine, I’m not picky. As long as the food’s cooked, it’s good enough.”

After serving the meal, the two sat facing each other at the dining table. Qi Ying noticed that Xing Xiaochu’s cooking skills were just average—neither particularly good nor bad, but definitely edible.

Throughout the meal, Xing Xiaochu kept glancing at Qi Ying’s expression, secretly relieved when she didn’t detect any displeasure.

After dinner, Qi Ying rolled up her sleeves to wash the dishes. Xing Xiaochu sprang up instantly, quickly stopping her: “Sister, let me do the dishes!”

“How can that be?” Qi Ying looked at her and said, “From now on, the two of us will be living here together. I can’t let you handle all the chores. If you cook, I’ll take care of the dishes—how does that sound?”

Xing Xiaochu hesitated, “But…”

Qi Ying didn’t give her time to protest, picking up the dishes and heading straight to the kitchen. Xing Xiaochu turned into her little shadow again, following Qi Ying everywhere, handing her dishcloths and towels at the sink—though she didn’t actually do any work, she was there for the entire process.

Qi Ying didn’t stop her. Moving to a new environment must have made Xing Xiaochu uneasy, and perhaps sticking close helped soothe her nerves.

Once everything was done, Xing Xiaochu still trailed after Qi Ying. It took Qi Ying a few backward glances to realize what the girl wanted—she was waiting to ask about her mother. Fortunately, Qi Ying had prepared for this conversation after returning home.

Pouring herself a cup of hot tea and preparing warm milk for Xing Xiaochu, Qi Ying said, “Let’s sit on the sofa. I’ll tell you about your mother.”

Xing Xiaochu’s eyes lit up. Clutching her milk, she eagerly followed Qi Ying to the couch, gazing at her expectantly.

Qi Ying gathered her thoughts and began explaining.

“Your mother and I used to work at the same company. When I first graduated, I knew nothing—she was the one who patiently taught me everything,” Qi Ying said. “Back then, she spent most of her time at the company or factory, rarely going home. None of us knew much about her family situation—until I went abroad for studies.”

Turning to Xing Xiaochu, she continued, “I studied design overseas for a year. During that time, I kept in touch with your mother. Then one day, she suddenly sent me an email, confessing that she had endured domestic abuse for a long time. In that email, she also mentioned you.”

Xing Xiaochu’s eyes widened slightly. “Mom… mentioned me?”

“Yes,” Qi Ying nodded, taking a sip of tea before continuing. “At the time, I urged her to report it or seek help. But after that, she never sent another email. By the time I returned to the country, I learned she had already passed away. Remembering how often she spoke of you, I thought… maybe I could come and help.”

Softly, Qi Ying asked, “After your mother left, you must have had a really hard time, didn’t you?”

Xing Xiaochu slowly lowered her head, clutching her warm milk without a word. Then, her shoulders began to tremble—she was crying. Qi Ying quickly set down her tea and pulled the girl into her arms.

Xing Xiaochu clutched the milk carton, tears streaming down her face as she said to Qi Ying in a soft, tearful voice, “My mom was beaten to death by my dad.”

Qi Ying looked at her in shock.

Xing Xiaochu whispered, “That day, I heard them arguing again. My dad kept hitting her. Finally, my mom pushed him away and ran out—she never came back. The next day, the neighbors told me she had died, drowned in the river.”

Qi Ying frowned deeply, comforting Xing Xiaochu as she asked, “Did your dad chase after her that night?”

Xing Xiaochu shook her head. “I don’t know. I stayed in my room the whole time. When I finally came out, they were both gone… Later, the police came, but they said it was just an accident.”

Xing Xiaochu raised her tear-reddened eyes to Qi Ying and asked, “Do you think it was an accident too?”

Qi Ying felt her heart skip a beat under the girl’s dark, glistening gaze.

She pulled out a tissue from the side and gently wiped Xing Xiaochu’s tears away. “I don’t know either,” she said.

Xing Xiaochu sniffled and lowered her head again.

“My dad… wants me to get married,” Xing Xiaochu murmured. “He wants to trade me for money…”

After that, Xing Xiaochu rambled on about many things—about herself, about her mother. Perhaps in her world, only a stranger like Qi Ying could make her open up so much. By the time she finished, she was exhausted, and the milk in her hand had gone cold.

Qi Ying stayed by her side the whole time. Only when the girl grew quiet did she reach out and gently pinch her cheek. Looking down at her swollen eyes, she said softly, “How about you go take a bath, okay?”

Xing Xiaochu nodded.

There were no clothes for Xing Xiaochu at home, so Qi Ying rummaged through her wardrobe and found a loose-fitting nightgown and a fresh set of underwear. She made a mental note to visit the mall tomorrow to buy her some clothes—raising her would definitely cost a fair bit of money.

But Xing Xiaochu was sensible, and Qi Ying didn’t mind spending on her.

“I left the clothes by the door,” Qi Ying said as she pushed open the bathroom door. Through the frosted glass, she could see the steam and Xing Xiaochu’s faint silhouette. Her gaze lingered for a moment, noticing that the girl’s legs seemed longer than she had thought.

Though petite, her proportions were excellent. Maybe she could groom her to be a star?

Xing Xiaochu was beautiful, with a great figure—it’d be a waste not to let her shine.

A muffled “Mm” came from the shower, and Qi Ying withdrew her gaze and left.

She made the bed with fresh sheets and a clean comforter, giving them a sniff to make sure they didn’t smell musty. At least in this world, things didn’t seem to get damp.

But even after Qi Ying finished everything, Xing Xiaochu still hadn’t come out of the bathroom. The sound of running water had stopped, though. Worried, Qi Ying walked back and knocked. “Are you done?” she asked.

“Y-yes…”

Xing Xiaochu’s voice suddenly sounded tense, her pitch noticeably higher. Qi Ying blinked in confusion and spoke through the door, “Come out when you’re ready. I’ve set up your room—let me know if anything’s missing.”

Soon, she would understand why Xing Xiaochu had been so nervous.

The bathroom door clicked open from inside. Qi Ying turned around to see Xing Xiaochu standing at the doorway, dressed in her pajamas. Her hair was still dripping wet, one hand clutching tightly at the collar while the other held up the waistband of the pants. Only then did Qi Ying realize the clothes she’d given her were far too big to wear properly.

Qi Ying was tall to begin with, so what were loose pajamas for her became an absolute disaster for Xing Xiaochu.

The pants kept sliding down with every step, and the collar was even worse—covering the front meant exposing the back, and covering the back left her fair chest exposed. When she tried to cover both, her rounded shoulders peeked out instead. Those few steps from the bathroom took Xing Xiaochu forever, constantly tugging at the pants or adjusting the neckline in sheer embarrassment.

“Jiejie…”

Xing Xiaochu sent out a silent plea for help, her snow-white cheeks flushed bright red. Even the exposed half of her shoulder had turned a delicate pink, making her look like a freshly ripened cherry tomato.