My Virtual Wife Stepped Out of My Phone to Find Me - Chapter 8

The warm embrace momentarily stunned Xing Xiaochu—it had been so long since anyone held her like this.

Breathing in Qi Ying’s scent, she could tell how anxious the other person was.

Why so worried?

Was it because of her?

Though Xing Xiaochu was timid—afraid of thunder, afraid of alphas—she could manage her fear by hiding well enough. Yet this alpha, whom she hadn’t known for long, was concerned enough to rush back for her.

Xing Xiaochu thought, apart from her mother, this might be the only person who cared about her so deeply.

Meanwhile, Qi Ying saw the child in her arms looking “frozen with fear” and assumed she was truly terrified. The moment she stepped inside, she caught the faint scent of osmanthus—cool and crisp yet unmistakably laced with fear.

So, she reached out, cupping Xing Xiaochu’s ears before the next thunderclap struck.

The pitch-black room flashed white. Xing Xiaochu looked up at her as the roaring thunder became distant, muffled—almost like an illusion. Instead, another sound seeped into her awareness.

Deep and rhythmic.

The steady beat of Qi Ying’s heart, the pulse of bl00d flowing through her veins.

“Jiejie…”

Xing Xiaochu blinked up at her.

Another explosive thunderclap shook the air. Frowning, Qi Ying pulled her closer, arms tightening around her. “It’s okay. I’m here now. Don’t be afraid…”

The house was too dark—storm clouds blotted out the sky, making it feel like late evening. Qi Ying started to rise to turn on a light, only to feel a tug on her clothes.

Xing Xiaochu clung to her shoulder, fingers gripping her sleeve tightly, murmuring, “Don’t go…”

“I won’t.” Qi Ying hesitated, then settled back, holding the slender girl. “I’ll stay with you.”

The scent of plum wine clung to Qi Ying—a little sharp but comforting now that Xing Xiaochu knew it meant concern for her.

Hadn’t she gone to work?

Why come back?

How did she know about the fear of thunder?

Held like this, Xing Xiaochu wasn’t as scared anymore, though sudden thunder still startled her. Each time, Qi Ying would pat her back or brush a soft cheek against hers—reassuring.

Summer storms came and went quickly. The rumbling thunder lasted less than half an hour before fading, the rain clearing as the sky brightened.

Qi Ying glanced outside, where sunlight was beginning to peek through. Gently, she patted the girl in her arms. “The rain stopped.”

Xing Xiaochu peeked out toward the window but stayed curled against her, offering a small “Mm.”

Knowing she was still uneasy, Qi Ying didn’t rush her, continuing to hold her with quiet comfort—until Xing Xiaochu, embarrassed, began to pull away.

She was an Omega and naturally should keep her distance from alphas. Being held in the arms of a stranger now felt strange, making her somewhat uncomfortable.

Especially since it was summer and she wasn’t wearing much—Xing Xiaochu could even feel Qi Ying’s chest pressing against her, which made her blush.

“Big sis…” Xing Xiaochu shifted slightly away and looked up at her. “Weren’t you at work?”

How did you get back so fast?

Qi Ying smiled. “I saw it was about to rain outside and was afraid you’d be scared alone at home, so I rushed back.”

A warmth bloomed in Xing Xiaochu’s chest, and she asked hesitantly, “Won’t your workplace fine you for that?”

“Fine me?” Qi Ying looked at her curiously. “Who told you that going home gets you fined?”

“My mom used to get fined every time she came home from work. My dad would hit her and say she wasn’t earning money because of me.” Xing Xiaochu lowered her gaze and spoke softly. “If it thunders again next time, you don’t have to come back specially. I won’t be scared alone.”

Qi Ying glanced at the girl. Not scared? Then who was the one covering her ears and hiding in the closet earlier? Who wouldn’t even let me turn on the lights and is still curled up in my arms, refusing to move?

Of course, Qi Ying knew Xing Xiaochu meant well and wouldn’t call her out on it.

“It’s fine. I don’t get fined for coming home.” Qi Ying pinched the girl’s soft cheeks lightly and chuckled. “Because I’m the boss. So no one but me can fine me.”

Xing Xiaochu looked at her in surprise, thinking Qi Ying was amazing—she could actually be her own boss.

Qi Ying smiled at the girl’s wide-eyed expression but didn’t explain that she was also the employee, salesperson, promoter, and even the night-shift security guard. Xing Xiaochu didn’t seem to understand anyway—easy to fool.

“Alright.” Qi Ying ruffled the girl’s hair. “Get up. The rain’s stopped.”

Only then did Xing Xiaochu realize she had been sitting in Qi Ying’s lap this whole time. The tips of her ears instantly turned red, and she nodded before scrambling up with her head lowered.

Ding—

Qi Ying’s phone suddenly chimed. She pulled it out as she stood and saw a notification from the game.

Dear Designer, Xiaochu’s affection for you has increased! She really likes you!

Qi Ying blinked and tapped to check the affection meter. The progress bar had clearly jumped forward significantly, now displaying Unwavering Trust.

Ding—

Dear Designer, Xiaochu is still young and shouldn’t be cooped up at home all day. Perhaps it’s time to start planning her development path! You’ll also need to secure a school—only through diligent study can she improve every day!

Qi Ying studied the development plan and remembered that Xing Xiaochu’s father had withdrawn her from school. If Qi Ying didn’t work to get her enrollment reinstated, the girl might miss out on schooling entirely this summer.

Even if she couldn’t become a star, she shouldn’t grow up illiterate. School was a must.

Qi Ying quietly pocketed her phone, deciding to take advantage of her free days to track down Xing Xiaochu’s deadbeat father and retrieve the girl’s school records.

She’d transfer her to a nearby middle school. Though she had no idea how well the kid studied—hopefully, she wasn’t a little dummy.

Xing Xiaochu had no idea she was being treated like a little fool. The thunder had just scared her into a cold sweat, and now she was being held in Qi Ying’s arms, her entire body soaked in Qi Ying’s pheromones. The scent of plum wine enveloped Xing Xiaochu completely, making her feel unbearably hot—something she’d never experienced before.

The glands on the back of her neck grew increasingly warm upon smelling Qi Ying’s pheromones, now reaching a point where they burned even without being touched, causing her heart to race uncontrollably.

This was bad…

Xing Xiaochu thought miserably. She would have to keep her distance from Qi Ying from now on—it was too dangerous otherwise.

After a quick shower and change of clothes in her room, Xing Xiaochu cautiously peeked out. The rain had completely stopped, and the sunlight had returned, so intense it was evaporating the rainwater from the windowsill.

Qi Ying stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing intently at the scenery below.

Noticing Xing Xiaochu, Qi Ying beckoned her over with a wave.

“Sister?” Xing Xiaochu walked over, puzzled, and stood beside her to look out the window. “What are you looking at?”

“At a school.” Qi Ying pointed to a building in the distance. “I just checked—there’s a middle school nearby, only a fifteen-minute walk from home. Would you like to go there?”

Xing Xiaochu turned to look and recognized it as the local No. 3 High School, one of the top five in the city. She blinked slightly, clutching the hem of her clothes without a word.

Qi Ying knew what she was worried about and gently reassured her, “Don’t worry. Just tell me if you want to go to school. Leave the rest to me.”

Xing Xiaochu looked up at her, unsure where Qi Ying’s confidence came from, but her words did bring comfort. She stared at Qi Ying for a long time, her beautiful dark eyes shimmering, before finally nodding.

“I want to go to school,” she said softly. “I really do, Sister.”

Qi Ying smiled and gently patted her head.

If that’s what you want, then I’ll make it happen.

Qi Ying walked alone through a dimly lit alley, checking her phone’s GPS—just 100 meters left to her destination.

She looked up, surprised to find that even in this game world, there were urban villages.

The village was nestled in a downtown street, a chaotic mix of towering skyscrapers in the distance and foul-smelling sewers and dark alleys below. At the alley’s entrance, Qi Ying and a delivery rider on an electric bike stared at each other awkwardly before she had to step aside to let him pass.

What a hassle. Who blocks both sides of the street, making it one-way only?

Qi Ying frowned. What kind of life had Xing Xiaochu been living before? Even as a scripted pitiful character, this was too harsh.

With that thought, she crossed the alley and arrived at what looked like a residential building. Her phone chimed with a “You have arrived at your destination” notification before ending navigation.

Qi Ying: “…”

The tenement building had over a dozen units per floor. How was she supposed to find anything here?

Fortunately, having a mouth is useful for asking directions. Qi Ying inquired with several passersby and was guided to an apartment on the fourth floor.

The narrow corridors of the old tenement building were cramped, with many households even setting up their kitchens outside. The entire hallway reeked of a sour, foul stench, making Qi Ying involuntarily wrinkle her nose.

When she stood before the door pointed out by the passersby, she caught a strong whiff of hard liquor. The door was ajar, revealing a dimly lit interior where only the shadowy figure of what seemed to be a man lay sprawled on the sofa. The floor was littered with empty liquor bottles.

A drunken father, a deceased mother, an uneducated Xiaochu, and her own rotten luck.

Qi Ying crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow before knocking on the door and asking, “Is this Xing Xiaochu’s home?”